[Update #61: In-game Art]

Since this was mostly about showing the environment and some of the new armor types, we didn't switch out the races.

 Absolutely love that plate. I can see our efforts in the Armor Plea thread didn't go unnoticed. I'm happy about that.

[What would you do if the game begins like this? :D]

No no no, the game obviously starts with the PC's village being attacked by black riders. Duh!

*Idyllic village, peace, love, happiness. One day, PC was out to hunt when he could spot smoke coming from where the village was. It was plundered and razed by Orcs. They killed all the PC's loved ones, probably his dog and stole a long-forgotten magical artifact. Thus, PC decides to start being an adventurer and kill rats for farmers.

[Armour & weapon designs - a plea (part IV).]

The equipment is standard medieval stuff, but the art is awesome.

I think that's kinda the point of this thread, isn't it? :D

 

Pretty cool videos from the German LARP Epic Empires, Pilgerlager (Pilgrim's Camp of the holy St. Clara):

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jdDR6H9zDQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTrdH5D2M98

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMAJF_7-OZw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR_rF1O1fBY

[@Obsidian: Please make playing evil worthwhile, fulfilling & not juvenile!]

The problem of evil (no not that one) is also, that it's never clear what the intention of characters is, and I think this is important to understand when playing evil. It's not necessary for the do-gooders, because everyone (well, most of us anyway) can identify with the sentiments of "good" characters. But it's never clear why evil characters decide to slaughter a whole town. Even for a maniac, "just for fun" is not the only internal monologue that's going on, I'm sure about that.

 

A possible solution to that problem would be flavour text in form of an internal monologue  that shows how the character came to his possible answers.

[Armour & weapon designs - a plea (part IV).]

 

Would love to be able to play as a similarly lightly armoured skirmisher type of a warrior.

That's simply preposterous. Everyone knows that all historical combatants, ever, simply wore the absolute heaviest armor they could possibly get their hands on, and that's that, u_u. They actually just ran through fields made out of sharp edges, so any spot not covered by full steel was instantly gouged out/severed. And the people who made it all the way across the field without dying won the battle. It had nothing to do with their ability to engage opponents and move freely, or stamina, or any of that malarky...

 

 

 

You're totally right, so here's my plea for another armour-set:

 

[More Mega-Dungeon Discussion.]

1) I want fast travel portals on every floor so I don't have to hump up 15 levels to rest.

2) Epic loot and don't be shy dishing it out. Preferably including some item that allows travel from where I was, back to town, then back to where I was. Think D3's portal. This is a carryable item and is different from the static fast travel portals described above. Also should include some mysterious gizmo that allows healing without resting.

3) Megaboss on the last floor.

4) Maybe some puzzles but nothing I have to lookup the answer too.

5) A lever on the first floor that enables kill XP.

 

1.) Please no. A Megadungeon should be a mega-dungeon, not a playground for loot-fanatics and XP-messies.

2.) Epic lot yes, but please don't give it away like candy. That destroys the value of finding something awesome, also it probably destroys any background the "loot" has. Also D3s portal NO, GOD, PLEASE NO! NO! NOOOOO!

3.) I can live with that.

4.) You don't have to look up anything, you have to simply think. It's been ages since I've had to solve any remotely interesting puzzle.

5.) NO. 

[More Mega-Dungeon Discussion.]

What I want in a dungeon:

 

1.) A sense of the size of the dungeon and a sense of adventure. Especially when it's called a "mega dungeon" I don't want any sort of "fast travel" or anything that shortens my exploration experience. I remember for example the firewine bridge in BG 1 that sounded awesome (well, according to that bard at least) but in reality it was just a slightly bigger cellar.  I want to feel lost, in the depths, maybe without possibility to ever return to the surface. If it's a dungeon that noone has returned from, I want the game to replicate that feeling. That's what a dungeon should feel like. Do you remember in Skyrim where you had to "climb that mountain with a bazillion steps"? That was BAD. Nice idea, but bad execution. If that was really a gigantic mountain that no one has ever climbed I want to ascend that mountain in more than 10 minutes. It has to be a 7 hour quest then.

