What's better:Cythera or PoG?

It is unfair, since PoG was released years after Cythera, but I want to know which game people think is better.

Graphics-PoG(except for the annoying butterflies)
Sound-PoG
Music-Cythera
Gameplay-PoG
Story-Tie
Combat-PoG
Easy to learn-PoG
Overall-PoG

I also posted this on the Cythera webboard, but I wanted to see what fans of PoG thought about it.

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"If a soldier sweats in
boot camp, he won't
bleed in battle."

Hey, why are you picking on the butterflies? I like the little jumping fish as well!

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"be happy or not!" -devo

I never noticed the butterflies.

Graphics-PoG: I liked 'em better, for some reason.

Music-Cythera: Eat me. The music in PoG sucked.

Sound-PoG: True

Fighting-Unfair comparison: Two different fighting engines.

Easy to Play-PoG: arrow keys, z, and x. Can't get much easier.

STORY -Cythera: the 'monster attacks capital and only you (yes you!) can leave and find a way to stop them' thing is over-used.

Overall-Undecided: I don't know which one I like better. I played Cythera a lot more, but PoG is still fresh in my memory.

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(This message has been edited by -esw-dragoon_77 (edited 09-15-2002).)

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Originally posted by Tanis Half-Halo:
It is unfair, since PoG was released years after Cythera, but I want to know which game people think is better.

I haven't played Cythera so I can't comment on quality comparisons. However, there is one thing that is incomparable that I believe makes PoG better(at least in my own world): PoG is expandable; Cythera is not.

You don't like the storyline to PoG? You can change it.
You don't like the graphics in PoG? You can change them.
You don't like the music in PoG? You can add/change it.
Etc etc etc.

The ability to add, remove, change to the world in my mind is key to PoG.

Now, if someone would rewrite Cythera via Coldstone so that it retained the look/feel of Cythera, but added the expandability of PoG... well, then we'd have a different outlook on the comparison.

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This might belong better on Just Games, since by asking it here and on the Cythera board you're just likely to get a bunch of zealots from each side. 🙂

As I've said before, it's not really fair to compare the two, as they're very different games. This isn't really much different from asking, "Which is better? (url="http://"http://www.nethack.org")Nethack(/url) or Chrono Trigger?" All four games may qualify as "RPGs" but they have very different gameplay styles, and any question of "better" basically comes down to a matter of individual stylistic preferences. (For the record, I think all 4 are great games. 🙂 )

(I've taken the liberty of adding a few more categories for comparison.)

Graphics - Tie. Pog's graphics are "prettier", but they can't do things like the day/night and lighting effects of Cythera.
Sound - Neither. Give me something other than "chop", "growl", and "scream" sound effects and then we'll talk. 🙂
Music - Cythera by a small margin. The music does a better job of setting the scene without being distracting.
Gameplay - Apples and oranges, though I personally like Cythera.
Story - Cythera. Still fairly plain (two-dimensional characters, etc) but better than PoG.
Combat - Apples and oranges. No preference.
Easy to learn - PoG.
Difficult to master - Cythera.
Replay value - PoG with Trinity, otherwise Cythera.
Expandability - PoG. (Custom AI scripting is a really nifty idea, though.)
Overall - Apples and oranges. No preference.

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I don't know what I'm talking about.
It needs but one to breed a war, not two... And those who have not swords can still die upon them. Would you have the folk of Gondor gather you herbs only, while the Dark Lord gathers armies?

Quote

Originally posted by Glenn:
**This might belong better on Just Games, since by asking it here and on the Cythera board you're just likely to get a bunch of zealots from each side.:)

As I've said before, it's not really fair to compare the two, as they're very different games. This isn't really much different from asking, "Which is better? Nethack or Chrono Trigger?" All four games may qualify as "RPGs" but they have very different gameplay styles, and any question of "better" basically comes down to a matter of individual stylistic preferences. (For the record, I think all 4 are great games. 🙂 )

**

I would consider PoG and Cythera very similiar. They both have you saving the kingdom. They both have lots of combat and conversations with NPC's. They both have food/potions. they both have things such as helmets, armor, weapnons, and magic. The only differences are music, sound graphics, day/night, having to sleep or eat food when hungry, choice of equipment/items, and a few other things, but I would say that they're as comparable to each other as Stronghold is comparable to Age of Empires 2.

