Topics

1

General Discussion / Too quiet :(

« on: December 19, 2014, 05:28:35 AM »

Now the semester has finally gone. I was actually expecting some new stuff popped up by the time I got here, but it seems like not that much change had been made

Anyway, I actually found that there was a project called OPENXCOM http://openxcom.org going on for modding the X-com: UFO Defense, the original game. It was just a splendid project: what they've done is not just fixing the problems, but also giving the full modability so that users themselves can participate in the modding. You can freely add new weapons, make new maps, change the desing, almost everything can be done really easily. I think it's based on C+ or something.

It was really impressive, and I think it's really good since every gamers essentially become a part of the developing team. A lot of contributions had been made by other gamers, so the progress is quite remarkable. I think it wouldn't hurt to see what they're doing now. I also heard that UFO2000 is another project for the original game, focused on the multiplayer capability. And they're using the Lua scripting. I don't know if it will be helpful but I'm just saying

Hope new things would come out. New maps and challenges would be interesting, I think. I wish I knew more about coding but my knowledge is shallow. Maybe I have to learn some on this vacation.

2

General Discussion / Infinite lives are too lame?

« on: August 29, 2014, 10:13:22 AM »

Wanted to hear what others think about the 'infinite lives system' of AA

I think what makes AA so an amazing game is that when I play the game, I really feel like a person on a real adventure. I've played quite many games but I've never felt this strong adventurous mood in any other games: I almost always enjoyed the fighting or gaining levels rather than exploring things.

But I think it's not that much challenging compared to the whole exciting experience it gives. The problem is that when you die, you only lose some coins, that's all. I guess in the old DOS version your items get spread all over the place but now you can handle that in the option menu.

Today I went through the original Jugurtha quest with a rogue and I killed Jugurtha without a problem! I just simply rushed and rushed again. One might say it's lame but it's not me but the game is lame and I'm just using it. This implies that no matter how one makes a difficult and challenging map, you can just simply keep trying without that much thinking and still win the game. I think it's not good. This sends a signal to the players that they don't need to use potions or be nervous when the danger is near. You might say players can ignore it, but when you die for some reason you will realize either the fact that you didn't prepare that much since dying is nothing, or that you still feel relieved since dying is nothing.

So then making a death a real punishment would be OK? Here is another problem. I'm quite afraid that if we make being killed too harsh, then players would be more focused on gaining levels and becoming too much cautious, ultimately losing the adventurous mood of this game. That would be fatal, no kidding. Actually I think the reason this game feels so adventurous is that you have infinite lives with little disadvantage of being killed compared to any other rpg games. So you can behave more boldy and try to search every possible spots you can.

My little thinking is that still a bit more punishment is needed. I mean, at least death should be more frightening than being hit by an acid ball, you know! The punishment should not hinder the crave for adventure but also be effective in not making players lame anymore. I think this is why the makers of this game let all of your items get spread around when you die but gave you infinite lives and a choice to do the level again. Quite clever, should I have to say.

My experience of this game is way too short so I just want to hear others

3

Hints, Cheats, Tips & walkthroughs / A possible secret door in 2-2 that refueses to be opened

« on: August 28, 2014, 12:04:40 AM »

There's a floor that goes down rapidly so damages you if you do not cast suitable spells such as feather fall in 2-2.

The thing is, if you fall in the place, look back and try to open the back wall, then it says it should be opened somewhere else, indicating that it is a secret door.

The problem is that I've searched every possible spots but there doesn't seem to be a lever to open the door. So I'm guessing that it can be only opened by those thievery characters or it's just a false secret door.

Veteran players would know that there are so many secret doors in this level. That includes one secret key that can open two secret doors, which means unless you have stealing ability, you can only choose just one of them. So I think it is reasonable to guess that the door can be only unlocked by thievery characters.

Has anyone unlocked the door? What was inside of the door? I'm curious lol

4

Bug Reports / Cannot use magic when the spell keys are changed

« on: August 20, 2014, 08:07:01 AM »

Running window version of AA in window 7.

Since I was playing this game in laptop, I couln't use the keypad numbers, so assigned them to non-keypad numbers. Also assigned the spell casting button to 'F' and abort casting button to 'B'. Even though I had all the corresponding runes and indeed ordered the runes corresponding to the appropriate magic I wanted to use, any magic couldn't be casted. Only leaving the message, 'YOU FEEL SOMTHING IS JUST NOT RIGHT'.

Now reinstalled the game and backed up the character files. This time I didn't do anything about key assignment. Now magic works.

This time assigned the spell casting buttons to something like 'i, o, p, k, l, ;, ,, ., /'. It didn't work either

Maybe I've done something wrong then forgive me and please erase this topic.
My assumption is that the default assignment of the spell casting buttons(i.e. rune selecting buttons) shouldn't be changed, which means I cannot play any further. Oh my ...

