Larian Studios Forums General Chat RPG Chat Dungeon Lords

I know a lot of people asked for it, but I didn't see a dev say it was implemented. It sure would be nice, though in my opinion it's a minor problem. If there's a second demo, which isn't unlikely since the first one was called Demo 1, I'll give it a try and list the changes here.

yep that why i don't like demos...

"after the first one please try the second one"... why not waiting for the release?

By far the majority of demos are perfectly playable pre-release versions of the actual game itself that will give me a good idea of whether or not I will be interested in the game, and how playable it is.

I like demos because they save me money <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

that's true, I often try out demos. I always prefer playing a demo before buying the game, so I can know what to expect. In fact, I always try to get a whole lot of information about the game before buying it to be sure I'll like it. I regret the few times I bought a game blindly.

Sure wish i had researched this one before buying it.

But i was in the store. And it looked as good as dungeon siege.

HA! I should have known better really.

This game is only about 40% complete. At best.

Many game features are broken or partially missing.

Huge number of glitches and scripting problems. Theres only a tiny chance you can even finish the game.

Most of the stuff listed in the manual doesnt actually exist in the game. Or only works partially.

The reccomended pc specs are way way off from what you actually need for it to play smooth. And even with the latest fastest pc theres still tons of slowdowns and problems loading areas. Game often pauses for upto 60 seconds for no reason at all too.

Cant customize characters. The features are there but dont actually work.

No targeting system. Option exists but doesnt work.

No in game map at all. You get a nice paper one that shows a general world view only. Alot of it is incorrect too.

Tons of sound glitches. Voices too loud or soft. Sometimes it cuts out completely or plays the wrong sound alltogether.

Most of the magic/spells listed in the manual dont actually exist in game.

Most of the potions/regents in game dont do anything at all.

No support for higher res displays. Options exist but no menus or text will scale up.

Most of the in game menus have buttons that dont work.

Most of the quests triggers dont work or wont complete properly.

HUGE numbers of weapons/armors that are totally useless. The skills needed to use them are not included in the game.

Bounding issues. Many times if you open a chest or door the wrong way you will become trapped within the geometry of the object. Reboot needed.

No load game except from the main menu. Save games may or may not work when you try to load them too.

Almost zero options for configuring the game to run smooth on your pc. Tech support ammounts to "update your drivers its not our fault"

Barren world. No decorative objects, no npcs not directly script related.

It also includes a real nice random encounter option. Too bad most of the time the random encounters will spawn a HUGE number of monsters and you'll be dead quickly. Fortunatly the bugs in the resurect system are bad enough that you wont actually loose anything if you work it right.

Tons of bugs buying and selling items. It is a great way to make gold tho. Sell the same item a couple hundred times and you're rich. And still have the item.

And dont even get me started on the multiplayer. You'll grow old before you get that to work.

Random errors, lockups and crashes.

Theres supposed to be a patch out to fix SOME of this stuff "soon". But even then its just not worth paying for at all.

Overall this game has potential. The world looks great and sounds great when it works right. Combat is fun for a hack/slash when it works right. The storyline is pretty good. The quests are fun when they work. And the puzzles are good enough without being a PITA.

Maybe after 4 to 5 patches it will be playable. But more than likely you should wait for dungeon lords 2. because at its best.. this is a rough beta.

I paid to beta test! Im an idiot!

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/think.gif" alt="" />

Thanks, zgrim. Sounds like one to pass up on...

We have in the German RPG Chat a thread for that game, too.

And reports sound like what you said above.

dtp , the German publisher or distributor decided not to release the game too early but instead let every line of speech be spoken by actors AND include the first pathch(es).

For those of you who are capable of the German language : Dungein Lords

Especially the two last entries are interesting; I'm too lazy to translate them right now. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

Alrik.

Yeah its pretty bad.

The first patch just came out and they did fix a few of the more serious problems.


-- is my notes.

1.1 update
Gameplay tweak: Monsters less aggressive in some areas of the game.
--Still attack in masses that will waste you 75% of the time. The packs got smaller but theres now more of them attacking at once.
Gameplay tweak: Magic items appear at a more even rate.
Gameplay tweak: Ice magic now holds opponents longer.
--Still totally useless
Gameplay tweak: Exploit reselling single use scrolls and lockpicks can no longer be abused.
--Nope. still broken.
Gameplay tweak: Boons from relics at Talendor adjusted.
Added feature: Additional spells added for specific types of magic.
Added feature: New heraldries added for specific quest bonuses.
Added feature: Players may skip voice-over/text dialogues with NPCs.
Bug fix: Screen resizing issues in the User-Interface fixed.
Bug fix: Bargain skill works correctly for reselling items.
Bug fix: Occasional guild inventories not showing up in MP now fixed.
Bug fix: Pain Sting (nether spell) now fixed.
Bug fix: Flickering on load screen no longer occurs.
Bug fix: Occasional hang under MP in Fargove Slums now fixed.
Bug fix: Order of the quests at the Celestial Order in Fargove adjusted.
Bug fix: In the Shadow Ruins, the Blue Athena Statue now drops the Shadow
Crystal even after failing the chess puzzle.


