Nonek

I personally think there's quite a lot of reasoned criticism of Obsidian's past games, the bugs in the first few levels of AP, the rather unfinished nature of the Sith Lords, the many flaws that beset NWN2, the camera and controls of DS3 etcetera. I would not try to dismiss any of these, but on the whole i've found their writing to be in general far superior to Bioware's in terms of the quality of prose, internal consistency, plotting, premise and themes. This is of course somewhat subjective. I read anything but didn't actually purchase the books Mr Volourn, I recieved them due to work.

Yes I have to admit that Bioware needs to hire some professional writers, whom know how to maintain internal consistency, basic plotlines and a logical premise. No offense to the author but has anyone read the Dragon Age novels? The prose is so childish and simple that I really struggled to finish them, for a company who are supposedly known for their writing I have yet to find any real quality evident in their games. I don't think they're helped by their fans being delusionary fanatics however, whom want to hear no word of criticism or requests for improvement. Criticism is always warranted as nothing ever achieves perfection. Edit: With the obvious exception of a nice cup of Earl Grey.

Mr Sawyer has quite a distinctive voice while singing at the Tops, I wonder whether the gentleman has had some training? Sat around wondering whom to support in this playthrough of NV, the NCR seem to be blindly groping down exactly the same path as the old world, and even Ceasar's Legion is preferable to more thermonuclear armageddon and experiments like those conducted in Vault 11. The promise of Shady Sand's is I think long gone.

Personally i'd like a few more Wilde-ish wordplays and verbal gymnastics, rather than the de rigeur squeeing humour, and perhaps a little less of the juvenile tee hee I said something naughty and (what a four year old would consider) clever. Most companions whom set out to provide witticisms usually make my teeth hurt with their constant attempts to make you like them, which is why I left Veronica in a ditch in Freeside with love and hate smashed into her skull repeatedly, Morte I liked however, as a sick, crude, and defiant sparring partner whom was also very useful. Cass was also a pleasant travelling companion, and quite amusing. Edit: The sparring with Gann was also a welcome touch of humour, quite self aware and deprecating as it was.

Personally I wish that the Diablo's had copied Divinity in terms of the skill system, the interactive world and the free roaming nature of the game. It seemed a natural evolution for the genre rather than regressing to what it is now. Edit: I would say that it was far more of a homage to the Ultima's than Diablo, with only the frequency and basic nature of the combat resembling the latter. Though apparently they wanted to make it turn based originally, but were refused by publishers supposedly? Can't speak for how true that rumour is however.

Oh I wouldn't call it a must have for the game, except perhaps with archer characters. It was useful for clearing the map however, for those of us whom are slightly ocd about such things.

I always thought that Divine Divinity handled the fog of war quite uniquely, for the simple fact that ones skills (I believe Ranger and Elven sight) could modify ones viewing distance. I don't believe that i've seen this used before or since.

Transformers: Hippies in disguise.

A quick question if I may, is there anywhere that I may see what rewards I currently have, i've totally forgotten what they are at my level?

Now Goblins I always like to portray as a far more fantastical species, terrifying evil spirits that are spawned wherever the dark shadows gather, that will drag the weak down into their lairs and feast while cackling and screaming. I also usually like to make them potent in terms of spellweaving and enchantment.

I do believe the Beggar class may well have been born from Mr Gygax' novel "Saga of Old City." Gord the Rogue was scraped up off the streets to train under Beggarmaster Theobald, as well as practising acrobatics and such. As I remember the Beggarmaster grew prideful however and his guild was destroyed by the thieves.

Such sweet lilting tones as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUcFDEwot0U Edit: One has to wonder how much throat lubrication the voice actor quaffed.

'Umiez iz WEAK! Green iz best!

Another great thing about 40k Orks is their technology, which shouldn't work according to the laws of physics, but through self belief and the power of group synergy (WAAAGH!!!) it does. In other words the Ork's impose their own reality upon the multiverse, which is in direct opposition to humanity who are born with the instinctive ability to tell reality from the manufactured, even toddlers possess this ability and it's what's thought to tweak our sense of the uncanny valley. Something off, something just not quite right. Two genetically predisposed senses in direct opposition, quite interesting really.

