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The Return Of The Bard's Tale Confirmed
Thanks to GameSpy for their article officially revealing the return of classic RPG series The Bard's Tale, following recent rumors that a new title was in the works. However, screenshots of the title, from former Interplay boss Brian Fargo's new company, inXile Entertainment, reveal a radically different top-down view, as the game, due out at the end of 2004, "is being developed primarily for the PS2", and "is using an improved version of the Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance engine." There are also noticeable similarities to the classic original series, as: "The plan calls for the game to start near the original town of Skara Brae, an ancient ruin in the Orkney Islands on the northern tip of Scotland." Update: 10/01 22:34 GMT by S : There's now an interview with Brian Fargo about the new Bard's Tale title, also courtesy GameSpy.
is one of the towns in Ultima.
I always find it interesting finding out little tidbits about what inspired designers in your favourite games. Ultima Online was a good one, with each of its game servers named after something local to where it is located - they even wrote a wee summary of the story behind the name.
Why can't we all just get along?
the same as this?
It also made the news on GameSpot. Not anywhere near as much detail here though.
They suggest somewhat more PC involvement than indicated above:
"Brian Fargo's inXile entertainment has today announced that it's currently working on a new Bard's Tale role-playing game for PC and current generation consoles."
Why can't we all just get along?
As much as I wet my pants when I saw this newspost, I can't really say I'm excited.
The Bard's Tale series was absolutely HUGE for me, specially the third installment. I even made my own BTIV with the Bard's Tale Construction Set!
Anyway, if you want a sequel which is more than spiritually linked to the originals, go for Devil Whiskey. It's still in demo, but also quite impressive!
Txurlo
The article should really have included This Link whence you can download the original trilogy and construction set for Windows.
Not half as cool as I remember it. Expectations change, I guess.
evil math within Nature's Cubic Creation!
It's an action RPG that they've slapped the Bards Tale name on.
From the article
"We are sick of cliches," he said. "We are tired of the standard sub-quests and missions. The idea of a 'chosen one' is stupid.
and
We want the game to be funny, but in a situational sort of way. We want to make fun of the cliches.
For all those who feel the same, may I recomend: Sir Apropos of Nothing. It had me in stitches for a while.
No sig
So when I load this story the slashdot random quote is "You will be the victim of a bizarre joke."
I couldn't have really said it better myself.
Designer 1: We need a way to sell this crappy console action-RPG...
Designer 2: How about stealing a beloved intellectual property from the golden age of gaming, and using it to shill what appears to be our version of Ultima XIII?
Designer 1: Can we do that?
Designer 2: Let's ask Brian Fargo.
Designer 1: Hey Brian Fargo. Here is a large check. Our game sucks, can we call it a Bard's Tale.
Brian Fargo: Wow! That's a lot of zeroes. Okay!
Designer 1 & 2: Sweeeeet...
I'm getting sick of all these top-down view RPGs. There's way too many of them - Baldur's Gate with all its expansions, Icewind Dale, Temple of Elemental Evil, Diablo, Harbinger, Pool of Radiance and many others. On the other hand, those of us who prefer first-person roleplaying are limited to Morrowind and older titles like Wizardry and Might and Magic, and the promise of Devil's Whiskey. And now Fargo is taking yet another classic first-person RPG series and putting it into a 3rd person view, for the sake of console players. I'm not planing on buying this title.
Can someone check the link to the screenshot page? I'm sorry, but there seem to be a lot of overhead shots in there, and everyone knows the trademark of BT games is the FP view.
Actual combat will be in the style of Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance, action-based and visceral. Clearly, the new game's connection to the old Bard's Tale games is more spiritual than gameplay-related.
Oh. <sniffle>, that sucks.
--trb
Yea, but are they going to have a room where you open the door and are confronted with:
99 Berserkers
99 Berserkers
99 Berserkers
99 Berserkers
Ah...that was my favorite door, experience up the wazoo.
I am so completely and utterly floored by this news. I never thought I would live to see another Bard's Tale game, but I'm thrilled I am. I think The Bard's Tale did more than most other series released around that time to really burnish and foster the CRPG genre as one of significance and creativity... I'm not sure how many games of today can trace their lineage directly to The Bard's Tale, but it certainly strikes me as a game (and series) as influential and groundbreaking as it was fun to play. I'm glad to see it coming back, and I certainly hope it remains somewhat faithful to the precepts that made the original(s) so good.
--Matthew
"If the lights of Broadway blind me, I won't mind..."
Maybe i wasn't paying enough attention at the time, but as best i can remember the original Bard's Tale took place in Skara Brae, but not the actuall real life Skara Brae in Scotland, which would make this game not really like the original at all.
This Space Intentionally Left Blank
Am I the only one who still has a couple dozen common paths say from the guild to Roscoes Energy Emporium, and to tarjans temple permanately burned into thier kinetic memory?
I'll bet they won't have the four letter spell codes anymore then. Those rocked!
Karma: Excellent^(-t/Tau), Tau=Wittiness/Trollishness
See once your "work" gets thrown out into the wild like that, especially if it becomes a treasured part of people's experience, it's not really all yours anymore. You still created it, but now it's soul belongs to the people that embraced it.
The prequels are not Star Wars, and depending on how things turn out, their game might or might not be Bard's Tale.
A name is just a name. Would any pile of crap by the name of "a rose" not smell as foul?
--Jimmy has fancy plans; and pants to match.
- Eye of the Beholder (1 2 and 3)
- Everything from Interplay (Champions, Death Knights and Dark Queen of Krynn; Buck Rogers series, Gateway to the Savage Frontier; Pools of Darkness & Radiance; very large etc.)
- Wizardry series
- Might and Magic series
- And of course, every FPS out there (okay, maybe that's too much
:)
IIRC, the only RPG prior to BT that used this perspective was Bloodwych, a very obscure game of the late 80s.(sigh) those were the days (when we had time to play!)
Txurlo
Check out the Website http://www.inxile-entertainment.com/ Place your mouse button over the barmaids chest a few times and the barmaid gives you a few choice words and forwards the webpage onto a new website.
I haven't been keeping up with games too much lately. Is the second Baldur's Gate out yet for the PS2? If so, what is the name of the second installment?
HaHaHaHaHa