RPGs
I had been considering writing a review of the game Tomb Raider II for Dragonsclaw. I have the game. I'm playing it. I like it. And so I thought I'd share some of my ideas about it. I brought up the idea to Delkraff, who wasn't certain it would fit in. After all, Tomb Raider is not a Role Playing Game. Which set me to thinking.
Five years ago was the golden age of RPGs. The Bards Tale series by Electronic Arts was still around. SSI had their line of AD&D games. Ultima was still in production and Ultima Underworld was just coming out. And then there was Dungeon Master.
For those of you who didn't have an Amiga or Atari ST and those that didn't play it on the PC when it was finally released, Dungeon Master by FTL was THE fantasy role playing game. I fondly remember bringing IBM users to my house to show them exactly what my Amiga was capable of, as compared with their far more expensive machines. Most of the time, they left in tears.
We've come a long way since then, but I find that today, RPGs are fewer and further apart. Fallout is one of the new ones and excellent by anyone's standards. We have Ultima On-line, if you have a credit card and can deal with the masses. Of course, there's Diablo and Hellfire (the add-on disk for it). Oh, and let's not forget Bethesda, who entered the arena with Arena and followed quite some time later with Daggerfall and now finally Battlespire.
I remember days when fifteen or twenty role playing games lined the shelves of every computer store. A day when Doom clones didn't exist yet and sports sims were better left to the consoles. A time when adventure games still required typed commands (ahhh, Infocom). Has the demand died that much or did something terrible happen to a market that is subject to the whims of the masses? At first I thought that most people no longer have the time or patience for games that involve thought. Then I reconsidered.
While the role playing market has declined, strategy seems to be experiencing a renaissance. Years ago, Avalon Hill made computer strategy games, as did Microprose, 360, SSI and a host of others. Then, about three years ago, it all seemed to die. Until Blizzard released Warcraft. Then Warlords appeared. Command and Conquer, Red Alert, Operation Annihilate, not to mention the sims, such as Civilization ( and the aptly named Civilizations II), Lands of Lore and its sequel and now Age of Empires by Microsoft. And believe me, if there wasn't money in it, Microsoft wouldn't bother.
Apparently, people are still thinking and still spending time playing. So where are the RPGs? I got to thinking and perhaps there is an answer. RPGs don't lend themselves to startling graphics and sound. The overhead view is dead (or nearly so) and I might have said the same about the isometric view before Diablo. The fact is people want realism. Quake supplies that, Might and Magic doesn't. There aren't enough RPGs with the immediacy of a game like Quake or even Tomb Raider. People want to be bombarded with image and sound, as opposed perhaps to plot and substance.
Except for the strategists, who still think that chess is the greatest game ever invented.
If RPGs are to make a comeback, they must appeal to the lowest common denominator, rather than a small fringe group, that are devoted, but not numerous enough to make a dent in the sales figures. Someone, somewhere must write a game to do for role playing what Myst did for adventure games or what Star Wars did for science fiction movies. Something with a plot and some complexity, but also with fabulous graphics and a somewhat less cumbersome interface than Daggerfall. Who knows? Perhaps someday, I'll write one myself.
Dragonsclaw is now looking for reviews of RPGs of all kinds. If you've played a game and liked it (or hated it), whether on-line or store bought, let us know. A proper review should include at least the following information - the name of the game, the company that makes it, the approximate selling price, and comments on the story line, graphics, sound, interface and manual. It should NOT give away any surprises.
One last word. While Tomb Raider 2 is not an RPG, I quite like it and highly recommend it to anyone who likes a bit of shooting in between their torturous puzzles. The Tomb Raider series is sort of like a 3D version of Broderbund's classic game, Prince of Persia. (I feel truly horrible for those of you who don't recall it). So there, Delkraff.
Until next time, keep on playing and most important, don't just kill the demons, take the time to stop and smell the undead.
