Help

[Corlagon]

Can someone do me a huge favour? Boot up Darkside of XEEN and tell me what year the game's calendar starts in? Is it 900, 400, 1000, what?

I know Clouds and Darkside have different timelines, but I've forgotten the dates. Neither are working for me on Vista, and I can't find any info on it elsewhere (not even RPGenie's vids).

[GreatEmerald]

World of XEEN starts at 610. Not sure about Darkside, though.

[Corlagon]

I love you (platonically)!

It'll work for now, but if anyone can confirm the Darkside date please post.

[Avonu]

According to Dragon Pharaoh's journal Dark Side starts in year 850. However I am sure that starting dates from World of Xeen and Dark Side of Xeen (when not installed with Clouds) are different.
I remember that someone pointed that to me here on forum (but can't find it now). Try search some topics here.

[Corlagon]

Thank you for the journal date. The problem is, I don't think there are any topics left to search. I've looked in everything mentioning "MM5", "Dragon Pharoah", "Darkside", "journal", "timeline", "Sheltem" and several others, plus combinations. Couldn't get it on other sites, so it seems the only way to find out is for someone to load up the game and check it. Unfortunately I only have World of XEEN so I'm really hoping somebody who has collected the old versions can help me to clear this up.

Swords of Xeen (which starts on XEEN)'s year is 900, I think, but that could be either the Havec timeline, or just a number Catware made up.

[Shyranis]

Can someone do me a huge favour? Boot up Darkside of XEEN and tell me what year the game's calendar starts in? Is it 900, 400, 1000, what?

I know Clouds and Darkside have different timelines, but I've forgotten the dates. Neither are working for me on Vista, and I can't find any info on it elsewhere (not even RPGenie's vids).

Are you using DOSBox?

[Corlagon]

It's okay everyone, forget I asked - I found the old games at Acidcave and loaded them up on an XP laptop.

Turns out that the Dragon Pharoah's journal was consistent after all, World of XEEN simply causes the confusion:







If we're calling it canon, Swords of XEEN is apparently 200 years after Darkside. That makes it the latest game in the known timeline. Pretty interesting (even if it was unintentional).

[Avonu]

If we're calling it canon, Swords of XEEN is apparently 200 years after Darkside. That makes it the latest game in the known timeline. Pretty interesting (even if it was unintentional).

Nope - it starts not long ago after end of WoX. Why?

A NEW DEFENDER

The Dragon Pharoh looks tired. The scaled lids over his saddened
eyes sag. Around the throne room stand the many of the greatest
heroes in Xeen. It is impossible to not feel previliged to just stand
among them. Nervously you notice that not one has been spared
the cost of their deeds. Every man here sports a debilitating
wound. Even magical healing can only do so much.

When the Dragon Pharoh speaks, his voice is as sad his expression.
“My heroes, you have fought well to free our land. Look about you.
The greatest of us have suffered greviously and need time to heal.
Yet the remanants of Lord Xeen’s creatures continue to want only
to destroy our homes and must be dealt with immediately. I have
already dispatched nearly every other hero able to bear arms on
this mission.”

There is a pause and you realize how few heroes are present... and
how few remain alive at all after the great conflict. Before you can
think of a reply the Pharoh continues.

“Now an even greater threat has arisen. Amid the ruins near
Greyhaven was found a ancient gate. Already terrible beasts have
emerged from it.” A warrior in silver armor rubs three terrible scars
that slice across his entire face and nods his agreement. Nothing
short of a dragon could have made such wounds.

“I shudder to think what lies beyond that gate.” The Dragon
Pharoh’s voice hardens as he adds, “Yet we must know. Some say
it is the land where Lord Xeen was spawned. If so, it must be a truly
evil place. One that threatens our badly weakened world.”
Now the great dragon’s voice fills the pyramid, yet beneath it
remains an undercurrent of regret that warns you the Pharoh has
little hope of your success.

“You are the strongest and least wounded of all the heroes. I ask
you to enter this gate and make sure what lies beyond can never
threaten our fair land. Even if you can gain us a year’s respite, we
will be once more storng enough to defend our world. I wish I
could grant you more than a small purse to equip in Greyahven
with, but you must complete this quest without further aide... for
there is none.”

There is a pause ling enough to be uncomfortable. Then without
even a glance at each other you and your companions step
forward and accept the mission. Pledging your life once more in
the defense of your world and to the destruction of evil in another.
The next morning you arrive in Greyhaven and warily examine the
pyramid shaped portal.

Just to remind you - in MMIV we don't know anything about Dragon Pharaoh (he is not in game), we find him in MMV - so this briefing can be only after MMV end.

And as you can see - Cloudy Side, Dark Side and Havec - all these three lands have different calendars.

[darknessfood]

Swords of Xeen was made by fans, right?

[Corlagon]

Well yes, I read that too (albeit about five months ago) but it doesn't really specify a timeframe aside from "after Darkside". And Legends shows the DP still has a long list of enemies to deal with for decades after Sheltem's defeat. I don't know, either way is possible.

A warrior in silver armor rubs three terrible scars that slice across his entire face and nods his agreement. Nothing short of a dragon could have made such wounds.

Sounds like one of the ones who fought Aragoth

[Kareeah Indaga]

Isn't the XEEN calendar shorter than the later game worlds' by like two-thirds (~100 days vs. 300+)?

[Corlagon]

That's right IIRC, but I don't see a choice other than chalking that up to game mechanics. Terra certainly wasn't the same size, shape etc as XEEN, yet it worked with the exact same system. Same with Havec which was intended as a planet as far as I know.

XEEN isn't in a normal orbit either (Sheltem was driving it towards Terra), and even then it's now become a planet to boot, so the system of time must be really convoluted there.

[GreatEmerald]

I always wondered how time was counted in MM series... The BS (:D) / AS format is used only on Enroth, while all other planets have their own systems... Even week day names, Onesday? Are those years counted from when the Nacelle was created or something? And what about planets?

[Shyranis]

I'm surprised Enroth doesn't use the same calendar as Varn, considering that's where Lord Ironfist came from (Says my even more geeky husband)

[GreatEmerald]

Lord Ironfist IMO was only a reference to MM1 at first. Just like Lord Slayer, Kalendra, Crag Hack, Kastore and the others. He got famous, though And, of course, VARN4 does have the Gates To Another World, which can possibly be programmed to travel anywhere, so it might be the same Ironfist after all. Or his grandson.