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The computer programmers who are members of the Darklands
Yahoo Group, have been working/wrestling with the challenge of
creating a sequel for quite some time. Progress has been
exceptionally slow.

Microprose was acquired by Hasbro, which in turn was acquired
by Infogrammes. The various corporate owners have been approached
repeatedly and do not wish to either produce a sequel, nor re-issue
Darklands with modern graphics. It probably would not be
"cost-effective".

I just discovered Abandonia, and after browsing through some oldies, went straight and searched for Darklands, my favorite of all times. I remember playing this for hours at night. I might have played nothing but this for at least several months, after which I finally got bored with my party who had all maxed out and the saved game state which had finally gotten too bizarre. I must have played several hundred hours on this.

I can still remember the background music that gets played in the countryside and in the cities. A forlorn and slightly creepy little flutish tune in the countryside, a joyous and lively tune in the market, and so on...

[Borodin]

Originally posted by Jay@Aug 11 2005, 01:54 PM
I can still remember the background music that gets played in the countryside and in the cities. A forlorn and slightly creepy little flutish tune in the countryside, a joyous and lively tune in the market, and so on...

The countryside tune was probably L'homme Arme, a folk tune best known through its setting by Dufay. My favorite was a contrapuntal, anonymous satarello (a form of jumping dance) used for the Universities. I know most of the tunes because of a lifelong interest in (and collection of) classical music. Some of the same material also showed up, by the way, in Microprose's M:TG.

I just started playing and I think I'm in love! :wub:

I can't believe this didn't get a higher rating or a more indepth review...if I hadn't read such glowing recommendations on another site I might have missed this one entirely. I'm a huge fan of open-ended gameplay, and in a way Darklands reminds me of the Elder Scrolls.

*sigh* Why don't think make games like this anymore? Can you imagine an RPG with this amount of depth and better graphics and UI on top of it? It's just a pity Microprose won't let anyone can't get their hands on the code, it's not like they intend to make any more money from it, and I bet dedicated fans could do amazing things with updates or sequels...

BEST GAME EVER!!!!

seriously, it shiver me timbers just to think of it. Really glad <guy whose name I don ´t recall> uploaded it. thanQ.

Just remembered my money trick. Which isn´t really a trick, is just a "put your character to work for a year, at one of the largest cities" at 11 pfenings per day - or something, i don´t quite remember, it was 10 years ago. You had to have some experts in your party, so they could find jobs such as professor, or blacksmiths, and let them work for a long time (I used to put a paperweight on the S key, so I could go to lunch or whatever, and let them "spend the day doing the above").

After a year or so, I had 100 florins.

couldn´t do it very often, thou. My good alchemist was a very old chap, so I couldn´t afford spending years in a city, just working for money - real life?- and the young warrior was always ranting about not killing any cuthroath thieves.

I still have the original map, on a drawer. oh, and the manual, also. the manual stands alone as a great, enjoyable reading. Best manual ever. heh.

no plot? omfg, that´s just offensive to give a 4 rating to the gratest game of all times, in it´s genre.

See what a great game? You could just settle down, work and get rich. from time to time, spend some hard-earned money at the local inn, with some good food and some 6 hours of sleep. no risk of getting yourself killed. From time to time you could just stroll down the central square, to hear the latest gossip, like some freelancers hiring, or something.

augh, best game ever.

[punch999]

This was by far the best rpg ever!

Definitely one of the best CRPG. The game really sucks me in, and is quite immersive, even with the extremely old school graphics.

The best character generation EVER. Period. Addictive as hell too.

Morrowind is my fave CRPG, but this is way up there.

[Borodin]

Right on all counts. It's another one of those great Microprose titles that inexplicably has never been remade and updated.

[DR4296]

Thanks for posting the game!!

I haven't fired it up yet, but in looking at the file dates, I'm thinking this is an early, unpatched edition??

Any idea where I might find patches and other updates to this?

(Revision History: http://www.darklands.net/faq/7.shtml )


Thanks!

-= Dave =-

[Borodin]

Captain: Character must have Per 20+, Int 20+, Chr 20+, and have prior experience as a veteran, captain, knight, schulz, courtier, manorial lord, or bishop.

Abbot: Character must be a male with at least Per 25+, Int 20+, Chr 20+, and Religion 15+. Character must have either a) spent the last 5 years as a noble heir, courtier, manorial lord, priest, abbot or bishop; or B) spent the last 10 years as either a monk and/or professor. A female abbot (abbess) is possible.

Bishop: Character must be a male with at least Per 25+, Int 25+, Chr 25+. In addition he must have spent either a) the last 5 years as an abbot or bishop, or B) the last 10 years as a courtier manorial lord, and/or priest.

Monk/Nun: Any character can enter a monastery except those who already have sufficient religous status, education or experience. A character can do this only once per lifetime.

Knight: Character must have a virtue of 16+ and either a) be a noble of age 20+; B) have just finished an occupation as a captain, courtier, noble heir, abbot, or bishop; or c) have any experience as a manorial lord or knight.

EDIT: Those smilies were meant to be "b," but the forum insists on changing them. Oh, well.