''Pool of Radiance'' is a
role-playing video game
A role-playing video game (commonly referred to as simply a role-playing game or RPG, as well as a computer role-playing game or CRPG) is a video game genre where the player controls the actions of a character (or several party members) immers ...
developed and published by
Strategic Simulations, Inc
Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI) was a video game developer and publisher with over 100 titles to its credit from its founding in 1979 to its dissolution in 1994. The company was especially noted for its numerous wargames, its official compute ...
(SSI) in 1988. It was the first adaptation of
TSR's ''
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
Several different editions of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game have been produced since 1974. The current publisher of ''D&D'', Wizards of the Coast, produces new materials only for the most current edition of the ga ...
'' (''AD&D'')
fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving Magic (supernatural), magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy ...
role-playing game
A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within ...
for home computers, becoming the first episode in a four-part series of ''D&D'' computer adventure games. The other games in the "
Gold Box Gold box may refer to:
*Decorative boxes made in gold
*''Gold Box Gold box may refer to:
* Decorative boxes made in gold
*'' Gold Box'', a series of video games of 1988 to 1992
* Gold box (phreaking), a phreaking box to create a bridge between two ...
" series used the
game engine
A game engine is a software framework primarily designed for the development of video games and generally includes relevant libraries and support programs. The "engine" terminology is similar to the term "software engine" used in the software i ...
pioneered in ''Pool of Radiance'', as did later ''D&D'' titles such as the ''
Neverwinter Nights
''Neverwinter Nights'' is a series of video games developed by BioWare and Obsidian Entertainment, based on the ''Forgotten Realms'' campaign setting of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game. Aside from also being set in the Dungeons & Dra ...
'' online game. ''Pool of Radiance'' takes place in the
Forgotten Realms
''Forgotten Realms'' is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a ...
fantasy setting, with the action centered in and around the port city of Phlan.
Just as in traditional ''D&D'' games, the player starts by building a
party
A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will often feature f ...
of up to six
characters
Character or Characters may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''Character'' (novel), a 1936 Dutch novel by Ferdinand Bordewijk
* ''Characters'' (Theophrastus), a classical Greek set of character sketches attributed to The ...
, deciding the race, gender, class, and
ability scores for each. The player's party is enlisted to help the settled part of the city by clearing out the marauding inhabitants that have taken over the surroundings. The characters move on from one area to another, battling bands of enemies as they go and ultimately confronting the powerful leader of the evil forces. During play, the player characters gain
experience point
An experience point (often abbreviated as exp or XP) is a unit of measurement used in some tabletop role-playing games (RPGs) and role-playing video games to quantify a player character's life experience and progression through the game. Experi ...
s, which allow them to increase their capabilities. The game primarily uses a first-person perspective, with the screen divided into sections to display pertinent textual information. During combat sequences, the display switches to a top-down "
video game isometric" view.
Generally well received by the gaming press, ''Pool of Radiance'' won the
Origins Award
The Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry. They are presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for the previous year, so (for example) the 1979 aw ...
for "Best Fantasy or Science Fiction Computer Game of 1988". Some reviewers criticized the game's similarities to other contemporary games and its slowness in places, but praised the game's graphics and its role-playing adventure and combat aspects. Also well-regarded was the ability to export player characters from ''Pool of Radiance'' to subsequent SSI games in the series.
Gameplay
''Pool of Radiance'' is based on the same game mechanics as the ''
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
Several different editions of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game have been produced since 1974. The current publisher of ''D&D'', Wizards of the Coast, produces new materials only for the most current edition of the ga ...
'' rule set.
As in many role-playing games (RPGs), each
player character
A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters that are not control ...
in ''Pool of Radiance'' has a character race and a
character class
In tabletop games and video games, a character class is a job or profession commonly used to differentiate the abilities of different game characters.
In role-playing games (RPGs), character classes aggregate several abilities and aptitudes, ...
, determined at the beginning of the game. Six races are offered, including
elves
An elf () is a type of humanoid supernatural being in Germanic mythology and folklore. Elves appear especially in North Germanic mythology. They are subsequently mentioned in Snorri Sturluson's Icelandic Prose Edda. He distinguishes "ligh ...
and
halfling
Halflings are a fictional race found in some fantasy novels and games. They are often depicted as similar to humans except about half as tall, and are not quite as stocky as the similarly-sized dwarves. Similar to the depiction of hobbits in the w ...
s, as well as four classes (
fighter,
cleric
Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...
,
magic-user, and
thief
Theft is the act of taking another person's property or services without that person's permission or consent with the intent to deprive the rightful owner of it. The word ''theft'' is also used as a synonym or informal shorthand term for some ...
).
Non-human characters have the option to become
multi-classed, which means they gain the capabilities of more than one class,
but advance in levels more slowly. During character creation, the computer randomly generates statistics for each character, although the player can alter these attributes.
