Yeah. I think there's huge potential and a huge gap in the market for another Wizards & Warriors/Wizardry 8 style first person blobber. Some people seem to see it as an evolutionary dead end, but I think that's far from the truth. Wizardry 8 was only scratching at the surface of what you could do with the formula, and unfortunately the Japanese seem to just be regurgitating ideas from the 80s with minuscule innovation.

I'd kill for a game like that. Hopefully kickstarter can make it happen. There's been many times I've wished to see Might and Magic 6 (or something like it) with modern graphics. Also, the technology is capable of having a lot more enemies on screen now (I think that was a constraint with games like Might and Magic 9).

With Wizardry 8, I wonder if an evolution of that style would be like Betrayal at Krondor? That is, you move your party around in first person, and when you get close to enemies, the camera changes to overhead tactical combat? I'd love to see that method brought to newer games. With hexes this time! (only flaw with Krondor's combat was that you could only move in 4 directions)

I wouldn't say that would be an evolution of Wizardry 8 considering that is a different style entirely. I do want that type back too, but turn-based blob RPGs shouldn't attempt to be turn-based tactical RPGs.

Is that really an evolution? The SSI games did that in the 80s, I'm sure some others did too.

But yes, the Wizardry 8 system was very good. I think the problem with most first-person RPGs is the party doesn't move, so a whole set of tactical options disappear. It's unlikely that a party of 4 adventurers would not branch out and attack the enemy from the side and behind.

Yeah, good point. I think the only things I'd change with Wizardry 8's combat would be to make running away easier (disengaging from the enemy was a pain), and something with fleeing enemies. Fear/blind I rarely used in the game because tracking down escaping enemies was a pain - I guess spells like that are great if you face overwhelming odds and need some crowd control. In Wizardry 7, blind was godly cuz the enemy wouldn't run away (and would be rendered pretty much harmless). The slow spell in Wizardry 8 should've been a godlike spell (since initiative is vital in that game), but the animations were already pretty slow and slowing them down to slow-motion... ugh...

Formations were awesome, one of the best innovations for blobbers. Esp. with spears/polearms/etc. I liked how you could get one of your characters to defend an injured or endangered character as well.

I hope this Kickstarter craze will get the Wizardry designers to make a new game. No idea if they have access to the license or not.

I don't think we'll ever see a Might and Magic RPG again, but maybe some ex-designers of that series could do something new (I'd be shocked if JVC had any interest in doing any new RPGs).


That's true. I think Krondor sprung to mind first, mainly because I got a good mental image of it upgraded to modern 3D graphics.


The only tactical element with most blobbers seems to be front and back row (positioning didn't seem to matter in Might and Magic 3-8). At times with Wizardry 8, I would've liked to be able to split the party up and move members around individually (in first person), but I'm sure that would've been a design nightmare.

I think early builds of Wizards and Warriors had something like that (or tactical combat or something) but was scrapped. Not sure if that was due to the publisher or DW Bradley being an asshat.

Charlie Brooker on homosexuality in ME3 and TOR.

Pretty hilarious, although the sudden shift to a poorly-researched ME3 ending "anti-rant" in the second to last paragraph did damage the piece over all. Still better than anything you'd find on G4.

Still playing Silent Hill 3 and still freaked out by it. Remember that room in the hospital dark side with glass walls and black smoke? This is the creepy, creepy business taking place within. Behold.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tninxTWCpvM

Yes. Everything is slower in Wizardry 8 because of the animations. If they made the game play as quickly as Wizardry VI or VII then these issues could be overcome quite easily. Even with that speed mod the game is slower than the previous entries.


Yeah but which designers? Wizardry 8 had different designers to Wizardry V, VI and VII which had a different designer to the first four. I'm guessing you mean the Wizardry 8 design team, but I believe they are all off doing their own thing so I can't see this happening, especially as the license is with a random Japanese company right now.


Well JVC is still in the industry working on some C&C game, but again the rights are with someone else, in this case Ubisoft, who seem adamant that people only care about the Heroes of Might and Magic spin off. I can't see this happening either.


In combat? Nah. That's the key difference between blob RPGs and tactical RPGs. As Wizardry was the first blob RPG series on home computers I don't really want it to stray into the "tactical combat" territory. Wizardry 8 is probably the most tactical blob RPG and is, in fact, more tactical than a large chunk of supposedly tactical RPGs where positioning of individuals matter. If you introduce the ability to move characters around separately it'll change the focus of combat and it'll play out like other series. The formations in Wizardry 8 is good enough.

Ahhh! one of my favorite environments ever. I love SH3 so much, the subway? The carnival? OH, OH, underneath the church with the crayon drawn map? So many good places!

I checked Brenda Garno's twitter and when asked about Wizardry 9, she responded:

"I have had a lot of people ask me to do this. I think a spiritual successor is the better way to go vs. licensing the name."


Well JVC is still in the industry working on some C&C game, but again the rights are with someone else, in this case Ubisoft, who seem adamant that people only care about the Heroes of Might and Magic spin off. I can't see this happening either.[/quote]
I have nothing to back this up, but I think that JVC lost his passion for RPGs a long time ago and was far more interested in the Heroes series. Hell, he didn't even design MM9. Unless he has a major nostalgia relapse, I'd be shocked if he ever goes back to RPGs. Pity, cuz he was damn good at them.

Looks like Wasteland 2 hit 3 million

Also, Grim Dawn's kickstarter just launched. All we need is Dead State to launch soon.

Meh. Linda Currie needs to be involved. As far as I know, Brenda designed all of the crappy stuff in the game.


