Will there be a sequal to ToEE?

[johnsemlak]

I remember Gary Gygax mentioning somewhere that there were plans for computer games that would follow ToEE, possibly based on other classic Greyhawk modules. Anyone know if these plans will materialize?

 

[Swiftbrook]

I believe the sequence went as follows:

Temple of Elemental Evil (T1-4)
Against the Slave Lords (A1-4)
Queen of the Spiders (GDQ1-7)

That's if you're talking about modules. If you're talking about novels .....

-Swiftbrook

 

[johnsemlak]

That's if you're talking about modules. If you're talking about novels .....

Sorry, just to clarify, I'm talking about computer games.

 

[Squire James]

One of the really bad things about releasing an unfinished game is this: it can kill the game's sales, and thus poison-pill any sequel that might be in the works. Unless ToEE makes a glorious comeback and generates a bunch of money, no sequel. Heck, there's no guarantee the Developer will even exist one year from now these days!

 

[Wonko the Sane]

One of the really bad things about releasing an unfinished game is this: it can kill the game's sales, and thus poison-pill any sequel that might be in the works. Unless ToEE makes a glorious comeback and generates a bunch of money, no sequel. Heck, there's no guarantee the Developer will even exist one year from now these days!

...which is a shame, considering that IMHO, ToEE was an almost spot-on representation of the 3.5 Edition rules.

I really don't get what it was that people hated about this game anyways. :/

 

[Lord Foul]

I remember Gary Gygax mentioning somewhere that there were plans for computer games that would follow ToEE, possibly based on other classic Greyhawk modules. Anyone know if these plans will materialize?

I hope not. Unless they make the next one 10 times better, I will not buy it. The main reason I bought it was for the nostalgia factor.

 

[Lord Foul]

...which is a shame, considering that IMHO, ToEE was an almost spot-on representation of the 3.5 Edition rules.

That was one of the few bright spots of the game. IIRC It followed the rules really well.

 

[mattcolville]

I very seriously doubt we'll see a sequel in the traditional sense. Meaning a game designed by the same folks that follows the first game.

I don't think Troika will be let anywhere near the property for some time. I suspect Atari may conn someone else into accepting a deal as bad as Troika had, in which case we may see another game possibly using the same engine, but I doubt it.

 

[WizarDru]

...which is a shame, considering that IMHO, ToEE was an almost spot-on representation of the 3.5 Edition rules.

I really don't get what it was that people hated about this game anyways. :/

Then you obviously never encounterd many of the game-stopping bugs that the game shipped with. Little things, like periodically crashing to desktop with no warning, crashing whenever you looked at the overland map, constantly corrupted save games or not being able to USE A MOUSE. I didn't hear about those, I LIVED THEM. How about a silence spell that NEVER WEARS OFF? Atari's atrocious support (and steadfast refusal to pay Troika to work on a patch...for pay, at least) meant that a group of fans calling themselve the Circle of Eight managed to get a bugfix out sooner than the company. Atari clearly wanted the game out, bugs or not, features or not. That's why there was no gamma control in the actual game, presumably, and no one had fixed the memory leak problem. Switching out to the windows video panel while the game was running (and thus let you see the effects of the change) would cause a crash.

ToEE was a great game, IF you could get it to run, and keep it running. For many, the frustration factor was just too high.

 

[Dark Jezter]

The high point of ToEE was the combat system, which was a near-complete conversion of the 3.5e ruleset to computer game format and was very fun to play with. Unfortunately, the game suffered from countless crippling bugs, bad writing, bad voice acting, a boring storyline, badly-needed features that were removed due to time/budget constraints, etc. It wasn't until the Circle of Eight started releasing fan-made patches that the game really became playable.

By that time, however, the damage had already been done and ToEE had already been panned by reviewers and players as buggy and incomplete. I would be really surprised if a ToEE sequel were to ever be made.

Atari's atrocious support (and steadfast refusal to pay Troika to work on a patch...for pay, at least) meant that a group of fans calling themselve the Circle of Eight managed to get a bugfix out sooner than the company. Atari clearly wanted the game out, bugs or not, features or not.

The way I heard it, Troika agreed to have ToEE out by a certain time and within a set budget. When the deadline came, Troika basically said "We need more time and money," despite the fact that they'd agreed to have the game finished by then. Atari refused, and as a result ToEE was released in an unfinished state.

This is all second-hand knowledge, though. But based on what I've heard, it looks like Troika is just as much to blame as Atari is.