IndiraLightfoot

Yonjuro is right scientifically, but impulse or mass or what not! It's clear that intellect and skill matters if you are to have use of strength, regardless of the amount of it. And what does that translate as? Experience, or levelling, if you will. So, in my opinion, STR suffices as a simple RPG-attribute that is both abstract and concrete enough.

But even if it's not an AAA-title, can't that be turned into a strong point? I mean, adding easy modding like NWN1, fantastic crafting that actually uses the environment materials and other stuff in order to modify terrain and make items (almost Minecraft, but deep CRPG-relevant as it were - I think it was JFSOCC who proposed this in a crafting thread). Furthermore, a vast and complex RPG system for this open world, not just Skyrim's barebones of a system, but like PE, but even more, with "monster manual-fuls" of critters and lore. Just more, more, MOAR!!!

Luridis, I think you're absolutely spot on! So, unleash your horde of creativity, Feargus! Unleash it upon the PC-sandbox-game scene, and watch them reap rewards never before seen. Disclaimer: Just keep the fantastic writing and quest lines that you do so well while you're at it. So, indeed, I too would back this in a heartbeat. It could even be in the same world/setting as Pillars of Eternity, strengthening and widening that IP.

Lephys raises a very important point here. In fact, more than one of those attributes are in fact rather degrees of knowledge than any inherent mental or physical entity/essence/capacity. I wonder what would happen if we reviewed all the attribute suggestions, discarding those that actually has to do with acquiring knowledge, i.e. experience and skills. If we take Power, Constitution, Dexterity, Perception, Intellect and Resolve, there won't be much left of these "attributes". CON, DEX, PER, INT, they all can be honed, even if it's clearly a matter of predisposition and genetic advantages involved as well. RES sounds like a personal trait, a temperament. And POW, is that just a big pool of abstract force? Then it's perhaps not based on knowledge, skills and training so much. In many RPGs you get to increase these attribute slightly at a certain interval, often based on levels. And what is levels? Experience, and thus acquired knowledge and skills. If these attributes should be used, they surely must be regarded as abstract baselines of capacity, some springboards of predisposition that grows along with acquired experience. I'm fine with that, but then I think Resolve has to go, since it doesn't fit the bill. That perhaps goes for Power as well. I'd prefer to have STR instead, which certainly fits, just like Aluminiumtrioxid pointed out. Perhaps Resolve can be replaced by Discipline, as that could be something more easily moulded and honed? Just some confused thoughts from a tired RPG-ODer...

Now, that's a couple of sentences ringing of evil and malice!

Black Friday Sale Pre-Order Slacker Backer Barack Obama (Commando soldier?) The Grinch Abbatoir Abduction Deforestation Guttural Fellatio (Maffia boss?) Irrumatrix (The not very known courtesan in Asterix & Obelix) Need I go on? (NO!! You have done enough damage as it is! )

It turned out Ballpoint Universe got 6 trading cards, so I got half of the price of the game back just by selling them. Goota love'm collectors!

I just bought a new release on Steam on a whim: Ballpoint Universe, and it's quite good for what its worth. Like 3 dollars. And well you get Little Big Planet meets Uridium for your money. Did I mention it's all drawn with a ballpoint pen, all of it?

Yup - when they get children of their own. I know, it's bizarre given teenage rebellions and all, but there you have it. This also raises the question: Are parental beliefs developing and working on a genetical level, sliding underneath the sociocultural, like oceans under continents in tectonics?

LadyCrimson: I've just played for like an hour so far, and then I have been on a hunt for bugs and playing the game deliberately wonkily and askew, as it were. I'll get back to you when I have gathered my impressions of it as a game and not as a madman playthrough where I try to wreck things.

Legends of Dawn. It turned out to be really bad, and I had high hopes for it, so I was disappointed. Shadowrun Returns was a bit on the short side and wonky, but it was still a decent effort. Expedition: Conquistador is the best KS RPG so far. I'm playing a very early build of Divinity: Original Sin right now and having a blast. Also, I look forward to Consortium.

