Why MM is so much better than newer games

[BMJedi]

I think I figured out one of the main reasons, if not THE reason, I enjoy MM so much better than anything after it (with Baldur's Gate coming close).

I just spent the whole weekend playing Drakensang, a new game with impressive graphics, engaging NPCs, nice interface, etc., etc.

What I have figured out with Drakensang, and previously with Neverwinter Nights 1 and 2, is that it frankly doesn't matter what character class you play or what character classes are in your party.

You can play the game and win the game with ease with nothing but good fighters and some easy-to-get potions, and any pure caster actually serves to increase the challenge of the game by weakening your party.

What is so compelling about MM, and what continues to bring me back to it again and again and again, is that character professions actually matter, a lot!

To play MM smoothly, you absolutely MUST have a healer, a sorcerer, a tank, and someone to disarm traps. Each of the four party members is absolutely VITAL to the welfare and success of the party.

Winning MM without a critical profession covered is possible, as many hardcore players who have done it will attest, but is extremely challenging and painstaking, and some would say, tedious.

The distinctiveness and importance of the four major character classes that is realized so superlatively in MM makes it a better game than any other game published in the past 20 years, in my opinion.

I wish contemporary game creators would study MM and use it for their model. The only way to make a party-based game compelling is to completely restrict certain vital skills to certain professions, such that you MUST have that person in your party for success.

If everybody in the world can do everything in the world, then that is a bland and boring world!

[UndeadHalfOrc]

good post.

I like Baldur's Gate too, BTW.

[phamlongtuan]

However, the only way (from my point of view) to control more than one character is first person view as the way MM does.

This playing style make game quite hard and head dizzy for many people. People have to pay their attention for preventing confusing of a extremely loose game .

Moreover, control more than one character will be hard for play multi player.

That's my idea.

[arturchix]

*drools* I'll have to replay MM7 for the 100th time.

[Lord13]

Cause MnM was last of its kind.(and tbh the best)
The last years never played a party based first
person CRPG, witht optional turn based fights, that
is not base at hack n' slash, with huge free to explore
world, creative and original scenarios.
Perfect skill system, and ofc great and original
atmosphere(sounds,art etc). Imo MnM8 was the
last game of a whole cRPG generation.

[Bandobras Took]

I'm afraid I'm going to disagree -- the only profession that really matters in MM7 is the Cleric. If you have a Cleric, the rest of your party can be whatever you want and the game will pretty much be a breeze.

[Talin_Trollbane]

and there has been alot easification in RPG's lately too, or "dumbing down" as they call it.

gone are they days of Bards Tale and Wizardry, with their hellish game beginnings where your party wasnt more then fodder for the brutal enemies.

[Deadguy118]

I respectfully disagree. If anything, the restriction to the four major archetypes of characters really decreases my want to play Might and Magic VI or VII again, because it decreases my options.

The best (non hardcore, so all you masochists who enjoy knight solo runs can ignore this part) party out there is the KTCS, which can only be messed with in a few specific ways. (Substitute the Thief for a Monk and go evil, Substitute the Knight for a Paladin or Archer and have worse melee power for the ability to cast spells.)

You can't mess with the cleric or the sorcerer because you need GM protection from magic, and you need to have water walk and later flight as soon as possible. Hirelings cost money.

While Might and Magic is one of my favorite series of RPG, I like it for the classic style gameplay that I can't get in newer games, not for the focus on four characters of different classes.

[jeff]

What I have figured out with Drakensang, and previously with Neverwinter Nights 1 and 2, is that it frankly doesn't matter what character class you play or what character classes are in your party.

I agree with this and yet there are several here that want mm6 modded to allow that very thing. cough cough "armsmaster" cough

Whenever the next edition of MM was released by wife and kids said goodbye to me as they knew they I would have no concept of time and would be unavailable for anything and whole weekends disappearing without my realizing it. I felt the same way with the Wizardry, Gold Box series and ok the Master of Orion and Magic games as well. There has not been a game released in years that has caught my attention to that degree.

