Silent Winter

Well, the Catwoman example was just an example to illustrate the question. The question itself was: "@Hiro, could you be more specific about what you mean by 'sexualization?'" That can be on-topic. Tifa in FF7?, Princess Peach in SuperMario? I believe PrimaJunta just wanted you to be more specific so as to understand your POV

That'd be handy but may be outside budget. Probably more effort than most people would go to but here's an idea: Check out the program Daz Studio (www.daz3d.com) - there's a free version and a lot of free content around on various sites (plus a lot of paid content but...) You can use it to make a character (by dialling combinations of pre-made morphs onto a premade figure), add hair+clothes models, light and render your own portrait - then put it in game. Takes a bit of practice to get the character you want though, but the results are probably better than what you'd get from a NWN2-style capture. (See Fan-Art thread for some examples by me using DS+FotoSketcher (also free)) http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/64531-fan-art-collecting-tank/page-2

^they're not balancing the game under the assumption that you've got a full party. Edit: Hell, why did I even waste time doing a forum search? Sawyer said this on page 1 of this thread: ^That's not the same as saying it won't be 'balanced' around a party - just that mechanically it won't require you to take party members (so, for example, they're not designing a puzzle with the assumption that you have 6 people to stand one on each square). At least, that's how I read it. This word 'balanced' (to me) means 'optimum challenge for enjoyment', not necessarily 'most difficult challenge'. So while it'll probably be balanced around a full party, it may get easier/more difficult with different numbers (e.g. 4 may be easier, 3 may be harder, depending on tactics and composition). I doubt soloing will be impossible - someone, somewhere will figure out some tactics to do it.

^ I think being able to order a 'normally available' item would be ok (though tbh, it never occurred to me as a problem - bigger problem was widely available longswords of magic+awesome and almost no halberds/whatever). So a merchant in Dyrford village could send away to his mate in Twin Elms for you at a commission. Agree that it shouldn't lead to otherwise unavailable-at-this-stage items becoming available though. I don't really mind going to another town to look for a spear. [As for timed quests - I'd only like them if they're not too frequent and not all forced on you at the same time (unless it's a 'save Rachel or save Harvey Dent' kind of choice, but that could be done without actual 'timed' quest - just quest-triggers). It could feel immersion-breaking in BG2 when you've got so many 'urgent' quests but they can all wait until you return from spellhold (or put Imoen on hold while you party with the druids) so my only real objection is the 'all at once' urgent quests.]

But that is not really harder, the numbers are just higher. Also you can only increase the numbers up to a certain point. Yeah, the higher thresholds aren't really harder - the stealthing circles is harder as you have to navigate your team more carefully around the enemy. (Having not played the game yet, I'm not 100% on how this works so this is based on how I imagine stealth working.) (The numbers are only increased to a ertain point in any area before the game becomes unplayable) So overall, I imagine this just makes avoiding combat harder - therefore just the harder combat will make up the actual difficulty. Sounds like Path of the Damned is designed for those who like challenging combat anyway so probably won't be an issue for anyone trying it. The only other ways I can think of (before playing the game) are also more expensive to implement (longer, more complex dialogue chains requiring you to scout out and know something about the person before you enter negotiations. Longer, more complex missions to increase faction reputation. Etc)

Sure you can - it would just be harder to get the balance right (e.g. stealthing - larger detection circles for enemies / more enemies / larger 'presence' circles for allies (I forget what they're called). Higher thresholds for lockpicking / higher requirements for scripted interactions) (though that may just mean your options for avoiding combat become more limited). We're still not sure how much of the combat can be avoided - might be a moot point with Path of the Damned having more enemies than you can avoid perhaps.

^I'm in a similar boat - I summoned a familiar in BG - but then it spent the entire game in the backpack, never using its abilities, because the penalty for it dying was a permanent loss of a constitution point (which the mage could scarce afford). (I could've save-scummed in that case but I didn't want another liability to force that). (That was annoyingly taking up a pack-slot as well) In NWN2, I used it more often - as there was only a temporary penalty for the summoned familiar dying and the bonuses (early game) were useful. Late game I rarely summoned one except for the odd roleplaying situation. So if familiars are in, I'd like it to be more NWN2 and less BG in execution.

Hm funny how it's always the man that is "gross." Are there any fairy tales with gross ladies, I'd like to know. Reminds me of a story set in old Russia with a Baba Yaga character - she's old and ugly but tells men that she's really a beautiful princess who was cursed and that if he only lies with her, then she'll transform ... but when they're done she doesn't transform and just eats them instead

That's why I'd prefer a separate game for this. Kinda like how IWD and IWD2 were separate games. I'd want a PoE 2 continuing the first character's story in the 'now' and then, assuming that gets wrapped up and we're not going to do an 'epic level' PoE 3, we can have a subsequent game set 2-300 years later. This game needn't deal with a continuation of the original story, but it could have a natural progression of the events leading to the world being in the state it is. (with a new threat (local or global) for a new PC to deal with). (With multiple endings for PoE in, it may be necessary to pick a 'canon' ending (which may annoy many people) or go with a future that happened anyway, regardless of which ending you preferred ... without stating as such )

I have to agree a bit with Hiro's point here - rpg developers have (historically) drawn/modelled the party-NPCs according to modern (Western) ideals of beauty such that you end up with a whole party of 'attractive people' (I'm generalising here). Whereas what should matter in a well-implemented rpg-romance (or friendship or other relationship) is the character themselves. (Not to mention having other representations of beauty - some people are attracted to fat people for instance) It's not unrealistic to want a realistic range of appearances in in-game characters (both romanceable and friendship/annoying-side-kick track). It's not that party-NPCs should never be attractive, it's more that they're always drawn that way and we don't get the chance to interact with others. (They are done this way to appeal to the mass-market - more people want to romance the hot-person they'd otherwise lack the confidence to approach. They like to roleplay the brave and charismatic hero)(again, generalising) Looking at BG2 - I initially didn't like Mazzy's portrait (from an attraction POV). But after having her in my party, I began to find her more appealing since her character and story were interesting (though she didn't have a romance track). Then again, she wasn't like the aliens shown either. Overall, I'd prefer a well-written 'ugly' character to a poorly-written 'beautiful' mini-game. The well-written characters are top-priority. Having a range of character appearances is also nice.

