Wizardry noob plays the English scenario of the free Java-based wizlike, Javardry.
Title of the single available–as far as I know–English-language scenario is a nod to the first Wizardry game: “Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord” (1981).
The classical midi music is NOT stream safe, oh well–gotta rev share Benedictus and Kyrie eleison. : P
Wiki entry (Google Translate): https://freegame-gamewiki-jp.translate.goog/javardryintroduction1/?_x_tr_sl=ja&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp#原作Wizardry
Online manual (Google Translate): Javardry Manual Ver.1.039
Software page (JP): 酔生夢死 [Javardry]
English Windows version direct download link: https://thu.sakura.ne.jp/games/down/Javardry01_eng.zip
Windows version requires Java: https://www.java.com/en/
English web version: Javardry HTML5版
Japanese wiki w/ 30 scenarios: Javardry Wiki*
Art site: とり夫 - pixiv
Wizardry is an intentionally archaic series; Javardry’s menu & structure is pretty much identical 1981 Wizardry, or maybe 1982 Wizardry II.
But it has an auto-map which at least the NES versions of those games don’t.
There’s weirdness to the minimalism, like issuing commands to stay at an inn 1 person at a time, or not being able to save a poisoned char because you can’t use your anti-poison outside of combat.
Need a thief to make money; later Mage spells can examine treasure chests but thieves, even lv1, can for free.
Have to remember to buy–and equip!–items for new char. If truly desp can make money by making new char, pooling their money elsewhere, then removing that char. Wondering if I should make town char to hold money so full party wipe doesn’t leave me broke.
After playing I read up on party order and attack ranges; explains why my Mage in the back didn’t have an attack option w/ his knife.
An “@” sign on the frame border to the right of a char means they have enough XP to level if you have them sleep at the inn. Have to sleep to recover spells!
1st floor 2 fight gave enough XP to level lv1 char to lv4!
Characters age–not sure how quickly, but the WizII NES FAQ https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/c64/955810-wizardry-knight-of-diamonds/faqs/42243 mentions “best to use your cleric to heal party members then have said cleric stay in the stables to recover their spell points. Although some aging will occur, it won’t be nearly as devastating as staying weeks on end recovering large amounts of hit points.”
To swap unequipped items: Inn, Inspect, Enter, Item, Trade, Shift+L/R
Looked more at Steam & there are a bunch of wizlikes, like the upcoming Demon Lord Reincarnation (stylized Javardry clone-ish, uses same char art), Buriedbornes (mobile game, also uses the art), Wizardry: The Five Ordeals (English ver of 2006 Japanese official Wizardry game), the Elminages, Mary Skelter: Nightmares, Wizardry: Labyrinth of Lost Souls, & other late Wizardrys. & loads of games maybe classified as the more cutesy DRPG genre Reddit - Dive into anything --Etrian Odyssey etc.
I don’t think Wizardry: TFO uses char art made for Javardry; TFO originally came out on PC in Japan in 2006–so Javardry art was prob inspired by TFO. TFO too was made as an editor for user scenarios. Its editor isn’t available in English yet. Sounds like ~10 TFO user scenarios have English vers; they’re dld’d through the game. Can control TFO w/ lots of keyboard keys instead of mouse. TFO doesn’t have automap; map display is by spells. Its screen shake in combat isn’t nearly as bad as Demon Lord Reincarnated.
I don’t super-love the presentation of the other wizlikes I looked at; Javardry gets it spot-on!
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Poked at the editor & popular, huge Japanese “The King” scenario but couldn’t spot a way to open up the text to see how easy it might be to run through Google Translate or something.
Probably shouldn’t worry about the other stuff, & just play the one Javardry English scenario & call it good–if I ever get that far!