[SJW Integration in Deadfire]

I sure hope so! Can't wait to kill all men with video game feminism!

[Backer Portal Is Up]

Do you have to use up any remaining credit before confirming your pledge or can you do it afterwards?

[[SUGGESTION] Variety for wands, rods and scepters]

In PoE the above mentioned weapons are strictly damage dealing (and maybe some bonus effect on the side). So my suggestion is to expand the abilities of these weapons beyond that, and let them cast buffs and debuffs. Such as reducing enemy DR, improving accarucy of party members, etc. Of course this would need to be balanced so it wouldn't compete with "proper" spells.

 

And if implemented, should these abilities be weapon specific or doable with any wand by choice of the player?

[Re-specing party for 3.0]

With 3.0 and both parts of TWM out, I want to re-spec my party.

 

My current party composition is:

 

* My character (fighter, meadow folk human)

* Grieving Mother

* Pallegina

* Sagini

* Aloth

* Durance

 

All at level 12. I don't really have any specific requirements or wishes, I just want to hear some good ideas based on the changes in 3.0.

[Scope and quality - feedback for PoE 2]

Every time I see "But BG2!" I strangle a kitten. Just so you know.

 

Anyway, some good points, others not so much. I'm one of the rare examples of people who prefer Baldur's Gate 1 to Baldur's Gate 2 - a lot of it has to do with writing which I consider boring as sin in both BG games and Pillars of Eternity improved upon it drastically, just so you know where I'm coming from.

 

So, first of all, let's talk about cutting stuff. You seem to be coming from a position of a person who primarily plays RPGs in order to immerse himself into story, into the dialogues and quests - not everybody approaches RPGs from that perspective tho. One of the reasons why I enjoyed Baldur's Gate 1 so much over Baldur's Gate 2 was precisely because progress trough the entire game was not tied to quests, that you were more or less free to roam the game's world, explore and discover things at your own pace. You're saying that it looks like Obsidian first built the world and then populated it with quests - as far as I'm concerned, that's praise, not criticism. Same applies to the dungeons.

 

There's this idea of many RPG enthusiasts which I find quite bizarre, and that's the idea of getting rewarded for playing the game. To me, playing the game is the reward. When I'm playing an open world FPS, areas filled with enemies is all I need to have fun. When I'm playing a strategy game, likewise, all the reward I need is simply to play the game. Similarly, while playing Pillars of Eternity, the excitement of the unknown, the thrill of combat, the joy of discovery - that's all I need to enjoy the game. Neither XP for killing monsters nor huge, sprawling quests randomly stumbled upon in wilderness - little stories told via notes and small dialogues was all I needed to spruce up the experience, and to be fair, areas in Pillars of Eternity contained a lot more quality content than those in BG1 ever did.

 

Then we get to the idea of cutting Od Nua and merging it with the main game. Why? That it explores similar themes is not much of an argument since the whole game explores similar themes. While I would agree with cutting it down to like 7-10 levels as it's clear it's 15 levels long purely to fulfill a promise, I would strongly disagree with making it mandatory and adding it to the main game. As it stands, Od Nua could take risks, introduce difficulty spikes that the main story never could, purely because it's entirely optional. If you don't enjoy it, you can ignore it and carry on - I did enjoy it, therefore I finished it twice.

 

Most importantly tho, these areas give player freedom, they give player choice in how to progress and they give the game world a feeling of a big, coherent and continuous location as opposed to a buch of small "planes" you warp between. Formula seen in Baldur's Gate 2 is far overused in modern RPGs - I'm not too keen on seeing another one implementing it.

 

And my last counter-point would be that the Obsidian's kicstarter promise was to make a sequel in style of Infinity Engine games, not a sequel to Baldur's Gate 2. Pillars of Eternity has bits of Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 (exploration, balanced approach to storytelling and monster slaying), of Icewind Dales (dungeoneering and exploration) and of Planescape Torment (many words and focus on specific themes).

