algroth

Hey! I'll be writing down some questions as I think of them. The first one that comes to mind right now is... On the boards there've been many doubts and speculations about sidekicks and how they differ from regular companions. Any chance we may hear more on this distinction? How fleshed out will they be (compared to, say, the characters in PoE 1)? Will they interject in our conversations or comment in our travels? Will they engage in banter with the rest of our companions? Will we be able to talk to them?

First the cake, then the gods and now Fulvano... FeelsBadMan

Now Larry Coryell... http://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2017/02/20/516245069/guitarist-larry-coryell-godfather-of-fusion-dies-at-73?utm_campaign=storyshare&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social

Reviews for Logan are coming in, and so far they're very positive, landing a 95% Tomatometer with 60 reviews and counting. Looking forward to it!

Plenty I love here! I reckon my only two disagreements would be with the multiplayer option (I'd rather there be Co-op or no multiplayer at all), and with the Miniature Giant Space Piglet quest, since I'd rather really leave that pet to being a humorous nod to Boo and nothing more. I'd rather avoid attracting attention to the elements in the game that act as fan service, especially given that we'll already be having a Black Isle and some Bastards to go along with it. That aside, some ace ideas here! One aspect not touched upon is that I'd really like there to be some more variety to the choices as to how to build your stronghold. I reckon there will be, however, given that Josh has mentioned that as a disappointing aspect of the first game a few times.

That is absolutely fair. I think we still don't know WHY certain endings happen and what the factors weigh in. It would be nice to at least retroactively look back at choices and go "aha, so that is why I got a bad companion ending". I think this is important, too. Spoiler from PoE ahead: Edit: Ah, I see it was addressed. My bad, and I agree with Amentep.

Takeihu?

Also I'm not sure where the idea that the party is being reduced to avoid confusion/simplify combat comes from. From my understanding the reason to a reduced party size has to do with balancing instead, and if so, I can understand how, if we think of the many different builds and comps one can run with each individual character, five groups of these are easier to work on than six. If anything the argument can be made that the idea here is to make combat more consistently challenging, and therefore more strategic/less simple overall, than actually going the opposite way.

Where did I call Pillars 2 mainstream? Let's try to keep this forum civil and not go immediately to strawmen. But hey, look what happened to Tides of Numenara, I surely didn't back that years ago hoping for a small party, turn based console rpg, but that's what ended up happening. I'm still interested in Pillars 2, and will watch to see how it ends up, but yes, I see them simplifying the game to be a mistake. If they eventually announce Pillars 2 for console we'll know it was somewhat of a factor. Tyranny, while it had some very interesting aspects, ultimately was too simple in combat with the 4 man teams, for me. Obsidian recognized their mistake there, so they avoided going that small again this time, for Pillars 2, but yes, even 5 is still simplification and dumbing the game down. Interesting that you mention 8, I'd vastly prefer 8 or more characters at once, but that's not realistic to ask for, now is it? Hopefully Pillars 2 is mod friendly enough that those unsatisfied with 5 can adjust the party size and battles to their liking later on. I'm sure most people, like myself, who love good team based RPGs, can survive the 5 man team, but that's not really the point of this thread. Many, perhaps most of us, would prefer larger teams, and the greater tactical and story aspects they bring. A question here... Have you actually played the beta for Tides of Numenera, or are you assuming it'll be simpler due to being turn-based and involving less characters? I haven't yet so I know I may be wrong here, but based on everything I've seen so far, they seem to be adding a ton of options and strategic elements to their combat system, which seems in my mind that, even if it may be "easier", it's not by any means simpler. For that matter, I don't see how Tyranny or Neverwinter Nights 2 are simpler due to involving a smaller party than the likes of the original IE games (I do however agree that, in my experience at least, Pillars was a tougher game overall) - what's more, would you also say that the solo-party players are opting into a simpler or less tactical game mode for reducing their party to a single character?

