Excalibur_2102

I am kinda perplexed as to how this game is succeeding where pillars 2 did not so much (okay so we dont have official sales figures, but at least on steam pathfinder looks to be doing better than PoE 2 did). I mean, they are both appealing to a similar audience. Pillars 2 was critically acclaimed upon release, yet pathfinder had next to no reviews when released, so customers didnt have anything to go off of before purchasing the game. Maybe opinions of people who played the beta? The reviews i've seen for pathdfinder are not glowing either. Initial user reviews also seemed worse for pathfinder, citing bugs and balancing issues. However at this moment in time Pathfinder still hangs around the top 10 in steam when I'm sure PoE2 disappeared in less than a week. the steam review count is already more for pathfinder. The game has 17000 people playing right now (granted I cant recall the peak numbers for people playing PoE2). So why is this? Is it because its the first game under the pathfinder ruleset? The gameplay in general? Please don't misunderstand my post though, I don't want Pathfinder to fail, in fact I will be picking it up at some point most likely. I just want to see Pillars succeed as well.

Well, I am not too bothered about play time all that much. Getting older has meant shorter play times are better in some way. It took me over a year to finish witcher 3 and all expansions, with 200 hours. And straight after Ive played Zelda BotW, which has also taken me approx. a year at 150 hours, so... yeah. Pillars 1 took around 100 hours also (with white march), but I was mainly confused as the Devs (specifically Josh as I remember) said that game was so much bigger than the first. Though there are people reporting there are less maps/areas in PoE2.

I still haven't played but the amount I'm reading about short main story and lack of dungeons make me wonder how much content is actually in this game. Seems a bit contradictory to the devs saying it was much bigger than the first before release..

That seems to be the general consensus. There are a few people that think Deadfire is better, most are content that it's a bit below. Okay, I'm mainly a lurker on these forums but honestly, I just had to log in to say that some of your posts completely baffle me...

Maybe I should've been clearer with my wording with her job title. She is obviously a writer, but she is also "publishing and marketing coordinator" (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-scott-286a3168). Ive noticed when she introduces herself that's what she says as opposed to writer. She has written a large amount of whats in SoD for sure, but then so has Andrew. Nobody has used lead writer as a term but she is the only writer that has been mentioned, when we don't really know for sure which parts she's had a hand in. The Goblin companion (that calls your character racist), for example, was definately written by Andrew. The second point was just stating when it was written as some people tend to take it as a response to complaints recently, not something said in the past. I don't dispute the reason they are using the post. EDIT: Oh and as for this part of my last post "I imagine a large portion of SoD was written before Amber even joined the team." I knew someone would try and pick that apart as soon as I wrote it, but no I'm not sure on that and that part isn't fact... All I know is development started in 2012, and Amber joined in 2014. So yeah, I don't know when the bulk of the writing happens, but I imagine the premise of the story was at least already confirmed.