Well he was involved in Might and Magic IX about as much as he was in Heroes of Might and Magic IV. I wouldn't read too much in to it.

Whoever was responsible for monster design and encounters they need back too (can't remember if it was Alex Meduna or Charles Miles responsible for that) - that was by far the best system I've seen for random encounters (and actually added a few hundred hours of gameplay for me because there was such a variation in encounters).


Heroes IV would've benefited greatly from one simple design decision: not having your hero as an in-battle character. It worked fine in Master of Magic or Age of Wonders, because monsters weren't stacks.

King's Bounty pretty much filled my need for a Heroes-type game. Hopefully its upcoming expansion or whatever will be good.

Man, Master of Magic needs a kickstarter/reboot badly. I strongly doubt Elemental: Fallen Enchantress will be any good (the last beta I played I wasn't too thrilled with and some design decisions I hated).

Anyone play tribes ascend? Just started it yesterday, its a pretty fast pace fps with jetpacks and skiing, seeing as everyones flying round really fast you need good aim and you need to fire where the enemy is going instead of where they are, its very rewarding to get kills on it, alot harder than cod and bf etc.

SH Homecoming started of quite promising, but it's so linear and (mostly) boring, now I remember why I stopped gaming.

Is this really Silent Hill I remember from the PS

I swear, 13 years later, I can say with complete confidence that Diablo II's replay value is endless.

Holy shit man, regardless of how good or bad the game is that has to be one of the worst (modern) game commercials ever made. What the fuck is up with that crappy city it shows that's clearly not from the game? And that goofy-looking kid? Way to put your game in the worst possible light.

Uuugh ooooh AAHHHH FUUUCCK.

Dude come on, don't you want to become a SUPER SIYAN!

Legend of Grimrock: holy shit, I'm being mentally stimulated and am having fun as a result. GOTY BY DEFAULT.

Grimrock is definitely the most fun I've had with a game in a while. I love the leveling up system, the spell system, the item system, the potion system isn't bad, the puzzles are mostly okay...

I really fucking suck at these 2 Thief games, every mission i have to consult a walkthrough because i get stuck as shit, but i hate using em because its basically cheating

god fucking damn it

Oh wow, that's gotta be one the worst game ads (And game) I've ever seen.

I do. Fun stuff, the "Capture and Hold" mode is currently the most noob-friendly, it'd be easier for you to adapt if you play a bit of that for a while.

Have you played System Shock 2? lol, maybe that could train you a little on them (some of the same devs, same engine, and very complex level design). Never had to go to a FAQ myself, but yeah I had some trouble in a few area's. I got stuck forever in that damn fire temple/volcano.

So worth seeing it through to the end though. I need to get back to Thief 2 sometime, got up to the bank level which seems awesome at a glance.

that DBZ ad is exactly like SNES and Sega ads in the 90s, because showing actual 2D gameplay was boring, so they always had weird stories and lame kids.

I'm afraid so. It's been all downhill for Silent Hill since 2003. We need a new grisly horror franchise to fill the niche.

http://wii.ign.com/articles/122/1223403p1.html this is really cool. I'm eager to try it out. They removed the gay tripping, made jumping less floaty, and made grabbing edges less puss friendly. It seems more geared towards people who are really into the game.

I'm a horror game junkie, I even love the bad ones. We definitely don't get thrown many bones anymore.

I just haven't even bothered to try any of the Silent Hill games since Homecoming. I'm not even hard to please, I thought Homecoming was moderately enjoyable and that 0rigin was actually good. I'm much more excited about the HD collection with 2 and 3, though I hear the PS3 version is unplayable it's so fucked up.

How did you guys feel about Alan Wake? It's not so much grisly horror and more-or-less Stephen King worship but it seemed to try to be different.

Yeah, Alan Wake was really fun and a cool game. Sure isn't that scary or anything, but it had a great atmosphere. Love letter to Twin Peaks.

Damn, that's really cool. I always thought Nintendo Wii games were incapable of updates because of Nintendo's double edged "don't release an unfinished game" philosphy.

Ps3 is buggy as hell, but both versions are missing a lot of fog and lighting effects (especially 3) which makes the games look pretty blech compared to the originals.

I highly recommend to play the Pc versions of SH2+3, 2 has some minor sound bugs but the graphics are far superior to all the other versions, plus SH2 has a bonus chapter where you play with Maria before James meets her (a bit short but highly enjoyable).

A lot of the PS2 versions of SH2 have that scenario too, as does the HD collection (which isn't as bad at all, I played through SH2 and 3 HD with little to no problems save for maybe 30 total seconds of audio desync). I greatly enjoyed Downpour and I'm still of the opinion that it's easily the best SH since part 3.

Skyward Sword had a patch in the form of a channel. It is possible. I can't think of any other games needed patched, which is a good thing.

Speaking of patches, I was really surprised when I initially started Rayman Origins and it didn't even have any patch. Not often that you see that. Amazing game, beat the last level about a week ago.

I want to have Silent Hill 3's children. Amazingly evil game.

And that hospital's a living hell. The second you walk in you hear those nurses breathing and shuffling toward you, and you want to run out of there and never go back...but Heather has to go all the way through the place. In two dimensions.

That whole ad is comedy gold. Where would you even begin with when mocking something like that?

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

DIABLO 3 OPEN BETA WEEKEND.




THAT WILL BE ALL.

Unfortunately, my piece of shit comptuer does not have the specs to run D3, or this Legend of Grimrock game that has everyone panties wet.

I can't wait to get a new PC to play...

STALKER pimped out to the max with mods and stuff.

Think I'll get one sometime this summer.