The player also chooses each character's
alignment
Alignment may refer to:
Archaeology
* Alignment (archaeology), a co-linear arrangement of features or structures with external landmarks
* Stone alignment, a linear arrangement of upright, parallel megalithic standing stones
Biology
* Structu ...
, or moral philosophy; while the player controls each character's actions, alignment can affect how NPCs view their actions.
The player can then customize the appearance and colors of each character's combat icon.
Alternatively, the player can load a pre-generated
party
A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will often feature f ...
to be used for introductory play.
These characters are combined into a party of six or less, with two slots open for NPCs.
Players create their own save-game files, assuring character continuation regardless of events in the game. On an
MS-DOS
MS-DOS ( ; acronym for Microsoft Disk Operating System, also known as Microsoft DOS) is an operating system for x86-based personal computers mostly developed by Microsoft. Collectively, MS-DOS, its rebranding as IBM PC DOS, and a few ope ...
computer, the game can be copied to the hard-disk drive. Other computer systems, such as the
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64, also known as the C64, is an 8-bit home computer introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International (first shown at the Consumer Electronics Show, January 7–10, 1982, in Las Vegas). It has been listed in the Guinness ...
, require a separate save-game disk.
The game's "exploration" mode uses a three-dimensional first-person perspective, with a rectangle in the top left of the screen displaying the party's current view; the rest of the screen displays text information about the party and the area.
During gameplay, the player accesses menus to allow characters to use objects; trade items with other characters; parley with enemies; buy, sell, and pool the characters' money; cast
spells
Spell(s) or The Spell(s) may refer to:
Processes
* Spell (paranormal), an incantation
* Spell (ritual), a magical ritual
* Spelling, the writing of words
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''The Spell'' (1977 film), an American ...
, and learn new magic skills. Players can view characters' movement from different angles, including an aerial view.
The game uses three different versions of each
sprite to indicate differences between short-, medium-, and long-range encounters.
In combat mode, the screen changes to a top-down mode with
dimetric projection
Axonometric projection is a type of orthographic projection used for creating a pictorial drawing of an object, where the object is rotated around one or more of its axes to reveal multiple sides.Gary R. Bertoline et al. (2002) ''Technical Graphi ...
, where the player decides what actions the characters will take in each round. These actions are taken immediately, rather than after all commands have been issued as is standard in some RPGs.
Optionally, the player can let the computer choose character moves for each round.
Characters and monsters may make an extra attack on a retreating enemy that moves next to them. If a character's
hit point
Health is an attribute in a video game or tabletop game that determines the maximum amount of damage or loss of stamina that a character or object can take before dying or losing consciousness. In role-playing games, this typically takes the for ...
s (HP) fall below zero, he or she must be bandaged by another character or the character will die.
The game contains
random encounter
A random encounter is a feature commonly used in various role-playing games whereby combat encounters with non-player character (NPC) enemies or other dangers occur sporadically and at random, usually without the enemy being physically detected b ...
s, and game reviewers for ''
Dragon
A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
'' magazine observed that random encounters seem to follow standard patterns of encounter tables in pen and paper ''AD&D'' game manuals. They also observed that the depictions of monsters confronting the party "looked as though they had jumped from the pages of the ''Monster Manual''".
Different combat options are available to characters based on class. For example, fighters can wield
melee
A melee ( or , French: mêlée ) or pell-mell is disorganized hand-to-hand combat in battles fought at abnormally close range with little central control once it starts. In military aviation, a melee has been defined as " air battle in which ...
or
ranged weapons; magic-users can cast spells; thieves have the option to "back-stab" an opponent by strategically positioning themselves.
As fighters progress in level, they can attack more than once in a round. Fighters also gain the ability to "sweep" enemies, effectively attacking each nearby low-level creature in the same turn.
Magic-users and clerics are allowed to memorize and cast a set number of spells each day. Once cast, a spell must be memorized again before reuse. The process requires hours of inactivity for all characters, during which they rest in a camp; this also restores lost hit points to damaged characters.
This chore of memorizing spells each night significantly added to the amount of game management required by the player.
As characters defeat enemies, they gain
experience point
An experience point (often abbreviated as exp or XP) is a unit of measurement used in some tabletop role-playing games (RPGs) and role-playing video games to quantify a player character's life experience and progression through the game. Experi ...
s (XP). After gaining enough XP, the characters "train up a level" to become more powerful.
This training is purchased in special areas within the city walls.
In addition to training, mages can learn new spells by transcribing them from scrolls found in the unsettled areas.
Defeated enemies in these areas also contain items such as weapons and armor, which characters can sell to city stores.