Just going to post a couple of "facts" here. 1. Amber Scott was not "Lead Writer" for SoD, her actual job title is more in line with marketing (hence why she has been in more interviews). Andrew Foley was the other writer on the team that had a significant hand in the games writing. I imagine a large portion of SoD was written before Amber even joined the team. "Maybe her anti-racist goblin will deter me from criticizing labour's immigration policies?" The goblin youre referring to was written by Andrew Foley, not Amber Scott 2. The quote where she says she was proud to write SJW content came from a forum post back in 2015, and is not a response to the so called Dragonspear "controversy". In fact I dont think she has responded on this matter at all since the games release. Though of course she did still say she wanted to write "SJW" games. 3. Ed Greenwood had this to say on the matter: "I am saddened by what I hear of the current kerfluffle raging about Siege of Dragonspear and the trans character Amber Scott designed and included in it. Folks, the Realms have ALWAYS had characters (mortals and deities) who crossdressed, changed gender (and not just to sneak past guards in an adventure, by way of shapeshifting magic or illusions), were actively bisexual, and openly gay. How underscored this was by TSR and later Wizards varied over time, and was always softpedaled, because D&D wasn't a sex game, and we generally don't rub the reader's nose in sex unless there's a good in-story reason for it. But even deities have changed gender, sometimes for good, and the servants of deities (Elminster, in ELMINSTER: THE MAKING OF A MAGE) have sometimes been forced by the deity to "spend time as the other" to learn what life is like. So it has always been there, and is an integral part of the Realms. With that said, I've never met a gamer yet who doesn't tinker with every adventure to "make it their own" at their own gaming table, so if trans, LGBT, or sexual matters at all don't suit your tastes and needs in your gaming sessions, leave it out or change it. But D&D has half-orcs, and half-dragons, and half-elves, and has magic items that specifically change gender, right there in the rules. Surely, if you can handle the basic notion of cross-SPECIES sex, having a full variety of gender roles should be something that doesn't blow your mind. If it's not for you, that's fine. I hate wearing certain shades of yellow. But I don't scream and yell at someone I see wearing those shades of yellow, and call them names, and threaten things. My right to dislike yellow applies to me; it doesn't extend to others. Because somehow, through an incredible oversight on the part of the universe that still hasn't been rectified, no one made me a god. (I'm still crushed.)!" You could argue that if the creator of forgotten realms says trans characters belong in the setting, then no one else has the authority to say they don't. 4. Apparently, the writers were limited on how much they could write for minor characters, hence why Mizhena had so little to her story other than what was there. 5. The character says very little about her actual gender or sex, only that she was born as male.. Nothings indicates that she is or is not using magical items or potions to change her sex.

What sort of attributes would you recommend? Not quite sure whether I want to use the great sword or a sword and shield now, lol.. Will have a think about the ranged weapons too

Alright... I will likely still carry a bow as a secondary weapon depending on the situation but id rather focus on melee just as personal preference. So basically neither the ranger or pet will be "tanky" and I should just be going for more damage with both?

Hi, So Im finally starting PoE and cant decide what class to play, however I was wondering if a ranger could be played in melee effectively. I usually like Greatswords, nut I dont know if this is viable or not? I will likely be playing the game on Hard mode

Well, not every trans person has the same opinion on this topic either you know.. http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/269735/Opinion_The_Siege_of_Dragonspear_drama_and_the_video_game_community.php Well, then why it is an outrageous surprise, that non-trans people might have different oppinions about this matter as well? *mind blown* The differing opinions are not a surprise, and I didn't even say that they were... But considering the actual content in question (three lines by the TG character, and a line by minsc) what has surprised me is how soft skinned some people are, and the extent that they will go to try and bash the game (while not actually talking about the game) and even destroy the livelihoods of the people who created it

Well, not every trans person has the same opinion on this topic either you know.. http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/269735/Opinion_The_Siege_of_Dragonspear_drama_and_the_video_game_community.php

Maybe it's a Bioware thing? The hubris, I mean... I've long settled for opinions which I know reflect my own biases, which works well enough when looking at games. Be sure to tell me if you ever find a truly unbiased opinion, though... I tend to agree with a lot of reviews that gamebanshee does, so that is why I asked... So I suppose I should say "Gamebanshee reflects my own biases for the most part," if you want precise terminology. I didn't ask your opinion, no, but of course youre more than entitled to give it... I for one wont be playing SoD for quite a while, at least until this whole "agenda" thing has blown over... if it ever does

Ive heard there's a bug where it wont stay in legacy of bhaal mode for some reason... Could be that

Are you doing a review on it? Its kinda difficult to find unbiased opinions on this one... There's only two reviews from critics that I can find, and then there's virtually no point in reading user reviews at this moment in time.

Just so you know, Im pretty sure the original games havent been touched... They just meant they tried to expand their personalities in SoD. Just tested, the characters dialogue in BG1EE is exactly the same, the line Hiro is talking about is in SoD only