Digital Antiquarian - All That Glitters is Not Gold

[Silver]

The Digital Antiquarian explores the rise and fall of SSI with its 'Gold Box' games in part 5 of this series.

...
One thing that did become more clear than ever over the course of the year, however, was that not all Dungeons & Dragons products were created equal. Dungeon Masters Assistant Volume II: Characters & Treasures sold just 13,516 copies, leading to the quiet ending of the line of computerized aids for the tabletop game that had been one of the three major pillars of SSI's original plans for Dungeons & Dragons. A deviation from that old master plan called War of the Lance, an attempt to apply SSI's experience with war games to TSR's Dragonlance campaign setting, did almost as poorly, selling 15,255 copies. Meanwhile the second of the "Silver Box" line of action-oriented games that made up the second of the pillars continued to perform well: Dragons of Flame sold 55,711 copies. Despite that success, though, 1989 would also mark the end of the line for the Silver Box, thanks to a breakdown in relations with the British developers behind those games. Going into the 1990s, then, Dungeons & Dragons on the computer would be all about the Gold Box line of turn-based traditional CRPGs, the only one of SSI's three pillars still standing.

Thankfully, what Pool of Radiance had demonstrated in 1988 the events of 1989 would only confirm. What players seemed to hunger for most of all in the context of Dungeons & Dragons on the computer was literally Dungeons & Dragons on the computer: big CRPGs that implemented as many of the gnarly details of the rules as possible. Even Hillsfar, a superfluous and rather pointless sort of training ground for characters created in Pool of Radiance, sold 78,418 copies when SSI released it in March as a stopgap to give the hardcore something to do while they waited for the real Pool sequel.
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More information.

 

[rjshae]

A small but committed group of fans still loves these games — yes, all of them — for their approach to tactical combat, which must surely mark the most faithful implementation of the tabletop game’s rules for same ever to make it to the computer.

I'd say that Temple of Elemental Evil is the more faithful implementation of the tabletop game's rules (for it's time), and, to me, that engine is the true successor to the Gold Box games. It deserved a better fate than it received.

 

[beldurax]

Have you checked out the recent Temple+ mod ? (http://www.moddb.com/mods/temple1) It enhances the ToEE engine, completely overhauls the graphics, adds Prestige Classes, and much more. Seems pretty guud.

 

[luj1]

Thanks for the recommendation but is it compatible with Circle of Eight though?

 

[Moorkh]

Thanks for the newsbit, Silver. I enjoyed that read!

 

[Capt. Huggy Face]

Looking at the comments, the Temple+ mod does appear to be compatible with Co8.

 

[Pessimeister]

I'd have to politely disagree with a couple of points made in this mostly interesting piece. Thanks for posting it Silver! 'Twas a good read.

1) No equivalent moment to obtaining fireball in Pool of Radiance? Well, I'd have to suggest that Delayed Blast Fireball comes incredibly close in Secret of the Silver Blades. Meteor Storm as well to a lesser extent in Pools of Darkness. I was always more of a Cloud Kill and Cone of Cold fan anyway.

I liked the intriguing story on Dave Shelley's tricks in the design of Silver Blades; although for me, I think the random encounters and overall linearity made it a little less memorable than Curse and Pool. There were still some memorable moments in it though: Trekking through the Ice Caverns, Vala, Umber Hulks and Oswulf's Staff quest, the mad riddles, the Lich fight etc.

2) What Curse of the Azure Bonds lacks in standard monster cleansing quests from Phlan in Pool of Radiance, it arguably compensates for in massive set pieces and strategic challenges. (Black Dragons, Dracandros fight, Beholder Corps, Crimdrac, Moander, Dexam etc…) Thus, I'd also have to generally disagree with the contention found in the piece that Pool of Radiance was the height of the series.

Once again, an excellent read - glad you've been posting these articles as both the historical and nostalgia quotients are high throughout.

 

[Sir_Brennus]

Thus, I'd also have to generally disagree with the contention found in the piece that Pool of Radiance was the height of the series.

Naah, PoR was the Peak Performance. While other Gold Box games excelled in one or two categories, the overall experience was best in the first game (IMHO).

 

[NewDArt]

Pool of Radiance, Champions of Krynn and Countdown to Doomsday are just about tied for best Gold Box game - for my part.

I adored those games.

 

[rjshae]

Pool of Radiance, Champions of Krynn and Countdown to Doomsday are just about tied for best Gold Box game - for my part.

I adored those games.

Dark Queen of Krynn was actually my favorite, with Pool of Radiance a close second. I was pretty disappointing by the Savage Frontier series and their endlessly spawning enemies. Even a nice tactical turn-based combat system can get old under those conditions.

 

[NewDArt]

Dark Queen of Krynn was actually my favorite, with Pool of Radiance a close second. I was pretty disappointing by the Savage Frontier series and their endlessly spawning enemies. Even a nice tactical turn-based combat system can get old under those conditions.

Actually never tried the Savage Frontier games as I was pretty burned out on the GB games at that point. Too much of the same thing, I guess