IndiraLightfoot

*I must resist. I must resist. I must resist...* FAILED WILL SAVE Grats on your neat party, Lexx! Some words of advice though: Quork: He's a little rat. Quick: I smell a rat, and he will rat on somebody. Mawyn: She'll make baddies see pink rats. Gimbabard: He never got the rats, that's for sure, but most of his recipes is rats.

I have played hundreds and hundreds of hours of CiV alone (and thousands of hours in the Civ series), and I can say this much: It's a more sleek and Panzer General-like version of Civ with hexes and less micro-management. And C:BE has lots in common with CiV. Personally, some of the immersion got lost, but some of the fun of the CiV-series, especially combat, got even more fun and more user-friendly. It took me a while to get used to CiV, but now I really like it. If you're looking for an Alpha Centauri fit for the year 2014, based on some cool new research in astrobiology and astronomy and some over-the-top sci-fi aliens, I'd say that you won't regret trying C:BE out. EDIT: Judging by gameplay vids, C:BE is a much tougher game at the start, and getting a foothold or two after the first founded Central will require more boldness and risks. You will be more vulnerable, and the other factions will arrive later, in succession, somehow. Also, the tech tree is replaced by a very neat tech web.

Hmm. I don't want to have those floating numbers in PoE either. The combat log will suffice, tyvm. Hopefully, it will be a toggle. Just to reiterate. It would be cool if OE gave us their state of the union speech on the following: -Are the models getting an overhaul to become distinct and non-semi-transparent? -Is the problem with the isometric angle acknowledged? What kind of solution to disentangle combatants is in the works? -Are the ashen faces being dealt with?

It looks like I'll have to give Evil Within a miss. The internetz are boiling with discontent over a horrific port, where no controls can be-reassigned. I love to have my arrow keys around the arrow keys, and not the WASD-setup, for instance. Perhaps I get to try it on PS4 later instead.

Tale: Perhaps he exercised his right to withhold some carefully selected part of the truth?

I suspect that as well. It was one big EA easy money grab.

Is anyone else noticing by the weird graphics? I am aware it is a screenshot, but the character models are not precisely defined. For instance it's hard to tell apart the two models on the left. Where does the blue character end and where does the enemy behind him start? Everything looks very 'fuzzy'/blurry. Also the left character looks like he has a transparent left leg. Quantics: This has been a common complaint since the beta began. Actually, it looks much better now. At the start, some models looked like faint ghosts. However, this needs to be fixed once and for all. Wasteland 2 has no problem in this regard, and nor has T:ToN, judging by vids that have been shown. Obsids, pick up the phone, and place a call to InXile. They can help you with this issue, surely.

Sensuki: Given that's a close-up, and the busy background (straws of grass), I'm inclined to agree. In fact, that goes for the marker circles as well. Make all of them twice as thick, and see if it improves the feedback without becoming to garish.

When you smile like a big pizza pie, that's amore!

Additional talents and abilities available as you level up your characters? Improved UI and more customizable UI? Cleaned up combat and more sweet IE-class combat feedback functionality? Sign me up!

That was me like a month ago. However, the more I got to peek under the hood, the more fun it seemed to be, so I gambled and pre-ordered it on those flimsy impressions. However, the more I see of DA:I in the release vids, the more depth the game seems to have in both story, structure and mechanics, aside from the obvious: It looks like a huge dollop of ARPG joy!

I've always loved multi-classing in the D&D iterations, not to mention in games like Titan Quest - mostly because you can create pretty fun and whacky builds that way. Multi-classing does wonders for both roleplaying and build exploration in CRPGs and ARPGs.

Now that OE has pushed the date into 2015, I'm less concerned that we get to see combat that's a mess or areas that are too compact, with too much trash mob encounters. However, I still think those attributes need some new twist to them before they are completely ready for enabling a wide enough array of possible builds within each class. And that latter concern - intra-class diversity- is something that certainly needs a good overhaul - the flexibility within each class, and the progression freedom within them.

Some of us "buy first, think later"-guys will happily test it for all of you who are on the fence about it.

