Gothic Series .. Valley of the Mines .. Recent Post .. Aggghhhh !!

Hi

I've just bought a full-on Gothic experience - which I hope to attempt later in the year.

Gothic : The Complete Collection
The full award-winning Gothic Series including all 3 parts & addons.
[Plays in Win7 and WinXP]

So once I start it there is no doubt I will be coming here. Begging for help and advice from all you Gothic experts !!

Cheers.

Mad

Hi Mad, I love the Gothic games! 1 and 2 are the best, IMO. I took your advice & bought Risen on GOG. I haven't done much in it, I keep getting killed by the vulture. Is there a eapon somewhere?

I think we'll be helping each other with our new games.

How exciting, Mad! I look forward to reading about your adventures.

Hi Marian, I remember you helped me a lot when I first played Gothic! Mad will probably have the same questions.

Barb

That's nice of you to remember, Barb. Maybe I'll load up Gothic one of these days and see if I can still remember what I did!

WooHooo, Mad, have a great time!

Barb, play the game as you did in Gothic. Run away and come back later. I remember avoiding a wolf. There is a knife on the beach and there are some items along the path and a shield in a crypt. I recommend heading to the swamp and the bandits first, but be careful not to join them. The inquisition path is much more interesting.

Hi

Barb ... Search that whole beach area good & proper (saving your game a lot ) and you'll pick up quite a bit of stuff - including the knife Pokey mentioned.
And always check any plants you can gather as some have "permanent" beneficial effects

[If Gothic is anything like Risen I just know I will like it - and thanks for the encouragement, folks !!]

Cheers.

Mad

Couldn't resist taking a peek at Gothic (the original) but getting used to the controls is certainly going to be a big learning curve for me

And I haven't even been able to find things like a "Stats Screen" or a "Quest Journal".
Does the game have them ?? And if so, how do I access them

[Help is ALWAYS appreciated, thank you ]

Still .... I can boast that I've discovered how to change from "movement mode" to "combat mode" .... even though completely by chance !!

Mad, you will get used to the controls quickly. Do you have a manual?

From a walkthrough:

1.5. Info screens
-----------------
Pressing S calls the Status Screen. You can see your level, experience, and various characteristics.
Pressing L calls the Mission Diary screen. Each time you find something interesting, there will be a scribbling sound and
something will be written in the Diary. There are several sections: current missions, completed missions, cancelled missions
and miscellaneous info.

Just in case you don't have a manual:

Gothic keyboard controls

It all seemed really strange to me at first too, but give it an hour or two and you will grow accustomed to it; that's how it was for me, anyway.

Before you confront the vulture, look around the shoreline completely, especially at the other end. There are a few things you can pick up.

I do have a manual and after I posted my questions here, I did find the answers
I can only surmise that I didn't don my proper Gothic Glasses soon enough - for which I apologise

But thank you very much, Pokey and Marian, for coming with help so quickly. It is much appreciated

And no doubt I'll be back asking for more before too long, Gothic Glasses or not !!

I do quite like this game and I've played a little more now - mainly exploring "Old Camp" and trying to get my bearings there.
[Although I still seem to get lost with monotonous regularity !! ]

But for me to level up and improve at all is going to take years because everything costs LOADS of ore and I've only managed to acquire 13 lumps of the stuff so far

And as I find my character so difficult to control in combat mode, my fighting is absolutely pathetic .... which doesn't help

Mad, hopefully the combat will feel more natural the more you play....

Mad, if you can possibly buy some hunting skills, it will help you earn animal pelts, claws, etc., which will increase what you can sell for more ore - a good investment. If I remember correctly you probably passed a couple of hunters before reaching the camp who can teach the skill.

Yes, I will keep trying to improve my combat technique, looney4labs but I've watched some Gothic combat on YouTube and my efforts don't look anything like what I saw there !!

The lowest amount of ore I need in order to obtain any one of those skills from the hunters, Rowan, is 50
So I'm thinking I'll start the game over and try and do better - now I know more about how the game operates

Mad, your combat technique will improve as you move up the skill trees. The combat moves change as you take higher levels. This is very important in these games.

I usually forego the non-combat stuff for a while and concentrate on improving Dexterity and Strength for a while, then work on Sword skills, and then, when I am competent to do so, I venture out and start on Bow skills and then, when reasonably good, start with the money-centric skills like Lock picking and Hunting. The thing with the Gothics and Risen is that you can always go back to an area and take what's there if you had to leave things behind earlier on.

Possible Spoiler:

Thanks, hagatha

However, I seem to be in a vicious circle.
To obtain skills I need ore. And to obtain ore (of any quantity) I need skills !!

But I will plod on.

[I did start the game over and do fight a little better now - but nothing to shout home about ]

Hurrah !! I've improved my fighting a bit - after realising what I was doing wrong

And now, I'm going to follow your "spoiler" advice, hagatha

Hi Mad, **SPOILER ALERT**talk to Diego about joining the camp - he tells you to talk to Thorus - Thorus gives you a quest to get rid of Mordrag - go to him - he's left of the castle gate, near the other entrance, follow him to the New Camp, he will kill the monsters & YOU get the experience. At the New Camp, you'll find someone who wants you to give out swampweed - each person you give it to will give you 10 ore. That way, you'll get 100 ore to buy a better weapon.

Sounds like you're doing fine, it just takes time to build experience & accumulate ore.

EDIT: Do you have a good walkthrough, Mad? This is the one I used: http://www.gamesover.com/walkthroughs/gothic.txt

Thank you, too, Barb, for another tip !!

It's so great to have help when you need it

Another question

Is there such a thing as a "World Map" for Gothic 1 - which shows the paths between the camps and/or important "wilderness" locations ??

