*NOTE* I ask in all sincerity to everybody that has completed the game to not in anyway spoil the plot. I would be heartbroken*NOTE*
Well due to the numerous quality things I’ve been hearing about planescape torment I have been hearing over the last 5-6 years, (Mainly concerning its sensational game play, and that its reported to have the best story for a game EVER), I have decided to start playing through it.
A day of torrenting later (Fuck you aus internet...) and I had the .iso files. 5 minutes of installation later and I was greeted to an outstanding introduction. Though gaudy, the 3d animation is still characterful, and immediately sets the scene for what’s about to occur.
First of all. I love morte. That little guy is so kick ass! I never thought that a flying skull as a sidekick could be cool, until this game. The protagonist, Nameless one, is also very cool. I think what makes this game so captivating, and what gives players a reason to keep on exploring is the TOTAL mystery surrounding this protagonist. Nothing is known about him bar the instructions which were left behind and carved into his back. Badass.
The very first scene is also undeniably cool. 'Sneaking' around the mortuary, slashing zombies and seeing tiny fragments of the nameless one's memory return.
I've now met pharod, and I’m in the 'below', looking for the small brass egg thing that smells of custard. I want to know more.
BTW. Fell is quite annoying. Trying to tell me you know more about me then refusing to explain. Screw you! Just because I don’t talk by making symbols appear around my head is no reason to discriminate.
PS. this game is truly sensational. I must complete it and finish the story.
GAMEPLAY wise: Morte once again kicks ass. I found dak'kon in the tavern with the burning man. He’s a bit soft but it’s great to have a caster. Stupidly I made Nameless one into a thief. Going stealth certainly does have its uses though, however he now folds like a paper bag (Not really but he's softer). Morte is just a tank. The guy rapes everything and is responsible for like 65% of the party’s exp.
Rock on.
Might as well add that Neil Young's Harvest is one of the greatest albums I've heard. listen to it.
bestest gaem evuh story, npc interactions, graphical design (as starcraft, one of the rare old games that look good even to this day), are all absolutely unbelievable. and an excellent game world, yay for fantasy that is actually fantastic, not just medieval europe with elves and dragons
hope you put plenty of points into non-physical attributes, like wisdom/int/charisma, they have a profound effect on dialogue and restored memories, and that's what the game is about
Yes, you probably won't find a better story and better developed characters in any other game... especially not newer ones which are almost always dumbed down in some way. Oh and the setting is great too. Very fresh.
Sadly, we won't find games like this anymore because it didn't sell well. The market is just not there for "deep" games like this where you also have to read a lot.
PS:T is not only amazing, it's also the only game where I had a tear in my eye (at the ending video).
@deadbeef haha, i was in a state of shell shock for most of the endgame. chris avellone truly is a genius
you've got a point though, not many gamers like this type of games (hardcore rpg/adventures), so they are almost extinct today. except for other games by avellone, like MOTB for example, rpgs today have very little roleplaying and quite a lot dumbing down going on.
MOTB = Mask of the Betrayer? I haven't played that one yet... just the original NWN2.
Oh by the way, if you play PS:T the first time, I recommend going the way of a mage (you have the choice between warrior, mage and thief), because, as mentioned, the attributes which are almost always ignored in other RPGs actually REALLY matter in PS Intelligence, Charisma and Wisdom. Which benefits mages the most. Although in this case Charisma doesn't have to be that high because you can cast Friends to boost it before talking to people. And the spells are really fun... nice effects, and many high-level spells also have a video playing once you cast them, making the spell appear really epic (e.g.: ) In short: if you don't play as a mage you'll miss out on a lot of stuff.