Webpage & Graphics by Samandi Adams
Copyright (c) 2003-2004 ~ All Rights Reserved
RPGs
I had been considering writing a review of the game Tomb Raider II for Dragonsclaw. I have the game. I'm playing it. I like it. And so I thought I'd share some of my ideas about it. I brought up the idea to Delkraff, who wasn't certain it would fit in. After all, Tomb Raider is not a Role Playing Game. Which set me to thinking.
Five years ago was the golden age of RPGs. The Bards Tale series by Electronic Arts was still around. SSI had their line of AD&D games. Ultima was still in production and Ultima Underworld was just coming out. And then there was Dungeon Master.
For those of you who didn't have an Amiga or Atari ST and those that didn't play it on the PC when it was finally released, Dungeon Master by FTL was THE fantasy role playing game. I fondly remember bringing IBM users to my house to show them exactly what my Amiga was capable of, as compared with their far more expensive machines. Most of the time, they left in tears.
We've come a long way since then, but I find that today, RPGs are fewer and further apart. Fallout is one of the new ones and excellent by anyone's standards. We have Ultima On-line, if you have a credit card and can deal with the masses. Of course, there's Diablo and Hellfire (the add-on disk for it). Oh, and let's not forget Bethesda, who entered the arena with Arena and followed quite some time later with Daggerfall and now finally Battlespire.
I remember days when fifteen or twenty role playing games lined the shelves of every computer store. A day when Doom clones didn't exist yet and sports sims were better left to the consoles. A time when adventure games still required typed commands (ahhh, Infocom). Has the demand died that much or did something terrible happen to a market that is subject to the whims of the masses? At first I thought that most people no longer have the time or patience for games that involve thought. Then I reconsidered.
While the role playing market has declined, strategy seems to be experiencing a renaissance. Years ago, Avalon Hill made computer strategy games, as did Microprose, 360, SSI and a host of others. Then, about three years ago, it all seemed to die. Until Blizzard released Warcraft. Then Warlords appeared. Command and Conquer, Red Alert, Operation Annihilate, not to mention the sims, such as Civilization ( and the aptly named Civilizations II), Lands of Lore and its sequel and now Age of Empires by Microsoft. And believe me, if there wasn't money in it, Microsoft wouldn't bother.
Apparently, people are still thinking and still spending time playing. So where are the RPGs? I got to thinking and perhaps there is an answer. RPGs don't lend themselves to startling graphics and sound. The overhead view is dead (or nearly so) and I might have said the same about the isometric view before Diablo. The fact is people want realism. Quake supplies that, Might and Magic doesn't. There aren't enough RPGs with the immediacy of a game like Quake or even Tomb Raider. People want to be bombarded with image and sound, as opposed perhaps to plot and substance.
Except for the strategists, who still think that chess is the greatest game ever invented.
If RPGs are to make a comeback, they must appeal to the lowest common denominator, rather than a small fringe group, that are devoted, but not numerous enough to make a dent in the sales figures. Someone, somewhere must write a game to do for role playing what Myst did for adventure games or what Star Wars did for science fiction movies. Something with a plot and some complexity, but also with fabulous graphics and a somewhat less cumbersome interface than Daggerfall. Who knows? Perhaps someday, I'll write one myself.
Dragonsclaw is now looking for reviews of RPGs of all kinds. If you've played a game and liked it (or hated it), whether on-line or store bought, let us know. A proper review should include at least the following information - the name of the game, the company that makes it, the approximate selling price, and comments on the story line, graphics, sound, interface and manual. It should NOT give away any surprises.
One last word. While Tomb Raider 2 is not an RPG, I quite like it and highly recommend it to anyone who likes a bit of shooting in between their torturous puzzles. The Tomb Raider series is sort of like a 3D version of Broderbund's classic game, Prince of Persia. (I feel truly horrible for those of you who don't recall it). So there, Delkraff.
Until next time, keep on playing and most important, don't just kill the demons, take the time to stop and smell the undead.
Webpage & Graphics by Samandi Adams
Copyright (c) 2003-2004 ~ All Rights Reserved