Search/Recent Changes
DBTropes
...it's like TV Tropes, but LINKED DATA!

Gold Box (Video Game)

 Gold Box (Video Game)
type
TVTItem
 Gold Box (Video Game)
label
Gold Box (Video Game)
 Gold Box (Video Game)
page
GoldBox
 Gold Box (Video Game)
comment
The SSI Gold Box games were a fondly remembered series of computer RPGs produced by SSI, based on the first edition Dungeons & Dragons license. They were not the first D&D licensed games, but they were the first to appear in the 16 bit era, when home computers got sophisticated enough to implement substantial chunks of the game system. Their name comes from the distinctive gold-colored cardboard box that most of them came in, and plays on the D&D custom of referring to individual editions by their respective packaging colors (e.g. the very first one was the "white box", the second was the "blue box", etc.). The Gold Box itself was succeeded by SSI's "Black Box" series, better known as Eye of the Beholder.The games were based on variations of the same engine and took place in a first person dungeon/city (with some games having an overworld map). Battles were turn-based and happened on a square grid.The games were collected at various times, the most recent being the Forgotten Realms Archives in 1997, which includes the five Pool of Radiance games and the two main Savage Frontier games, along with other Forgotten Realms-based games. Playing them on modern computers generally requires DOSBox or other emulation software.The Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance Gold Box games are currently available on GOG.comnote as Forgotten Realms: The Archives - Collection Two and The Krynn Series respectively, with all the "get 25-year-old DOS games to run smoothly and properly on modern comps" fiddling already taken care of.Games in the series include: Pool of Radiance series (based on the Forgotten Realms): Pool of Radiance (the original version) (1988) Hillsfar (a spinoff used to boost character stats) Curse of the Azure Bonds (1989) (based on The Finder's Stone Trilogy) Secret of the Silver Blades (1990) Pools of Darkness (1991) Savage Frontier series: Gateway to the Savage Frontier (1991) Treasures of the Savage Frontier (1992) Neverwinter Nights (1991) (not to be confused with the BioWare game) Dragonlance series: Champions of Krynn (1990) Death Knights of Krynn (1991) The Dark Queen of Krynn (1992) Spelljammer: Pirates of Realmspace (1992) Buck Rogers XXVC series: (Lorraine Williams, owner of TSR at the time, inherited the rights to Buck Rogers, leading to a lot of promotion of TSR's products based on their versions of the franchise.) Countdown to Doomsday (1990) Matrix Cubed (1992) And Unlimited Adventures (1993), which is a Game Maker to create games in this style.
 Gold Box (Video Game)
fetched
2023-11-09T17:00:23Z
 Gold Box (Video Game)
parsed
2023-11-09T17:00:23Z
 Gold Box (Video Game)
processingComment
Dropped link to Wizards: Not a Feature - ITEM
 Gold Box (Video Game)
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_127027b1
type
Shop Fodder
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_127027b1
comment
Shop Fodder: Occasionally you'll find items like tapestries and braziers in treasure piles that can be picked up and sold (although generally not for a lot).