Well one has quite a guilty sense of satisfaction from playing 40k Ork's, a heady rush when playing as a speciesist, crude, ill mannered, bad tempered if not psychotic genetically engineered super fungus that pays no heed to etiquette, decorum, feelings or manners. Somewhat diametrically opposed to oneself. Then again it's just a game and not reality, and the only people to worry over are those whom can't tell the difference, because they're mentally unbalanced.

With twelve days left I don't particularly mind if there is another update before the beta or not, with Sensuki and C2B providing us the lowdown as well as the developers ocassionally discussing what they consider pertinent in the forums, I personally think we will have enough information to tide us over.

The thing is even with Doppelschwert's excellent reminder that this system has before and can work again, it's not the only form of interaction, as i've said (quite a few times now) before. There are as many methods to implement interactions with ones spouse as the imagination allows, messengers, kin sent to foster with you, relatives passing through the Dyrwood, emergencies that require you send assistance home, calling for your family when you have established a home in the Dyrwood, divorcing your spouse as you move apart, playable flashback sequences that explain: How you met, how your marriage was arranged, what prompted you to seek your fortune in the Dyrwood etcetera. These interactions and letters from home can present unique situations, and choices for the protagonist in how he deals with them and what consequences are born therefrom. However this much deeper form of interaction than the usual teenage squeeing we usually endure can have many more side effects: It portrays the culture from which you sprang, it gives the player a background he can choose, it gives the player a chance to choose his spouse and his relationship with her, it gives the spouse some much needed agency and independence rather than being just an idiot slave, it can provide a money sink for the protagonist as he supports his family and kin, it adds more content, choice and consequence, it allows the character to define himself and his place in the world, it covers an area of player relationships that has been missing in almost every other game, and it is all entirely optional. To me this sounds like a far superior system to the usual "romance," it has almost limitless potential if one applies ones imagination rather than settling for the same hackneyed, disturbing and juvenile molestation of npc's we have seen before. However that's all my personal opinion and my last word on the matter as I feel slightly sullied now.

You can interact with your spouse in such a situation, in as many or more ways as the traditional dialogue choices, messengers, letters, flashbacks etcetera, as i've stated before. Each with there own set of choices and consequences. It is a fallacy to say that there cannot be any interaction without the spouse being present, and likewise ones spouse can communicate with the protagonist, through various means, and provide their feedback and outlook. It is merely another (refreshingly original) option in my opinion, one i'd prefer over the teenage squeeing yet again.

Is the young Ms Kardashian the richest hobbit since Bilbo?

No Bruce seeing as it's an acknowledged fact that most discerning people find all previous implementations of romances to be of poor quality, trying something new away from the distasteful power fantasies of before is refreshing and pertinent. Interaction is interaction, and this seems like a far more mature, detailed and in depth method of interacting with ones loved ones, as well as fleshing out the protagonists backstory, without resorting to the poorly written "romances" of previous games. The suggestion that one form of interaction is inferior is clearly idiotic, you yourself said that Deionarra was a superior form of romance, and yet interactions with her are based on memory and a past incarnations interactions, as well as flashbacks and such. Interaction is interaction, no difference. The dungeon example is purely false, as we would simply be replaying the dungeon as a memory. This is an irrefutable and far superior alternative to the previous mostly poorly written implementation of forcing yourself upon npc's in my opinion.

You're showing a lack of imagination Bruce, one can use almost any form of interaction to reference ones relationship with a spouse, flashbacks, letters, requests, bequests, financially supporting ones family, having a long term goal, infidelity or not etcetera. All that you will miss is the teenage squeeing that constitutes the usual poorly written romance. As a motivation, a long term goal and a more adult relationship this idea shows far more promise than the usual implementation of a few correct lines of dialogue, then forcing yourself upon the poor npc. The fact that you can't at the moment see your object of affection is neither here nor there, and affords a more realistic take on matters of endangering ones family as well as testing a players fidelity and commitment. Just because you like poorly written content does not mean that every situation has to ape that, thankfully.

It depends the "Pals Brigades" of Lord Kitchener did lead to villages being stripped of young men, because the response to Kitchener's call up was massive, and they were all from the same areas. Also conflicts where the English took massive losses such as Gallipoli did lead to a drop in population in those regiments recruiting grounds, and then Europe was hit by the Spanish Flu in 1918 that killed around fifty million it's been estimated. Grim years. Passchendaele was probably the worst example of senseless loss of life, many men drowned before they could even get into battle.

