smithereen

Gromnir you changed your profile picture! Why? Swearengen is badass and all, but now I can't imagine that guy reading your posts with a thick accent anymore!

The Witcher's sex cards were so, so bad. You wanna talk about immersion breaking... As to the topic, assuming this isn't trolling, I kinda expected (brief, mostly-SFW!) "scripted interactions," and I'll concede immediate fade-to-black is a bit of a copout, but how is this something you can get worked up about? It's like complaining the the game doesn't animate you character sitting down at the bar and getting wasted, except that would be less likely to get the game an AO rating.

I believe Gamespot gave Original Sin "PC Game of the Year," which can't have hurt it's sales. It was also deeply discounted for quite a while. Unfortunately for Obsidian Wild Hunt seems like it will have this year's awards cycle locked up.

I've been thinking of it. Nothing beats the kick of beating the Big Blue Blob in EUIV ironman.

I started The Talos Principle last week and it's devoured all of my free time.

I didn't mean to say it was a terrible game - a lot of people who's opinions I trust loved it. But it was a crushing disappointment for me. I could just not get more than an hour into it - the cartoonish art style and abrupt tone shifts, along with the bizairre two-PC system, ruined it for me.

I wouldn't pledge >$150 again, but that's mostly because 1. I am confident they will get funded, and 2. I'm not as flush as I was during the last KS. $$$ from scholarships and TAships <<< $$$ from destroying the planet. I'd pledge at least $50 though. I'd actually be more stoked for their next game, since Bioware doesn't have anything coming out for a long time (and they played it so safe with DA:I) and the crushing disappointment that was Original Sin.

Wow they actually finished that? Huh. I may have to try that sometime. Yes. Yes you do.

Crusader Kings II, which is a blast. I finished Dragon Age Inquisition recently (The first two-thirds were really fun, but the ending was really bad,) and Wasteland 2 (which didn't meet my unreasonably-high expectations but was very good.) I tried Original Sin a while ago but it didn't grab me. The two-PCs seemed wonky and I couldn't get over the cartoony graphics.

Vancouver, BC, Canada. The City of the World's Desire.

(I haven't read the whole thread, but it seems like we're just shooting out ideas for what we'd like to see Obsidian's next crowdfunding project be.) First off, if Pillars of Eternity hasn't released officially when the campaign is launched, I'd expect much less funding. If it has released and wasn't literally all things to all people, I think a comparable total is the best they could possibly do. I know a bunch of Obsidian's guys have great reputations and we all love their work (or we wouldn't be here,) but you have to admit most of the hysteria has died down around Kickstarter. They'd get less media coverage, less hype, and people have blown their gaming budgets on all kinds of things lately. Really strong PR and a compelling premise could help, but I would expect more than $4 million at best. I'd like to see something fairly divorced from the swords-and-sandels fantasy RPG epic. That itch will be scratched by Divinity (when I get around to it,) Pillars of Eternity, and Dragon Age: Inquisition. I'd back it, but I'd be happier with something new. The Baldur's Gate glory days are over, and many people are doing reasonable jobs (presumably) of reliving them, but for now it's time to move on and innovate. RPG's don't have to be about killing orcs and dragons with dice exclusively and forever. I think my dream Obsidian game would be a grimy, greasy, Film Noir-style steampunk game. Maybe something (isometric, obviously) like Dishonoured asthetically, but a primarally dialogue-driven RPG mystery. That would be neat. I think my second choice would be a pre-Mass Effect world space opera in the style of Nielson or Asimov. Third choice would be full-blown Lovecraftian horror with X-files influences. Man, I was stoked when I first saw Bioware's marketing for Shadow Realms...

First of all, I am offended by this remark, you are coming across as sexist. Secondly, you are wrong about it being default. Its random every time you start a new character. I hate to be that guy, but... #rekt.

Since the old days weapons have always been way, way too large. Blame low-resolution screens.

I agree with S_o. Several battles in BG2 were a cakewalk - the second time I played the game (and the first time I finished) I did nearly all of the sidequests, and the only tough fight I remember (in the second half of the game) was Bhodi. Firkraag? Easy. Irenicus? Too easy. That monk in ToB? An absolute cakewalk. The final boss in ToB was a bit tougher, but still not really challenging. That actually bothered me quite a bit for quite a while. I felt (and still feel) that I was denied the full experience of the game, ironically for trying to play the entire game. On the other hand, because of the way AD&D works (I was playing a sorceror), the difference between a high-level party with good gear and a very-high-level party with great gear party's power is extreme, and BG2 had perhaps a uniquely high ratio of optional to non-optional content, I doubt the power level discrepancy between a decently-built party that did all the sidequests and one that did, say, half of them in PoE will be nearly as bad. In conclusion, I expect few players will deliberately avoid doing any "optional" content, but conversely I imagine obsessive competitionists are a larger minority. I'd like to see the big encounters in the game to challenge the average players that do the sidequests that strike their fancy, while remaining tough for those that leave no stone unturned in their epic hunt for XP. Realistically, that probably means that sidequests give a pretty small about of loot or XP, or there is some form of level-scaling.

