The Concept of Trials of the Luremaster is Unapologetically Bad (Spoilers)

HaHaCharade

I've always been kind of grumpy when it comes to Trials of the Luremaster. The story goes, even with Heart of Winter (which isn't the best expansion in its own right, but I digress) that IWD wasn't a long enough game. So in response, Trials of the Luremaster came out as a free expansion.

Problem: Icewind Dale isn't long enough.

Solution: We're going to add an expansion that.... teleports you out of Icewind Dale! Don't get me wrong, Anauroch is cool and all... but I just don't get why a game built around ice and snow and the wonder of the Spine of the World, whisks you away to a desert.

Heart of Winter also has similar issues - as do any games with the whole "Keyhole/Gateway" character mechanic. -- "I saw you in my dreams, come help me, wait go get stronger first." Blah. But at least it keeps you in and around the Ten Towns, and with the Jerrod piece, is related to the overall story. But you can never get back to areas again, another item in games I don't particularly like.

Thoughts?

Raduziel

It has the same issue that I think SoD has: great expansion, but way too disconnected from the main history.

HaHaCharade

Raduziel said:

It has the same issue that I think SoD has: great expansion, but way too disconnected from the main history.

Yeah... I think Tales of the Sword Coast spoiled us all. Pretty dang seamless.

brunardo

Yeah I liked the plot and gameplay but doesnt really fit into IWD thats for sure

megamike15

i'm gonna be honest. it's the one part of heart of winter i did not like.

SirBatince

no problems here. from the ingame art it seems like castle maluradek is set on a barren, ghostly tundra. that's good enough for me.

ThacoBell

Eh, its not really any different than TotSC. Set far away from the game's main setting (werewolf isle), and isn't conected in any way with story (everything in TotSC). That doesn't necessarily make it bad, but it does make it stand out. That's really the main reason why I prefer larger adventures like that to be expansions taht take place after the main game, rather than dumped into the middle of a narrative/setting that doesn't match.

themazingness

It's basically the Tom Bombadil of the game. Whether or not that is good or bad seems to be a matter of taste.

As for my tastes, it wasn't great but I'll take it. I like it better than either of the Black Pits by a long shot.

booinyoureyes

1. I LOVE Trials of the Luremaster!
2. Yeah you are totally right about it being disconnected from the main storyline. I just imagine my party went on vacation after the events of IWD and HoW and got stuck in the TotLM long after.

I would have loved if people made more adventures in Icewind Dale, where you can import your party. Kinda like how everyone made modules for Neverwinter Nights. Being a fan of the Infinity Engine games, but less so of the Aurora Engine games, I'm a little disappointed IWD doesn't get more modder love.

I think I'm going to install IWDification and play Black Pits 2 with my recreated IWD squad. Maybe that way I can finally finish it!

HaHaCharade

ThacoBell said:

Eh, its not really any different than TotSC. Set far away from the game's main setting (werewolf isle), and isn't conected in any way with story (everything in TotSC). That doesn't necessarily make it bad, but it does make it stand out. That's really the main reason why I prefer larger adventures like that to be expansions taht take place after the main game, rather than dumped into the middle of a narrative/setting that doesn't match.

I agree that TotSC is disconnected, but it still feels seamless to me, because of its inclusion in the map. Its like actual AD&D where you have a main plot/story, but other adventure surrounds you.

Calmar

HaHaCharade said:

Heart of Winter also has similar issues - as do any games with the whole "Keyhole/Gateway" character mechanic. -- "I saw you in my dreams, come help me, wait go get stronger first." Blah. But at least it keeps you in and around the Ten Towns, and with the Jerrod piece, is related to the overall story. But you can never get back to areas again, another item in games I don't particularly like.

Thoughts?

Do you mean Hjollder? Heart of Winter is meant to be played after Icewind Dale. Hjollder is just an "OOC" comfort function that allows you to skip the base game if you want to play the expansion right away.

If I'm not mostaken, you can export your party at any time and start a new (possibly too hard) HoW game anytime.

HaHaCharade

Calmar said:

HaHaCharade said:

Heart of Winter also has similar issues - as do any games with the whole "Keyhole/Gateway" character mechanic. -- "I saw you in my dreams, come help me, wait go get stronger first." Blah. But at least it keeps you in and around the Ten Towns, and with the Jerrod piece, is related to the overall story. But you can never get back to areas again, another item in games I don't particularly like.

Thoughts?

Do you mean Hjollder? Heart of Winter is meant to be played after Icewind Dale. Hjollder is just an "OOC" comfort function that allows you to skip the base game if you want to play the expansion right away.

If I'm not mostaken, you can export your party at any time and start a new (possibly too hard) HoW game anytime.

Yep but it'd be nice if IWD flowed into Heart of Winter, like they somehow connected the conflicts... which are already kind of connected. But geographically, Lonelywood is a bit far away from Kuldahar, so I'm sure using him to port you later into HoW was the easiest solution.