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A Bard's Tale

Discussion in 'Playground' started by Aikanaro, Jul 19, 2003.

  1. Aikanaro Gems: 31/31
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    After seeing what someone said about A Bard's Tale 3 in another thread I was wondering whether you need to have played the first two games to get the storyline? I've been mucking around a bit with the first game and so far as I can tell I'm not going to like it. It's a bit too primitive and doesn't look like it has much of a point (not that I've actually tried getting far enough to find a plot, but anyhow).
    Any thoughts?
     
    Aikanaro, Jul 19, 2003
    #1

  2. dshadow Gems: 8/31
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    It's an amazing game and while it might seem dated compared to the graphical masterpieces you get these days, it's still well worth playing.

    You're better off playing the first two games before the third though as the third start off incredibly hard and without high level characters you're pretty much looking at several weeks just wandering around gradually levelling up.
     
    dshadow, Jul 19, 2003
    #2
  3. Beren

    Beren Lovesick and Lonely Wanderer Staff Member Member of the Week Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    In no way do the Bard's Tale series stack up with today's games like BG2 and the like. How could it?

    For it's time, BT1 was an incredibly fun and addictive game to play. Being made in a time before hard-drives became standard technology, what could I have been expecting? What could I have been picky about back then?

    As far as plots go, I don't think you'll mind me telling you that there isn't that much to miss in BT1 and BT2. Both are linear, run of the mill find and kill the evil wizard thingies.

    BT3 is in my opinion a far different story. Alliria's death is by far not the only tragedy that occurs in the story. After all, this involves events of apocalyptic or doomsday magnitude. But in my mind, it is the saddest and most gut-wrenching moment in the game.

    Be that as it may, it well behooves you to work your way through the first two games. The combat can get tough even from the early going. And trust me, your final challenge in BT3 is a helluva struggle.
     
    Beren, Jul 19, 2003
    #3

  4. Aikanaro Gems: 31/31
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    I flat out don't expect these games to be anywhere near the BG games, but as can't use the BG games I play old stuff instead.
    Can someone give me a rundown of the plot of #1, because I am getting rather sick of the stupid city I find myself running around randomly through with no clear idea where the hell I'm going.
     
    Aikanaro, Jul 20, 2003
    #4
  5. Loerand

    Loerand My heart holds no fear for death

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    I hate those games! I always get lost in those damn areas. I got sick of it the first day...
     
    Loerand, Jul 20, 2003
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  6. dshadow Gems: 8/31
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    You need to find yourself the tavern right near where you fight the samurai. In there order wine. The bartender will let you into the catacombs beneath and somewhere in here you'll learn the name of the Mad God, which you can then use in the temple of the Mad God (found in the big square in the centre of the city) to gain access to the next set of catacombs.

    Or failing that, just go ahead and kill the golems and the dragon guarding the way into Harkyn's Castle and battle it out with some seriously high level monsters.
     
    dshadow, Jul 20, 2003
    #6
  7. Beren

    Beren Lovesick and Lonely Wanderer Staff Member Member of the Week Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    On top of dshadow's comments, I'll add a little more advice.

    1) Look around on the internet. You should have no problem finding a map of Skara Brae. The same sites also provide maps for the rest of the game, if you decide you need them.

    2) If you don't want to download all the maps, you'll need plenty of graph paper. All the dungeon maps are 22 x 22, and often involve "looping around" (from 0N to 22N, etc.)

    3) backup your characters often. There's an occassional time where if you step into the wrong square, you're lost forever, or can get out and out killed. A curious feature of the game is that if you shut off the computer, or ctrl-alt-del the program without quitting the game through the Adventurer's Guild, you'll lose all your gold.

    4) Transferring your characters to BT2 can be sticky, but I know just the trick. Let me know if you have trouble.
     
    Beren, Jul 20, 2003
    #7

  8. dshadow Gems: 8/31
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    Check out http://www.devilwhiskey.com/main.html which is a website dedicated to "Devil Whiskey", a new game in the Bard's Tale style. Updates are few and far between and I've been waiting eagerly for the past two years to actually have a demo to play but it should hopefully be finished eventually.

    [edit] If you're going to play the game, you're best trying it on the CCS64 emulator. The Commodore version is far and away the best of any of the versions and if you're using CCS64 it also has the added advantage that you can save and reload at any time.

    You certainly wouldn't want to face Tarjan and his 100 or so allies with a different emulator...

    [ July 22, 2003, 00:45: Message edited by: dshadow ]
     
    dshadow, Jul 21, 2003
    #8

  9. Chas Gems: 14/31
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    I saw "The Bards Tale" from Vivendi at a game sale site
    and I remembered it being discussed here.
    I just want to make sure. is this:
    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0001XE0OS/qid=1120349446/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_ur_1/002-5586872-9580857?v=glance&s=videogames&n=507846

    the one being discussed?
    It doesn't say anything about being number 3 so I want to double-check.
    I think I have a copy of the first Bard's Tale somewhere deep buried in a box.
    Unless I threw it out with all my floppys.
     
    Chas, Jul 3, 2005
    #9

  10. Aikanaro Gems: 31/31
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    Talk about thread necromancy...

    Anyway - that's the remake, which is by all accounts, meant to suck horrendously.
     
    Aikanaro, Jul 3, 2005
    #10
  11. Jhonka

    Jhonka This is the face of Justice Veteran

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    All accounts except mine, that is. I really enjoyed it. Great humor, particularly in the songs, and good gameplay as well.
     
    Jhonka, Jul 3, 2005
    #11
  12. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

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    Taluntain, Jul 3, 2005
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  13. Chas Gems: 14/31
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    [​IMG] I almost had it right. I did go to SP front page and clicked on the Amazon link, searched for Bard's Tale, then cut-n-pasted to post it. Just in case someone used the link to buy. But ... I did not click far enough. Now I see that you have a direct link to the item 'Bards Tale' down at the bottom under PC games. That gives you the most commission. But the price showing is out of date.
     
    Chas, Jul 3, 2005
    #13
  14. Beren

    Beren Lovesick and Lonely Wanderer Staff Member Member of the Week Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    [​IMG] Ohhhh .... no no no

    That's a recent and single player game from one of the individuals who had been involved with the original trilogy (Brian Fargo I think).

    The game that Aikanaro is referring to is much older. The Bard's tale trilogy was 'cutting edge' at around the same time as the first Ultimas and Wizardries. In a sense, there's no need to look for them on Amazon. They're pretty much abandonware by now.

    I also wouldn't recommend playing them unless you're willing to invest in some graph paper, do your own mapping, back up your characters very regularly, and maybe consult some of the fan sites that are around.

    [ July 03, 2005, 21:37: Message edited by: Beren ]
     
    Beren, Jul 3, 2005
    #14
  15. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

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    Chas, the link would have worked for you and bring SP a commission, but not for anyone else. Actually, the price has apparently changed since a few hours ago. It went from 40% off to 36% off.

    And yes, this one is the recent remake, which is much more simplistic.
     
    Taluntain, Jul 3, 2005
    #15
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