Getting mixed messages regarding the DRM in Pool of Radiance.

Evidence for: The code wheel app.
Evidence against: I don't have to enter the right code, even without a cheat.

So I've narrowed it down to two possibilities:
- No DRM and the code wheel is for flavor alone.
- The DRM is the subtle kind, in the form of glitches and/or terrible luck throughout the game.

Can anyone clarify?

You have to read some parts of he adventurers journal during the game. This is the reason you´ll use to have your pdf opened at start even with the copy protection removed.

I hated the drm these games had. But in the gog version I have fun with the code wheel app. :D


I use to dream with a modern OS compatible version and with the paragraphs clusted ingame as it was done in a rough dosbox manner in wasteland 1 new version.

Yeah, that would be awesome. But so far your only alternative is to play the remakes of Pool of Radiance and Curse of the Azure Bonds that UA community member Ray Dyer did for Unlimited Adventures. The Unlimited Adventures engine allows for more text, so IIRC all journal entries were integrated into the game. (If anyone's interested in giving them a try, check the UA sticky here in the forum to learn how to install them.)

I think you can just write whatever. I've played Pool of Radiance a bunch now, and never even tried to enter the right code. I haven't had this on PC before, but the C64 version just gives you two tries and hangs if you get them both wrong.

Nothing gives me the impression that the PC version had anything more advanced for means of protection, the game itself sure isn't. It probably used to be the same, meaning it has been cracked and all is good. Back in the day I just used a disk editor on the C64 to exchange all the strings to FOOBAR, worked like a charm. The journal entries I actually liked to look up. And still do, I'm using the original manual now :)

Might still need the wheel if there is a clue in the game written in Dethek or Espruar runes that you'll need to "translate", though just a table of characters would do there.

Yes The paragraphs clusted ingame was the reason to play the remakes not long ago. But sincerely, something was wrong with them for my taste. The lack of area maps like in the original was one of the reason I think.

Greetings

okay so, as someone who hasn't bought the GOG versions--yet!--what do you do? Minimize the game window and pop open a pdf window or something?

Play windowed and with docs open. Eliminates constant task switching.

Yes. In gog version, in floppy, in physical cd achives version and in sparrow versions.

Well, in floppyy version if the real manual is present no, of course

I play the GB games in a window with a 3X normal scaler, over a black JPG as background, then switch to the PDF file if I don't have the paper manuals (I have most of them).

I have the PDF files on my Kindle. Works great and no task switching. =)

Flynn

Even nowadays looking at the physical manuals is easier than switch in the computer and it´s true. It´s not the same.

I dream with a company (GOG) that sells the games with a pursaching physical option like matrix games does.

Imagine: The manuals The box,. great. Nowadays it is impossible due to commercial normatives. But deluxe or special editions could be great. I only wish the money not to be outstanding

Err, nope.

I got tagged by the find the symbol/line/word thing twice. Once at the end of the first sewer level, the second time at the descent from the kenku area to the drow area, where you can bribe them with eggs.

@Gudadantza
GOG opening a print on demand store for things like nicely spiral-bound manuals would be fantastic, I agree. Don't really need or want boxes, though.

I got caught by surprise and hadn't saved in a while, so I just looked it up and answered it. It does not work with just pressing enter or space then enter, however. It actually requires some text in the field.