Copy protection
The MS-DOS, Macintosh and Apple II versions of ''Pool of Radiance'' include a 2-ply
code wheel
{{Refimprove, date=September 2008
A code wheel is a type of copy protection used on older computer games, often those published in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It evolved from the original "manual protection" system in which the program would ...
for translating
elvish and
dwarven runes
Runes are the letter (alphabet), letters in a set of related alphabets known as runic alphabets native to the Germanic peoples. Runes were used to write various Germanic languages (with some exceptions) before they adopted the Latin alphabet, a ...
to English. Some dwarven runes have multiple different translations.
[''Pool of Radiance'' (1988). MS-DOS. Strategic Simulations, Inc. Strategic Simulations, Inc.] After the title screen, a copy protection screen is displayed consisting of two runes and a line of varying appearance (a dotted line, a dashed line, or a line with alternating dots and dashes) which correspond to markings on the code wheel.
The player is prompted to enter a five or six character code which corresponds to a five or six character word. In the case of a five character word, there is a number at the beginning of the word which is not entered.
Under the lines on the wheel are slots which reveal English letters, the coded English word being determined by lining up the runes, matching the correct line appearance, and then entering the word revealed on the code wheel.
If the player enters an incorrect code three times, the game closes itself.
In the MS-DOS version of ''Pool of Radiance'', the code wheel is also used for some in-game puzzles. For example, in Sokol Keep the player discovers some parchment with elvish runes on it that require use of the code wheel to decipher; this is optional however, but may be used to avoid some combat with undead if the decoded words are said to them.
In the NES version, the elvish words are given to the player deciphered without the use of the code wheel, as the NES release did not include a code wheel.
Plot
Setting
''Pool of Radiance'' takes place in the
Forgotten Realms
''Forgotten Realms'' is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a ...
fantasy world, in and about the city of Phlan. This is located on the northern shore of the
Moonsea along the Barren River, between
Zhentil Keep and
Melvaunt.
The party begins in the civilized section of "New Phlan" that is governed by a council. This portion of the city hosts businesses, including shopkeepers who sell holy items for each temple's worshipers, a jewelry shop, and retailers who provide arms and armor. A party can also contract with the clerk of the city council for various commissions; proclamations fastened to the halls within City Hall offer bits of information to aid the party. These coded clues can be deciphered by using the Adventurer's Journal, included with the game.
There are three temples within Phlan, each dedicated to different gods. Each temple can heal those who are wounded, poisoned, or afflicted, and can fully restore deceased comrades for a high price. The party can also visit the hiring hall and hire an experienced NPC adventurer to accompany the party.
Encounters with NPCs in shops and taverns offer valuable information.
Listening to gossip in taverns can be helpful to characters, although some tavern tales are false and lead characters into great danger.
Plot summary
The ancient trade city of Phlan has fallen into impoverished ruin. Now only a small portion of the city remains inhabited by humans, who are surrounded by evil creatures. To rebuild the city and clean up the Barren River, the city council of New Phlan has decided to recruit adventurers to drive the monsters from the neighboring ruins. Using bards and publications, they spread tales of the riches waiting to be recovered in Phlan, which draws the player's party to these shores by ship.
At the start of the game, the adventurers' ship lands in New Phlan, and they receive a brief but informative tour of the civilized area.
They learn that the city is plagued with a history of invasions and wars and has been overtaken by a huge band of humanoids and other creatures. Characters hear rumors that a single controlling element is in charge of these forces.
The characters begin a block-by-block quest to rid the ruins of monsters and evil spirits.
Beyond the ruins of old Phlan, the party enters the slum area—one of two quests immediately available to new parties. This quest requires the clearing of the slum block and allows a new party to quickly gain experience. The second quest is to clear out Sokol Keep, located on Thorn Island.
This fortified area is inhabited by the undead, which can only be defeated with silver weapons and magic.
The characters' adventure is later expanded to encompass the outlying areas of the Moonsea region.
Eventually, the player learns that an evil spirit named Tyranthraxus, who has possessed an ancient dragon, is at the root of Phlan's problems.
The characters fight Tyranthraxus the Flamed One in a climactic final battle.
History
Development
''Pool of Radiance'' was the first official game based on the ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' rules.
The scenario was created by
TSR designers
Jim Ward,
David Cook David Cook may refer to:
Entertainment
* David Cook (game designer) (active since 1980s), American game designer for TSR
* David Cook (singer) (born 1982), winner of the seventh season of ''American Idol''
* David Cook (writer) (1940–2015), Briti ...
,
Steve Winter
Steve Winter (born December 8, 1957) is an American game designer who worked on numerous products for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game, which was originally published by TSR and later Wizards of the Coast.
Early life
Winter ...
, and
Mike Breault
Michael Breault (born May 28, 1958 in Central Falls, Rhode Island) is a game designer and editor, and an author of multiple products for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game from TSR.
Early life and education
Mike Breault was bor ...
