GameBanshee Forums

I've got a few hours a week to play computer games, and before I got a new computer recently, I had a lot of fun working my way through M&M VI (my party was last seen wandering hopelessly around in the Tomb of Varn). My old computer was pretty slow (think Windows 95) and I didn't really keep up with anything new.

Is there anything similar out now? One thing I really want to have is to be able to play in turn-based mode, but other than that, I would just like a solo game where I can create a party and go wandering.

Thanks

If you like turn-based games then there are the Icewind Dale games which allow you to create an entire party of adventurers (from 1 to 6 characters in a party). The storylines are pretty good, but the games themselves are quite linear (they are still a lot of fun though). Then of course there are the Baldur's Gate games (you can create your own parties in single player by selecting multiplayer and controlling the entire party yourself). Other turn-based games include Arcanum and Temple of Elemental Evil. In both of these you create a main character then can pick up NPCs along the way if you choose to do so. ToEE is quite linear, but Arcanum gives quite a lot of freedom of choice, both as far as where you go and in customising your main character. Your choices in character and skills will effect not only dialogue and npc interaction in the game, but also the storyline itself.

Simlar? No. I would suggest purchasing the later games in the M&M series, while the early ones, through 5, I believe, are abandonware--meaning that since no one claims rights to the games anymore, they can be downloaded from a variety of abandonware sites.

Thanks for the info

Thank you both. I'll take a look

I tend to believe that the games using the Infinity Engine are all pretty good: Baldur's Gate 1 and 2, Planescape: Torment, Icewind Dale 1 and 2 all are good RPGs. There is also Wizardry 8 and Wizards & Warriors. I never took the spare time to play Wiz 8 or W&W, but it's on my list of 'things to do' :laugh:

The BG series and PS:T are excellent games, among my all time favorites. They simply aren't anything like the M&M series, aside form the most obvious (both use stats, both involve going through dungeons, etc).

Abandonia has the World of Xeen, which is M&M IV and V, combined, and plays as one game.

Since the older M&M games can still be obtained, I don't consider them to be 'abandonware'. That title only applies to software provided by companies out of business or where the copyright has expired. The rights to the M&M franchise were purchased by Ubisoft, so it's our responsibility to make sure that get what little profit they can from the older titles. Please think responsibly before pointing people to abandonware sites for any game request.

It's also our responsibility--all of us, not just moderators--to check out accusations thoroughly before making them. The term abandonware is not applied to media "provided by companies out of business or where the copyright has expired." That's s both inaccurate and far too loose. U.S. copyright laws state that copyrights owned by corporations are valid for 95 years from the date of first publication. That applies to all media. So every computer game you play, no matter how old, is still under copyright. When the company ceases to exist, the copyright doesn't simply "poof." It remains the property of the owners of the former corporation, to do with as they see fit.

That's why the market in reissuing "antique" media exists thanks to content owners who have deliberately (and graciously) permitted their distribution and waived all fees. This is a common practice, and dates back more than 50 years. Columbia Records, for example, has always allowed most of its jazz and classical recordings from the 1930s to be reissued by minor labels without any payment. The results may be reasonably described as "audio abandonware."

This procedure applies to computer games, as well: as long as the games in question are not sold without the copyright holder's consent, their distribution is considered legitimate. This is the case with Ubisoft's license to the older Might and Magic titles, purchased in 2003. The most reputable abandonware sites that check with current software owners before offering their games for download, such as Abandonia, have received permission for placing World of Xeen (M&M IV and V) on their websites. Ubisoft has neither requested their removal, nor added their titles to the IDSA/ESA anti-piracy list.

So depending upon your point of view, either no games qualify as abandonware--because legally, none do--or select games do, with tacit permission of their current rights holders. And the early M&M titles qualify.

I stand corrected then.

I won't go into a lengthy discussion about abandonware, legality issues, etc that affect the older games. Besides, I suppose I should be happy that people are still interested in the older games and that there are members here that will point people in the correct direction to go.

Thanks again

Thank for the additional information. The discussion of "abandonware" was interesting - not something I'd really heard of. My tendency is to err on the side of caution when it comes to copyrighted materials, but that's not intended as a judgment on those who understand the rules a lot better than I do. I think I'll order some of the suggested games from Amazon or somewhere and check them out.

You'll probably hear from me again soon on another forum. Happy Saturday!