PrimeJunta

Not probably. Certainly. Kiting and grinding FTW, for starters.

Actually, that conclusion follows logically from what you said, even if, for some reason, you decided not to say it yourself. That said, RPG's are more toys than games (by your definitions, which are not the usual ones, mind). Most of the enjoyment in a cRPG isn't in finding the optimal way to play; it's about exploring different ways to play. In almost all really-existing single-player RPG's the systems are so deeply flawed, in fact, that the optimal ways to play are usually pretty boring, regardless of whether they're TB or RT. I know that's true for all my favorite cRPG's. I.e., I would steer you to some other genre altogether. I would even say that a cRPG designed to your specification would almost certainly cease to be very interesting as a cRPG.

Ever use one?

The only downside of this is the "simulationist" one. Having both health and endurance go down as you're being clobbered makes more intuitive sense (you're simultaneously getting exhausted and hurt), whereas in your variant health is a completely abstract "healing pool" with no easy rationalization for how it works. (Although admittedly a rationalization for any HP-based system has got to be pretty thin.) I don't find the current system particularly confusing, but I wouldn't object to this one either. Both get the job done.

Reasons like that are why I use a Mac nowadays. Only boot into Windows H8 for the games.

Okay, "because Microsoft hasn't made a decent 64-bit one" is an acceptable answer. Carry on.

Why would anyone run a 32-bit OS in this day and age?

FWIW I haven't noticed any performance issues (unless you count load times which got pretty slow with the latest build). But then I haven't measured the framerate, going on perception only. Core i5@3.4GHz, 16 GB RAM, GeForce GTX 780M 4096 MB. Running at 2560x1440. I'm also certain that performance will go up by leaps and bounds once they get optimizing.

I believe this has been the intent all along. The S&M system just implements it better than the original one.

I previously suggested flat base damage on a weapon, modified by the quality of a hit. Instead of graze/hit/crit, have a curve going from zero to double base damage depending on accuracy. That idea got shouted down fast though, and on further reflection perhaps it wasn't all that great to start with as it would make accuracy give the same type of damage bonus as might, which would kind of defeat the purpose of having two attributes governing damage. I.e. as long as we have an attribute system where one stat governs damage and another accuracy, I think we do need a degree of randomness in weapon damage as well. I still think it could work well in a different type of system.

That would work mechanically, but not intuitively: why would a whiff be as likely to interrupt what you're doing as a crit? I think it'd also make the combat murkier. There's already a lack of feedback, which would be pretty easy to address with different sound effects for graze, hit, and crit, a blood spatter for hit and crit, and e.g. a shaking screen for a crit. If you'd have to add separate FX on top of that for interrupts, it'd turn into mush, and if you didn't have FX for interrupts, you wouldn't be able to get a feel for when they happen and how they affect things. I.e. I don't think that's a great idea.

/aside Oh how I wish all the discussion about the beta was more like this. We would get somewhere and it'd be more fun.

Feelz. Your idea makes perfect mechanical/balance sense, but it makes the spells feel wrong. Spells like fireballs are "supposed" to be blind invocations of elemental energy. It doesn't make sense for them to be able to discriminate between friends and foes, at the edges or otherwise. Priests calling down divine punishment on their foes are different of course -- they're "supposed" to discriminate. I've no doubt I'd get used to it, but it would feel jarring.

That would depend on the numbers. If you have a character who goes down in two hits, it doesn't really matter how many times he gets up again, he's fairly useless in the front line (and if he's in the back, he doesn't have much use for all that health either). It's not a big deal though, and I wouldn't add it to your system; it would only muddy it.

Josh's revised system is a clear improvement (and I personally particularly like the idea of tuning Endurance and Health separately, through different attributes), but on balance I still prefer Sensuki/Matt's version. There's nothing wrong with a purely defensive stat IMO (isn't CON one already?) since better defenses are an unambiguous and unmitigated good for any character, much like higher DPS. It would also make matching builds and character concepts more intuitive and easier. "I want to make a defender." Pump the defensive stats, and have others take care of doing damage. "I want to make a damager." Pump the offensive ones, and deal with being more fragile. No problem there that I can see.