, and coded by programmers from
Strategic Simulations, Inc
Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI) was a video game developer and publisher with over 100 titles to its credit from its founding in 1979 to its dissolution in 1994. The company was especially noted for its numerous wargames, its official compute ...
's Special Projects team.
The section of the ''Forgotten Realms'' world in which ''Pool of Radiance'' takes place was intended to be developed only by SSI.
The game was created on
Apple II
The Apple II (stylized as ) is an 8-bit home computer and one of the world's first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products. It was designed primarily by Steve Wozniak; Jerry Manock developed the design of Apple II's foam-m ...
and
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64, also known as the C64, is an 8-bit home computer introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International (first shown at the Consumer Electronics Show, January 7–10, 1982, in Las Vegas). It has been listed in the Guinness ...
computers, taking one year with a team of thirty-five people.
This game was the first to use the
game engine
A game engine is a software framework primarily designed for the development of video games and generally includes relevant libraries and support programs. The "engine" terminology is similar to the term "software engine" used in the software i ...
later used in other SSI D&D games known as the "
Gold Box Gold box may refer to:
*Decorative boxes made in gold
*''Gold Box Gold box may refer to:
* Decorative boxes made in gold
*'' Gold Box'', a series of video games of 1988 to 1992
* Gold box (phreaking), a phreaking box to create a bridge between two ...
" series.
The SSI team developing the game was led by
Chuck Kroegel
Chuck Kroegel (born 1952 in Oakland, California) is an American video game designer. He was an executive for many years with Strategic Simulations (SSI), and played a role in developing their position as an industry leader in war games and role ...
.
Kroegel stated that the main challenge with the development was interpreting the ''AD&D'' rules to an exact format. Developers also worked to balance the graphics with gameplay to provide a faithful ''AD&D'' feel, given the restrictions of a home computer. In addition to the core
''AD&D'' manuals, the books ''
Unearthed Arcana
''Unearthed Arcana'' (abbreviated UA) is the title shared by two hardback books published for different editions of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. Both were designed as supplements to the core rulebooks, containing materi ...
'' and ''
Monster Manual II
''Monster Manual II'' is the title shared by two hardback rulebooks published for different versions of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy roleplaying game.
''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons''
''Monster Manual II'' was a 160-page hardcover ...
'' were also used during development.
The images of monsters were adapted directly from the ''Monster Manual'' book.
The game was originally programmed by Keith Brors and Brad Myers, and it was developed by
George MacDonald
George MacDonald (10 December 1824 – 18 September 1905) was a Scottish author, poet and Christian Congregational minister. He was a pioneering figure in the field of modern fantasy literature and the mentor of fellow writer Lewis Carroll. I ...
.
The game's graphic arts were by Tom Wahl, Fred Butts, Darla Marasco, and Susan Halbleib.
''Pool of Radiance'' was released in June 1988;
it was initially available on the Commodore 64, Apple II series and
IBM PC compatible
IBM PC compatible computers are similar to the original IBM PC, XT, and AT, all from computer giant IBM, that are able to use the same software and expansion cards. Such computers were referred to as PC clones, IBM clones or IBM PC clones. ...
computers.
A version for the
Atari ST
The Atari ST is a line of personal computers from Atari Corporation and the successor to the Atari 8-bit family. The initial model, the Atari 520ST, had limited release in April–June 1985 and was widely available in July. It was the first pers ...
was also announced.
The
Macintosh
The Mac (known as Macintosh until 1999) is a family of personal computers designed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple Inc. Macs are known for their ease of use and minimalist designs, and are popular among students, creative professionals, and ...
version was released in 1989.
The Macintosh version featured a slightly different interface and was intended to work on black-and-white Macs like the
Mac Plus
The Macintosh Plus computer is the third model in the Macintosh line, introduced on January 16, 1986, two years after the original Macintosh and a little more than a year after the Macintosh 512K, with a price tag of US$2,599. As an evolutiona ...
and the
Mac Classic. The screen was tiled into separate windows including the game screen, text console, and compass. Graphics were monochrome and the display window was relatively small compared to other versions. The Macintosh version featured sound, but no music. The game's
Amiga
Amiga is a family of personal computers introduced by Commodore in 1985. The original model is one of a number of mid-1980s computers with 16- or 32-bit processors, 256 KB or more of RAM, mouse-based GUIs, and significantly improved graphi ...
version was released two years later.
The PC 9800 version in Japan was fully translated (like the Japanese Famicom version) and featured full-color graphics. The game was ported to the
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console produced by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan in 1983 as the commonly known as the The NES, a redesigned version, was released in America ...
under the title ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Pool of Radiance'', released in April 1992. The NES version was the only version of the game to feature a complete soundtrack, which was composed by Seiji Toda, as he was signed to the publisher, Pony Canyon's record label at the time. The same soundtrack can be found on the PC-9801 version. The Amiga version also features some extra music, while most other ports contain only one song that plays at the title screen.