I've looked on the web but can't find one.
And when I go roaming out and about, I invariably get lost for hours, or, more often, killed off by wolves and things

If I recall correctly, there is no in-game map. If I find a map online, I'll let you know.

Thanks, Marian

I'm doing a lot better now, since I improved my combat AND also took hagatha's advice

There are Gothic maps on this page.

Nice, Rowan - thanks!

Mad, in the Gothics you just have to chip away at the corners of each new area very slowly and by all means run away.

For instance, at a certain point you will see a bridge with some obnoxious-sounding small black beings on the other side. They look easy but - WOW! So what I do in this and all other multi and tough enemy situations is dart in, smack something with an arrow and then run like hell while they chase. They will give up eventually, at which point you can be an absolute yellow-bellied coward and stick another arrow in their backsides as they walk away.

Sounds like the same strategy I used in DD.

It's always my strategy because I never build fighters, always mage/thief types. You have to be willing to be a scaredy-cat for the first half of any game, but after that it's usually fine.

Hi

Yes, Barb, thanks. I found that walkthrough a while ago and have a link to it on my Desktop.
[It's a good one.]

And thanks to you, Rowan, also. I actually found those maps fairly soon after starting the game, but I’ve been trying to find one that shows the paths linking the camps.

AND .... Yes, looney4labs and hagatha !!
I am using those tactics when I have to - which is frequently
But in real life my sense of direction is non existent once I turn a corner and it’s just the same with my games. Once out of any gates and into a wilderness and five minutes later I am lost !!

But to you all, anyway. I very much appreciate the help you are giving

Mad, you can buy a map from Graham for 50 ore. When Diego gives you the quest to get the list from Ian in the mine, he'll send you to Graham to get a map to the mine.
Once you buy a map of the colony, you can just hit M to see the auto-map.

Thanks, Barb - I had forgotten about that.

Barb, you have absolutely saved my bacon Thank you so much !!

I already have that map but haven't looked at it because I expected it would just be a map of the mines themselves - not the route as well - and I'm pretty sure I'm not anywhere near good enough to risk a trip to the mines yet

[But I didn't buy it. I argued with Graham till I got it for free ]

Thanks again !!

Cheers.

Mad

You do need to go to the mine & get the list from Ian. I think it's necessary if you want to join the camp. Run like crazy following the map to the mine, stay on the boardwalks in the mine & you won't have to fight anything until you get to Ian. Tell him Diego sent you, get the list & go back to the Old Camp.

Did you do the thing with Mordrag? That'll make Thorus happy.

Buy the Map of the Colony as soon as you can - it shows the whole area, not just a small part.

OK. I'll put going to the mine higher on my "to do" list, Barb

I didn't kill Mordrag (I'm not strong enough) but he does appear to have permanently moved to the Sect camp now - and Thorus seemed happy enough with that.

And I have two maps showing the whole colony now.
One (in-game) called The Way to the Mine - that I persuaded Graham to give me - and one (not in-game) that I downloaded from the Web.
[They both show the same area but the labelling is different - which I think I'll find helpful.]
Is there another I should buy from Graham specifically called the Colony Map ??
I'll find him and ask

I am still taking a loooooong time to generate skill points because I can still only kill a few types of "monsters".
I think I'd better visit all the camps again and do more "want to join" quests and try to get more experience that way.

EDIT :
Bought the Colony Map from Graham now and it bears an arrow that at least shows if I'm travelling in the right direction .... which I hardly ever am !!!!

Hi Mad, As long as Mordrag is gone, I guess that quest is done. I'm glad you got the colony map - it's invaluable for finding your way around!

Guess you've been to the new camp - Did you talk to the baal near the entrance? He'll give you 10 swampweed plants. Give one to the various mercenaries and rogues. They will give you 10 ore apiece for it. That way, you'll accumulate some ore. I'll tell you another trick later if you need ore.

You'll be able to kill much harder monsters if you have a good sword. I got one from Fisk that does 20 damage. That's pretty good for a beginning character. You'll find better later.

Are you enjoying the game? it's one of my favorites - a good old-fashioned RPG. Did you decide which camp to join? You can join any one of them, but I always go with the Old Camp. You must be level 5 before you can join any of them.

Yes. I'm sure I will find the Colony Map an asset, Barb, as when I look at it I'm invariably NOT going in the right direction
[BTW. I checked my journal and the Thorus quest shows as "completed". So that's good ]

And I have done the swampweed distribution at the New Camp.

I don't have enough strength or dexterity yet to be able to use a better sword. But I plan to right that as soon as possible.
However, I did manage to get myself a bow and I hope to try that out shortly

Yes. I am enjoying the game despite still feeling that the controls are awkward, compared to other RPGs I've played and the fact that I can still frequently get lost. Especially in the Sect camp

Mad, one of my strategies was to use the bow. There are areas with creatures that are too tough to go face to face but I would seek out a tall rock or cliff and then shoot them from a safe perch. Sometimes you have to lure them to you. It would thrill me to no end when my rock was too high for that creature and I was sticking it full of arrows. That way you can grow your skill points faster.

Just don't run out of arrows.

Yes. During my most recent encounter with wolves, I DID climb high up and DID manage to kill most of them, Rowan.
But I DID run out of arrows
However, those that were left were wounded and I was able to finish them off with my (still a weak one) sword !!
[And as I've since learned to skin them, next time I pass that way I'll be doing just that.]

BTW. Is it necessary with this game do everything (except join) at the Sect Camp ??
I really dislike it there and am always totally lost every time I go.
And even when I do manage to get to where I want to be and find the person I'm looking for, they don't always behave as per the walkthrough so I've wasted my time

Ranged attack, for the win

Mad, there are certain basic quests that you will need to do for each camp, but by no means will you have to do ALL the quests if you don't want to, and anyway after a certain point you will have to choose your path, which means you will not advance in the other camps after that point.

