Let's have a discussion about how badly they mutilated the combat system when they remade the game

First off, I've probably never won a battle in the remake... Considering I've only played it for a few minutes, then switched back to the EGA...

Combat was pathetic in the remake. A starting fighter could kill a brigand. Now how stupid is that? Where's the challenge?

I think it's at beating the Ogre, the Troll and Toro...

It's a sad fact that remakes never JUST update a game... they all seem to alter some of the original things.

Combat is especially vulnerable to being upgraded. Next thing you know, we'll have "bullet-time" QfG. As much as I enjoyed the Matrix's action scenes... no thanks.

I'd play it! Imagine shooting arrows in 'arrow-time'

Actually I found the combat to be fine.

It's not true that a starting hero can kill a brigand, I never did it. Although yes, it's true, you can fight almost all monsters easily once your hero gets tough... with the exception of the Mantray, it was a good fighter at all levels.

And then comes the troll, the troll is tough so that even my big, mighty hero had to dodge and parry his attacks in order to win.

Another thing which made the combat harder was the stamina meter, in every other game, if your stamina meter runs out, they drain from your health points, QFG 1 VGA does that, except in combat you'll die if it runs out, rather than loose health points.

Till next time stay cool

The combat's the main reason why I don't play the VGA version.

It's a pity you can't have "time out" in combat. "Hey, monster, I'm losing stamina here - shall we take a rest?"

"Grunt, snort." [translation: "That is perfectly agreeable to me. Take as long as you like. I'll just watch some ballet while you recover."]

Well Orion, your point is made, but I like the EGA version more too, although I do play the VGA, but very occassionally. In fact, I perfect the 'original' version of almost every Sierra game, EXCEPT Leisure Suit Larry, in LSL 1, the VGA was WAAAYYY better.

In any case, my 'favorite' QFG 1 depends on the character class, with the Fighter and Wizard, I prefer the EGA, with the Thief, I play the VGA because I can reach maximum points easier, cause in the EGA version, it's nearly impossible to beat the Chief Thief at dag-nab-it.

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Start fighting around 3:59... Get worn out by 4, then it's Tea Time! Break for a minute, and then it's back to fighting

Huh?

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It's a Britain joke

Oh ok.

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I take it you got the joke, Bob?

Of course.

But I still didn't get it

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You tell 'im, Big O.

Where IS Orion anyway?

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Sorry... This thing called Life got in the way

Okay, the meaning behind the joke...

Dunno if this is still true, but there's a running joke that whenever Big Ben (You know, that huge clock tower thingie) strikes 4:00 PM, it was "Tea time" for everybody... The whole nation stopped...

Or at least, the joke goes so

oh ok.

Till next time stay cool

<nod>

And just so you know, I didn't mean to offend anyone.. if that did in any way...

I personally think that that joke is a load of rubbish, but that's just me.

Has anybody ever managed to butcher the giant in EGA?

You mean the Frost giant? You can't fight him.

You can in the VGA version, though I never managed to actually win. Came close once, partially due to having overmuch coffee in my real world system, but that was it.

I think you might be talking about the Ogre outside the Kobold's cave.

No, I am talking about the big blue guy who talks in ryhme, and thus always gives my fighter the violent urge to cut off his (The giants) legs. The time I almost pulled it off, my character was maxed out in all of his combat stats, and had already beaten swordy lordy.

In the EGA version, he smacks you with his axe (leveling a bunch of HP) and says "Face not this foe until fiercer you fight."

Ah.... I stand corrected

Then again, I've never tried when I've had full stats. Always gave him the fruit first. . .

Something to try now... Hmm....

Guys you can't fight the Frost Giant in QFG 1. I tried it on full stats, all what he does is knock you down the first time and then kill you the second time.

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If you try to cast a spell or throw a dagger he kills you with magic. at least in the original.

Same in the remake too.

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I enjoy trying to run on the screen in the EGA version!

For some reason, the running was cheesier in QFG 1 EGA, QFG 2, and QFG 3 and 4. But they seem better in QFG 5 and the most realistic in QFG 1 VGA.

Of course, the most retarding running was shown in Conquest of Camelot when you run after the thief!

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The worst running was in QG1VGA...

I've never seen ANYONE run like that!

Then again I guess that the running was retarded in all of them!

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Ahem... guys...? You're talking about RUNNING? You should stay and fight the monsters! Get out your weapon and cut down the measly little... the mea-... the...

Oops. That monster is seriously trying to KILL me... gotta run... <grin>

Good point Al!

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If you set your STR to 50, like I did, it's pretty easy to kill a lot of things when you start off.

I personally thought the QFG1VGA combat system was among the best of all combat systems in the series. The fight had a background (unlike QFG1EGA, QFG2 and QFG3) and you had just enough options (swing/stab/parry/dodge) to fight without redundant ones (QFG2 had three of each category, but they hardly made a difference), holding down the attack button didn't pay off as well as in some other games (QFG2, QFG3), the health didn't drain away slowly (QFG3) and I thought the battles versus the ogre/brigands/mantrays/goblins using the principle of evading attacks and exploiting openings in the enemy's defense were very well done. Dodge/parry didn't work as well as it should have in QFG1EGA. Best strategy turned out to be to just hold down the up-arrow and hope your weapon use, strength and vitality were high enough to enable you to out-attack the guy. I think battle shouldn't be merely aimed towards the "low stats=lose, high stats=win" principle. Actions in combat should matter too.

I agree, Erpy. I'm just replaying QfG1 VGA at present, in order to complete what I hope will be the most informative and fun walkthrough it's possible for me to write. And the combat is logical. It pays off, especially when one's stats are a little higher, to NOT just blindly stab or swing, but to employ intelligent responses such as blocking or voiding.

Yeah, in QFG1VGA, some monsters where very tough to begin with, as a beginning hero (any class) the brigand was tough, and I really had to use tactics and timings to win. But as you got better and better, winning becomes a matter of simply attacking continously. Which is both, realistic and unrealistic at the same time.

It's realistic since a big time, really tough fighter should be able to beat any 'petty' brigand or monster that crosses him. But as for the big creatures like cheetaurs, trolls and T-rexs, it shouldn't be that easy.

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I never really played the VGA version that much. When I did fight I just held down an attack button.

If you just attack, you won't increase dodge and parry skills... nor will your intelligence increase - and that's the HARD part for a fighter!!! Agility is also affected by using dodge... and taking blows affects vitality.

It pays off to focus on those skills once your strength is at 100.

I like the EGA version better, but I do enjoy fighting the brigands in the remake. They actually have a game plan, they cover and dodge and attack swiftly. Just as the Leadet taught them to.
QfG2 had a a lot of possible moves, but still it didn't really matter cuz the enemies were too ez. It would've been great if the monsters got harder as your character grew stronger. if they started to plan attacks on him, moving in packs. Ok, jackalmen worked in packs, but they really weren't that hard to beat.
QfG3 had a boring combat system, it was really too ez, I was kinda dissapointed about the demons. You'd think a spawn of satan would put up a fight, but they were all wimps. And I hated the random fights.
In QfG4 I'm still having trouble using the mouse interface in fighting. In theory it's a good system, but I still think QfG1VGA had the most realistic combat system.