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_127027b1
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_127027b1
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_127027b1
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_127fc252
type
Creator Cameo
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_127fc252
comment
Creator Cameo: Dave's Challenge most likely refers to Dave Shelley, one of the Game Developers.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_127fc252
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_127fc252
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_127fc252
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_13d2ffe1
type
Humanity Is Superior
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_13d2ffe1
comment
Humanity Is Superior: Being based on the 1st edition D&D rules, non-human character races (elves, dwarves, etc.) suffer from this greatly. While human PCs can select all available classes and achieve maximum levels in them, non-human races are very limited in their choices. Dwarves, gnomes, and halflings can only choose fighter and thief, elves can also be magic-users, and half-elves - because they're half human by definition - can select all classes except paladin. Still, with the exception of the thief class, non-humans also suffer severe racial level caps that stop their progression dead in their tracks while still in the single digit levels. While that's not much of a problem in the first game in the Pool of Radiance series, because the overall level cap is also still in the single digit range, it basically renders non-humans pointless in the rest of the series where humans can reach up to 40th level. The Savage Frontier series also suffers from this, but - since the overall level cap is far lower - not as severely as in the Pool of Radiance series. Partially averted in the Dragonlance series which uses the character advancement rules from the Dragonlance campaign setting. It grants non-human races access to more classes, and also removes the racial level cap on many of them. However, humans still remain the only race that can reach the maximum level in all classes. Fully averted in the Buck Rogers games, which did away with racial level caps altogether — if a race can select any given class, it can attain the maximum level in it. Likewise, only two of the six available races don't have access to all classes.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_13d2ffe1
featureApplicability
-1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_13d2ffe1
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_13d2ffe1
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_1a2dc1fd
type
Mission-Pack Sequel
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_1a2dc1fd
comment
Mission-Pack Sequel
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_1a2dc1fd
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_1a2dc1fd
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_1a2dc1fd
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_1c805a42
type
Bag of Sharing
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_1c805a42
comment
Bag of Sharing: The city vault in Secret of the Silver Blades is an interesting example: its contents are saved in its own file independent of any game save. This means that the contents of the vault are shared throughout any and all playthroughs of the game. This means that a newly created party just starting out might find treasures left behind from a previous playthrough of the game.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_1c805a42
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_1c805a42
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_1c805a42
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_23a0a0d0
type
Dragon Their Feet
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_23a0a0d0
comment
Dragon Their Feet: If you kill Dracandros but didn't defeat the Dracolich, he will attack you soon after leaving the village.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_23a0a0d0
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_23a0a0d0
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_23a0a0d0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_23cb7c45
type
So Long, and Thanks for All the Gear
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_23cb7c45
comment
So Long, and Thanks for All the Gear: A rather instantaneous version: temporary NPCs who join the party can be given items, but items in their inventory cannot be given to anyone else. Any equipment given to them cannot be recovered. Secret of the Silver Blades offers a (likely unintended) exception: Vala's equipment can be "deposited" in the city vault and retrieved by a player-controlled character. Gear can also be recovered from a character who is knocked unconscious or killed.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_23cb7c45
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_23cb7c45
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_23cb7c45
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_2639f6eb
type
Status Effects
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_2639f6eb
comment
Status Effects: Some variants. Poison kills you outright instead of regularly losing HP, but you can still get paralyzed, charmed, or blinded.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_2639f6eb
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_2639f6eb
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_2639f6eb
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_28104b90
type
Bag of Spilling
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_28104b90
comment
Subverted in Gateway to the Savage Frontier. The dialogue suggested a Bag of Spilling event occured, but it was the first game of that trilogy.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_28104b90
featureApplicability
-0.3
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_28104b90
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_28104b90
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_29320413
type
Faux First-Person 3D
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_29320413
comment
Faux First Person 3D: All the town and dungeon segments are portrayed this way.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_29320413
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_29320413
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_29320413
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_2dc726c8
type
Gold–Silver–Copper Standard
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_2dc726c8
comment
Gold–Silver–Copper Standard: The games held to this, but included encumbrance without auto-conversion (meaning if you found 50 silver pieces, they remained 50 silver pieces that weighed 5 pounds until you spent them). The ultimate expression of this was the 50,000-copper piece hoard that made up the bulk of a kobold tribe's treasure in Pool of Radiance. At the standard weight of 10 coins/pound, that equaled two-and-a-half tons of copper; good luck getting it back to Phlan! By Pools of Darkness, however, you would keep most of your wealth in gems, jewelry, and magic items (while using platinum pieces as petty cash).