 

With that said, I definitely would not be opposed to see fewer, yet more complex questlines. Similarly, it's apparent the development was running out of breath in the third act. And yes, faction involvement should be way higher, and they should be present troughout the entire game as opposed to being mere means to an end in Defiance Bay.

 

I don't mean that PoE should have been a copy of BG2, just that the general level of quality is something to aspire to.

 

Do I play RPG's for their narrative? Sure, but not in the way you seem to describe. I see narrative and story as just another element of game design, not something that you plow through for its own sake. I don't think making a game world and then populating it with people and quests is bad thing on its own, but the way it's done in PoE makes it a bit repetitve. Because, as I said above, it's almost excusively similair wilderness areas where you find dead adventurers with a letter on them that you end up delivering to someone in a nearby village, or something like that.

 

Regarding being rewarded for playing the game, I actully agree with you. I think no XP for kills is the right way to go. My point is that some of the area design in the game goes against this.

 

When it comes to Od Nua, I was referring to him and his backstory on a general and thematic level, not putting his exact story and The Endless Paths itself as it is into the main quest.

[Scope and quality - feedback for PoE 2]

Interesting read, I strongly agree on stronghold, reputation and wilderness areas. While the last one can't be removed from the game, I agree that the other two should be entirely removed/completely reworked in PoE2!

Personally, I enjoyed the Endless Paths; each level felt unique enough to make me wonder "what will the next one bring? What enemies will I meet there? Which theme will it have?". Anyway, I can also understand your point of view on this matter.

 

The only part where I strongly disagree with you is side quests. I think the most of them are interesting and original. Also, I wouldn't like a mini-campaign for every single side quest, so minor/quick ones are welcome. BG2 also had them.

On the other hand, speaking about bigger ones, I think there are some remarkable and memorable quests in the game.

The first ones that come to mind:

 

1) Buried Secrets. A real mini-campaign of a good length, with its own interesting story, but still tied with the main quest. The bells' puzzle is very well thought up, the fights are though, and the final discovery is... definitely impressive, even without special effects or a flashy final boss!

 

2) Lord of a Barren Land. Another mini-campaign, this time with a straightforward story. Still, there are so many ways to approach it/solve it and so many things going on in Raedric's Hold that it almost feels like part of the main quest.

 

3) The Man Who Waits. A personal favorite, it really striked me during my first playthrough. The sanitarium was especially interesting for me thanks to Aloth, and the side quest there felt moving and also a bit creepy. Definitely something I won't forget anytime soon.

 

Maybe the side quests don't feel memorable enough right now because the game is still pretty new.

Perhaps, in a few years, you will remember the horrible secret that lied in the temple of Eothas, or the fiery assault to the tyrant's hold with renewed enthusiasm!

 

Point taken. Just to clarify, I didn't hate the side quests, I mostly enjoyed them but had higher expecations. I agree that the quests you mentioned were particularly good, especially Readrics (the best one imo). But I would still generally like to see fewer, but better quests, and maybe at least a couple of mini-campaign style.

 

But isn't "The Man Who Waits" part of the main quest?

 

Jeez get out of my head!

 

Some very good points there. My biggest problem with PoE, and to be honest, many RPGs lately, is that the main quest line seems very short, while there are a zillion side quests to just make the game "big." In most of these games, and PoE especially, either the protagonist or even the world is in grave danger....but wait, lets go kill an ogre to help some farmer that lost his pig. There is no way to rationalize it. Almost all parts of PoE were enjoyable for me, but none of them felt very story driven. You reference BGII a lot, and I think many people would agree it is the best game of this genre, so of course that's a lot to live up to. But the story telling was simply superb, and the main questlines took up a very large portion of your play time. It's kinda funny how PoE has made me want to play BGII again after many years.

