16 replies to this topic

[leahnkain]

I have been toying with the idea of doing another TC as a side project. Does anyone remember Pool of Radiance? I was thinking of a TC mimicking the old Commodore 64 game.(I would need to get a copy of the gaem and extract all of the texts.) I have confidence the art will be on par with Classic Adventures. I have created and written the most NPC's of any modder. So thiose two areas I am not worried about. I can make maps as well. I am just thinking about it now. Classic Adventures is still my first priority. What does everyone think?

[vilkacis]

That would be seriously cool. (Even more awesome if you could continue on with the rest of the series as well... although that might be more difficult. I don't believe I ever got around to beating the last one, but I seem to remember it being pretty much ToB level epicness with planar travel and such.)

(Extra bonus points if the NPCs' portraits actually look like the portraits in the original game, too. )

You can probably find PDFs of the journal on abandonware sites and lift much of the dialogue from there.

[leahnkain]

I am confident I can have the portraits look as good as the original. (CA's art is a good example) I have the old pen and paper modules. My idea would be to extarct from the original game the main banters and fluff them up to save time. It is listed as abandonware so I guess it is alright to steal from the game. If enough people are interested I might make a small team and do Pool and the Curse of Azure Bonds. If I do start a project it will be completed. I am just unsure if there is enough demand for these two games to be resurrected.

[leahnkain]

The pen and paper module has a nice story for Pool. Here is what I found written about the two games. I guess Ren for Pool and Alias (Bonds)would be two key NPC's. Along with Dragonbait(if anyone knows who they are.)

In the annals of RPG gaming, few series can boast of being "pioneers" of the genre more than SSI with its "Gold Box" series, all based on AD&D mechanics and worlds licensed from TSR. Of these, four games set in the "Forgotten Realms" world stand out as the best of the bunch. Comprising four games released over four years, Pool of Radiance, Curse of the Azure Bonds, Secret of the Silver Blades, and Pools of Darkness remain a lot of fun even today as some of the most addictive - albeit maddeningly combat-ridden - RPGs ever created. Pools of Radiance and Pools of Darkness are my most favorite of the series. Pool of Radiance because it was a great beginning to a solid RPG system, and Pools of Darkness because it gives you a chance to meet famous NPCs from AD&D world, marvel at the non-linear storyline, and develop your heroes to very high levels. All four games are must-haves for RPG fans everywhere, although Secret of the Silver Blades is a disappointment compared to the rest.

GameSpot's nice History of AD&D gives a good overview of Curse of Azure Bonds as follows: "Published in 1989, Curse of the Azure Bonds followed the story of Pool of Radiance with more monsters, treasure, character classes and level caps. Shortly after the defeat of Tyranthraxus the Flamed One and the destruction of the Pool of Radiance, the heroic party was waylaid, knocked out, and marked with the five mysterious azure bond images stamped just beneath the skin of each adventurer's arm. Your characters recovered consciousness in the town of Tilverton on the Dalelands. Before they could even begin to ascertain who or what had attacked them, they found themselves compelled beyond their will to attack the entourage of a false prince and were beset by the city guard. Fleeing to the thieves' guild beneath the sewers, the members of the party would then begin their arduous quest to hunt down the creators of each of the five magical bonds and ultimately free themselves of the curse.

[Jarno Mikkola]

Well, would you be surprised to learn that there is a PC(dos) version of the (original)games too. Well, I could upload you a zip if you are interested of downloading the PoR, PMs would work best, there is also a manual that I found for the game too, and the game should work, got past the secret code wheel just now so...

It works on Dosbox etc. I don't know anything about the game hex, so I can't extract the dialog files. So you'll have to do that. PM me, if you need the files.

[leahnkain]

Thanks, I might PM you in the next few days.

[vilkacis]

I am confident I can have the portraits look as good as the original. (CA's art is a good example)

But can you make them as good as this?





