Planescape: Torment: newbie thoughts

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Would people be interested in following a little journal of my first time through this game, without any spoilers? I'm getting the idea from Harbourboy, who has carved the way with his thread in the Baldur's Gate II forum.

I haven't started quite yet (I want to finish Throne of Bhaal first), but this should start soon.

So, what say you? Would anybody want to read my adventure through Planescape: Torment?

 

Sure but you haven't played the game yet right?

 

Yes please. This stuff is always fun.

 

But of course. Allthough I have not followed Harbourboys adventures with BG2 (mainly because I didn't catch it from the start) I would like to hear someone new to the game complete one of the finest pieces of art in gaming history.

I must say though that I hope these journals won't become too big of a trend since it won't be fun anymore if there are ten persons writing a journal about their first time through the same game.

 

Ok, I'll do it! I just might have to bump this thread up in a few weeks (like I said, I'm currently playing ToB, and I've never finished it before).

Apeman, I've never played PS:T before. As a matter of fact, I'm waiting on a new computer to arrive, and I've never even installed the game on my computer.

Morgoroth, why is that? I think HB's journal is great, and I think more of them would be very enjoyable. If you're not into them, you don't need to read that thread in particular.

A few questions, before we begin:

A)Is there an official patch I need?
B)Is there an instruction booklet available for download? My game didn't come with one.

If the answer to either of these is "yes," please provide a link for me. Thanks a lot.

 

But remember to be careful with what you look at in SP's PST section; you don't want to compromise your newbie status before you even begin the game! (You definitely should get the patch though.)

Otherwise, the only thing I would suggest is that you clear your mind of all of the strategies and expectations you have from BG2 or other IE games before you play PST.

 

Klorox, NO !

I've just made this mistake, two weeks ago I've downloaded all that fine stuff from SP, all the tips and strategy guides, I read them as I played, and the game was completly spoiled, I couldn't even finish it, it became so boring :-(

Don't repeat this mistake if you can help it.

(With Baldur's gate II it was much, much better: I've discovered that strategy guides and forums exist only after three years of playing the game, so I discovered everything there is... myself ! )

 

The instruction booklet is fairly weak. It's certainly not like the Baldur's Gate II manual and lacks any real spell list (showing only descriptions for three spells). It does have a few tables at the back, though. For the most part, you should do alright with what you know from other games, except that many command buttons are on a rotary menu brought-up by right-click rather than in a fixed bar. Equipment and spells are pretty different, too. Then there's the protagonist's unusual nature, but you'll see that as you go.

No worries about grabbing the manual, but I expect Kulyok's so impassioned because spoilers really do detract from Torment. The story's where it really shines, and I found the combat and similar "gameplay" elements a bit less interesting than in the Baldur's Gate games. I suppose the strength of the story might make a journal an interesting read. Even if it goes low-spoiler, the journal may evoke memories in its readers.

 

Well Klorox I have nothing against players writing journals about their games but if there are two many you loose the taste for them once and for all, especially if half of them gets abandoned in the half way trough the game.

And yes I would agree that you need no information what so ever about Planescape or the game before you start. The point in the beginning is that you are totally clueless and everything will be made clear in time. Besides if you have any problems you can allways ask from here.

Torment is a very spoilersensitive game and even minor spoilers can cause big damage to your gaming expirience since the plot is such a central part of the game. There are a few plot twists in the game though which are very difficult to find out and you'll probably miss a few of them in your first time through. And yes it is highly recommended that you patch the game, it has a modest amount of bugs.

 

Can anybody stick a link to the patch here, so I won't even be able to see a spoiler by accident?

 

The manual is on the install CD.

 

Since he didn't mention it himself, I'll just throw in that I consider Platter's Fixpack to be something worth installing when you play through PST even for the first time.

 

I would concur with Sim on that one.

 

Please drop a link to the fixpack as well then. As I said, I don't want to visit the page on this site and even risk a spoiler.

Thanks.

 

Planescape: Torment Fix Pack v1.37

 

I'll agree with Tal that there are a few things that you could benefit from knowing before you play, that wont spoil anything.

I think character generation in PS:T is really much more improtant here than in a game like BG2. Some of the stats that might seem important might not be in this game. Those sorts of questions can be answered, and really dont offer any spoilers at all.

 

To play devil's advocate, I'll disagree with both Tal and Takara here.

PS:T was designed to be explored without any preconceptions; this is clearly reflected in the PC's condition at the start of the game. If Klorox goes into the game with preconceptions of how he can maximize his gaming experience, sure, he would unlock more parts of the game and create a more powerful PC, but at the cost of discovering all the unique aspects of PS:T on his own. Even a very flawed PC can finish this game.

I don't doubt that Klorox will want to play through the game a second time to see what he missed; he can check out the hints and guides then. But I still strongly suggest that he go though it blind his first time; this will ultimately lead to a better game for him (and a better reading experience for us, as we see what decisions he makes without the all the coaching apparently all of us had).

The only hints I would give Klorox are these: 1) this is not like any other IE game, and you aren't in the Forgotten Realms anymore, Dorothy; 2) there are lots of unusual objects, characters, and events in PS:T, so examine everything, including your NPCs, very carefully; 3) PS:T is not at all about powergaming; and 4) roleplay, roleplay, roleplay: dialogue is important in this game.

Disclosure: I read a few low spoiler guides before I first played PS:T, and really think it lessened my experience of the game, as I came into the game with other peoples ideas of how to create and level the PC, etc. I wish I had done all that on my own my first time (tho I can't really complain, as reading through guides convinced me to buy the game in the first place).