Dungeons & Dragons Tactics - New PSP Game

If you'd bothered to get to know us or read the forums here, you'd know already that I've played them & many others as well. I don't trust you; you still sound like you're selling something.

 

Yep. First impressions...

 

Howdy,
I bought DnD Tactics today and so far, I am very frustrated with it. Its cool and all, but I guess I just wanted more. Some first impressions I have:

1. I tried the first campaign adventure and you can only use two characters? The second one only four. I dont like my chars exp all different.
2. I was in a battle and there was a chest there. Am I going to search the chest before killing the mobs? Hell no! So when I finish the fight, the module ends and I cant search the chest. Stupid. Now, I cant go back.

The tactics is cool, but so far, it seems like im always in turns,

I guess I was just expecting more.

Also, I hate point buy (I knew it had this, so I can only blame myself)

Anywho, dont flame, just some first impressions, which may change. Just wanted to vent somewhere.

Regards,
Yarazin

 

zuluwarrior94,

I stopped posting here for fairly obvious reasons... I really don't hold it against anyone here.. and Lord Spike that was a pure joke. But if you do want my impressions here's a paste from another forum I posted in:

IMPORTANT: Do not make your characters and then turn off the PSP. I made the mistake of doing so and it actually doesn't save your guys. You have to make them and they are saved temporarly for when you start the campaign.

:-(

So after spending time with the character generator, it's true, no multi-classing.. Gaaah that's seriously disappointing. It really limits the replay value and the choices you can have for your party. The game should have been called D&D Lite.

I was planning on staying up the whole night and playing and reporting lots of info: but I got a pretty bad case of food poisoning and I was out for the count. I did mess around with it a bit and here are my quick impressions:

Playing through the four tutorials leaves you with an impressed feeling. It really shows you how the system actually works, even though you have a ton of options and information at your disposal. You also notice how good the lighting is.. which I was impressed with. The models are very disappointing though, and definitely detract a bit from the scenery. The camera was aboslutely fantastic, felt very un-hindered and smooth. A+ for that. Through the tutorial you pick up on a few neat ideas they implemented, like having color rings around an enemy that let you know how likely it is you'll hit them. Also, the Triangle button has all the information you need, and will be your friend. So you finally feel a bit of the "tactics" part of the game in the ranged tutorial. Right away I was choosing to fire and then go move behind a wall. If you don't want to hide and you figure they will die in one strong hit, you can choose a "full attack" and lose your opportunity to move,.It was nice having those options and I used both tactics during that fight. So after the Actions, Melee, and Ranged tutorial came the magic.. and boy.. time to be even more disappointed. To me a big part of being a magic user is the power and display of spells.. well guess what.. we don't get any display (or anything good). After casting Fireball, Lightning Bolt, Magic Missle, and a few other spells, there's barely any graphical display! Gah!

So after starting the tutorials that led me to the character generation, which of course was fanstistic (minus the no multi-classing). I spent the next few hours creating (and losing, see above) my characters. I started up the campaign and spent the subway ride this morning looking through my character's starting equipment and stats, just to get a good feel for them. What I was happy with is that they start you off at a location where you're allowed to buy weapons and armor, so you can configure your group from the get-go. What I wasn't happy with is that I looked up from my PSP and my stop for work was next, so I had to put down the PSP and I couldn't get any further. I did notice the first mission only let you select two from your group, which brought another frown to my face. I just made all my guys and I wan't to play them all(and I hate the idea of not everyone being the same level). I hope most missions are not like this.

So I'm feeling much better, fortunately, so hopefully I'll get much more time with the game tonight. I'm sure everyone will have it by then and posting their own impressions though

I do feel like I know what the game will be like, and I'm still happy with it, even with the missing D&D features. It does seem very tactical and in-depth and I'm sure some of the missions will be quite good. I'll probably play through the game a few times, a standard good party, evil party, wacky groups, etc. Although the lack of using your person characters for multiplayer REALLY REALLY limits the multiplayer aspect.. I mean common! I would like to trade and fight with my own characters that I spent hours with in single-player... that right there is my biggest disappointment.

So yea.. lets of disappointments but I'll still play the heck out of it on the subways."


But ok guys.. I meant this in good faith. I work for an architecture firm in NYC and I'm not some Atari robot. I've read maybe four posts, so I don't know everyone's personality... but I did see someone mention tactics and I wanted to do something for a group of people that have done so much for the community.

 

Also, Old Book,

Sorry I had a typo with:

" I mean sure I'll play BG, NWN, Torment, and others, but as ToEE actually feels like you have more freedom to play and do what you want."

I meant to say I've and not I'll. I've actually played BG 1&2, NWN, Torment, but not the Icewind dale series. I was severly let down by NWN2.. just felt like KOTOR too much instead of the previous NWN series.