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_2dc726c8
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_2dc726c8
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_2dc726c8
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_31eeddc8
type
Level Scaling
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_31eeddc8
comment
Level Scaling: Many of the random encounters in Pool of Radiance contain more enemies for higher level parties. Not so much Level Scaling as Power Scaling as the game engine determines the party's power not only via the characters' levels, but also their attribute scores. Many players (ab)used the option to modify their characters' attribute scores (which was intended to allow players to re-create characters from pen-and-paper sessions) to set all attributes to their maximum scores, which in turn can and will lead to battles that border on Nintendo Hard due to the party being vastly outnumbered. Once particular battle early in Pool of Radiance can result in the party - which will be around 2nd or 3rd character levels if the player takes on this quest as soon as it's available - facing upwards of 50 hobgoblins at once.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_31eeddc8
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_31eeddc8
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_31eeddc8
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_323f135b
type
Sorting Algorithm of Evil
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_323f135b
comment
Sorting Algorithm of Evil: Averted in more free-form games like Pool of Radiance, more played straight in more railroad-ish games like Champions of Krynn.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_323f135b
featureApplicability
-1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_323f135b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_323f135b
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_3273ebb9
type
Cut-and-Paste Environments
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_3273ebb9
comment
Cut and Paste Environments: Extensively present in Secret of the Silver Blades. Also present in Curse of the Azure Bonds in the optional extra dungeons.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_3273ebb9
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_3273ebb9
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_3273ebb9
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_3441859b
type
Rank Scales with Asskicking
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_3441859b
comment
Rank Scales with Asskicking: The final bosses in each game tend to be the hardest fought encounters and for good reason, usually having AC well into the negatives and having strong weapons.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_3441859b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_3441859b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_3441859b
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_34ffa400
type
Bonus Dungeon
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_34ffa400
comment
In the Bonus Dungeon "Dave's Challenge" in Pools of Darkness, there's a hidden room with a glowing...thing. It asks for the magic word, which is apparently "Oh, Well" (comma included) massively increases your experience. But...this is the last game, and the hardest challenge; making it a Bragging Rights Award. (Although technically, through save abuse if you have a save there you can max out new characters if you replay the game.)
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_34ffa400
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_34ffa400
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_34ffa400
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_3ac5110b
type
Unintentionally Unwinnable
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_3ac5110b
comment
Unintentionally Unwinnable: In Pool of Radiance one of the monster areas is barricaded behind a massive locked gate. To continue the main story requires you to unlock that gate, but thief lockpicking is ineffective to open it and the gate is too resistant to bash through even with 18/00 strength. The only option that works is the Knock spell which only magic-users can learn and only a a level-up option as there are no Knock scrolls anywhere in the game. Hope your magic-user picked that spell during a level up!
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_3ac5110b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_3ac5110b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_3ac5110b
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_40cbee83
type
Wretched Hive
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_40cbee83
comment
Wretched Hive: Phlan starts out like this at the start of Pools of Radiance, but after clearing it out block by block, as well as dealing with all sorts of monsters and villains throughout the series does the city well and finally get some much needed peace. World Half Full
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_40cbee83
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_40cbee83
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_40cbee83
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_411a35bd
type
Body Surf
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_411a35bd
comment
Body Surf: Tyranthraxus twice. Once to a bronze dragon, the next time to a storm giant.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_411a35bd
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_411a35bd
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_411a35bd
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_4156b553
type
Copy Protection
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_4156b553
comment
Traveling between overworld areas in Curse of the Azure Bonds would have your characters randomly come across an old man, standing in front of a bridge across a deep chasm, who asked three questions; failing the third question (which involved the game's code wheel) would end the game with the message "An unseen force hurls you into the abyss!".
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_4156b553
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_4156b553
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_4156b553
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_6126185e
type
You Wake Up in a Room
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_6126185e
comment
You Wake Up in a Room: This is how Curse of the Azure Bonds opens.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_6126185e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_6126185e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_6126185e
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_62259825
type
Nintendo Hard
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_62259825
comment
Nintendo Hard: A few optional battles that can usually be avoided (such as the Kernen gate battle in Champions of Krynn and the Mulmaster Beholder Corps in Curse of the Azure Bonds), and the aforementioned Shrine of the Dark Queen and Dave's Maze.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_62259825
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_62259825
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_62259825
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_6243b83b
type
Armor and Magic Don't Mix
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_6243b83b
comment
Armor and Magic Don't Mix: As per 1st-ed D&D rules.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_6243b83b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_6243b83b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_6243b83b
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_637ef67
type
New Game Plus
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_637ef67
comment
New Game Plus: Not officially, but some games allowed you to pull party members from a late-to-end-game save and start a new adventure with them, complete with their existing levels and equipment they were holding. Any shared items, such as the bank accounts in the Buck Rogers games, would not transfer, however.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_637ef67
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_637ef67
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_637ef67
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_6ad328e9
type
An Economy Is You
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_6ad328e9
comment
An Economy Is You: The only visible stores sell weapons and armor, and temples, inns, and training halls are the other buildings you can go into. Averted in Death Knights of Krynn, where shops sell candles, apples, and shoes (which have no game effect.)
