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Awesome game site


Darkniciad
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I found this site while looking around for information about getting Neverwinter Nights to work on Win 7, and it's just plain awesome.

 

http://www.gog.com/

 

Neverwinter Nights worked "out of the box" after downloading and installing.  No need to apply the enormous, hard to find critical rebuild patch, and all the necessary setting tweaks were applied directly to the shortcut the installer created ( although I did add XP compatibility mode )

 

I haven't tested everything, but the game itself and the toolset both launch and save properly.  Considering how much pain and suffering I've seen in Google searches during the research process, that's a monumental relief.

 

Plus -- NO DRM!  Woo Hoo!  I had to replace my CD drive at some point after I originally purchased Neverwinter Nights, and the first time I tried to boot the game, the stupid DRM wouldn't recognize the drive, and I couldn't play my legitimately purchased game.  I had to crack a perfectly legal game to play it.  None of that with GOG games.  Completely DRM free!

 

What I picked up was the Diamond Edition, which includes Neverwinter, Hordes, and Shadows, plus the premium modules and what appears to be a couple of others.  A great value at only $9.99 :)  It even runs properly on this new computer, which it never did when I originally played it, because my old system was a piece of crap and even with the bells and whistles turned off, I got massive frame drops *laugh*

 

Likewise, I'm currently downloading the Might and Magic Limited Edition Six Pack.  If games as old as Might and Magic I work "out of the box" on this, this site is the holy grail of old school crpg gamers.  Again, $9.99 for hundreds and hundreds of hours of gameplay.

 

Signing up also granted me a bunch of free downloads.  There are a couple of Ultima games in there, so if you like that series, you can start rebuilding that collection for free.

 

If you've never played Might and Magic, IV, V, and VI ( all included in the six-pack download ) are great games for the micromanager.  VI is great graphically ( if not up to today's standards )  I fondly remember once I'd upped my power a lot.  The first area contains spots where there are hordes and hordes of goblins.  I used to fly slowly over the area, drawing them all into a tight knot, and then while hovering above their range, I would drop a meteor swarm directly into the heart of all of them.  Instant, huge kill ratio.  It was absolutely hilarious.

 

The most important thing is that having access to the toolset from NWN will let me start making interior maps again that match those I'd already created in the past.  Once I locate all the necessary hack packs, I can update and increase the number of my "creatures" listings as well, since the images for my creatures were also created in the NWN toolset.

 

A HUGE thumbs up to GOG ( Good Ol' Games ) for keeping these games alive and presenting them in a format that will work on modern computers.  That has always been an issue when an OS updates.

 

Hmm... I wonder if they have Monty Python and the Holy Grail...  I haven't been able to get that game to work on the last two computer systems.  I'll have to take a look ;)

 

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And, I can confirm that every game from the Might and Magic Six Pack Limited Edition work "out of the box" without issue.

 

The installer takes care of having the games run in DOS box if necessary, and puts in all the appropriate settings.

 

Unfortunately, GOG doesn't have Monty Python and the Holy Grail... Awww... Oh well :P

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  • 3 months later...

One of the things I usually do when my creative juices run out on me is go back to my roots.  Since I don't have any players for a PnP role-playing game, that means console and crpgs.  In the recent run of bad months, I took advantage of GOG to get that fix, which has finally got me back to feeling creative again.

 

Part of that adventure:

 

MM6_Win.jpgMM7_Win.jpgMM8_Win.jpg

 

Also beat Neverwinter Nights and Neverwinter Nights II with all expansions ( I'd never played NWII before )

 

There are times I just have to step away and immerse myself in someone else's fantasy world before I can cross over back into mine.  This has been one of those times.

 

One of these days, I'll probably play through MM9.  I got it and started it, but ran into game-breaking bugs that put me off it.  The GOG version has a fan patch that fixes most of those, so I might actually finish the game.

 

But for now, I'm feeling my own worlds again, so that will have to wait until my next creativity drain.