Really. Because somehow changing party size from 6 to 5 will magically make the game suitable for consoles? Even when it's still RTwP? Yes, they obviously did it because people couldn't handle one more companion, not because the combat felt smoother or whatever they decided. Change the UI! That's so simple and they didn't even think about it! Thankfully some random poster has brilliant problem-solving skills. Game development is not a democracy.But crowdfundig IS an election. And money is your vote. Im still all in. But if you cant stomach things then stop spending. Or just go along. It's not an election, you decide whether you want to support the project or not. They never lied about keeping 6-person party, if someone doesn't like it they can decide not to pledge. Like an election you cast your vote/cash for something somebody says they will do. If they do that job good they get reelected/cash again on next project. All you have is a promise. Look at Torment:ToN I bet you its a good game... but a lot of stuff that was promised went out the window. Thats gotta have some backlash. I dont think a 2nd crowdfunder of theirs would be as succesful. Thats all i meant and said. Im not talking about your 6 dolly tea party. Im talking the greater perspective here. General points. There's a fine line here somewhere, but I think it's ultimately for the best that the community suggest things and say what they'd like to see, but let the company do as they will with all of it, as the company knows best what is what they want out of the game and how it'll serve better for their plans. With Torment it remains to be seen if, for example, reducing the Oasis in favour of expanding the Bloom was a better decision for what the creators had in mind, if cutting three characters ultimately allowed them to really flesh out the six characters left in the game, and even if the cutting of crafting and Italian translation was a good move so as to allow more money, time and resources to be spent elsewhere instead. The community can't know for certain what is happening behind doors, so all they have to go with to make an informed case is preciously little. If, on the other hand, the makers do cave in to each demand made by the community, chances are they won't be making the game they intended in the first place at all (to be honest, few, if any, do so already), and the chances to see a dumbed-down audience panderer only increase in turn. Perhaps the issue there is to "promise" anything to the backers, but in all honesty these are all pretty small points - even the lack of an Italian localization, by far the worst offender there, can be solved in a future patch as it's not essential for a finalized game. If the game turns to be something entirely different to what was first pitched, that might be a reason to complain, but as it is it's good that the people at inXile said "**** it" to things that may have only acted as detriments to the overall experience/development, even if these had at some point been promised. Josh says the 5-party limit is final. We just have to trust him on this judgement, as only he and the team behind Deadfire can know if it is a good decision or not. All we can do is play it, and evaluate in hindsight.

I don't get this. In the original game we had a total of eight companions that could join - was it a terrible decision to limit the party size to 6 instead of going with a 9-party system to allow all companions a place in it? Did we actually lose all that much by keeping some companions out at different intervals? In all honesty I don't follow this complaint at all. Sure, I'd like to see as much as I could in terms of party interaction so I wouldn't mind having my companions around more often, but in reality I usually managed my party as a revolving door adapting to where I wanted to go next and I didn't feel I missed a whole lot in the process. I don't think it'll be any different with Deadfire. I doubt this'll be an either/or situation like it was in the Baldur's Gate games, where if you didn't take a companion chances were you might not see them again, or they'd be left behind in terms of experience, itemization, and so on. They already addressed it in the first Pillars, as they did in Neverwinter Nights 2 for example, so why would it be so different this time around? You guys need to learn to let go from conventions as arbitrary as this.

Sidekicks! Whenever I think of sidekicks, I think of...

Recently I took part in a music competition, involving making a playlist of ten tracks which would then be voted on by the rest of the community. Though I'd share it here in case anyone was intrigued: 1. Litto Nebbia - "Vals de mi Hogar" 2. Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band - "Tropical Hot Dog Night" 3. Clock DVA - "White Cell" (mins 9:44 to 14:20 only) 4. Tuxedomoon - "Desire" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyRGtTzj440 5. Eyeless in Gaza - "Knives Replace Air" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRgr2giR_Wo 6. Francoise Hardy - "La Question" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc6QfFVDomc 7. Traffic Sound - "Meshkalina" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WF1Lm19lDc 8. Strawbs - "The Hangman and Papist" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkVswDZxrr4 9. Fabrizio de André - "Il testamento di Tito" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyL5pCtPr8w 10. Geinoh Yamashirogumi - "Reincarnation" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVmZjEJ03Rc

Ryan Gosling, Michael Fassbender, Rooney Mara and Natalie Portman all starring in a new film by Terrence Malick, with some extra Iggy Pop and Patti Smith for good measure... Why does this feel like it's a cynical cashgrab aimed to pander to *me* specifically? Either way they got me interested, I'll watch.

makes me think of a folksy joy division They have some of that vibe going for them. I eagerly recommend their first two albums if you haven't heard them yet, these being Down Colorful Hill and Red House Painters (aka "Rollercoaster"). They took a bit of a Neil Young turn in their later releases too, so if you're into his work you might enjoy the likes of Ocean Beach and Songs for a Blue Guitar quite a bit too!

