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Other Projects => Other Games => Topic started by: scriver on March 22, 2012, 12:42:45 pm

Title: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: scriver on March 22, 2012, 12:42:45 pm
(http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/4274/mazinillustration.jpg)

Yes, it has come. After many years of waiting, we finally have a real demo.

For those of you who doesn't know, Age of Decadence is an RPG developed by the indie company "Iron Tower Studio" (who's staff is also heavily involved with DoubleBear Productions (http://www.doublebearproductions.com/) and their Dead State zombie RPG), who seeks to bring some of that old school, turn-based, choice and consequence feel back into modern RPG:s. Age of Decadence takes place in a low-fantasy post-apocalyptic Iron Age setting inspired by the fall of the Roman Empire, where the world has dried up, the empire has shattered, and the people are scrambling to survive in what ruins remain of their former glory.

Noticable features is very challenging turn based combat, well as a focus on non-combat ways to solve quests and progress the game. In AoD, all skills matter, and all choices have consequences. Consider that a challenge.

Read more about the game on the wiki page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_decadence), or for more extensive insight the forum itself (http://www.irontowerstudio.com/forum/index.php?board=1.0).

As I finish this, it seems people have already used up all the bandwidth for the site it was originally published on. I'll keep an eye out for new links that'll probably show up soon (as well as torrents), but I'll probably be a bit distracted considering I was one of those lucky enough to snag the file before it went down There are now links to the demo in the post below.

If you visit the site, however, remember that the "Combat Demo" is just an outdated combat simulator they released to let the public try out their combat mechanics and different builds, and not the full demo.
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness! With links!
Post by: scriver on March 22, 2012, 12:45:40 pm
Finding the Demo:
The release gold-rush thread (http://www.irontowerstudio.com/forum/index.php/topic,2489.0.html), where new download sites will probably be posted.

Official Download (https://rapidshare.com/files/2722160238/AoD_Public_Beta.exe)

Other download links. (http://www.irontowerstudio.com/forum/index.php/topic,2488.0.html)


Screenshots (Might be a bit large):

Spoiler: Starting the Game - Exposition and Jokes (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: The Character Sheet (click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: Darvi on March 22, 2012, 01:03:38 pm
Turn based RPG? that alone makes it worth a shot.
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: The Merchant Of Menace on March 22, 2012, 01:08:56 pm
Holy shit, a thing that can run on my toaster.
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: Dutchling on March 22, 2012, 01:09:18 pm
I hate it when people use the same abbreviation for different games. AoD will always be Arsenal of Democracy for me :P.

This looks a whole lot more awesome than AoD though. I'll definitely give it a try.
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: Aklyon on March 22, 2012, 01:09:32 pm
I don't need more stuff on here, theres barely enough space to keep defrag from complaining already. But it looks awesome.
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: fqllve on March 22, 2012, 01:12:02 pm
When I saw how long it was between this and the combat demo I didn't really have high hopes for a timely release, but looking at the download links, this is actually an open beta? Maybe we'll see the full game before the end of the year.
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: scriver on March 22, 2012, 01:14:11 pm
Hehe, it's been in production for a whole, whole lot of years.

Most of the info and screenshots on their main site seems rather outdated too, though. I'm going to try to remember to post my own screenshots in here as I go.

Spoiler: Starting up! (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Meet the Character Sheet Guy (click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: Johuotar on March 22, 2012, 01:34:45 pm
Bored. Heard its cool, DL:ing now. Judgement later. Thank you.
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: Dutchling on March 22, 2012, 02:11:19 pm
The Praetor class is basically the kind of character I always try to play, and this is one of the few games with the appropriate class so that's a plus.
The thing I really do not like about the game is that you have to read a whole lot of useless text like what kind of hair that bald guy used to have or how his lips are actually quite creepy.



Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: Johuotar on March 22, 2012, 02:41:59 pm
Wait hah, I DL:ed the outdated combat demo. That explains the shoddy feeling it had. Gotta try the real thing.
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: Frumple on March 22, 2012, 02:51:15 pm
Specs too high. Poor computer says "Ahahaha no I'mma' chug wit' dis. Also CPU going to go 100%, hope you can stand heat." Looked interesting up until it hit the actual game world and became nonfunctional, though :P

Gonna' seed it for a while, at least.
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: Drago55577 on March 22, 2012, 03:26:10 pm
Il DL when I get a gaming pc. And install 50+ games
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: gogis on March 22, 2012, 04:35:59 pm
Ok, we waited age for ages.
Who tried it, how deep is existing content?
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: inEQUALITY on March 22, 2012, 07:41:40 pm
Quote from: Frumple on March 22, 2012, 02:51:15 pm
Specs too high. Poor computer says "Ahahaha no I'mma' chug wit' dis. Also CPU going to go 100%, hope you can stand heat." Looked interesting up until it hit the actual game world and became nonfunctional, though :P

Gonna' seed it for a while, at least.