@boblion well, i didnt like it at all as i dont like the hacky-slashy part of the RPG genre, but to a more action/dungeon-crawl loving audience it should be fun
@deadbeef
yeah, motb is mask of the betrayer. a LOT better than NWN2, like a completely different game. also made by Avellone, like torment it doesnt have a main evil character, no "EPIC" save the world plot, deals with the "what can change the nature of a man" question and with the main character's internal struggle (like most of the Avellones games), starts out a bit slow but gets better as you advance a bit.
you've got a point though, not many gamers like this type of games (hardcore rpg/adventures), so they are almost extinct today. except for other games by avellone, like MOTB for example, rpgs today have very little roleplaying and quite a lot dumbing down going on.
I believe that Dragon Age shall be the savior. Too bad it is still a long ways off.
Already heard positive things of MOTB... guess I have to try that soon. The original NWN2 is decent but nothing impressive.
@kefkalives: Yeah... Don't sweat it though. Any character is fine, it's not like it's a hard game where you need a good character build to succeed. Experiencing the story is everything. You'll just miss out on some dialogue choices (often these allow you to avoid combat (which often rewards you with more experience points than fighting!), or find out more about a certain subject (i.e. get more details on the story), or other things, for example, solve riddles at once because with a high Int your character already figured out the answer). If you play the game first with a "dumb" character and then with a smart one, you'll probably have quite a few "Oh!" moments.
anybody here played KOTOR 2? it's good enough to warrant playing through the first game (if you haven't already), if only to have the background story. KOTOR 2 is another brilliant example of Chris Avellone's writing skills, a lot of the games he touches turn to solid gold (even though KOTOR 2 has quite a bit of cut content due to time constraints)..
ever since planescape torment there are only two games that i feel can come close to it in regards to story/characters/dialogues, and those are KOTOR 2 and NWN2: MOTB
I didn't play any Star Wars game newer than Jedi Knight 2 (the one before Jedi Academy). :>
One more thing about PS There are 2 "essential" mods (Fixpack, Tweakpack) and 1 "optional" one (Unfinished Business) which adds some quests. All links + info @ http://www.spellholdstudios.net/ie/pst-fixpack These were actually updated fairly recently. You also need the latest PS:T 1.1 patch for these. The newer 2 CD version of PS:T is already patched, not sure about other versions.
On June 26 2008 21:22 WiljushkA wrote: anybody here played KOTOR 2? it's good enough to warrant playing through the first game (if you haven't already), if only to have the background story. KOTOR 2 is another brilliant example of Chris Avellone's writing skills, a lot of the games he touches turn to solid gold (even though KOTOR 2 has quite a bit of cut content due to time constraints)..
ever since planescape torment there are only two games that i feel can come close to it in regards to story/characters/dialogues, and those are KOTOR 2 and NWN2: MOTB
Arent you forgetting about Baldurs gate now? Those games are excellent
So if I like baldurs gate alot will I also like Planescape: torment?
What are some other similar games to baldurs gate?
Other games similar to BG, NWN2, as was said addon offers better story you can just play addon. I heard that addons to NWN were also good but I had not play them. Oh and obviously BG2. KOTOR games are similar to BG, PS:T has much better story then BG and more interesting settings.
BG is very good of course. But I'd still position PS:T above BG. If you like BG you'll like PS:T too, maybe even more. Similar games? Not many... the Icewind Dale series of course is very similar just with much more combat and less story/NPC depth, then the NWN series, and Temple of Elemental Evil (little-known game, but also good and D&D based). That's about all I know.
That game is so damn confusing... there's so much to do. How long does it actually take to finish it? I have the ISO somewhere but I haven't played it since the last time when I just wandered for a week and didn't get to a single fight.
yeah i meant BG and BG2 since i played through both games and the expansions some months ago....it was so awesome
you can actually import your character from BG2 > NWN right? however I think I wanna play planescape torment. I tried KOTOR but I dont like the FPS interface tbh, not for me; i like the isometric view
wow deadbeef that sounds awesome! i think i will like planescape too judging from screenshots yeah icewind dale looks very nice but looks ALOT like BG2 so maybe it gets boring in the long run with less story
ya actually ive read very good opinions on temple of elemental evil, hmm. Im pretty new to these games and recently played BG and BG2 for the first time.
also ive heard people mention fallout but im not too fond of the futuristic setting...I dunno i like fantasy more for some reason
On June 27 2008 00:17 0xDEADBEEF wrote: BG is very good of course. But I'd still position PS:T above BG. If you like BG you'll like PS:T too, maybe even more. Similar games? Not many... the Icewind Dale series of course is very similar just with much more combat and less story/NPC depth, then the NWN series, and Temple of Elemental Evil (little-known game, but also good and D&D based). That's about all I know.