It shouldn't be IMO. I don't think the "no bad builds" philosophy need extend to cases where the player voluntarily decides not to distribute character points. (Right now it kind of is because the attributes lack oomph, but I understand that's about to change.)

I disagree. PER and RES are mushy and hard to understand under the current system. Sensuki's and Matt's proposal beefs them up. They immediately become more understandable. I can now better picture what a perceptive or resolute character is like.

This is absolutely brilliant. Not only is your proposal mechanically sounder, but it's also more intuitive and immediately understandable and makes better thematic sense -- yet the adjustments were really rather minor, not like a complete rewrite. Plus the argumentation is rock solid. If Obs doesn't take notice, I'll get my pitchfork ready. Or pollaxe, for the slash/crush damage, depending. (Edit: yes to your three questions, duh.)

I don't think the crowdfunding pool is any more limited than any other market. Nor do I think it's a zero-sum game. Successful kickstarters that deliver what's expected (or, ideally, more) smooth the way for everybody. It's the failures that shrink the pool. I believe it would be a good thing for crowdfunding in general if "veteran" crowdfunders keep doing it. They build a track record of successful projects, create a model for others to follow, and continue to demonstrate that the model works. That leaves room for new entrants to try and fail without discrediting the entire thing.

I've been playing a wizard a bit and have quite enjoyed it. (More variety in spells would be nice though.) Two strategies that have been working for me kind of OK. (1) Glass Cannon Hang back in the second rank, and either don't use an opening spell, or open with a CC one like totally-not-Web. When the scrum settles into place, move to the side and start blasting. The cone-shaped spells are extremely useful if the groups are neatly separated; if not, the line-shaped ones are too because they cause damage from endpoint to endpoint, so target the furthest enemy in a line with those. Pick your damage type to suit your enemy. (Confusion, I think, is broken. The AI is pretty bad ATM and that won't work as intended until it gets better.) Once you get Wall of Fire (L4), you have pretty much a "win!" button. I have a hunch that may get nerfed. (2) Muscle Wizard Kit yourself out in the heaviest armor you can find, and stand in the front. Open up with that totally-not-Cone-of-Cold L1 spell which damages and hobbles/slows. Then blast away with all you've got. Pop up an Arcane Veil or one of the defensive spells pre-emptively if it looks like things are going to get too hot, and make sure you're standing shoulder-to-shoulder with a fighter. Don't get flanked. This strategy pretty much needs you to max your Resolve, 'cuz otherwise you'll get Interrupted all the time and won't be able to cast. (3) Synergies The wizard gets way more effective if you exploit synergies between characters/classes. For example, the wizard synergises really nicely with the druid. Druids have extremely effective debuffs, so plan your combos: use an AoE debuff on a defense, then follow up with an AoE damager on the same defense. Most wizard damage spells attack Reflex, many druid damage spells attack Fortitude; conveniently, druids have Reflex debuffs and wizards have Fortitude debuffs. (Also, BB Rogue will Sneak Attack your debuffed enemies for extra fun.) Srsly. A Fireball is a lot more effective if it's attacking enemies with -20 to -40 REFL.

Nah. We already have one high-ticket post-apoc kickstarter; it'd be treading on inXile's toes. Also post-apoc is getting a bit threadbare anyway; there's been rather a lot of it lately in various genres. I'd much rather see them take the P:E general concept (2D, isometric, party-based) into less explored areas. Would you settle for a Dark Sun retread? That's post-apoc, but also swords 'n sorcery. And it hasn't been done in a cRPG since the Gold Box days. Others that would make me go yippee a little -- Arcanum spiritual successor. Fantasy world in an industrial revolution. Only make it even more out-there. Inspiration: Perdido Street Station by China Miéville Bronze age or late Neolithic era fantasy cRPG with a Mesopotamian flavor. I don't think that's been done. How about a setting inspired by the rise of the first empire the world has seen, that of Sargon of Akkad? Only make it heavily mythological, with gods, demigods and their avatars treading the earth too.

Axes usually do.

Yup, that's how it works. I've seen that for other item-based spells.

"Within our class-based system, we want players to feel like they can build and play characters of any given class with a good amount of flexibility and customization. That's why we're looking at the fighter and rogue specifically right now."