I know what you mean about the New Camp. It's very confusing. After a few times through the game I now know where everything is, but in that first game I always got lost. The skillset offered by the New camp is quite powerful, but you can always check that out in a later game.

You know, I have a game of Gothic half played somewhere on my old laptop. I should resurrect it.

Hi Mad, looks like you have LOTS of friends helping you out here!

I've played this game at least 20 times, & I STILL get lost in the swamp camp!

I always join the Old Camp, because I think it's the easiest. You have to do a few quests- buy a sword for Whistler, find Nek for Sly, and fight Kharim in the arena. And you have to be level 5.

Hi All - And thank you for your responses !!

I've done some quests in all the camps but I'm hoping not to have to do any more in the Sect Camp.

I like the New Camp however. [It's small enough that I don't get lost !! Hehehe.]
So I'm certainly not averse to doing more quests there.

Of those quests you mention, Barb; I've bought the sword for Whistler and found Nek for Sly.
[I'm not good enough, though, to fight Kharim yet.]

At the moment I'm at the Old Mine on that quest for Diego. But I've only just got there so don't know what I might have to face up to, yet.
Excitin' !!

Cheers.

Mad

Sounds like you're doing great, Mad!

Once you enter the mine, go down to find Ian. You won't have to fight anything if you stay on the boardwalk. That makes it an easy quest! You'll be back later, though, & it won't be so easy!

You don't have to beat Kharim - just fight him. Talk to Skatty & ask him if he'll speak up for you. He'll say he might, if you happen to impress him. Put all your ore,
& anything else you want to keep, into Diego's chest, or there's an empty box near the arena that works, challenge Kharim, & go into the arena with him. He'll clean your clock, but won't kill you. Then talk to Skatty again & go back to Diego. Ask him about your esteem in the camp, & you should have enough brownie points to join them.

Safely back from the mine AND I have leveled up AND I have got myself a better sword

[But I still don't have enough "esteem" tasks completed ]

However, I'm going to "go out and about" and fight for a while now - to build up some experience

Congratulations! It sounds like you are having fun.

It IS a fun game! Mad, I'm jealous of you, having Gothic I and II to play.

Yes. I am enjoying the game, thank you

However, for a while I won't have the time to play quite so often and as a result my progress will now slow down !!

Just a quick question

Can I complete Gothic without using magic at all ??

Or is it possible to just use a "little" magic ??

[I tend to play Fighters rather than Mages ]

You learn a little magic, but I use it basically for healing. There are a couple of places where you will use magic scrolls, but I never worried too much about my mana. It's worth it to raise your mana points when you can, because you need them to use scrolls. You WILL rely mostly on your fighting in this game.

Thanks, Barb

I'd better get some magic tuition when I next have some spare skill points, then.

So far I've mainly been using my points to gain strength and dexterity.
[With a little lock picking and sneaking on the side ]

EDIT :

I've accumulated a few skill points again now (12).
So should I just "buy" mana or do I possibly need to acquire more points and then go ask for actual "training" in magic from someone ??
[I can't find much info on the web about magic in Gothic 1.]

Mad, you don't have to use much magic, but those Bloodfly scrolls can come in really handy if you need to get somewhere else fast. There are only a few of them in the game, so don't waste them.

You need one of those bloodfly scrolls for a quest so always keep one in reserve for that.

Thank you both

I expect I have to train in Magic and also acquire Mana before I can use a scroll

EDIT :

Well after a deal of messing about, I just can't fathom how to use scrolls

Can anyone please tell me what I need to do before I am able to use one ??

And when I've done whatever that is, how to actually use one ??

EDIT 2 :

I think I've solved the scroll thing now ....
I don't need to get "magic" training. I just need to spend a few skill points on Mana and then when in combat, enable a scroll like I would a weapon ??

When you want to use a scroll, make sure you have the correct amount of mana (for example,if you want to use healing,& it takes 10 mana points, you must have the points, then give it a number, like 4, close the menu, press 4, & the spell will show up on the screen. Then press ctrl+up to use the spell. Sometimes, you have to hold it a while before it works. You can assign a number to each of your spells, & press that number for each spell. There are 2 places I can think of where you can raise your mana points - one is in the New Camp, from Chronos, the guy who walks around the ore mound all day, & one is in the Swamp Camp, from Bal Cadar.

Thanks very much, Barb !! Much appreciate the help and advice

Thanks, Barb

Have fun, Mad

Thanks, looney4labs

I have to say a BIG thank you to you for recommending Gothic

I'm having a GREAT time with the game and hoping Gothic 2 is more of the same

WooHoo, that is a good endorsement

Always got to spread happy news, looney4labs

That's wonderful, Mad - and even better when you have a game that is very re-playable.

Mad, not only is Gothic 2 as good, it's even better! So if you loved Gothic, you'll be really happy with the sequel.

Thanks Marian and hagatha

And fabulous news about Gothic 2 !!

Just wanted to say I am still enjoying Gothic. And haven't got bored with it at any stage

[Which can happen for me when games are nothing but fight, fight, fight ]

I feel it is a well rounded game

That's great to hear!

Finished Gothic (fabulous enjoyment) and about to install Gothic 2

Woo hoo, so glad you had fun! How many Gothic runs does this make for you?

Congratulations!

Have fun with Gothic 2.

This was my first Gothic ever, looney4labs, which I purchased after good recommendations here at Gameboomers

And thank you, Marian, I feel sure I will like Gothic 2 just as much as I did the first

Yep !! Am loving Gothic 2 !!!!

I am wondering about the correct order of play for these games ....

I've finished Gothic 1 so now do I play all of Gothic 2 and then move on to Night of the Raven ??

[I've already started to play Gothic 2 but thought I'd better find out before I play any more of it !!]

