[Togglemeister]

Macworld gave this game 3.5 / 5.0 mice review. http://www.macworld....1/eschalon.html
I purchased this game from the macgamestore. I like it so far as a simple RPG.
Your character starts off with nothing on his back (except a knife) and with a lost memory. You must talk to townspeople to get some of your old gold and stuff back.
One thing I dislike about the game is the lack of onscreen compass. Sure you have bought the map and viewed it but your online screen has your world tilted. This is rather annoying. However I don't know if the cartography skill would have helped on this sense of direction.
Another disappointment is that your character moves slower in town than out in the world.
If you save every few minutes before you come upon a chest (open it) and then restart you get different treasure each time. Sure its kindof cheating but it makes it interesting.
I'll give you more feedback as the more I play (Digital Audio Tower, sonnet encore 1.4 ghz upgrade, 128 mb 9800 ati (AGP), 10.4.11)

[the Battle Cat]

You have an on screen compass of sorts, directions anyway. You can turn it on and off in your options.

I really really liked Eschalon, played it through 4 times in a row.

[Togglemeister]

Thanks Battlecat I found the option for the compass.
I found a new strategy against the Thugs. I lure one out, run away a bit, then pick at him with arrows.
When my character made it to level 2, I dumped points in Dex, Speed, and Concentration. My STR is already 16. My beginning stats were like 98 points total.
He's a ranger/thief I guess you can say. I wield a sword and bow with a few magical items.
Oh, if you are 50 points from leveling and you know you will level after killing the monster don't waste using potions to heal yourself because once you gain a level your hit points are maxed out / full.

[the Battle Cat]

Don't waste any level up points on cartography. You can buy lessons from a man in the first inhabited town in the inn, and later in a book. You might also want to learn alchemy, I found that very helpful. Once you get 15 alchemy you can create extremely powerful armor and weapons. If you are going to do that then you should save all the spider webs and mercury you find, you'll need a lot of it if you are to imbue your armor and weapons as you progress. I focused on swords, bows, priest, mage skills. I was sort of a paladin/mage/rogue. Once you can bless your fight you will not want to fight without a blessing. It is very powerful in this game. And yes, stand back and use your bow as much as you can. You can outrun almost everything in the game, use that. I also carried around a small hammer to bash open things, you will break anything else you try to smash with.

[Togglemeister]

Even using the compass and directional signs I still can't find Grimmhold (a town right?)

[Jude]

You can break things open with one point in Unarmed Combat, and then you don't have to worry about breaking weapons. Sometimes bashing takes forever, it seems, though.

Can't remember how to get to Grimmhold unless that was the one that went through a little gap in the forest? Or was it the one that you found after clearing out the goblin barracks area and going down a ladder?

Jude

[the Battle Cat]

Togglemeister, on June 9th 2008, 12:10 PM, said:

Even using the compass and directional signs I still can't find Grimmhold (a town right?)

It is an old abandoned location above where you started in the game, now with monsters. There will be a touch stone there for quick travel. Bashing things in unarmed combat makes your health go down.

[Togglemeister]

What other towns are available on the map? I'm currently traveling along the coast towards the Tangletree Osuary (towards the Barren area). The other town where I started from is so far away at this point. I have stockpiled with arrows, over 100 of them. I also need a new selection of armor in the next shop. There are too many weapons, armor, etc that I have sold in the other town!

[Jude]

the Battle Cat, on June 9th 2008, 07:50 PM, said:

It is an old abandoned location above where you started in the game, now with monsters. There will be a touch stone there for quick travel. Bashing things in unarmed combat makes your health go down.

I never noticed that. Maybe I've just been lucky... Your health may go down when you open (or bash) a poisoned or trapped chest, though.

Jude

[Togglemeister]

Okay I finally ran into Blackwater but I had to dodge several monsters through at least 1 map sections to get there.

Another annoying thing about the game that I noticed is that the blacksmiths inventory does not change when you go off map and come back. Your old items are still there and new ones aren't there either.

[Jude]

Togglemeister, on June 10th 2008, 05:18 AM, said:

Okay I finally ran into Blackwater but I had to dodge several monsters through at least 1 map sections to get there.

