Elerond

Arquebus drops deflection bonus that arcane veil gives with -25 points, meaning that hardened veil gives only +20 deflection against them instead of normal +45.

What? Which gravestone in Nashkel breaks the fourth wall and references forum users and backers directly? Name one. "Beneath this stone, a lump of clay Lies Mark D the young Who on the twenty-third of May Began to hold his tongue" Forgotten Realms don't know month of May "Here lies Kelly, an Atheist All dressed up And no place to go " Forgotten Realms don't have atheists or understand concept of them as gods walk there among people (at least sometimes), closest thing are those who don't worship any of the gods. "stranger, Tread this ground with gravity, Dentist Mark B is filling his last cavity." Gravity, Dentist and cavity are things that would be unknown concepts for at least common people of Forgotten Realms. And I would say that other Tomb stone texts are also such that they would not exist actually exist in setting, but they don't as blatantly break forth wall.

You will find them mentioned as additional content section of the game, which you can find just below achievements, when game is released EDIT: Although to actually access them you most likely (as steam don't seem to give direct links that open them from the steam app itself) need to go game's local files, which you can do for example by clicking game's name with right mouse button (or left if you have reversed their order for left handed use) and selecting "Properties" from pop-up menu. In properties there are "Local Files" tab where you can find "Browse local files..." -button. Which opens file folder where game is installed and there you can find folder where that extra content is put (probably named something like "Sound Track", "Extra", or "Extra Content", but usually at least it is named so that it is quite clear that it is the folder for the extra/supplement content) In My opinion GOG handles this extra/supplement content much more clearer way than what steam does.

Yup, they said that they will provide updates for backer's physical copy in eternity.obsidian.net

If you look manual's pages 69-70 you will find table for attribute bonuses and see that manual has quite old information in it or Obsidian decided at last minute to go back to bonuses that they used when beta started.

Manual seems to be jump back in beginning of beta.

He will not do one probably, as he will do advertisement stream for GOG.com as part of sponsor deal with his SCII team and GOG.com, he usually don't do WTFs for games which he do sponsored deals.

Source This sounds like complete overkill to me for the kind of MP that the IE games had. "Network programmers" in plural and a dedicated online QA staff? I don't understand how dev time would rise by 33%, that sounds absurd - but maybe I'm underestimating what Roby means with "proper multiplayer". I am talking about the very rudimentary MP the IE games had, with no fancy stuff. Maybe I'm also underestimating how difficult it would be to get it running smoothly. But Obsidian have made MP games before, so they should not need to wrestle with the theoretical questions behind constructing an efficient MP solution. In multiplayer you need to keep multiple client at sync all the time as in real time game it matter if there are even 0.1 delay between what players see. Which is why you need "network programmers" in plural as there are usually quite lot programming work that they had to do to ensure that network latency don't hinder gameplay. IE games had engine which had developed multiplayer in mind from beginning, even though Unity has all the necessary components to implement multiplayer mode in game it don't offer any ready-made implementations for one, but instead developers need to actually develop one by themselves. So IE game didn't actually have any cheap multiplayer mode that was easy to implement over single player mode, but instead of they had multiplayer mode build-in from start. Having co-op multiplayer mode also means that you need to check and make sure that all the interactions, conversations, selections and UI components work as intended also in that co-op mode, which means that you need dedicate online staff, who also need to check that lobbies, server (don't matter if dedicate or hosted) - client connections work always as intended. And many bring up D:OS as example of simple co-op game even though it has engine that was build from scratch just so that they can offer that kind of co-op experience. Meaning that it was not any simple task for them actually do, but instead whole game starting from engine was build that co-op play in mind, which is why it is so good as it is.

Class and Race have little impact out side giving flavor to conversations. Here is one example how they use player's race in conversation strings

Godlikes can't wear helmets/hats/hoods because they (people in PoE team) had idea during kickstarter that there should be similar race like planetouched in PoE and one of their defining characteristics is that they have horns and other things growing from their head that prevent them using any helmets (which changed latter to any head gear) . And this decision of course lead to current predicament that their racial bonuses should probably balance the fact that they can't use headgear, but on other hand most of the headgear is just cosmetic (although some cosmetic headgear has non-combat effects) and those that aren't cosmetic don't give much of bonuses, which gives probably some problems in when it comes to balancing their racial bonuses and this balancing probably will cause problems in possible sequel.