Have you guys tried Dungeons and Dragons Online? I gave it a spin but without a group I got nowhere fast :-(

 

Hail Yarazin,

I'm on my sixth quest and good news is that the last three missions have been full party. I'm also very picky about leveling my characters so I was very concerned at first.. but hopefully there won't be more like the first few missions.

 

Hi again,
Yeah, I just tried to level my rogue to multi-class fighter and no luck. I sure dont remember reading that in all the previews. What a let down there.

So far I dont agree abot the lighting. I cast light, but I have trouble seeing the rest of the area im in.

Is there a way to move the whole party at once? So far, I am very frustrated that I need to move each one individually to try and search a room.

I cant seem to find it in the manual. Is my disable device and search automatic? I try and search a chest but no option. Maybe there is no option unless you need to do it?

Most of my opinions are just reaction, some of these issues might just be me. But so far, the game is giving me a tummy ache.

DnD lite is a good term. Ohh for more TOEE, IMO arguably the best DnD tactics game ever made.

Yarazin

 

No need to stop doing anything; feel free to discuss on. This is General Discussion, after all. It's just that you gave us (me in particular) that impression. :shrug: No harm done by you, and no malice intended by us. I for one was merely saying how I felt about what you posted. You seem much more the person now, and much less the salesman.

 

Hail Yarazin,

The multi-classing was actually in the build at a certain point and time.. as I remember seeing screenshots with multi-class characters.

Oh, I agree about the torch or the spell light not giving off good lighting. I made that remake after playing underground levels and seeing light sources peeking in. That looked great.. but the torch and light spell, not so.


And it doesn't seem like you can move a whole party at once.. while this is actually bugging people, it hasn't gotten to me yet.. I actually presumed it would be that way. But I could see why it would bug most.

As for disable device and search automatic, I believe they are infact automatic. I know when I move my rogue he hides automatically.


I've been following the game extensively, so I was aware of what I was getting. I am quite pleased with it, but also let down (only friggin pre-gen chars for MP! URGH!). The game doesn't really have that lasting appeal that it could if it had multi-classing, prestige, and correct MP features. If it had those things, well, atleast we could make the game fun with others in MP. But as the game stands now it really limits the user, which is what D&D is not about.

I'm still hoping the game does financially well so that it will allow an expansion or fix. I'm a perfect target audience for this game, as I only get to play the game on the Subways and inbetween down time while doing field work. Or imagine traveling with a friend and being able to pull out a good MP D&D game on your PSP...

Also, I really couldn't find a more concentrated fanbase for the game, so unfortunately I went over to the Gamespot forums (URGH!)... I did make a post about all the named items so far in the game, if you want to check it out: http://tinyurl.com/2sc5qd . Yea, you could make fun of me for posting in Gamespot.. but atleast I didn't make it over to the GameFaq forums ;-)

 

Thanks for the comments, Lord_Spike. BTW, where did you get your signature quote: "When the doors of perception are cleansed, man will see things as they truly are...Infinite." ? I like to keep a record of all favorable quotes I come by. No hard feelings from past comments *rasies cup*.

 

William Blake said it;
the doors lived it;
Red Dragon got me into it.

 

I've actually thought of getting a PSP, but came to the realization that if I did, I would get absolutely nothing done...ever. A portable game system? I can't even fathom the degree of laziness I could reach if I had one.

But I can still want.

 

For the most part, to me, his posts [more than his original first post] read as being too much product interest related and new sales based [kind of like what a telemarketer does].

 

Hail all,

So I was finally able to stay up late and put some more hours into the game. I went from LVL two to five in about three hours. I must say, I really had some good fights on the later missions. It's the first time I've ever included more than one magic user and I'm loving it. As usual, my battle-eagerness dwarf saw a goblin and strayed ahead to charge... but he ran into THREE trolls (50+hp), 4 Bugbears, and several more of those nasty little goblins (and I swear I heard them laughing in the game). I'm quite happy I decided to make him a pure defense character, as he held his ground while the others caught up. It was probably one of my most enjoyable D&D fights.. it lasted nearly over a half an hour and all my potions and spells were gone. All my six LVL 4 characters made it out alive by the skin of their teeth (rogue had 1 life). This fight alone has made me appreciate having more than one magic user in a group. Love my cookie cutter party (fight, fight, cleric, rogue, wiz, sorc) and I can't to see what other trouble my impatient dwarf warrior will get the party in.

Also, the last five or six missions have been full party (although if some characters stray too far away from the group only they earn near-by XP from monster kills). And now I'm indeed starting to complain about not having a move all feature, especially when your backtracking from going into a side dungeon/area.

but all in all I'm absolutely loving it so far. Hoping to play a bunch more tonight