Wizardry 8 - Can't We All Just Get Along?

Dhruin

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Fifteen parts later, Jay Barnson has finished Wiz8. Read about the final encounters and some thoughts about multiple solutions in RPGs:
Part of the problem, I suspect, is the script-based approach to handling "quests" or missions. I'm struggling with the same issues in Frayed Knights. To make things interesting, the entire sub-story and path to accomplish the quest is scripted out in advance, and any alternative approaches have to be similarly designed, tested, debugged, re-written, polished, and perfected.

But is this really necessary? Couldn't the Lord British approach still be applied to modern games? So you've got the glittery orb quest item stuck in some room. Is it really necessary to dictate how the player obtains the orb? Must all events and approaches be deliberately scripted into the game, or is it possible to set up a more generic event system and let things proceed more as a simulation? Would it be just as exciting? Just as interesting?

Yet even as I say this, I loved the hand-scripted resolution to the subplot where I acquired an alliance between the Umpani and T'Rang, and nuked the Black Ship. I'm a junkie for hand-crafted, well-designed plot and story development.

I'm sure I chose the most tedious, least interesting path to freeing the two prisoners, so would I be wrong in criticizing the game for allowing such tedious gameplay? Wouldn't I have enjoyed the game more following the nicely-scripted path?
More information.
 
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Not QUITE done yet - we've still got Ascension Peak to tackle. :)
 
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That can be 'FUN', but worth it in the end. I found it quite tactical, though after that, the final confrontation with the DS was something of an anti-climax!!
 
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Somewhere along the way, I think you missed a bit of story. Did you find the Rapax Queen at the Away Camp? She would have helped explain why everyone there was hostile, even if you are a Templar. No major loss. You accomplished what you were supposed to finish for that map.

Speaking of Templars, if you hadn't lost that rank when you showed up at the away camp, what were you doing about the character that's "lovesick" for Al-Sedexus? That's actually a very major stat/skill penalty. Probably oughta take care of that problem. ;)

I think you're really going to enjoy some parts of Ascension Peak. There's a few plot call-backs that you're really going to appreciate. Then, there's a major huge buttload of combat, although there's lots of new critters (both, types and uniques) to tackle.

Once you finish up, then you can start all over again. After all, you still need to ally with the Trang and ally with the Umpani. I think you missed a couple things in the Rapax Castle that you could discover. So many things to see, so many things to do. New parties to build, new classes to try. Come join the cult, oh Rampant One.
 
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She would have helped explain why everyone there was hostile, even if you are a Templar.

I think that if you´re a Templar, no Rapax is hostile to you.

Anyway, in my first playthrough I did the camp in exactly same manner as RampantCoyote. Fire elementals, yeah!

My only disappointment with Peak is the absence of proper resolution to a certain story arc.
Environments seem rather barren but the amount of interesting combat encounters makes up for it.

And although the Dark Savant encounter wasn´t memorably difficult or so, I think that the whole endsequence is very satisfying.
Be sure to take Vi Domina along for a ride.
 
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I haven't done the Away Camp in my last couple replays, but I thought the guards challenged you right at the map entrance, regardless of your Templar status. "None shall pass" sort of thing. Well crap, now I'm looking at another replay...

"My only disappointment with Peak is the absence of proper resolution to a certain story arc."
Which one is that? I know of a few broken quests (Callisto, Rattkin bank robber, Rapax Queen) but they aren't big enough to call a "story arc". Just curious. Might want to spoiler tag your answer for Rampant's benefit.

"Be sure to take Vi Domina along for a ride."
I'm glad I did it once (I usually only use RPCs long enough to complete quests) just to see what she had to say (keeping a level 5 Vi alive going into the final cutscene was tricky), but I was a bit disappointed, to be honest.
 
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I took her along for the ride when I did part of the Al-Sedexus quests (AFTER rescuing the prisoners - I did everything out of order!). What a whiner! She's fine with Ascension Peak, though. Unfortunately, I had to go back into the Rift to confront Al Sedexus to get rid of that fun little curse she nailed my gadgeteer with. But since she's got that whole history with the Dark Savant, I figured I need to teleport her back with me when I return to the peak.
 
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The guards are friendly and won't challenge you, if you become a templar and then kill Al Sedexas. Odd that the campers don't turn hostile after you kill their deity. Maybe they are thankful since she wasn't very nice. ;)

Then you can get your self in an excellent tactical location before initiating combat. Behind to the side, inside the door of the king's tent. The spellcasters are much easier to deal with in forced close quarters, they can't see you until they get right next to your frontline. They come to you real nice that way. Only a couple at a time.

You can even safely rest there I believe. Freaky fun.
 
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You've got to kill her before she summons help to avoid the Rapax going back to hostile. 99% of the time, that means you've got 1 round to wipe her out. I've done it a time or two, but most of the time she manages to teleport in some witnesses.
 
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For me, she teleported in some witnesses, and it still worked. Maybe I got lucky? I don't remember the battle being so easy that I killed her in a single round!

But I should add that they came rather late to the party (she was already dead and I was halfway outta there). They were hostile though, and I came back to kill them, but none at the camp (or second level of the castle) were hostile.
 
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