Betrayal at Krondor: Difference between revisions

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The game takes place over nine chapters. Due to the graphical limitations of the time, a lot of the game's plot is presented in text form, in a prosaic format that reads like one of Feist's novels. The game itself utilizes a first-person perspective as the party traverses a (primitive) 3D landscape representing the world of Midkemia and various cities therein, switching to a third-person view whenever the player enters combat.

''Betrayal at Krondor'' was, and still is, a unique CRPG. Instead of levels and XP, characters gain percentage points in over a dozen skills, but only if they practice that particular skill. For example, a character can only improve his crossbow accuracy skill if he uses a crossbow during combat. Mages do not have any MP; instead, any spells cast use an amount of their [[Cast ~~From~~ Hit Points|health/stamina points]]. In addition, the game utilizes some unorthodox RPG elements, such as day/night cycles, riddle-based puzzle lockchests, and even a food system.

''Betrayal at Krondor'' was, and still is, a unique CRPG. Instead of levels and XP, characters gain percentage points in over a dozen skills, but only if they practice that particular skill. For example, a character can only improve his crossbow accuracy skill if he uses a crossbow during combat. Mages do not have any MP; instead, any spells cast use an amount of their [[Cast from Hit Points|health/stamina points]]. In addition, the game utilizes some unorthodox RPG elements, such as day/night cycles, riddle-based puzzle lockchests, and even a food system.

Sierra published a [[Spiritual Successor]] [[Betrayal in Antara]] as well as a more direct sequel [[Return to Krondor]], although neither were as well-received as the original game. In 1998 Feist [[Novelization|novelized]] the game, and ''Krondor: The Betrayal'' became officially a part of the Riftwar canon.

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* [[Ascended Fanon]]: The story was written by Neal Hallford, not Feist, despite the common misconception. Feist oversaw the production, gave his blessings and probably intervened to correct one thing or another, but the story ''is'' essentially a fanfic with the [[High Concept]] of "What if not all the moredhel wanted war?"

* [[A Simple Plan]]: Averted. Gorath's [[Zany Scheme|plan]] of {{spoiler|rescuing his would-be ally Obkhar from the napththa mines by pretending to offer Owyn into slavery, getting them both captured as slaves, finding Obkhar and swimming out through the underground streams}} works pretty much as he outlines before-hand, not counting the {{spoiler|unforeseen dependency on gas masks to keep from dying from the poison fumes, or Owyn nearly drowning after his mask slips off underwater.}}

* [[Awesome but Impractical]]: some spells, particularly Mad God's Rage. The caster fires bolts of energy at his line-of-sight enemies until they die, or the [[Cast ~~From~~ Hit Points|caster does]], which means it's not very practical if the caster is already low on hitpoints or there are just too many enemies. It does make the "mad" part appropriate, though.

* [[Awesome but Impractical]]: some spells, particularly Mad God's Rage. The caster fires bolts of energy at his line-of-sight enemies until they die, or the [[Cast from Hit Points|caster does]], which means it's not very practical if the caster is already low on hitpoints or there are just too many enemies. It does make the "mad" part appropriate, though.

* [[Bag of Sharing]]: Averted, as each character has his own separate inventory. This can get frustrating, especially at the end of certain chapters when the party members switch around. Was a certain member of your party carrying all the healing potions, or some rare artifact that lets you cast certain spells or poison your weapon? [[So Long and Thanks For All the Gear|Oops, he's gone now]], and in at least one case the leaving party member will ''never again'' be in the party with the two remaining members.

** This problem is addressed only once. At the end of chapter one the game switches out Locklear for James, but right at the beginning of chapter two James can rifle through Locklear's old inventory and take what he needs.

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** Also, mentioned only once in a sidebar quest, is Nalar, the Mad God and Lord of the Void.

** The dragon statue at Malac's Cross that became a solid part of the canon landscape later on first appeared in the game.

* [[Cast ~~From~~ Hit Points]]: All the mage spells use up health/stamina points, even the non-combat ones.

* [[Cast from Hit Points]]: All the mage spells use up health/stamina points, even the non-combat ones.

* [[Cave Behind the Falls]]: There is a large one of these that plays a big role in Chapter 3.

* [[Cliff Hanger]]: Chapter VI ends with Gorath and Owyn teleporting into a place they know nothing about save that Pug, the most powerful magician on two worlds, needs to be ''rescued'' from there. Chapter VII ends with James and Locklear seeing a flash of magic signalling the arrival of powerful enemy magicians through the rift. Both cliffhangers are followed by a switch to the other group.

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* [[So Long and Thanks For All the Gear]]: Averted in Chapter II, since when Locklear leaves he leaves his equipment behind (when he returns in Chapter V he has all new gear). Subverted at the end of Chapter III: while Owyn and Gorath don't ever get to legitimately trade equipment with James again, they can access the Northwarden area via a bug and pick up stuff James and co. left behind there, and in turn it's not hard for Owyn and Gorath to dump some surplus equipment in a puzzle box in the Dimwood for Jimmy's team to pick up in Chapter VII. You'll still need to decide which team gets to keep the Spider and the Spyglass, though. (Common practice is to give them to Gorath's team, since the first part of Chapter IV is [[That One Level]].)

* [[Spanner in the Works]]: The [[Big Bad]] {{spoiler|Makala}} imprisons {{spoiler|the magician Pug}} on an alien planet where magic can't be cast, to buy himself time to {{spoiler|study the [[Artifact of Doom|Lifestone]] without Pug's interference}}. [[Fridge Brilliance|Presumably]] he assumed that anyone looking to free the prisoner would either fail or not do so in time. The rescuer would certainly need to be a powerful magician, which few people are, and they tend to go on such missions alone, since non-magicians would just [[The Load|get in the way]]. If the rescuer went without preparation, the "no magic" problem and the hostile natives would make dead meat of them. If they scouted and found out about the "no magic" problem in advance, they'd sit and look for a solution before going there. Enter the [[Sword and Sorcerer]] team of {{spoiler|Gorath and Owyn}}, who just wade right in.

* [[Squishy Wizard]]: All the spellcasters. Except sort of ''not'', since their ability to [[Cast ~~From~~ Hit Points|cast lots of powerful spells and stay alive]] actually indicates a pretty good endurance.

* [[Squishy Wizard]]: All the spellcasters. Except sort of ''not'', since their ability to [[Cast from Hit Points|cast lots of powerful spells and stay alive]] actually indicates a pretty good endurance.

* [[Strategy Guide]]: Though it's online and not a hard copy, the [http://notendur.hi.is/eybjorn/krondor/krondor.html BAK Help Web] goes way beyond a normal [[Walkthrough|FAQ or Walkthrough]]. Featuring detailed maps, stats on every weapon and item, every single bit of text, and even a screenshot and stats for ''every combat in the game'', it's one of the most comprehensive resources on a single game out there.

* [[Stupid Sacrifice]]: {{spoiler|Gorath's death arguably has shades of this. The most dangerous artifact on Midkemia is in the room and the two powerful magicians capable of disintegrating a puny fighter in an instant just let Delekhan get close to it? Exhaustion is only so much of an excuse.}}

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[[Category:Licensed Game]]

[[Category:Needs Wiki Magic Love]]

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[[Category:~~Betrayal at Krondor~~]]

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