• Modernish "goldbox" style RPGs?

    From Divarin@VERT/MUTINY to All on Wednesday, January 13, 2021 14:07:30
    Lately I've been looking for a relatively modern RPG (for pc not pencil & paper) which is a bit like Pool of Radiance (or other games in SSI's gold box collection) or maybe a bit like the TI-99/4A's Tunnels of Doom.

    There's pros and cons to both of those games:
    Tunnels of Doom:
    Pro: Procedurally generated dungeons, so rogue-like. Different every time.
    Pro: Simplier game-play, usually can start and finish a game within an hour or so, so not as much of a time sink as POR
    Con: I think the combat system is too limited. The wizard should have magic besides just the few scrolls and whatnot picked up along the way. I'd like to see scribing, memorizing, resting, and casting (espeically healing)
    Con: When in combat you can only move one step which means 99% of the time you're using only ranged weapons and there's almost no melee.

    POR:
    Pro: I like the stratigic combat system which feels more like a pencil and paper RPG than an action game. You have to think about where your characters are in relation to each other, the enemies, and things that block line of sight.
    Pro: I like that when you are face to face with an enemy you have to use melee and if you attempt to move away they get a chance to hit you. Makes the combat more like a game of chess and less like a twitchfest like modern games.
    Con: Static dungeons/maps so the replay value isn't really there if you've played it before. Plus I have the clue books with maps that tell you exactly where to go and what to do, it's hard to not use those but it also sort of takes the adventure out of it.
    Con: Not well balanced, it seems like the game goes from too easy to super-duper hard in an instant leaving you wondering if you should have built up a different party and you're going to have to start over.

    What I'm looking for is first person when not in combat and top-down in combat on a grid-based field where positioning is important. Also I'd prefer at least some of the dungeons to be procedurely generated so that I can't just google "how do I get out of here".

    I've been itching to make another game for the C64 lately and been kind of thinking of something along these lines but right now I'm just looking for a relatively modern PC game like this. Something that combines some of the better elements of goldbox games with the roguelike-ness and more casual-ness of Tunnels of Doom.

    Any suggestions?

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ MutinyBBS.com port 2332