First RPGs with real-time party-based isometric (or pseudo-iso) combat?

[Crooked Bee]

I'm actually just curious: what CRPGs from the 1980s-beginning of the 1990s can you recall that were among the first to have isometric (or pseudo-iso) real-time party-based combat?*

(* Final Fantasy IV's ATB combat does not qualify 'cause it's essentially static and calling it isometric is too much of a stretch.)

Off the top of my head, I can name some 1992 CRPGs, such as Ultima VII and Four Crystals of Trazere aka Legend (info here 'cause this one's obscure) .

Four Crystals of Trazere had a sequel, Worlds of Legend: Son of the Empire (1993) (info). 1993 also saw the release of Shadoworlds, one of my favorite games (info); its prequel Shadowlands hails from 1992.

Also Darklands obviously -- 1992 as well, real time with pause.

Had there been any such RPGs before that? Am I forgetting something really obvious maybe?

 

[Infinitron]

isometric

In before cherry blossom

 

[Crooked Bee]

isometric

In before cherry blossom

Changed thread title Don't he dare!

 

[Crooked Bee]

Does this count?

[Gateway to Apshai video]

1983!

Looks single character and not party-based to me

 

[octavius]

I wanted to say Enigma Force from 1985, but it's not quite isometric and is only partially an RPG.

 

[Infinitron]

Crooked Bee Check this out:



1991. Combat is RTwP-ish.

 

[Crooked Bee]

I wanted to say Enigma Force from 1985, but it's not quite isometric and is only partially an RPG.

Yeah I haven't played it but it looks more like a sidescroller than isometric. Still awesome, I wasn't aware of it.

Crooked Bee Check this out:



1991. Combat is RTwP-ish.

Looks like it! So far 1991 is as early as it gets.

 

[Infinitron]

As it happens, Reggie C. seems to be finishing up his SSI/AD&D retrospectives these days: http://extralives.wordpress.com/index-of-ads-and-stuff/

I've actually been waiting for him to do Dark Queen of Krynn before I newspost it. You might be able to find something earlier there. SSI made all sorts of crazy stuff.

 

[octavius]

How about Megatraveller 1: The Zhodani Conspiracy from 1990? It has top down view and real time combat.

 

[Crooked Bee]

How about Megatraveler 1: The Zhodani Conspiracy from 1990? It has top down view and real time combat.

Hey, I didn't know Megatraveller was real-time!

So, to sum it up, so far 1990 = earliest top down party-based realtime RPG (Megatraveller); 1991 = earliest isometric realtime party-based RPG (Shadow Sorcerer).

 

[belated]

Legend had a sequel? Downloading!
(Still remember the spellmaking form Legend, so why not..)

 

[Infinitron]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MegaTraveller_1:_The_Zhodani_Conspiracy

The game's handling of ground combat received the most substantial criticism.[9]Computer Gaming World's editorial staff wrote that the game's real-time combat system is "handled so fast that players didn't have a chance in 90% of the battles."[6] According to reviewer L.S. Lichtmann, "Many are disappointed because the phased, tactical system of Traveller has been modified to have arcade game characteristics."[5] He also stated that the player does not compete on a "level playing field" when he or she must issue commands in real-time to individual party members engaged in combat while the computer simultaneously controls multiple non-player characters. Paragon responded to these criticisms by releasing an updated version of the game which gave the player the ability to pause the combat to issue orders to party members. But even after this update, some reviewers[11][20] still found that, whenever possible, it is still far easier for the party to flee from ground combat situations than to fight. Moreover, immediately after the player assumes control of the party at the start of the game, it is attacked by well-armed opponents. TheComputer Gaming World editorial staff criticized this design choice by stating that the "player would have to run away from the first encounter or be killed within two minutes of spending 30 minutes to an hour generating a character."[6]

 

[Crooked Bee]

So, first real-time with pause party-based combat too?

Also those reviews sound somewhat Codexian

 

[SuicideBunny]

the atari st version of sundog was iso and is from 85, though the rpg elements in sundog are fairly light and there is no partay.

 

[Infinitron]

Also those reviews sound somewhat Codexian

What's funny is that they're both popamole ("player would have to run away from the first encounter or be killed within two minutes of spending 30 minutes to an hour generating a character") AND Codexian.

 

[Crooked Bee]

the atari st version of sundog was iso and is from 85, though the rpg elements in sundog are fairly light and there is no partay.

Are you sure Sundog's combat was party-based? I seem to only recall ordering one single guy around but I can't really say for sure...

EDIT: Yeah, just saw you added "there is no party" to your post I only asked about party-based games in the OP!

 

[cherry blossom]

isometric

In before cherry blossom

Changed thread title Don't he dare!

Why would I have a problem with that?

 

[SuicideBunny]

what about sentinel worlds? it's mostly top-down.

 

[Crooked Bee]

what about sentinel worlds? it's mostly top-down.

Yeah I thought about Sentinel Worlds. Technically it qualifies - party-based and real-time. But the combat is weird: you do not really control your party members individually; you just control one of them and the others follow him/her around and attack automatically -- there's no way to give separate orders to individual character and you don't really manage your entire party in real-time. So I wouldn't call the combat truly party-based.

In other words Sentinel Worlds is kinda halfway there.

 

[Daemongar]

I first thought about The Summoning (92), and Veil of Darkness (93) when I read the thread, unfortunately, I think both are single character. Also, I think more people should play The Summoning.

 

[Luzur]

well i was going to say Darkmere for Amiga, but i remembered that you where alone in that game and that its from 1993.

 

[Luzur]

I first thought about The Summoning (92), and Veil of Darkness (93) when I read the thread, unfortunately, I think both are single character. Also, I think more people should play The Summoning.

you are alone in those games, yes.

 

[JarlFrank]

I first thought about The Summoning (92), and Veil of Darkness (93) when I read the thread, unfortunately, I think both are single character. Also, I think more people should play The Summoning.

Dusk of the Gods was before Summoning and VoD.

 

[Crooked Bee]

REAL-TIME

PARTY-BASED

ISOMETRIC

For fuck's sake guys read the thread's title and OP before posting

 

[HiddenX]

REAL-TIME

PARTY-BASED

ISOMETRIC

For fuck's sake guys read the thread's title and OP before posting

1991: Knights of Xentar

REAL-TIME: YES
PARTY-BASED: YES
ISOMETRIC: YES

WHAT'S THE FUCKING PROBLEM?