Kudos to Basilisk Games

Gracie P. · Post by **Gracie P.** » December 21st, 2007, 1:51 pm

Found this site by accident several months ago when I learned about this title and ordered the game when it was released.

You folks are to be complimented for a game which has given me a fun ride for my favorite kind of CRPG. I have played CRPG's since the days of the Atari 400/800 and this game rivals several of my favorites, DungeonMaster, Eye of the Beholder series and some of the Ultimas.

Patches are prompt and the company pays attention to the users. The forum here is a pleasure with the members being respectful of each other and helpful participation by admins.

I, for one, can't wait for Book 2. Thanks again. You have a loyal customer! Thanks and Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

YouTube · December 21st, 2007, 1:58 pm

Thank you Gracie for your support!

acoustibop · Post by **acoustibop** » December 21st, 2007, 4:11 pm

In particular, kudos to Basiilisk for producing a Linux version - which is running beautifully!

Now, if only we could get a Linux CD version...

thomas · Post by **thomas** » December 22nd, 2007, 2:28 am

acoustibop wrote:In particular, kudos to Basiilisk for producing a Linux version - which is running beautifully!

Now, if only we could get a Linux CD version...

But it comed so late - there's no point in getting it, when all has been done under wine

I don't understand this decision "put anything we have as soon as we have it" - it will also show low numbers for linux users, as most of them who could have allready played emulated windows version, so it will no show realistic score :\

acoustibop · Post by **acoustibop** » December 22nd, 2007, 7:41 am

Not everyone wants to run applications in Wine, thomas - and Basilisk is doing something very worthy and important here, by supporting Linux as a platform for their games as well as Windows and Macs.

Saying it's not worth producing a native Linux version because you can run it in Wine is effectively disrespecting Linux as an operating system. Any rational Linux user will only run an application in Wine if they have to: a native application is obviously going to run better and with far less hassle. And many Linux users don't want the aggravation of using Wine: if an application won't run natively, they won't use it. That's a perfectly reasonable attitude.

You might as well say that, since you can, apparently, run Windows on many Macs now, you might as well not produce a Mac version. Somehow, I don't think that would go down well with the Mac community.

In fact, it's noticeable that some applications that have both Linux and Windows versions actually run better in Linux than in Windows - pSX Emulator would be one example that springs to mind.

JOG · Post by **JOG** » December 22nd, 2007, 12:10 pm

acoustibop wrote:Not everyone wants to run applications in Wine, thomas - and Basilisk is doing something very worthy and important here, by supporting Linux as a platform for their games as well as Windows and Macs.

I concur. I'm a Windows-user for two reasons only:
1. I play computer games, that's at least 75% of the time I spend on the PC.
2. I'm too lazy to maintain and switch between two OS'

I already hated the motley default appearance of XP and seeing how the most expensive versions of Vista now feature gimmickry that existed already 20 years ago in Amiga-OS, before the more professional 2.x versions came out, I grow more and more interested in Linux.

The more games which I'm interested in run natively on Linux, the higher the probability that I will switch to that OS. Hopefully the Linux-RPG boom will begin before a new game forces me to install Vista, and every single Linux-port will contribute to that goal...

Pit · Post by **Pit** » December 24th, 2007, 3:59 pm

thomas wrote:But it comed so late - there's no point in getting it, when all has been done under wine I don't understand this decision "put anything we have as soon as we have it" - it will also show low numbers for linux users, as most of them who could have allready played emulated windows version, so it will no show realistic score :\

While I agree that a simultaneous release for all OS would be preferable, the question is: Why buy the Win version and play in wine? I for my part only buy native games. To be more exact, I only 'see' native games, i.e. everything else is just not on my radar. That way I don't care if the game had been out for other OS earlier. Once it's there for Linux, for me it is new.