 

I do feel that PoE actually did an excellent job on character balance. Most classes can be extremely competitive, and there is a lot of room for personalization within each class, and sometimes entirely different play styles that are powerful. The combat and tactics are fun, and offer enough challenge at least at some points.

 

I do agree about The Endless Paths as well. The first time through them all they were not too bad. Certainly there is some variety, but O M G its a slog now. The Endless paths are probably tied as my least favorite part of the game. Tied with everything up until you have completed Caed Nua and can move on to defiance bay and some options.

 

I think SkySlam made a good point about variety in side quests though. Some quick bounties are fun, as well as longer side quests that take a couple hours and tell a nice story. I.E. White march is very enjoyable for me, even if I can't think of a reason my character would travel way to hell up there to help a tiny town while the Hollowborn epidemic is underway.

 

Like I said, I think the game systems were good and enjoyable, even better than the IE games in some regards (especially when it comes to melee characters). But it lacks surprises and variety in the long run. I think this video sums it up pretty well.

[Scope and quality - feedback for PoE 2]

(tl;dr available at the bottom)

 

I recently finished my first playthrough of PoE. And I'm glad to say that I enjoyed it, and if I had to rate it I would give it a solid 4/5 rating. I think it captured all the important stuff about the IE games. As a backer, I'm satisfied with the end result.

 

But like most nerds on the internet, I also like to complain about stuff. And I'm writing this in order to complain about stuff that hopefully will give Obsidian some constructive feedback for the sequel.

 

When it comes to the RPG-systems and mechanics I agree with many of the common criticisms or can at least see where people are coming from (”balance” and all that jazz), even though I overall enjoyed the combat and game systems. I think they have the right idea at their core, but the execution is slightly flawed at times. But this has been covered a million times before by people with a better understanding of the systems than me, so I won't be talking about that here.

Instead, I want to talk about two other topics: scope and quality. To put it simply, PoE would have been an even better game if it had been a smaller game. By that I don't just mean cutting stuff, I also mean re-thinking certain things for the sake of quality and consistency. Most of the things I will mention are either not good enough or have little to no real impact on the game at all. I'm not saying the game was a total exercise in quantity and everything was bad, but I think more important aspects of the game suffered beacuse of it. I can understand why Obsidian planned and made these features. Some of them sound good on paper to the players and some of them are to pad out the game so you can promise that the game is as big as the earlier IE games (which was mentioned in interviews before release quite a lot). And most of these things aren't necessarily bad, they're just mediocre or not needed for a game like this.

 

I will go through all of these things, their problems and suggest potential improvements.

Main quest:
I think the story was overall interesting and had many good concepts and themes, but it still felt thin. Especially act II, which was basically just traveling to three similair locations to learn things that weren't that surprising and didn't develop the plot or characters in any significant way. I also think the main quest should have been longer. The begining and the ending were the best parts.

 

I obviously don't know what story is planned for the sequel, so I will avoid commenting on that specifically. But something I would definetly like to see is having the main quest and side quests cooperate more. I don't mean making them one and the same, but rather having side quests making sense within the main plot and reinforcing the events, characters, locations, themes and so on. For example, in BG2 you need to raise a lot of gold in order to go after Imoen in Irenicus. And how do you do that? By going out adventures of course! In New Vegas, you're encouraged to get to know and try to recruit the other factions in the wasteland while working for one of the main factions. While doing so, you do their side quests to improve your character and gear and learn about these factions, their inhabitants and the potential consequences of your actions. If a similair system can be made for PoE 2, it could enhance both the main and side quests a lot.

 

Side quests and tasks:
Here is where the game really could have used more quality and less quantity. Most of side quests played well enough and weren't bad, but not that memorable either. The tasks seemed like an unecessary way to pad out the game.

 

BG2 should be the gold standard when it comes quality of side quests in RPG's, especially in a spiritual successor to it. I'd rather have fewer really well made quests that are bigger and have various ways of completeing them and different outcomes based on that rather than more quests that are decent but end up feeling generic and forgettable in the larger picture of things. The side quests in BG2 felt like mini-campaigns and were generally very memorable because of it. I think it was George Zetis that described the side quests in BG2 as being designed like D&D modules. That problary sums it up.

