Wormerine

As a big fan of stealth genre I can see benefits of multi-layered walking speed.

I agree completely. The problem is the system you are talking about already exists. Except instead of walking there is sneaking. You move slower but are in the "sneak" mode. As PoE had a noise simulation I imagine running is noisy and if you run in hostile situation you can attract enemies. We know for sure that spells make various amount of noise, meaning if you are sneaking through a castle and attract a guard and you decide to dispatch him with a fireball you might attract nearby patrols. What people are asking is literally a fluff option to walk for immersion sake for role playing purposes.

Yeah, that's what I thought you were referencing, and have no idea wtf they were doing... Crazy punks.Improv... I don't think I am a very good comedian. https://youtu.be/huJ81Mq2y34

Yes, Doctor! Yes, Yes, YESSSSSSS!!!! But wait.... now I want to be able to teleport everywhere in Deadfire. What have you done? YOU CHARLATAIN! YOU MADE THINGS WORSE!!!

Well Doctor... I suppose I want my character to be what I can't be in real life. He gets all the attractive women. He is an asset to the comunity. He is important and respected. He fights injustice and evil when he sees it. He is also more... well... fit. You see I am always late. And it is not because of poor planning... there just aren't enough hours in a day. Now, if I could only move faster. Sadly with a backpack and violin in hand I can't run very far. So after leaving work I am late for a bus I could have caught. I could sleep in on weekends if I could do my errands quicker. So when I am gaming I want my character to run. Always. Not because he has to. But because he can.

They tend to release those mid week though, right? (Tuesday/Wednesday)

At the very least the end state of the companions, I assume that if it is covered in the ending slides, and is not 100% contained to the Dyrwood, it is likely to get a passing mention. Also, the white march choices. Gah, I have to finish TWM, too? I backed POE1 and haven't finished it because I just don't care about the story, and I backed POE2 for some reason anyway. I'm trying to finish it by sticking mainly to the main quest line. You don't have to do anything. From what was said save from the first game is not recommended in any way, unless you really want to continue that particular character. You will be able to define all the choices when starting new game without a save anyway. That said, White March is worth it. In my humble opinion it is the best content in the game especially the monastry in WM part II.

I agree, but if all characters can have the mechanics ability and the mechanics ablility enables you to pick locks, disarm traps and probably more stuff in PoE2, then where is the difference in method? In BG your mage could open locks, but he had to use a spell. OK, that was a bit clunky, but it would be an interesting thing to expand upon. What's the point in having a thief if everybody can open locks? What's the point in having a ranger, when everybody can use traps? Yes of course, you can invent something, but in my opinion that would be only to justify those classes. And to be honest: Backstabbing is just playing with bonuses. It does not immediately feel that way, but it is. Basically there is no real difference between backstbbing and lets say Wounding Shot or something. You know that ranger thing with the arrow icon. For me the real distinction begins, when a class is able to use a game mechanic, the others can't. Didn't they do that to some extend already? I really liked how different classes had different mechanics attatched to them - cyphers gained focus from damage, while chanters neede phrases to cast spells, rangers had a pet, barbarians AOE attacks etc. With rogues and fighter the issue was that they didn't do anything particularly interesting. After just being WOTC for XCOM2 I wonder if it wouldn't be cool to have rogues operate from stealth a bit like the Reapers in said expansion.

It's not as if Obsidian abandoned PoE after initial release. Though none of the free updates were as significant as EE for D:OS they did improve their base game over time. It's really heartwarming to see devs care so much for their product. D:OS approach reminds me of early Project Red with their EE update for original Witcher. Being commited to leaving good game behind, instead of maximising profit can came back to you.

I am pretty sure you will have to. All assets are new so you will have to recreate you character. You will be able to change class for sure (after all misterious stuff happens and you are back at square 1). During the stream Josh said that they are not sure if they will allow you to change your race/background (probably not) but if they do, there will be a story reason for it.

It's a win win if you can afford it, maybe, though I'd be genuinely interested to see how many people consider the trainwreck VA of the narrator added value. Larian have quite clearly squeezed every penny they have (and don't have) and risked the whole company, banking on bringing in the kinds of gamers for whom stuff like full voice acting is a dealbreaker. I hope they succeed, and I'm glad I can turn off the absolutely awful narrator, but that's not a "win-win situation" as if there are no costs or risks involved and that everybody should do it as a matter of course. Unless you are Larian's finance manager I don't see how you can be so sure that they squeezed every penny they have. "Clearly" so! No one knows and no one should care unless they've invested money in the company somehow. What we should care about as players is the final product, and the final product is, imho, very good. As I said, if one's problem is the voiced narrartor or the voiced characters in genereal , they can very easily be muted. If one cares about the game being voiced, like I am, I don't think they'll be dissapointed at all. What I mostly see, tbh, in this forum, is people being against VO because. There are, clearly, solutions to that and the budget-expert talks by fans are pure speculations if not just self-assurance that thank God our precious game won't be voiced. Personal opinion, the voices of DOS 2 are way better than Pillars' - still I wouldn't have muted Pillars even if there was an option; I like voice in games where there can be - it makes their world more alive for me. My issue with "full voice acting" RPG is that when companies started to do that (KOTOR forward) they started to invest into polish and presentation rather than what I really enjoy in RPGs. Of course, if its possible to fully voice a game, and still focus on reactivity and good storytelling without worring to much about word count I am for it. It is not that I am against full VO, but I am for a more nuanced game and I would prefer if Obsidian would focus on that. If they nail that, and game is successful enough, sure expand the fluff for the next game (or even Deadfire if they feel up to it.) Sadly to me D:OS isn't an example of good full VO in a complex RPG. I loved that game, but as far as writing and voiceacting go I can't recall a single character. There was this old mayor, whom I asked about local sect, and he got embarassed because he thought I am asking him about sex. ha. ha. ha. hilarious... that's about it of top of my head. Completely opposite when it comes to PoE. Of course, it is mostly the case of game focus and design, but I am really surprised you consider D:OS VO as better. Its all matter of the taste of course, unless one of us would be a connoisseur of acting and would have a more objective criticism (...i don't.)

