might & magic viii playthrough

content/games/pc/might-and-magic-viii.md

@@ -0,0 +1,176 @@
+---
+date: 2023-02-01T13:31:00+01:00
+score: 4
+title: 'Might & Magic VIII: Day of the Destroyer, a Playthrough Report'
+howlongtobeat_id: 6032
+howlongtobeat_hrs: 30.6
+game_name: "Might and Magic VIII"
+game_genre: 'CRPG'
+game_release_year: '2000'
+game_developer: 'New World Computing'
+tags:
+  - 'Might and Magic'
+  - 'Playthrough'
+  - 'CRPG'
+---
+
+It's been too long since I've taken another stab at one of my many love/hate relationships; this time arguably the last good installment in New World Computing's [Might & Magic](/tags/might-and-magic) genre: _Might & Magic VIII: Day of the Destroyer_, or simply shortened as MM8. When it was released in 2000, this was the game that introduced me to the sprawling worlds of [computer RPGs](/tags/crpg). Twenty-three years ago, I had no clue what I was doing, but I was most definitely having fun. I never managed to finish it, nor [its predecessor, MM7](/games/pc/might-and-magic-vii), so I thought, why not make another attempt---a genuine one, this time?
+
+This screenshot-heavy [playthrough report](/tags/playthrough) first appeared in the form of short daily [Mastodon toots](https://dosgame.club/@jefklak/109717652367844398), which have been collected and expanded upon in this article. Enjoy reading my struggles from novice to the celebrated hero of the world of Jadame.
+
+---
+
+## 19/01: Dagger Wound
+
+I'd like to replay Might & Magic VIII: Day of the Destroyer and *really* finish it this time. Perhaps I should microblog the playthrough on here. I created a vampire and wandered around the starting area but party formations can't be changed easily and my char gets most of the hits, a starting build as a knight or troll is easier. Perhaps I should restart and create a dark elf? 
+
+Here's me battling some pirates on Dagger Wound island - they followed me all the way back to the town center,whoops!
+
+![](daggerwound.jpg "Buccaneers attacking a party on Dagger Wound Island, the starting location of MM8. My Vampire, the first character portrait, is getting hit badly. ")
+
+## 21/01: Snake Temple
+
+The pirates got the better of us and we had to cheat death. I decide to carry on with Vlad my vampire, pick up local quests, and play our first round of Arcomage, a cool card game you can play at local inns. The portals are broken and we have to fix 'em by exploring an abandoned temple filled with snakes, where we pick up Simon the knight. After the necessary snipe-and-runaway tactics, the temple is cleared, our party is lvl5, and we're off to Ravenshore!
+
+BTW the green items in the inventory are unidentified. We're looking for a dark elf and dragon to join the party who excel at that and disarming traps - in the temple, every single chest blew up in our face! Thanks to Frederick for healing us. If you rest (where  it's safe), the portrait of the vampires change in bats hanging upside-down, which is a cool touch! I also picked up the skill "learning", giving a bonus of 10% XP even at lvl1.
+
+<div class="dualscreens">
+
+![](prophecies.jpg "the Prophecies of the Snake, an old book found in the abandoned temple as part of a quest.")
+
+![](arcomage.jpg "An ongoing game of Arcomage.")
+
+</div>
+
+## 21/01: Ravenshore's Experts
+
+A mage created a huge (locked) crystal tower in Ravenshore which is quite a sight. I'm using the MM8 Grayface mod enabling widescreen. The game really opens up from there: we need to persuade smugglers to lend their boats, but first, shopping and recruiting time! A quick trip to neighboring cities to pick up a dragon and dark elf and we're all set. A few skill experts help improve our party. skills = expert/master/grandmaster lvls unlocking huge bonuses, but you have to find the teacher first!
+
+<div class="dualscreens">
+
+![](ravenshore.jpg "Ravenshore, the first mainland major city guarded by sword wielding dark elves.")
+
+![](expertfiremagic.jpg "Temper Hall, the fire magic expert we relied on, which guides us to the master and grandmaster living elsewhere. ")
+
+</div>
+
+## 21/01: Ravenshore's Wolves
+
+The Ravenshore roads are infested with dire wolves that I lured back to the slums where they killed inhabitants and guards, whoops! I'll take that 2handed sword off your body, you won't be needing that anymore. Rohani, our new dark elf recruit, should be able to disarm traps, but her skill lvl is still way too low. This is what happens when you're lazy and powering through: BOOM, everyone dead! I'll leave the chapel of Eep loot for later I guess...
+
+<div class="dualscreens">
+
+![](wolfproblem.jpg "A massacre in Ravenshore thanks to dire wolves. Our necromancer is unconscious.")
+
+![](chestopened.jpg "A chest opened but triggered a huge blast killing two party members and knocking two unconscious. Only our dragon has ample HP left.")
+
+</div>
+
+## 22/01: Smugglers & Alvar
+
+After training some more, we had to hurry back to Dagger Wound island to become expert in magic skills and disarm trap/merchant. We're now finally (sometimes) able to open chests in dungeons... Anyway, the smuggler's daughter is kidnapped by ogres in Alvar so we head off to clear out the fortress there. Our dragon pretty much carries the whole party, MM8 is quite broken, but I love that, where else can you play as a dragon and vampire? The necromancer's dark magic is also very effective.
+