5

General Discussion / Citizen Playthrough

« on: August 19, 2014, 04:28:19 PM »

I have several questions about it since this is my first play of AA. I decided to post my playthough into this seperate thread. Too bad there isn't any in-built screenshot key: I'm too lazy to take screenshot everytime and paste it into mspaint 

I chose citizen since he's so well balanced, though I doubt what the stealth factor does. Nice character for beginners so far.

I'm not gonna describe every action overwhelmingly. Just giving you the big picture of my journey.

<1-1>
Grabbed the iron sword(6 dmg) at the back building, several armors at the front building. I'm still using this iron sword. How sweat!
At the back entrance, I've killed every archers around the riverside(and also around the pond). Except that one archer: he was shooting at a very high altitude and I couldn't make a jump into that area. Grabbed two experience scrolls in total. Also grabbed a crossbow. I think the bolt is way too slow: it's good when you have to avoid those, but bad when you have to hit enemies.
Around the front building, I found a way to the druids. Killed everyone and grabbed everything.

<1-2>
Killed everyone, grabbed one experience scroll. Some archers were killed while were in the water, so couldn't get the copper coins from them . I've also got some rusty-bronze-whatever armor series. Equipped some of them. There was a piece of parchment saying something about the undead, but I exited before it became dark so I don't know if it was telling the truth. Anyway most of the papers I've found were really hard to read and I think they were also far from being helpful  .

<1-3>
Easy and fun level. Killed everyone, grabbed everything(including that fire bolts on the top).

<1-4>
Sold some bolts before entering this level, which was a huge mistake. Well, I had enough healing potions but I could have saved them if I had the arrows. Tired of being poisoned... Yuk! Grabbed the jump ring, another ring(wooden ring I guess?) and several good armors. I entered the room where there were one normal druid and two poison druids(hidden room next to the orchard). I saw from the wiki that flourescent green potion can cure poison, drank it when I was suffering from the poison and had 1 hp, and died Later I found out that it could be a poison potion, too. What the hell?
By the way, I didn't check what happens if I die. I think I have infinite lives but get penalty about the experience, maybe?

<1-5>
That boss druid fight was quite hard at first since I couln't recognize that he was the boss  He just looked like a normal druid... Anyway killed everyone. Got a thin blue ring and a protection ring. Also the wand: it was great!
What the ornament ring does? Nothing? And do I get also protection from magic with protection ring? It was yellow-whatever ring. Lastly, if I have a high stats with magic, does it mean that I get a higher protection against magic also?

Got around 10 platinum after finishing the quest IIRC. Bought nothing except 3 runes since the price of everything was quite high and I didn't want to waste my money.

So I wanted to play the next quest, but what? I can play the first quest again? So I did it again, mainly because I wanted to know what was in the cliff I couln't reach at 1-1(since now I have the jump ring).



<1-1>
There was just nothing up on the cliff. Kinda disappointed...
Noticed that there are two healing potions at the center of the mage-dwelling forest.

<1-2>
Nothing new here.

<1-3>
Nothing new here.

<1-4>
There is a structure just in front of the first entrance into the building. I found the way to get into the left door. There were 3 druids and I found some runes. I got out of there into the orchard. At the orchard, there is one more structure that seems to be an exit from somewhere else. Maybe there might be one more secret place?
And I couldn't use any magic... For example, I have every runes to cast the 'cast of sand'. So I pressed the buttons 765 then pressed the casting button, but it says something is just not right. All other magics don't seem to work. Why?
By the way equipped 2 jump rings was hilarious 

<1-5>
Nothing new here.


Now I have around 20 platinums. Thinking of buying one fang blade(7 dmg). Any other suggestions?

6

General Discussion / A few simple Questions about AA

« on: August 18, 2014, 04:06:04 AM »

Hello. I've heard somewhere that this game is quite decent, so I'm trying it.

I've found it very amusing, but the gameplay was a little bit disappointing in some points.

Maybe its because I haven't find a suitable option inside the game, so I made the title as 'questions'.



1. Can't I save while I'm on the mission?

2. Do I always have to 'identify' something before I can use it?

If I have identified a certain item, and later see that type of item second time, do I have to 'identify' it again?

Moreover, I've checked the AA wiki, and some items' names are the same even after the identification process.

I think it is unnecessary and quite confusing... Why should I?

3. I found the 'look mode' was much better since I can use my mouse much more intrinsically, like in modern games.

I had played Hexen before, and just using the keybord was such a huge pain.

But in this game, while I'm on the 'look mode', it seems I cannot grab somthing.

So after I have killed someone, I have to go back to the original mode, grab the loot or whatever, and then go back to the look mode...

And I cannot see something in the look mode(right clicking the mouse) as far as I can remember. What the ...?




Thanks in advance.