Diogo Ribeiro

Unfortunately i don't think KoTOR2 will allow for that. Those would be interesting elements, though, much more in tune with the whole universe instead of just one part of it.

I think the point was that things like casual, "just-for-the-hell-of-it" minigames are often an element which do not have an impact on a game, and including them tends to be useless. Time spent with it is usually time one could spent fine tuning other aspects of the game, from graphics to actual gameplay elements. In the end, a minigame - the kind which doesn't have any purpose or justification - is the kind of element a videogame does not need, hence a non-critical element.

I liked Triple Triad at the time, but can't remember any other minigame which i liked to be honest. Most feel detached and pointless, placed there just for the hell of it.

It's going to be released on consoles. 'Nuff said, i believe. Most console games i hear about nowadays have some form of minigame as a gimmick.

I can't see how this is a staple, given NPCs do react on various ocasions (in several CRPGs, for that matter).

I wouldnt mind seeing a setting similar to that of Planescape, but not necessarily a game using it. A hub-like city which allows for exotic methods of planar travel can be created without resorting to re-using the same license.

One of them has to be dealing with people in message boards. "Hear me, i've got just the right suggestion for you! See, i've been thinking about Drizzt and +12 Hackmasters, and..." "RTWP SUCKS U WILL ALL DIE FOR USING IT!" "Now, if we're talking of gameplay elements which surpass clearly defined strategies i suggest a riveting axis-propelling sidewinder mechanism for the astute racial stereotype which will inevitably achieve its own modicum of success in the environmental space and time continuum with flabbergasting results..." "It just ain't an a Star Wars game if it doesn't have hair, clothing and lightsaber color customization." "I tell ya, D&D is NOT stale!" "Will you please include a brothel? I love roleplaying, and to me, a brothel is synonymous with excellent roleplaying, as it gives my character earth-shattering choices. Adding STD's would be excellent roleplaying material, too." "D00d liek, gimme dual weapons!" "What do you mean? Of course its an RPG, its got an inventory." "Don't be silly, of course it's consistant. Sure, there were no other lizards in the gameworld. Sure, there were no reasons as to why the lizards were there, or how they even got there. You might get technical and point out their mimesis of a society didn't explained how they evolved like that, or how they managed to survive. Your kind does like to nitpick, so i'm sure you'll throw in the game's background as a strong element as to why lizards shouldn't be there in the first place. But i'm the one who knows what's what, so don't tell me the lizards aren't canon, or that they don't make sense!" "Don't be dense, of course my character can use dual sniper rifles and kill everyone for the sake of roleplaying." "What's this technical impossibility you speak of? I want cool particle effects, damn you. Just cut down on some hundreds of dialogue options and multiple endings, and you'll be fine." "Without romances, your game will flop." And so on >_>

Overexposure and overexploitation.

Storage space can be handled more or less well, as it was in Baldur's Gate 2. Many NPCs had voice-overs for what were considered to be the more important lines in a dialogue tree, but the rest was presented only in text. O'course, i don't imagine this being done in KoTOR2, but a form of balance between both could be achieved, regardless.

I think some people's point was that given MCA was working on KoTOR2, then it would make sense to expect a similar level of story-telling and roleplaying quality.

Hopefully this one will feel more like a proper CRPG instead of a console adventure game.

What Fallout news? Heh, good one But I believe NMA usually has the lead on those (when they surface, that is).

Good grief.

Why not combine both ideas, though? Instead of making it radial in the sense of sprouting options in every direction, why not pick up on the basic premise of a free-floating, drag'n'drop menu, but instead of being fully radial, make it cascading into 4 directions, all easilly visible and accessible by the player? Suppose you're looking at ToEE's circular menu. Instead of the options branching out like this, that they branch out like this (actual working explained here). Yes, i know its a terrible idea, but it would provide more or less the same functionality of a radial menu, while having the options more clearly visible.

Herve just won't quit.

I think this depends mostly on the person. No doubt a straight, cascading menu will be just as functional and simpler to use and understand. I just don't really have a problem with either. I think the problem with radial menus happen when options start being diplayed in unusual angles (which can be bad). You could always try reverting back to icons, or shorten the option names. Or make it so the menu would only expand towards directions which were easy on the eyes and neck twisting.

My fault, replace sickly with weakling.

Radial menus aren't bad. They take getting used to, admitedly, and they (usually) have the ability to be dragged across the screen.

Luckilly, the common D&D stereotypes - such as that one regarding wizards always being sickly - have not contaminated all CRPGs.

I'm guessing he was talking of the design of the games it powered, but fell in the trap of not being able to disassociate the engine from the games. Just guessing. >_>

Granted. You had me worried back there :ph34r:

Wait. Someone actually thinks that the IE engine (a bug-ridden mess) would be great if combined with the ToEE engine (another bug-ridden mess)?

I don't particularly care much for D&D. I'd prefer if it stopped being used in CRPGs, not because it allegedly stunts developer creativity, but because of how its overal handled. There's not really a reason as to why it shouldn't be used on grounds of it being a recognized brand name: it draws people in, and generates revenue, so why not use it? On the other hand, i feel its use is usually just validated on the namesake->revenue ratio. Its ruleset isn't perfect, neither the best. Its source material isn't exactly excellent either, and likely, a good, competent writer - or group of writers - can create an equally or more compelling collection of source material. If the consumer, on a whole, doesn't care about the rules, or that the concept of creative license breaks the canon of the source material, defeats the purpose of using D&D for CRPGs. If you buy into the Rule Zero apologism, then you're conceding that the system itself, and its supporting elements, aren't important. If using and abusing creative license is the way to go, than most settings and rule systems can be exploited under this guideline.

I have only one thing to say, repeated 10 times. HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!

Heh