If you like BG for his epic battles and items you might be a bit disappointed by Torment, which is more story-oriented i guess.
Icewind Dale 1 was disppointing, i mean same graphic and game engine than BG 1, some good map design but too few interactions with npc and simple quests. It is more a diablo like with BG engine.
Even if it isnt really related to a classic Rpg ala Baldur's Gate you should play Deus Ex, it is an FPS with a bit of Rpg + infiltration gameplay and with a very good storyline. Too bad Deus Ex 2 isnt good T-T.
Oh and yea Baldur's Gate 1 is so fucking awesome. I loved the beginning. When you have 8hp and no armor, even kobolds are deadly xD The boss and story are awesome too
@ WiljushkA: i prefer the first. Imo it has a better story line and the boss is a better vilain. Bg2 is a bit too much about high level and epic battles.
if you wanna play icewind dale do you have to play first icewind dale 1 and then icewind dale 2 or can you start at the second game right away without missing too much storyline?
when i played baldurs gate i played through the entire series and i loved bg 1 but boblion just mentioned that icewind dale 1 kinda sucked so i dunno
I loved all the Black Isle Studio games. Baldurs Gate for just being an awesome debut with the Infinity Engine + D&D. Planescape for its incredible story and rich character interaction. IWD for its multiplayer side.
edit: How could I forget BG2... was never as good as BG1 in my rose-tinted view.. But still awesome. It was basically BG1^99 in story, characters, levels, world everything...
NWN was a major let down single player-wise. The graphical innovations were nice but the official campaign sucked. The Toolset was fantastic though and enabled fans to make modules which were far superior to the original campaign. Bioware did learn though and the expansion packs were much improved.
NWN2 was/is very pretty and the campaign is pretty awesome (although nowhere near the good ole' Planescape Torment days...). Multiplayer-wise I played a little but by that time, it was clear the multiplayer-RPG side of the game could never compete with the likes of WoW and Guild Wars...
KOTOR 1 & 2 I found really fucking boring. I don't know why, I'm a huge fan of the Star Wars universe but I found the gameplay really tedious. :|
Anyone played Mass Effect yet? Seems like KOTOR but in a non-star wars sci-fi universe. :|
OP: You MUST MUST MUST get the robot to join your party. I'll leave that really vague so it doesn't spoiler anything... but he's as cool as Morte....
On June 27 2008 05:39 Holylight wrote: if you wanna play icewind dale do you have to play first icewind dale 1 and then icewind dale 2 or can you start at the second game right away without missing too much storyline?
when i played baldurs gate i played through the entire series and i loved bg 1 but boblion just mentioned that icewind dale 1 kinda sucked so i dunno
You can play IWD2 without missing too much. Both IWDs, although with a similar interface to BG, are just hack and slash fests. The story is quite feeble imo and its more Diablo-like as Boblion said. I'd suggest only playing it if you can do it LAN-style...
Holylight you should also play fallout and fallout 2 if you haven't. They are absolutely awesome and give a lot more actual roleplaying choices then the baldur's gate series. There are more options as methods for finishing quests and some of your choices can have major impacts on the game world. Plus I love the post apocalyptic setting.
PS: Since I couldn't find d2 disks for the ladder reset I decided to play through BG2 for a second time. I fucking love kensai/thief. My main character has more than half the party experience because I just backstab everything.
