Nonek

The vagaries of circumstance, why did the Chinese who were the forerunners of so much innovation in the ancient world not have glass? One assumes that it was the popularity and usefulness of porcelain, so mayhap in Eternity some other form of mass communication fills the need of the printing press. Then again from what has been said we are looking at a timeline resembling the 16th century, so perhaps the invention of the printing press is due to take place, or allready has taken place and is being supressed by a church or political entity. One thing is for sure, the price of literature without the printing press will be astronomical, the work of scribes and monks was not cheap. Especially with the illustrated works of art we see in many old tomes.

Old English has a nice sound to it when recited, recognisable to some extent like the latin phrases of the Infinity spellcasting as well.

Deportation costs more than keeping them, thanks to the European human rights laws, and the possibility of mistreatment in their home countries. For a long time it was argued that keeping them in "Londonistan" was a good way of controlling and monitoring radicals, in actuality it just served to alienate the indigenous population and spread fanaticalism. A rather unintelligent move by the intelligence community. That and most of the offenders of recent atrocities were not from London but the slums of various midlands ex industrial towns.

The wife was rather put out when I told her that, in point of fact, the Spartan sent back from Thermopylae to warn his people by Leonidas ritually commited suicide immediately after delivering his message. Such codes of conduct sound like a fine feature, though hard to maintain.

No it's far worse! Only joshing, been up with the little ones all night (flu you know) so i'm rambling a bit trying to stay awake. Edit: To clarify I don't believe popularity negates criticism, nor do I believe Mr Ocelot should trust anything but his own judgement.

It's rather an interesting topic popularity isn't it? One could well argue that popularity is to be opposed at all costs if our history is anything to go by, what with religious crusades, slavery, facism and institutionalised sexism all being extremely popular in their day. Personally I don't believe it's that simple, I don't believe that popularity frees anything of criticism, I don't believe that one must oppose the popular at all costs, instead I would rather use discernment and moderation in judging each individual aspect. Some may call it nit-picking, I prefer to think of it as thoroughness. In the end I believe that a balanced view is the fertile breeding ground of advancement. Wandered a bit off topic what?

If I remember correctly: If your foe is stronger retreat, if equal then seek advantage, if weaker then attack.

"Better to live one day as a tiger, than a whole life as a worm!" "Whoever heard of a wormskin rug?" Edit: To be serious for a moment, my own humble thoughts on the same situation: http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/60413-impossible-odds/?hl=%2Bimpossible+%2Bodds

Apparently one has to only pay a pittance if one allready owns DX:HR, even less if the MIssing Link has allready been purchased. I believe somebody printed the exact breakdown in the randon video game news thread a while ago.

I'm fine with the gentlemen and ladies spending more time working on the game, and less making updates, i'd say let them have a week off and relax for their anniversary the same as the rets of us. I'm sure the game will be delivered and be of satisfying quality, which is what I payed for. Then again i'm a big wet flannel.

Personally i'd have stopped people walking back and forth to pick stuff up by having it simply disappear, but that's only a personal preference. I've been thinking about the issue of boobplate and chainmail bikini's etcetera (I bet you have,) and i'm not alltogether against having a character who flesh is protected by magic rather than steel, iron, linen and leather. However I do think that the obvious benefits in weight, agility and upkeep must come with some downsides, so what if the arcane process one uses is all too visible, squirming, twisting sigils and runes that cover the entire body. Imposing a comeliness penalty, a reaction penalty from anyone wary of magic, an upkeep cost to maintain the enchantments and perhaps other side effects over time. There's also the issue of climate and temperature, perhaps further enchantments to protect against the enviroment as well? Edit: Ones spelling continues to deteriorate.

Personally i've always preferred a skilled and apprentice trained craftsman to be making wonders rather than the itinerant adventurer, unless that adventurers class is described as a crafter. Your suggestions for research and innovation sound very fine to me indeed. What part the protagonist plays in the crafting might be interesting, for instance the Rogue adding his blood with its superior knowledge of weapons and killing, the Fighter manning the bellows as a tireless pumper, the Wizard scribing enchantments into the metal as it is hammered, folded and twisted or perhaps the Chanter singing a legend into the blade as it is crafted. The scene from the old Disney movie "Dragonslayer" springs to mind, where the apprentice works his magic into the dragonslaying spear as it is crafted by the smith, to end with the anvil upon which it was forged being split in twain by the weapon.

I think that statement succinctly hits the nail on the head, we're all looking for consistency in our playthroughs, the world and its players to react in a believable and logical manner. When they do not, when one is asked too many times to partake in nonsensical actions, then one feels a dissonance and percieves that there is no agency and no real point in playing. Betrayal at Krondor has a very nice example of subverting a soft limitation, *SPOILERS* ahead obviously. While travelling south to Krondor one may find Moredhel (big barbaric warlike elves) lockboxes, and deciphering them will result in uncovering a number of missives hinting at an ambush on the most populated road leading south. Changing to the coastal path will lead into a trap, which the Moredhel leader has crafted for the party, and reveal that those notes were carefully placed ruses relying on the players curiosity and greed. And of course one may well uncover this ambush as well, coming to the site forewarned and forearmed. *END SPOILERS* I found this very palatable, it did not just reward exploration as is normal, but rewarded an attitude where the player tried to stay one step ahead and questioned everything, and through doing so was able to adapt and overcome. Indeed the central mantra of the game seems to insist that nobody is trustworthy, refreshing cynicism.

