PrimeJunta

Yes. Yes, we do.

Josh has stated that that's one of his primary design goals with the character system. So as intentions go, I think things are good. We will find out just how good a designer he is when the game comes out, of course. Personally I'm not too worried on that score.

So what will you be doing when pretending to be a bandit? Toasting marshmallows around the campfire? I think it's more likely that you'll be doing bandit stuff, at least being seen with the bandits. That ought to get you a rep.

Also, at times the uncertainty is all part of the game. It'd be boring if the "right" options were always obvious. They might as well not put in any "wrong" ones in that case.

I usually find replying to you to be unproductive but Ill give this a go. Im not objecting to anything. Im just some dude on the internet wondering aloud about the functionality of a game Im interested in. Sawyer mentions wanting to eliminate "whoopsy-daisies", which is a good thing to remove imo, and my mind wonders about how it will work out in this system. I wonder about a hidden "interpretation" column where the NPC interprets something the opposite of what I meant, but now Im completely unaware of that fact. I wonder if its better to have the "whoopsy-daisy" frontloaded, where I can see what my character said, than back loaded, where I don't know how the NPC interpreted it. Im just asking questions out loud. Fair enough. I hope you've had some of those mysteries elucidated in this thread, at least. If you have any suggestions on how to converse more productively, please let me know about that too. I'm open to most suggestions, although "enthusiastically agreeing with everything" is probably off the cards.

Comprehension is a weak point I see. Sure, that's what Im saying. Then what are you saying? Color me confused too. It seems to me that you're objecting to this system because you can't tell beforehand how the NPC's are going to react to what you're saying. If this is in fact not what you're saying, I'd very much appreciate a clarification of your position. And if it is what you're saying, I'd appreciate you explaining your reasoning because the position doesn't make a lick of sense to me. "Entirely predictable" doesn't sound like a lot of fun to me!

Huh. This turned into a group hug. Imagine that.

:reads through thread: :notes differences: Funny how the opinions split on this one. I've had a rule of thumb of disliking anything @Karkarov likes and vice versa lately, but seems like he's got his head on straight about this one. And certain people who I generally agree with clearly have very poor taste on this particular point. It'll be interesting to see how this pans out. I like the sound of it a lot anyway.

Ya think? No accounting for taste, I guess.

I find the style highly different from BG1. I don't like the BG portraits much at all TBH. Airbrush a go go. These are more painterly and naturalistic at the same time, which is a tough act to pull off. Great expressions too, with lots of personality.

Those portraits are without question the best work I've seen in any cRPG. Beats even Icewind Dale. If I ever want to commission a portrait, I'll call you first, Kaz!

My favorite update so far. I'd be very keen to hear more. Even better if you're able to include some of the stuff you'd normally not want to, uhm, show off. You know, the kind of stuff you reminisce about late at the company post-party. I'm sure it happens.

Poking most problems with a stick tends to either solve them, or turn them into other problems, which may in turn be soluble by poking them with a stick.

Karkarov's right. AD&D blows like a hurricane. Do everything right and you'll still get one-shotted frequently from sheer bad luck. Also, any game that has "Save frequently and in different slots" in the instructions is fundamentally broken.

I'll join. I'll also join the Arcanum fan group. I can't make up my mind.

I believe the mechanics are designed not to encourage savegame abuse, though, at least for reasonably competent gamers.

To be fair, Ebb's sole function was to be an infodump for players unfamiliar with the setting though. But admittedly not the highest point in that game's writing.

@Sacred_Path: trying a bit too hard to be edgy, methinks.

So you don't feel that needing to pause more frequently doesn't in any way detract from the gameplay experience? Again, I respectfully disagree. How fortunate we are that their civility and respect for differing opinions makes up for it.

@Karkarov, I disagree. A controllable camera adds another thing to control, however well it's implemented. That control demands attention and action that could otherwise be focused on controlling your units. Naturally a fixed-camera game has to be designed taking into account that the camera is fixed, but that's a bit of a "duh" IMO. Although, to be fair, many of the classic isometric RPG's failed significantly in this respect. Fallout, for example, had the scenery hiding enemies and loot where your characters would have been able to see them. That problem has a number of obvious solutions many of which have been used in other games, of course. Now, which is better and why, isometric or top-down? Discuss.

@FacelessOne, as arguments go, I've seen worse.

@FacelessOne: Some of Tolkien's elves had beards. "As they came to the gates Círdan the Shipwright came forth to greet them. Very tall he was, and his beard was long, and he was gray and old, save that his eyes were keen as stars; and he looked at them and bowed, and said: 'All is now ready.'" – ROTK, The Grey Havens

Obvious troll is obvious.

I vote no on this one. Getting animations like that right is a lot of work, and the work goes up exponentially the more types of critters you have. A "hit with spear" animation will turn into "hit small humanoid with spear/hit medium humanoid with spear/hit large humanoid with spear/hit small quadruped with spear/hit medium quadruped with spear/hit large quadruped with spear/hit small tentacle-monster with spear" etc., and the same for all weapon types. So, no. Fewer animations, more critters plz. I'd rather not fight only bugbears all the time, however pretty the hit animations.

There won't be a pony. That's definitely bad.