Also along with a couple things not working that they claim to have fixed. they also broke the #1 most common basic spell in the game. It doesnt do damage now.

And as for character customization. Faces, colors ect... Instead of making it work. They just removed all the options and buttons totally. (Nothing to see here. We dont have that. Move along now.)

I paid money for this. So i gotta stick with it. It IS fun when things work. And it has so much potential for a great game. (which makes its current state even more annoying)

But at the same time i'm visitin about two dozen forums for games across the net letting people know to save their money like i wish i had. Im not the only one either. People are PI$$ED. The publisher forums are full of people complaining and worse. I just find it so totally unbelievable they can shove this out the door and want money for it. I can just see the suits at the publisher saying "sell it! the customers will beta test for us! We wont have to pay any testers! they pay us!" Pay now patch later. Maybe.


Just remember it for the future.
Think long and hard about spending any money on any dreamcatcher games in the future.
Research FIRST!


<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/suspicion.gif" alt="" />

Thanks again, zgrim. That sounds like a real atrocity of a game. To be honest, I would say it doesn't even sound like it makes Beta grade, IMO. I'd expect a Beta release to be in better shape...

A reply in the above mentioned German language thread hints toward what I consider an illness today : Games being rushed out too early by publishers. Because someone there wrote that the publisher (not dtp) was actiually "telling lies".

I just wonder know about the "chemistry" between both - publisher & developers.

By the way, the series "Abe's Oddyssey" has been cancelled, I read, with it's inventor closing the studio down. He insists that the publishers effectively prevent innovation and hinder games by thoughts about security. Also, he complains that a game's roghts nowadays MUST be given away to the publishers.

And to me that's just another indication of how much publishers do things wrong.

In short : publishers act for money, not for the gamers.

Alrik.

Im trying to be as fair as i can. I've beta tested several games in the past and this just smacks of early rough beta at best. Before QA gets ahold of it. Before a 2nd round of beta testing.


For all the early release games i've seen over the past years that were pushed out undercooked...

This is by far the worst one so far. But the potential! Thats what makes it even worse. It could have been a top 10 game had they delayed it until the xmas season and finished it properly.

As it stands tho. bargain bin beta.

Review from Gamershell: http://www.gamershell.com/pc/dungeon_lords/review.html

"The bottom line: Dungeon Lords is nowhere near done, and in a competitive world where release dates are not flexible for B-list products, game publishers have decided to save money for games like Dungeon Lords by forcing consumers to beta test a product which they then patch later, IF the consumers are lucky. Dreamcatcher, I sincerely hope you go under for this mockery you call a “finished product”. You deserve nothing less."

Sounds like Sacred when it came out ... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

Or The Fall - The Last Days of Gaia ... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

I agree on the publisher comment.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/offtopic.gif" alt="" />
But on topic to a degree also, KoTOR II The Sith Lords,
players have hacked the game and have found hours upon hours
of game content still in the game but never enabled
due to the publisher rushing the game out. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/disagree.gif" alt="" />

Tsel <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/puppyeyes.gif" alt="" />

Yeah, I read this, too. Sad.

Late Edit : In the German-language section this review was posted :

http://www.dreamcatchergames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21921

In all it's bitterness, it's still somewhat funny to read. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

Its reached a new low now.

Instead of addressing problems directly the dreamcatcher forums are now being deleted of anything negative.

Along with a new message from the admins that basically says "everything is fine. thanks for buying our game"


Starting to think about scratching the crap out of the cds and taking them back to the store and exchange for an unopened copy. Stick it up on ebay for 20 bucks..


Except i dont know if i could pawn this pos off on someone else. Got a few morals.. lol

I'm not sure if you might be able to take it back anyway, zgrim, on grounds that it doesn't work...

Not sure about the law where you are, but if things have to be in working order when sold, I'd say you might be able to get your money back.

Thats the theory. Not sure how it would work in practice...

Midwest usa here..

How its supposed to work: You can return anything if its defective and get your money back. Consumer protection laws and all that.


How it really works: You can return any software if there is a phisical problem with the thing. broken cd ect.. and get back an unopened new copy. No store credit. No refunds. You can usually sell the new unopened copy on ebay ect for about 80% of new.


It really makes a strong case FOR pirating games. At least the ones you might want to buy. Its the only real way to find out if its junk or not before wasting money you can hardly get back.

But thats illegal and wrong. So to prevent getting screwed over you must do something illegal and wrong. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/silly.gif" alt="" />


Anymore its a case of dammed if you do. Dammed if you dont.


I really may start just pirating stuff all the time. As a real customer you get screwed over. And the games usually included all sorts of copy protection sometimes to the point of crashing often. And they all want the cd in the drive. A perfect example of this is the mechwarrior series of games. I own all of them. But i play using pirated copys since it doesnt need a cd. Or include copy protection (safedisc/cast) That crashes the game often, and prevents your cd burner from working if you had run the game that session.

Try to do the right thing. but they are just making it harder and harder to be a legit customer.

Well, you can get them on the grounds of false advertising. From what I understand, a good deal of the features listed on the box aren't in the game.