 

Going to have to dig through boxes some time, because I have certificates from MM3, MM4, and MM5 kicking around here from back in the day.  You used to mail them a code, and they sent you a physical certificate ( as well as other goodies, such as New World Computing bottle-opener keychains *laugh* )

 

I've beaten MM1 and MM2 as well, but it was too late to get certificates *pout*

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  • 2 years later...

Frikkin' sweet!

 

Just discovered the one benefit of the Bioware hack that happened a couple years back.  When they finally put back up the authentication server for the premium modules, it was set to "Authenticate Everyone".  That means that all you have to do is download the premium modules, install them, and you can play!  All it takes is a quick Google search to find the still-existing downloads.

 

I'll finally be able to play Pirates of the Sword Coast, Wyvern Crown of Corymyr, and Infinite Dungeons :D

 

If anyone needs a pointer to the download links for the premium modules not available with the GOG Diamond version of NWN, don't hesitate to ask!

 

I would highly recommend that anyone interested download and play these immediately.  God only knows how long EA will keep the authentication server up and running.  Now is your chance to play those three modules, so you'd better do it!

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Pirates of the Sword Coast was a fun one.  Played as my standard Fighter/Rogue hybrid, since I assumed that was the best thing for a pirate.  It doesn't seem to cater to the rogue class, though.

 

Started Wyvern Crown, but damn...  This is a lot like a real D&D campaign.  Very little magic, the first real fight I got into was damn near overwhelming odds, and I couldn't change my mind and take the easy path of riding the caravan once I'd decided to go after the treasure map.  As soon as I walked out of town, I couldn't go back.  You should really be able to sneak out, do that quest, and then go back to town.  *grumbles*

 

Anyway, I decided to let that one go for the time being.

 

Playing through the main games with a pure Wizard character for the first time.  Breezed through the OC, easily taking out enemies like the half-dragon Balor with pumped up missile storms :)  Aribeth never even had a chance to cast her first whirlpool of death spell before I took her down.

 

There were a couple of places where SoU were difficult due to magic resistant enemies.  That's where I pump up my henchman, familiar, and summoned undead with buffs and let them eat the fuckers.

 

Later on in Hordes, Spell Breach takes care of that problem.  The demi-lich barely had a chance to look in my direction before my maximized Greater Missile Storm blew him into bits.

 

So, I have the golem for the first time.  Enhanced his strength, magic resistance, gave him true seeing and haste at creation.  Haven't tried using the spell slots yet.   Smashes pretty much anything LOL

 

For the Golem, my familiar, and summoned undead, I use the following: Endurance or Maximized Endurance, Stoneskin, Protection from Elements, Bull's Strength.  That tends to keep them alive long enough to do some damage -- which is usually mopping up the half-dead enemies I've devastated with AoE spells or missile storms :D

 

The amulet of Undeath ( I think that's the name ) is great for my Evoker who can't use summoning spells.  The Vampire it summons once per day is a great replacement for the Skeleton Chieftain when I need the additional meat shield or damage dealer.  Put amulet on, summon, take amulet off, because it has stat penalties.

 

For the undead with weapons ( Skeleton Chieftain and Vampire ) I also tend to add greater magic weapon, in order to give them a better chance to hit.

 

The final battle to defend the seer was so much easier with a Wizard.  Climb up onto one of the towers, cast empowered Delayed Blast Fireball into the commanders camp, wiping out everyone except him.  Spell Breach him, then wipe him out with a missile storm.  Continue AoE blasting the waves as the come in.  Eventually, a couple crept through to the gate, and I couldn't find a place to hit the fuckers with magic missiles.  So, eventually, they broke through.

 

Climb back to the ground, Get in the dead center of the action, cast extended Mass Haste.  After that, a couple of AoE spells to weaken the enemies for my speed-demon Drow allies routed the invading army.

