PCPP Game Guide 2/PCPP_GG2.iso/PCPP/faqs/bspire.txt

Text File | 1998-06-02 | 7.2 KB | 174 lines

Battlespire FAQ 1.0
Bethesda Softworks
Rev Date : 6-25-97

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What is Battlespire all about anyway?

        Battlespire marks the introduction of the 'Legends' series in much the
same way 'Redguard' is with highly anticipated 'Adventures' series.  It is
not, however,  the sequel to Daggerfall.  Morrowind is currently begining
production and will continue the Elder Scrolls series.

        Battlespire : The Story

        You are sent to the extra-planar pocket of Battlespire to prove
yourself worthy of joining the ranks of the Imperial Guards. The
Battlespire is maintained by a group of very powerful mages from which
the Imperial Battlemage is selected. If you can beat the Battlespire you will
join the ranks of the Tamrilean elite.

        While in the Battlespire you will never be fatigued and you will not
need sleep. The Battlespire consists of seven challenges which you will
encounter during your journey to the summit. Since you are not physically
there you will be unable to be slain, you will simply lose the challenge and
return to Tamriel, supposedly.

        When you arrive you find the Wizard of the Gate dead. You realize
that something has gone terribly wrong. You also realize that you have no
way of getting back home except to reach the summit and return through
the exit located within Dagon's palace.  Seeing the dead wizard it is clear
to you that death is suddenly a very real possibility and a fun challenge has
turned into a matter of survival.

        Most of the mages of the Battlespire are still alive but have been
possessed and will fight you every step of the way. As you explore you find
that a Daedra Prince has taken over the Battlespire as his lair and his
minions will add their strength to the opposition.

        You will have to fight your way through a nightmare where the rules
are non-existent and all bets are off. Only through dangerous conflicts and
discoveries will you make it to the summit to confront Mehrunes Dagon
the Destructor, the new lord of the Battlespire.

When can I buy Battlespire?

    Battlespire is slated for release in the third Quarter of 1997.
     You can place orders on-line or via phone in the following ways:

    On-line : http://www.bethsoft.com/html/order.html
    Telephone : [phone]

    Check out all the cool screenshots and specs at www.bethsoft.com

Will Battlespire support my 3d accelerator card?

        We currently support the following 3dfx chipsets:

    Voodoo Graphics
    Voodoo Rush

        The cards that we use and know work:

    Orchid Righteous
    Diamond Monster 3d
    Flash 3d
    Hercules Stingray 128

        We will release more information regarding OpenGL, DirectX and
other 3d accelerators if and as we implement support for them.

Is it going to have as many bugs at Daggerfall?

        Ha.  Not this time.  Battlespire is just entering preliminary beta
testing and will not ship until it is bug-free.

Does Battlespire support multiplayer?  If so, how many people at one time?

        Yes.  8 players maximum at this point.  You'll be able to play
multiplayer Battlespire over a LAN, modem or internet connection (using
TCP/IP).  You can play multiplayer in the following ways:

        Deathmatch : You vs. a friend over a LAN, null modem connection,
or via the internet (using something similar to Kali).  The story and single
player elements are removed for this one on one bout.

    Teamplay : You can team up and play the single player aspects of
the game as a group.

    Team vs. Team : Team up with friends and take on another group.

What about the role playing elements?

        It's all there.  The character generation is back and better than ever.
A lot of people have expressed concern that Battlespire looks essentially
like a shooter clone.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  We are
mixing some of the elements that make shooters popular and fun into the
recipe but Battlespire is still an RPG.

Is Battlespire the sequel to Daggerfall or not?

        No.  Battlespire is a stand-alone product in the Elder Scrolls universe,
and first in the 'Legends' series.  Chapter 3 of The Elder Scrolls,
Morrowind, is currently in development.

Why does Battlespire use sprites?

        A lot of concern has been expressed over the usage of sprites in
Battlespire.  While there are mixed views on doing this, the one advantage
we have in doing so is matching the detail quality of the creatures and
NPC's you'll encounter with their surroundings.  The sheer amount of
detail a sprite allows visually is the primary factor in our decision to use
sprites.  Sure, they may not move and behave as realisticly as their
polygonal counterparts but it was a decision also made to allow us more
time to devote attention to things such as multiplayer capabilities and 3dfx
support.  Rest assured that this will be the last title Bethesda produces to
utilize sprites however.

How fast is Battlespire going to run on my machine?

        There really is no easy answer for that now considering the array of
machines out there. Also considering that we are currently making a
transition from the old fixed point engine to a faster new and improved
floating point engine makes it hard to guess at an individual's performance.
Suffice it to say that the frame rate is strong.

What about an online gathering place for deathmatching?  Will there be
one?

    There is currently something in the works that we can't discuss
just yet.

Will the character generation still be available in Battlespire?

    Of course.

Can I beta test Battlespire?  When?

        Maybe.  You must be a Compuserve member.  Contact
[e-mail].  Battlespire is scheduled to begin beta testing in late
July.

Is there outdoor play?  Is it cool?

        Of course there is.  We have windmills, temples, castles, huts, inns,
taverns, homes, and even ships you can enter.  You can sail rowboats
around...be it on river or ocean and you can even combat from the boat.
You can fly about in a hot air balloon.  It rocks.

Is there null modem support?

    Yes.

Is Battlespire as big as or bigger than Daggerfall?

        No.  Battlespire is a tighter story with specific locales.  Average play
time is projected at 40+ hours.

Are the graphics really that good?

        Yes, they really are that good.  Battlespire runs in high resolution
(640x480) and high color (32K colors) and that really shows off what we
can do now.  A lot of people have asked if we selected only the best shots.
Of course.  But every shot we have is worthy.  Shots will continue to make
their way out and about over the next month or two.  A goal of the artists
involved was to make the environments so spectacular that every possible
viewing perspective would make a great screenshot.

Is the Item maker still around in Battlespire?  What about the Spell maker?

        The Item maker is not available in Battlespire.  The Spell maker is
and is configurable on the fly. It is somewhat different now...you can't mix
spell effects and you can't adjust numbers (damage, spell duration, etc.)
You can assign hot-keys for individual spells however.