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Zenbane

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Everything posted by Zenbane

  1. If you really wanna go Barb-Tank, then I'd recommend the "Active Defense System" build; http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=416939844
  2. You will probably want to avoid the Chanter based on your feelings about Paladins, and avoid the Druid based on your feelings about Wizards. The 2H Barbarian will likely be very reminiscent of your Dual Wielding Rogue experience. So... I would suggest going for the Juggernaut Monk build. I tried this recently and absolute love it: http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/82367-class-build-the-juggernaut-a-heavy-armored-monk/
  3. Agreed on the Stronghold, Items, and Master of the Universe stuff. I think Enchanting is cool so maybe dont get rid of it entirely, but let it simply enhance gear in a way that compliments a play style without completely overshadowing Unqiue/Named items. Although it's interesting reading this forum and seeing how divided people tend to be in regards to the Story. Some people love it moreso than other games in this genre, and others think it was lacking.
  4. You're an exceedingly unimpressive troll, Gairnulf; and even worse with your embarrassing Forum Warrior attempt. I see that you shine your "PoE Backer" sigil and judging from your cliche Web Flamer tactics you fall in to 1 of 2 categories: you spent the lowest amount possible to donate and used it a Troll Currency; you spent more than you should have and are now bitter about the final product. Either situation explains your persona perfectly, but I will enjoy watching you butcher the verbal warez you copy/paste around here.
  5. No worries. Besides, I should have double-checked the official release dates of BG and Torment before I proclaimed which came first lol
  6. No, seriously, what does it mean? Your phrasing is a little confusing. BG, IWD and NWN started primarily with Planescape: Torment? This is not true. Torment started because Black Isle/Interplay had Baldur's Gate's engine, Planescape license they needed to utilize and MCA willing to work on two projects at once for giggles. PoE started primarily with P:T? This is not true either. PoE took inspiration from IE games in general, and Torment is the one from which it took the least of all. As a matter of fact, I can't think of anything Planescape: Torment "primarily started" up until inXile's Tides of Numenera pitch and, maybe, Mask of the Betrayer back in the days. Also, NWN is certainly redundant in your list. It being D&D based modding toolkit with RTwP combat and OC pure **** doesn't mean PoE related to it somehow. They were both published by Interplay in December; but yes, BG was in 1998 and Torment was in 1999. I played Torment first and was certain that the dates were the other way around. oops! I stand corrected on the Timeline, but the timeline is hardly the point. I brought up all these games that entail the same combat mechanics in order to address the notion that PoE should become a turn-based game. Although, if you don't see the relation between PoE and NWN when engaged in combat then you either haven't played NWN or you're being intentionally dense.
  7. Right, so kiting is alive and well in PoE. That doesn't make it more satisfying, that puts in on par which is one of the claims I made in this thread. Kiting exists in quite a few genres, even MMORPG's. Okay so you're basically describing the process of Tanking with DPS backup. Anyone can take pretty much anything in life and describe it in terms of the lowest common denominator. That doesn't prove or disprove whether or not something is more/less satisfying at face value. The difference being: face value description vs lowest common denominator description. Tanking is much more satisfying in PoE than its predecessors imo. Especially with fun abilities that come from the Godlike races. If your fighter runs out of both Endurance and Health in PoE, they are completely useless even if you can drag them along. Having to either restart or continue without a party member isn't a proper challenge, imo. That's a needless penalty that is making the game hard for the wrong reasons. And if you want to penalize yourself, then just change the difficulties in PoE and suddenly it's way worse than what you described in BG2. That is extremely situation (eg, your personal style of play) and doesn't really govern the overall experience every player can expect. For example, Monks work entirely differently than everything you just described. Chanters as well. Both are mid-to-late battle abilities and counters. Most people who describe BG2 talk in terms of how much better it is in terms of items and gear. It's interesting to read you describe the opposite. But I think the recurring theme in your response is centered around personal preference. If you limit yourself in BG2, PoE, or any other RPG, then of course you won't experience many of the enhancements. Due to the nature of all the games mentioned, for every situational argument there is a perfectly valid counter argument. This is a full fledged micromanaged RPG based on D&D rules. At the end of the day, all these games give you enough options to make your gameplay experience either narrow or diverse. The combat can be either monotonous or unique. It's all based on the choices you make. Perhaps in the end that is what makes PoE feel more satisfying: a more intriguing array of choices in what appears to be a more noticeably unique world.
