I've always enjoyed reading various Let's Play excursions into madness, and so I thought it only fair to delve into the madness a bit myself. What better game than one of my favorite RPGs of all time, from whence I got my forum name?
Let's play...
Might and Magic IV and Might and Magic V
Thread Updates
Click the spoiler to view a map of the Cloudside of Xeen. You can easily follow along where the party goes.
You said "game", yet the title lists TWO. Are you a liar?
Yes! But not about this. Might and Magic IV and V are respectively Clouds of Xeen and Darkside of Xeen. However, they were always intended to played together. When installed on the same hard drive, they, in a fashion
not unlike Voltron, form one bigger game.
Tell me more...
These games were developed way back in the year 1993 by the now defunct New World Computing. Part of the once glorious line of Might and Magic games, they were technically sequels to Might and Magic I-III, in that they do conclude the overarching storyline from those games, but zero knowledge of those games is actually required. The plot is quite self-contained.
If you'd like to learn more before you commit to the thread, you can Google it. Removing links until I'm sure I can post what I posted.
I see. But this game looks... old. Why even play it?
For it's time it was groundbreaking in the graphics, diversity of enemies, and enormous world to explore. I believe it stands the test of time very well.
How does it compare to Oblivion?
I should smack you for asking. This is an old school RPG. Everything is turn based. You control an entire party of six members. There is also no silly "leveling" of creatures. If you wander off too far, you will be crushed into a tiny pulp.
With that out of the way, let's begin!
Our opening title. We will, of course, be starting on the Clouds side of Xeen. We are treated to an opening cinematic. A strange tower rests alone in a dark lake...This place seems rather isolated. We zoom in on the window...Apparently someone lives here!Crodo: I am Crodo, Overseer of the land known as Xeen. Many years have passed since the glory days of King Burlock... King Burlock's Head: I am the king!Crodo: ...when times were good and there was must rejoicing.Crowd (sounding rather bored): Yaaaay.Crodo: But now, imprisoned in this enchanted tower, by the sinister, self proclaimed Lord Xeen...Lord Xeen: Mwhahahahahaha!Crodo: ...I am unable to help you in these dark times. It is now up to you, adventurers, to right what has been wronged!That means YOU!
This game requires a party of six. I am now looking for volunteers. Specifically I require...
One Barbarian (preferably Half-orc)
One Paladin (preferably Human, Half-orc, or Dwarf)
One Ninja (preferably Dwarf or Gnome)
One Ranger (preferably Human, Half-orc, or Dwarf)
One Cleric (preferably Gnome)
One Sorcerer (preferably Elf)
Fairly specific, I know, but I need a decent party, right? Right? Feel free to give a name, a gender, an appearance (ha!), and a personality. I'll do my best to accommodate.
Will you be doing good or evil?
You kids and your morale choice systems. There is not really a way to play this game other than stupidly heroic, so that's how we'll be doing things. However, the stupid-to-heroic ratio is open to change.
Posts
PSN ID : Xander51 Steam ID : Xander51
Fuck yes.
:^:
Ninja?
What the fuck is wrong with you?
Barbarians are terrible. TERRIBLE. You should be ASHAMED. They might have more HP than Knights (Do they? I'm a little fuzzy on barbarians, other than THEY SUCK), but they can't wear armor better than Robes. Which means that they'll get hit by EVERYTHING. Go with a Knight. Honestly.
Ninjas aren't as good as Robbers for... well.. robbing, and I don't think they can wear as heavy armor. But that's just a small problem with your build.
Rangers are nice in theory, but they don't get as much MP if my memory serves me correctly. However, the extra Cleric spells could come in handy, but I always liked packing as much magical artillery into my party as possible.
My optimum build was always:
Knight
Paladin
Robber
Cleric
Sorcerer
Archer
I made DAMN sure my sorcerer always went first in combat (Every speed bonus went to my sorcerer), because later on those spells are NASTY. Star Burst, anyone? Dancing Sword?
I'd also do the occasional
Knight
Paladin
Paladin
Robber
Archer
Archer
build so I could launch a full barrage of missile weapons. They didn't last nearly as long, though, and were essentually hard mode.
But I'll take the Male Elf Sorcerer slot, name MechMantis. Someone needs to provide the voice of snarky reason in the party. :P
EDIT: Use the hooded elf portrait for me, would you?
Ordo: Elf Wizard
I also always had this guy in my party because he kinda looked like Luke Skywalker:
Edit: Oh, are we signing up to be party members? If so, I'll take Luke up there and be TehSpectre the Human Paladin.