 

The Stronghold:
An underwhelming time and money sink. The only thing about it I found worthwhile was the bounties since they offered unique and challenging encounters and oppurtunity gain XP. But you wouldn't need the stronghold for this feature.

 

I'm not the first to mention this and I know that the stronghold will be updated in the next patch. But for the sequel, I think it should be either completely cut, drastically smaller in scoope or just quest based like it was in BG2.

Wilderness areas:
They weren't fun or interesting in BG1, and aren't in this game either unfortunetly. They're mostly samey areas populated by enemy mobs and occasionally a cavern with even more enemy mobs. Which is totally counter-intuitive to the games idea about no XP for kills, since there is no other reason to explore them. And there aren't really any interesting quests or items to be found in these areas either.

 

So yeah, I think wilderness areas should be cut completely unless they are part of a specific quest line. The impression I get is that many areas in general were made first, and content made for them afterwards*. It should be the other way around, where area design is informed by quests. That's one of the reasons BG2 side quests worked so well imo, the areas felt built around the story and concepts of the design of the quest.

 

* Of course I don't know if this how Obsidian actully made them, but that's what it feels like

Dungeons:
Same as above for the most part. They seem to be either caves or old stone ruins of some kind populated by spiders and phantoms.

 

Areas/locations in general:
They are all very beautiful and pretty to look at, but the game suffers a bit from a lack of variety in scenery. Pretty much everything is more or less forrest/greenlands, medival villages/cities and the samey caves/dungeons mentioned above.

The Endless Paths:
Cool on paper (and a convinient Kickstarter strech goal), but in game it was just a drag. The good things about it were the Vithraks, Od Nua himself and his story and the end boss. But all of that could either have been condensed into fewer levels or been better used elsewhere in the game.

 

For example, I think it would have been possible to work Od Nua and his story into the main quest somehow (since they have the same core theme), which would have fleshed out the main story and made it longer (as mentioned above).


Reputation and factions:
Seriously underwhelming feature since it's barley present in the game at all. It had no impact on how I played the game whatsoever. The factions only make a brief apperence in the main quest and I have no memory of my reputation affecting anything.

Since reactivity is something I and others definetly want in these games, this needs to either be improved drastically or re-thought and rebuilt completely. In order for factions to work, their institution and effect on the game world needs to be properly modelled and displayed, as well as the consequences for the player if they go with or against them or do things they like or dislike. Good examples would be The Shadow Thieves and the vampires in BG2, or The Legion and NCR in New Vegas. In other words, making factions that matter to the game experience takes some effort (duh!). So if this can't be done properly within the scoope of the game project, then maybe bring it down a bit. Perhaps make the choice between important individuals rather than whole factions, and focus on weather or not they like what the player does? Kings, generals, politicans and such. That way, you would give the player a choice when it comes to taking sides, but without having to model how a whole faction reacts to it. And again, I'd rather have fewer quality choices here than many choices that are either samey or underdeveloped.

When it comes to personal reputation, it needs more consistency in how it's gained and it needs to be gained more often. As it is right now, you end up with small numbers across many different types of reputation (at least I did). And, once again, maybe downsizing the number of reputation types and focusing on quality is the way to go?

In summary (tl;dr):
* Make the main quest longer and more fleshed out, and cooperative with side quests if possible
* Side quests should focus on quality; fewer but better, longer and more fleshed out side quests
* Re-think or cut the stronghold
* Cut wilderness areas and dungeons, make area design driven by quest design, more variety to areas in general
* Factions need to be more omniprecent to work or replaced with something else (like individuals) to side with, personal reputation system needs to be more consistent

That's all I can come up with now. Like I said, I really like PoE and will definetly back a sequal, so don't take this as me giving the game a negative review.

