Quote:
Originally posted by killerTeddy:
But, i still can't share your enthusiasm. Fights that lasts more than an hour? Never. What's "wizfast"? Some tool to speed up fights by making monsters run even faster?
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Still, what are these new monsters - unsued graphics that were already there, or even completely new ones?
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Another point, you meant you still needed another editor to start at a level greater than 1? I have the impression the balance of the original game is quite hard to receive, or should i say preserve?
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Despite my possibly sounding negative, my overall impression was very good (as I tried to emphasize in my first reply). Heck, I *am* still playing the mode and definitely enjoying it, even though I can typically play only one major battle per day (or night) - I just don't have time for more in RL.
Wizfast is a separate utility that is supposed to increase the monster (Combat) movement speed manifold. Not bad, however, this does absolutely nothing to the other actions - they will still cast spells, swing, shoot, receive hits, etc. as slowly as before, so the benefit of the utility is really marginal when there are dozens and dozens of creatures involved (as there often are, counting the "allies"). Oh yeah, btw, NEVER EVER use anything that casts Slow in this mod -> maximal masochism! The Slow spell was probably the worst spell effect in the regular game to begin with.
There are not actually any *new* monster graphics in the mod (it figures, since the archive is only a meg or two in size, and the graphics for monster models would need a much bigger archive), but there are some new item graphics, some of them pretty nice (also for some stock objects; the Crusader Helm looks way better now - the original graphic was awful).
However, the mod creator has made some very creative use of the existing creature models. The models for some creatures that appear only once or twice or are NPCs/allies have been recycled into deftly-named new monsters. Oh yes, finally you can kill Croc(-lookalikes) without adversely affecting the plot. They are called "patchwork golems", and they are actually quite tough. Furthermore, there are some very radical size variations of the existing models, from tiny midget "halfling" humanoids to the awesome, looming Corpse Lords that dwarf even Savant Behemoths. All in all, even though no *new* monster models have actually been added, the monsters *feel* very new and different.
Perhaps the only "recycling" that I find unconvincing is the use of certain air/water/etc-based monsters as lower-level "elemental" creatures (you'll know what I mean when you see them - what's the Soul Eater doing as an "elemental" creature?).
As for game balance, I would say it is slightly tilted in favor of the player. That is not to say that the game lacks challenge; I have just had my first run-in with the aforementioned Corpse Lords and (despite the multitude of allies), I got 3 characters killed in that fight (2 in a single round, having used a certain Dulcimer just the round before!) and decided that it was reload time, come back a few levels later. But still, the awesomely powerful items that the game keeps giving you for free very early on (and I thought the unlimited Crush instrument was bad; that's because I hadn't got the Violin of Elements yet) make your characters much more powerful in this mod.
Still, my biggest beef is the duration of the battles. I guess it wouldn't be that bad if I had nothing else to do in my life, but as I said earlier, I'm a family man and maybe have an hour for games every couple of days, or maybe not.
At some stage, I *will* start butchering the allies to make them pay for the torture of causing the game last ages.
[ 08-08-2005, 01:56 AM: Message edited by: seclists ]