[Bandobras Took]

and previously with Neverwinter Nights 1 and 2, is that it frankly doesn't matter what character class you play or what character classes are in your party.

Actually, it's worse. NWN had no party to speak of and even if it did matter in NWN2, you wouldn't get to choose it for most of the game.

[hobowu]

I respectfully disagree. If anything, the restriction to the four major archetypes of characters really decreases my want to play Might and Magic VI or VII again, because it decreases my options.

The best (non hardcore, so all you masochists who enjoy knight solo runs can ignore this part) party out there is the KTCS, which can only be messed with in a few specific ways. (Substitute the Thief for a Monk and go evil, Substitute the Knight for a Paladin or Archer and have worse melee power for the ability to cast spells.)

You can't mess with the cleric or the sorcerer because you need GM protection from magic, and you need to have water walk and later flight as soon as possible. Hirelings cost money.

You can do away with the cleric and sorcerer by having a druid instead. It'll make the game harder as you can't cast protection from magic and beacon, but the difference isn't that much.

The party can be messed with any way you choose, and can still remain rather effective.
My current party is Monk, Archer, Ranger, Druid. (I have 2 hirelings, 1 fixes weapons, the other fixes armour).

[Deyja]

However, the only way (from my point of view) to control more than one character is first person view as the way MM does.

This playing style make game quite hard and head dizzy for many people. People have to pay their attention for preventing confusing of a extremely loose game .

Moreover, control more than one character will be hard for play multi player.

That's my idea.

Ever played Temple of evil elemental

[phamlongtuan]

However, the only way (from my point of view) to control more than one character is first person view as the way MM does.

This playing style make game quite hard and head dizzy for many people. People have to pay their attention for preventing confusing of a extremely loose game .

Moreover, control more than one character will be hard for play multi player.

That's my idea.

Ever played Temple of evil elemental

Pumped that sometimes. However, First Person View will make your world become larger and have more space to show the life and fighting. Make it more real, that could be the reason why MM6 achieved 9.1 review point on gamespot.

[Bandobras Took]

You can't mess with the cleric or the sorcerer because you need GM protection from magic, and you need to have water walk and later flight as soon as possible.

Water Walk can be done with Alchemy or drowning is easily countered with Regeneration, and I can't think of any places in the game that require Flight.

[GrayFace]

There are new games as good as MM. I'm currently playing one of them - King's Bounty. Things I like in MM are:
1) Not much bothering with items, only the inventory space problems. (unlike Morrowind)
2) No need for much talking.
3) Simple and fun fights. (unlike Wizardry 8)
4) Variations of starting party. This aspect is best in MM8 due to more difference between classes and ability to play solo naturally.

Winning MM without a critical profession covered is possible, as many hardcore players who have done it will attest, but is extremely challenging and painstaking, and some would say, tedious.

LOL, not challanging at all! Especially the Disarm Trap isn't critical.

[phamlongtuan]

There are new games as good as MM. I'm currently playing one of them - King's Bounty. Things I like in MM are:
1) Not much bothering with items, only the inventory space problems. (unlike Morrowind)
2) No need for much talking.
3) Simple and fun fights. (unlike Wizardry 8)
4) Variations of starting party. This aspect is best in MM8 due to more difference between classes and ability to play solo naturally.

Winning MM without a critical profession covered is possible, as many hardcore players who have done it will attest, but is extremely challenging and painstaking, and some would say, tedious.

LOL, not challanging at all! Especially the Disarm Trap isn't critical.

I'm currently playing King's bounty too. That's a good game, fun, openplay and good music.

Disadvantage: No multiplayer >_<

[Avonu]

There are new games as good as MM. I'm currently playing one of them - King's Bounty.

Since when King's Bounty is RPG game?

[GrayFace]

Since when King's Bounty is RPG game?

Since King's Bounty: The Legend

[Avonu]

Since when?
It is still strategy/tactics game with elements of adventure or hero development.

[GrayFace]

IMO it's as close to strategy as it is to FPS. I'd call it tactics/RPG or something like that. I don't know what most reviews call it, but I've seen a review at ag.ru where it's also called RPG, so I'm not alone here.