[InExile is plotting to ruin Torment by making it turn-based]

I'd prefer real-time like the original, but don't mind this change. As long as the combat speed isn't too slow and the encounters aren't too long.

[What are you playing now?]

XCOM: Enemy Unknown and Baldurs Gate 2 (GOG version). Enjoying the frick out of both of them!

[The Kickstarter Thread]

Novus AEterno: A true AAA MMORTS

 

My friend is working in this project, so please consider backing it!

[Baldur's Gate 1]

Sorry for bumping an old thread, but I have a party related question as well. I'm currently playing through the game for the first time and trying to figure out what party I should roll with. I currently have the "canon party" (Minsc, Khalid, Jaheira, Imoen and Dynaheir) and I'm playing as a fighter myself. Will this suffice or should I try to get another mage/cleric/etc into the party? I'm still very early in the game, just finished the Nashkeel Mines and I'm at lvl 2.

[No new New Vegas thanks!]

I think it has been made pretty clear that a new Obsidian Fallout would stick to the american west coast area. And I don't think "New Vegas 2" literally means it will take place in Vegas again.

[Planescape: Torment - first playthrough]

Thank you for the replies. Looks like I could use some more hints though (but don't make it too easy):

 

 

 

I have the blood from Ravel's daughter (the handkerchief). So now I just need to figure out how to "unlock" the key and find the portal. Ravel mentioned that the portal was "not a finished thing" and "the place of forges and steel" in the sensory stone, which made me think of the portal near the siege tower in the lower wards that leads to the forge with the mechanical beast. I can't find a way to re-enter it however and I'm not sure if it could be considered an "unfinished thing". I've searched through the other areas of the city but can't come up with anything that would fit the description. But I guess that's useless until I've "unlocked" the key anyway.

 

How close or far away am I?

 

[Planescape: Torment - first playthrough]

*BUMP*

 

So, quick question (potential spoiler!) - is it possible to gain knowledge about Ravel without joining the sensates? I'd prefer a straight yes/no answer to avoid any spoilers. I've really gotten into the game now, altough I've been on a bit of a break in order to play other stuff.

[Planescape: Torment - first playthrough]

So, I made it back into the catacombs but I'm still very week. I'm a mage now, trained by Mebbeth, and my only offensive spell (chromatic orb) is currently limited to one use a day, meaning I'm forced to resort to using my fists and getting my ass handed to me by rats as a result. And I can't find anywhere to rest in the area. What should I do?

 

Man, I haven't felt so bad at a game in a long time. ;_;

[Planescape: Torment - first playthrough]

Hi guys!

 

As the title implies, I'm doing my first ever playthrough of Planescape: Torment. In fact, it's my first ever Infinity-engine game. I've been wanting the play those classic titles for a while now, and with Project Eternity on the horizion I figured now would be a good time to do it.

 

I've already made one attempt, but having little to no experience with these old school RPG's (except for the original Pokémon games for GameBoy Color, which was well over 10 years ago) it didn't go to well. I made it to the catacombs after speaking to Pharod in the burried village before realizing that my build was problary not up to scratch, so I wanna restart and do things right.

 

1. What is a recommended build for a first time playthrough? I want as much out of the story and dialogue as possible without being totally screwed in combat situations. I understand that you problary can't be great at both (at least not to start with), so I mainly want to focus on high survivabilty and the ability to avoid and talk my way out of combat situations.

2. What class should I go for?

3. Kind of a dumb question, but... how exactly does combat work? The only other D&D based games I've played are KotOR and KotOR II, but this seems rather different. Do I just click on an opponent until he drops dead, or what?

 

I know what I must sound like asking this stuff. It's just that I didn't get into RPG's until this generation of games, thanks to Oblivion, Fallout 3/New Vegas and Mass Effect. Now I want something deeper, which is what made me seek out these older games.