On June 27 2008 05:39 Holylight wrote: if you wanna play icewind dale do you have to play first icewind dale 1 and then icewind dale 2 or can you start at the second game right away without missing too much storyline?
when i played baldurs gate i played through the entire series and i loved bg 1 but boblion just mentioned that icewind dale 1 kinda sucked so i dunno
Oh it isnt that bad but for sure BG is way better ^^.
I think you wont miss anything if you play the 2 first. In the 1 your group killed a demon who wanted to open a gateway linked to hell.
On June 26 2008 22:49 0xDEADBEEF wrote: I didn't play any Star Wars game newer than Jedi Knight 2 (the one before Jedi Academy). :>
One more thing about PS There are 2 "essential" mods (Fixpack, Tweakpack) and 1 "optional" one (Unfinished Business) which adds some quests. All links + info @ http://www.spellholdstudios.net/ie/pst-fixpack These were actually updated fairly recently. You also need the latest PS:T 1.1 patch for these. The newer 2 CD version of PS:T is already patched, not sure about other versions.
Are those mods really important / good ? Because if i install them i think i will loss French as main language for subtitles .
Mass Effect isnt too bad, not nearly as good as Torment, but a damn damn good game for this day and age.
It has a main story which is easy to get into, with alot of diverse landscapes and characters, as well as very very nice character development. They made it so it was possible with a higher intimidate or charisma score you can change the dialogue in the game, which impacts how your viewed by society.
It has alot of side quests and random areas to search out, so for those who do enjoy a good rpg id recommend it, but its not on par with games like NWN, Torment, or BG
I've also started most of these games quite late... it was during 2003-2006 when I played BG2, IWD1+2, Deus Ex, Thief 2-3 and PS:T. Doesn't matter though because gameplay > graphics any time.
@Bob: I'd say the Fixpack is necessary because it fixes bugs. Maybe there is a French translation, maybe it doesn't matter because it doesn't touch any text... check the Readme. I don't have to care, I only use English versions.
About the iso question: don't all burning programs support that? In Windows I use InfraRecorder, in Linux mkisofs.
Well i give up. I tried Daemon tools + more softwares, No-CD, changing the .ini and so on but it doesnt work.
2 hours wasted because of software bs.
tomorrow i might take a screwdriver and see why my CD-writer doesnt work.
Fucking XP + useless softwares who suck. That is cool to have an iso but if the game want the data from E:\ and your virtual drive is I:\ well you are fucked ...................
I wish I had played Planescape Torment when it came out. I tried to play it a few years ago and found it completely inaccessible because of the outdated UI, controls, and game mechanics. I liked the Baldur's Gate series back then, but I can't bring myself to play a game like that now.
On June 27 2008 10:18 ShadowDrgn wrote: I wish I had played Planescape Torment when it came out. I tried to play it a few years ago and found it completely inaccessible because of the outdated UI, controls, and game mechanics. I liked the Baldur's Gate series back then, but I can't bring myself to play a game like that now.
i've played this game and Baldur's Gate series and BG is much better game imo. Storywise, this might be a little bit better but this game feels way too old for me. The graphics are crappy and character customization, spell variations were much better in BG2.
i like: - Characters ( lol @ Morte ) - music ! Deionarra's Theme is wonderful.
What i dislike: - game resolution ( probably 640x480 or 800x600 ) - Sigil design ... I think cities in Baldur's Gate were better ( more houses / buildings / shops ...) - Story looks promising but it is quite hard to understand what is going on. ( Especially with the English version ^^ ). - Fights are a bit slow paced.
you can change the games resolution through the widescreen fix (it actually can change the resolution to any standard and unstandard one, not necessarily widescreen), it works for any infinity engine game, like pst, bg1&2, iwd1&2
You can make the game faster if you want. In Torment.ini, change Maximum Frame Rate to 35 or even higher but I think anything > 35 is weird. Default is 30.
While you're at it, also change Path Search Nodes from 4000 to 32000. Then you'll have better path finding.