Yes one has to feel for the young men of the conflcit, giving everything they had up to and including their lives in service to their country, one cannot feel anything but admiration for such selfless and brave young men, no matter the stupidity of the war in question. Certainly they were not privileged or lucky to be fighting in that conflict, we forget too easily the enormous debt we owe to those whom have given everything so that we their ancestors might enjoy the benefits of their sacrifice.

In some aspects I agree Mr Panteleimon (and it is very nice to see a representative of one of the old faiths in the discussion,) however we are not used to manipulating our Souls as a common daily occurence as the inhabitants of Eora seem to do, thus we cannot reasonably compare ourselves with them too much. Obviously some examples seem pertinent, but they were probably what Mr Sawyer and the writers were basing Animancy and its practicioners upon. In general however the great mass of people in the Dyrwood seem to hold Animancy in much the same regard as yourself, and may be wise in that any knowldege is by nature a two edged sword, and mostly comes down to its application and weilder. It seems perfectly reasonable to me that the potentates of the Dyrwood may be allowing (if not even pursuing) or funding what they believe to be benign research in Animancy, especially considering the local history of the Engwithans under their feet, how far they have gone in other areas of scientific exploration (blowing up a gods avatar,) and perhaps even the current zeitgeist that has arisen from a new nation finding its feet and rejecting the recieved wisdom of the old. And the rewards that are hinted at are almost beyond imagining and should be thought of as another factor in its supposed favour, immortality, a peak behind the curtains of reality to see what mechanisms whirl in the background, and perhaps even a hand in tweaking those mechanisms which may be considered godhood to an Eoran. Obviously there are the horror stories to rightfully point out, but one assumes that Animancer's whom pursue such disreputable acts are criminals to be hunted down and exterminated by the authorities. Probably by the Dunryd Row. But at the end of the day the ruler (Duc?) of the Dyrwood probably does not care what his subjects think overmuch, so long as they pay their taxes and send their sons to man his militia. His interest is probably focused on his peers and court, as well as the natives of Eir Glanfath. Edit: It does raise interesting questions as to how the traditional nations of Eora are starting to view the Dyrwood, with the slaying of a god and the practise of a reviled craft, a benighted den of sin and villainy?

Personally I want all content to be deeper, more interactive, nuanced, subtle and well written, which obviously the Ander's romance along with fairly much every other is not. I want realistic and logical responses that feel natural, I do not wish to be sheparded into a situation by the plot when Stevie Wonder facing in the wrong direction could spot what is obviously happening. As can anybody else with a modicum of intellegence. For me it's not about the amount of options available (though I want more than upper, middle and lower right,) but their quality and believability, something which is missing in almost every romance in every game. In Bioware games it simply seems that the writers do not know how humans react or behave, but instead draw on tropes and cliches to flesh out their caricatures, who have no motivation other than to serve the plot. Which is also invariably illogical, incoherent and poorly written. In short make characters who are human, multi-dimensional, self motivated and not merely walking (and rarely talking) plot points. If this is done then realistic views, goals, responses and outlooks will arise naturally rather than what a poorly written plot demands. I'd also like the protagonist to not be the only party whom does the pursuing in a romantic relationship, as this has a creepy, rapey vibe to it when the character forces themselves on an npc who cannot resist because one has "played" the game correctly. If none of the characters find the protagonist attractive that is also fine, or if they are perturbed or disgusted by the main character clumsy and desperate attempts to engage in a "romance" that is fine. Some folk are drawn together in conflict situation, some aren't, and even if they are drawn together it does not have to be a sexual relationship. After all the most in depth, well written and outstanding roleplaying opportunities in Obsidian and Black Isle games have not arisen in romances but the fantastic interactions with friends, enemies, philosophies, items and situations. By their nature new romances, flirting and sexual liaisons are not nuanced or particularly complicated situations, try being married for twenty years and accurately depicting all of the baggage, background and depth of that relationship. Deionarra, Ravel and Kreia come near and should be the guiding light towards which all relationships are steered in my personal opinion.