newtmonkey wrote on 2025-08-05, 14:39:

Wizardry VI This time around I'm using a very nice automap mod (last time I was manually mapping using the Grid Cartographer app […]
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Wizardry VI
This time around I'm using a very nice automap mod (last time I was manually mapping using the Grid Cartographer application), but it's not easy even with an automap. All it does it trace your steps, so it's up to you mark up squares, leave notes, and figure out where to go; in such a massive game, simply figuring out where you need to go is quite a challenge.

I'm deep into the mines and loving it. I actually made it past this part last time I played the game (several years ago), but I didn't appreciate it for what it is back then. At that time I found the mines to be confusing and annoying; now, they are a joy. There have been many times that I've got totally lost, but I don't care. I just randomly wander around, slowly getting stronger with each fight, until I find some area I've never explored, or until I get some key or item that opens up a new path. It helps that the combat is so satisfying; even when it's not particularly difficult, it's still a blast to optimize how you approach each fight.

What a game! Simply dropping in for 5-10 minutes is a blast and feels worthwhile. This is something that RPGs with fixed encounters don't get; even if you "waste your time" getting lost and fighting a few battles in a game like this, you're still making progress because your characters are getting a little bit stronger.

I don't remember how I handled the mapping when I played it. I think I played in real DOS and just had online maps or the Cluebook maps of each level up on my main PC (which is right next to my DOS PC).

What characters did you build? Are you planning on multi-classing any of them?

I totally agree on the combat. It's so fun!

Wait til you get to Wiz7 and 8. 😀 7 is an improvement in every way, and 8 is an improvement in every way over 7. At least from my memory. When I finish a game, I give it a score from 0-100. I typically won't even finish a game if its score is <70. In fact, the lowest scores on my list are 70 for a couple of games (Eric the Unready and Shadowcaster). Wiz6 scored 88. Wiz7 scored 92. And Wiz8 scored 95. The only other games I've given a 95 to are System Shock 2, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, and System Shock Remake. The score is entirely based on how much fun I had.

clueless1 wrote on 2025-08-05, 22:17:

I don't remember how I handled the mapping when I played it. I think I played in real DOS and just had online maps or the Clueb […]
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I don't remember how I handled the mapping when I played it. I think I played in real DOS and just had online maps or the Cluebook maps of each level up on my main PC (which is right next to my DOS PC).

What characters did you build? Are you planning on multi-classing any of them?

I totally agree on the combat. It's so fun!

Wait til you get to Wiz7 and 8. 😀 7 is an improvement in every way, and 8 is an improvement in every way over 7. At least from my memory. When I finish a game, I give it a score from 0-100. I typically won't even finish a game if its score is <70. In fact, the lowest scores on my list are 70 for a couple of games (Eric the Unready and Shadowcaster). Wiz6 scored 88. Wiz7 scored 92. And Wiz8 scored 95. The only other games I've given a 95 to are System Shock 2, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, and System Shock Remake. The score is entirely based on how much fun I had.

This is my party:
Lizardman Fighter
Felpurr Samurai
Dwarf Valkyrie
Fairy Bard
Rawulf Priest
Elf Mage

I'm not sure if I'm going to do any multiclassing in this game, because this party is working out very nicely! I have read that the amount of experience required to go from level 10 to 11 is massive (the same amount required to bring a character from level 1 to 10), so I'm considering switching the fighter to a lord and the bard to a ninja if I have the stats for it.

Tomb Raider 2013, currently 12% completed.

Just because a few years ago I bought the Survivor Trilogy on Steam with a 75% discount (Too good to pass) and now I regret because I have to play them before uninstalling them to play other games (ie. Star Wars X-Wing Alliance, Star Wars Battlefront II) or free more storage to add more rFactor 2 mods...

Quick question, is there any story reason to do the Firewalker and Overlord DLC missions in Mass Effect 2?

They involve driving around that floating vehicle and I'm not too fond on that. Think I'd rather skip both of those unless there are story consequences in ME3.

newtmonkey wrote on Yesterday, 02:19:

This is my party: Lizardman Fighter Felpurr Samurai Dwarf Valkyrie Fairy Bard Rawulf Priest Elf Mage […]
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clueless1 wrote on 2025-08-05, 22:17:

I don't remember how I handled the mapping when I played it. I think I played in real DOS and just had online maps or the Clueb […]
Show full quote

I don't remember how I handled the mapping when I played it. I think I played in real DOS and just had online maps or the Cluebook maps of each level up on my main PC (which is right next to my DOS PC).