Pit

PaSquall · Post by **PaSquall** » December 26th, 2007, 2:50 pm

As I've just finished the demo, I'll add my big kudos to The guys at Basilisk Games !
- The game is very well, done, in fact I can even say fantastically well-done for a small team like BG.
- The game looks very bug-free. The only bug I've encountered in the demo happened when I tried to restore a save that I had done in the close vicinity of trees, and I reappeared stuck in the trees. Another restoration was enough to appear at the right place, so no problem. This bug has already being documented anyway. Of course I only played the demo, but I think the rest of the game should be good too, for that matter.
- I love the graphics. Very reminiscent of the Baldur's gate series, and very well done too. That's very rarely the case for freeware / shareware / commercial indie games...
- The rules look well-balanced too. There are enough skills to try different character builds, or give enough flavor to your character, but not too much : all of them look useful (it's not like in many CRPGs where you get hundreds of skills and spells, and 95% of them are completely useless

). No skill tree also, I hate having to wait for level x or having to take skills x,y and z as prerequisites before I can get the skill I want... )
- The story looks interesting. Frankly, after 25 years of tabletop RPG, I don't expect to be amazed by any story... But this looks good enough for me to want to find more and finish the game. The secondary quests are on par with these we find in major CRPG releases.
- Money seems well implemented : EB1 doesn't look like a game where you find so much swag that you end up millionnaire after 10 levels or so. Neat. Of course I've only played the demo...
- Good music and sound effects too.
- The 1.04 demo is large enough to allow us (at least me) to get a definitive opinion on how the full game is.
- And the most important : EB1 definitely has the oldschool feel

So EB1 is a game I'll DEFINITELY buy in the next weeks or months... (I need to work out that paypal thingy...)

Keep on the good work (for EB2) guys !!!

(though it looks that there won't be much to change or fix... )

realmzmaster · Post by **realmzmaster** » December 26th, 2007, 7:28 pm

The bottom line is the point

Yes BW could have held up the Windows version until the Mac and Linux versions were ready. But for a small outfit like Basilisk Games it makes more sense to generate some revenues and cash flow from the version that will most likely sell the most copies. I am not knocking any OS or brand of computer. The simple fact is there are more Windows gamers and more games for Windows. The dominant OS is Windows, rightly or wrongly. ( There is nothing to be gained by getting into a discussion on the merits of each OS. This not the place for that discussion. ) We did not and do not know Basilisk Games financial situation. Also they may have used the Windows version to gauge the buying public's response. If the Windows version did not sell well BW may or may not have invested time in the conversions. It is easy for us to sit and armchair quarterback, but we do not have all the facts of the situation. I am happy that all three platforms are represented. We can all enjoy and talk about the game. I look foward to Book II.

Al3xand3r · Post by **Al3xand3r** » December 26th, 2007, 7:59 pm

Meh, let them release things as they create them. Why hold back something that's ready for release just to have a simultaneous multi-platform release? It makes no sense really. Make a lot of fans wait longer than they have to and make the developers wait longer to see the public's reaction (and their cash

).

Also, I don't think that if it was not very succesful on Windows they would not go ahead with the Linux and Mac ports. They had announced the Linux and Mac versions if I'm not mistaken.

Now Book II is a different matter and it probably does depend on Book I's success but I'd guess it's also being created with all the available OS in mind once again, regardless of the amount of people who bought each. We know most people will be Windows users anyway, but they still want to please the rest of you too. Besides, every extra sale counts for a small group like this.

YouTube · December 26th, 2007, 8:55 pm

Due to the size of Basilisk Games, releasing the game on 3 platforms at once would have been a technical nightmare. Even though the game was already running on the other two platforms when we released the Windows version, spreading each release out by 3-4 weeks allows us to provide better support for everyone, which ultimately makes everyone happier.

Besides, by letting the Windows people tear the game up first, the Mac & Linux people actually get a more polished version!

Slarty · Post by **Slarty** » December 26th, 2007, 9:33 pm

I'm actually extremely impressed at the short gap between the windows & mac releases. For a graphics engine of this complexity, from a company of this size, I'd have expected a longer wait. A month is more than reasonable.

acoustibop · Post by **acoustibop** » December 27th, 2007, 3:13 am

Agreed. I don't mind waiting for a Linux version: the important thing is that there is one.

micks · Post by **micks** » December 28th, 2007, 11:16 am

Agreed, having dealt with my hardware problems and after several days of playing I'm actually astonished at how bug-free the game is. Hats off to BG again. I really hope enough people decide to buy the Linux version, so we can get Book II as well.