What games are you playing now?
- Thread starter txa1265
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Great CRPGs aren't reliant on graphics or sound. They're great because of the story, character development, and game play. When I started playing CRPGs in the early 1980s I was (and still am) a big PnP RPG player. So to us back then the graphics were amazing. They allowed us to see what we had only imagined in our minds. And since we were used to actually using our imagination... the games were easy to get into because the limited graphics ability didn't matter. We used our imaginations to make it more than what it was.
It's really kind of sad (in a way) for the people who can't get beyond the graphics/sound thing... because those people miss out on some truly great RPGs. To this day I can go back and play all those games and have just as much fun as I do playing the latest/greatest.
And to this day there are old CRPGs (from the 80s and early 90s) that are more innovative than anything we see today... of course I'm talking about innovative game play.
Jaz
Play nice.©
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I agree, and personally I extend this to other genres as well. No matter whether it's an adventure from the mid-nineties or Catacomb 3D, no matter if I already played it back then or not... I tend to like games no matter how 'advanced' their visuals actually are.
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Jabberwocky
True Synaesthete
You guys misinterpreted me... Yes, I played games back then and loved them and thought they looked great and used my imagination. What I meant was: Given the current graphical and sound acheivments, I could not RETURN to those games and enjoy them. Once was enough for me. I would rather move on to new games. Lord knows I can't even find time to play them, let alone old stuff too. I assumed most people felt the same way and I am surprised to see that so many people here still play those oldies. 
For me (and yes... everyone has different tastes of course) playing a great CRPG is like reading a great book or watching a great movie. I watch my favorite movies many times as the years go by, and as long as I don't watch them too often I never get bored by them. For instance, I love the movie Fight Club. I probably watch it about once a year because I really enjoy it. If I watched it every week I'm sure I would get sick of it pretty quick... but once a year is pretty fun.
Same with my favorite books. I may very well re-read a book that I read when I was 12. As a matter of fact there are some books that I've read several times through my life. And I enjoy them just as much as the first time I read them (well... close anyway).
Games are that way for me. So just because I played Demon's Winter by SSI when it first came out... that doesn't stop me from playing it again. I loved it then... I love it now. I just have to take off my "graphics" goggles and remember where I stuck my imagination... and there I am again in a wonderful fantasy world.
Same with my favorite books. I may very well re-read a book that I read when I was 12. As a matter of fact there are some books that I've read several times through my life. And I enjoy them just as much as the first time I read them (well... close anyway).
Games are that way for me. So just because I played Demon's Winter by SSI when it first came out... that doesn't stop me from playing it again. I loved it then... I love it now. I just have to take off my "graphics" goggles and remember where I stuck my imagination... and there I am again in a wonderful fantasy world.
Some games are timeless. I still play Doom 1 from time to time and it still rocks. Certain games I will always play-- for instance, I can easily see myself still playing Gothic in 20 years.
Bartacus
BartWatch
You guys misinterpreted me... Yes, I played games back then and loved them and thought they looked great and used my imagination. What I meant was: Given the current graphical and sound acheivments, I could not RETURN to those games and enjoy them. Once was enough for me. I would rather move on to new games. Lord knows I can't even find time to play them, let alone old stuff too. I assumed most people felt the same way and I am surprised to see that so many people here still play those oldies.
For me it's more of a thing that I don't want to pay money for a lousy game. That means that I do not buy a game very often and so I sometimes replay 'old' games. With old I mean like: Gothic 1, Kotor 1 + 2, BfME, ... Heck, not so long ago I started my old megadrive up and played sonic 2, streets of rage and some others.
Some are indeed a pain to see, but for most of them it doesn't really matter. I would like to see some Double Dragon / Streets of Rage thin with the new graphics. This genre simply dissapeared, I wonder why.
Jabberwocky
True Synaesthete
Well you guys are just weird. JK
Hey Bart, I like your new signiature. Has CM seen it yet? *LOL*
Hey Bart, I like your new signiature. Has CM seen it yet? *LOL*
Tried to run Betrayal at Krondor.
Didn't succeed.
Must try and work with the configuration.
I recently heard that Viventi (who had bought Sierra) has brought out a bundle containing many old Sierra adventures designated to run under XP etc.
What did they do ? Put DOSBOX with it ! Nothing else !
As the person said who wrote that small review (he really collects adventures, it seems to me), they even didn't use filters for better display (especiall anti-aliasing) and no enhancements at all. He wrote in the sense that it appeared to him like a 5-Minutes-work.
Therefore, he doesn't recommend it. (The bundle.)
Didn't succeed.
Must try and work with the configuration.
I recently heard that Viventi (who had bought Sierra) has brought out a bundle containing many old Sierra adventures designated to run under XP etc.
What did they do ? Put DOSBOX with it ! Nothing else !
As the person said who wrote that small review (he really collects adventures, it seems to me), they even didn't use filters for better display (especiall anti-aliasing) and no enhancements at all. He wrote in the sense that it appeared to him like a 5-Minutes-work.
Therefore, he doesn't recommend it. (The bundle.)