 

2.) I don't want dungeons to simply be slightly intricate basements with enemys and traps for no reason. Every trap and enemy should have reasons to exist other than killing incoming players as if they were The Dungeon Staff Inc. If there's an old statue of a forgotton God and he has giant gem as eyes, let me take them (with consequences like curses, a trap or whatever) and he has those Gem eyes because maybe the worshippers of that deity believed that inside glittering stones lies the soul of the God - and because Goblins like shiny things there's a lot of Goblins in that area, trying to find other statues (since the aforementioned statue has killed a lot of Goblins with whatever means available to the staute). That was a bit of rambling, but tl;dr: I want things to have a reason to exist, I want causality.

 

3.) Indiana Jones. Make it in the style of Indiana Jones. Not always those boring traps we're used to see. Creativity, people. Also: traps not only in the context of "if you step on it, you'll take damage" - maybe also a trap that releases a monster four levels deeper that otherwise wouldn't be there.

 

4.) Consistency. Don't make the mega dungeon 15 levels of stacked individual dungeons. The mega-dungeon has to be consistent, it has to have a real reason to exist and still offer a wide variety of things, so we don't get bored with it too fast.

[As more is learned..]

 

Of course. But I don't think that's really the point because designing your own system also costs a lot of money.

 

Depends on how much work (if any) may have already been done.

 

They may have also just wanted to do it this way, as they can cater the rule system to the setting that they want to create as well.

 

 

Absolutely, hence why I said that it was not the point. It was poorly phrased. I'm sure that they chose to design their own system because it gives them a lot more freedom, but IF they wanted to license anything I don't think it was the cost that hindered them.

[Shadowrun Returns]

I'm debating between Decker and Mage. Are there lots of opportunities for being a Decker to be worthwhile?

 

Not necessarily. It's not like you simply can enter any system during combat and rerout systems freely. There are two or maybe three situations where you can really get to decking (although it's still very linear) and sometimes it helps you extract info. 

[As more is learned..]

 

 

I understand their desire to form their own intellectual property, but I am somewhat surprised at their choice to conjure up a brand new system. I was hoping that they would use the Pathfinder system for this first iteration. In that way, they could use a proven system which their target audience will appreciate and concentrate on constructing their own world, narrative, etc.

 

To me it would have been more realistic to attempt creating a whole new gameplay system *after* creating a successful CRPG with a mechanic system that not merely appeals to their niche, but to a very broad audience.

 

I love the Pathfinder system but honestly. it's just not a good system for a computer game. If PE were turn-based, sure, that's a whole other thing. But seeing as it is, I'd say building their own system is a good idea, albeit difficult to achieve.

 

 

Wouldn't they have had to license Pathfinder anyway (deducting money from the project)?

 

 

Of course. But I don't think that's really the point because designing your own system also costs a lot of money.

Still, there is a game that uses the Pathfinder license. Head over to goblinworks.com for info about Pathfinder Online.

[Shadowrun Returns]

How frequent are the checkpoints?

 

It depends. I'd say most of them are between 15 and 30 minutes. Can get annoying though, especially in later fights. 

[Shadowrun Returns]

You guys are disturbing, ihr Klodeckel.

[Shadowrun Returns]

First levels in.  Enjoying it so far.

 

Went as a Decker with some boosts to charisma, decking, and firearms.

 

So pretty much the same as me!

[Shadowrun Returns]

 

Zum Bias: Wir schreiben klar subjektiv gefärbte Reviews, da so etwas wie Objektivität in einer journalistischen Berichterstattung prinzipiell unmöglich ist (das fängt schon bei einzelnen Wörtern an und so weiter, aber ich will dich da nicht mit Unitheoriegefachsimpel langweilen) und noch unmöglicher  ( :D ), wenn es um Rezensionen von "Kulturprodukten" geht. Deshalb vergeben wir auch keine Prozentpunkte, da man so etwas einfach weder objektiv, noch irgendwie wissenschaftlich bewerten kann  In dem Sinne: Ja, der Bias ist klar! :D

 

 

Ja, ist klar.

 

Einleitung war klasse gemacht wo wir schon hier sind.

