Bard's Tale I - Remaster launches on August 14

Well we know that isn't joke playing because of the controller prompts and we have no clue what sort of mods they were using

joxer said:

You were determined to pan the game since the day it got released and that's your choice, I'm not here to solve problems in your head. Feel free to spit on it till doomsday.

But for those who still didn't play TW3 and suspect it's me who skipped meds today:

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you said:

Well we know that isn't joke playing because of the controller prompts and we have no clue what sort of mods they were using

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Also, he seems to have missed the minor detail that I've never claimed signs can't be effective. What I'm saying is that if you're going to complete Witcher 3 on anything but the easiest difficulty level - you're going to be roll-dodging QUITE a bit during the game. You won't even get the alternative Quen/Yrden for the first many levels.

Well I have no clue how joke played but I certianly spent a huge amount of time rolling and dodging during combat
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On the bright side i loved hitting them on the backside after a roll... but I think that's enough on the witcher which is totally unrelated to Bard's tale 1 a game you do not plan on playing.

I'll probably start it and if i like it keep playing and if not stop

Darth Tagnan said:

Also, he seems to have missed the minor detail that I've never claimed signs can't be effective. What I'm saying is that if you're going to complete Witcher 3 on anything but the easiest difficulty level - you're going to be roll-dodging QUITE a bit during the game. You won't even get the alternative Quen/Yrden for the first many levels.

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you said:

Well I have no clue how joke played but I certianly spent a huge amount of time rolling and dodging during combat
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On the bright side i loved hitting them on the backside after a roll… but I think that's enough on the witcher which is totally unrelated to Bard's tale 1 a game you do not plan on playing.

I'll probably start it and if i like it keep playing and if not stop

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I don't even mind roll-dodging that much. Most action-combat systems are a little weak or prone to exploits.

I just found the concept of a "Roller CRPG" quite amusing. I honestly never heard that one before.

You guys don't know what you're talking about. This, is a REAL roller RPG and it is awesome:

Nephologist said:

You guys don't know what you're talking about. This, is a REAL roller RPG and it is awesome:

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Haha, so there's actually a LITERAL example - cool

Darth Tagnan said:

Not to be crude, but I would rather kill myself than play 100 hours of Bard's Tale these days

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I think you've forgotten how addicting the gameplay was. You think you're playing for an hour and wonder where the day went. Besides, the automap, rebalancing, save-anywhere, and updated UI should trim that down significantly… I'm guessing about 30-40 hours per game (I hope).

Addicting is the word, it's a sheer wonder that some of my earlier computers simply didn't melt down for the amount of time I had them on, playing outstanding games such as Bard's Tale, Wizardry, Ultima, and others. Nowadays I often go for the telly or a book, I don't game nearly as long as I used to.

Vindicator said:

I think you've forgotten how addicting the gameplay was. You think you're playing for an hour and wonder where the day went. Besides, the automap, rebalancing, save-anywhere, and updated UI should trim that down significantly… I'm guessing about 30-40 hours per game (I hope).

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Hehe, if you say so

I haven't really played it since Thief of Fate. But I have a clear memory of being exhausted with the genre by the time Dragon Wars came out

For a game you have zero interest in playing you sure have a lot to say about it...

Darth Tagnan said:

Hehe, if you say so

I haven't really played it since Thief of Fate. But I have a clear memory of being exhausted with the genre by the time Dragon Wars came out

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you said:

For a game you have zero interest in playing you sure have a lot to say about it…

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I almost always have things to say when I'm exchanging with people who're talking to me.

As for this game, I wouldn't say my interest is zero - it's just not very high. I was curious about the changes - and I'm always curious about people.

But I've noticed you have a problem with people saying things about games you don't agree with. You always make little snide comments when something doesn't suit you. It's almost a sure thing whenever joxer says something, for instance.

Is that your way of contributing to the discussion - or are you merely annoyed?

If you're just annoyed with me and want to vent a little - that's cool. I just need to know if there's more to it.

Vindicator said:

Besides, the automap, rebalancing, save-anywhere, and updated UI should trim that down significantly… I'm guessing about 30-40 hours per game (I hope).

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I listened to a podcast recently about The Bard's Tale and the speakers were of the opinion that drawing complete maps yourself, also due to all the travelling back and forth for saving, was actually the most important part of gameplay. Besides the fact that you simply had to do it, it also made you actually create something in the sense that each person's hand-drawn map was a unique piece of art.

Of course nobody would want to play a game like that without automapping in this generation, but it'll be interesting to see how the remaster fares in comparison with major gameplay parts cut out.

Do the original games contain any non-combat skills?

I was trying to remember if they did, but I've only played the NES version of BT 1, and that was 20+ years ago.