[And leave Gothic 3 until the last ??]

Advice always much appreciated

Mad, I played all the way through Gothic 2. I don't think that Night of the Raven was available at that time. Later, I played Night of the Raven. It starts about Chap 2 of Gothic 2, when you visit the mines. I didn't mind replaying the beginning of the game since there were a few changes. After I completed the Night of the Raven section, I didn't play any more of the game. You can start with Night of the Raven and not have to repeat the first part as I did. Then comes Gothic 3, which I enjoyed quite a bit.

Thanks Pokey !!

I think I'll do as you did then. Complete all of Gothic 2 and then move on to Night of the Raven.

Gothic 3 doesn't seem to have attracted the same "rave" reviews as 1 and 2 but I'll be giving it a go nevertheless

Thanks again.

Cheers.

Mad

Hi Mad,

Night of the Raven is an expansion to Gothic II. I bought it on GOG. It seems to be the same as G2, but I found it much harder. After playing a while, I went back to the original.

I thought G2 was a great game, but I think I liked the first one the best. Gothic 3 is good, too, with the best soundtrack I've ever heard. I have Gothic 4, but haven't played it yet.

If I were you, I'd go ahead and play G2 and forget the expansion. You could always do it later.

Have fun!
Barb

Hi Barb

Yes, that's what I intend to do - play Gothic 2 right through.
And possibly take a peek at Night of the Raven before going on to Gothic 3. But if it's "difficult" I doubt I'll be able to do much with it, then.

I didn't know there was a Gothic 4, so after reading your post I went looking for reviews - but didn't find a "good" one !!
I'll probably just get it anyway though, since I'm having so much fun with the series

[I think it's the first Gothic not made by Piranha Bytes ??]

Cheers.

Mad

I've read that Night of the Raven is more difficult, but I didn't find it so. Of course I only played the first part of the game both ways, so it may have been more difficult later. The new part added by Night of the Raven is worth playing.

I played the demo of Gothic 4, Arcania, and didn't think it was much like Gothic. I do have it in my Steam library, so will probably play it at some time.

Hi Mad, Gothic 4 is definitely not the same as the first 3 - It doesn't even have the nameless hero! I've only played a little bit, but I think it might be good. You should try Gothic 3, it's not too hard, but it is a huge game.

Yes !! I'm definitely going to do all of Gothic 2, possibly Night of the Raven if I can manage it - and - I'll certainly have a go with Gothic 3.

I haven't bought Gothic 4 but I AM tempted !! So we'll see

I always installed the expansion when I installed the game itself, and played through the expansion in the middle of my game of Gothic 2. It's a big expansion and quite tough, so you have to be pretty robust when you go in, but you're a real powerhouse when you come out! I always play as an archer/mage, so the nastybads get stung from afar.

Thanks, hagatha

I've got a "key" question now !!

******************************************

EDIT :

A different walkthrough I looked at said that giving the ledger to Hannah "counts towards something in Chapter 3".
So maybe that's why I don't appear to have been given a key that will unlock the chest now

******************************************

I'm still in Gothic 2 (the original, not Night of the Raven) playing as a Militia Man at the moment (who has also joined the Thieves Guild !!) and I've been doing lots of side quests to boost my stats

Anyway, once I learned to pickpocket, I stole the ledger from the moneylender Melhar and visited Thorben and Coragon with it and finally Hannah.

According to the walkthrough I'm using, Hannah should give me the key to the last chest in the cave on Treasure Island in exchange for the ledger.
[The only chest in the cave that actually needs a key.]

But I still can't open that last chest and when I checked my inventory (before and after giving Hannah the ledger) I had the same number of keys after giving it as before. And none of them open that last chest

Does anyone remember this part and can offer help ??

Bad, bad, girl !! Just bought Gothic 4 !!!!

Me too. It'll be a while before I play it, though.

And for me .... Nowhere even near finished Gothic 2 yet !!

Just another of those moments of madness that seem to frequently overtake me

It's okay; we understand.

Hi Mad, I'll be interested to hear what you say about Gothic 4. I wasn't able to play it on my laptop. It'll only play on my new fancy laptop, which I hate, so I went back to my old one with XP.

How are you coming with Gothic 2? I usually join the paladins so I can use the good spells. Have you gone to the Valley of Mines yet?

Wow, now you got me as well. I had played Gothic 1 and 2 and didn't realize that there was 3 and even 4. So, now I'm getting started in Gothic 3 have finished side quests in the first town and most in the second town. I found a DVD copy of Gothic 4 on sale at amazon for 9.98 and it is on it's way so I'll be busy for a while, especially since I've exhausted all my play through's of Divinity Original Sin.

So I guess I'll hold off on Risen 3 until the price goes down or I finish up with these two Gothic games. Thanks all for the heads up.

Barb

It will be a looooong time before I get to Gothic 4.
I'm still with Gothic 2, then there's what I can manage of Night of the Raven, then there's Gothic 3 .... all yet to go at !!
But I have no doubt when I do play Gothic 4 I will be coming here with my opinion
I am "halfway" to being a Paladin - having joined the Militia - but I'm also still in the Guild of Thieves (gaining experience points) and I guess I'll have to give that up before I can get Paladin training - plus - no, I haven't yet ventured to The Mines And I think that's another "got to" before I can achieve "Paladin-ness" ??

oldman

Heck !! You must play at a good rate of knots !!
I'll probably still be rattling through Gothic 2 when you have finished 3 AND 4

I loved Gothic 3. It was my favourite of all in the series. The graphics are so much better. But regardless of which game, I always freak out When I run across my first shadowbeast.

Yes. Cute, aren't they ??

Mad, a Paladin Thief...that sounds unique

I can't remember: Does Gothic 1 have teleporter stones? I'm soooo tired of doing everything on foot.

