Mask of the Betrayer

[Domi]

Well, my very first impression was a bit dissappointing, because installing MoTB apparently bugs your last battle in the OC, making it unplayable, and the tech support advice is to start a new game. Yes, it's a bug in the final battle.

 

Anyways, I gave up on exporting my character from the OC, created a new one - Air Gensai one, since I want to see the new things! She does look pretty nice, with interetsing coloring and thankfully not ugly as the elves were. Seeing that the cast in MoTb is very limited (a cleric, a wiard, a spirit shaman and a fighter, I hear, for a good party), I created a Fighter, Rogue, Weapon Master combo for a squashbuckling feel and gave her a Rapier as a favored weapon.

 

It goes without saying that I loaded the cheat that takes off the party size limit.

 

The beginning of the game with a new character is a tad confusing, because it starts in a mansion lobby, you are told to level up, you walk out of the doors, and you are suddenly in a barrow and the 'real' story starts. I think something more barrowish would have been nice, or something in the first area itself to level up, because it's kind of jarring way to start the game. The 'real' start of the game gave me a huge flash-back to BG2, the same waking up in a dungeon, after being apparently hurt and tortured, 'cause you are so special, and a female NPC to the rescue. Luckily, it was a new female NPC, so it avoided the clashing problem you had if you didn't use/like Imoen in BG1.

 

Upon examining the equipment my character got, I immediately cheated in a Rapier + 3, that was exactly on the level all the other starting equipment was. I also tried the new and improved weapon enchantment system on the prompt, and it is thankfully far less complicated than it was in the OC. Hey, I might even use it this time round. A very nice touch is that they allow you to name the enchanted weapon. Since I never tried it in the OC, I don't know if the option was available, so I was very impressed. Of course, I couldn't resist to name my freshly enchanted Rapier the Needle.

 

I was also quickly introduced to the other features, that, I guess, the game will feature. Firstly, I got XP for having a vision (a flashback to PS:T, I suppose), and secondly, I got a huge amount of influence (+6) with the first companion from one simple conversation option of liking her familiar. It's different from the OC, when the max you could shift the influence with the companion per dialogue option was 3, or so I've seen.

 

I am not sure why so many male players complain about Saffya being a romantic interest. She looks pretty exotic and attractive, is a human, has a non-irritating voice and a decent dialogue so far, without any sort of obvious character flaws.

 

Anyway, quite a promissing start, I think.

[SMichelle]

I didn't have any problem exporting my character from the OC (it took my dial up 7 hours to download the 1116 patch), but one major issue I had at first was WORKING THE CAMERA.

 

I've already finished my first play-through (yes, I have no life) and I've got to say on the whole I liked the game a lot better than the OC.

 

For me, a good game means interesting characters and a good story. Although I thought the OC had a nice complex story, there wasn't really a chance to get to know any of your companions (except maybe Kehlgar and Ammon). MotB allowed you to speak to your companions a lot about a host of different things. (Unlike Casavir your female "romantic" interest whose whole character was: Old Owl Well, Old Owl Well, Old Owl Well, -we may die tommorow let's have sex).

 

I would have liked to see more interparty banter. Gann of Dreams has one comment directed towards Kaylen the Dove and that was it. (that I saw)

 

I am unfamiliar with D&D lore, so there was a bit of a red herring story-wise for me.

 

Finally, there was a point in the story (yes, I'm trying to avoid any spoilers) where I actually felt terrible for a character I had HATED.

 

I say it was well worth the money

 

EDIT: Also, for all of my 7 hour patch download, there is still a bug for those romancing Gann (in the epilogue). You need to cheat to get the correct ending: rs ga_global_int("Z_bGannStays", "1") (and for goodness sake have Gann selected when you cheat this in. By the time I got the cheat to work I was pretty much sick of the whole thing!)

[cirerrek]

Well, my very first impression was a bit dissappointing, because installing MoTB apparently bugs your last battle in the OC, making it unplayable, and the tech support advice is to start a new game. Yes, it's a bug in the final battle.

 

I was able to complete the OC battle after installing MoTB. I thought I needed to beat that battle again to get a save that I could transfer my PC over to MoTB ( missed that part in the manual).

 

The beginning of the game with a new character is a tad confusing, because it starts in a mansion lobby, you are told to level up, you walk out of the doors, and you are suddenly in a barrow and the 'real' story starts. I think something more barrowish would have been nice, or something in the first area itself to level up, because it's kind of jarring way to start the game.

 

I agree. The lobby was not what I was expecting for the start of a game with a new character.

 

The 'real' start of the game gave me a huge flash-back to BG2, the same waking up in a dungeon, after being apparently hurt and tortured, 'cause you are so special, and a female NPC to the rescue. Luckily, it was a new female NPC, so it avoided the clashing problem you had if you didn't use/like Imoen in BG1.

 

Yeah, I'm taking out a "cRPG amnesia insurance policy" so the next time my character starts off with amnesia, I'm going to hit the jackpot.

