Silent Winter

I live in a city of over ten million - there are always people, crowds even, everywhere, at all times of day...I don't want to experience that in my computer games too I would like some random NPCs hanging around - (maybe give the backer NPCs a walk-cycle) - the number in BG was perfect for me but a few more/less would be fine. Ambient sounds of a crowded city / quiet village would do more for me though.

^somewhere out there is a gelatinous cube bhaalspawn, just biding its time... I know nothing more, so leave me to go.

^you need a more flexible job. /gelatinous (not that I could take 2 weeks off for a game's release either)

In general, on the gog site at least, you simply buy one game - then you get the pc, mac and linux versions in your account to download from. Can't guarantee that'll be the case here, but I can't see a separate linux purchase on the pre-orders so I don't see why not.

^In the latest update, they said Backers would download their extras through the backer portal on Obs' website (not GOG/Steam). So I think that means we get the digital key for the basic edition on GOG/Steam. Edit: Ninja'd

I think it comes down to the uncanny valley here - the more realistic the graphics, the more realistic the animations need to be. When super-mario was running on the NES, we accepted the running animation because the sprite itself was so simple. If you take COD-level figures and animate them like super-mario, your brain goes 'WTF?' Your brain is more willing to abstract when there's less info than when there's more (or something). So in Avernum (and IE games, etc), the graphics and animations did their job fine, and can do so again when replayed today - but given the higher graphics of PoE currently in place, we expect higher level of animation to go with it. (Not saying I'm unhappy with what we've got so far - though I would like the disengagement attacks to be animated in some way)

that's kinda what I meant. In a twitch game, you'd find lengthy animations, that stop you controlling the character, annoying - in PoE, you can't perform an action right at that moment anyway, so it's not 'taking control away'

Level 12 is the cap without an expansion - Level 'who knows what' with an expansion. Not going to affect the longevity for me (BG had only 1-8 with TOTSC but then again, there was BG2 to continue it)

^That didn't stop NWN1 from having good dodge/parry/shield-block animations and lively looking combat. (NWN2 fell down here) I agree it's not a priority and I'll be satisfied with BG level of animation. But that doesn't make dodge/parry/shield-block animations non-valuable in this type of game. The time for the dodge/etc needn't be taking control away from the player (as this isn't a twitch game) - it's just playing during attack resolution while the character is currently just standing idle.

I like having food in the game and having it provide bonuses (/ flavour ) But I dislike having the need to eat to have my characters not drop dead. If I'm playing a survival game, then that's part of the point. If I'm playing a fantasy rpg like this, I'd prefer to leave it abstract as 'they eat enough to keep going when they make camp to rest' (it's not like I should need to tell each character to eat). The various states suggested in the OP sounds too much for this game (but again would work well in a game focussed on survival) Edit: The morale idea is better, when not taken too far - so having a small morale bonus (resistance to 'panic' spells/effect or whatever) for staying in inns, or eating/drinking as a team (perhaps providing a synergy bonus) is ok. But then why not have a 'toughness' bonus for camping a lot (and a 'softness' penalty for staying in too many luxury inns) - but that's taking it too far for this kind of game IMO. I want to adventure, not play sims. If it's a mod, I might give it a try for the umpteenth playthrough.

Just to back up what Katarack21 is saying: Copyright infringement does not equal theft. I studied law (UK) at Uni, IP law being a fave - copyright infringement is a civil case and in some cases can also be a criminal case, but it is not the same as theft, nor is it treated the same way. (As Katarack21 said, that's a marketing tool by the big-guns).(As are the quoted figures for money 'lost' due to piracy - there will be some, just not of the '1 pirated copy = 1 lost sale' level.) That doesn't make copyright infringement right, it just makes it different in a 'reckless driving does not equal theft' way.

Merry Christmas to all Hope the devs enjoy their break (<- closest I could get to a Christmas hat)

^Release date was pushed back to 'early 2015' - probably some time around March/April (but could be earlier - all depends on how well the bug-fixing, etc, goes) gog/steam Keys will be handled nearer that time, I imagine.

RIP Raymond Beckett and my condolences to the family. Agree that adding an in-game memorial would be a nice gesture.

I now demand that the 'making of' video include a montage (with appropriate power-chords in the background) (even though I'm not getting said video) (nor am I in the beta so this discussion has little to do with me but still hoping the devs have a good break over Christmas and come back ready for the final big push) (I nearly said 'the final countdown' but then I realised I'd alreafdy mentioned power-chords)

[Elma Fudd]"Shh, be veeewy qwuiet. We're huntin' Dwagons."[/Elma Fudd]

^still yes, and yes there will be steam achievements (which I'm personally not a fan of but I'll be getting mine on gog.com)

Congrats on the stability of your game and your new instability of sleeping patterns

The models look great to me - and I want them in close-up for the character-creation portion. They don't look uber-poly-HD-realistic, but then they're not doing that job. (not the first thread on this topic so I'll leave it there)

Aren't completed quests in a separate tab? That's usually how they go in rpgs - divide active quests and completed quests into separate tabs. And I agree they should also be collapsible. So, BG meets NWN (edit: or actually, just NWN had both of those)

No, just your character, whom you're playing. No - but you need to be told where things are (hence "I'll mark it on your map" type phrases) - I also suggested you could buy a map (with or without accuracy). No - that's just a technical limitation in the game - Obsidian program one map-screen and then just add locations to it as you play. I don't think it's meant to represent you having a detailed but locationless map of the area. I doubted no such thing - in fact I said: indicating that such maps would be available (I later added it would be fun if the map had embellishments that turned out to be inaccurate but my example was not a major city) Whether maps would be available to buy in any given village would depend on local demand for such things. Sure, the king and generals would have maps, but the farmer wouldn't need one and the merchants would know their routes. A new merchant might hire someone to make one but that doesn't mean a cartographer in a small village would build up a stock of them. I prefer asking people in-game and having them tell you where something is - (then your map gets marked) or being able to explore to map-edges a la BG1 to find new places yourself (though I believe PoE is more like BG2 in regard

you're not a local in the game - you're newly arrived. I don't want a full map from the outset - but I wouldn't be opposed to having one for sale (see below) Would be fun if you could buy a map that may have some things right but others wrong - follow the map to 'coastal beauty spot' only to find you've walked into an ogre-camp

Definitely don't want them all levelling at once a la NWN2 - that breaks up the game flow too much - 'stop for levelling' But sounds like it's going to be ok in PoE with characters levelling up at different times. Thanks for the clarification

I hate this - because I put my weapon away and then forget it's in my pack and when out of town, my character launches themself bare-fisted at an ogre A "Readied" Mode could function in a way that that wouldn't happen. There could be a "Readied" Equipment Slot. Essentially you'll stow away your weapons when you're not "Readied", and if you are attacked, the characters would equip all their weapons when you click "Readied". "Prepared"? "Alert"? "Hostile"? "Attack"? *shrug* This would be fine - if the characters just put their weapons away when not in combat (but optionally take them out if you want to saunter through town appearting aggressive)

That's one option - but it also affects enemies and animations (like the water-wheel), no? (though if it's just to get over the already-covered/slaughtered ground more quickly then I guess it's ok).