Wizards & Warriors!!

Can anybody tell me why they put Japanese characters into the game? I don't really mind playing them but it just doesn't seem to fit the profile and theme of the game. Was it just for something different and new?

[Sazerac]

This is a definite carry-over from the "Wizardry" series, which have always encapsulated both eastern and western medieval motifs... Wizardry is actually more popular in Japan than in the US; there's been a couple of anime-type movies released based on the Sir-tech Wizardry series. I agree, it does seem strange in a predominantly western-oriented Medieval milieu, but the game is predominantly fantasy-oriented (meaning you can get by with anything). Personally, I'd much rather have the eastern elements in a western setting than the "sci-fi" elements every dang CRPG seems to keep trying to incorporate (a la Might & Magic). I can handle cultural anomalies much easier than anachronisms. For that matter, the whole egyptian motif of Cet and the pyramid isn't really western, either; that and the fact there's no true kingdoms with kings, queens, lords, and serfs (unless you count Freyedies as a "king"). There are the leaders of the 3 towns, which I think there's a Duke in Brimloch Roon, but they're more magistrates than rulers, IMO.

I think the only offensive thing about the eastern motif that's been discussed on the board is the terribly non-pc rendition of Torin's accent, LOL! Torin, also, says that he comes from far away from the Gael Serran, so I guess that's how they explain the difference.

Cheers!
-Sazerac

Yes, I do prefer this to the the Sci-fi element of M&M (although I did enjoy them) and certainly had less trouble with them than with this one!

[skywalker]

Of course the last 2 Wizardrys by Bradley had Sci Fi elements in them also. I never thought it was a good fit. In Crusaders I would cringe whenever the girl on the red speeder would land and giggle.

Mark

Hmm, Might and Magic, "Okay, we need you to kill that dragon over there.here's a thing called a blaster, let us explain how to use it...". If I want to play a game like that I play Quake or Doom or Duke Nukem etc. I don't like guns (the high velocity system shock is too effective to give any idea of fairness, when that wild bear rears up with seventeen arrows sticking out of him you know you're in trouble). Bows and arrows are much more fun.Let me point something out.The longer the length of the blade the wider the cut.The human body (a primary target for many weapons) has curved surfaces.Therefore a curved long blade (axes, scimitars, No Dachi's, Katana,Wakizashi etc) will not only make a longer but also a deeper cut. Also hafted weapons have a stun/ smash factor.This has often lead me to wonder why RPG writers give the biggest damage capabilities to straight bladed swords (broadswords, the historically non existant longsword (another name for a broadsword) etc) and ignore the physical aspects of things. (Actually it's because when nice Mr Gygax started writing the D&D and AD&D rules he seemed to like swords a lot giving them the highest damage to bias players towards them thus enabling a sword-o-centric style of play over the various billhooks, ruhnka's, nagitana's (is that naginata's?) that should be prefered.This also ignores the fact that in most nice architypal fantasy equitable historical societies (everyone likes to play with middle ages technology and a dark ages legal system, I like to play with dark ages technology as a challenging limit)only royalty where allowed to even touch sword.Other men had to make do with spears (more effective if used well),axes, clubs and staves.In medieval Japan a non Samurai seen bearing a sword had signed his own death warrant.)

So basically I don't like the Might and Magic stuff due to the chronic, theme destroying, twists. However for play style there not that bad (apart from the useless "Druid's Crown" Quest Object from MM8 that isn't a quest object, they just never got round to putting that quest in).MM8 is incomplete, the maps are half the size of MM6, the portraits inferior to those of MM7,there are only six maps and you can see black lines in the surfaces in caves where they didn't bother texturing all the walls.

M&M wasn't perfect but I had a lot less trouble with it than this one. Sometimes I just feel like quiting! Why do stupid things in a game like the strong current you have to swim against. Is it a test of my keyboard skills or my nerves or something. I want to role play not struggle to get to a langing that I have to spend a half hour to swim to. Or putting supports on all the walls so I get stuck all the time. That just turns me off. Let me solve puzzles etc. a little jumping is ok and the spells could have been better thought out (especially since the stairs don't work) like feather fall. And you know that lavawalk is for only one specific area which I do not have so what do you do. Change classes and run around 'til you get it. Where is the freedom of choice in that.
...and my brand new P3-866 computer is on the fritz arrgh!

A couple of us tried to motivate DWB to put in more asian/oriental elements, but it just wasn't on his priority list. The overall push went from a small villiage to a simple shrine somewhere out in the wilderness, but even that was shot down

I personally like playing oriental characters, but they are sorely out of place in the prominently european medieval atmosphere. I would have removed them entirely from the game if there was no area to represent their culture in it -- and saved them for the sequel.