Giveaway of the Day Forums Topic: KingMania: A Review (of sorts)

Giveaway of the Day Forums Topic: KingMania: A Review (of sorts) http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ Giveaway of the Day Forums Topic: KingMania: A Review (of sorts) en Sun, 23 Nov 2008 15:24:46 +0000 Whiterabbit-uk on "KingMania: A Review (of sorts)" http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/3359#post-37380 Sun, 06 Jul 2008 07:06:06 +0000 Whiterabbit-uk 37380@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ The following is an edited version of my original review: Today’s giveaway was recently given away just six weeks ago on May 25th. It received a positive 70% out of 412 votes and there were 69 comments and a thread in the forums which you can read by following the links below: <a href="http://game.giveawayoftheday.com/kingmania/#comments" rel="nofollow">http://game.giveawayoftheday.com/kingmania/#comments</a> <a href="http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/3359#post-30714" rel="nofollow">http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/3359#post-30714</a> The game downloads at just over 24Mb, and the installed game takes up a little under 27Mb Introduction: Quote: <blockquote>Play a quick action strategy game, different from any you have seen before! Kingmania is a fast and simple, yet challenging, game that will test your ability to make quick tactical decisions. You control different buildings, using their power and the power of hordes of your lieges to defeat your opponents. And if you like online challenges, you can play with your friends in multiplayer mode!</blockquote> ref: <a href="http://kingmania.300ad.com/" rel="nofollow">http://kingmania.300ad.com/</a> accessed 24th May 08 Main game features: 30 levels Over 30 structure upgrades 5 mass destruction spells 5 opponents with different strategies - find their weak spots! Multiplayer mode to play with your friends online! System Requirements: • OS…………………………..XP/Vista • CPU……………………..…1.2GHz • Graphic Memory…… 64MB • OpenGL recommended I’ve tried installing the advanced beta version that’s available from the home site and it caused the previous giveaway version to revert back to a demo. (I did overwrite the giveaway one) From the screenshots given on the download page I don’t actually see much of a difference between the normal and the advanced beta (apart from the size of the game file) and I’m using a reasonable graphics card (NVidia 8800GTS - 640Mb); maybe the shadows are slightly more defined, but in a game such as this it hardly matters (IMO) Video: <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=fA-b1Ducaxk" rel="nofollow">http://youtube.com/watch?v=fA-b1Ducaxk</a> All on one page: <a href="http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/Whiterabbit_01/gaotd/Kingmania/?start=all" rel="nofollow">http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/Whiterabbit_01/gaotd/Kingmania/?start=all</a> As a slide show: <a href="http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/Whiterabbit_01/gaotd/Kingmania/?albumview=slideshow" rel="nofollow">http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/Whiterabbit_01/gaotd/Kingmania/?albumview=slideshow</a> Googled Images: <a href="http://images.google.co.uk/images?gbv=2&hl=en&q=Kingmania+game&btnG=Search+Images" rel="nofollow">http://images.google.co.uk/images?gbv=2&hl=en&q=Kingmania+game&btnG=Search+Images</a> <a href="http://images.google.co.uk/images?gbv=2&hl=en&q=Kingmania&btnG=Search+Images" rel="nofollow">http://images.google.co.uk/images?gbv=2&hl=en&q=Kingmania&btnG=Search+Images</a> <a href="http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=Kingmania+&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2" rel="nofollow">http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=Kingmania+&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2</a> Worthwhile reviews: <a href="http://www.gametunnel.com/gamespace.php?id=403&tab=3" rel="nofollow">http://www.gametunnel.com/gamespace.php?id=403&tab=3</a> <a href="http://www.softwareheadlines.com/modules/planet/view.article.php/233776" rel="nofollow">http://www.softwareheadlines.com/modules/planet/view.article.php/233776</a> <a href="http://www.reflexive.com/KingMania.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.reflexive.com/KingMania.html</a> Conclusion: I recommend downloading and trying this game out; though if you’re not sure, check out the video link that I’ve posted above as it gives you an idea as to what the game play looks like. Playing it on the hardest difficulty setting (accessible from the levels map) makes for a very challenging game. Be sure to know the game mechanics before you try it on this setting as otherwise you’ll soon lose your wizards tower and castle (and thus lose the ability to create new knights). The graphics are of the isometric form, with the ability to pan around and zoom in using the mouse cursor and simple controls that you’ll find in game. I don’t think I could play it for protracted periods though, because the game play does become a little tedious after awhile which makes this an ideal arcade game for filling up those odd few minutes you’ve nothing better to do. (I recommend playing it for no more than about half an hour at a time, but I’m not the best person to suggest such things as I find it hard to concentrate on even the best of games for more than several minutes, lol) It’s a change from the usual puzzlers, arkanoids and shooters; requiring a little strategy as well as luck to progress. It’s definitely worth a 7 out of 10 IMO and will be staying on at least one of my computers. I discovered after checking the registry that this particular game is free standing, which means you can transfer it from one computer to another once you’ve installed the giveaway version, though do not (as already indicated above) try to install the advanced version because it doesn’t work with the giveaway version of the game. Other information: If the game doesn’t install a shortcut to the desktop, you can create one yourself. Make a note of where it is going to be installed to, (default = C:\Program Files\KingMania) then find the games folder once you’ve installed it. If you’re not sure how to create a short cut you can find a straight forwards tutorial in the forums. However this may not be necessary now as after downloading the demo yesterday, and installing it to one of the computers that didn’t have the one given away back in May, it did install a shortcut, unlike