Knights of the Chalice Released

Yeah, but the thing is that extreme low-res doesn't make sense, even for an indie production. When you draw graphics, you simply pick whatever resolution you find fitting - and most indie productions go for 800x600 or 1024x768 - because that's what everyone can support.

Unless it's because they really don't like pixels or a high color palette, I just don't get it. Maybe they're more comfortable drawing art for that res because they're not using a modern package like Photoshop - but it'd be weird anyway.

Hard to say really, it can be ran in a window. I never had any contact with the artists so I guess it might've just came down to the style they had an inkling for. Or maybe it had more to do with animation. I mean, who knows how different any number of games would've looked if they people that had been happened upon for the artistry had been totally different?

Heh, perhaps RPGWatch staff should interview the folk up top to probe it beyond the FAQ and such? Probably the only way at this point to get into their heads all these months ago.
 
Joined
Jan 20, 2009
Messages
343
Location
GA, USA
Tactical RPGs are some of my favorite games but I think I'll pass based on the screenshots.

I sympathize with the developers though, I've started but never finished a multitude of projects because I don't have the art/modeling skills necessary to make it look "good".
 
Joined
Mar 2, 2009
Messages
426
Location
Wisconsin
The demo is only like 7 megs big, so I'd advise people to at least try it out. I only tried it briefly and did the first fight, but the combat system seems to be a blast really. I'm definetely thinking of buying it.

Give it a try.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2008
Messages
231
The full game is also nowhere near being a massive download either, for those under caps and whatnot.
 
Joined
Jan 20, 2009
Messages
343
Location
GA, USA
Looks interesting! I'll try out the demo.

But I do agree on the font repulsion. The colors bug me too. I had to ditch Prelude to Darkness because I found it so garishly ugly and eye hurting.

BTW, lower resolution means simpler lower resolution assets (sprites, etc) translating to lower costs.

EDIT: Here's the link to the RPGCodex interview

http://www.rpgcodex.net/content.php?id=190
 
Joined
Aug 18, 2008
Messages
15,679
Location
Studio City, CA
OMG this is better than I originally thought it would be. I care nothing about the font or graphics. If you've played goldbox games recently or play FRUA you might be already used to this font. It takes awhile to get used to, but you will eventually. The graphics are definatly better than say a roguelike game. That isn't where this game shines. It's in the gameplay that this game outshines the rest. Let me post something I read from rpgcodex.

Ten minutes into the demo I found myself in a fight against a troll, a couple of wizards, and several warriors. I cast web in the center of the room to block the enemy. What happens? Well, a wizard casts fireball into the center of the web specifically to burn it away. Meanwhile, the troll intentionally skirts the web to get at my cleric. My wizard is bullrushed into the tattered remains of his own web where he gets hopelessly entangled and I quickly die.

I don't think I've ever experienced anything quite like that. Generally I drop web in front of the enemy and they all charge idiotically through it, getting stuck and killed in the process. Wizards buff themselves lots, then shoot a few spells at me. They never intentionally alter the environment.

I'm deeply impressed, and if this is the kind of thing I can expect throughout the game I'm looking forward to the full version.


It wouldn't be that hard to program all the monsters to attack your mage first, but having an enemy mage cast fireball on a web to get rid of it and the others skirt around it instead of charging right through it....now that is the AI I've been looking for in a game for a loonngg time.

I've just played a few minutes of the game. I haven't seen any enemy spellcasters yet and I've only had a few encounters, but so far I love what I see.

The options for the game is amazing. All the feats, the ingame help. Just right click a spell and it has everything you could ever want to know about it. Same goes with equipment and just about every part of this game. Feats are there, bull rush and even 5 foot step. It isn't a pain in the behind to do a 5 foot step like it was in TOEE.

I'm buying this game right now and hope to hell that this guy makes enough to continue these types of games.

Edit: Slight hiccup in buying the game. I might be able to buy the game in the near future if I can pay other than through paypal.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Feb 3, 2007
Messages
5,347
Location
Taiwan
It isn't a pain in the behind to do a 5 foot step like it was in TOEE.
It is quite easy to make a 5 foot move in TOEE, just make a shortcut of it.I always press "E" when try to make a 5 foot move.
 