To the OP: keep your classes. Do not listen to this.
Barbarians get more attacks per round than anyone, which is heavily understated in the manual (which contains an error). Also, the base AC of an item is severely dwarfed by magical properties later on. Ninjas get more attacks than Robbers, and Rangers are the catch-all for Pathfinding and backup spells.
(I always named my Ranger as Veritas, hint hint).
Let 'em eat fucking pineapples!
...I forgot about that. My bad. Ignore my rant.
EDIT: Although in my defense: Rangers have the same amount of MP as Paladins and Archers, which is hardly enough for Day of Sorcery/Day of Protection, if they even get those spells. (Again, memory fuzzy, haven't played with a Ranger in my party for ages)
The same holds true for Ninjas. More attacks than Robbers. While it's true their Thievery isn't quite as good, the skill goes up something like +5 per level, so after a few levels the difference is completely negligible, especially considering the bonus certain races get to the skill anyway.
As for the barrage of arrows, in truth powerful bows are rather hard to find, and never all that great. Ranged weapons, unlike melee, only get a single attack per round, period. So you'd a bow that was 25x (!) the strength of your melee weapon to get the same effect.
LP is coming together. I'd love a few more volunteers to take characters, but if not, we'll just go ahead with stand-ins
That Luke Skywalker lookalike fellow is actually Jon Van Caneghem, the M&M creator, if I'm not mistaken.
I remember getting some certificate mailed to me after beating this game, time well wasted.
I always like to get a good mix of races with the classes I picked. It's boring to do mostly humans or some such, because I think races do have an effect on some quests later on (although that might be M&M2 I'm thinking).
Of course, the way to win is to just find the most powerful temp buffs and level as fast as possible. No one who really knows the game ever goes into combat without first exploiting the fountains here and there. That "strategy" never jived with me for some reason.
Let 'em eat fucking pineapples!
I personally request that the barbarian be named Hemlock, human and female, as that was my longstanding front-liner in M&M2.
I volunteer to be the Dwarf Ninja.
smash code (NL): 5112-4921-0268
Congratulations on your choice, and if I would not be swamped with all the goodies that have come out in the last couple of weeks, with Risen just around the corner, I might actually join the magic (mind the skillfull play of words *g*).
HOWEVER, against some of the nastier enemies without ranged attacks, arrows are a godsend. Granted you need to play the two-step for awhile in order for them to be much use, but if you had the space to do it, you could drop some pretty powerful enemies without taking a hit. Barkman on the Darkside comes to mind.
That's true. Don't worry, everyone who CAN use a bow, WILL use a bow. Never hurts to soften people up, after all.
Still need a Cleric. I've got a few things to do, but update will likely go up tonight. If I don't get a Cleric, then *I'll* be the Cleric, and we'll clear Vertigo tonight. I hear they have a pest problem...
It might have been the break from Clouds to Darkside.
Darkside is far far more nasty. Monsters are so much stronger it's not even funny.
I once made the mistake of trying to go through Darkside first. Never again.
Plus it ran on my 386. Barely.
I'm pretty amped for this "Let's Play".
It feels like there's a huge gap between everything before Sandcaster and everything after Sandcaster. Once you can kill those armodillos (or something else, I just remember that they're armored) you're fine, but if I remember correctly they're the first enemies to have hp in the thousands.
The ending to Dark Side may just be the best ever.
Brother Joshua, Gnomish Cleric, signing in.
(Maybe if I could be Human Cleric? Do Gnomes get a cleric boost?)
Part 1: Welcome to Vertigo!
Our adventure begins! We start off in Lady Geraldine's Tavern. As per the manual's description, the characters have come here because they each shared an identical dream.
One night, Crodo spied on Roland, only to discover that he was merely posing as the lost Prince. In truth, he was an undead thing name XEEN. Xeen locked Crodo in the tower, and so Crodo had sent out the dream, hoping that the powerful smithies of Newcastle could forge a weapon to destroy Xeen.
Just one problem: none of our heroes are from Newcastle. Then, days later, Newcastle was destroyed by a comet from the sky. None survived. Our heroes realized they might be the only ones who knew what to do. So, they gathered their meager possessions, and banded together for the greater good!
"Hello, travelers!"
We roll up our character stats here. It is random dice each roll, so it takes a few rolls to get decent stats for everyone.
Introducing our party!
I'm Hemlock, a Barbarian from the north.
I am TehSpectre. My aunt and uncle were murdered by Lord Xeen, so I want to grow up to be a Paladin, like my father before me.
...who? What? Oh, Veritas, Ranger, reporting in. I became a ranger because I love nature and... trees...
