Summer Games Challenge 2016

[BoneSnapDeez]

haha interesting. I'll give the grinding a whirl this evening. May try a character other than Nicole. She has the best dialogue though. "Am I the only one who isn't a princess?"

[Ack]

Ultima II

Well, I started to figure out the space thing. I found where the rockets are located, and I apparently have the necessary items to drive them. I broke into the base where they were hidden, stole one, and took off into space. Once there, I initiated hyperspace...and discovered once again that it is random whether I will actually reach my chosen coordinates. The randomization of this game really kills it. Once I did successfully manage to reach my chosen area, I landed on Planet X, hit up the nearby town, and then tried to find a specific guy to get an item I need. Unfortunately I thought he was in a different area and pissed off the local guards in the process. End result, I got wasted...and then I discovered that the game is wary of folks getting potentially stuck in outer space, so it does not save any progress when you leave Earth. I'll have to redo the entire space thing all over again.

I can very much see why this game is considered the weakest of the Ultimas. During last night's gaming session with folks over Steam, Xen started playing the opening music. Noise demanded to know how I could play the game listening to that ear-piercing sound. I told him I plug in headphones and then shut them in a drawer.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Yeah Ultima II is odd. The series really gets good with the third installment.

[Ack]

I actually thought the first was pretty good. Old and experimental, sure, but still fun to play. What gets me is that it feels like the wrong lessons were learned after the success of Ultima I, so Ultima II feels like a mess. I look forward to when I get around to Ultima III.

[BoneSnapDeez]

I had Ultima II on CD-ROM back in the day and recall it being super crashy and glitchy. Looking forward to trying that GOG.com version eventually.

[Ack]

I had Ultima II on CD-ROM back in the day and recall it being super crashy and glitchy. Looking forward to trying that GOG.com version eventually.

That's the one I'm using. It has a couple of minor issues with resolution, though I find alt tabbing out of the game and then going back to it fixes them. It's actually kind of a boon, because it occurs right at the beginning of the game and cuts out the intro "music" that I greatly dislike.

I'm so glad I picked up the series though. It's been an interesting historical curiosity, and that alone has given me enough enjoyment to keep me going. I think only a handful of us on here have beaten any Ultimas. I look forward to saying I'm one of the few who has experienced the original trilogy.

[Michi]

I actually thought the first was pretty good. Old and experimental, sure, but still fun to play. What gets me is that it feels like the wrong lessons were learned after the success of Ultima I, so Ultima II feels like a mess. I look forward to when I get around to Ultima III.

So, another unfortunate victim of the sophomore slump?

[BoneSnapDeez]

Guardian Heroes

Grinded at game's beginning.... until Nicole said she had to leave the building or her clothes would burn.

I learn something new every time I play the game. Some things make me feel like an idiot. Like, using special attacks replenishes MP. And Nicole's healing spell creates an aura she can stand in to gradually replenish HP. I thought it was a one-shot thing that replenished only a small amount of HP so I was casting it several times in a row!

Still suck at the game. Seriously, EFF THE ROBOTS.

[marurun]

Guardian Heroes

Grinded at game's beginning.... until Nicole said she had to leave the building or her clothes would burn.

I learn something new every time I play the game. Some things make me feel like an idiot. Like, using special attacks replenishes MP. And Nicole's healing spell creates an aura she can stand in to gradually replenish HP. I thought it was a one-shot thing that replenished only a small amount of HP so I was casting it several times in a row!

Still suck at the game. Seriously, EFF THE ROBOTS.

Nicole's spells are heavily luck-based, and you get varied results. If you have a low luck you'll get the puny versions or only self-heal. If you have really high luck you'll be a lot more likely to get a HUGE barrier or that giant healing field on the ground. Oh, and in case you're wondering, the most powerful spell in the game for offensive damage is barrier.

The multi-hit special attacks are absolutely necessary if you play Randy, because otherwise you can't spam spells nearly as often.

[noiseredux]

Ultima II music is noise pollution.