 

The battle in the city was no different.  Blast the hell out of them with AoE, spell breach the commander, missile storm him to death, and then use my Cup of Lathlander from SoE for Circle of Healing right behind all my defenders -- most of whom had survived the battle at the gates.  Renewed by my healing, they easily mopped up.

 

Makes me wish I'd went ahead and decided to kill the Mind Flayers.  I was worried about them, so I gave the big ugly brain the mirror again.  Next time I play through as a wizard, the fucker is going down.

 

Didn't even summon my familiar or undead for those battles.  Having four allies may be bad for experience, but it's great for keeping fuckers away from me while I blast them into oblivion. *evil grin*  I never tried summoning both my familiar and an undead creature after getting the golem.  I may have to try that before I finish the game.  That's a lot of meat shields.

 

And in the maker's sanctum, I highly recommend having a Pseudodragon familiar.  While the golem is immune to magic, that doesn't apply to a Pseudodragon's breath weapon.  If you come in fully rested and buffed with its 2-4 available breath weapons, it saves you a lot of charges on the Golem smasher, which you can then use on the Maker's guardians.

 

Once you've got the golem, that's probably the last time the familiar or undead are useful, though.  They don't have the HP or damage output to validate the loss of experience.  You're better off giving the golem your full attention with buffs and healing.  Two Henchman and the golem works just fine.  I'm sure the golem will run out of steam eventually, now that I'm in hell with him.  Even with Maximized Endurance and Buffs, I'm sure the badass enemies to come will be able to cut him down.

 

I'll have to choose between Aribeth and Deekin this time, though.  I found out that he's the one Henchman who can go into the Underdark with you, so I took him.  It will depend upon whether the enemies are getting to me before I can let loose with my devastating magic.  If I need a meat shield, it will be Aribeth.  Otherwise, Deekin is providing me with a lot of nice support magic.

 

Basically, having fun.

 

I know everyone would rather that I was writing, but I've found that playing NWN or Might and Magic is a good way to get me out of a funk.  I've got something to do all the time for at least a couple of weeks ( more if I play premium modules or go on to one of the other games in the series ) and that keeps me from sitting around being depressed because I'm too depressed to write.  That eventually leads me to pick up my pen again.

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Decided to open up my old module I started making back in 2007 or so.  It was called "Inheritance in Fightershaven".  It had neat NPC scripts that kept them all active.  People in the throne room roamed around, drank at the kegs, talked to each other, sat on the furniture, etc.  Guards made their rounds through the castle.  Girls in the bath splashed and moved around as they bathed.

 

Yes, it has the nude hackpacks.

 

I quit working on it after finishing the opening quest because one of my scripts broke.  It had two different sets of NPC scripts for day and night.  They both worked fine, but one day I did something that stopped the transition from day to night from working.  No matter what I did, I could never get the night script to fire.  So, I got frustrated and gave up.

 

As you might guess, there were a lot of sex quests as well as the normal adventuring quests.  Convince various people to join you in bed, and you earned experience and journal entries.  Everyone in the castle recognized when you weren't wearing your armor ( and thus, with the nude hackpacks, naked )

 

There was one thing I'd forgotten about, though.

 

I went down into the basement level where the servants had their quarters ( which were much nicer than you would think for a basement )  I walked up to the stuffy old chancellor with my female fighter character -- naked as the day she was born -- and talked to him.  He cries out "Oh my god!" and immediately faints dead away.  Full animation and thump of him hitting the floor.

 

There I am, laughing my ass off at my own joke, because I'd forgotten it was there.  It was like two minutes later before he roused himself and stood back up.

 

It was so tempting to go talk to him and put him right back on the ground again.

 

Just had to relate that.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Of course, not long after I posted that, the authentication server went offline for good.
 
Never fear.  There's an alternate method that lets you play offline without the server.

http://neverwintervault.org/project/nwn1/other/tool/premium-module-offline-authenticator-generator

 

That will generate the dat files that will make all the premium modules playable into perpetuity.

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