Neverwinter Nights was built from the ground up with custom content in mind; in fact, if I recall correctly the so-called "Official Campaign" was practically an afterthought. It's not likely we'll see another game like that. Neverwinter Nights 2 shipped with a comparable toolset, but the non-tile-based outdoor environments really seem to have slowed down modding.

Wise words. Although I'd take issue with the notion that they have to go text heavy. There are other ways of conveying meaning and artistic impact without writing it out on screen. There is, but it is typically more expensive. It is. It is a portmanteau of "irrespective" and "regardless." To the topic, I have never felt "ripped off" by an Obsidian game.

"Would you like more stretch goals" isn't much of a question. Do you need more money to finish the game, and are asking if we would invest more? Are you asking if we would prefer to push back the release for more content? Why is this a question for fans?

Does anyone know what the deadline for confirming pledges is? I may be moving before the release date.

Off topic, but I have to disagree with you here. I felt that the endless, grindy combat was included in PT for a reason - to emphasize how much suffering and killing the Nameless One and his companions endured. It wouldn't be the same game if TNO and his party didn't die, come back, suffer horrific injury, kill dozens of people, die, come back, be injured, slaughter hundreds, over and over again.

Feel like I've seen this thread before. Nevermind, it has some good posts, and far be it from me to miss a chance to grab a soapbox... 1. No linearly-increasing hitpoints with level. It gets mighty old seeing my characters smacked with sixteen arrows to the face before keeling over. 1.a More defensive abilities and animations. As my characters get more badass, they should duck/parry/block/dodge more often, not get hit in the face more often (and not die). 2. No half-assed attempts at "PvP balance." Support classes, if they are included, should be support classes primarily. Why on earth would a a gutter thief be more proficient at exploiting combat weaknesses than an experienced fighter? 2.a This includes equipment as well. No attempts to balance anachronistic or outdated equipment. "Gothic" plate armor should be better than mail, full stop, at least with regards to combat. 3. Well-written, interesting, dynamic, thematically relevant NPCs that I will care about. Yeah, I know, I'm the only one. 4. An attempt to make putting the party in danger not always the best option. I know this would be amazingly hard to implement, but I am sick and tired of intentionally handicapping my group, giving constantly refusing payment, fighting in every vanguard action, and covering every retreat having the "best" outcome (at least after reloading due to TPKs). In other words: plot consequences for taking combat damage, or something of the sort. Incidentally, I don't mean an "ironman mode;" I don't consider having to start the game over "plot consequences." 5. Interactive environments. I know this is also hard to implement, but I want my Fireball spells to start brush fires, etc. 6. Interactive communities. If I pickpocket some dude, I want to hear about how he got whacked by the mafia for not paying his debt, or up and left town, etc. 7. No random, nonsensical loot. I'm looking at you, Dragon Age. 8. No pointless sex scenes. I'm looking at you, The Witcher. 9. Some degree of "rock-paper-scissors" interaction between different equipment types, such as blunt weapons being effective against chain mail, swords being very effective against poorly armored attackers and parrying blows, etc. Edit: I guess that wasn't "one thing." Oh well.

I have only one request for the PC (and NPC) voice-sets: try to make them a little bit understated. Wacky one-liners and hammy battle-cries are all well and good - in moderation. "Well, looks like I'll have to go on a killing spree!" was hysterical - the first three times I heard it. Ditto "Go for the eyes, Boo! The eyes! RAAARGH!" Well, that last one was probably funny more than three times, but the point stands. Even in Minsc's case, save the really overdone lines for one in every dozen battles or so.

While I agree that aside from not badly misrepresenting the product, they aren't critical per se, a great name can subtly do more than sell copies - it sets the player's mind in the right direction. Why has "Everyone Gone to the Rapture" mean? Who's looking for "Closure?" Will they find it? How come "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress?" Who/what is the "Neuromancer?" "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" Who is "Justine?"

Not to hijack a (obviously troll) thread, but I do agree the titles are important. Used well, they appropriately manage expectations and emphasize the theme of a work, and this is important. Title's like 'Remember Me,' 'Mass Effect,' and 'Deus Ex' go a long way.

Well, that plus the GID effect.

I am definitely going to have to plagiarize this idea. Please accept my apology.