Agiel linked me a RPGCodex article by VentilationofDoom - VaultDweller. It was a review and analysis of the speedily developed DA2. http://www.rpgcodex.net/content.php?id=224 However, when reading it, and then having read topics here, like "Does OE rush the game?", I for one do see worrying signs of similarity and common pitfalls. I must say that OE's decision to postpone it until early 2015 seems even better now after this little read-through: "The obsolete “to hit chance” mechanic is gone. In your grandpa's RPGs, unsuccessful attacks missed their target. In Dragon Age 2 they merely cause less damage (glancing blows)." This feature, which I personally dislike, is in PoE BB. "Your primary stat (one for each class; might as well make the system even more ‘welcoming’ and call it DAMAGE!!!) determines your base damage and your chance to do extra damage. A system where you always hit is an HP game, so you’ll be hitting the “bosses” aka HP behemoths for a very, very long time." This is more similar then what one may care to think. Might in Poe is so very close to being each and every character's DAMAGE attribute - physical and magical - the lot. Also, up until this last build, fights did go on for a long time (obviously due to DT thresholds etc) - but attrition combat in CRPGs is rarely that fun. "The non-combat abilities are predictably gone. Which is way better than spending some skilly skill points because it never fails!" Well, the lack of non-combat skills has been pretty glaring. However, PoE seems to make up for this via ability checks used in convos and nice scripted events with neat illustrations. "The combat talents have been greatly expanded. At first glance the game offers more diversity of choice, but after playing for a while you realize that it actually offers less. For instance, in Dragon Age warriors had 4 talent lines: dual weapon, archery, weapon & shield, two handed. In Dragon Age 2 warriors have only two combat lines – weapon & shield and two handed. If you want to play a dual-wielding fighter, you HAVE to play a rogue." I've seen it pointed out at times that there are more talent picks and such after four or eight level-ups in PoE than in BG1. I haven't really counted them, but I do fear that as things stand now, the classes are lacking in diversity. There is one tanky way to be a fighter, that's the best. He/she could use a bow, but that's not optimal. If you want to deal more damage, pick a rogue instead, and stuff like that. The pretty infamous corridor maps from DA2 is worth mentioning too in this context, since there have been topics and posts about concerns over PoE's smallish outdoor maps. I must say that the subterranean dungeon was very nice, but the outdoor areas a bit underwhelming. I really do hope that the combat encounters won't be anything near the monotony seen in DA2, though. All in all, I had never made any comparisons between these problems and DA2's before, which is known to have been rushed. But now, with OE deciding not to rush things, I can only hope that none of these DA2-problems will rear their ugly heads in the finished version of PoE.

Interesting facts: DA:O - dev time over 6 years (nearly 7) - lots of that - 2 years - went into developing the new IP, the new systems, dev team at crunch time - 180 devs DA2 - Most of it was dev in 8 months (cf. IWD2!), dev team at crunch time - not even 100 DA:I - dev time around 4 years, dev team at crunch time - it's still going on, so I have no reliable number, but it must be huge. This certainly gives me hope that this game may be at least as good as DA:O.

Ahh, a nice 1h vid, and they're playing with m/kb! The music at the start, where those two marching files are seen, actually gives me BG-vibes!! Overall, it seems like that they are aiming for appropriate class/race/whatever reactivity throughout the game, instead of just some deep origin-prologues and then a few convo hiccups now and then. I can already tell that the convos are far, far better than Skyrim's woody verbal exchanges. That quest hub/war table setup seems to be really nice, and they say that you'll never open up all of the 300+ quest points on that map in one playthrough. Also, you have Inquisition Perks and Powers that make the war-table overlay another level of xp - a bit like T:ToN Discovery Points, but then again, not at all. The replayability value of this game just soared, I reckon. EDIT: There are loads of different mounts, and one of them shown is like a weird moose, and when the dev mounted it, he called it Horny! EDIT 2: The UIs are overall great, especially for the PC - and I love that bara - I don't care if it's restricted to eight slots. I agree with the devs. I think it's all for the best. Also, thanks to hints in this vid, I'm getting more and more a feel for what kind of character I want to build.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYAECehIuKY?fs=1& Here's a recent short vid about crafting, making potions, and such. I must say that the weapon and item presentation screens have taken a whole chapter from the book of Skyrim. It certainly looks nice enough, though.