Alpha build is up! YAY!!! :D Update #51 Dec 17, 2013 Alpha access available! 24 comments Like 20 likes Before you rush in and get your alpha code, please watch/read the following messages. We know, you most likely won't, but still, there's some important stuff in here. The most important thing is: If you want a a smooth, balanced & stable experience without performance problems, wait for release! Seriously! What is in the Alpha?About 10 to 15 hours of gameplay. What's not in the Alpha?Quite a lot. Currently co-operative mode is disabled, as are the companions. We're still working on getting schedules in, so those are not in either. Sound & music are still very much work in progress too. Further, there's a very long list of features that are not 100% working yet, or just not in yet. This really is alpha, with plenty of stuff unfinished. What are the known issues?Too many to list - we made a short summary for you but really, there's a lot of things that still need to be done. How can I help?We are testing the game ourselves so there's no need for sending us reports on bugs that are obvious. But we are very interested in those that are not so obvious. What makes a non- obvious bug? Well, something you don't see immediately, something that requires you to do a certain amount of things to trigger it. You'll know it when you see it If the game crashes, we would appreciate it if you could send us your crash report. It helps us locate the problem. When can I expect an update to the Alpha?We might still do a few emergency patches in the coming days, but then we're taking our X-mas break. The next big update is scheduled for January and will be a feature/balance update. Most likely, big feature candidates to be included then are companions and cooperative play. We'll keep you posted. Getting Alpha Access Our recommendation really is that you never use the information below. This really is only for people who are interested in impacting development with their feedback or that are interested in helping us with balancing and bug fixing. If that's not your profile, please wait - you'll do yourself a favour! We can't repeat that enough! Right, by now you've been warned enough, so let's get to it. Here are the instructions on how to get your alpha key. We would appreciate it if you don't distribute or sell it if you don't plan on using it. 1. Log in to the Larianvault: https://www.larianvault.com (*) 2. Click on the D:OS Kickstarter link in the top menu 3. In your list of rewards, you will find an item called "Divinity: Original Sin Alpha Access" with an ALPHA logo next to it 4. Click on the "Now accepts your input" link 5. Next to Alpha, click on the OK button to accept Alpha on Steam (there is no other distribution possibility) 6. Next to Alpha, click on the link "Available! Claim now! (Steam)" to get your personal Steam key for ALPHA 7. A Steam key will be assigned to you. This key can only be used once. To redeem it, open the Steam application. In Steam, click on the "Games" menu, and choose "Activate a Product on Steam". You can copy paste the key in this wizard to activate the ALPHA build of Divinity: Original Sin (*) If you don't have a Larianvault account yet, you will need to create one and then link your Kickstarter backer profile (or Paypal backer profile) to that account. To do so, create a Larianvault account, and click on the D:OS Kickstarter link in the top menu. Fill in the email address you use to sign in to Kickstarter or the email address you use to sign in to Paypal if you backed through Paypal. (If you get an error message, please verify spelling of the email address and verify that this is really the email address used on Kickstarter or Paypal.) To verify that it is really you that is trying to link the backer profile, you will have to click on a link that is sent to you via email. Once that is done, you will see your Kickstarter profile with a list of your rewards. IMPORTANT NOTES: - If you added money to get alpha as an addon, you will notice that the alpha addon now costs zero dollars and you have money left to spend. - If you want to have a refund of your addon alpha pledge, please contact kickstarter@larian.com as we will need your account information. - It is recommended you change your Larianvault password as soon as you are logged in. - Alpha is only available on Steam. This does not however limit your distribution platform choice when the final game comes out. You can join in on the Steam Alpha now and still choose GOG as your final distribution platform. - The Alpha build on Steam will stop working once the final game is out. - Backers that have a duo pack only receive one Alpha key. We might change that once the cooperative mode is active in the Alpha build, but that is still to be decided.

And the final words in the game are spluttered forth by a harlequin: "Me love you long time!" I'll also get my coat. I have an alpha version of Divinity: Original Sin to play in all earnest.

Keyrock: My thoughts exactly, so I voted a tentative no as well.

It's gonna be awesome!!! And that awesomeness is here any second now! David announced that the alpha for all D:OS KS backers (like 20,000 wonderful peeps) will be 2.5GB in size on Steam, and it seems to be up for release. I will make love to this alpha (hmm, that came across a bit butch-oriented...)

Why not place the plaque and the K on the same line centered, instead of stacking them? That way everybody would save up some posting/reading space in all the forum threads.

Yup, so far $80K-Conquistadors is the isometric RPG to beat as far as KS projects go. Very impressive effort on the behalf of that studio. I also have great faith in Kevin Saunders and all the fantastic writers on the ToN-team. Let's just hope WL2 turns out more open and varied than what has been shown so far, and I include combat in that exclamation as well. Sure, linearity and corridors isn't inherently evil. It all comes down to the quality of the RPG experience when you pass through them.

Thank you, Mr Sawyer, for all of this wonderful and exciting info! This thread is hot like a furnace in purgatorio, but this also comes at a price: SPOILERS!!! Anyone that starts reading Josh's replies here will be susceptible to spoiler creep. I think it's high time for some moderator to remove the "NO SPOILERS"-parentheses in the forum title ASAP. EDIT: And all this sweet PoE-info should be stickied for the love of [insert deity]! Perhaps the thread title ought to be changed as well.

Now the floodgates are open, so please remove your finger, mr Delver...

Well, it's clear I've missed much these last couple of weeks. Here's an even meatier interview done by Rock, Paper, shotgun Dec 10: http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/12/10/mega-impressions-obsidians-pillars-of-eternity/

I agree, these screenies have a great atmosphere! (Hmm, perhaps those crystal caves are a bit too bright and shiny for my taste...) And btw, is that an owlbear in that crystal passage? Well, I read the article you linked and this line made me a very happy camper: "...we're doing something else in the spirit of a fully real-time, continuous, purely time based system, while still feeling like you're controlling little RTS-type units. In the sense that you're not making guys do individual attacks, as much as assigning them actions and watching them go about them." It sounds that they are really going all in with their version of RTwP, and they are building a nice strategy game for an RPG party while they are at it. The combo of personal story and societal superstructure affecting it whets my appetite as well.

Well, here's someone that has been away for almost a fortnight on some well-deserved vacation, and what do I find? Heavenly bliss all firmly supported by some unearthly Pillars of Eternity! I'm so happy that I'm screaming with joy and jumping up and down in a talk show sofa somewhere!!! :aiee:

"Dear readers, I'd like to describe the Mona Lisa using but one word: 'smug'."

M&M X Legacy beat their chests about coming with a toolset and all, but then when they released it, it was actually Unity for like 1,000 dollars, and their tools imported into that program. I mean, the NWN2 toolset was included for real with the game when you bought it, thank God. If there ever will be PE-modding down the road, please make it more accessible, or at least not that expensive.