gate shadows gate shadows role playing video game developed published sequel gate released microsoft windows september like gate game set forgotten realms campaign setting based 2nd edition rule set gate opens shortly events gate continues story protagonist unique heritage gained attention game plot revolves protagonist encounters set south events gate country mainly city game received critical acclaim release ign awarded gate role playing game year awards game sold million units expansion pack entitled gate throne released june adding large dungeon enhancements game concluded child saga gate enhanced edition enhanced version gate released november gameplay gate shadows 2nd edition computer role playing game central quest game consists hours play game including quests totals hours player controls party characters protagonist protagonist dies saved game loaded new game begun game begins character creation series configuration screens player creates player character protagonist choosing things class ability scores appearance alignment alternatively existing character gate tales imported game world player recruit certain non player characters travel time depending present group romance quests result party player times player conversations game played perspective screen need remain centered protagonist mouse keyboard areas revealed explored player characters fog war effect hides explored areas player characters away player change formation party moves area exit doorway staircase causes area loaded edge outside area causes party travel game presents player world map player select destination player characters objects ground causes player selected characters gameplay real time commands issued characters attempt execute game game set pause automatically certain times dialogue started certain scripted times player immediately hostile speaking player choose list responses dialogue lead quests important information player hostile currently selected characters advance attack information characters creatures items buildings game environment shown tool tip appears mouse held game elements character group gains necessary experience points gains level experience points awarded certain player actions killing enemies completing quests party reputation affected player moral actions party leader charisma attribute influences game world react player characters party complain party reputation conflicts alignment resting characters party resting allows character spells game contains spells available exception magic users spells cast spell casting takes time disrupted attacks spells player access sub screens interface area world maps journal tracks important information quests game plot inventory page manage equip items record screen view information level characters party book priest screens spells inspected options screen settings altered saved games loaded game saved quit classes kits character creation player chooses class fighter ranger thief monk new sequel different classes different special abilities restrictions thief character instance find remove traps thieves limitations weapons armor use good alignment classes kits class choose kits special advantages usually kits class example fighting monsters dragons demons use missile weapons point game player join stronghold type stronghold determined protagonist class multiplayer game multiplayer mode human players adventure game controlling player characters recruited content game players controls protagonist plot setting forgotten realms high fantasy campaign setting gate set fictional world similar medieval earth peoples geography history realms inhabitants fantastic creatures magic common gate takes place mainly country country known commonly merchant kingdom lies south gate wealth trade chief concerns region capital city fair portion game revolves important ruled anonymous council local thieves guild shadow thieves considerable power group operates based powerful organization regulate use magic region shadow thieves semi secret good organizations factor prominently story provide quests places player pass include island stands port town asylum city places explored people disappearing temple ruins fallen shadow shade lord home recently overrun town attack animals grove connected player dragon underwater city prison gate set year takes place long powerful magic items maintain balance good evil stolen lord forced gods mortal found gods died mortal state characters god murder god slain named god destruction walked land gods left score mortal later deaths slain heroes fuel rebirth game protagonist offspring choices player good evil character grew library fortress watched grew close friend story gate follows adventure hero learns heritage defeats half brother fellow child notable characters shadows include offers party help shadow thieves leader sails party island silver dragon eggs stolen given ruler sister chief antagonists game main villain makes appearance player aid companions later help player gate characters game following join player party grew protagonist husband friend warrior carries named red wizard dark new join party winged lost wings sold circus young age older powerful respected member honorable fighter nearest thing upper class conscious class distinction tries help fortunate family noted talented magic users hates art member wish knight actors acting troupe jan family thief land evil fighter story shortly events gate hero companions overcome taken captive game opens hero awakens cage shortly experimented wizard named distracted complex attacked thieves disappears fight hero uses opportunity escape complex companions including emerges city soon hero party entered city proper fighting attackers destroyed attackers notices hero companions argument angrily attacks magic immediately appear fight arrest use magic away man named offers party help powerful organization find large sum gold pieces party approached offered help rival guild headed player choice removed asylum called situated island soon breaks bonds prepares experiment party raises money necessary receives assistance organization decided work gains passage island ship sailed heroes enter captured taken control prison planned bring protagonist subjects protagonist ritual takes protagonist soul revealed child subjected ritual soul gone sister party maze beneath hunt face protagonist loses self control transforms creature called slayer avatar forms hero returns normal self party battles forcing retreat party follows reaches surface reaching surface party encounters army city return city hidden gain access party stolen artifact death soul restored lights way invaded party proceeds city learns draining power tree doom heroes defeat protagonist soul rest party dragged hell wizard defeat return life honored development gate developed published released windows september game uses infinity engine gate dedicated game company second employee died gate role playing game designed applied learned process gate felt time reach design goals game developing content game time gate determined designers allowed adequate time allow game reach potential development focused ensuring gate significantly better gate way possible appeal fans original game accessible new fans played original game development gate began january suggestions fans message boards reviews gate internal suggestions list criticism compiled list slightly shorter features added game items list