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"If a soldier sweats in
boot camp, he won't
bleed in battle."

There is a slight difference between the goals of PoG and Cythera. In PoG, you're saving the Kingdom from destruction via overused reasons. In Cythera, you save the King from dying, which, in turn, saves the Kingdom, but it doesn't matter because of that bastard Magpie...

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Quote

Originally posted by Glenn:
**This might belong better on Just Games, since by asking it here and on the Cythera board you're just likely to get a bunch of zealots from each side.:)

**

Just Games is for non Ambrosia games.

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"If a soldier sweats in
boot camp, he won't
bleed in battle."

Quote

Originally posted by Tanis Half-Halo:
Just Games is for non Ambrosia games.

Hmm, funny - I could have sworn it was for "non-Ambrosia games plus Ambrosia games that don't fit a particular webboard" (Harry, Maelstrom, etc.), but it appears that (in terms of official functions, at least) I was wrong. Perhaps Ambrosia Banter would be the place, then? But it doesn't get nearly as much traffic...

Heck, do whatever you want. But my comment about PoG and Cythera zealots still stands. 🙂

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I would consider PoG and Cythera very similiar. They both have you saving the kingdom. They both have lots of combat and conversations with NPC's. They both have food/potions. they both have things such as helmets, armor, weapnons, and magic.

Most every "RPG" on the market in the past 10 years would match these criteria. That doesn't mean they're truly similar in gameplay to any extent that would permit meaningful comparison. How do you compare Diablo and Chrono Trigger?

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The only differences are music, sound graphics, day/night, having to sleep or eat food when hungry, choice of equipment/items, and a few other things, but I would say that they're as comparable to each other as Stronghold is comparable to Age of Empires 2.

Never played Stronghold or AoE, so I can't comment on that particular comparison.

In addition to day/night and hunger systems, "a few other things" would include:

  • Real-time versus turn-based combat systems

  • Single character versus parties

  • Inventory system

  • Conversation system

  • Skills system

I stand by my argument that the games are too different to compare objectively by anything other than graphics and sound quality. Any other aspect of the comparison is a purely subjective argument, and therefore not really worth discussing.

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I don't know what I'm talking about.
It needs but one to breed a war, not two... And those who have not swords can still die upon them. Would you have the folk of Gondor gather you herbs only, while the Dark Lord gathers armies?

Quote

Originally posted by Glenn:
**Never played Stronghold or AoE, so I can't comment on that particular comparison.

In addition to day/night and hunger systems, "a few other things" would include:

  • Real-time versus turn-based combat systems

  • Single character versus parties

  • Inventory system

  • Conversation system

  • Skills system

I stand by my argument that the games are too different to compare objectively by anything other than graphics and sound quality. Any other aspect of the comparison is a purely subjective argument, and therefore not really worth discussing.

**

Stronghold differs from AOE2 by the following things:

1.AOE2 has various upgrades, Stronghold doesn't.
2.AOE2 has boats, SH doesn't.
3.AOE2 has the ability to progress through 4 ages, SH doesn't.(although getting to each new age is an upgrade)
4.Some different buildings
5.SH has pitch, stone, gold, lumber, iron, and food. AOE2 has gold, stone, food, and wood.
6.Different units
7.SH has siege missions, AOE2 doesn't.
8.SH has invasion missions, AOE2 doesn't.
9.SH is more accurate in terms of daily life in your town/castle.
10.AOE2 is more accurate in terms of ages/upgrades
11.AOE2 is more accurate historically.
12.SH has a 20-25 mission campaign called combat missions and a 5 mission campaign called Economic missions, AOE2 has 4 or 5 campaigns for different people such a Joan of Arc, William Wallace,etc.

That's pretty much it, but I like AOE2 better, even if I have to wait until Hanukkah to get it. :frown:

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"If a soldier sweats in
boot camp, he won't
bleed in battle."

Quote

Originally posted by Glenn:
**- - - a purely subjective argument, and therefore not really worth discussing.
**

One either likes a game or they don't. 'Nuf said.
~RD

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