+![](dragonfire.jpg "Dragon breath on a soldier of fortune in the ogre fortress of Alvar. ")
+
+After hopping around city to city, looking for experts and masters to train us, I got tired of not having access to the town portal spell, as Devlin our necromancer is still learning the ropes of Water Magic and it's a Master-lvl spell, plus traps are still a threat. Solution? Rescue Cauri Blackthrone, the lvl50 dark elf patriarch. After an hour trying to locate her, we finally managed to do so and recruited her. She was turned to stone by basilisks, and we didn't have Protection from Magic yet!
+
+## 24/01: Dragon Wings
+
+With town portal and merchant/disarm trap covered, Ithilgore our dragon could enlist as apprentice and become expert and then master dragon, gaining the ability to fly and carry our party around at higher speeds. Great! He now can also cast a devastating AoE attack which you should at all costs NOT set as quick spell or cast in crowded spaces indoor. Accidentally killing party members whilst forgetting to save first: check...
+
+Meanwhile, Fredrick our cleric got promoted to priest of the sun! A cool thing in MM8 is the ability to "promote" classes, gaining access to grandmaster skill lvls, but it usually involves a difficult quest. The cleric one is the easiest, the artifact in question was already procured from the snake temple. Rescuing Cauri means we can promote dark elves, but she's already a patriarch. Devlin, the necromancer, can become a lich, where his avatar even changes into a cool undead figure! Todo soon!
+
+<div class="dualscreens">
+
+![](dragonmaster.jpg "The dragon master spell book, with the spell 'flight' selected.")
+
+![](priestofthesun.jpg "The skills screen for Fredrick Tailimere, the 'priest of the sun' instead of a 'mere' cleric. It shows he's an expert at spirit, mind, body magic and mace, shield.")
+
+</div>
+
+## 26/01: Armageddon
+
+I'm getting the feeling that MM6-8 is what Icewind Dale is to the Infinity Engine games: killing endless hordes of monsters without a lot of roleplaying. Hundreds of cyclopses, wasps, various undead, ogres, ... later, Devlin is now a master in Dark Magic, meaning he can cast armageddon. Let's try it out in Shadowspire, the necromancer/vampire town. Uh-oh, sorry about that folks! Perhaps I should reload. It can only be cast outdoors and max 3x/day.
+
+Another example, the main quest line involves forming alliances, but if you side with the dragons the knights in Garotte Gorge will turn hostile. Same with the necromancer guild VS the priests of the sun. I have both a necro and a vampire so wanted to side with them, but Fredrick is a priest of the sun. He has nothing to say about me slaughtering his colleagues in Murmur Woods... WTF? That could have been much cooler, like in Wiz8/BG2, where recruits react on what you do and do not do...
+
+<div class="dualscreens">
+
+![](shadowspire-armageddon-1.jpg "Devlin casts armageddon in the town center of Shadowspire, killing everything that's killable (including us!)")
+
+![](shadowspire-armageddon-2.jpg "The streets of Shadowspire, after the spell: peasants lay dead in the gutter. Whoops. ")
+
+</div>
+
+## 26/01: Guild alliances
+
+Anyway, after fixing the necro's with some artifacts the priests hid well away, I thought I became a member of their guild, but they still wouldn't let me snoop around in certain parts of the building. I accidentally pressed on, they turned hostile, and I killed them. The treasure turned out to be completely worthless. Again, Devlin, being a necro, didn't care. Luckily, this happened *inside* their temple, and folks at Shadowspire are still friendly. Double-crossing has no reprecussions.
+
+![](cyclopses-death-from-above.jpg "Laying waste to a group of cyclopses in the Ironsand Desert. Ithilgore is flying the party up in the air and their ranged attack is limited.")
+
+## 27/01: Looking for gear
+
+I'm in desparate need of better gear. We've hit lvl32 and most of our crew has access to grandmaster lvl skills, only the lich promotion skill is still ongoing. I found a very cool dagger (Vlad the vampire is a dual wielding ninja), but it's necro-only, damnit! In MM8, all chests have random drops with low/medium/highlvl generic gear, but the best stuff is called an "artifact" or a "relic".
+
+![](bladeofmercy.jpg "Blade of Mercy, type: dagger, attack: +15, damage: 2d2+15. Might +40, electrical damage, accuracy: -40, necromancer only. Priceless. ")
+
+## 27/01: A chees(y)(e) quest
+
+BTW MM8 doesn't take itself too seriously. There's a cheese hunt quest involving three dungeons shaped as cheese or a mouse, lol! There's an NPC chilling out near the sea, living "the good life", while he says "cool for you guys saving the world, that's not for me. Good luck, though!". 
+That said, all interactions happen "inside" houses while interacting with a door, and they have no idea what's happening outside. I decimated all dragon hunters, yet am still welcome in their homes??
+
+<div class="dualscreens">
+
+![](mousedungeon.jpg "A top-down view (we're flying) of a dungeon that's shaped like a mouse in  Ravage Roaming.")
+
+![](thegoodlife.jpg "'Ah, I'm glad you're out saving the world. I mean, someone has to do it. Me, I'm for the easy life. As long as I got my boat and my pole, and the fish are biting, I don't see any reason to do much else. Good luck to you though!'")
+
+</div>
+