Agreed. Especially if someone's playing on a laptop. I'd rather the book pages took all the screen, without the clutter. I like there being a border, though then again I do not play it on a laptop. I'd rather that border not be table clutter though.

On a slightly different subject, I'm not entirely convinced with the look of the scripted interactions this time around. I mean, I like it and will not really complain if that's how it's kept, but the clutter on the sides of the image, what with the many artifacts around a table, the handle of a dagger and whatnot, make it somewhat less elegant in its presentation compared to the original. Is it just me, or does anyone else feel the same way? All the same, it does look good. It can always be a matter of growing to like it.

They still have stronghold update + stretch goal involving that stronghold to announce which I would place at 3.5M, thus having a nice boost early on next week for the campaign and leaving the 8th companion at 3.75M or at 4M with a cool concept that would lure in more people. Let's hope so!

You have a year to work on your painting skill. I've already started working on my custom watercolor portrait Here's the original portrait (borrowed from here): And my watercolor portrait, compared to those from the Fig update: It could have been better, but I'm not that good with creating graphics :D Great work! With regards to customizing watercolour portraits, I wonder if there'll be an option in the game to choose one of several possible watercolour portraits, or even a watercolour portrait creator. The latter I kinda doubt, but I reckon this is something the devs might have already taken into account.

I don't think Neketaka will be keeping you from adventuring at all - as far as I've heard, and what everything so far seems to be pointing out to, the Deadfire explorable region will be larger than the Dyrwood, and though Neketaka will be larger than either Defiance Bay or Twin Elms, it won't be larger than both combined, meaning there's a likelyhood that more content will be scattered throughout the rest of the region. This is my guess, of course, can't confirm a thing, but all the same I don't think it'll be one in place of the other either. Also, six maps is pretty large, especially if considering the density of content in there (of which I hope there's a lot). To compare, however, Defiance Bay had five maps, and one of them really didn't act as part of a "city" at all (Heritage Hill). On the other hand, however, Athkatla and Sigil both had eight maps, but considering the amount of content in each of these could vary from something akin to the City Gates all the way up to the Clerk's Ward, it really goes to show how much or how little can the number of areas mean overall. I for one don't mind there being "only" six maps, so long as these are full of interesting things to do, and I only hope each of these areas are notably denser in content than those of Defiance Bay.

My one issue with regards to this stretch goal, I have to admit, is that with Carrie teasing an 8th companion stretch goal in the horizon I'm somewhat afraid this may mean having three consecutive stretch goals that revolve only around companion content. It feels a tad redundant and not quite as spectacular for me as some of the earlier announcements. All the same, always appreciate more quality content.

Youre gonna get both Call me a cynic but I highly, highly doubt the campaign will break 3.4M, and that assumes the 8th companion will even be the 3.4M stretch goal. But oh well, 7 companions is good. We'll have to see, but usually crowdfunders really pick up through the last week, reaching the last couple of days particularly. I would in fact not be surprised we break the $3m mark by the end of the weekend. Then again, I also reckon that there's reasons to expect this may not play like the usual crowdfunder, since it is a sequel to another crowdfunder and the expectations are much more concrete, as are the hesitations of delivery. But I'm optimistic all the same.

I think they'll be a little more detailed than that, probably having some things to say here and there and being able to talk to and the likes, but not especially complex or having a personal subquest (beyond the one they might originally be associated with). I'm under the impression that the idea here is more alongside the size of Kana in the original game, or perhaps a little less, more alongside WM1-only Zahua. But, this is my understanding from what's been so far said.