Wait button?

[Paul Stevens]

If the 'WAIT' works well then it should be
relatively easy to add a hook to a timer.
Then you could write a script that causes
an automatic 'WAIT' once per second if the
party has not performed some other action
in the previous, say, three seconds.

Now things start to move around as they
do in 'Dungeon Master' or 'Eye of the Beholder'.

I suppose that could be considered heresy.

[Dinonykos]

Originally Posted by Paul Stevens Now things start to move around as they do in 'Dungeon Master' or 'Eye of the Beholder'. I suppose that could be considered heresy.

As I mentioned earlier, if your Chaos strikes back clone would offer some more editoring options, I am not sure whether I would design with DC or with CSBuild.

Still, I prefer games like DC and its predecessors or the older Might and Magic versions, whithout automatic "running time". Games like Dungeon Master can make you so nervous...
At least, there should be an option to pause and still assign tasks to the party members, as e.g. in Drakensang, or an option for round-based combat.

[Paul Stevens]

To each his own. They are different kinds
of games. Imagine Super Mario with turn-based
combat.

I liked the old Might and Magic, too.

[manikus]

Originally Posted by Paul Stevens I suppose that could be considered heresy.

As long as it is at the designer's discretion, I consider it awesome!

[SilentThief]

Originally Posted by Paul Stevens To each his own. They are different kinds of games. Imagine Super Mario with turn-based combat. I liked the old Might and Magic, too.

I think that the idea of having a timer, and a wait button a nice addition to the options available. Mebbe some "hot keys" to set up for attack buttons? some designers will use it, some won't.

Oh, and there actually was a super mario RPG for super nintendo and it was quite a break from the arcade style of mario... But to me it was an awesome rpg!!!

Originally Posted by Dinonykos Still, I prefer games like DC and its predecessors or the older Might and Magic versions, whithout automatic "running time". Games like Dungeon Master can make you so nervous... At least, there should be an option to pause and still assign tasks to the party members, as e.g. in Drakensang, or an option for round-based combat.

Wasn't there some kind of middle-ground made for the multiplayer neverwinter knights AOL game? as in, if you didn't make some kind of move within a certain time limit (like 15 seconds, or so) then the game made the next step: either an enemy move, or the next players turn.

ST

[Dinonykos]

Originally Posted by SilentThief Wasn't there some kind of middle-ground made for the multiplayer neverwinter knights AOL game? as in, if you didn't make some kind of move within a certain time limit (like 15 seconds, or so) then the game made the next step: either an enemy move, or the next players turn.

I was also thinking about multiplayer games when Paul mentioned the option of hooking the game to a real timer. To my knowledge, there was one game ("Bloodwych"?) which was very Dungeon Master like and allowed a two player mode (even at the same computer. with split screen), and a Dungeon Master clone with this option (I never played these games, unfortunately). I assume that this would also be thinkable for DC - but not really worth the effort...

Originally Posted by Paul Stevens I liked the old Might and Magic, too.

Hmm... Ten years ago, I would probably have asked you if you could imagine to make a Might-and-Magic-3/4/5-like games editor...

[Paul Stevens]

[quote]if you could imagine to make a Might-and-Magic-3/4/5-like games editor]/quote]

Never played those modern games.
Enjoyed MM-II a lot though. I still have
all my hand-drawn maps.

[manikus]

You know, I don't think I've played Might and Magic...I just did a bit of research, and it looks like a game I have played (freeware, Ancients I) was based on Might and Magic III-V. Interestingly, the same company owns the rights to M&M as FRUA and all the GOldBox games (Ubisoft).

As for NeverWinter Nights on AOL, the game was exactly like the other GoldBox games until combat was entered - that was the multi-player part. During combat, which was still turn-based, the player had 15 seconds to make a decision or their turn was lost until the next round. I think experience was handled differently as well, but you'll have to ask in the FRUA Community forums for someone such as Vix to answer as I never played it on AOL, but have downloaded and played as well played the Forgotten Worlds game which uses the NWN/AOL engine.

For a long time, folks regularly requested a mutli-player version of DC...personally, not my thing, I think your time would be better spent if you played the modern NeverWinter Nights or Dungeons & Dragons Online, something where you could chat. Of course, I suspect that the AOL folks had their AIM open while playing, and DCers could dod the same if this were ever to happen (which would be way passed version 1.0).

[SilentThief]

I'm not so worried about multiplayer as I am the (optional) ability to make an eye of beholder clone. Even if it is a step away from DC, I like this VERY much.

ST the option advocate

[manikus]

the only thing I really like about the Eye of the Beholder series was the graphics. I didn't much like the gameplay or the story. I didn't hate them, or anything, just would have rather downloaded and played a FRUA mod.