So I finally finished Hordes of the Underdark

[Kaftan Barlast]

I whipped old Mephisto good and was then not greeted by even a slight scripted cutscene but by a fallout-esque written/narrated end splash-screen sequence that was pretty ok but far from what I had expected.

 

 

But I still say that you cant go from delivering the coupe de grace on the villain to "..and they lived happily ever after" its just very very unsatisfying. Would it have hurt to have a little breather with your partymembers afterwards? A bit of feast and fireworks?

 

 

When I write my own CRPG, there will be such a magnificent grand finale that you'll take the rest of the week off just to enjoy the deep, seemingly neverending feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction.

[mkreku]

You mean like in Morrowind, where (after you've completed the main quest) you can just keep going and going and going, forever and ever, for all eternity, in the great party and wondrous world that is.. uh.. the Morrowind world?

 

Sounds great.

[Kaftan Barlast]

Nay, Im talking about a HUMONGOUS epilouge, epic in proportion and spared of nothing. Sort of how LoTR goes on 300pages after the destruction of the one ring.

[Oerwinde]

Nay, Im talking about a HUMONGOUS epilouge, epic in proportion and spared of nothing. Sort of how LoTR goes on 300pages after the destruction of the one ring.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Usually the Final Fantasy games decent endings. They usually have a good 5-10 minute cinematic once you beat the end boss. I find that usually leaves me satisfied.

[metadigital]

Nay, Im talking about a HUMONGOUS epilouge, epic in proportion and spared of nothing. Sort of how LoTR goes on 300pages after the destruction of the one ring.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A couple of the community mods have deployed these epilogues.

 

There are much better mods out there than the OC. Try Twilight and Midnight for a very good Paladin advanture (he has re-written all the Paladin scripts to include an aura and added tithing to gain levels, for example). Much satisfaction.

 

I remember one where you help some elves do something; there were scenes where you control a party of ten (some scouts, some fighters some support). Afterwards there are loads of them throwing a big party for you; you can talk to them, get down and dance (literally); then, when you get bored, you can attack them and get swamped twenty-to-one and pulverised with their magic and ranger skills ...

[Cantousent]

I still have the ol' Neverwinter Nights game set up on my system, but I found that, although it steadily improved, I just didn't get into it. However, I think I might try a multiplayer game just to see if that's better. I played it multiplayer when it first hit the shelves, but I soon lost all interest. There was no real teamwork involved and certainly none was necessary. Maybe it will be different.

 

Even though I've not thought much of NWN1, I'm going to give NWN2 a chance. I just wish the old NWN2 boards were still at Obsidianent.

[taks]

you ought to try hotu, eldar. overall, the game is pretty good in spite of the weak ending. yes, i totally agree, kaftan. it was rather anti-climactic somehow. there's also a few issues with certain player types... i tried to play the kukri-master "epic character" build to no avail. he was unkillable. immune to crits and a kukri just didn't have enough oomph (i did it at 40th level) without crits. overall, however, i have played through it many more times than the OC (uh, i still haven't finished the OC). oh well...

 

taks

[Yst]

Usually the Final Fantasy games decent endings. They usually have a good 5-10 minute cinematic once you beat the end boss. I find that usually leaves me satisfied.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yeah, and even going back a while, I love FFVI's ending. Really incredible for its time.

[metadigital]

you ought to try hotu, eldar.  overall, the game is pretty good in spite of the weak ending.  yes, i totally agree, kaftan.  it was rather anti-climactic somehow.  there's also a few issues with certain player types... i tried to play the kukri-master "epic character" build to no avail.  he was unkillable.  immune to crits and a kukri just didn't have enough oomph (i did it at 40th level) without crits.  overall, however, i have played through it many more times than the OC (uh, i still haven't finished the OC).  oh well...

 

taks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And if you think HotU's ending was lame, did you do SoU? The whole last section was lame-o. The end boss (the medusa-thing) was easier to kill than the scorpion thingies in the first act.

[213374U]

I didn't think the ending was that bad. Perhaps it's just I've just grown used to it thanks to the last SW games I've played. Or perhaps I was just dying to get the damn thing done after that horrible last chapter and the feeling of relief blinded me to the truth. I didn't even fight ol' Meph... and I was rp'ing a Paladin.

[Kaftan Barlast]

SoU isnt even worth mentioning, it was boring and pointless.

 

 

 

And how do you explain "immunity to criticals" logicly? I know its just something they put in there to prevent big baddies from snuffing it in a sudden and unfitting fashion, but have they attempted to explain how its supposed to work?

 

 

 

 

Numbersman> You didnt fight Mephisto? How is that possible?

[213374U]

And how do you explain "immunity to criticals" logicly? I know its just something they put in there to prevent big baddies from snuffing it in a sudden and unfitting fashion, but have they attempted to explain how its supposed to work?

Well, you can't pop a skeleton's eye out, for instance. That's an example of "immunity to criticals"

 

 

Numbersman> You didnt fight Mephisto? How is that possible?

 

If you buy his name from the Knower of Names, you can just use it to banish/kill him instead of duking it out.