What characters did you build? Are you planning on multi-classing any of them?

I totally agree on the combat. It's so fun!

Wait til you get to Wiz7 and 8. 😀 7 is an improvement in every way, and 8 is an improvement in every way over 7. At least from my memory. When I finish a game, I give it a score from 0-100. I typically won't even finish a game if its score is <70. In fact, the lowest scores on my list are 70 for a couple of games (Eric the Unready and Shadowcaster). Wiz6 scored 88. Wiz7 scored 92. And Wiz8 scored 95. The only other games I've given a 95 to are System Shock 2, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, and System Shock Remake. The score is entirely based on how much fun I had.

This is my party:
Lizardman Fighter
Felpurr Samurai
Dwarf Valkyrie
Fairy Bard
Rawulf Priest
Elf Mage

I'm not sure if I'm going to do any multiclassing in this game, because this party is working out very nicely! I have read that the amount of experience required to go from level 10 to 11 is massive (the same amount required to bring a character from level 1 to 10), so I'm considering switching the fighter to a lord and the bard to a ninja if I have the stats for it.

Yeah, I remember that jump from 10-11. Going from 11-12 is at least as brutal. I started with a Lord and Ninja, so I didn't need to do an class-changing there. I also started with a Samurai, Valkyrie, and Bard. My last character was a Monk. IIRC, the only class-changing I did was Bard->Ranger. There was the best bow in the game that I wanted and only a Ranger could use it, but I wanted the Bard's debuffing to start the game with and I had already settled on the rest of my party.

Joseph_Joestar wrote on Yesterday, 09:32:

Quick question, is there any story reason to do the Firewalker and Overlord DLC missions in Mass Effect 2?

Well, it turns out once you start the Overlord DLC, you can't leave the planet until you finish it. So I had to complete it, since I overwrote my older saves. Didn't realize there would be driving/platforming segments, since the mission didn't start out that way. But thankfully, they were pretty short. The only thing that annoyed me was that the devs (for some unfathomable reason) chose to constantly blast that VI static/gibberish at 300% of the normal volume, so I basically played through the entire mission on mute.

Anyway, I decided to skip the Firewalker DLC, since it seems to be entirely comprised of driving/platforming levels. If I wanted that kind of gameplay, I'd fire up Super Mario instead.

Overlord has story consequences in ME3.

Firewalker doesn't and I don't care for it.

Finished Mass Effect 2. Despite my earlier misgivings regarding some of the gameplay changes, as a whole package, I actually found ME2 to be a slightly better game than ME1.

The side content was much improved, as you guys said. Even those minor locations that pop up as anomalies while you're scanning a planet for minerals were reasonably well developed. Combat got a lot better later on, after some skill leveling and research upgrades. And the fully developed Soldier class ability makes you feel like Max Payne, with cool bullet time effects and all. It's also nice that you get to learn a special skill from one of your teammates, which can complement your class, if you choose it wisely.

The ending was suitably epic. Somehow, my max Paragon Shepard managed to keep everyone on the main squad alive throughout the entire ordeal. I'm guessing that all of them being loyal and the ship being fully upgraded had something to do with that too. Also, the bullet time power made things much easier. Whenever that lead bug thing took control of one of its minions, I'd just stop time and headshot it to death before it could do anything major. Good times. Looking forward to seeing how things will develop in ME3, although I'm very much aware that the ending of that game is considered to be a low point of the series.

Some final thoughts on the DLCs. Like I said before, Firewalker was unappealing to me, as it consisted solely of driving and platforming. Overlord was fine, except for the vehicle sections, since they were the same as in Firewalker, just shorter. Arrival had some of the toughest fights in ME2, and definitively felt like it should be post-game content. I played it right before going to the final battle, and it still made sense narratively. Lair of the Shadow Broker was the best of the bunch. The devs made Liara into a more interesting character, and the story impact would likely have been even greater had I chosen her instead of Ashley as Shepard's love interest in ME1. As for the item DLCs, I did end up using the Kestrel Armor and the Arc Projector most of the time.

Played this 15 years ago, my memory is hazy but I remember enjoying it. Played a bit of mass effect 3 trial edition but was turned off and stopped playing it. Also couldn't use my charater creation/save game from ME1through to 2 and then 3 because I had played ME1 and ME3 trial version whereas ME2 was via steam.
Tempting to get ME legendary edition which is currently showing up as £5 on steam atm but turned off by the EA/origin 3rd party bs