Returning features from earlier versions

[Slyse]

I ran across URW 2.80 at archive.org, decided to give it a go since 2.70-2.80 was where I originally fell in in love with the game. It felt like a fantastic trip back in time playing this version, which still works quite well, bar some balancing errors. I even ended up going through my old emails to find the registration code for the full version and it still works like a dream!

Features that I really enjoyed in the older version:

- The old bits of music! The mission screen has a nice tune in it, same as the opening screen, death screen etc. More small tunes here and there would be nice.

- The old character tiles in villages etc., I like the new ones as well, but it seems like the older versions had a larger variety of different tiles?

- Random encounters with packs of animals, other than forest reindeer! I loved the fact that I could accidentally stumble upon a pack of wandering sheep in the wild, or even a horse!

- Maps! I wish it was possible to buy/find maps in the current version, which would then be added to the main map, opened up.

- Explorable caves! I like how the caves are in the current version, more realistic small caves, but in 2.80, they are massive multi-level dungeons, where you can run across a lot of good loot, dangerous animals and even some npcs here and there. The current version kinda runs out of things to do in the endgame, and these would definitely give it a lot of excitement and incentive to keep going

- Raiding Njerpez and their camps. I think these were a cool part of the earlier versions, nice to scout out in the wild and then make an assault at them and die while doing so.

- Multiple game courses, 2.80 has four different path compared to the three in the current version. I love these tasks!

All in all, my 20th anniversary with the game is coming up in a few months, and I can say for certain that the lifetime membership bought in 2003 has definitely given me my moneys worth, multiple tens of times over. Big thank you to Sami and Erkka for keeping on keeping on and bringing us hours of joy to come!

[Bert Preast]

URW 2.8 was before my time, but I was considering suggesting that sheep should occasionally be found in the wilderness.  It would give hermit style players a chance to get some wool, as well as adding a little more variety.

You can still raid Njerpez camps and villages, and still die doing it!  You need to head for Njerpez, Kaumo or Reemi lands, as that's where they are mostly located these days.

Oh, and please, for the love of God, don't encourage Sami and Erkka to make any more music!   

[Slyse]

Yup, I've cleared a few of the Njerpez-sites in the east in my current version save, but in the old game they actually had war camps all over the map! Even took down entire patches of forest by burning it. I think I've played my current save for far too long, since I can't find a single Njerpez in the overwolrd map anymore, bar their own area in the East.

[Bert Preast]

Yes, Njerps were made much rarer in the west a couple of updates back, after complaints by myself and others.  The argument was that if you were a fighter type and able to defeat Njerps, then their loot made the game too easy.  And if you were not a fighter type, then Njerps made the game too hard.  Nowadays if you want to bump into Njerps now and then, settle in the east - and if you don't want them around, go west.