Eschalon Book 2

Donovan Puppyfucker

I know a few of us enjoyed the first episode, the second has been out for a little while now and I see no news of it here.

So, http://basiliskgames.com/eschalon-book-ii

Go download the demo and kill stuff.

Karmond

I tried it the other day, is there supposed to be some trick in killing the dragonfly-thing nest easily? At the rate I was going, I probably needed to hit it about 300 times with a dragonfly spawning roughly every 10 hits and my melee weapon breaking every 20 hits.

superspork

I had trouble with that part too until I found out you can pick up powder kegs and drop them off where ever you need them. Grab one of those (I think there's one in Eastwillow proper and several more down the well) and a few of the cheapest throwing weapon you can find, or fire dart, and blow that sucker up.

Silpheed

I rcently discovered that boh Eschalon games are on a sale on Impulse right now and since I'm on a RPG bender right now I was thinking about checking them out. What's the general opinion regarding it's gameplay and story? Also, is it a freeform RPG or are is it more of a linear game?

skace

I've gotten further in Eschalon 2 than I did in the first one. However it still isn't holding my interest very well.

JacquesCousteau

From the website:

A non-linear storyline means that the game world is open to explore as you desire. Follow the storyline or don’t…it’s up to you. Just be careful where you go and who you choose to trust- the world of Eschalon can be a deadly place for an inexperienced adventurer.

Never played it myself but gameplay looks pretty deep. Not sure if that is good or bad though.

Steel Angel

Silpheed wrote: »

I rcently discovered that boh Eschalon games are on a sale on Impulse right now and since I'm on a RPG bender right now I was thinking about checking them out. What's the general opinion regarding it's gameplay and story? Also, is it a freeform RPG or are is it more of a linear game?

Where did you discover this? They both look full price to me right now.

Stolls

Playing the demo for the first game now. The gameplay does seem pretty deep, and the interface takes some getting used to, but I will say it has some really good music. Pair that with a half-decent adventure and that's usually enough for me to check out the full thing. We'll see how it goes.

Darmak

They're both really good games and I highly recommend them. Whenever I talk about them, I also bring up the Spiderweb Software games. They're just as good, but with much lower production values (if that sort of thing bothers you). They also huge huge demos so you can try and see if you want to buy them.

Silpheed

Steel Angel wrote: »

Silpheed wrote: »

I rcently discovered that boh Eschalon games are on a sale on Impulse right now and since I'm on a RPG bender right now I was thinking about checking them out. What's the general opinion regarding it's gameplay and story? Also, is it a freeform RPG or are is it more of a linear game?

Where did you discover this? They both look full price to me right now.

Impulse had them at 50% discount but it seems that the sale ended a few hours after I posted my question. Oh well, I guess I'll just wait until they are on a sale again.

ArbitraryDescriptor

RISE FROM YOUR GRAVE

Both games are like $9.50 combined on Steam right now. A lot of people seemed to be on the verge of purchase, so I figured I'd knock the dust off this thing.

Playing 2, it's pretty neat so far. I absolutely love that getting stuck out in the rain at night is something to be concerned about.

I also love that I'm out of arrows, no more at the Smithy, and Bows would have my only trained weapon skill had I not seen utility in being able to punch open barrels without hurting my fists.

Well, "love." It actually sucks a lot; but that's on me. What I love is that it doesn't coddle me. So, when I last left it, I was punching dragon flies in the dark and running like a frightened child when the thunderstorm rolled in.

Stolls

I was pleasantly surprised by both games, they did a really good job setting you alone against dangerous environments. You're usually not locked in and can back out if you need resources, but with some creative thinking or good tactics you can manage just about anything. It's refreshing to have a game where scripted ambushes are actual emergencies and retreating is a viable option.

Still remember this one time in the first game I blundered into some pitch dark area. An oubliette, I think. I lit up a torch only to find I was completely surrounded by skeletons. Cue me hauling ass and barely avoiding getting chewed to pieces. Likewise in Book II, where I had to burn out an entire room just to kill a boss that otherwise had me completely outgunned; spammed firebombs, arrows, haste, whatever I had on me. Think I wound up destroying half the treasure in it because the bombs blew up every container in the room, but hell if I was trying that again.

Good stuff. Really loved the music, especially the overland themes: This one in particular

Basil

These descriptions are reminding me of the usual talk around Arcanum, but with less reports of ulcers and blindness.

Stolls

Well, Eschalon doesn't try to do as much, in particular there's not nearly the focus on characters and writing. Plot progression is pretty linear and you're limited to a smaller (though still reasonably big by RPG standards) region out of an established world. The setting isn't quite so inventive, though there are hints that technology is creeping into the periphery of the otherwise typical fantasy setting.

Gameplay wise, however, it's definitely an apt comparison. A lot of stuff is destructible, and most locked doors and containers can be broken down with whatever you have. Enemies can be separated and funneled into chokepoints, and light and darkness play huge roles in combat; I went the magic rogue route and basically played like Batman, luring enemies into darkness where nightvision and haste can take over. Traps can be used against enemies, and in Book II you can reposition powder kegs to bring down certain walls or set off chain reactions.

Second game lets you adjust the difficulty in neat ways, too. You get a set of four options: equipment degradation; thirst/hunger; disabling saving when poisoned, in combat, etc.; and locking rolls for skill checks (meaning you can't reload until you bypass a lock at 1% chance). The only penalty for turning everything off is a reduction to your endgame score, but turning any three or all four on gives you bonuses to random loot rolls and experience gain. It's not a huge thing, but I love it when games find other ways to ramp up difficulty.

jothki

I've started playing Eschalon Book 1, and it has to have the oddest level-up system I've ever seen. Basically, when you create a character or gain a level, you get points that can be invested in one of a number of skills. It takes 3 points to get the first rank of a skill that you don't have, and 1 point to add a rank to a skill you already have.

Up to this point, it makes sense. The weird part is that scattered through the world, there are trainers who can raise your skill ranks as well, at a cost of 100 gold times the level of the rank you already have. Getting a rank of a skill you don't yet have costs 100 gold, getting rank 2 costs 200 gold, and so on.

This means that you if you want a skill that you don't have, you can learn it via level-up for a hefty cost, or learn it via a trainer for dirt cheap. If you happen to learn a skill at level-up right before you find a trainer or book for that skill, you've effectively screwed yourself out of two skill points that you'll never get back.

Combined with the character creation telling me that skills are restricted to a maximum rank of 5 ranks per character level (you get three points per character level, and there are a hell of a lot more than four levels), I'm wondering if the optimal build over the long term is to immediately sink 5 points into your class skill, conserve the rest of your points, and then at the next three level ups sink another 5 points into the class skill, while never ever buying a skill that will have an early trainer.

Or am I misunderstanding something?