 

[Berserk]

I have to say that I liked that BIO made a Fallout-esque ending where you got a total recount of what your actions brought on the world and your friends. This is something that many games lack. On the other hand it wouldn't have killed them to give you an ending animation in the same kind of style as in the intro as well.

[Noceur]

Yeah, the ending was pretty decent. Funny, I also wanted to spend some time with the npc's after the game was finished. At least get to breathe some fresh air after all of that dungeoncrawling.

 

Don't think I ever fought Mephisto... the other way is much more satisfying.

[metadigital]

Yeah, the ending was pretty decent. Funny, I also wanted to spend some time with the npc's after the game was finished. At least get to breathe some fresh air after all of that dungeoncrawling.

 

Don't think I ever fought Mephisto... the other way is much more satisfying.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What is interesting is that the romance options are all randomised: sometimes the Sleeping Man's love is your female character, sometimes it's the Knower of Names, etc etc: good for replay value.

[Kaftan Barlast]

Do you have to be a Paladin to buy his name or what? I just got "No, sorry I cant give you teh name. End of story"

 

 

Yeah, the ending was pretty decent. Funny, I also wanted to spend some time with the npc's after the game was finished. At least get to breathe some fresh air after all of that dungeoncrawling.

 

 

I dont know whats wrong with designers but NONE of the western ones seem to think that this is the least bit important. Overall, a designers idea of a great ending is completely opposite that of the players(helo mistarh chris avellone)

 

 

I mean, a game without a proper ending is like sex without an orgasm. Interesting but ultimately very unsatisfying.

[Volourn]

"completely opposite that of the players"

 

Type for yourself.

[Noceur]

Do you have to be a Paladin to buy his name or what? I just got "No, sorry I cant give you teh name. End of story"

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

You have to buy her name, then use it against her to make her tell you his name.

 

[taks]

And if you think HotU's ending was lame, did you do SoU? The whole last section was lame-o.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i have it but have not played it... more of the same i heard. i only bought sou to get the content and allow DL of more modules. i'm working the original pool of radiance now.

 

taks

[taks]

immunity to crits makes sense for demons and undead types. their life-force is not driven by their physical existence. it is merely a vessel for it in the material plane. when you do kill them off, it is because the body they've manifested their existence in has just gotten to the point it is no longer able to support them. they then are sent back to their home plane.

 

at least, that's the best rationalization i can muster. it is still annoying that a single immunity can really ruin the game, or at least make it unwinnable. the problem was that besides critical immunity, i think he also had a rather high damage resistance. i was hitting for a few at a time and he'd whack me for 50. it was insane.

 

taks

 

PS: in that game, by the time i got to the knower i did not have enough dough to buy his banishment. blew it on too many weapon upgrades

[Noceur]

immunity to crits makes sense for demons and undead types.  their life-force is not driven by their physical existence.  it is merely a vessel for it in the material plane.  when you do kill them off, it is because the body they've manifested their existence in has just gotten to the point it is no longer able to support them.  they then are sent back to their home plane.

 

at least, that's the best rationalization i can muster.  it is still annoying that a single immunity can really ruin the game, or at least make it unwinnable.  the problem was that besides critical immunity, i think he also had a rather high damage resistance.  i was hitting for a few at a time and he'd whack me for 50.  it was insane.

 

taks

 

PS: in that game, by the time i got to the knower i did not have enough dough to buy his banishment.  blew it on too many weapon upgrades

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

But it doesn't make the game unwinnable. As already stated, you can defeat him without the use of weapons. Which is, perhaps something a thief would prefer when facing a demon... them being clever thiefsies and all.

 

EDIT: Aah, reread your post and realized that you didn't have enough dough. It'd probably be better if you had to answer riddles to get the names instead of paying cash.

[Kaftan Barlast]

When I got the "Sorry, wont tell you Mefisto's name" I just figured it was all there was too it. There's not too many games out there with an alternative way to beat the end boss. There should, though.

[metadigital]

And if you think HotU's ending was lame, did you do SoU? The whole last section was lame-o.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i have it but have not played it... more of the same i heard. i only bought sou to get the content and allow DL of more modules. i'm working the original pool of radiance now.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I played Pool of Radiance as a P'n'P (and I didn't think much of it), so I wasn't too quick to play it on computer!

 

The first half of SoU is okay, though, it just didn't seem to know how to end.

[taks]

EDIT: Aah, reread your post and realized that you didn't have enough dough. It'd probably be better if you had to answer riddles to get the names instead of paying cash.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i agree. maybe riddles related to earlier parts of the game. i had issues the first time i got through to the knower, btw, for the same reason. blew my wad on goodies and was out of luck. had to cheat in some gold just to move on.

 

taks

[taks]

I played Pool of Radiance as a P'n'P (and I didn't think much of it), so I wasn't too quick to play it on computer!

i played it on the commodore 64. it was cool, but a major fed-ex fest. the NWN version is similar though i don't really remember much.

 

The first half of SoU is okay, though, it just didn't seem to know how to end.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

that's the rumor... i'll play it eventually. given the lack of any quality rpgs (i refuse to buy the latest and greatest bugfest known as dungeon lord) currently on the market, new material is my primary goal.

 

taks