How old is your rig? Mine's 6 years old and is miles above the specs given on the FAQ. I'm DLing now and trying it out, to see if I have the same problems. It seems really interesting.
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: Frumple on March 22, 2012, 07:56:48 pm
I'd guess around five years, maybe a bit more. Got it a bit used from a friend, a few years ago. Earliest files I'm seeing in the system directory is from '04 but... near as I can tell, the model was first sold in '07.

Anyway, it's a laptop, thus shittyshitty hardware, especially the video card. Stats all clear the recommended specs on the faq, but...

Game runs fine and spiffy until I actually hit the in-game stuff where you're moving around, et al, at which point there's vicious chug going down. CPU's probably a little weak (~2 ghz) for it, too.
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: fenrif on March 22, 2012, 09:23:47 pm
Just played a run through as an axe wielding mercenary. I'm really enjoying all the random little events that go off as you're walking around town. Looks like theres a few ways to deal with most of them depending on your skills/stats and such. Combat is incredibly vicious and it's probobly the first game I've played in a long time where picking a fight is something you have to seriously consider. (of course I could just suck at the combat :P). Think I might have to get this when it comes out!
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: nenjin on March 23, 2012, 10:21:37 am
So I gave the demo about 20 to 30 minutes before bed last night.

#1 - It's impossible to see what your character looks like when you're designing them.

#2 - This is a lot like a CYOA mixed into a TBS RPG. So if you don't like reading a lot of descriptive text, it's not for you.

#3 - Combat looks and seems brutal. I don't know if I'm super wild about the targeted attacks (because it still comes down a generalized HP system) but it still seems pretty solid.

#4 - Pretty solid production values all around.

If the price is right at release, I think I'll be happy to buy this.
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: Frumple on March 23, 2012, 10:33:30 am
FAQ's saying 25 USD for a download, 50+shipping for a box (I.e. CD, some misc. junk, and download access).
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: nenjin on March 23, 2012, 10:42:02 am
The price is a lil steep to me given the game at hand, but I think it's still mostly reasonable. AoD kind of has a M&B Beta feel to me at this point in time.
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: fenrif on March 23, 2012, 11:14:32 am
I can see what my character looks like? Do you mean at char-gen? You get a little box near where you pick his face, beard and hair and stuff. It even changes his clothes based on what profession you pick.
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: Virtz on March 23, 2012, 12:10:10 pm
I think he means at higher resolutions. It's a common complaint right now that at high resolutions some of the graphics, particularly the fonts, don't adjust well enough. Chargen preview included.
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: nenjin on March 23, 2012, 01:52:21 pm
Quote from: Virtz on March 23, 2012, 12:10:10 pm
I think he means at higher resolutions. It's a common complaint right now that at high resolutions some of the graphics, particularly the fonts, don't adjust well enough. Chargen preview included.

Yeah, the chargen preview is too small at 1280x1024, and it seems fairly dark. Like, if I don't have hair color set to blond, I can't see shit.
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: Dariush on March 23, 2012, 02:58:24 pm
Extremely slow and stupid hack-at-each-other-until-one-dies combat (which is nigh impossible to boot), strange dialogues (okay, so I came in a tavern to see a trader sell something and then came back... why?), extreme railroading (why can't I lie about anything?!), pointless segments of manually walking for like two metres... Remind me again, why exactly there's such a hype for this piece of shit?
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: Tnx on March 23, 2012, 03:05:22 pm
After starting and restarting as the mercenary 10ish times to kill the assassin, its pretty much IMPOSSIBLE to do so.  Even when I take out all my charisma and intelligence to buff up accuracy JUST FOR THAT FIGHT it's still impossible.  Did they make that fight impossible on purpose?
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: Virtz on March 23, 2012, 04:01:37 pm
Quote from: Tnx on March 23, 2012, 03:05:22 pm
After starting and restarting as the mercenary 10ish times to kill the assassin, its pretty much IMPOSSIBLE to do so.  Even when I take out all my charisma and intelligence to buff up accuracy JUST FOR THAT FIGHT it's still impossible.  Did they make that fight impossible on purpose?
It is possible. I think I did it by throwing all my skill points into critical, cause that not only helps you do criticals, it also helps defend against them, and the assassin relies on those to get past your armour. I guess I sacrificed charisma for one agility as well. Also, use the first round of combat to put on your helm and let him come up to you.

