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Wizardry The Wizardry Series Thread

AArmanFV

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I think Grimrock is action rpg (Like Brandish) while Wizardry is turn based. You can start with the first or go for the Bradley ones (V, VI, VII), but if you want to understand the changes that the series suffered all the way forward you should start with the first ones (I think that the DOS releases are all the same in items and rules, unlike the first releases on apple, but is just an assumption), you can even play only the first and then move to Wizardry V if you like it or IV if you look for a challenge.

Finally you have Wizardry 8, which I think is more "friendly" for... mmm those who aren't related with old 2D rpgs or lack of colour.
 
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Ivan

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what's a good order to follow in trying out this series? also, what's the time investment like here?
 

octavius

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what's a good order to follow in trying out this series? also, what's the time investment like here?

Start with 1. It's short and sweet; I completed it in a week or so (for me two weeks is average time for a CRPG). If you like it you will want to play 2 and 3 thereafter. 2 is even shorter and easier, while 3 is more involved.
 

AArmanFV

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117ww06.jpg


What a mess.

Is part of the game the jump from level 4 to 1?
 

octavius

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IIRC lvl 1 is the castle level, but after lvl 4 is the Cosmic Cube, and the Cosmic Cube is the top three levels. I think.
 

AArmanFV

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Yes, I discorvered that while exploring. The cosmic cube is pure masochism, I cast Malor to restart the level and relocate the patrollers when they get me, I blame those players who sent the enemy parties.
 

AArmanFV

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I hate how this game trolls me, showing me the exit to the castle and then the ladder is surrounded by chutes.

 

V_K

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The thing to keep in mind is that Wiz1-5 and Wiz6-8 are so different mechanically that they're essentially two separate game series. I, for one, love 6-8 but could never get into the earlier titles. They are closer to roguelikes in the sense that death is permanent and there's very little on offer in terms of plot and NPCs. Wiz6-8 have better realized gameworlds and personally I find the D.W.Bradley style of level design much superior to the spinners/teleporters/chutes kind of trolling that the early Wizardries love to engage into. So if transfering your party throughout the trilogy is important to you, start with 6, if you can live without it, jump to 7, it's arguably the best in the series and one of the best and most innovative RPGs ever made in general.
 

octavius

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The thing to keep in mind is that Wiz1-5 and Wiz6-8 are so different mechanically that they're essentially two separate game series. I, for one, love 6-8 but could never get into the earlier titles. They are closer to roguelikes in the sense that death is permanent and there's very little on offer in terms of plot and NPCs. Wiz6-8 have better realized gameworlds and personally I find the D.W.Bradley style of level design much superior to the spinners/teleporters/chutes kind of trolling that the early Wizardries love to engage into.

That's oversimplyifying things a bit. Wiz 5 was also made by Bradley, and is kind of a blend of the old and new style (but with extremely dated graphics) and Wiz 4 is in a genre of its own and was made by Roe R. Adams III.
 

V_K

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Yeah, but I wouldn't recommend anyone to start with either of those.
I also wouldn't go as far as calling Wiz5 a blend - granted, it has some Bradley-style puzzles and NPCs, but IIRC permadeath and old character system are still in place. To me, those are the most important changes of later titles.
 

AArmanFV

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I abdicate in my attempts to beat the Cosmic Cube for now, I'm gonna complete the quests in the lower floors I think.
 

AArmanFV

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Hell, this game is exhausting and really devilish. By trial and error with my objects I managed to enter Hell, without the accelerator of the AppleWin and my self-made "documentation" of the floors I would been lurking for a week collecting objects maybe. I think the hints of the oracle are vague (I was hunting the oracle to gain the most hints posible, thanks to scorpia and her review I'm now concerned about the importance of it), like the Hop shit, you have to be very imaginative and combine it to other hints to do the relation with the ziggurat, and that specific wall (I tried with others of the inaccessible perimeter guarding the Dreampainter). Most of that kind of solutions wasn't in other games before so I can't expect it that easy, the experience of the player isn't so rewarding, but I have to thank the game for bringing to me this knowledge, may be useful in the future. This game is hurting my pride and making me more and more autist, is the only way I think, but the worst is that most of the solutions are dificult but fair, so I can't be angry.

Now when I see one of my screenshots I just want to scrag Roe R. Adams :argh::

2ijt6y0.jpg


In a stage where you can't return oportunely I got the hint to open the gates (I didn't realized until now, camouflaged like an Ultima IV cameo, what a sick joke), thankfully you have 8 save slots.

Now I have the HHG and the Amber Sword (yes, I did the Temple Quest, again I didn't know that I had to use the power of the stones before putting in the spaces). Now one question for someone who beated the game (please don't spoil me so much, just want a yes or no), the 3 objects to open the gate, the Ka and the carrot are useless now? I wan't to make space in the Black Box and I don't want to lose time discovering it by myself.

I will see the witch to know how many of the quest items I have. Some of those are pretty obvious (The cusinart and the witching rod found in a pool of acid), the rest it's going to be by the old trial and error I think. Just when I thought that I was "almost there" to finish the game I have to realize that it will take me much longer than I thought, Wizardries are like a second job, awesome games but you have to have big balls, thankfully I don't have nothing better to do this year.
 

octavius

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I can't recall much of the details now, but I have some vague recollection about the KA and/or the Black Candle having more than one use, but I can't swear on it. But the way the game is designed the items probably are reset if you lose them, since in such ancient games there's often just a "is item in possessions" check before you pick up an item or not. If not in possessions the event where you get the item will fire, but if you already have the item nothing happens. But again, I will not swear on it.

Oh, and that Hop quest had me stomped too; had to consult a walkthrough.
 

AArmanFV

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Thank you, I know the items reset when you lose them (that's why the warriors revive when you quit, game design), I guess I'll do some "logical" selections for the drops.
 

AArmanFV

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There is nothing I can do now I think, missed el ungüento español. The only thing similar to that was an oil that I get in the cosmic cube once, but I can't return when I enter it, there is a chance to go back?

Anyway, I have a hint saying that something in a bottle can uncurse (It make sense because there is no way without a Boltac), the oil maybe? Find out in next episode (?)
 

AArmanFV

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FUJXMkD.png

Now seems that I can teleport to everywhere I want in the maze, did the Witch's quest so now I'm going to take my revenge.
 

AArmanFV

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There are two or three hints of the oracle pointing that. And in other game I played I had to do something similar, but anyway, I got the easiest ending:

Y91Z7v8.png

Sadly I spoiled myself long years ago with some requirements for the Grandmaster ending, the thing of the dink and the last riddle, now it's sad because even without knowing nothing you could reach it with lot of tryings or doing some absurds relations, lots of years wandering but eventually something could be done. But hey, it's a very dificult game despite that and you have to have balls/ovaries to finish this thing just doing the simple things of maping and fighting.

If I have to say something is that I think Roe R. Adams loved adventure games, the puzzles for some reason make me guess that.

So another Wizardry finished on Apple II (what an appletard I am), I'm gonna rest playing some popamole ARPG from Falcom or read a book.
 

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