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_6ad328e9
featureApplicability
-1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_6ad328e9
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_6ad328e9
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_6ec989d8
type
Guide Dang It!
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_6ec989d8
comment
Guide Dang It!: Especially when obscure D&D game rules were involved, like the formula for controlling a Sphere of Annihilation or the fact that you need to take 30 days to use a stat-raising Manual. In the 1e D&D rules only clerics or magic-users could control a Sphere of Annihilation, and the game's trial of the sphere has a sign saying spellcasters only, where there is a duel between two spellcasters to control a sphere of annihilation. Under the official formula, there's a low chance of control unless right up at the level and stat caps. The route to victory is knowing that the best chance of winning is to be less powerful than the opposing mage, because the sphere slips towards the most powerful wizard trying but failing to control it - and non-magic users aren't specifically stopped at the doorway. (Specifically, the opponent is a level 6-7 wizard, with an INT score of 17 - a 24% to win if against a wizard or 29% if against anyone else.) Because the games skipped large blocks of text within the game to save floppy disk space and moved them to the instruction manual in the form of journals, playing without the instruction manual became this. In the Bonus Dungeon "Dave's Challenge" in Pools of Darkness, there's a hidden room with a glowing...thing. It asks for the magic word, which is apparently "Oh, Well" (comma included) massively increases your experience. But...this is the last game, and the hardest challenge; making it a Bragging Rights Award. (Although technically, through save abuse if you have a save there you can max out new characters if you replay the game.)
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_6ec989d8
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_6ec989d8
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_6ec989d8
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_746793a6
type
Clue of Few Words
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_746793a6
comment
Clue of Few Words: In Pool of Radiance, when you first arrive at Sokol Keep you can find an elf skeleton that has the word "Lux". This is the word to use to avoid battles with spectres, the leader of which is quite deadly.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_746793a6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_746793a6
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_746793a6
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_78cdd5f6
type
"Fantastic Voyage" Plot
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_78cdd5f6
comment
"Fantastic Voyage" Plot: A section of Pools of Darkness takes place inside the giant corpse of the dead god Moander.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_78cdd5f6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_78cdd5f6
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_78cdd5f6
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_79bffaf4
type
Gladiator Subquest
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_79bffaf4
comment
Gladiator Subquest: In Gateway to the Savage Frontier, and optionally in Curse of the Azure Bonds.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_79bffaf4
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_79bffaf4
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_79bffaf4
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_7c48b272
type
Summon Bigger Fish
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_7c48b272
comment
Summon Bigger Fish: At the end of Gateway to the Savage Frontier, the heroes use the Macguffins to defeat the Zhentarim and their allies by making a variety of creatures pretty much slaughter the evil armies.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_7c48b272
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_7c48b272
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_7c48b272
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_7d561d58
type
Too Awesome to Use
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_7d561d58
comment
Too Awesome to Use: The Dust of Disappearance - it acts as a mass Invisibility spell that stays active even after you attack; in addition, it makes it impossible to be directly targeted with spells or missile fire (although you're still vulnerable to area attacks targeted on someone else). Probably best saved for the Very Definitely Final Dungeon or for a Nintendo Hard side quest fight like the Mulmaster Beholder Corps.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_7d561d58
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_7d561d58
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_7d561d58
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_7fbb2a3
type
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero!