+After revisiting Garotte in search of a trainer I noticed a few new hostile dragon hunters spawned, and shops were finally locked because I sided with the dragons. This apparently happens only after the alliance has been formed, which is still a bit strange. Trainers didn't seem to care, let's presume they're neutral and don't mind the blood in the streets? Dragon hunters target Ithilgore specifically in our party, that's neat! I also learned there is no party formation: everyone's at the front.
+
+## 29/01: Lich promotion
+
+On our way to Regna, the pirate outpost, we loaned the book of Khell that finally promoted Devlin to a lich! His portrait and even voice changed haha. Regna's the last town where a lot of grandmasters live, and yet another group of endless streams of enemies have to be mown down. Turn-based combat is always a bad idea: real-time you can spam attacks quicker _and_ dodge them, but repeatedly pressing A gets tiresome quickly! Tthe planes are all that's left, and 30+ hours in, my motivation is gone.
+
+<div class="dualscreens">
+
+![](piratekeep.jpg "A map of the abandoned pirate keep. In MM8, you can add notes on maps, and trainer locations are thankfully automatically added!")
+
+![](lich.jpg "The stats sheet of Devlin Arcanus, who got promoted to a lich. The portrait shows a skeleton with glowing eyes, dressed a with vampiric robe.")
+
+</div>
+
+## 30/01: The plane of fire
+
+I took a peek in the Plane of Fire, and the amount of fire elementals discouraged me greatly. Even when flying, you're quickly surrounded, and at lvl40, I think we're underlevelled. Our gear constantly breaks (yeah that's a thing too) and none have the "repair item" skill. I very much regret not creating a knight; my vampire only does 40dmg at best and has no superb magic spells. Now I have to run back and forth to shops to repair stuff, even in-between dungeons, grrr.
+
+![](planeoffire.jpg "In a tunnel in the plane of fire, looking for the 'heart of fire' crystal. A flaming red rotating tunnel is displayed.")
+
+Meanwhile, I've been watching a few crazy solo runs of MM8, like this one, with a necromancer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RQB5_nxm4M
+The secret: master water magic for quick portalling around + invisibility to race past enemies and snag those required quest relics. 
+Fly is also a spell, BTW, no dragon needed. Still, the game does kind of require a balanced party group for most plays: no access to AoE spells equals a painfully slow playthrough...
+
+## 02/02: Beyond Escaton's Crystal
+
+This will be my last MM8 entry I'm afraid. The thought of having to fight through more endless hordes in the planes and the plane between planes (the last area, after finally entering the crystal in Ravenshore) just kills the enjoyment I've had with the game. It's shorter than MM6-7 but still overstays its welcome. I took a peek beyond the last portal using a savegame editor and found... "Fear" creatures with weird maws? Anyway, I'm happy I got this far, never managed to push almost to the end!
+
+![](fear.jpg "A fear creature with 400HP, and Escaton's crystal to the right that got us to the plane between planes.")
+
+And yes, those "activate windows" watermarks on my screenshots are driving me crazy as well. It's a work laptop that's not plugged into the network for a long time with an expired Win10 license. I tried 5 different tricks to remove it without much success. Booting and using that laptop was a pain and I'm glad I can put the thing away now. Too bad the Winery version of MM8 is very slow on my Mac.
+
+---
+
+## The Verdict
+
+Now that I'm looking back at the adventure, I can see why the eight' installment got average reviews at best. Its story after the alliance suddenly drops off: fetch crystals from planes, rescue elemental lords, game over? New World Computing could have done much more interesting things with the choices made: in MM7, the ending changes based on your alliance. I'd love to have seen the recruitable NPCs (called "hirelings" here) interact a bit more, like in [Wizardry 8](/games/pc/wizardry-8). Besides that, in the end, the endless streams of monsters defeat, to which there is little strategy, really started to outweigh the good parts.
+
+And yet, I still love MM8. The _why_ is easy: it's a very subjective nostalgic fuzzy and warm feeling I get inside when I hear the pirates whack away at the lizardmen as soon as you're dropped into the game. I've been playing this game on and off for twenty-three years now. As long as you can provide me with a game that has the following features, I'll go ahead and take off my rose-tinted glasses:
+
+- the ability to play a great card game in inns;
+- the ability to create a vampire, troll, or minotaur as your character;
+- the ability to recruit dragons, let them fly and carry the party, and spew powerful dragon breath fireballs into hordes of enemies;
+- the ability to promote in your class, unlocking skills, but not before visiting a trainer first;
+- the ability to side with necromancers and vampires and kill an entire city of clerics and knights.
+
+Nothing? Didn't think so either. If you've never played any of the later [Might & Magic](/tags/might-and-magic) games, play Eight. Six ans Seven are great as well, but in Six, there's no Arcomage, and Seven is very, _very_ bland. At least in Eight, you've got a bit of atmosphere. I know, MM8 even stole a dungeon design from MM7! They were in a big hurry to churn these out... But if you've never played either, who cares? 