Take a look at this page for detailed information:

Gothic 1 teleporting

And also if you can get your hands on all the Bloodfly scrolls, they are an absolute hoot, not to mention a very, very fast way of getting around. There are only a few of them, though.

Thank you, Marian, that was helpful. I get them in later chapters.

I'm not a Paladin yet, looney4labs, and before I can become one I will have to dispense with the Thieves

And glad you got sorted with the teleporting, Rowan

Yes, hagatha, I will stock up on bloodfly scrolls, and arrows, and lockpicks. I always seem to end up as a thief/archer mix with a sword as back up......and the Reload option in the game.

Hi Mad

After you do the jobs for Lord Andre, he'll let you see Lord Hagan. Hagen will send you to the Valley of Mines to get proof of the existence of the dragons. You'll get teleporter runes as you go along.

Who did you become an apprentice with? I usually go with Bosper, the bowmaker, because the easiest for me.

Hi Barb

I have met Lord Hagen and been given the quest to go to the Valley of Mines but I'm trying to boost my stats as much as possible before I set off .... because I'm a wimp !!
[Then if I make it alive out of the mines I will have to give up my temporary allegiance to the Thieves or I won't be able to become a Paladin.]

And yes. I, too, chose to be apprenticed to the bowman Bosper as I read that his monetary rewards were likely to be the most beneficial throughout the game

I am finding Gothic to be a great series and I'm so glad you Darksiders recommended it !!

Cheers.

Mad

Mad, the valley of the mines looks very imposing at first, but it is possible to get to the castle without having to fight any orcs, and there are a lot of them. Scope out the area and you will probably find a fairly easy way in.

Ghorim in the Sect Camp won't speak to me. When I speak to him he stands up then sits down again. I can't progress in this camp unless he gives me his quest. I need only one more baal's approval and this quest would trigger it. Has anyone else experienced this glitch? I don't really want to join this camp anyway but I still want to do as many quests as possible for the experience.

Thanks, Pokey. I'll do some "scopin" then

Rowan ....
There were quite a few "mysterious" occasions in the Sect Camp where characters wouldn't interact with me properly and I couldn't complete certain areas - but I never found out why

[I can only assume I must have done something beforehand that somehow upset the equilibrium - but you're not likely to have done that !!]

I think it is a glitch, Mad. Years ago when I played this I played from disk and didn't have this problem. Now I'm playing the GOG version and don't know if it is properly updated. Just an observation. My logbook also states that I failed all 3 admission to camp quests which doesn't make sense because I have been accepted into the castle and am looting them out of spite.

Hi Rowan

I bought my Gothics 1, 2 & 3 in a two disk "collection" from Amazon uk.
And I'm playing them on my Win7 machine although the blurb doesn't give it as compatible.
[I don't think Win7 was even invented when these disks were produced.]
But no.1 played fine and no.2 is also playing fine. Just got the rare odd crash with both.

I definitely did experience glitches in Gothic 1 at the Sect camp - although only the ones I mentioned and not what you are describing ....

I'd be surprised though if GOG hasn't fully tweaked the game. I thought they normally did ??

Well, I went through the gate and onto the route that would take me to the valley of Mines - and I did find the "alternative" route.
BUT after using it, and meeting Jergan, it was pitch black night and even with a light spell or torch I couldn't see where the heck to go
So after many, many failed attempts to find a way into the castle, and despite reading walkthroughs and even watching one on YouTube, I just put God Mode on and ran for it

Finally I did get in and poked around - and thankfully I can now teleport there in the future.

I'm definitely not wealthy enough, well enough equipped or even strong enough to investigate the mines amidst all the Orcs though so I think I'll have to go back to civilisation and better myself .... always assuming I can survive getting back there in one piece.

And then return by teleport to continue "castle" adventuring

The Valley of Mines is fun, isn't it? I like that they used the same map as the original Gothic for the Valley of Mines. I always wait around until it gets light before I run for the castle. Using god-mode isn't a bad idea, either

That teleport rune to the castle is VERY useful. there's another one - As you come out of the mine from Khorinis,up the hill to the left, across the bridge, there's a rune that will take you back to that spot. Since you have to go back & forth a lot, that will help you.

Thanks looney4labs

And thank you, too, Barb, for the tip about that other teleport stone. I'll have to try and make sure I find it !!

Although I won't have as much "play" time over the next few sweeks as real life "stuff" will be interfering !!!!

Mad, real life is pesky like that. I hope it is as fun as Gothic is

Thanks, again, looney4labs .... But ....

Phew !! Either I'm not doing something right or the difficulty level for the Valley of the Mines has been ramped up no end !!

Or then, again, it could just be that I am still a combat wimp

But whatever, I have a feeling this part is going to take me a loooooong time to get through

This is a tough area, but once you make it to the castle you'll probably have gained lots of exp points.

Hint:

Thanks very much for that tip, hagatha
But I'm already in the castle, so do you mean I should use your tip when I venture out ??

Upto now, whenever I have actually ventured out, I've had to use God Mode to get back in again !!

I just seem to be a magnet for Orcs

Hagatha is right - keep away from the orcs for now. You did get the quest from Garond, didn't you? Work on that for now - run to the places you need to go without fighting. When you become a paladin, you'll get a spell that kills orcs easily.

Yes, I got the quest, Barb, but I haven't had chance to play again yet to try and ..

And last time I ventured out, everywhere I went there were Orcs !!

[I so hate running away all the time because I always panic and end up lost ]

Mad, sometimes when I run away from one enemy I run right into the mouth of another!

A question about Gothic 1: On the east side of the Old Camp where one of the focus stones was found, at the top of the ruin after jumping many ledges is a platform divided by a space. On the other side is a chest guarded by a troll. How do you get across the space? There is a column that is named but I can't seem to interact with it. I've tried bloodfly but I can't fly high enough to get over the space. Any ideas?