Basically, in this game, combat is possible, but usually not the best solution. Definately not the easiest one. And in this situation, you're not really "supposed" to win against the assassin in combat since he's a trained killer and you're some tavern thug for hire. Playing as the assassin, this fight is considerably easier, I think.
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: The Merchant Of Menace on March 23, 2012, 04:05:33 pm
Nah, he'll rip you a new asshole if you're playing as the assassin and don't manage to instakill him via dialogue
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: Virtz on March 23, 2012, 04:07:17 pm
Quote from: The Merchant Of Menace on March 23, 2012, 04:05:33 pm
Nah, he'll rip you a new asshole if you're playing as the assassin and don't manage to instakill him via dialogue
Come to think of it, you're right. I did use that option. Though he didn't die immediately, I still had to fight him a bit.
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: The Merchant Of Menace on March 23, 2012, 06:08:51 pm
Yeah, I tried to diplomacy it, he killed me in about 5 hits, dodging nearly every one of mine.

Still, the game looks like it's gonna be fun, I can live without killing everything that moves....
What did I just say D:
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: scriver on March 23, 2012, 06:58:57 pm
Quote from: Dariush on March 23, 2012, 02:58:24 pm
Extremely slow and stupid hack-at-each-other-until-one-dies combat (which is nigh impossible to boot)

It's not an epic action-RPG, you're not supposed to blaze through it killing hundreds of mooks and monsters like a demi-god. It's supposed to be hard, and it's supposed to make you think twice before you choose to take the violent route (especially if the odds are against you). Your character isn't any Chosen One, and you have to put some thought into your stat placement and combat tactics if you're going to play a combat build. What were you trying to play as, and where did you put your points?


Quote
strange dialogues (okay, so I came in a tavern to see a trader sell something and then came back... why?)

Think of it as narrative, not just as dialogue. I'm also not sure what you didn't understand about that situation, it was very clear to me - Merchant X gets killed in the inn, the Innkeeper decides to sell of X's merchandise as he no longer need it, you go off to Fence and sell it, then head back to the inn.


Quote
extreme railroading (why can't I lie about anything?!)

The devs chose to include as little (in their mind pointless) filler dialogue as possible as they thought having three ways to say the same thing was a waste of both their resources and player time. It's been one of the things the closed beta testers have criticised the most, and I partly agree, but to what extent remains to be seen as I haven't had time to play much yet.

Also, you can lie whenever it's reasonable to do so, if you have the right skills for it. Don't expect to be a silver tongued magnificent bastard if you've but all your points towards combat.


Quote
remind me again, why exactly there's such a hype for this piece of shit?

Because not all people like the same things, and this was never marketed to a casual crowd.


Quote from: Tnx on March 23, 2012, 03:05:22 pm
After starting and restarting as the mercenary 10ish times to kill the assassin, its pretty much IMPOSSIBLE to do so.  Even when I take out all my charisma and intelligence to buff up accuracy JUST FOR THAT FIGHT it's still impossible.  Did they make that fight impossible on purpose?

It's not impossible, I managed to do it myself on my third-ish try, and that with a character that sacrificed both endurance and strength for perception and intelligence (combat skills was Dodge and Swords, but I also wanted a Streetwise touch to my mercenary). But then again, I played and finished the combat demo several times, so I have some prior experience.

There is always the option to stand down, though. There's not much point to fighting him either, you already failed to protect the merchant and you'll just end up hurt when you might need your health later, and while I haven't gotten very far yet making enemies with the Boatmen might have unfortunate consequences later.
Title: Re: Age of Decadence Demo finally released! Indie TB RPG goodness!
Post by: Azthor on March 24, 2012, 12:11:36 am
Mercenary
STR: 10
DEX: 8
CON: 6
PER: 8

Put all your SP during the character creation in Swords. When prompted on wheter to engage the assassin, choose Fight then walk within two tiles of distance of him, then end the turn; he will rush you, power attack him twice a turn and you will emerge victorious the vast majority of the times.