... and I was really starting to like you. Seriously though, the only thing better than a glass of red wine, and a baguette with cheese is a glass of a good single malt scotch whiskey. Here have a Bierkase recipe as a peace offering. It is Cheese. Beer Cheese. May I suggest at least a 5 years aged sharped cheddar? Anything less, is uncivilized. http://recipes.wikia.com/wiki/Bierk%C3%A4se :-D Peace offering accepted. Beer Cheese. World is such a wondrous place.

I am pretty sure Divinity: OS2 is filled with choices. I didn't play it myself, but from I have heard it very much seems so. However, I found the following excerpt from "Rock Paper Shotgun's" interesting considering the discussion. Also apparently writing in D:OS2 is good, which is a welcome surprise after kinda funny, but mostly cringy D:OS: Ye there are lots of choices. I was referring to the way your choices are presented. They are trying something different within the dialogue options at least to me in games like this. When you talk to the npcs your choices describe what you are saying not what you are actually saying. it was just odd when i first played. That's... interesting. I am not sure how I feel about it, but it might have its benefits. Reminds me of the choose your own adventure parts from PoE.

From my experience the most dull looking companions turn out being the most interesting ones. Also at this point I find it difficult to get excited about any of them. Those are really vague discriptions and they could very well completely change by the time the game releases. I would rather see them add new companions rather than reworking existing ones unless one the sidekicks will show a lot of unrealised potential but that is a discussion to be had after the game is released.

I am pretty sure Divinity: OS2 is filled with choices. I didn't play it myself, but from I have heard it very much seems so. However, I found the following excerpt from "Rock Paper Shotgun's" interesting considering the discussion. Also apparently writing in D:OS2 is good, which is a welcome surprise after kinda funny, but mostly cringy D:OS: "John: Imagine knowing someone else and having enough overlapping time. Imagine such a world. I need to share the strangeness of voices being added in this released version. The alpha had just text, which was odd at the very start, but then settled in to normality for me – indeed, even your Pillars and the like are only sporadically spoken. But now everything and everyone has a voice, and because I’ve already met them, THEY’VE ALL GOT THE WRONG VOICES. It’s such an odd experience, like watching a film of a book you read and their matching nothing of how you’d imagined it. Adam: I’ll turn off the voices. I’ll take out my headphones and unplug the speakers if I have to. If voice acting isn’t absolutely top notch I’d rather go without it, and I have very exacting standards. And it’s not even just about quality, as you say, it’s that I already know a lot of these characters. But there’s another level as well: the writing is brilliant. It’s witty and it’s clever and occasionally it’s even quite moving as you come to the end of some of the major plotlines that have their hooks deep into characters you’ve come to care about. But so much of that writing feels like it was constructed to be read from a page (or screen) rather than performed. John: Yeah, it’s very pleasant to read, in a way RPGs really usually are not. It’s not turgid purple prose lore guff nonsense, but pleasing writing. I think it’s a bit less pleasing to listen to. Which isn’t a slight at (most of) the voice actors (the person who did the little girl elf’s voice can maybe not do that again please), but more that – I dunno – I don’t think I’d even consider switching it off if I hadn’t played the alpha. Still, clicking past it as I read right now."

... and I was really starting to like you. Seriously though, the only thing better than a glass of red wine, and a baguette with cheese is a glass of a good single malt scotch whiskey.

Sounds very much like "oh, you know, it's a comic book" or "it's a kid's movie" excuse. Yeah, I agree. That said I do think the dialogue was in general very good - the only issue I really had with it was a tendency at times to overexpose (see the end of the Skaen quest or the final meetings with Iovara and Thaos as examples), but I believe they are already aware of this and are looking into this matter for Deadfire. Yes... well we're talking about Divinity:-D

Same. I'm enjoying it as well. Also, one of the great things about DoS2 full voice acting is it makes it easier to let's play. Sadly, PoE isn't a very popular let's play title because of the lack of voice acting and huge lore dumps make it frustrating to read for some people. Let's plays are one of those things that help with marketing. Sure, but usually games which are good for letsplays aer games that I don't enjoy playing. To be honest I am surprised that DoS is watchable.

Sounds very much like "oh, you know, it's a comic book" or "it's a kid's movie" excuse.

Seems like Watcher soul might be disappearing as well, so it's only fitting;-)

From what I understand engagements will be rarer but more impactful. They are an ability inherit to fighter, and I believe some weapon type's specialisation will provide engagement as well.

As someone for whom BG2 was introduction to D&D and role playing game in general I second that. Well, except Wizards. Sifting through couple levels of spells took time. In most of the classes however, you just picked which weapon you will use, and that was that.

Cool. Have fun.

Can't Siri read it?

Wtf would be the point of that? All in all your perception of what is "forward" and "modern" is entirely subjective. You just list things that you'd like to have and claim that they are an indicator of progression. Not necessarily this is a "progress". But it would nice to have an option not to be lvl 0 for once in a RPG direct sequel. Sure, that is why i prefer when sequels use different protagonist than 1st title (see KOTOR, NWN2, fallouts). From th what gameplay perspective there is little point to that. Asking new players to LVL up couple times before they even start the game is silly and even furthers trickiness of creating new character if you are new to the game. I do agree with you that there usually is this odd feeling of going backwards when you start a sequel.