The original ''Pool of Radiance'' game shipped with a 28-page introductory booklet, which describes secrets relating to the game and the concepts behind it. The booklet guides players through the character creation process, explaining how to create a party. The game also included the 38-page ''Adventurer's Journal'', which provides the game's background. The booklet features depictions of fliers, maps, and information that characters see in the game.
Sequels and related works
''Pool of Radiance'' was the first in a four-part series of computer ''D&D'' adventures set in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting. The others were released by SSI one year apart: ''
Curse of the Azure Bonds
''Curse of the Azure Bonds'' is a role-playing video game developed and published by Strategic Simulations, Inc (SSI) in 1989. It is the second in a four-part series of Forgotten Realms ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' Gold Box adventure comput ...
'' (1989), ''
Secret of the Silver Blades
''Secret of the Silver Blades'' is the third in a four-part series of Forgotten Realms ''Dungeons & Dragons'' " Gold Box" adventure role-playing video games. The game was released in 1990.
The story is a continuation of the events of ''Curse of ...
'' (1990), and ''
Pools of Darkness'' (1991).
The 1989 game ''
Hillsfar
''Hillsfar'' is a role-playing video game for MS-DOS compatible operating systems, Amiga, Atari ST, and Commodore 64. It was developed by Westwood Associates and published by Strategic Simulations in 1989. It combines real-time action with ra ...
'' was also created by SSI but was not a sequel to ''Pool of Radiance''. ''Hillsfar'' is described instead, by the reviewers of ''
Dragon
A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
'', as "a value-added adventure for those who would like to take a side trip while awaiting the sequel".
A player can import characters from ''Pool of Radiance'' into ''Hillsfar'', although the characters are reduced to their basic levels and do not retain weapons or
magical items. Original ''Hillsfar'' characters cannot be exported to ''Pool of Radiance'', but they can be exported to ''Curse of the Azure Bonds''.
A review for ''Curse of the Azure Bonds'' in ''Computer Gaming World'' noted that "you can transfer your characters from ''Pool of Radiance'' and it's a good idea to do so. It will give you a headstart in the game".
GameSpot
''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
declared that ''Pool of Radiance'', with its detailed art, wide variety of quests and treasure, and tactical combat system, and despite the availability of only four character classes and the low character level cap, "ultimately succeeded in its goal of bringing a standardized form of AD&D to the home computer, and laid the foundation for other future gold box AD&D role-playing games".
Scott Battaglia of
GameSpy
GameSpy was an American provider of online multiplayer and matchmaking middleware for video games founded in 1996 by Mark Surfas. After the release of a multiplayer server browser for the game, QSpy, Surfas licensed the software under the GameS ...
said ''Pool of Radiance'' is "what many gamers consider to be the epitome of ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' RPGs. These games were so great that people today are using MoSlo in droves to slow down their
Pentium III
The Pentium III (marketed as Intel Pentium III Processor, informally PIII or P3) brand refers to Intel's 32-bit x86 desktop and mobile CPUs based on the sixth-generation P6 microarchitecture introduced on February 28, 1999. The brand's initial p ...
-1000 MHz enough to play these gems".
In March 2008,
Dvice.com
Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi Channel, later shortened to Sci Fi; stylized as SYFY) is an American basic cable channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. La ...
listed ''Pool of Radiance'' among its 13 best electronic versions of ''Dungeons & Dragons''. The contributor felt that "the Pool of Radiance series set the stage for ''Dungeons & Dragons'' to make a major splash in the video game world".
The 1988 ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game
module
Module, modular and modularity may refer to the concept of modularity. They may also refer to:
Computing and engineering
* Modular design, the engineering discipline of designing complex devices using separately designed sub-components
* Modul ...
''
Ruins of Adventure
''Ruins of Adventure'' is a ''Dungeons & Dragons'' module that served as the basis for the popular " Gold Box" role-playing video game ''Pool of Radiance'', published in 1988 by Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI). According to the editors of ''Drag ...
'' was produced using the same adventure scenario as ''Pool of Radiance'', using the same plot, background, setting, and many of the same characters as the computer game. The module thus contains useful clues to the successful completion of the computer missions. ''Ruins of Adventure'' contains four linked miniscenarios, which form the core of ''Pool of Radiance''.
According to the editors of ''Dragon'' magazine, ''Pool of Radiance'' was based on ''Ruins of Adventure'', and not vice versa.
