Wasteland is daunting...

[James8BitStar]

I have never, ever liked RPGs with "skill point" systems in place of good ol' class/level. The reason is because with classes you can generally predict what kind of party you need (Fighter/Thief/MU/Cleric pretty much covers all the bases), but with skill systems where your characters have a number of different skills, you might end up creating a character who has a bunch of skills that sound useful when you read them in the manual but leave the actual character completely useless.

That being said...

I've been attempting to play Interplay's Wasteland. I always heard it was a classic, and I have the Ultimate RPG Archies (which includes it) so I installed it and tried it out. I knew it was a skill-based game so I decided to go with the default party the first time. Long story short I didn't like the default party and now I'm creating my own.

*Sigh*

Anyone wanna give me suggestions, or at least wish me luck?

[Sniderman]

...and I have the Ultimate RPG Archies...

j/k

[CMA Death Adder]

That would never work. Jughead would eat all the food rations, and everyone else would die. Then, being too lazy to work, he too would die and it would be GAME OVER.

[Kid Ice]

There are two NPCs that will help you out a lot....I don't recall the names...I think one is named Covenant. You will meet them early on in the game and they will probably be much more powerful than anyone in your party.

[James8BitStar]

j/k

Lift that leg up just a little more, Betty...

It would've been really funny if someone had photoshopped that image so that the Archies all represented certain RPGs.

[Poofta!]

what is this "ultimate rpg archives" you speak of? please show me!!! (is it something you bought, found on a webpage, got off usenet or what?)


i actually prefer skill points over levels anyday. i hate being restricted in my game to my class. i guess its probably because the first (and majority) of rpgs ive played are skill point based and i got used to that...

i never played wasteland, but i played fallout 1 & 2, wonderful games worth every second (and dollar) you spend on them!

[koster]

what is this "ultimate rpg archives" you speak of? please show me!!! (is it something you bought, found on a webpage, got off usenet or what?)

Ultimate RPG Archives (courtesy of MobyGames)

[Damaniel]

Ultimate RPG Archives (courtesy of MobyGames)

It's a compilation of games that came out about 10 years ago, and includes the Bard's Tale series and the two Might and Magic: Xeen games, among others. I remember buying this not too long after it came out, and I still have my copy (no manual, though).

Some of my favorite PC game purchases were compilations of classic games -- especially the Roberta Williams Anthology and The Forgotten Realms Archives. I spent more time playing Dungeon Hack (from the Forgotten Realms disc) than I'd like to admit, and the game is responsible for getting me hooked to the roguelike genre.

These compilations are a good way to legally play the PC classics, but eBay is the only place to find the better ones nowadays.

[Jorpho]

My, that is pretty darn spiffy.

The Forgotten Realms Archives is still pretty easy to find, mind you.

[James8BitStar]

what is this "ultimate rpg archives" you speak of? please show me!!! (is it something you bought, found on a webpage, got off usenet or what?)

It's a five-CD compilation released by Interplay in the late 90s/early 2000s which contained a lot of MS-DOS/Windows RPGs.

Specifically, it contained:

Bard's Tale 1, 2, 3, and the Construction Set
Dragon Wars
Might & Magic: World of Xeen (basically M&M4 and 5 combined into one game, like an RPG Sonic 3 and Knuckles)
Stonekeep
Ultima Underworld I and II (this was pretty much the reason I bought the set)
Wasteland
Wizardry Gold (a not-so-enhanced remake of Wizardry 7).

For what its worth, Interplay also released several other "Archives:"

The Forgotten Realms Archive (containing Pool of Radiance, Curse of the Azure Bonds, Secret of the Silver Blades, Pools of Darkness, Gateway to the Savage Frontier, Treasures of the Savage Frontier, Dungeon Hack, Eye of the Beholder 1, 2, and 3, and Menzoberranzan. The Silver Edition also contains an RTS called Blood and Magic).

The Ultimate Might and Magic Archives (containing MM1-5, including the option for either the single-game or "World of Xeen" versions of 4 and 5, plus a bonus fangame called World of Xeen)

The Ultimate Strategy Archives (containing Railroad Tycoon, Civilization, Conquest of the New World Deluxe, X-Com UFO Defense, Jagged Alliance: Deadly Games, M.A.X. Mechanized Assault and Exploration, Dark Colony, and Heroes of Might & Magic Windows 95 version--though its slightly buggy on this release. It also includes King's Bounty but this isn't mentioned on the package).

The Ultimate Wizardry Archives (containing Wizardry 1-7 including both the original and "Gold" versions of Wizardry 7).

I own all of these archives (and wrote the above lists entirely from memory), though I only have the CDs and manuals now.

It's too bad Interplay didn't release any more... they should've at least made one that contained both their Lord of the Rings games...

[Jorpho]

Don't forget the Select Family Entertainment Pack (still buyable!) and the Interplay 15th Anniversary Anthology. They don't quite make 'em like that anymore.

[James8BitStar]

Seems to me like the Tenth Anniversary collection had a better selection of games.

Other worthwhile PC Compilations, NOT by Interplay:

The Ultima Collection - Includes Ultimas 1-8, including Akalabeth and both parts of Ultima VII plus their add-on quests. It was rereleased as an "EA Classics" thing so it should be common.

Worlds of Swords and Steel - Not listed on Mobygames but does pop up on Ebay a lot.

Pretty much any and all of Sierra's "Collection Series" compilations.

[Poofta!]

i have the forgotten realms archives, i love it. thanks for the info btw, im gonna track that comp down (ult. rpg)

i dont like those anniversary comps, the strategy and M&M comps though i might track down at one point.

[James8BitStar]

Glad I could give you something else to collect!

As for me... right now, I'm totally pissed off at both the RPGs I'm currently playing (Wasteland and Dragon Warrior II--the original NES one not the remakes) so I think I'm gonna either take a little break, or go replay FF4 or Earthbound.

[Flack]

Back when I worked at Best Buy and all those old game collections were headed toward bargain bins I bought every one I could get my hands on.



There are 4 of the 5 AD&D game pack.



There's the Interplay 10th Anniversary disc, along with Rise of the Robots and two Dr. Brain games.

[James8BitStar]

Now I'm jealous, Flack.

[Mangar]

I remember beating Wasteland years ago on my Commodore 64. Easily one of the best games I've ever played.