Mad, a hint for Orc removal: you know that log you use to climb into the castle? The one that the Orcs can't climb? Have you got a bow of some sort?

Rowan ..

The only way you can get to that chest is if you're trained in acrobatics - in which case you can just jump the gap. [That's what I did.]
Apparently it's a well known bug and the thought is that originally the developer intended for you to be able to knock down the column that's there and use it as a bridge but then changed his mind. However, he failed to put anything else in place !!

[But it's also well documented that the contents of the chest are so minimal it's not worth worrying about and not acquiring them doesn't affect the plot in any way - and I can confirm both as being true ]

hagatha ..

Yes, I found that hint on the web today !! But thank you for mentioning it too.
So I could try that. But what's the betting I will keep falling off the log and get mashed anyway !!

Mad, I've trained in acrobatics but I still keep falling down the chasm. I'm probably not using the keyboard right. Anyway, I just finished the Stranger quest. Now I'll go to the orc temple and do what I have to do there. I've already decimated the orc population there with my trusty bow from my vantage point on the mountain. Who needs an umululu when one has a bow?

Hi Rowan

I didn't put many points into acrobatics at all - but I was able to jump across that gap.
And I did do the umululu quest in Gothic - but then I generally tend to do as many quests as I can to try and bolster my usually quite dreadfully feeble heroes

As for Orcs ??
Don't even mention 'em !!

Haven't had chance to play since my last post here and considering the speed you whizz through these games, you'll have finished Gothic and started and finished Gothic 2 as well before I've had chance to catch my breath

Good on ya !!

Cheers.

Mad

Update on Gothic 3. I finished it and talk about running around in the dark, this game tops the list. The only map is a world map which tells you next to nothing the quest list tells you things like go kill so and so but you have no idea where to go. I was always wondering where to go next other than to plunder and pillage towns and do tons of side quests, which also I had to guess where to go to finish them. If it wasn't for an invaluable site with help and Gamepressure I would have been completely lost.

As it was I got to the end and was supposed to have a particular scepter and didn't. I had been to the guy I was supposed to get it from and either it was a bug or player error (probably the latter) but I didn't have it and there was no way to get it. Fortunately there is a cheat in the game that allows you to get parts of the main quest that are needed so I was able to continue.

All in all not my favorite but I'm breathing a sigh of relief that it's finished. There are 3 paths you can go down in the game but I have no desire to play it again and go down any of the other two.

Incidentally for any who are familiar with Gothic 3 I chose the Path of the Rebels.

Now it's on to Gothic 4 which from playing part of the demo I think I will rather enjoy. I'm still looking at Risen 3 longingly, which is now available, but will wait until completion of Gothic 4 and hopefully a lower price.

Thanks very much for your info, oldman, but sorry to hear Gothic 3 wasn't a good experience for you.
[I don't think it got rave reviews from many !! ]

But glad to hear you feel Gothic 4 will be more enjoyable.

After the sharp difficulty level rise in the Valley of the Mines section of Gothic 2 (with which I am at last getting to grips) I doubt I'll attempt the Night of the Raven version of it.
[I only play what I enjoy and won't drive myself to tackle a game "for the sake of it".]

But obviously I will give Gothics 3 & 4 a try to see how I do - before I form an opinion

Thanks again !!

Our opinions are interesting. I rather enjoyed Gothic 3 and Gothic 4 less. However, I'm still happy that I have all the games in the series.

Yes. Everyone has their own personal preferences - and that's how it should be

Finished Gothic 1 and saved the colony (even though the Old Camp wanted to kill me and the Water mages hated me for using their ore to make my magic sword). So much for gratitude.

A question about Gothic 2: I have played Gothic 2 a lonooong time ago from disc. I also bought the gold edition from GOG which I have installed right now. How do I know if I am playing the basic game or the Night of the Raven? Or are the two entwined?

The expansion is available through a specific location in the game after you've done certain quests. You can opt out of it altogether. But do try it. It's a fabulous expansion. You just have to wait until you're character is a bit more powerful.

In my set of disks, I have a separate one called "Gothic 2 Gold".

So I imagine an installation from that provides the option to play the Night of the Raven expansion as part of Gothic 2 - whereas the installation from the just plain "Gothic 2" disk (which is what I am currently playing) doesn't ??

However, not being anywhere near as competent in combat as you Veterans here on the Darkside, I am more than satisfied to be getting thrashed in plain old Gothic 2 !!

There are slight changes from Gothic 2, a few new cutscenes when you first meet Xardas and a bit later when you see the wagon that was attacked by orcs. It is treated a bit different. You access the new area through mages, which I believe happens after you first enter the Valley of the Mines.

So by playing from Gothic 2 Gold you automatically access Night of the Raven at some point?

I'm pretty sure that's what will happen for you, Rowan

I'm just about to totally re-start Gothic 2, myself
I'm not much enjoying being a Paladin. I definitely prefer to fight more with weapons than use magic. So I've decided to re-play and choose the less "magical" option of being a Mercenary - the route I took in Gothic 1.
[I got by with little need for magic in that and managed very well.]

I've long ago written over all my early saves of course, so I reckon my best option is to start from the beginning again.
At least I'll know more what to expect and shouldn't take quite as long to cover the ground .... I hope !!

Mad, are you going to replay the original Gothic 2 and not Night of the Raven? You will be missing a section of the game that I really enjoyed. I did not notice that it was any more difficult, especially since I've been through it before. I played as a Paladin but I sure appreciated having the fireball when I needed it.

The only magic I use are scrolls. I rely on my bow and sword and lockpick. Since I haven't played Gothic 2 in a very long time I don't remember everything and it seems like a new game. A few situations appear familiar but then I always get myself in trouble anyway.