Disagree? I don't think i've expressed an opinion. I have a problem with people attacking things they have already declared doesn't interest them. Since it doesn't interest them of course they are going to attack it. The point has already been made.

As for me I've never played this game - since it is free and some people seem to think it is fantastic I'll start it when it becomes avaiable and if i like it will continue and if not abandon it.

Darth Tagnan said:

I almost always have things to say when I'm exchanging with people who're talking to me.

As for this game, I wouldn't say my interest is zero - it's just not very high. I was curious about the changes - and I'm always curious about people.

But I've noticed you have a problem with people saying things about games you don't agree with. You always make little snide comments when something doesn't suit you. It's almost a sure thing whenever joxer says something, for instance.

Is that your way of contributing to the discussion - or are you merely annoyed?

If you're just annoyed with me and want to vent a little - that's cool. I just need to know if there's more to it.

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you said:

Disagree? I don't think i've expressed an opinion. I have a problem with people attacking things they have already declared doesn't interest them. Since it doesn't interest them of course they are going to attack it. The point has already been made.

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Oh, so stating an opinion that's negative is an attack to you?

Cool, I don't agree about that at all though - and I think there should be room for all kinds of opinions on a public forum dedicated to the exchange of opinions.

Also, please take care to note that people are actually talking to me - and I'm merely responding to what they're saying.

Instead of playing forum policeman, which you honestly suck at - why not just accept that we all like different things for different reasons?

That said, if you have a big problem with me responding to people about games I might not actually enjoy - I can only recommend putting me on ignore, because it will happen time and time again.

I know others have a big problem when I talk about games I really do enjoy (like Bioware games and Bethesda games) - so I'm used to that sort of thing.

I'm a vocal person and I'm a passionate person when it comes to games.

Believe it or not, some people actually appreciate that about me - though I'm sure it will feel like over-exposure here and there, since most of you don't have that much to say, really.

Looking at a faq there are spells like disarm trap. Some people consider traps combat skills not sure if you do. There are also scry spells. Then again some people don't consider spells to be skills.

JDR13 said:

Do the original games contain any non-combat skills?

I was trying to remember if they did, but I've only played the NES version of BT 1, and that was 20+ years ago.

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Arhu said:

Of course nobody would want to play a game like that without automapping in this generation...

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I'd love to play a computer role playing game reading big thick manuals, hand writing my own quest log, and drawing maps.

Of course, along with that I'd also need long summer days free from a job, family responsibilities, or really any responsibilities whatsoever.

Arhu said:

Besides the fact that you simply had to do it, it also made you actually create something in the sense that each person's hand-drawn map was a unique piece of art.

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That's an interesting opinion. I guess I should start having this kind of view on all those reports I have to do at work: All pieces of art. Written by myself! Signed in the most beautiful handwriting.

Cacheperl said:

That's an interesting opinion. I guess I should start having this kind of view on all those reports I have to do at work: All pieces of art. Written by myself! Signed in the most beautiful handwriting.

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Arhu actually makes a good point. I wrote about this once here in these forums but I can't find it... it probably didn't survive the server problems they had with this website a year or so ago. But here's the "Cliff's Notes" version:

Back in the days of gaming, before the internet, when dinosaurs still roamed the Earth and you had to exert physical energy to move your body to the store that physically sold the box that physically stored the disks with your game on it were the hallmark days when just getting your game was all part of the great adventure.

Some of the best games, like Ultima 4, have memories of a 6 mile bike ride, 2 miles up a big hill (damn you Palos Verdes, CA) and 6 miles back home. Opening the box and smelling that smell of freshly printed manuals.

Pouring over the manuals for hours and hours before ever feeling "right" to insert the disks and install the actual game (doing that in reverse order was considered a sin). Having that notepad and grid paper next to you, ready to go for the inevitable pages and pages of notes and maps.

I probably spent 3 months with Ultima 4, playing nearly everyday for a few hours at a time. No marathon gaming back then because back then we still liked to go outside, go to the beach and do other things.

To this day, I have all my notes and maps in the actual game boxes for games like Ultima, Wizardry, Bard's Tale and others. When I look at them I do get that same feeling as when I see drawings of rocket ships and space battles I drew as a kid. In that sense, they are art, to me anyway.

I am sure such notes or maps have value to you and many others. And this may be similar to how you value your old drawings. That would not be sufficient to call it art, from my point of view. To me, these things are keepsakes, or mementos. They derive their value from peoples recollections, not from artistic qualities. Sure, there may be items that have both aspects, and your old drawings or paintings may be an example.

Anyways, to go as far as saying that these maps were the most important part of the gameplay… Sounds to me like nostalgia tricks people into enshrining poor game design.