 

Das is natürlich auch meine persönliche Meinung und hier ist es auch gar nicht ein schlimmes Beispiel. Aber aus der Perspektive des Lesers habe ich es schon einige Male erlebt wo das Bias übertrieben wurde (was ich schlimm finde). Oder besser gesagt wenns ins Eigenlob und ähnliches übergeht.

 

Um zwei Beispiele zu nennen

 

- Das South Park: Stick of Truth Preview von Pure Sophistry

 

- Das Shadowrun: Returns Review von Blistered Thumbs

 

Beide stellen während ihres Reviews die eigene Meinung in den Vordergrund (z.b Ich bin DER South Park Fan/Ich bin DER Rollenspiel Experte) um die Validität ihrer Meinung zu verdeutlichen und argumentieren über spezifisches, das wahrscheinlich die wenigsten interessiert. (Das Stick of Truth Preview ist hier hervorzuheben, da der Autor soweit geht uns mitzuteilen wie viele Male exakt "**** you, bitch" gesagt wurde)

 

Das kann dir natürlich egal sein. Wollte nur aufzeigen woher meine Befürchtungen kommen.

 

 

Ah, ich verstehe total was du meinst. Nein, eine Meinung sollte natürlich schon aus einer Argumentation hergeleitet werden können, da stimme ich dir absolut zu. Das versuche ich natürlich zu vermeiden, auch wenn man natürlich noch dazu sagen muss, dass wir Reviewer uns halt manchmal schon etwas zu wichtig nehme, aber ich gebe mir Mühe das natürlich einzudämmen!

 

Aber danke für das Lob! Vielleicht bringt die wieder mal etwas auf unsere Seite!

[Shadowrun Returns]

 

I already completed the game thanks to a review copy I got a couple of days back. You're in for a treat, chummers. Regarding story length 10 - 15 hours is about exactly right. Took me about 17 hours because I ****ed up one run and there's no quicksave button. If you can understand German, head over to combobreaker.ch

Also, if you've got any questions, ask away! 

 

Gut geschriebenes Review. Ein bisschen überschwänglich zuweilen (Speziell bei der Story. Oder besser gesagt hätte ich *gehört zu den best geschriebenen Rollenspielen* eher ins persönliche Fazit getan als mitten in den Text wo es meiner Meinung nach eher Bias ausdrückt.) Einleitung ist klasse.

 

Aber ist ja egal. Aufjedenfall hat das Review noch mal meine Vorfreude vergrössert. Danke.

 

 

Dankeschön! Freut mich, dass es dir gefallen hat

 

Zum Bias: Wir schreiben klar subjektiv gefärbte Reviews, da so etwas wie Objektivität in einer journalistischen Berichterstattung prinzipiell unmöglich ist (das fängt schon bei einzelnen Wörtern an und so weiter, aber ich will dich da nicht mit Unitheoriegefachsimpel langweilen) und noch unmöglicher  ( :D ), wenn es um Rezensionen von "Kulturprodukten" geht. Deshalb vergeben wir auch keine Prozentpunkte, da man so etwas einfach weder objektiv, noch irgendwie wissenschaftlich bewerten kann  In dem Sinne: Ja, der Bias ist klar! :D

[As more is learned..]

I understand their desire to form their own intellectual property, but I am somewhat surprised at their choice to conjure up a brand new system. I was hoping that they would use the Pathfinder system for this first iteration. In that way, they could use a proven system which their target audience will appreciate and concentrate on constructing their own world, narrative, etc.

 

To me it would have been more realistic to attempt creating a whole new gameplay system *after* creating a successful CRPG with a mechanic system that not merely appeals to their niche, but to a very broad audience.

 

I love the Pathfinder system but honestly. it's just not a good system for a computer game. If PE were turn-based, sure, that's a whole other thing. But seeing as it is, I'd say building their own system is a good idea, albeit difficult to achieve.

[Shadowrun Returns]

I already completed the game thanks to a review copy I got a couple of days back. You're in for a treat, chummers. Regarding story length 10 - 15 hours is about exactly right. Took me about 17 hours because I ****ed up one run and there's no quicksave button. If you can understand German, head over to combobreaker.ch

Also, if you've got any questions, ask away! 

 

 

Yeah, I used to meta-game dialogue options.  These days I stick with an outcome, even if it's not what I expected.  To each their own.