  8. Agreed, I like PoE a good deal more - well aside from Planescape. While I love rtwp combat, I always found the implementation found in IE games to be incredibly clunky, as far as I'm concerned, they would have been better off featuring a full turn-based system. PoE is actually a game designed for PC with combat that goes with it - no need for turn-based mechanic, everything is cooldown-based which lends it a lot more flexibility, it paces itself a lot better and I love how fast it is when compared to IE games. It's a system which is actually built from ground up for a game featuring rtwp combat and it shows. All I'm missing (a lot) are order queues. Aside from that, I found writing in PoE to be a crapload better than in BG and IWD games, I love the story and find the companions a lot more relatable. Well eh... That's how I finished entire original Baldur's Gate, entire Planescape Torment and most of Baldur's Gate 2. Icewind Dale games had a lot better encounter design, gotta hand that to them. I do agree that the writing in PoE is fantastic. Up until now, IceWind Dale was my absolute favorite from the entire genre. Granted, lengthy combat in IceWind Dale was probably a bit more rewarding overall, or felt that way at times. But I feel that PoE has given this form of combat the much needed "edge" to bring it in to the new era of gaming. Even in IWD, combat tactics became highly repetitive and only a few strategies won the whole game. The diversity offered in the PoE class system is a welcome enhancement. I suppose the biggest difference is that diversity in the form of "gear" was more prevalent in the predecessor games; whereas diversity in the form or class builds and group makeup is much more prevalent and rewarding in PoE. I recently completed the games, Legend of Grimrock 1 & 2; and I am noticing a similar pattern in terms of the gripes/complaints between the 2 genres. PoE has tried to give the age old Planescape combat system a cutting edge approach, which means shorter combat than we are used to. Grimrock did the same thing for the Dungeon Crawler grid-based genre. For example, in original Dungeon Crawlers the player had to write down map information themselves, and explore every single wall for hidden switches. This often resulted in huge time sinks to beat a single game. In Grimrock, someone beat Part 2 in just over 1 hour. Case in point, bringing a "new edge" to that genre resulted in the ability for players to have a short-lived combat experience. I see the same trend in PoE. In the older games we could build a diverse group and move slowly throughout the campaign. Inch by inch, weapon by weapon, players evolved the story and their characters until the final end-game confrontation. In PoE, players can find a handful of builds and literally buldoze their way through the game. And then the go to the forum and post about how PoE is limited in its diversity. Well, for the sake of my comparison here, I would say that in both games from both genres, despite the fact that it is possible to bulldoze through the campaign, it is also 100% possible to take your time and build a group of characters that enhance the overall experience as opposed to eploiting game mechanics. In other words... just because "you can" doesn't mean "you have to." And it certainly doesn't mean, "that's the only way."
  9. Quality retort. If your strategic use of "lol" is meant to imply that PoE is better than its predecessors I agree with the "lol, no." However, if you meant to imply that it is lesser, well then, "lol" right back at ya Anyone familiar with Planescape, Baldurs Gate, IceWind Dale, Neverwinter Nights, and PoE wouldn't have to ask. Your post certainly doesn't enhance anything discussed here (quite the opposite in fact). But PoE most certainly does enhance this genre. Then again, you were confused about the Planescape reference so you probably aren't in the best position to judge what is being enhanced in the first place. Sure the OP typed something up, but it doesn't make it the whole truth. And as I stated, the OP seems more concerned with posting a response to what he repeatedly calls "fanboys" as opposed to offering a comprehensive review of PoE within the context of its genre. I mean... the OP suggested that PoE become a turn-based game which makes no sense considering the world in which it was made for. Again, refer to Planescape.
  10. Like most of you, I have played quite the number of RPG's over the years, but I have to say that Faramund's Curse note is probably the funniest/coolest in-game notation I've run across thus far. This had to have been written by someone who really had something to say lol I work in Technology for a living and I must say that this even reminded me of some heated email's sent by developers after a project fails. If anyone has run across more entertaining in-game readings (I don't count Dialogue) then feel free to share it.
  11. Thanks for posting this Juggernaut Monk build. Last night I replaced the Fighter in my group with this build, and wow, was I really missing out! This Monk build is quite fantastic. Personally, I have greatly disliked the Monk class in "any" game thanks to the Hellfire expansion to the original Diablo. That was many moons ago... and all these years later I can finally say that this class is at the top of my favorite list. I'm running with a Palladin, Chanter, Priest, and "Fireball" Barbarian. All great classes, but nothing has been more fun than watching this fully armored Monk drop a round house and explode a body.
  12. I can't tell if this is Feedback for the game itself, or simply feedback about what the reviewer calls "fanboys." Every game has its following, but a good review should avoid referencing them as part of the review itself. It just comes across as being jaded and dilutes any real intention behind a potentially worthwhile review. In regards to combat, Before commenting on the combat of PoE, the reviewer should note their background playing this specific genre of RPG. PoE is on par with Baldurs Gate, IceWind Dale, and Neverwinter Nights. And all of this started primarily with Planescape: Torment. This review doesn't seem to take any of that in to account which I think is important; context is everything. Combat has never been turn-based in this genre and shouldn't start now. Furthermore, if anyone has played through IceWind Dale or Neverwinter Nights in their entirety, then chances are you'll find the combat system in PoE to be a breath of fresh air. Personally, I always loved IceWind Dale over any of the other games. In fact, the only way I was able to commit to all of Neverwinter Nights was with a power build and referencing a full walkthrough. IceWind Dale, on the other hand, captivated my heart, and I gladly played through the game multiple times with multiple parties without ever using a detailed walkthrough. PoE brings a great new element to the Combat system through the use of true Crowd Control, Buffs/Debuffs, and multi-fashioned AoE. The combat experience can be quick & bloody, slow & strategic, or anything in between. I love the way PoE took the combat maechanics we all know and love from the previous titles and enhanced it on multiple fronts... all without destroying the classic "dice roll" D&D experience.
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