That's the method I prefer, Rowan, and is how I played Gothic 1.
Anyway, I'm making good progress so far in my re-play and hope to continue doing so
And, of course, I hope you enjoy your replay of Gothic 2 a LOT !!

Pokey ....
I'm afraid I found The valley of Mines in Gothic 2 really, really difficult, so I have no doubt that the Night of the Raven version would do me in altogether !!

I'll be happy enough if I can enjoy and get to the end of this "ordinary" version

I really think that the Valley of the Mines would be easier since you have played through it once. It was for me. I knew all the pathways and what I had to do.

The expansion can be played at any point in the game after you have done the requisite things, so you can wait until your character is really strong before you go in. I didn't find the expansion too hard. It's big, and it's very good, very much worth playing. It would be a shame not to try it.

As always, Ranged Rules, but a little magic and swordplay never hurt, either.

Thanks, Pokey and hagatha, for the encouragement

Maybe I will try the Gold Edition of Gothic 2 in the future - but as I've already got pretty well into my second attempt of the original edition now, I don't want to start up again

I finally joined the mercenaries. The Gothic 2 gold edition seems to be much harder than I remember from my original version. I still have trouble fighting many baddies but sheer stubbornness got me this far. Chapter 2 has just started but I am still going to finish up several Ch 1 side quests before I take a step through the mountain pass.

sounds like you are having a great time

Well done, Rowan, for getting to grips with the "Gold" version !!

I, too, am gearing up to be a Mercenary on this second attempt - as I didn't enjoy life too well as a Paladin on my first - but I am endeavouring to get myself into a much more capable character than I did last time before I venture anywhere near the Valley of Mines

I think I am nearly ready to venture into THAT valley again

Good luck, Mad. I'm doing the Night of the Raven first so I hope to get more experience points that way before entering the valley of the mines. But there are tough areas here, too. I haven't personally killed an orc yet but I've had the help of companion npc's who've killed some for me. Levelling up is slow process.

You are much braver than I am, Rowan !! And to you !!

However, even though I like this series very much so far, there is no way I will re-start Gothic 2 for a third time. So, if I get badly stuck, it will be a temporary dose of God Mode for me to get me out of trouble

I assume you have both tried SNEAK+BOW SKILL?

I always found that in Gothic it was not so much of an advantage to be a Big Bad. The coward's approach is always best. Stick an arrow in their backs, I say, and never mind the heroics.

Yes, hagatha, I have both those skills and also am definitely in a better prepared state to enter The Valley this time than I was the last time.

But that won't stop panic setting in (for me, anyway) once I'm faced with millions of Orcs.
I just know the ability to make rational decisions will elude me !!

Oh yeah. It always takes me ages to clear a field of Orcs. One at a time. Approach, get their attention, run like the blazes, wait till they give up, shoot a couple of arrows in the back. Rinse and repeat. Gets the job done. Especially handy if I can get to a high place they can't go...like the beam you use to walk up to the castle. Really makes them mad. They hang around roaring while you turn them into a pincushion.

It's only near the end of the game that I actually FIGHT them.

Love my bow. I even sleep with it!

I can now kill snappers but I'm mincemeat for trolls, shadowbeasts, and Bulco at the merc camp. A single orc I can do with the hit and run method. I try to keep at least 1000 arrows in my inventory. Nothing more dreadful than being in the middle of nowhere with an empty quiver.

Well, I made it over the pass and into the castle - and now have the first two teleport stones safely stowed away

I didn't even "look" at any Orcs or anything else that wanted to fight !!
I went into tunnel vision mode, swam straight across the river and then ran like the dickens 'till I reached the ramp up into the castle.
Although hoards of things were running after me, of course

Going to have a BIG rest now though before I even consider venturing out again !!

I'm tired and anxious just reading about all of that, Mad.

Mad, sounds like a wise course of action!

Well, I'm still resting, Marian and looney4labs !!

Although, truth be told, it's mainly because I have a busy period with my voluntary work right now and not as much "play" time.

[ So unfortunately I can't blame everything on the Orcs !! ]

I don't know, Mad, I think blaming Everything on the Orcs is a grand strategy

You are so right, looney4labs !! Maybe I will have to reconsider

It works for me.

Hahaha !!!!

Mad, Now that you're at the castle, you can start killing Orcs for big experience points.

Oh, I am doing that now, hagatha, and have managed to de-populate Orcland a bit

And thank you for telling me. It's a great tip !!

They get pretty frustrated. I love watching them try to figure out how to get at me.

Just make sure you have enough arrows!

Oooooh !! I have cartloads, Rowan, but even more bolts because I am trying to specialise in crossbows

I found this site which is helpful in finding the locations of all characters in Gothic 2: Character locations The site is in German but language shouldn't be a problem when searching names. With so many quests it's easy to forget who's who and where they were.

Thanks, Rowan. I can never remember where folks were.

Thanks from me, too, Rowan. That's one heck of a helpful site !!

I need some help: I am ready to go to the valley of mines. I have been through the tunnel once before but it turned into night. I turned right on the path and ran into a couple of orcs who then chased me back into the tunnel. Now whenever I try to go back through the tunnel they are waiting for me. I can't fight them. Can I outrun them, and if so, in which direction should I run?

Never mind. I just ran left this time with the orcs on my tail, but I made it to the castle.

Glad you made it, Rowan !!

Woot woot, good job

Got a quiet worry ....

When I come to tackle the Stone Dragon in Chapter 4, will I need the Sacred Hammer ??
[I am presuming there will be Stone Golems around.]