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Well you guys are just weird. JK
Not sure if it is of any comfort to you but I'm a member of the "graphics whore" club as well
. Like you, I'm finding it very difficult to go back to (really) old games. The Realms of Arkania trilogy from the 90s and Might & Magic VII are among my top 10 RPGs of all time but I don't think I could ever go back to them. I'll just keep the memory of these games in a special little corner of my heart .The oldest "acceptable" graphics for me are Infinity engine graphics and as far as 3D is concerned from about Gothic 1 (or Quake 3 engine) graphics upwards.
Anything older, well, I'd rather keep the good old memories than throwing up at the sight of an unidentifiable pixel soup
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BaK with Dosbox
Vogons Zetafleet
There's a file called DRIVE.CFG in the game directory, which contain two drive letters. Try to change them both to point to the drive you have the game installed on. For example, if you have the game installed on drive D, change them both to D. By default they are C and E.
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Jabberwocky
True Synaesthete
Not sure if it is of any comfort to you but I'm a member of the "graphics whore" club as well
The oldest "acceptable" graphics for me are Infinity engine graphics and as far as 3D is concerned from about Gothic 1 (or Quake 3 engine) graphics upwards.
Anything older, well, I'd rather keep the good old memories than throwing up at the sight of an unidentifiable pixel soup
Wow Mo, I never thought i'd say this, but... my thoughts exactly. G1 is about as far back as I can go too.
magerette
Hedgewitch
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I still play Might and Magic 6 and 7, but they really do take an effort, especially since I got the widescreen with my new rig. It's like those super huge tv's where you can see every pore on the news-anchor's face--not all that appealing.
Games like Master of Orion2 really look gimped--but the gameplay is absorbing enough that you can ignore it.
Dosbox is beyond me though--both graphically and technically, possibly because those games are before my gaming days, plus I'm just a spoiled techno-brat now.
Games like Master of Orion2 really look gimped--but the gameplay is absorbing enough that you can ignore it.
Dosbox is beyond me though--both graphically and technically, possibly because those games are before my gaming days, plus I'm just a spoiled techno-brat now.
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Well, I'll just put it this way- games dont necessarily have to have great graphics and sound for me to like them, but it sure makes liking them a whole lot easier ='.'=
What am I playing? NOTHING! RAWWR!
I brought home a bunch of work last two nights, and I cant play anything until it's done
What am I playing? NOTHING! RAWWR!
I brought home a bunch of work last two nights, and I cant play anything until it's done
skavenhorde
Little BRO Rat
You guys misinterpreted me... Yes, I played games back then and loved them and thought they looked great and used my imagination. What I meant was: Given the current graphical and sound acheivments, I could not RETURN to those games and enjoy them. Once was enough for me. I would rather move on to new games. Lord knows I can't even find time to play them, let alone old stuff too. I assumed most people felt the same way and I am surprised to see that so many people here still play those oldies.
I play CRPG for the stories and the role that I can play in those stories. Like any good book you can reread many years later and it is still as good as the first time you played it. For example, currently I'm replaying Curse of the Azure Bonds. Yes the graphics suck, yes the interface is out of date but to me that doesn't matter. I enjoy the plot and the development of my characters within this story.
The biggest problem with today's games is the lack of a good story. One that makes you interested in more than just devoloping your character to an UBER GOD. Anyways just my 2 cents worth.
Lucky Day
Daywatch
Well I just finished Savage Island Part I, finally after 23 years. It turns out I hadn't though of swimming underwater in any of the cardinal directions. Actually I did but when I swam west I ended up at the same place I started. I have to email Scott Adams to see if that's a record.
I'm going to play Knight of Diamonds and Legacy of Llyllagamyn.
One thing about these text and wireframe games is that its hard for them to look dated.
BG looks dated to me now. I can't play any of the IE games anymore.
I'm going to play Knight of Diamonds and Legacy of Llyllagamyn.
One thing about these text and wireframe games is that its hard for them to look dated.
BG looks dated to me now. I can't play any of the IE games anymore.
Nonsense, It only takes a short while to adjust and then the magic of Baldurs Gate or Icewind Dale takes full effect. I just replayed BG1 about a year ago and enjoyed it every bit as much as the first time I played it. I'm looking forward to playing BG2 and Planescape again in the near future if I can find the time.
For me, it really depends on the game itself. Some, I can't go back to, but am happy to have the fond memories. Other's, I can still play today. For instance, I can fire up a TI99/4A emulator and still get engrossed in Tunnels of Doom. The Ancient Art of War or the Myth series, not so much...
skavenhorde
Little BRO Rat
I replayed Planescape Torment about six months ago and it was still as good as the first time I played. Went with a fighter character this time and got a totally different ending than the first time I played.
I really don't get the complaints about graphics. In a first person point of view graphics make a big difference but isn't the overriding factor of whether or not I will play a game. Third person the graphics matter even less for me.
Some really great games can still be replayed today like System Shock 2, Dues Ex, BG 1 & 2, fallout etc... All have one thing in common they were interesting and fun to play. You guys should give Arkania another try, once you get past the hellish character creation bit, it is really fun to play again.
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I totally agree, heck even System Shock 1 is still a blast to play. Also, do you mean Arcanum?