 

I also tried the new and improved weapon enchantment system on the prompt, and it is thankfully far less complicated than it was in the OC. Hey, I might even use it this time round.

 

Crafting is mucho improved over the OC. Still sucks that they will not create something with a GUI to make it even easier/more intuitve/visually appealing. I'd love to be able to cycle through all the availablie item options, coloring hilts, tangs, blade, etc., to my liking. Changing each piece part. Maybe add some cool glowing engravings. Drool.

 

A very nice touch is that they allow you to name the enchanted weapon. Since I never tried it in the OC, I don't know if the option was available, so I was very impressed. Of course, I couldn't resist to name my freshly enchanted Rapier the Needle.

 

Yes, this was available in the OC. You change the color of the item text. Make it Italics or Bold. Something along the lines of <c=#F000000>Needle</c>. As I recall, you can make every letter a different color, or italic or bold. They even fixed an OC problem were you couldn't back up the cursor if you screwed up the name. Also you get the opportunity to rename your item each time you add an enchantment.

 

I was also quickly introduced to the other features, that, I guess, the game will feature. Firstly, I got XP for having a vision (a flashback to PS:T, I suppose), and secondly, I got a huge amount of influence (+6) with the first companion from one simple conversation option of liking her familiar. It's different from the OC, when the max you could shift the influence with the companion per dialogue option was 3, or so I've seen.

 

You can gain influence fast with some of your companions. 11 or more? at a times. Some take a little longer.

 

I am not sure why so many male players complain about Saffya being a romantic interest. She looks pretty exotic and attractive, is a human, has a non-irritating voice and a decent dialogue so far, without any sort of obvious character flaws.

 

Anyway, quite a promissing start, I think.

 

Haven't delved into Safiya's "issue" much, yet, but IMO, she is probably one of the most sane companions I can remember having in one of these types of cRPGs (well except the ones I rolled up myself and brought along with me). I not sure about attractive, bald isn't to my preference, but non-irritating voice, decent dialogue, and her confidence (matter of fact as an archmage should be, without being over the top) are big pluses.

 

Definitely a promising start

[Bri]

I didn't mind the MotB, but I admit I didn't exactly see it as a must by right away.

 

The first bit is the 'added' material. There were two new classes, Favored Soul, and Spirit Shaman.

 

The Favored Soul uses clerical spells, but accesses them as a Sorcerer would theirs, with a few added weapon proficiencies (the game assigned 'chosen' weapons to all the deities, and the Pure Soul would get different proficiencies in this category). So you get a couple more spells per day but you don't have as wide a range as a normal cleric would.

 

The Spirit Shaman uses Druid spells in a similar vein as a Sorcerer and Favored Soul, and gets a few other special abilities based on their 'spirit' connection...but I honestly didn't notice this too much in play.

 

The one result of this is I can't really say I was impressed by either class, and almost wished they put more effort into other areas.

 

The prestige classes were a little better. I admit I did like the Arcane Scholar of Candlekeep, since the feats improved the 'meta' feats one may have...such as Improved Quicken (which lowers the level necessary to use Quicken spells), Improved Empower, etc.

 

Red Wizard of Thay is another spellcaster Prestige Class. It basically grants more bonuses for one who specializes in a class of magic, but at the expense of losing access to another class of magic. I didn't really find this worthwhile...

 

The Sacred Fist is almost monk light. Available to those who cast divine spells, it gives the unarmed combat abilities and speed of the monk, but at the cost of the using weapons (and it doesn't touch the other monk abilities).

 

Stormlord allows a divine spellcaster to wield thunder and lightning as weapons, as well as eventual immunity to electricity.

 

Invisible Blade are warriors who have access to powerful abilities to make up for the fact they can only use a kukri or dagger. I personally found it worked best with a weapon master (dagger) if one really went in for that thing.

 

This supplement also introduces Epic Feats into the mix. They are pretty similar to what they were in NWN 1...you can increase abilities, gain epic spells, etc, all of which reflect the power your character would possess.

 

As for the game itself...well, MotB did make my system run smoother than it was doing before, though this is one of those instances where one's computer will respond differently.

 

However, I really wish they would not have messed with the camera system like they did.

 

As has been already mentioned by others, the characters in the MotB actually were more detailed, but then again there were fewer of them. Of course whether one actually likes their party members will be dependent on what you like...

 

Ugh, and I didn't care for how the story starts your character off. Much too forced for my tastes, but it works for the story...

 

A very nice touch is that they allow you to name the enchanted weapon. Since I never tried it in the OC, I don't know if the option was available, so I was very impressed. Of course, I couldn't resist to name my freshly enchanted Rapier the Needle.

 

Yep, you could rename your weapon in the OC as well Domi. Additionally, if you used some html stuff, you could change the color of the weapon's name, and whatnot...

 

Also, for the new subraces, they really should have allowed more heads/hairstyles...boils down to the fact I like personalizing my character's appearance more than they allow.

 

Finally, once you beat this game the first time, you will probably find yourself racing through it quite fast the next time you play it...I know I finished a second round in about 6-7 hours...