The widescreen mod didn't work well for me, had some weird display errors then.
On June 27 2008 09:06 0xDEADBEEF wrote: I've also started most of these games quite late... it was during 2003-2006 when I played BG2, IWD1+2, Deus Ex, Thief 2-3 and PS:T. Doesn't matter though because gameplay > graphics any time.
yeah you dont have to say that twice on a starcraft website
On June 27 2008 13:35 Februarys wrote: i've played this game and Baldur's Gate series and BG is much better game imo. Storywise, this might be a little bit better but this game feels way too old for me. The graphics are crappy and character customization, spell variations were much better in BG2.
Get Baldur's Gate 2 NOW!
Baldurs gate 1 + TotSC was pretty fucking awesome as well, although better graphics in BG2 but both games are incredible indeed.
@Boblion: Nethack!!! I can't say how many hours Ive put into Nethack, Moria and Angband but its thousands. Oh man those games are sick
On June 28 2008 00:01 Holylight wrote: @Boblion: Nethack!!! I can't say how many hours Ive put into Nethack, Moria and Angband but its thousands. Oh man those games are sick
Hahah i have tried it a bit because Deadbeef told me that it was a great game. But i think i m not hardcore enought to play a game without save and in ASCII ^^. i only played the first levels then i gave up.
I have played a bit more to Dwarf fortress but i stopped because of lag issues.
LOL i'm not kidding an ASCII game can lag on a old computer. World generations always took more than one hour -.-. Too many data, this game is crazy.
you can also change the cache to 999, (that is biggest it recognizes) so u get faster load times and shit. in torment.ini file as well. srry if this has been posted.
On June 27 2008 13:35 Februarys wrote: i've played this game and Baldur's Gate series and BG is much better game imo. Storywise, this might be a little bit better but this game feels way too old for me. The graphics are crappy and character customization, spell variations were much better in BG2.
Get Baldur's Gate 2 NOW!
Baldurs gate 1 + TotSC was pretty fucking awesome as well, although better graphics in BG2 but both games are incredible indeed.
You can always use tutu and play bg1 in the bg2 version of the engine.
Yup, it's a good game. It's cumbersome though battle wise with bad character a.i. I'm playing through Baldurs Gate 2 now... though I'm at the very start and probably won't finish it for a while. The story and the atmosphere in Torment are really good, *minor spoiler* + Show Spoiler +
On June 27 2008 13:35 Februarys wrote: i've played this game and Baldur's Gate series and BG is much better game imo. Storywise, this might be a little bit better but this game feels way too old for me. The graphics are crappy and character customization, spell variations were much better in BG2.
Get Baldur's Gate 2 NOW!
Baldurs gate 1 + TotSC was pretty fucking awesome as well, although better graphics in BG2 but both games are incredible indeed.
You can always use tutu and play bg1 in the bg2 version of the engine.
yeah I know but that would take away the original feeling of BG1 imo
On June 29 2008 04:26 nofAcedAgent wrote: The most eloquent and sensual writing Ive ever encountered in a game. Game, what a harsh word..Torment is a book...yes a good book..
Posting on brother's account. I have finished PS:T when it came out but just recently I had the urge to play it once again (at the Burried Village quests).
I maxed out wisdom, intelligence and raised chr to 13 before starting out.
Also - you can play in window mode (fullscreen = 0 in the .ini file). This fixes the black squares glitch. Also, if you can't turn the graphics card acceleration and your game is freezing during spells you might want to turn "programme rendering" (?) options in the graphics options. The game will be very choppy but at least you can get through the quest.
Speaking of tweaks, you may also want to raise the FPS in the game to 60 through the ini file. I don't remember the exact setting, but I couldn't play without that setting. It basically speeds up the game 2x, so you save a lot of time walking.
EPT
Intelligence, Charisma and Wisdom. Which benefits mages the most. Although in this case Charisma doesn't have to be that high because you can cast Friends to boost it before talking to people.
