Sadly, after a bit more mucking around with this game, my opnion is beginning to resemble Olaf’s more than anything else. I haven’t had any bug issues, but the combat is pretty weak, the strategy aspect quite thin and the RPG aspect also quite thin. The core gameplay is really “puzzle/map” style.
I wouldn’t say it sucks but its overall pretty weak. I gave it a try but I don’t think its going to catch on with me.
Oh well…
Dan
Very buggy. First branch, 1) proceed to destination or 2) stop to investigate nearby city. I stopped to investigate. Things went alright until I completed one objective and was offered another branch. One option consistently crashed the game (Object with ID is already in list). I changed things around and replayed it several times, but it always resulted in the same crash for that option.
So, I picked the other option and played on. The AI units did their thing (they also have objectives). Unfortunately, the AI completing one of his objectives also caused the same type of crash (Object with ID is already in list). This is only the first branch of the first mission – not a good sign. There was no way for me to proceed at that point, since the AI always crashed the game the same way I had. I tried changing things around again, but again, it always resulted in the same crash.
I’ll probably try not stopping to investigate tomorrow, but unless this was some kind of major fluke, I can’t recommend the game based on that alone.
Combat also bugs me a bit, because if you stumble into more than one enemy group, they’ll converge on you and you generally won’t have the AP’s to fight more than one. This leaves you inching towards your objectives, and you may still move too close with too few AP’s to defend yourself. You can have several groups moving close to each other, but on the AI turn he can still converge on just one of your stacks.
You can do the same thing to the AI (gang up on one of his stacks), but all that will do is leave you with multiple exhausted groups who won’t be able to defend themselves against what’s left. Your AP’s aren’t refreshed until the beginning of your next turn, and neither are the AI’s until the beginning of his.
This may be something I can work around, or I may be trying too hard to keep every unit alive. The main problem with the way the AP/combat works is that Heroes can’t die or you lose. Because of this, moving Hero stacks can be very frustrating.
The combat is sort of console-like, moreso than it is tactical. You choose who attacks who (not that they’ll always listen), or who defends who (meaning they’ll intercept attackers), and who casts what spell. Everything but standing still takes AP’s.
If I can actually make progress in the game I’ll probably post another update, but it ain’t looking pretty at this point. Also, for SOME reason CERTAIN words are INEXPLICABLY capitalized. I lump that in with the wonky translation, though (it really had better be a translation).
Ouch. And I haven’t even got my copy yet. :cry:
They depressed me too. I have only finished the tutorial and will keep an open mind.
The manual describes overland map terrain as affecting line of sight. It also describes combat where you must make an effort to move your combatants around to protect weaker units as they converge in the middle of battlefield. This leads me to believe that there may be some strategic depth that just needs to be mined which is not readily apparent if you simply jump into a battle and click.
Have any of you noticed either of these facts to be noticeably implemented? I am hoping these first blush impressions, which I share somewhat, are hiding a game that is simply different from what we are used to. OTOH, the fact that there is little publicity and, seemingly, no support is not a positive sign. IIt could just be a shitty game. Stay tuned.
If you target an allied unit with another unit in combat, it will defend (intercepting attackers). A little shield will appear as you click on your target.
You can attack, defend, cast, not move (or flee if you are the attacker).
LOS? Sure, there are spells available that boost your visual range. Terrain probably has an impact on how far you can see.
I think you only have that defend option when you are the defender in a combat.
olaf
Same “Object…” crash here whith the Yano/Kadzim quest. Crap!
Has anyone made it without having him join?
I thought the defend option worked as long as you had APs left whether attacking or defending. You have to be aware how close you get to those enemy groups and make sure you stop with some APs to allow for their attacks.
I sent a pleasant email to both Summitsoft and Mayhem. Even if they did hurriedly offload this title on us poor, dumb Americans, surely they would have someone around once it was released to make sure we all did not return it immediately because of one simple bug found so early in the game. Summitsoft is just starting their Entertainment software branch and one would think they would try to avoid a shitty first title.
Also: they didn’t send us a review copy, so PAN THEM, PAN THEM BACK TO THE STONE AGES
I still would like my money back, the game is a POS. I’ll be thinking twice about getting a game from a place w/o an easy return for cash because its a piece of shit policy. Which doesnt leave a lot of places to buy games from these days, sadly.
I got an answer from a guy at Mayhem who asked me to send him my version number (lower left corner, title screen) in response to my email regarding all of the crashes.
olaf
olaf - did you have any luck skipping the Yano sidequest and continuing? Just wondering because that is my next step before setting the thing afire.
Patch is up.
Just installed and have not tried it yet. Summitsoft sent me the link, literally, within moments of posting a comment there. I’ll report back.
Old saved games are not compatible (2.5MB Patch).
Yeppers! Good thing I had not made it far. Grrrr!
So, um… you guys have all bought this game sight unseen, made by a Slovakian company with no track record and published by an equally unknown American company, just because it’s strategy with elves?
Heh. :P
Actually replace strategy with tactics and yeah you have me pegged. Now that I see it in print, I realize it was a stretch. But, the game was buggier than anything I can remember playing, and despite being sold and marketed on its tactical merits, there are almost none.
olaf
In response to Christopher’s silly question:
a.) My cousin works for Mayhem
b.) olaf bought two copies and sent one to me because I’m a swell guy
c.) Hopeless, unreasonable addiction to turn-based strategy games
d.) The Summisoft PR release was so expertly written that I did not have to think twice about purchasing this title
e.) I don’t know what you guys are talking about this is the Disciples/HoMM/AoW/MoM/X-Com Killa’
I think we all know which one of the above is true and who will look impulsive and moronic after all is said and done.
Somebody has to take the plunge, Chris.
Ty does lose points for his bizarre, frenetic championing of the title, though.
Haven’t seen any elves in the game.
I would not call it bizarre so much as hopeful. My therapist said the angry music and cynicism were contributing greatly to my lack of a will to live. This is the new positive Tyler that thinks every game is going to be the last he has to buy. So far I am 0 for 1. I knew it wouldn’t work. Where is that bottle of Grey Goose and those sleeping pills? Damn “crazy doctors”.
I seriously have not been able to play much since the patch. Is the whole thing crap or is the interface and miserable manual more than you want to suffer through?
I havent played since the patch either.
One of the Mayhem dudes emailed me and told me that only the US version 1.0 (dated April 7 2003) need the patch, and that is was a problem with corrupt data in the Summitsoft build…
The bottomline for me is, from what I have seen of the game, even crash free I dont think I’d enjoy it much. The combat is just boring as hell, which is a real downer when I was expecting tactical combat in the vein of something like MoM/HoMM/AoW. Although crash free would go a long way towards making it just a bad purchase instead of a screwover.
olaf