Windows

The Dark Eye: Drakensang

On Sep 10, 2008 Daniel Saner wrote:

But this thing here is just unplayable. It's inherently a 2D game, and the only thing besides eyecandy that the 3D perspective adds is making the game unplayable because of camera problems. You can't reach places you want to go, you don't see the monsters that are attacking you, you simply never see what you want to see. Not to mention the frequent sudden crashes. There's a huge and fantastic game beneath it all, but the interface does not let me reach it.

I would have posted in the original thread, but, unfortunately, it's only now that I have finally arrived for the party and the topic is already locked. So, here we go.

Basically, I strongly object to the Daniel's complaints. Not only I found the interface of Drakensang to be a head above either NWN2 or The Witcher, but I would have it no other way in any other third person RPG. Treating the camera as a semi-independent entity adds greatly to the exploration of the game's world and locations.

The interface does take a bit of getting used to, but once learned it's very robust. Control your party via WASD while independently turning camera with mouse+hold right button. For fine tuning the positions use mouse to select characters and click in the appropriate area to move, like in RTS, the camera stays in position until you touch the keyboard again. Perfect combination!

I wonder, if the troubles Daniel is referring to are exclusive to the original German release of Drakensang. I urge him to reconsider and, maybe, pick up the game again, for, indeed there is a very solid, if bland and trite, RPG experience underneath.

I'm fairly certain that the camera issues were patched. Trying the game out for a few minutes, I also didn't notice anything wrong with camera control.

I haven't played it so far but I've heard different opinions so far but the all conclude that the developers took the risk of minimizing the atmosphere due to a great looking game (the problem of the whole game industry these days). Well I personally would abdicate nice looking graphics if the gameplay and the atmosphere is right.

And for "The Dark Eye" I think nothing can reach the original trilogy and especially this part: http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/realms-of-arkania-vol-2-star-trail