Even with no voice-over, you could 'click the speaker' as if to initiate conversation and get the story in dialogue window (with occasional 'stop listening' options as well as 'continue' in case you get bored). With a bit of background music appropriate to what's being told, that'd be atmospheric enough.

I'd like PoE2 to extend the main story (assuming that doesn't end in such a way as to wrap everything up) so we can explore the character more. But I'd also love a different story set in the same world, 200 years later (dealing with some fallout from the earlier games - e.g. due to certain animancy experiments / faction victories, the Orlans rose to be a dominant empire, enslaving humans...or something more coherent ) Edit: It needn't be steampunk in style - just think about the natural progression of societies and tech/magi-tech based on the world they created ... with airships, naturally.

*Is temporarily confused by the new avatar-> I vote Thunderdome!! I mean, the game would be rubbish but the development stage would be greatly entertaining. These are all good suggestions - doing something *with* romance rather than having *a romance* as a separate and disconnected mini-game. Snipped for brevity - I largely agree here. If romance is to be done well, it can't be a minigame added onto an existing (romanceless) game. It needs to be built into the themes and characters and not just be "I'll pick one of the wimmin, choose 'option 1' in conversation and then have her fall for me" Hard to do well but not impossible to have romance in a game. It's just hardER to do with a 'create your own character' rpg (vs. predefined with backstory)

^A combo of chess and combat using live knights as pieces. (Not live Queens though, that'd get expensive) Xaurip baiting Orlan tossing Listening to the Aumaua acapela group

I'll start on 'normal' - if it's too easy I can increase it as necessary. 'normal' was fine in BG - I'm guessing this'll be similarly guaged

We've not heard a definite denial - last official post was that it was being worked on but that was a while back.

Playing them both at the same time and hearing the tango music wihile watching the Haka video is a fantastic contrast

Yeah - I should've said 'NWN2 OC' MOTB was indeed much better in many aspects of character development.

^^my post got cut off Now I can't remember what it said... something along the lines of: THe game should be designed so that you actually miss having a thief/mage/fighter when they're not in the party. Can't open all locks (though in PoE, lockpicking is open to all classes) or have a harder time fighting opponent-X

Have you tried the IWD NPC-Mod? Limited in scope (only one possible party, with a couple of class options) - but includes romance (as well as character development for the rest of the party too) Sounds good But what about the fact the characters are all custom created, does the Mod add personalities to your party? That's the drawback of the mod - you're stuck with the party that the mod-creators created - so there WILL be a Paladin etc (though you don't have to use ALL the characters in your party so you could have 1 or 2 personally created team members (too few and you lose the point of them all interacting with each other as well as you). One or 2 characters have optional classes but the Bard still calls himself a bard in dialogue, even if you chose to make him a mage. The other drawback is an engine-limitation - your PC must be in slot1 - so usually up-front and in need of melee ability. It's not what I'd personally choose as a party but it's balanced enough to win the game. Overall, it adds a nice bit of party-interaction to the game (though the voice acting and writing varies in quality) - if you like IWD but want more interaction then it's worth a download.

Have you tried the IWD NPC-Mod? Limited in scope (only one possible party, with a couple of class options) - but includes romance (as well as character development for the rest of the party too)

^yeah, but I often feel like that cheapens the classes. No thief? Here's a chiming bell of opening locks. Oh, and no traps are really lethal. No mage? Here's a rod of awesome-spell that anyone can use. I feel the

I'm in favour of well-written, thematically relevant romances that fit the characters. I'm against shoe-horned romance for the sake of it. I thought BG2 romances were ok (taking baby to fight the big boss notwithstanding). (though the timing could have been better - "You want to talk about that NOW? There's a fire-giant trying to kick the door down!" I thought NWN2 romance was shoehorned in and the atop-wall "hey, let's do it." moment was 'WTF where'd that come from?' It *can* be done well - it needs to be a part of the world and characters and planned from the beginning as an arc with enough variety. It therefore needs significant resource contribution as part of developing that character with/without romance arc. The 'romance' shouldn't be just a "We're on the romance dialogue path or off it." but should rather be a cumulation of regular dialogue interaction and in-game actions leading to the blossoming of a relationship. ...just don't ask me 'how?'

Right now we don't know. There won't be modding tools on day 1, but if the game gets the warm reception we're expecting, the community should develop tools along the lines of BG mod-tools. Obsidian have said they're willing to help by making file-formats open where possible (though that was a while back, don't know what the current state is).

^ Well, they did say they'd offer something extra as well - doesn't mean they're going 'cheap' - wait and see what it is first. It looks more like they'll be going to the last minute with the production itself so the documentary would either have to finish early (with a cliffhanger ), or they finish the documentary properly but can't put it out along with the game. So the choices are: Delay delivering game, Deliver documentary DVD later (at added expense), or have documentary as download. Hmm - maybe they could print up the cases and a DVD label for the documentary and deliver that - then you could just burn a disc from the download, add the sticker, and voila!