Joined
Apr 21, 2007
Messages
67
I've bought it, I love it already. Playing it full screen under Linux+Wine +nvidia driver. (No midi music yet though.) Not that it matters too much, but I prefer Linux. I'll switch to windows I guess, to have the midi music.

So far it brought me back into Dark Sun times. And that's a really good thing! I hope to see a nice, intriguing storyline - the combats are already very good. :D It has nice night-day cycle too. :)
 
Joined
Aug 27, 2008
Messages
8
Location
Budapest, HU
Bought it and liking it too. One of the things you don't see in the demo is that movement between faraway locations is done via map and highlightable locations, kinda like in BGII.
 
Joined
Oct 19, 2007
Messages
162
Just bought the game and already impressed. I really don't get the complaining about the font, but that's just me I'm used to it.

Anyways, all of the hype concerning the AI seems to be true. Had a battle where the shamans used Entangle intelligently and would skirt around it to get at my guys while the archers kept shooting. They don't automatically go for your wizard, but if it's a choice between my wizard and a fighter it seems the AI will choose the wizard to go after. Not a bad decision since that is what I would do.

Overall, I'm impressed with this game so far and haven't encountered any bugs yet.
 
Joined
Feb 3, 2007
Messages
5,347
Location
Taiwan
Is there no character creation in this game, or is that just in the demo? I HATE being given a party to play!!
 
Joined
Aug 31, 2006
Messages
12,806
Location
Australia
Look carefully crafted and the in-game help system is very nice.

One thing that doesn't work very well though is fullscreen-scaling on a widescreen LCD. On my screen the game become extremely hazy because my LCD is doing the scaling. If they had done it in software instead (ala dosbox) I think it would have look a lot more crisp. While I'm complaining, support for widescreen-friendly aspect ratio would also be nice.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Mar 30, 2008
Messages
1,163
Location
Scandinavia
Is there no character creation in this game, or is that just in the demo? I HATE being given a party to play!!

That's just the demo.

The character creation is limited though. You make four characters. You can choose between knight, cleric or mage. Races are human, half-elf, or mul (A mul is a half-dwarf. A definate nod to Darksun). You choose the feats/spells and the attributes. There is an option in the settings so you get all 18s if you want them, but I recomend just doing it the ol' fashion way. You can only reroll one roll and swap two attributes.

Tons of feats and spells to choose from. Even some I haven't heard of like enlarge weapon/reduce weapon. My pen and paper credentials is limited to 2nd edition, maybe it's a new spell that I haven't heard of.

Even though the classes and races are limited the feats and spells make up for that, imo.
 
Joined
Feb 3, 2007
Messages
5,347
Location
Taiwan
Well, the demo hasn't really impressed me so far, with no char creation and no explanation for where I am and what I'm doing. After killing some lizardmen who suddenly appeared, why am I bothering?? 3 classes is also FAR too limiting; knights are not the most exciting chars and you only need one wiz and one cleric.
 
Joined
Aug 31, 2006
Messages
12,806
Location
Australia
My party consists of 2 knights, 1 cleric, and 1 mage. Your basic party I guess. I'm taking feats to make one knight like a ranger and the other just an average tank.

The demo has nothing to do with the real game other than to show off what the game can do. He made the demo as a stand alone. In the full game I started out in an outpost. There is your usual starter dungeon to the south-west(I think there is a nod to Spiderweb games in that dungeon. I won't say what, but it seems like a lot of spiderweb's games come with these kind of talking beasties ;)) If you want you can go straight to the starter dungeon or start exploring the countryside.

So far nothing unique, but nothing like the demo where your just plunked down in a forest and told to search around.
 
Joined
Feb 3, 2007
Messages
5,347
Location
Taiwan
It seems there's a great game in there - but I really think they should reconsider how they're handling the visual aethetics.

In any case, if it's a true implementation of the 3.5 rules - that's VERY impressive - but then you REALLY need all the classes.
 
Back
Top Bottom