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_7fbb2a3
comment
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: There are a number of ways that you can make any game in the series harder for yourself, but it takes a particularly foolish player to actively harm your chances of survival. For example, in Pool of Radiance, towards the end of the game, you can find a temple of Bane (an evil god). The priests are likely to attack you, since declaring your allegiance to Bane to appease them will get you in trouble in other ways. But after defeating them, you can find two magical longswords on the altar. You would expect that taking the swords would be a good idea, because magical weapons are always good to have, but they're cursed and hurt you if you try to wield them. In addition, taking them alerts everyone in the final area that you are their enemy, prompting them to actively search for you and greatly increasing the encounter rate (with difficult encounters to boot) as long as the alarm is ringing. This can make the final dungeon much, much harder than it should be.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_7fbb2a3
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_7fbb2a3
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_7fbb2a3
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_82b1fd4f
type
WorldHalfFull
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_82b1fd4f
comment
World Half Full
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_82b1fd4f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_82b1fd4f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_82b1fd4f
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_8774fb47
type
Eldritch Abomination
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_8774fb47
comment
Eldritch Abomination: While all of these games are loaded with disgusting baddies, the crown goes to Moander — the dead God of Decay who perpetually has followers trying to revive him piece by piece. In Pools of Darkness, players can visit his realm...which is literally just walking on his body which is about a county long. Merely entering in his realm causes the party to get mildly despondent. (though having no in-game effects)
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_8774fb47
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_8774fb47
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_8774fb47
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_87ce64a0
type
Old Save Bonus
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_87ce64a0
comment
Old Save Bonus: Advancing your character through the various Pool of Radiance games, for instance.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_87ce64a0
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_87ce64a0
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_87ce64a0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_87de091e
type
Improbable Power Discrepancy
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_87de091e
comment
Improbable Power Discrepancy: Most obvious in the Buck Rogers games, where enemies have more hitpoints during the second game for no clear reason—the Mercurians go from strongest to weakest in the sequel, whereas the reverse happens for the pirates.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_87de091e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_87de091e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_87de091e
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_8b4f2a4f
type
'80s Hair
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_8b4f2a4f
comment
'80s Hair / '90s Hair: Just look at all the women's hair on the game covers. Most prominent examples are Curse of the Azure Bonds, Pool of Darkness, The Dark Queen of Krynn and Treasures of the Savage Frontier.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_8b4f2a4f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_8b4f2a4f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_8b4f2a4f
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_9536245b
type
Redundant Rescue
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_9536245b
comment
Redundant Rescue: In one part of Pool of Radiance, you come across a runaway barbarian princess NPC as she's strangling a kobold. Close behind her are a cell with six more dead kobolds and the remains of her bindings. She offers to join your party, presumably for protection. (Yours, as it turns out.)
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_9536245b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_9536245b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_9536245b
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_9a692ae9
type
13 Is Unlucky
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_9a692ae9
comment
13 Is Unlucky: Death Knights of Krynn and Dark Queen of Krynn both lack a thirteenth journal entry, which is particularly fitting in the former game as its focus is supernatural horror...particularly the undead.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_9a692ae9
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_9a692ae9
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_9a692ae9
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_9cb3e22e
type
Interface Spoiler
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_9cb3e22e
comment
Interface Spoiler: Open gaps in walls on a battlefield correspond to doorways in the Faux First Person 3D view. Seeing a gap in combat where a visible wall was present in exploration mode means that the wall is a secret door.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_9cb3e22e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_9cb3e22e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_9cb3e22e
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_9f93adcd
type
In-Universe Game Clock
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_9f93adcd
comment
In-Universe Game Clock: Time passes for movement, resting, and so on. Part of it is to handle spell durations, also time required to memorize spells. Usage of said clock isn't as detailed as it could be (e.g. Dracandros tower shows the sun in the sky but not night-time.)