 

 

That's not so bad, because a lot of the dialogue options are pure flavour and I never ran into a reeaaaally drastic consequence, to be honest. 

[Excellent/favorite minor NPC's]

Also came here to say Noober. Altough I liked so many characters in Baldur's Gate. For example the bard from the Firewine Bridge.

 

I've a tale, a tale to tell
Of Knights so bold and dungeons hell

And slumber broke upon the shore
Of nightmare's reef when dawn no more.

[That Thing Obsidian Always Does]

I absolutely agree, but to be honest I have never thought extensively about that because it's just some kind of RPG paradigm. There are a few situations where it REALLY bothered me, tough. Maybe you've played the abomination that is Two Worlds 2. It was one of the first quests, I think. The village was ravaged by famine (even though the savanna was blooming with life...) and upon arrival my really unlikeable and kind of sexist and arrogant "hero" started speaking to the people - and also to the village chieftain who gave me her most valuable horse after two lines of conversation to ride to another town and get help. Seriously...

 

I was given to understand that PE takes place in times of political... difficulties. And in such times people should be a bit suspicious and cautious and not be telling me everything I want to know right away. I love bargaining for information instead of just clicking through 4 "options" which are just lines of dialogue that are clickable for the sake of giving an illusion of choice. I don't know where I'm going with this whole thesis, but I'd really like to see real dialogue, with introductions, maybe people who don't like me based on my appearance/charisma and don't want to talk to me so I have to come by the information another way (intimitating, torturing/beating, stealing papers, whatever floats your boat). But dialogues shouldn't be all about conversation but as Lephys has said also for small talk and flavour. Have you seen the latest demo of Shroud of the Avatar where you could actually "chat" with NPCs? That was awesome (even though I distrust Garriott) and I hope that we can talk about really unimportant things, just to get a sense of the world.

[Armour & weapon designs - a plea (part IV).]

In a different thread someone mentioned daggers being less effective against plate armour. Thus, behold:

 

 

 

the infamous Hodendolch (testicles dagger)

 

 

[Update #58: Crafting with Tim Cain!]

 

(IE: War hammers (crushing) are better than a dagger (piercing) against plate armor.) So your characters will be constantly be switching weapon sets, even within the same battle.

 

There's a dagger that likes to have a word with you...

 

[POST YOUR SPECS]

I have just built my new computer and put everything together It was my first build and putting it together was kind of a puzzle. But I'm really proud :D

 

HDD: Seagate Barracuda 2TB, 7200rpm, 64MB, 2TB

SSD: Samsung SSD 840 Kit, TLC, 120GB

GPU: Club 3D HD 7950 ‘13Series

CPU: Intel Core i7 3820 BOX, 3.6GHz

RAM: Kingston HyperX Beast, 4x4GB, DDR3-1866

Mainboard: Asus Sabertooth X79

Case: Cooler Master HAF X RC-942-KKN1

PSU: Club 3D CSP-D850CB, 850 Watt

Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B5ST

[Out of curiosity, what difficulty will be your first playthrough?]

I really don't know yet. I haven't played the game and therefore don't know how it handles. Expert mode seems cool, on the other hand I want to know what the "turned off" features are. I like knowing how my game works (concerning reputation - I find those systems to be interesting).

 

If I HAD to choose know, I would probably go with the default setting, seeing as this was the planned way, the intended way to play it.

[Is project eternity the best managed kickstarter game?]

Given the company's history I'm quite confident in Larian's management of Divnity: Original Sin's budget, more so than pretty much any other KS out there.

 

Well, even though Divinity 2 was kind of flawed and broken until the recent (?) update.

[Is project eternity the best managed kickstarter game?]

I'm not sure how well-managed Project Eternity is. I think it's no possible to know at this stage. Of course we have Updates every week (though they are rather small updates compared with, say, Pathfinder Online) but those updates rarely touch the process of development/marketing/whateverthehellobsidiandoes on a deeper level. What we know is that they are behind schedule and that the website for the backers is still not online even though they have announced it a few times.

 

So all in all we have really small flaws in the visible managment but we don't know what's going on behind the curtains. Though I'm absolutely optimistic because Obsidian is hell of a sympathetic company.