The name is JM. I'm a ninja. Yes, I'm a dwarf, and no I don't have a beard and I won't speak in a damned Scottish accent. Go ahead, ask me to. I dare ya.
I Asmodeus. I great half-orc cleric shaman.
You do have a distinctly Gnome-ish appearance about you. MechMantis, by the way. Sorcerer supreme, at your service.
Quiet! I will crush you in my massive hands... as soon as you let go of my head!
Our party is assembled!
Aren't we supposed to be saving the kingdom? Pest control seems a low priority.
Maybe the town will supply us if we help them out. We are a bit ill-equipped at the moment.
Ill-equipped indeed. The party is armed with a few short swords and some clubs. Their armor is pitiful. A visit to the blacksmith is in order!
Look at all these items just being handed out for free!
Uh... I don't think...
Yoink!
JM has stolen Mace! JM has stolen Saber! JM has stolen Scale Mail! JM has stolen Chain Mail! JM has stolen Splint Male! JM has stolen Gem of Toxic Clouds!
I'll take that last one...
Give me the LARGEST weapon you've got!
Well, I suppose it's for the greater good...
Free stuff just falling from the sky! We should search the TREES next, guys! I bet we'll find loads of gold!
You're an idiot. Let's ask around the tavern for some more information.
Not without your money purse you aren't...
Wait a second...
A lead!
I recall a warehouse on the north end of town...
Heading down the road...
I TOLD YOU.
One of the magic mirrors. Our party doesn't need to travel just yet.
"WHERE TO???"
Is this guild accepting of all races?
Of course! Some of our finest wizards are gnomes.
Call me a Gnome, will you? I'LL KILL YOU!
TehSpectre has joined the Vertigo Mages Guild. Veritas has joined the Vertigo Mages Guild. MechMantis has joined the Vertigo Mages Guild. Asmodeus has joined the Vertigo Mages Guild...reluctantly...
The town well. At the moment it is reeking with green slime.
The exterminator himself. Perhaps he'll have some answers...
Did that seem shady to anyone else?
He seemed nice to me.
But you're an idiot...
The place was crawling with pests!
And that mustache...
A stop by the temple to get blessed.
The park seems clear, sans a bit of graffiti.
Now to the back alleys, which have been gated off from the rest of the city.
There are bugs everywhere, and all these empty crates. Strange.
My orcish sense of smell can detect the pest reek in the crates. Like they were living in there.
Our heroes find the warehouse... owned by Joe himself!
Maybe we'll find some tools inside.
Yes... tools...
Step aside, I'll lead the way.
I really think that I outta...
WHAT THE HELL IS-
MechMantis is unconscious.
A heal is in order. The party continues to open crates full of pests.
An intriguing discovery...
Among others...
JM has found Wakazashi! JM has found Chain Mail! JM has found Ring Mail! JM has found Plate Mail!
The trash is cleaned up.
Argh!
Asmodeus is unconscious.
That last slime oozed Asmodeus.
So much for orcish stamina.
No worries, I'll just, erm...
No. No he will not.
Now to confront Joe with the evidence!
Now we just wait for him to come back, right?
.......
The good news is reported to Mayor Gunther. The first quest completed!
Why hasn't someone healed me?!?
Notes
Let me know what you guys think of the format. I went with small images because I ended up with 50+ of them, and that was cut down quite a bit. It's a little hard to show the flow of travel in this game.
Also, given that this is an RPG, there are lots of stats all around. Let me know if there is any specific information (gear, etc.) you'd like to stay updated on.
I didn't have the chance (or to be honest, the desire) to pick this game up way back when. Looks fun though.
Just curious, did you have to do anything bizarre to get it to run on a modern PC?
I am also curious. You really make me want to play some Might and Magic again.
Let 'em eat fucking pineapples!
That's all you need to do. Unfortunately, it's not the CD version, so you don't get all the fancy voices.
Now I really want to buy these from GOG.
PSN ID : Xander51 Steam ID : Xander51
Also enjoying it! Good ol' Spectre needs to learn some spells. Light is...handy, but he could probably use Cure Wounds. ;p
I got the game to run incredibly easily, actually. I'm almost waiting for some big problem to come along. I just loaded up DOSBox and off it went. Sadly, I don't have the CD version anymore, but you guys can't hear the voices anyway, and I remember most of them from when I originally played this years ago.
Oh, he's a Gnome. I needed a Gnome for the party, and orcs are lousy casters beside. So you get a racially confused Gnome
Sorry about that. Had to take them on a first come, first served.