Another annoying thing about the game that I noticed is that the blacksmiths inventory does not change when you go off map and come back. Your old items are still there and new ones aren't there either.

Shopkeepers' stock does change, but very slowly. Don't count on something particular still being there later!

Jude

[the Battle Cat]

Togglemeister, on June 9th 2008, 05:33 PM, said:

What other towns are available on the map? I'm currently traveling along the coast towards the Tangletree Osuary (towards the Barren area). The other town where I started from is so far away at this point. I have stockpiled with arrows, over 100 of them. I also need a new selection of armor in the next shop. There are too many weapons, armor, etc that I have sold in the other town!

Tangletree Ossuary is a pretty desolate and out of the way area. It's a good place to reach for a quick travel if you plan on collecting protoplasm, and there is a very good bow there. I always tried to reach Bordertown as soon as I could, they have better stuff than Aridell. You took the "back route" through Tangletree to Blackwater. Interesting. I think Blackwater has the best stuff. If I remember right, those are the only 3 towns with shops.

Togglemeister, on June 10th 2008, 02:18 AM, said:

Okay I finally ran into Blackwater but I had to dodge several monsters through at least 1 map sections to get there.

Another annoying thing about the game that I noticed is that the blacksmiths inventory does not change when you go off map and come back. Your old items are still there and new ones aren't there either.

What Jude said.

[Togglemeister]

Thugs so far, have the highest percentage of dropping items. I am so far level 5.

[the Battle Cat]

Togglemeister, on June 12th 2008, 01:52 AM, said:

Thugs so far, have the highest percentage of dropping items. I am so far level 5.

Yeah, thugs drop good loot. I wish they would randomly respawn, at least in one area.

[Togglemeister]

I cheated again by saving right before the thug would die when it had very little health. Then I would keep on doing this until he would drop some loot. Once the loot icon would pop on the screen I would save. Each time I clicked on the loot it would give me random items. I would keep reloading the game til I got a loot that I liked!
I saved the game right before I would check out the blacksmiths inventory. His inventory would randomly change too as well.

[the Battle Cat]

I spent a LOT of time restoring a save to get better loot. A LOT of time!

[Togglemeister]

the Battle Cat, on June 12th 2008, 11:48 AM, said:

I spent a LOT of time restoring a save to get better loot. A LOT of time!

I guess I wasn't the only one.

[Eric5h5]

What a couple of cheaters! I'm not letting either of you anywhere near my loot!

--Eric

[the Battle Cat]

::Battle Cat saves then casts Entangle on Eric. On himself he casts Invisibility, Haste, and Enkindled Weapon then dispatches Eric with arrows as he walks in place. Once Eric dies with a Thug cry and drops his loot, Battle Cat saves again::

K, lets split up Eric's loot! Lemme see, bologna, bologna, bologna, bologna, a condom so old the wrapper is worn open, more bologna, a coupon to Bed, Bath and Beyond, and a fez. Well crap.

::Battle Cat restores from last save::

Bologna, bologna, bologna, bologna, bologna, bologna, bologna, bologna, bologna, bologna.

::Battle Cat restores from last save::

A snapshot of Michael Jackson, bologna.

::Battle Cat restores from last save::

Nothing

::Battle Cat restores from last save::

Bologna, dog hair, bologna, fez.

::Battle Cat restores from last save::

1 Coin, fez, dog hair.

::Battle Cat restores from last save::

Bologna, scotch tape, dog hair.

::Battle Cat restores from last save::

Bologna, bologna, bologna, bologna, bologna, bologna, bologna, bologna, bologna, bologna.

::Battle Cat restores from last save::

Dog hair, lint, bologna.

::Battle Cat restores from last save::

Lint.

Damn, should have saved after I got the coin!

[Kilvain]

the Battle Cat, on June 9th 2008, 03:50 PM, said:

Bashing things in unarmed combat makes your health go down.

If you have at least one point in Unarmed Combat skill you don't take any damage from bashing locked chests and doors. With no skill you take damage. It is, of course, far more satisfying to just blow them to splinters with a Fireball or Fire Dart spell.