Novelization
In November 1989 a
novelization
A novelization (or novelisation) is a derivative novel that adapts the story of a work created for another medium, such as a film, TV series, stage play, comic book or video game. Film novelizations were particularly popular before the advent of ...
of ''Pool of Radiance'' the video game, also called ''Pool of Radiance'', was written by
James Ward James Ward may refer to:
Military
*James Ward (Medal of Honor, 1864) (1833–?), American Civil War sailor
* James Ward (Medal of Honor, 1890) (1854–1901), American Indian Wars soldier
*James Allen Ward (1919–1941), New Zealand pilot and Vi ...
and Jane Cooper Hong, published by
TSR. The novel is set in the
Forgotten Realms
''Forgotten Realms'' is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a ...
setting based on the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. ''
Dragon
A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
'' described the novel's plot: "Five companions find themselves in the unenviable position of defending the soon-to-be ghost town against a rival possessing incredible power".
This book was the first in a trilogy, followed by ''
Pools of Darkness'' and ''
Pool of Twilight
''Pool of Twilight'' is a fantasy novel published by TSR, Inc. in November 1993. It is the third and final novel in the "Heroes of Phlan" novel trilogy, set in the Forgotten Realms setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game.
Plot ...
''.
Re-release
GOG.com
GOG.com (formerly Good Old Games) is a digital distribution platform for video games and films. It is operated by GOG sp. z o.o., a wholly owned subsidiary of CD Projekt based in Warsaw, Poland. GOG.com delivers DRM-free video games through its ...
released Pool of Radiance and many Gold Box series games
digitally on August 20, 2015, as a part of ''Forgotten Realms: The Archives - Collection Two''.
Reception
SSI sold 264,536 copies of ''Pool of Radiance'' for computers in North America, three times that of ''
Heroes of the Lance
''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes of the Lance'' is a video game released in January 1988 for various home computer systems and consoles. The game is based on the first ''Dragonlance'' campaign module for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy ro ...
'', an AD&D-licensed action game SSI also released that year. It became by far the company's most successful game up to that time; even its
hint book
Strategy guides are instruction books that contain hints or complete solutions to specific video games. The line between strategy guides and walkthroughs is somewhat blurred, with the former often containing or being written around the latter. Str ...
outsold any earlier SSI game.
It spawned a series of games, which combined to sell above 800,000 copies worldwide by 1996.
In ''
Computer Gaming World
''Computer Gaming World'' (CGW) was an American computer game magazine published between 1981 and 2006. One of the few magazines of the era to survive the video game crash of 1983, it was sold to Ziff Davis in 1993. It expanded greatly through ...
''s preview of ''Pool of Radiance'' in July 1988, the writer noted a sense of ''deja vu''. He described the similarity of the game's screen to earlier computer RPGs. For example, the three-dimensional maze view in the upper-left window was similar to ''
Might & Magic
''Might and Magic'' is a series of role-playing video games from New World Computing, which in 1996 became a subsidiary of The 3DO Company. The original ''Might and Magic'' series ended with the closure of the 3DO Company. The rights to the ''Mig ...
'' or ''
Bard's Tale'', both released in the mid-1980s. The window with a listing of characters was featured in 1988's ''
Wasteland
Wasteland or waste land may refer to:
* Desert or barren area
* an uncultivated area of land, whether wooded or not, whether common land or not
Art, entertainment, and media Comics
* ''Wasteland'' (DC Comics), 1987–1989 anthology-style horror ...
''; and the use of an active character to represent the party was part of ''Ultima V''. The reviewer also noted that the design approach for game play was closer to SSI's own ''
Wizard's Crown
''Wizard's Crown'' is a 1986 top-down role-playing video game published by Strategic Simulations.
It was released for the Atari 8-bit, Atari ST, IBM PC compatibles, Apple II, and Commodore 64. A sequel, ''The Eternal Dagger'', was released in 1987 ...
'' than to the other games in the genre.
''Pool of Radiance'' received positive reviews. ''
G.M.'' called the game's graphics "good" and praised its role-playing and combat aspects. They felt that "roleplayers will find ''Pools'' is an essential purchase, but people who are solely computer games oriented may hesitate before buying it
..it will be their loss".
Tony Dillon from ''
Commodore User
''Commodore User'', known to the readers as the abbreviated ''CU'', was one of the oldest British Commodore magazines. With a publishing history spanning over 15 years, it mixed content with technical and video game features. Incorporating ''Vic ...
'' gave it a score of 9 out of 10; the only complaint was a slightly slow disk access, but the reviewer was impressed with the game's features, awarding it a ''Commodore User'' superstar and proclaiming it "the best RPG ever to grace the C64, or indeed any other computer".
Issue #84 of the British magazine ''
Computer + Video Games
''Computer and Video Games'' (also known as ''CVG'', ''Computer & Video Games'', ''C&VG'', ''Computer + Video Games'', or ''C+VG'') was a UK-based video game magazine, published in its original form between 1981 and 2004. Its offshoot website w ...
