Question about adding characters in Pool of Radiance.

I was wondering if it is possible to add additional characters to an already started game of Pool of Radiance. (The 1988 Dos-version) Is this possible? If so, how?

I tried to google some, but I could not seem to come up with anything useful.

Any help would be appreciated.

Originally Posted by Grolav
I was wondering if it is possible to add additional characters to an already started game of Pool of Radiance. (The 1988 Dos-version) Is this possible? If so, how?

I tried to google some, but I could not seem to come up with anything useful.

Any help would be appreciated.

It's been a long, long time since I've played it, but I think there was some way to swap out characters in the training/NPC recruitment area in the main part of town.

Thank you for the reply.

I went to the traing/NPC recruitment area and found that I could add NPC's to the party. I looked throug the other options, but found only a way to remove party members. I found no option for adding other party members that I have created.

Oh well. I am just at the beginning, so I can always reroll new characters and start over. It is just that I only made four characters to the party and then found out that there is room for two more characters. Silly me.

Perhaps there is a way to export my partymembers and save them and add them to a new game? I will just have to fiddle around with the options in the game some more and see what I can come up with.

Here's a link to the manual:

http://www.freegameempire.com/games/…nce/manual-pdf

Start over and reroll, and reroll, and reroll, until the perfect six. The Pools series is not easy. It's similar to ToEE, but with much more spam combat. It made my cry on my C64 where it took ten minutes to load one random encounter (out of 999,000).

The Savage Frontier series is a much easier introduction to Gold Box AD&D.

If I remember correctly, you have to create your characters first and then you can add them to the party regardless of how far into the game you at. There was an exploit from adding and removing party members that allowed you to duplicate items, so I know you can add/remove them.
MB

Originally Posted by The Nameless Zero
Start over and reroll, and reroll, and reroll, until the perfect six. The Pools series is not easy. It's similar to ToEE, but with much more spam combat. It made my cry on my C64 where it took ten minutes to load one random encounter (out of 999,000).

The Savage Frontier series is a much easier introduction to Gold Box AD&D.

Easier, maybe, but not due to lack of random encouners.
The Savage Frontier games had more random encounters than the Pools games.
In Pool of Radiance and Curse of Azure Bonds each area had a limited number of random encounters, and so does Pools of Darkness, I think. Secret of the Silver Blades had endless random encounters, but the chance of a random encounter per square was something like D100.
The Savage Frontier games OTOH had endless (AFAIK) random encounters in many areas. And the chance of these random encounters were something like D6, even in the bloody overland area. And to make matters worse each area had only one or two possible combos of enemies you could meet.

So IMO the encounter design of the Pools games are far superior to that of the Savage Frontier games. Gateway to the Savage Frontier had one of the best end battles, though.

Boot up Pool of Radiance
P for Play.
Enter the codeword.
"Load Save Game"
Find your nearest Trainer in Phlan, enter and then:
"(A)dd new character to party" as an option should be available to you.

Should be as simple as that. Although, I do remember years ago having issues with the configuration file in the multi-disk DOS version. As a consequence, I have always just preferred the C64 version despite the longer disk loading times.

Thank you everyone for your replies.

@Pessimeister: I will try your solution later today.
And I will report back when I know if it works.

@Pessimeister: I got a chance to try it out right now, and it worked. Thank you so much.

Now it is time to deal with the monsters bothering the city of Phlan.

My pleasure. Hope you enjoy your time with a truly classic RPG. Sweep a few orcs for me.

Originally Posted by PetrusOctavianus
So IMO the encounter design of the Pools games are far superior to that of the Savage Frontier games. Gateway to the Savage Frontier had one of the best end battles, though.

My memories of PoR and CoB are coloured by playing them on the C64. When it takes five minutes to load a random battle you feel the pain. Two mages and fireball still resolves 99% of everything in savage frontier though.

The only two Gold Box games I never finished:

Secret of the Silver Blades because it was boring.
Pools of Darkness because I gave up on the near impossible end battle.

Originally Posted by Pessimeister
Boot up Pool of Radiance
P for Play.
Enter the codeword.
"Load Save Game"
Find your nearest Trainer in Phlan, enter and then:
"(A)dd new character to party" as an option should be available to you.

Should be as simple as that. Although, I do remember years ago having issues with the configuration file in the multi-disk DOS version. As a consequence, I have always just preferred the C64 version despite the longer disk loading times.

I just tried it myself. Just to clarify, when the trainer asks if you want to train, you have to say Yes, even if you don't actually want to train. Then you'll be taken to a menu where you can add, drop, modify, train, etc.

Originally Posted by The Nameless Zero
Start over and reroll, and reroll, and reroll, until the perfect six. The Pools series is not easy. It's similar to ToEE, but with much more spam combat. It made my cry on my C64 where it took ten minutes to load one random encounter (out of 999,000).

The Savage Frontier series is a much easier introduction to Gold Box AD&D.

There's no reason to reroll except for the (insignificant) starting cash. You get the option to edit your characters after rolling them.

I have this game on my PSP, the NES version. Jumped in just for a few minutes to see what it's like and it really seems like a great game. Not sure when I'll have the time to play it, but it's cool finding these older gems on consoles like NES. Genesis and SNES have some gems as well.

Man, if I could play half of the games that I used to have for my Commodore on my current system, I'd be two happy clams. Potentially too happy.

Originally Posted by Zaleukos
There's no reason to reroll except for the (insignificant) starting cash. You get the option to edit your characters after rolling them.

Well, there is a reason actually. It's called playing the game fairly by making real characters, accepting rolls and not using modified stats.

Also, tis very strange to see this thread again when the answer had already been given and the original poster seemingly moved on.

Originally Posted by Pessimeister
Well, there is a reason actually. It's called playing the game fairly by making real characters, accepting rolls and not using modified stats.

Also, tis very strange to see this thread again when the answer had already been given and the original poster seemingly moved on.

I didnt notice the age of the thread, it was on the first page:-)

As for playing the game fairly I think the literal "rolling" makes very little sense, only inviting rerolling (so much for fairness). A system where you buy scores with a set amount of points is way superior. 3rd edition was a huge improvement.

Not that the mediocre character building hurt the goldbox games much, the tactical fighting is good enough to make up for that deficiency.

Originally Posted by Carnifex
Man, if I could play half of the games that I used to have for my Commodore on my current system, I'd be two happy clams. Potentially too happy.

I just loaded 25,000+ Commodore 64 roms on my PSP …

Definitely some fun to be had there.

The Amiga version could be a decent alternative as well. I believe I played it all the way through on that one, at one time.