support higher resolutions support non dialogue multiplayer drop panels interface character kits dual wielding weapons streamlined journal map inclusion famous monsters dragon features cut kept engine mature state development features fairly easy add producer game said engine running day huge morale monster complete appears game huge change working original late project removed non dialogue proved problematic feature removed early reintroduced early avoid design mistakes gate guidelines drawn department level designers longest set guidelines lists continually changed evolved development progressed main design guidelines entire project players feel like actions effect game world good versus evil options available depending path player takes guidelines story focus player character player updated activities game villain add significant plot twist ending game open room sequels environment guidelines break game chapters locations key central plot areas interesting easy quickly navigate showcase areas available explore capture player interest game systems guidelines focused character crafted reward system writing guidelines concerned mainly dialogue limiting number sentences spoke time keeping number player response choices possible avoiding profanity accents having small set random dialogue early design decisions follow guidelines programming constraints followed departments design art leading parts game difficult impossible fix process creating levels long complicated began creation general layout area built designers pass concept map artists added models beginning largest objects ending small items individual pieces furniture place art team designers took graphical enhancements effects collision detection code functional level creatures items traps added scripts written control behavior team found difficult track changes levels communication problems different parts team artists designers resulting inconsistencies work executive producer wrote learned sure elements team talking working group bunch individuals feel good job level creation process levels rapidly designed designer wrote submit level description receive art complete month later ready scripting missing key features door determine omission important art piece redone simply design level fit finished art game development quality assurance department added game publishers lent assistance testing said immense size gate nightmare compounded fact didn testing areas developed game contained quests tested single player multiplayer modes method introduced game quests listed white boards cross placed quest pairs consisting developer allotted quest believing quest stable cross deleted wrote final days working strangely feeling office didn experience panic prevalent finishing game certainly experience considerable stress built final candidates days long nights team playing game reached point built good final candidate sent game music composed german composer played composed music gate release gate went gold september released north_america september europe september released included game additional contained unique armor weapons music soundtrack cloth map character trading cards writing tablet according game sold million units february expansion pack expansion pack shadows entitled gate throne developed published released june throne added variety features base game new dungeon called new features enhancements wild character class higher experience point cap high level class abilities new spells wish crushing hand dragon breath throne takes protagonist history final chapter concludes gate saga throne received won award interactive achievement awards metacritic score releases shadows released expansion gate collection bundled original gate released gate tales gate included forgotten realms deluxe edition november gate complete released digital format version includes shadows throne expansion pack bundled game format high definition artwork soundtracks shadows throne enhanced edition march gate enhanced edition announced developed overhaul games enhanced version gate uses updated version game released november reception gate met worldwide critical acclaim release metacritic lists sixth highest scoring game site june gamespot said long game fine points great said game class ign called game gamespot later called game achievement history role playing games computer gaming world reviewer felt game worthy called best game year good games fallout betrayal won trap best rpg phrase felt game story terms depth article platinum modern ages computer role playing games noted contemporary reviewers universal praise game said consider finest designed according gamespy easily finest experience rpg fan miss gate gameplay called gamepro said game generally original gate combat improved frustration strategic options computer gaming world agreed saying players consideration designing implementing combat plans reviewers felt non player characters game powerful player characters gamespy said game difficult gate requires strategy planning original gamespot felt opening level game falls flat gets better player reaches ign noted introductory section game good near fun adventures game plot met positively reviewers gamespy calling epic ign praised clarity quests ease moving goal reviewer hand felt plot lackluster approved quests said turn minor game graphics received gamepro praised saying backdrops stunning spell effects impressive ign echoed statement calling difference gate shadows like looking oil painting turning scene living motion big screen gamespot thought pre rendered backgrounds animations characters monsters said game artwork surpassed called background artwork fantastic praised voice acting gate saying characters sound alive depressed crazy suits adding quality voices drew player deeply game ign called voice acting outstanding said variety personalities cause players attached characters noting disapproval new voices player protagonist reviewers generally found game music felt criticized game poor support online multiplayer saying unstable frustrating felt lack communication players combat online games problematic play satisfying zone said multiplayer game series said game needed multiplayer maps ign felt multiplayer play implemented fun criticism directed bugs game frequent crashes trying access certain locations according gate stable gamespot noted game loading times somewhat long game crashed occasion said problems significant ign noting game slowed combat lot animations happening simultaneously spells dazzling backgrounds said technical problems gamespot felt small number character portraits choose disappointment displeased game reused special effects audio graphics game awards gate inducted gamespot greatest games time list won readers choice game year award received gaming globe awards eurogamer best game best art direction gamespy gamespot ign awarded gate role playing game year awards game won character story development award interactive achievement awards nominated game year game play engineering game year ign placed games time list ranking games earned honorable mention game informer gate list games time calling best game place list end gate making list received honorable mention game decade readers voted best game 2000s ign modern games gate ranked novel novelization game published focuses solely novel second series novelization gate throne expansion
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