'' rated the game highly, saying that "''Pools'' is a game which no role player or adventurer should be without and people new to role playing should seriously consider buying as an introductory guide".
Another UK publication, ''
The Games Machine
''The Games Machine'' is a video game magazine that was published from 1987 until 1990 in the United Kingdom by Newsfield, which also published ''CRASH'', ''Zzap!64'', ''Amtix!'' and other magazines.
History
The magazine ran head to head with ...
'', gave the game an 89% rating. The reviewer noted that the third-person arcade style combat view is a great improvement for SSI, as they had traditionally incorporated simplistic graphics in their role-playing games. The reviewer was critical that ''Pool of Radiance'' was not original in its presentation and that the colors were a little drab, but concluded that the game is "classic ''Dungeons & Dragons'' which SSI have recreated excellently".
A review from ''
Zzap'' was less positive, giving the game a score of 80%. The reviewer felt that the game required too much "hacking, slicing and chopping" without enough emphasis on puzzle solving. The game was awarded 49% for its puzzle factor.
Three reviewers for ''Computer Gaming World'' had conflicting reactions.
Ken St. Andre
Kenneth Eugene St. Andre (born April 28, 1947) is an American fantasy author and game designer, best known for his work with ''Tunnels & Trolls'' and ''Wasteland (video game), Wasteland''. He was born in Ogden, Utah, and has been an active member ...
—designer of the ''
Tunnels & Trolls
''Tunnels & Trolls'' (abbreviated ''T&T'') is a fantasy role-playing game designed by Ken St. Andre and first published in 1975 by Flying Buffalo. The second modern role-playing game published, it was written by Ken St. Andre to be a more accessib ...
'' RPG—approved of the game despite his dislike of the ''D&D'' system, praising the art, the mixture of combat and puzzles, and surprises. He concluded as "take it from a 'rival' designer, ''Pool of Radiance'' has my recommendation for every computer fantasy role-playing gamer". Tracie Forman Hicks, however, opined that over-faithful use of the D&D system left it behind others like ''
Ultima'' and ''
Wizardry
''Wizardry'' is a series of role-playing video games, developed by Sir-Tech, that were highly influential in the evolution of modern role-playing video games. The original ''Wizardry'' was a significant influence on early console role-playing g ...
''. She also disliked the game's puzzles and lengthy combat sequences.
Scorpia also disliked the amount of fighting in a game she otherwise described as a "well-designed slicer/dicer", concluding that "patience (possibly of
Job
Work or labor (or labour in British English) is intentional activity people perform to support the needs and wants of themselves, others, or a wider community. In the context of economics, work can be viewed as the human activity that contr ...
)
srequired to get through this one".
Shay Addams from ''
Compute!
''Compute!'' (), often stylized as ''COMPUTE!'', was an American home computer magazine that was published from 1979 to 1994. Its origins can be traced to 1978 in Len Lindsay's ''PET Gazette'', one of the first magazines for the Commodore PET c ...
'' stated that experienced role-playing gamers "won't find anything new here", but recommended it to those who "love dungeons, dragons, and drama".
In their March 1989 "The Role of Computers" column in ''
Dragon
A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
'' magazine #143, Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser (often called "The Lessers") gave ''Pool of Radiance'' a three-page review. The reviewers praised ''Pool of Radiance'' as "the first offering that truly follows AD&D game rules", calling it a "great fantasy role-playing game" that "falls into the must-buy category for avid AD&D game players". The reviewers advised readers to "rush out to your local dealer and buy Pool Of Radiance". They considered it SSI's flagship product, speculating that it would "undoubtedly bring thousands of computer enthusiasts into the adventure-filled worlds of TSR". The ''Dragon'' reviewers criticized the "notoriously slow" technology of the C64/128 system but added that the C64/128 version would become nearly unplayable without a software-based fastloader utility which Strategic Simulations integrated into the game. Conversely, the reviewers felt that the MS-DOS version was extremely fast, so much so that they had to slow the game operation down in order to read all the on-screen messages. They found that the MS-DOS version played at twice the speed of the C64/128 version when using the
Enhanced Graphics Adapter
The Enhanced Graphics Adapter (EGA) is an IBM PC graphics adapter and de facto computer display standard from 1984 that superseded the CGA standard introduced with the original IBM PC, and was itself superseded by the VGA standard in 1987. In ...
(EGA) graphics mode.
Alex Simmons, Doug Johns, and Andy Mitchell reviewed the
Amiga
Amiga is a family of personal computers introduced by Commodore in 1985. The original model is one of a number of mid-1980s computers with 16- or 32-bit processors, 256 KB or more of RAM, mouse-based GUIs, and significantly improved graphi ...
version of ''Pool of Radiance'' for ''Amiga Action'' magazine in 1990, giving it a 79% overall rating. Mitchell preferred the game ''
Champions of Krynn
''Champions of Krynn'' is role-playing video game, the first in a three-part series of Dragonlance ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' "Gold Box" games. The game was released in 1990 in video gaming, 1990. The highest graphics setting supported in ...