Indeed. Experience points wouldn't be treated literally in this game. It's a reward mechanic and a regulator of character improvement points, like skills and talents. If you will, in the BB it has been set on very few clicks per mile, but they plan to increase the number of clicks. The miles will remain the same. Sometimes, I wonder how there can be a divide over something that's basically the same. However, a few people like Captain Shrek have bravely discussed the nature of the encounters themselves, which has a much bigger impact on what's worthwhile and rewarding in a game - including gameplay and progress.

morhilane: Not being cheeky on purpose, but I can promise you one thing: Experience grinding will definitely be in PoE.

AoD looks absolutely brilliant! It went straight onto my wishlist. I will most likely wait until the game is finished, but graphics, the RPG ambitions, the replayability, the systems, the setting, everything, seems to be brilliant. Thx for the heads up, CS!

Captain Shrek: You have me intrigued right there. I will definitely check it out.

SK, in the present beta version I'm playing, you can't do much at all. It's very barebone. The only thing customizable right now is changing the name of your city. But the plan is this: -You get to pick between 8 Sovereigns - your special demi-god leader, if you will, your character on par with the might of Gandalf. -Each of these Sovereigns have three-pronged tech trees. -Then you get Heroes, and the plan is to have them unique for the Sovereign you've picked. IIRC, you will be able to recruit more heroes during the game. -Each hero also has a three-pronged tech tree. However, the biggest customization comes from crafting and items you find. The crafting system is simple, but it will be pretty varied. -Unlike in FE:LH, I haven't seen any hints at units or heroes being customizable from scratch. Perhaps they will be. Quite a few have requested that feature, and the same goes for being able to customize the bad guy, the Sorcerer King, as well.

No, I haven't. Enlighten me. Is it the Holy Grail of CRPGs?

Captain Shrek: I get your points 100%, and I do agree that this would be very apt in a computer game calling itself RPG. It has very rarely been done. Funnily enough, you do cite NWN2 - and one expansion there had a perfect explanation/motive and reaction to you being a mass murderer - and it happens to be one of my favourite games of all time: MotB. However, there's room for the mass-murderous heroes as well, both in PnP and CRPGs. I have played such games, and they are immensely fun - if they have a good enough story, and that they can explain reasonably convincingly, why these waves of various baddies assault my party, that is. In fact, BG 1-2, NWN2 OC + Storm of Zehir, are also some of my favourite games too. Why? Because I grown accustomed to them being very much games first and foremost, with tiny xp rewards, loot, build development - which in the other form of RPG-ing are treated as taboo, almost, since these things have nothing to do with playing a role. In fact, having a whole party is also regarded with scepticism, since you can only be IC when playing but one role at a time. To me, this kind of "murder spree in order to save the world"-games hearken back to Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Gandalf, which essentially did just that, obviously without any arcade-like points floating around above their heads while doing it, and no mechanics with numbers visible, but still that's the spirit I draw some extra fun out of the happy number and system box that is in fact what most CRPGs are. Still, there are computer games out there with very little combat, and a huge emphasis on the roles of play, and the convo options you pick, and I really like them as well. Surely, there are room for both kinds of games, and then plenty of hybrids in between? As for PoE specifically: From what we've read in the updates and seen in the BB, it's more or less right on in being a spiritual successor to the BG series. It's very combat-heavy, hero-being-a-legit-mass-murderer, and it's all about builds and characters that are optimized for combat. It's story and choices are important too, but not that much if you compare this to what the player does most mechanics/UI-wise in game. Well, there is indeed sneaking, but it won't always be possible, and it doesn't change any of the other facts that make PoE a very combat-heavy CRPG. In short, as long as they trash mobs make sense contextually (ethologically or socio-culturally in that setting), I'm fine with such mobs, well, provided that combat is fun enough and offer plenty of solutions to each encounter.