I did have it earlier in the game because of a quest initiated by Lee but in that same quest I had to give it to the Judge - and I've never been able to get it back from him

I think the only way might be to kill him.
But I've never succeeded in doing that without getting caught

I'm in the same boat as you, Mad. I had the hammer. Now the Judge has it. Haven't tried recently to get it back. I'm just starting the dragon quests but I don't know how I'm doing there yet.

Psst! If you get the hammer first just pass it on to me.

Later:
Mad, you don't need the Sacred Hammer. I just killed the Stone Dragon with my bow and arrows. However, .

Pretty much any character can beat any of the dragons, I've discovered. You just need to make sure you don't create a character that's too generalized.

Sounds like good news - so thanks for that

But aren't there any Stone Golems to contend with ??

They were why I was worrying about the hammer

Hi Mad,

There will be a couple more when you go for the stone dragon. They shouldn't be much of a challenge for you now.

You don't need the Sacred Hammer. I was able to kill all types of golems with my bow. The only kind that may cause trouble are the ice golems as they can freeze you rendering you helpless. Just watch for that freezing magic coming your way and side step it or run then do a few more range attacks. I don't know how a melee attack would work as I did not try that.

Well, over the last several days (and with the occasional use of God Mode) I have now dealt with three of the dragons - and have mainly defeated their associated golems by using "opposite" magic from scrolls.
[For example fire against ice ]

I must again say that after having reached the Valley of the Mines, I have found sections of Gothic 2 to be much more difficult than any part of the original Gothic - and that's just the classic Gothic 2, not the NotR version.
However, as I have always fully confessed, I am not a truly orthodox fighter (because of my occasional use of God Mode) but I am enjoying myself. And that's what I aim for with all my games - be they Casuals, Adventures or RPGs

There ya go, Mad. Having fun is the idea

Definitely !!

I agree. There are those out there who need to defeat a game on the hardest level, but for me the journey is the thing, not the final boss battle. I take great pleasure in just figuring things out as I go, the little triumphs and "aha!" moments long the way.

Finally demolished all four dragons !!

EDIT :

BTW. I found an excellent Gothic 2 Quest Database here ....

http://mondgesaenge.de/G2DB/index_eng.htm?data=data_quest_eng.js&id=q_22

WooHoo, congratulations!

looney4labs

I finished the game. I had played it so many years ago and never remembered the ending.

I'm going on vacation in a couple of weeks so I won't start a new game until I'm back.

That's great, Rowan !! And congrats !!

Woo Hoo, Rowan Have fun

Thanks, Mad and looney4labs. I enjoyed it, but my favourite in the series is Gothic 3. I may start that when I return or give Risen 3 a try. Haven't purchased it yet but I probably will when I get back.

I'm thinking I might go straight on to Gothic 3 for my next game, Rowan, and it being your favourite of the series sounds like a good endorsement to me !!

And yes. I will also want to play Risen 3. But it's still very expensive so I need to save lots an' lots more pennies yet

Yes, it IS very expensive, especially when adding the cost of all the add-ons to the base price.

Well, I finished Gothic 2 (enjoyed it - but not as much as the original) and started Gothic 3.

And now I'm addicted to THAT !!!!

Congratulations, Mad!

In Gothic 3 be sure to look for and find the teleporter stones. Every main location has one.

Woot, woot and woo hoo

Enjoy!

Thank you both !!

And I'll make sure to watch out for the teleport stones, Rowan

In Gothic 3, is there such a thing as an "in game" map with an arrow or something to show me where I am in a town ??

I can see my location on the "world" map but I haven't found anyone selling "town" maps - which might show me where I am within one.

[ I'm still in the first town ]

Mad, I don't remember a town map. Most towns are not that big so I don't think you need one. There's a good map of the world here which shows all towns. I think Monterra is the largest.

Hi Rowan

No, this first area isn't too bad but I was thinking ahead, wondering if other areas might be bigger ....

Also my Gothic 3 is the "Forsaken Gods Enhanced Version".
So do you know if the info at the site you directed me to will be relevant ??
[I know it's a good site. I've used it often for other games.]

Thanks.

Mad

Good luck on the map thing Mad. This game is really lacking on telling you what to do and where to go. I used this site to keep me informed as well as the gamepressure site.

It was frustrating for me trying to figure out where to go for a particular quest and these sites kept me sane.

I love open world games, but good maps make games much more fun!

The Forsaken Gods is not the basic Gothic 3. It is a stand alone expansion pack for Gothic 3 and can be played without the basic game.

Thanks, oldman !!

That was the first site I visited because I found it so helpful for Gothics 1 & 2 - but THIS is what I found !!

[I never saw the page you linked for me. But hopefully what your link offers won't be getting discontinued ]

EDIT :
Looks like the town maps on your link aren't for the "Forsaken Gods" game. They must be for the original Gothic 3 .... Which it seems also answers my question (below) to Rowan

So, is the original Gothic 3 a totally different game from Forsaken Gods then, Rowan ??
I had presumed "enhanced" just meant it was an improved version of the original

The Forsaken Gods is a different game (an expansion) but it reuses some of the locations of Gothic 3 (just like Gothic 2 reused some of the locations of Gothic 1). It's been a while since I played Forsaken Gods so I hope my memory is not too erroneous.

It's still a very "gothicky" game so I hope your hopes weren't dashed too much. However, in my case I ran into a game breaking bug which prevented me from finishing. Hopefully your experience will be better.

Sorry about that Mad I also didn't realize that it was a different game from Gothic 3. However I did find a site for Forsaken Gods that has basically the same information here I never played this expansion so I have no idea if these maps are the right ones or not. Hope it helps

"However, in my case I ran into a game breaking bug which prevented me from finishing. "
Ouch !! I'll certainly be posting if that happens to me, Rowan !!

************************************************************

Thanks for the new link, oldman. [Only a couple of the maps are actually in English but I might find those helpful.]
However I am missing the full scale help that was offered for Gothic 2