'', which had been released by the time the Amiga version of ''Pool of Radiance'' became available; he felt that ''Pool of Radiance'' was "more of the same" when compared to ''Champions'', but was less playable and with more limited actions for players. Simmons felt that ''Pool of Radiance'' looked primitive and seemed less polished when compared with ''Champions of Krynn''; he felt that although ''Pool'' was not up to the standard of ''Champions'', he said it was still "a fine little game". Johns, on the other hand, felt that ''Pool of Radiance'' was well worth the wait, considering it very user-friendly despite being less polished than ''Champions of Krynn''.
''Pool of Radiance'' was well received by the gaming press and won the
Origins Award
The Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry. They are presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for the previous year, so (for example) the 1979 aw ...
for ''Best Fantasy or Science Fiction Computer Game of 1988''.
For the second annual "Beastie Awards" in 1989, ''Dragon''s readers voted ''Pool of Radiance'' the most popular fantasy role-playing game of the year, with ''Ultima V'' as the runner-up. The Apple II version was the most popular format, the PC DOS/MS-DOS came in a close second, and the Commodore 64/128 got the fewest votes. The primary factor given for votes was the game's faithfulness to the ''AD&D'' system as well as the game's graphics and easy-to-use
user interface
In the industrial design field of human–computer interaction, a user interface (UI) is the space where interactions between humans and machines occur. The goal of this interaction is to allow effective operation and control of the machine f ...
to activate commands. ''Pool of Radiance'' was also selected for the
RPGA
The RPGA (also called the Role Playing Game Association and the RPGA Network at various times), was initially part of the organized play arm of TSR, Inc and later of Wizards of the Coast. From 1980 to 2014, it organized and sanctioned role-playing ...
-sponsored Gamers' Choice Awards for the Best Computer Game of 1989. In 1990 the game received the fifth-highest number of votes in a survey of ''Computer Gaming World'' readers' "All-Time Favorites".
Allen Rausch, writing for
GameSpy
GameSpy was an American provider of online multiplayer and matchmaking middleware for video games founded in 1996 by Mark Surfas. After the release of a multiplayer server browser for the game, QSpy, Surfas licensed the software under the GameS ...
's 2004 retrospective "A History of D&D Video Games", concluded that although the game "certainly had its flaws (horrendous load times, interface weirdness, and a low-level cap among others), it was a huge, expansive adventure that laid a good foundation for every Gold Box game that followed".
In 1994, ''
PC Gamer US
''PC Gamer'' is a magazine and website founded in the United Kingdom in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future plc. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games mag ...
'' named ''Pool of Radiance'' the 43rd best computer game ever.
IGN ranked ''Pool of Radiance'' No. 3 on their list of "The Top 11 Dungeons & Dragons Games of All Time" in 2014. Ian Williams of ''
Paste'' rated the game #5 on his list of "The 10 Greatest Dungeons and Dragons Videogames" in 2015.
See also
* ''
Pool of Twilight
''Pool of Twilight'' is a fantasy novel published by TSR, Inc. in November 1993. It is the third and final novel in the "Heroes of Phlan" novel trilogy, set in the Forgotten Realms setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game.
Plot ...
''
* ''
Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor''
References
External links
*
*
Dragonbait's ''Pool of Radiance'' page screenshots, info and pics of the original ''Pool of Radiance'' (1988)
''Pool of Radiance'' at Game Banshee- Contains a walkthrough and many in-depth specifics about the game
for Commodore 64 version
Pool of Radiance Interactive Code Wheelat oldgames.sk
Reviewin
Compute!'s Gazette
''Compute!'s Gazette'' (), stylized as ''COMPUTE!'s Gazette'', was a computer magazine of the 1980s, directed at users of Commodore's 8-bit home computers. Announced as ''The Commodore Gazette'', it was a Commodore-only daughter magazine of the ...
Reviewin
Info
Info is shorthand for "information". It may also refer to:
Computing
* .info, a generic top-level domain
* info:, a URI scheme for information assets with identifiers in public namespaces
* info (Unix), a command used to view documentation produc ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pool Of Radiance
1988 video games
Amiga games
Apple II games
Classic Mac OS games
Commodore 64 games
DOS games
Fantasy video games
Forgotten Realms video games
Gold Box
NEC PC-9801 games
Nintendo Entertainment System games
Origins Award winners
Role-playing video games
Sharp X1 games
Strategic Simulations games
Tactical role-playing video games
Ubisoft games
U.S. Gold games
Video games developed in the United States
Video games featuring protagonists of selectable gender
Video games with oblique graphics