I would say that if you do multiplayer mode in your game do it well, which means that it most likely cost at least same amount as single player mode even though they usually can reuse art asset, because technical implementation and server implementation of good multiplayer is expensive. You can do cheap multiplayer modes if you do similar half-assed job like what Bioware did with DA:I's multiplayer. From which we come to point why I hope that Obsidian don't do multiplayer mode in PoE's sequels, even though I like multiplayer modes sometimes and I play them quite much and even though I played multiplayer in all the IE games that included one and I DM multiple sessions in NWN, and that previously mentioned point is that good multiplayer needs resources, monetary and manpower, and those resources aren't infinite especially in case of Obsidian making PoE franchise, and even with all the respect and admiration that I have towards Obsidian and its employees, I like their single player implementations on large margin more than I like their multiplayer implementations, I play their games because of their single player implementations, I buy their games because of their single player implementations, which is why I hope that they will put all their resources to produce more those single player implementations that I like and where they excel in ways that no other company in world do, especially when I can get my multiplayer needs fulfilled by other companies that excel on that sector, meaning that I don't have any need for Obsidian to produce multiplayer mode especially half-assed one.

The massive amount of sales Steam does is anti-consumerist? There's not much anti-consumerist about Steam beyond its terrible customer support. Some could argue that when they lock about half of my library when I travel for example in Thailand is not most customer friendly thing to do. P.S. I like steam quite much but it is not perfect platform that don't have problems P.P.S. DRM as word causes this day too much irrational fear, which is why I often remind people that Steam, Origin and similar client based stores are actually DRM solutions, even though they don't necessary stamp customers rights like some copy right protection and DRM systems that we have seen in past have done. P.P.P.S. Also in my opinion not supporting only one digital store is recommendable thing to do, as I don't think we should give too much power to one corporate entity over our entertainment. P.P.P.P.S. It should also pointed out that GOG.com also is not without its problems, but I also like them quite lot. P.P.P.P.P:S And regardless of everything that I have said to this point I hate how Origin and Uplay currently work, but even then I use them although only for games that I can't buy anywhere else, which is not the kind of support that I meant in my earlier point.

No it is not, if it done by not letting you download the software instead of another software that prevents you to use the software that you have downloaded until certain date passes.

Steam is DRM, as it is software system that manages your rights to use digital products that you have bought. And GoG does pre-loading, although only game which they have offered pre-load option was Witcher 2, which with they let people to download .bin files before release date and then on release date people had to only download installer .exe which was only couple megabytes.

Just based off the cipher specific dialogue options in the beta that class has peaked my interest. Some of the most interesting developments as a result of being a cipher. Question: Does the cipher-specific dialogue also trigger if one of your companions is a cipher and your main is not? I am really torn over if I should pick a cipher or not, knowing that I will want Mother as a companion the whole way through.

No they aren't you can switch all three on same time and stack their effects

Geralt's age has started to get him and he can't anymore shake those gut wounds as good off as when he was young man, also he has started to lose his flexibility and rolling in ground don't feel anymore that compelling to him, so he has decided that it is time to start to use actual armor instead of sexy leather suit.

I would say that at beginning it could potentially be handicap, but as you can boost your CON so much that it don't necessary impact late game I would say it has potential to be dirty min/maxing.

