LeBurns

I like the idea of respawning if you re-enter a dungeon in this game, especially since you can't use that to grind for exp like you can in other games. No exp, you just have to clear them out again.

Some people like common logic in their games. Following your logic you could make swords out of fish bones that do crushing damage and sets whatever it hits on fire. Your answer would be "if you don't like it don't use swords".

I agree it seems odd. I recall playing Morrowind and if you tried to rest in a dungeon you would often get the "There are enemies nearby" message and couldn't rest until you found a safer place. I was watching a LP on YT and the guy rested in the middle of a dungeon, then walked right into the next room and it was full of wandering monsters. I couldn't help but wonder how many hours went by with none of the creatures realizing there was a whole party resting just behind that door. It doesn't make sense, but it appears the game is designed to use that feature. Sad they couldn't come up with anything more realistic.

Here's a female monk I'll be playing. That is, if I figure out if Monks are a viable class to play.

I think it's a carry over from some other RPGs, where the children were all immortal and then the devs tried their absolute hardest to make them as irritating as possible. Skyrim ... Braith ... enough said. I tend to role-play 'good guys' and even if I do evil it's always more Lawful Evil where I'm not going to waste my time killing someone unless there is actually something in it for me or my cause. Children I can ignore. But where are the toilets?

You know that's what DAO did and I loved it. Made finding a portrait a non-issue since the pic actually was a pic of your character. DOS didn't do this and I have a terrible time trying to create the character to match one of the very limited portraits available. Right, I have to pick the portrait first and then try to match the actual character to it which is a terrible way to have to do it. I believe W2 actually gives you the option to do either ... the best of both worlds. Course then there's DAI which gives you no portrait of the actual PC at all. I really wish PoE gave more options.

Well does it even make sense to just play a traditional mage with a staff and wearing robes? Also any info on bows?

I figured my first character would be something like a Ranger/Archer. Get a pet and role with it. However from the LP's I've seen (don't have the game yet) it seems everyone is starting out with some kind of warrior. So my question: 1) Are bows very effective in this game? 2) Is it possible to just sit back and strike from afar while tanks hold the line? I also keep reading that any class can use or wear anything. Honestly that just seems a little strange to me since I've been playing D&D since the early 80's (started in college). So: 3) Can a mage really just wear heavy armor and use a sword and shield ... and still cast spells? 4) Is there a reason why you wouldn't just put everyone in full plate armor if they can wear it? Thanks.

You disagree because it's wrong, or because you love banana's? I'd seriously like to hear some counter-crits here as the OP has pointed out some factual issues. It's kind of hard to counter points since he really didn't make any. SNIP I just wanted to hear some real counters, not another "you just suck at this game go play something else" response. I don't have the game myself so I like to see these points actually debated. I find that a lot of times someone's gripe about a game is something I would really like. Different strokes.

Art is always subjective. A lot of things about a game can be right or wrong or can even be debated some, but the art style is always subjective. Scoring down due to the art style just shows a very weak reviewer. It's ok to say the art style isn't for you (I can say that about a lot of games) but scoring down due to it just isn't right.

You disagree because it's wrong, or because you love banana's? I'd seriously like to hear some counter-crits here as the OP has pointed out some factual issues.

My understanding, from what others have said, is that opening the console itself does not, but if you use any commands the first require enabling by typing "iroll20s", that will. So there is no .ini file line that can be edited? I generally do that to enable things like screenshots, view distance, etc. I figured the settings for ZOOM would be in there also. Note I do not have the game yet so I can not check it myself.

Do you have to use the console or is there not an .ini file that can be edited? I'd rather do that since the console use disables achievements.

So do people who are knocked out get the XP for filling the bestiary?

What did you name them? What kind of files are they? What sizes?

Honestly I wouldn't mind just being able to give and receive a few flirty lines. The rest I can do in my head.

As compared to what? The character models improved greatly from MW to OB to Skyrim. Add a few mods to that and you should be able to get what you want. What I'm looking for in this thread (and I'm not finding it) are portraits of males, ranger or druid types and also fighter types. A clean image that fits well with the other art in the game. I'm pretty well versed in PaintShop so I can find my own and make my own (which I'm sure I'll do) but I'm looking to see what others have found. I generally do not share those images I make though as I feel like if I did I would need to give full credit to the original artist. The only time I did share was for BG2 when I made several from 3D images I made when I used to play with Poser a lot. I don't mind sharing things I make myself. It did feel a little odd when I'd see my images in other people's portrait packs or the image itself was edited, but finally resolved myself to just consider that a form of flattery and didn't let it bother me.

Yeah even playing games like Skyrim I can't make myself use the mods that make your characters look like super models and such. I always go for a little more realism. I don't mind them looking good, but with dirty skin, realistic colored hair and eyes, and hair styles that don't look like they just came out of a salon.

Love AJ's reviews. They are just fun to watch and he has no problem pointing out the games faults. Honestly I much prefer the user reviews than the often paid for pro reviews (I'm looking at you BioWare). Not saying OE will pay for reviews, but with paid for adds and such there is always some influence given, even if unintentional. Granted any user reviews that scores 0-2 I generally ignore as the person just had issues that really had nothing to do with the game. But I also ignore 10 scores as those are just fanboiz that can't allow themselves to see anything critical of their perfect game. I'll read through the 3-9 scores as those generally have more thought put into them and see what they have to say.

I'm glad Chris can do exactly what Chris wants, or maybe he just knows him limitations and chooses not to push them. Most of us have to actually do what we are paid to do. Either way with the money they made in KS I think they could have hired someone to do romances. Having more than one writer for a game is not at all uncommon, particularly when there are several different NPC's to be writing for. I just don't accept the "What Chris Wants" as an excuse for romance not being in the game.

I just never considered the romances in BG2 to be a huge deal. I mean there were no sex scenes or kissing or even a hug. It was all in the dialogue...you say the right things and all of sudden one of the NPCs is in love with you. There wasn't much of challenge there. So I think your a little off base with PoE not truly being a spiritual successor to those games. IWD was also mentioned and from what I understood they were taking elements from both those games. I actually much prefer the 'Fade to Black' of BG and KotOR than to the awkward scenes BioWare has now. If all I wanted to see was the sex show anyway I have the internet for that.

Not assigning points for companions at level-up is an option I like a lot. In DOA I often just let the game auto-level the companions just to add to the difficulty in the game and (IMO) make it a little more realistic as meta-gaming each companion to be perfect just took away a lot of the challenge for me. So, using companions that I wouldn't make myself makes the game more interesting and may force me to try or use options I wouldn't have considered otherwise.

How is that lazy (W2 in particular)? You still have a large number of companions to choose from. You just can't have them all in your party at the same time. Ok, how about which takes less effort to make? Custom designing four unique NPC's with backstories and tons of unique dialog, or letting the player just create four characters that do nothing but what the player makes them do and who's only dialog and generic grunts during combat?

This. I feel like those games that require you to make most of your party (W2) are just being lazy and didn't want to design interesting NPC's. I much prefer learning about an NPC I know nothing about than just pretending that two characters I made are friends, or enemies, or whatever.

I'd love to see it. Most reason I have for it have already been mentioned so no point in rehashing. I know that if this game did have them it would have been a day one purchase. As it is now I'm just going to sit back and wait on a sale ... or romance DLC.