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_9f93adcd
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_9f93adcd
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_9f93adcd
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_b7b7b8d9
type
Mass Monster-Slaughter Sidequest
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_b7b7b8d9
comment
Mass Monster-Slaughter Sidequest: 'Clearing the block' in Pool of Radiance, particularly near the beginning. To be more precise, this quest requires you to defeat 20 random encounters, all of which inevitably result in combat. The amount of monsters you have to fight per encounter ranges from half a dozen upwards, which means that your party of six 1st level PCs will probably have to return to the city after one or two encounters to rest - all the while hoping you don't trigger another random encounter on the way.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_b7b7b8d9
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_b7b7b8d9
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_b7b7b8d9
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_bb9e6960
type
Non-Player Character
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_bb9e6960
comment
You can also avoid the deadly special attacks and spells of Non Player Characters by having one of your party members approach the NPC and then move away from them, provoking an attack. This "Opportunity Attack" would use up that NPC's action for the round if they hadn't already gone. Much better to take a dragon's bite (which could also miss) than for that dragon to use their breath weapon. Works on spellcasters, Beholders, etc.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_bb9e6960
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_bb9e6960
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_bb9e6960
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_bd288171
type
Romance Sidequest
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_bd288171
comment
Romance Sidequest: True to some extent with Siulajia/Jabarkas in Treasures of the Savage Frontier. In general the games lacked these, though, due to the player-defined nature of the parties.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_bd288171
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_bd288171
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_bd288171
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_bda3d68a
type
Did You Just Flip Off Cthulhu?
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_bda3d68a
comment
Did You Just Flip Off Cthulhu?: At the end of Dark Queen of Krynn, you go through the Abyss, free Raistlin from his chains and soon come upon Takhisis planning to cross over into the Material Plane. The most you can do to stop her from getting to the portal was throw a fireball at her which may as well have tickled, but it keeps her from crossing over.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_bda3d68a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_bda3d68a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_bda3d68a
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_c053f1fc
type
Required Party Member
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_c053f1fc
comment
Required Party Member: This was humorously subverted with Skyla in the town of Jelek in ''Champions of Krynn', where he would keep you from resting, join the party again if dropped, and disappear before a fight started. He betrays you, and you finally get to kill him later in the game.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_c053f1fc
featureApplicability
-0.3
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_c053f1fc
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_c053f1fc
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_c33c51b2
type
Outside-the-Box Tactic
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_c33c51b2
comment
Outside-the-Box Tactic: You can stop trolls from regenerating by standing on the squares they were on after they are killed. You can also avoid the deadly special attacks and spells of Non Player Characters by having one of your party members approach the NPC and then move away from them, provoking an attack. This "Opportunity Attack" would use up that NPC's action for the round if they hadn't already gone. Much better to take a dragon's bite (which could also miss) than for that dragon to use their breath weapon. Works on spellcasters, Beholders, etc.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_c33c51b2
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_c33c51b2
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_c33c51b2
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_c62ef4ce
type
Class Change Level Reset
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_c62ef4ce
comment
Class Change Level Reset: As per 1st-ed D&D rules. But you do keep your hitpoints.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_c62ef4ce
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_c62ef4ce
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_c62ef4ce
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_c75df49a
type
Shout-Out
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_c75df49a
comment
Shout-Out: Traveling between overworld areas in Curse of the Azure Bonds would have your characters randomly come across an old man, standing in front of a bridge across a deep chasm, who asked three questions; failing the third question (which involved the game's code wheel) would end the game with the message "An unseen force hurls you into the abyss!". Also in Curse, traveling through Zenthil Keep will result in the party hearing an old man pointing at them and claiming that you killed Fritz.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_c75df49a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_c75df49a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_c75df49a
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_cc374ba6
type
It's Up to You
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_cc374ba6
comment
It's Up to You
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_cc374ba6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_cc374ba6
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_cc374ba6
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_cd3527d9
type
Negative Space Wedgie
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_cd3527d9
comment
In the 1e D&D rules only clerics or magic-users could control a Sphere of Annihilation, and the game's trial of the sphere has a sign saying spellcasters only, where there is a duel between two spellcasters to control a sphere of annihilation. Under the official formula, there's a low chance of control unless right up at the level and stat caps. The route to victory is knowing that the best chance of winning is to be less powerful than the opposing mage, because the sphere slips towards the most powerful wizard trying but failing to control it - and non-magic users aren't specifically stopped at the doorway. (Specifically, the opponent is a level 6-7 wizard, with an INT score of 17 - a 24% to win if against a wizard or 29% if against anyone else.)