the previous version: <a href="http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/2594" rel="nofollow">http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/2594</a> Whiterabbit-uk on "KingMania: A Review (of sorts)" http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/3359#post-30731 Sun, 25 May 2008 10:12:39 +0000 Whiterabbit-uk 30731@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ Thanks Graylox, and to you too. Unfortunately, it's rather dull and breezy today. The kids are down in the dumps because 'all' of their close friends are off on trips to France and other continental places. The kids have two weeks off school, and are already saying they are bored. (Which shocks me considering the things they have and the places they will be going this mid term break). regards Stephen graylox on "KingMania: A Review (of sorts)" http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/3359#post-30719 Sun, 25 May 2008 07:58:52 +0000 graylox 30719@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ Thank You, WhiteRabbit and a happy and relaxing Sunday for you and your family! graylox Whiterabbit-uk on "KingMania: A Review (of sorts)" http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/3359#post-30714 Sun, 25 May 2008 07:04:57 +0000 Whiterabbit-uk 30714@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ I had to format my computer a couple of days ago and have been busy reinstalling programs and games over the past few days, so didn't have time to write a full review today. It isn’t really a review; just a summary of the games features plus several links to screenshots, screenshots of the in game tutorial and a video as well as some decent reviews posted elsewhere on the net. It’s past 3am and I’m too tired too write a full review so I hope you’ll forgive me for the lack of a decent one today. I have played the game for a couple of hours on and off throughout the day (The demo allows you to play the first several levels). Introduction Quote: <blockquote>Play a quick action strategy game, different from any you have seen before! Kingmania is a fast and simple, yet challenging, game that will test your ability to make quick tactical decisions. You control different buildings, using their power and the power of hordes of your lieges to defeat your opponents. And if you like online challenges, you can play with your friends in multiplayer mode! </blockquote> ref: <a href="http://kingmania.300ad.com/" rel="nofollow">http://kingmania.300ad.com/</a> accessed 24th May 08 Main game features: 30 levels Over 30 structure upgrades 5 mass destruction spells 5 opponents with different strategies - find their weak spots! Multiplayer mode to play with your friends online! System Requirements: OS................XP/Vista CPU...............1.2GHz Graphic Memory....64MB 3D rendering......OpenGL recomended If you don't have openGL installed you can get it free from: <a href="http://www.berkelium.com/OpenGL/sgi-download.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.berkelium.com/OpenGL/sgi-download.html</a> For those with up to date computers that have a decent graphics card, there is a beta version of KingMania Advanced available from: (www.gameofyear.com/download/kingmaniaAdvSetup.exe) I’ve disabled the hyperlink because the link takes you to a direct download which isn’t allowed on this site. The Advanced version is only a free bonus for standard Kingmania owners. If you do have problems accessing the download you can also find the link by following the link to the home page, which I've given above under the quote. Video: <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=fA-b1Ducaxk" rel="nofollow">http://youtube.com/watch?v=fA-b1Ducaxk</a> Tutorial Images: All on one page: <a href="http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/Whiterabbit_01/gaotd/Kingmania/?start=all" rel="nofollow">http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/Whiterabbit_01/gaotd/Kingmania/?start=all</a> As a slide show: <a href="http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/Whiterabbit_01/gaotd/Kingmania/?albumview=slideshow" rel="nofollow">http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/Whiterabbit_01/gaotd/Kingmania/?albumview=slideshow</a> Googled Images: <a href="http://images.google.co.uk/images?gbv=2&hl=en&q=Kingmania+game&btnG=Search+Images" rel="nofollow">http://images.google.co.uk/images?gbv=2&hl=en&q=Kingmania+game&btnG=Search+Images</a> <a href="http://images.google.co.uk/images?gbv=2&hl=en&q=Kingmania&btnG=Search+Images" rel="nofollow">http://images.google.co.uk/images?gbv=2&hl=en&q=Kingmania&btnG=Search+Images</a> <a href="http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=Kingmania+&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2" rel="nofollow">http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=Kingmania+&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2</a> Worthwhile reviews: <a href="http://www.gametunnel.com/gamespace.php?id=403&tab=3" rel="nofollow">http://www.gametunnel.com/gamespace.php?id=403&tab=3</a> <a href="http://www.softwareheadlines.com/modules/planet/view.article.php/233776" rel="nofollow">http://www.softwareheadlines.com/modules/planet/view.article.php/233776</a> <a href="http://www.reflexive.com/KingMania.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.reflexive.com/KingMania.html</a> Conclusion I recommend downloading and trying this game out; though if you’re not sure, check out the video link that I’ve posted above as it gives you an idea as to what the game play looks like. Playing it on the hardest difficulty setting (accessible from the levels map) makes for a very challenging game. Be sure to know the game mechanics before you try it on this setting as otherwise you’ll soon lose your wizards tower and castle (and thus lose the ability to create new knights). The graphics are of the isometric form, with the ability to pan around and zoom in using the mouse cursor and simple controls that you’ll find in game. I don’t think I could play it for protracted periods though, because the game play does become a little tedious after awhile which makes this an ideal arcade game for filling up those odd few minutes you’ve nothing better to do. (I recommend playing it for no more than about half an hour at a time) It’s a change from the usual puzzlers, arkanoids and shooters; requiring a little strategy as well as luck to progress. It’s definitely worth a 7 out of 10 IMO and will be staying on at least one of my computers.