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         "name": "A journey through the history of webdesign",
-        "content": "Using personal websites and the Internet Archive",
-        "published": "2020-10-04",
+        "content": "While browsing through archives of very old files, I rediscovered backups of websites I once made. It felt a bit like scrolling thehistoryofweb.design, an interactive journey through the history of webdesign. Thanks to the Internet Archive project, r...",
+        "published": "2020-10-04T00:00:00+00:00",
+        "url": "https://brainbaking.com/post/2020/10/a-personal-journey-through-the-history-of-webdesign/",
+        "type": "mention",
+        "source": "https://brainbaking.com/post/2020/10/a-personal-journey-through-the-history-of-webdesign/",
+        "target": "https://jefklakscodex.com",
+        "relativeTarget": ""
+    },
+    {
+        "author": {
+            "name": "Wouter Groeneveld",
+            "picture": "/pictures/brainbaking.com"
+        },
+        "name": "A journey through the history of webdesign",
+        "content": "While browsing through archives of very old files, I rediscovered backups of websites I once made. It felt a bit like scrolling thehistoryofweb.design, an interactive journey through the history of webdesign. Thanks to the Internet Archive project, r...",
+        "published": "2020-10-04T00:00:00+00:00",
+        "url": "https://brainbaking.com/post/2020/10/a-personal-journey-through-the-history-of-webdesign/",
+        "type": "mention",
+        "source": "https://brainbaking.com/post/2020/10/a-personal-journey-through-the-history-of-webdesign/",
+        "target": "https://jefklakscodex.com/",
+        "relativeTarget": "/"
+    },
+    {
+        "author": {
+            "name": "Wouter Groeneveld",
+            "picture": "/pictures/brainbaking.com"
+        },
+        "name": "A journey through the history of webdesign",
+        "content": "While browsing through archives of very old files, I rediscovered backups of websites I once made. It felt a bit like scrolling thehistoryofweb.design, an interactive journey through the history of webdesign. Thanks to the Internet Archive project, r...",
+        "published": "2020-10-04T00:00:00+00:00",
         "url": "https://brainbaking.com/post/2020/10/a-personal-journey-through-the-history-of-webdesign/",
         "type": "mention",
         "source": "https://brainbaking.com/post/2020/10/a-personal-journey-through-the-history-of-webdesign/",
         "target": "https://jefklakscodex.com/tags/baldurs-gate-2/",
         "relativeTarget": "/tags/baldurs-gate-2/"
+    },
+    {
+        "author": {
+            "name": "Wouter Groeneveld",
+            "picture": "/pictures/brainbaking.com"
+        },
+        "name": "Tracking and privacy concerns on websites",
+        "content": "Thanks to another great “internet stumble”, I came across Laura Kalbag’s blog and her stance on privacy and tracking. She’s been giving talks on the subject and created ad- and track-blocking software. Ever since the European GDPR, cookie ban...",
+        "published": "2020-06-01T00:00:00+00:00",
+        "url": "https://brainbaking.com/post/2020/06/tracking-and-privacy-on-websites/",
+        "type": "mention",
+        "source": "https://brainbaking.com/post/2020/06/tracking-and-privacy-on-websites/",
+        "target": "https://jefklakscodex.com",
+        "relativeTarget": ""
     }
 ]

themes/jefklak-creative-portfolio/assets/sass/_codex.sass

@@ -209,9 +209,10 @@ article
 		border-radius: 5px
 
 	.dualscreens
-		display: grid
-		grid-template-columns: repeat(2, 1fr)
+		display: flex
 		grid-column-gap: 10px
+		margin-top: 2em
+		margin-bottom: 2em
 
 		figure
 			margin: 0