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_cd3527d9
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_cd3527d9
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_cd3527d9
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_cfd569ac
type
Take Your Time
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_cfd569ac
comment
Take Your Time: There's some segments where time is essential, but most of the events are based on reaching a certain locations. Dracandros is fleeing the tower, but you still catch up to him despite multiple rests (or taking on the sphere challenge, etc.) In the tabletop module that's based on this game, this has a 7-minute time limit because the mage is actually fleeing the tower and the party needs to keep chase.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_cfd569ac
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_cfd569ac
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_cfd569ac
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_d565da4
type
Starter Equipment
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_d565da4
comment
Starter Equipment: In the later games. Pools of Darkness would actually equip newly created characters with +2 weaponry.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_d565da4
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_d565da4
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_d565da4
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_dd5faec5
type
Only Mostly Dead
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_dd5faec5
comment
Only Mostly Dead
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_dd5faec5
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_dd5faec5
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_dd5faec5
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_e543a655
type
Light Is Not Good
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_e543a655
comment
Light Is Not Good: The Pool of Radiance was thought by most denizens of the Phlan and Dragonspire area—including one very luckless bronze dragon—to be a font of noble wisdom. Turns out it's really nothing more than Tyranthraxus's prison—the light is actually from his nimbus of fire. And he's managed to circumvent the prison problem by dragging the prison with his current host.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_e543a655
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_e543a655
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_e543a655
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_e9db9908
type
Younger Than They Look
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_e9db9908
comment
Younger Than They Look: In Curse of the Azure Bonds the character screen for the NPC Alias, a visibly adult human, claims her to be two years old. This is not explained in-game (and so some players might assume it to be a developer error), but it is actually based on her Forgotten Realms backstory.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_e9db9908
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_e9db9908
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_e9db9908
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_f0f4b265
type
Role-Playing Game
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_f0f4b265
comment
Role-Playing Game
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_f0f4b265
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_f0f4b265
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_f0f4b265
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_f87c42d4
type
Video Game Cruelty Potential
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_f87c42d4
comment
Video Game Cruelty Potential: In Pool of Radiance, if your party is strong enough - they can massacre the town guard and loot them. In fact, many of the best items in that game came from the guards' corpses. You are punished, as the town refuses to trade with you or train you. But you are Easily Forgiven as soon as you complete a quest and collect your reward from the townhall.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_f87c42d4
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_f87c42d4
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_f87c42d4
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_feb1cd82
type
Cut and Paste Comic
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_feb1cd82
comment
Cut and Paste Comic: Many of the pictures of monsters that show up on the upper-left hand window prior to combat were directly copied from the 1e Monster Manual. Note that since it was a licensed adaptation, they clearly had the ok from TSR to do this.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_feb1cd82
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_feb1cd82
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_feb1cd82
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_feb72f62
type
Literal Genie
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_feb72f62
comment
Literal Genie: The party is brought into Secret of the Silver Blades by someone asking the wishing well for heroes who could defeat the evil creatures. Too bad they did not specify to also bring any of the heroes' possessions, including the clothes they are wearing.
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_feb72f62
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_feb72f62
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_feb72f62
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_name
type
ItemName
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_name
comment
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_name
featureApplicability
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_name
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gold Box (Video Game) / int_name
 Gold Box (Video Game) / int_name
itemName
Gold Box (Video Game)

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Absurdly Low Level Cap / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Arbitrary Headcount Limit / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Brain Uploading / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Cast from Hit Points / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Character Class System / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Clue of Few Words / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Combat by Champion / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Copy Protection / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Diving Save / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Dungeon Town / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Elf Works / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Faux First-Person 3D / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Giant Corpse World / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Glitch Entity / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Hammer of the Holy / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Inventory Management Puzzle / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Mission-Pack Sequel / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Monster Town / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Mother of a Thousand Young / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Naked on Arrival / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Only Mostly Dead / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Our Liches Are Different / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Player Character Calculus / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Points of Light Setting / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Recycled Title / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Suicidal Overconfidence / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Summon Everyman Hero / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
The Problem with Licensed Games / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
There Are No Tents / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Tie-In Novel / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Treacherous Quest Giver / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Warp Whistle / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
Womb Level / int_cc218dd8
 Gold Box (Video Game)
hasFeature
You Wake Up in a Room / int_cc218dd8
 Forgotten Realms (Tabletop Game)
seeAlso
Gold Box (Video Game)