Never, didn't you hear that all the keys went to streamers and youtubers

Except as I said, unless you build for tankyness, it doesn't really contribute in a meaningful way at all, the PER Alone is an abysmal contribution to his potential survivability. Also, as a Wizard (with a CON of 10 no less) he's got the Endurance/Health pool of a snowflake. Slap heavy armour on him and take Talents to support his tankyness, he's going to up his survivability and make at least some use of that PER, but at that point he'll be a terrible, terrible Wizard due to the enormous action recovery he's going to suffer. Nevermind the fact that this feels extremely contrived and counter-intuitive to what (little) we know of Aloth, that is, a pretty standard wizard kind of character. I doubt he'll be fluffed to be some kind of battlemage, especially with those Attributes. Perception isn't just dead weight, it's also too little to even matter on it's own. And he doesn't have the Resolve or Constitution to back up mild support tanking. I also want to clarify that I don't think that Aloth should be changed. I think that the Attributes should be fixed. You can rise Con with items, rest bonuses and consumable bonuses at least 8 points and you also get items that give you endurance and health, so if you build him to be tank then you should probably also boost his con with those methods that allow you to do so. Also when you build him to be tank it don't matter as much that his action recovery is slower (although you can also boost his dex with together with his con if you feel that he need to cast more, which I don't think as wizards have such few spells per rest), as you put him in front line to soak those enemy hits, and also you have spells that add your DR (Spirit Shield) so that you can use lighter armor or make sure that you take minimal damage (which allows you to boost something else than con with those bonuses mentioned before), also you can use spells like for example Concelhaut's Parasitic Staff (which gives him quarter staff that helps him hit better and heals him) and Combusting Wounds which causes additional burn damage to any enemy in are that takes wound (which is helps when you don't do singular high damage hits but lots of small damage hits). So on and so forth you can make him work decently and I find such bit unoptimal quite fun to play, but that is me. But tank is not only role where higher perception works for the build, for example you can use him support roles by getting spells like Chill Fog (which is Foe AoE that does freeze damage, cause enemies become blinded and has possibility interrupt them for 0.5 seconds), Thrust of Tattered Veils (which is single target spell that does crush damage and has possibility interrupt enemy for 1 second, useful against enemy big hitters, casters and those that are armed with firearms), Bewildering Spectacle (which is foe aoe that causes enemies become confused and has ability to interrupt them for 0.5 seconds) , Curse of Blackened Sight (which is Aoe that causes blindness and has ability to interrupt for 0.5 seconds.) and Blast talent (which gives foe AoE for your attacks if you use wand, rod or scepter). Interrupt is not most reliable method to lower enemy dps, but it work relatively well, especially when you use spells/abilities that lower enemy concentration. But what comes to Aloth character I can't say anything, but I think that battlemage can play both tank and combat support roles.

Who would that be and how many views? http://www.twitch.tv/cohhcarnage He seem to have gone to break now, but he had over 8000 viewers for his stream.

Currently biggest streamer of game who actually has more viewers than rest of current streamers together seem to like game very much and his chat also seems to like the game. And other streamers that I have looked seem to also have positive feelings for the game.

It is not worthless, it is actually one most useful attributes to boost in character creation for many builds. This is because high deflection means that enemies have harder time to hit and crit your character. Perception works also for some cipher builds, like mind control focused support-tank. Who specializes in debuffs, mind control spells and their ability stand in front line hacking enemies to generate focus (of course this is not most efficient build for cipher, but it is quite fun). In my opinion people should test more fun builds (builds that try to do strange gimmicks) instead of focusing ability to end fights fast as possible, because then they could find new funner (at least it has been such for me) aspect of PoE's fights. The problem (in so far that it's actually a problem at least) is that the system favours specialization. Unless you are specifically stacking, for example, Deflection, it's effect will be relatively small as the Accuracy of the opponents increases. I enjoy gimmick-y builds, myself, I really do, but in some cases (such as Aloth's) it's really not about gimmicky builds. It's that, using this case as an example, it really isn't all that gimmick-y. Gimmick-y builds would be feasible if the Attributes supported it, like having specialized builds that doesn't do things necessarily worse, just differently than someone else. Such as if Perception still added Range and Accuracy (which isn't something I necessarily support) or if Intellect wasn't such a consolidated caster stat, you'd maybe actually end up with a Wizard that could strike hard, far, and accurate (Max MIG and PER) but actually had terrible duration on their abilities (shallow INT). As it currently is, PER isn't gimmicky for a Wizard, it's bad. Utterly worthless. It's still possible to play the game, it's not like Aloth is complete and utterly worthless because he's sub-optimal. But the issue with Attributes can't be excused with "Eh, the game can still be completed with ****ty stats". I want to have balanced attributes because I want to be able to build wacky things, including the low-PER Ranger and the high-INT Barbarian. It is not worthless as it allows you to make Aloth a tanky front line wizard that uses those self buff, cone and melee spells. It also gives him ability slow enemies down with his attacks and spells as he can interrupt enemies, this works if you use him in more support role.

It depends what you want your character to do, but that will work any build that focuses on damage, although if you decide to use slower weapons like arquebus I would switch might and dex, as dex will add your damage output more as you can shoot more.

Divinity Original Sin uses Larian's in-house engine. But anyway Unity is general purpose game engine that can used to make every sort of games, this sadly don't mean that you will have easy time to move implementations from one game to another. But when it comes to PoE and TToN there are much more possibilities with moving content from one game to another as inXile use modified versions of PoE's implementations in many things.