Exaggerated somewhat for comic intent but unfortunately i'm related to the gentleman.

A filthy old manservant, lets call him Harold. Alcoholic, smells of urine,sweat, tobacco and old spice, teeth and hands brown from rolling his cigarettes. Coughs constantly, attacking his chest will result in muttered thanks, and a brief respite: "Thats got it." Extremely conservative, racist, speciesist and sexist. Has a derogatory nickname for every person he meets. Is fiercely loyal to his master, served in their family for millenia, and believes in old fashion values. Has a near limitless capacity for absorbing damage, as he's been around a lot in his youth, but is useless in a fight. Complains often however that you should be beating him more often, raping milkmaids and beheading the uppity peasantry, as that's a noblemans job. Can find anything his master fancies in any city, seemingly has more contacts and resources than an entire thieves guild. Never usually gives a straight answer: "Here and there, now and then, this and that." These are his usual responses to any questions. Has a son in training to take over the family business and a daughter making her living on her back as per family tradition, is fiercely proud of both of them. Looking forward to the day his son slits his throat while he's asleep and nicks everything he owns, as the family custom of succession dictates. Can lift and pack massive amounts of gear, fifty pounds more than the strongest character in the party. Has thirty two fatal and incurable conditions, plagues and injuries but doesn't complain about it too much, as he really enjoyed acquiring them.

Whom can be called the worst amongst us? Edit: It's me isn't it?

Personally I don't see this as a binary thing, there is nothing stopping an open world game from having a deep, complex and intriguing narrative as New Vegas, Betrayal at Krondor, Arcanum and the old Ultimas prove. Admittedly not every game has the budget or development scope to embrace interactivity, but when they do it seems obvious to me that they should, after all this is the key strength of the medium. That said, obviously there must be limitations because of the lack of a GM, and the superior human brain, thus my original question on what limitations are palatable. The red mist of Dead Money strikes me as a good example of a malleable barrier, along with the alarm system, in that both can be manipulated to an extent and yet still serve as an effective hard limit. Thus making the player clever and potent, and yet more satisfactorily constrained. The vagaries of weather and nature also seem more palatable, perhaps because of our intrinsic susceptibility to the elements. It was very refreshing to have to prepare and equip oneself for the trip into the northern reaches of the Serpent Isle in the game of the same name, and be punished if one should opt to ignore the repeated warnings. Of course for a high level party such considerations are lessened or vanish, as a single teleport can bypass what was previously impassable, or the weather can be tamed etcetera, which makes the designers have to work harder and smarter one suspects.

You have taste sir.

I thought the Cazadors in New Vegas were quite a good example of a soft limit, though I know a lot of people hated them with a vengeance. Personally in Alpha Protocol *SPOILERS* I didn't mind the Marburg situation, mainly because I was trying to recruit the gentleman as an asset and turn him, Madison had performed her role as Rome stress relief and was therefore expendable. *END SPOILERS* But in general I agree, the overriding of the protagonist in cutscenes is really inexcusable, from Adam Jensen's stupidity to the numerous villains (Letho and that space ninja chap from ME3) who beat you despite being whipped like red headed step children a moment before. Edit: It seems especially egregious in games that otherwise allow a degree of choice and consequence, for that to be taken away during cutscenes. You can see why a lot of poeple dislike cutscenes for that very reason.

Player limitation is a strange business, a smart player will often buck at authority or ask why he cannot pursue some course of action, when it seems the most logical option. Sometimes this is a good thing, and a good party of inventive characters can drive the story as much or more than the GM. However one is left wondering what subtle or not so subtle shepherding you have found to be palatable? Obviously this is a matter of taste, and with the modern prevalance and popularity of graphical picture books like Dear Esther and Bioshock: Infinite where there is no choice, no consequence and no real interaction, there are obviously players who just want to be told a story rather than play a game. But for those of us who like interactivity, what limitations do not chafe too heavily? For myself I have found weather to be very effective, the avalanche in the pass in Icewind Dale for instance, a seemingly insurmountable obstacle, at least for low level characters.

Of course the first lesson has to be never get off the boat, unless Wagnerian Dragonriders show up.

Personally i'd implement the chance of different events based upon different routes you choose: 1. Put on sail and dare the dannein straits, haunt of pirates and monsters, the fastest route. 2. Stay close to land, trade with coastal towns and risk your enemies infiltrating or sabotaging the ship. 3. Skirt the Sea of Stormsreach, where no sane man travels, but risk being overcome by a tempest. 4. The Gulf of Masts, where the wind hardly blows, and risk being becalmed amongst the sunken hulks. 5. Take the deep ocean route, but one must stop for water and provisions on the legendary Black Isle.

Text cutscene describing a pirate attack? As in King of Dragon Pass or Darklands, then cut to the battle and two ships upon the high seas, repel the enemy or suffer a spell in the enemies brig (with the appropriate opportunities to escape.) The actual sailing and voyage is all handled by the text and illustrations, with the battle being the only animated section. Edit: Armour.

New Obsidian game, what's not to be excited about?

As far as I know they've only mentioned Saint Waidwen, the god of fire whose bomb killed him and the old Aedyrean fallen "Queen of the Gods." Can't remember any others.