I only know Alias and Dragonbait from the games, never read the books. Ren doesn't ring a bell at all, but I remember a (male?) cleric and a female fighter would join you temporarily at some point.

[leahnkain]

On no, He has man-breast!
BTW Ren is the fighter on the cover of Pool of Radiance.

[Miloch]

That would be pretty cool. I think I still have both the C64 and PC versions. Hell, I might even have the hint books with all the maps (sad, I know).

[leahnkain]

Miloch would you know how to extract all of the text from the game. (The NPC dialogs and any other text) If I start making Pool, I would need a way to speed things up. Having everything already written would greatly help. I would only need to edit the original text then.

[Miloch]

Miloch would you know how to extract all of the text from the game. (The NPC dialogs and any other text) If I start making Pool, I would need a way to speed things up. Having everything already written would greatly help. I would only need to edit the original text then.

Was there any real dialogue in that game? It's been so long, I can't even remember. I hacked around a bit with the files - all I found was some endgame text (what the baddie says, to the effect of "You cannot destroy me!" etc.) and some shopkeep text (pretty simple there - "Would you like to buy or sell?" etc.). The rest, if there is anything significant, could be encrypted I guess, but I can tell you there's very little data of any sort by modern standards - the whole thing takes up 1.5MB of space. And yet I spent hours and hours playing this game, heh.

It looks like there are at least one or two NWN2 mods of it, so maybe you could grab the text from there (dunno how faithful they are to the original though). Either that or it might just be quicker to run the game in a DOS window and then code in IE in another window on the fly. Even if I could extract the text somehow, it'd probably have to be reformatted, so it'd almost be quicker just to retype it in .d format or whatever.

[leahnkain]

I see your point. I think I last played the game about 20 years ago. I have totally forgotten who much text there is. I know some of it was pretty short. I guess I can always use the journal and extract the text from the .pdf. I also have the module so that would give the mission outlines. My only concern about making this TC is will anyone play it. There seems to be more interest in new romances than new adventures or regions to adventure in. I remember playing this game for hours. My purpose would be the same as CA, to introduce younger players to the Classics.

[Miloch]

Of course people will play it. We have more than enough romances, we need more quest/plot/content mods .

I think it might be slightly more popular though if you did it as a regular add-in mod rather than a TC, the same way SBB did Bone Hill. Sure, you have to go off to Phlan or whatever, which is a hike from the Sword Coast, but that can be achieved in the current game interface just by modding the worldmap a bit, since it doesn't conflict with existing areas. The main thing that would take time (as usual) would probably be the area creation, since I don't know that the existing maps would be that suitable, though you could use them as a basis for new maps maybe.

[leahnkain]

I would have no interest in making it part of the Bhaal storyline. I would make a TC if I do it. Honestly the reason why I love making CA is because of no connection to the same quest which have been played a 1000 times. SBB made Bone hill before CA. My idea would be to start the group at 1st level with a new set of NPC's. I would even consider the IWD2 engine.(this would limit players)
Miloch you should try CA, I am sure you will find it a nice change. It is great not knowing what will happen and having to learn all of the secrets. Don't you think? I would love see you playtest CA and get your feedback.

[Miloch]

I would have no interest in making it part of the Bhaal storyline.

Oh, you wouldn't have to make it part of the storyline - I don't think Bone Hill is part of BG either. I'm just saying more folks might install it if they don't have to wipe their existing BG2 setup with other mods. But it's your choice of course.

Miloch you should try CA, I am sure you will find it a nice change.

I'm sure I will eventually. I still haven't made it through all of ToB, and I'm too busy modding BG1 and Tutu to do a whole lot of gaming .

[leahnkain]

If I start this, I think being Pool should remain separate from the Bhaal storyline, one reason is the timeline, the second is I would make it for 1st level characters. I think I am ok for the ruined city maps. The interiors would be a pain. I really would want to keep the Bhaal storyline out. I see your point, but it would be a shame to water down a Classic by just having it as an optional add on when it easily can be a stand alone game.(like it once was)