OnAPaleHorse

Ah the glorious and enduring positivity of Shevek. God bless you Shevek, you are the sunbeams in an otherwise abhorrent wasteland.

Aesthetics: hold down tab, receive magnifying glass icon signifying pertinent interaction. Then interact. It's like the narrative sickness inherent to bumbling around Chicago in Shadowrun Returns. My GOD don't minimize exploration to that. It feels like the designer saying: ignore most of what is going on in this scene, just this one barrel of juniper berries merits attention. I would contrast that to the grave site of Jerrod within the burial isle in Heart of Winter. Lots of writing, lots of character, lots of work. The raw nuances, the build up. And I should add that's not nostalgia glasses talking, since I played through most of IWD and IWD2 and BG2 in Dec-February 2013-2014. Still masterpieces. Apparently still untouchable.

Also define aesthetically, since PoE so far looks and feels fundamentally different than IE games, to me. To give an example, BG2's backgrounds were mostly static. However they felt very much lived-in and dynamic, although technically false. The beta of PoE displays very sterile surroundings, like when Bronson Pinchot steps off the plane in The Langoliers. I don't feel like anyone has been in or around the town for quite some time. It's just a series of minimal interactions. Perhaps Faerun is the intangible, the glut of lore associated with the place.

Whoa whoa, wait....wait....how was Arcanum COMPLETELY dissimilar to BG2? I see many similarities, which has nothing to do with the AD&D license. Just one example: experience from combat, though conscious of the fact that I don't want this to degenerate into a discussion about experience gained from combat.

^ This. And also: just because you don't have an AD&D license doesn't mean you can't incorporate most if not all mechanics and the 'spirit' of tabletop, albeit secretly. Case in point: Arcanum. I felt like Arcanum captured the spirit of BG2 and AD&D rather well. Perhaps intangible?

First of all LOL Secondly, I 100% agree with this man and his sentiments. I was a little surprised and horrified upon booting up the beta....this....is...not....what I expected. Perhaps I didn't really know what to expect....but certainly not this.

only 12 minutes to download. WOOOOOO

Thanks for the update

I only get two more posts today....gotta make em' count! I like how several people in this painting are duel-wielding a pitcher/carafe (undoubtedly made of precious metals) and a sword. If they can't stick you edgewise they can bash your face. I'm voting team red&blue hoodie, they seem to be winning anyway. I'm on my 2nd cup of coffee... I can feel the caffeine molecules coursing through my veins! I feel alert, aware, almost god-like. I NEED THAT BETA MAN!!! I need to be able to channel this energy into something creative, like playing through a piece of art. If I could give a cup of this golden brew to the guy making his way to the OE offices right now I would. That might expedite this process and end this horrible waiting. Immature stream of consciousness NOW: aslkdbetajfioahegnobetaasnvdjaiejfaihndfgbetavlakjfiaowhjrgpajsbetaefiobeta

Wouldn't that be the ultimate punch in the stomach? Anyway I'm trying to hold off on drinking too much coffee because I'm already freaking out a little. Wanting to play SO bad....but I'm sure I'm the only one. The rest of you just mildly want to play, kind of take it or leave it....but me, I REALLY WANT TO START DOWNLOADING THIS BEAST. Give me beta! Gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme! To whoever is supposed to open the OE offices this morning: don't get dressed, wear your jammies to the garage, get in your 1987 Ford Escort, exceed the speed limit to the HQ, don't bother turning the lights on, go directly to your computer thing-ama-jig, flip the switch!!! Green light! Go go go! But seriously, much enthusiasm. Do you know how hard it was to sleep last night? In my feverish imagination I thought everyone was like playing already at 4 a.m.

Well that is good news. I guess one can hope they may expand the beta (which is, from what I understand, within their ability) to include slightly more content as time goes on. And I should add that I do not expect perfection or anything of the sort: it being a beta is forefront in my mind and I feel I have a higher tolerance for bugs and balance than many people. I grew up on the un-patchable games of the late 80s well into the 90s. In some cases bugs and glitches become part of the 'art' and/or fiction of those games (i.e. the strategic use of bullet-hell slowdown). From your name I would guess you are looking forward to any snow or ice tile sets PoE might have to offer? Oh, and it isn't too late to get the beta Silent Winter!! (at least, not the last I checked)

It seems like the greater concern from folks is the preservation of the story (no spoilers) throughout the beta; my primary concern is getting my $25 worth. If it is short and pointless.... yea, it harms the wallet and good faith a little. I'm not watching the videos because, for me, I want the beta to be fun and new. I'm hoping for 4+ hours of content...is that hoping too much? I think I would've just stuck with my original pledge and not purchased beta access separate if the beta is short and sucky. Am I way off base here? From everything I have read the beta is intended to be more than just paying a premium to help the Q&A team slog through the bugs; it's partially supposed to be about playing and enjoying content before the game is released....correct? Anyway, I am a long time follower of Project Eternity, just haven't had much reason to say anything on the forums. Very much enjoyed reading different threads though (i.e. the MEGA threads about armor types).