No pausing with the space bar like in baulders gate?

[volcomboarderp]

I bought this game about a year ago and i returned it the next day becasue i got so frustrated when i played n couldnt pause action to orgainzie like in Baulders gate 1 and 2, and Icewind dale, and Dungeon Siege and all those. I ran out of rpg's to play however so now i want to play this one which has good reviews, however does anyone know if it has a pause button, (dont know what to call it). Or suggest any other good games like the ones I listed above. (I like party based, tired NWN n didnt like it that much)

[Galuf the Dwarf]

[QUOTE=volcomboarderp]I bought this game about a year ago and i returned it the next day becasue i got so frustrated when i played n couldnt pause action to orgainzie like in Baulders gate 1 and 2, and Icewind dale, and Dungeon Siege and all those. I ran out of rpg's to play however so now i want to play this one which has good reviews, however does anyone know if it has a pause button, (dont know what to call it). Or suggest any other good games like the ones I listed above. (I like party based, tired NWN n didnt like it that much)[/QUOTE]

No, there really isn't a pause button. Combat is turn-based, so nothing will happen if it's the turn of a character you're controlling. Outside of combat, just prest ESC and leave it in the menu (ie: Save, Load, etc.) to keep it paused.

[Lord Plothos]

Sounds like you ran into a combat in which all your guys acted last, so the enemy kept moving. As soon as you're able to do anything, you can take as much time as you want. Turns are 1-per-round for everybody fighting, and the order is determined by the character's dexterity, feats, and chance.

[volcomboarderp]

Hey thanks for all the explaining really appreciate it, guess ill run out and try that again, but does anyone know of any other bg2 like games?

[Lord Plothos]

There's planescape. You might like Arcanum too. For totally non-D&D turn-based strat, I like the Front Mission and Romance of the Three Kingdoms (up to 7) series. FM = mecha combat a la Shining Force or FF Tactics. RoTK = build armies, manage resources, recruit generals, plot, wage turn-based war to conquer china. Then there's the retro classic Warsong for the Genesis. I do just love all those game, so sorry for plugging them if you're not interested.

Edit: Oh, and there's Vandal Hearts and Brigandine for the PS1.

[Ravager]

BG-like games

Divine Divinity & Beyond Divinty are quite good but you only control one (DD) oe two (BD) characters. For a more futuristic game try KOTOR I or II

[Philos]

Really miss a pause feature in ToEE

This is one area where the TOEE developers missed the boat. The timed spells in ToEE seem shorter to begin with and I sit in fear and trepidation every time a use an enhancement spell half expecting the phone will ring or the doorbell. Both those situations have happened. One quick tap of the space bar in an infiinity engine game and you're set. No so ToEE. I also have to plan my spell buff ups more carefully, since the "clock is ticking" when I cast the first one. If I cast the wrong one first it may run out or be close by the time I finish casting with everyone.

[Galuf the Dwarf]

[QUOTE=Philos]I also have to plan my spell buff ups more carefully, since the "clock is ticking" when I cast the first one. If I cast the wrong one first it may run out or be close by the time I finish casting with everyone.[/QUOTE]

Are talking about buffing before combat or in combat? If outside of it, then why don't you just press ESC and leave it in the menu?

[Philos]

Before Combat

Hi Galuf,

Before combat, casting spells like Protection, Bull Strength, Cat's Grace, etc.

If I hit escape and go to the menu, it still looks like time is marching on in the background because the characters are swaying (Elmo especially) but seems like things are still going on.

[Lord Plothos]

Hi Philos,

In combat, of course, it won't make a difference, since time ticks down on a turn-based basis there, but outside of combat hitting escape should work. I was pretty sure of this, but I just double-checked and for me at least the bless spell did not count down while I had the escape menu up. On the other hand, my characters freeze when the menu comes up. The background moves, meaning things like trees, chimney smoke, fireflies, etc., and the spell-effect animation for the bless spell was still flickering, but the counter didn't count down one tick in the several minutes I had the menu up. Are you sure your characters still move, and not just the background. This could point to a major difference in the way things are running on our two machines.

[Philos]

Fairly certain

I am pretty sure. I am 99% positive Elmo sways because it is so noticeable. However I have never checked the time remaining on the spell tabs on the thumbnail sketches. I'll try that. Maybe Elmo's sway is just a background effect too.

[Philos]

Update: Yes, Clock is definitely ticking while menu is up!

After taking a little break to catch up on BG2, I picked up ToEE where I left off. I had saved the game after finishing a combat and had several buff spells going. I hit the "esc" button and brought the menu up. I was taping a show and needed to reset the machine and make sure the tape got the program. While I was fiddling with VCR I heard a very familiar low pitch "growl" sound that occurs when you cast Cat's grace OR when it expires. I was checking the thumbnails when I saw the words "a spell has expired" flash on the screen and another flag disappeared from the top of the thumbnail portrtait for another character. All this occured with the menu up on the screen. So the clock definitely keeps ticking after hitting the "esc" button. I ended up reloading. I now know to save if interrupted, very inconvenient.

[Lord Plothos]

That sucks. Definitely doesn't happen for me, so that's weird. Well, huzzah for my setup, I guess.