Anyone else played the demo? I was uniformly unimpressed. It's just Magic & Mayhem in 3D. The demo missions made it look like a remake instead of a new game. Not only that, it proved to me that the same game in 3D really does nothing to improve on the much better original.

Has anyone else tried it? I lost my Magic & Mayhem in the CDs on the roof fiasco but stumbled across one for $10 yesterday so I repurchased it. I just don't quite understand the point of a 3D sequel that seems to do nothing new with the original game's mechanics? If it sells better because it's in 3D, that would be a sad reflection of what gamers want from games.

--Dave

I've played a beta of the full game. I really enjoyed it. It is very much like the first but with 3D graphics, but why shouldn't a sequel get better graphics? The spell effects are much nicer and the game supports elevation now. Creatures get speed boosts walking downhill too, although I can't remember noticing them walking more slowly uphill.

The other big differences are that the backstory's more of an integral part of the game and there are beefed up multiplayer options.

Magic and Mayhem was a good game... i really liked it alot actually (like a cross between RTS/Magic the Gathering). The only drawback was its stilted and jerky animations. For an RTS type game i prefer smooth animations. This is a game that really did need a graphical improvement imo. I'll be buying it most likely.

BTW the graphics look like a souped up version of Dungeon Keeper 2... not too bad!

etc

I liked the graphics, and I ran the game at 800x600. If you have a hotrod machine, you can set the resolution higher.

Wish i had cable to download the demo... based on the screenshots for the game i think the graphics look FINE!

You played the demo, is there anything new to the game? not that it matters, because even just a graphical updare is good enough for me!

Also, what about that Warlords Battlecry 2! looks pretty cool. didnt know it was in development til i looked at the catalog that came with PoR2!

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I'm dying to get my hands on Warlords Battlecry II. I hope to God people play it this time around. The first game is a gem. The terrain looks more appealing this time so maybe they'll be able to attract the superficial gamers too.

As for Art of Magic...based on that demo, it seems like the exact same game as Magic & Mayhem in real time 3D. I'll probably pass unless I see some kind of gameplay innovation that makes it worthwhile. I'm not seeing that in the demo at all.

--Dave

"It is very much like the first but with 3D graphics, but why shouldn't a sequel get better graphics?"

I don't really care for the 3D graphics--I think the game looked better in 2D. The spell effects are nice, but the creature models are fairly low-poly, and many of the textures (particularly the ground textures, which look like they are straight, undoctored digital photos) are terrible.

I hate the idea that all games have to be 3D. I look at that, and then look at the beautiful, high-res 32-bit color graphics in Patrician II, and it seems very clear to me that 3D is not always the obvious better choice.

Absolutely. Between Darklands and King of Dragon Pass I'm even getting a whole new appreciation for 1D - painted stills and text dialogues - for certain interactions.

I didn't care for the graphics in the first as much. The colors seemed too muddled and in the forest maps I had trouble spotting creatures quickly enough.

Regardless, the core gameplay is similar, so if you liked the first and want more, it's a safe bet.

"I hate the idea that all games have to be 3D. I look at that, and then look at the beautiful, high-res 32-bit color graphics in Patrician II"

I agree completely. 3D gets in the way a lot. Camera battles, sluggish graphics, etc., Neverwinter Nights and Age of Mythology make me nervous, a bit, I have faith in these developers but I actually like sprites if it improves control and gameplay.

Pool of Radiance also made me miss the concept of hex grids that show me where my turn based men are and where they're going. These are just games, not every one has to look like a 3D simulation.

-Andrew