Search the Community

Off hand, I would simply point out that IWD required you to build the party whereas the PoE design team included enough pre-made NPCs to join the PC in creating an entire party. From what I've seen on hard (though not PotD yet), the game is pretty forgiving and you can get by without min-maxing or playing Munchkin (Oh how I hate that term) style. Frankly, on hard at least, I don't even think you need to build your character super well to get by well enough, although you could conceivably build a character sufficiently poorly that you're hosed. Let me be a bit more specific, a good player could take a poor character and win, but people who make poor character builds by accident tend to play those builds even worse than they build them. I'll leave it to our more erudite members to give their input, but no matter what, come back and keep us updated about your progress. :Cant's broad grin icon: EDIT: always with forgetting a single word that changes the entire meaning. :Cant's now *sheepish* grin icon:

I think it's impossible to quantify tastes. Don't get me wrong, you can make reasonable and cogent arguments for why one game is better than another. You can't make a purely logical argument for the simple reason that logic does not dictate tastes. Are there are rational objective statements one can make about art? Sure. Is there any pure logical statements to quantify tastes? I don't believe so. That's why we have such a huge variety of literature, T.V. shows, movies, and music. You might love the complexities of Schoenberg, and I can't deny his genius, but I swear to goodness I would rather listen to a current rendition of the Turkey in the Straw. That said, part of the joy for most of the people here is the lively debate. Debate and discussion is one of the great things about this board. At least that's my opinion based on personal taste. :Cant's wink and grin icon: As for you, oaktown, I was going to take a screenie to show how I deal with trimming quotes, but I'm afraid it will confuse you more than the current system. If you want to use the standard interface, just practice with deleting the standard interface and it will become easier. It's less precise, but I can't imagine anyone will complain at you for making errors. Oh, by the way, Zork is the best computer game franchise, bar none. That, my friends, is a statement of fact... of course. :Cant's big beefy grin icon:

I sometimes leave raiders alone, but I virtually always hunt down and kill off slavers completely. I mean, I might let the underlings go, but the people in charge I will find and I will end. Sometimes, if I take a real disliking to someone I view as truly evil, I'll kill 'em anyway. Generally, even if I really don't like someone in a game, I don't go out of my way to fight him. I didn't want to kill off the monks, but for roleplaying purposes, I decided to remove the order. That would be true regardless of everything else. Whether or not the alternative was entirely bad. There was the 'twist,' but I didn't know that at the time and the other 'twist' convinced me that, as well intentioned as they were, it had to be the way it ended. Wasteland does a good job of making a harsh world pretty campy and funny. It's grittyesque in a sort of grin and chuckle sort of way that I enjoy. I to agree, my Hiroic friend. A lot of the anti-per kill XP crowd does seem to have a bit o' the bloodthirst. However, I think the point of not having kill XP is that your motives are pure. You just want to smite the hell out of everything in sight to show off your badassedness. Hell, leave the gear on the rotting bodies because you. don't. even. care. about. that. Not my particular play style, but you have to admit there's something almost admirable to the commitment. :Cant's bemused grin icon:

Don't get me wrong, Somna. I understand the underlying idea. It's not like I can't comprehend the point. It's that I reject it. On the other hand, I've had my say and there doesn't seem to be any more to add at the moment. I still hope they break out of the trend, but if the majority of folks want to stick with something familiar, I guess that shows the true power of belief. It doesn't make it true, but it can sure as hell influence the devs, can't it? :Cant's wry grin icon: Anyhow, no hard feelings. I'll take my lumps like everyone else when it comes to design, but I'm still going to push it as long as it's up for grabs. That's my own particular power of belief. :Cant's **** eating grin icon:

If someone truly personally attacks you or breaks the forum guidelines in some clearly offensive way, you should always feel free to report a post. However, the brevity of an answer is not proof, in and of itself, of trolling. In fact, while I haven't read every single sentence, this thread seems a pretty good example of folks having wildly different views and expressing themselves vigorously without crossing over into outright personal attacks. A member disagreeing with you, however terse or short, is simply not a reportable offense. Folks are free to make good and bad arguments on behalf of their convictions and, if you guys are like me, you probably have at least a smidge of both. /public service announcement I actually typed out a long response, but now that I've had to go all moderator, I don't want to appear to take sides. :Cant's bemused grin icon:

This made me smile. Just can't get away from the comparisons. Avellone, PS:T, and a sales pitch to ol' skool RPGers? I just hope we get another great project from him sometime down the road.. Of course, I also want more PoE. :Cant's huge grin icon:

Just incorrigible. :Cant's shaking his head with a bemused grin icon: Still, taking away the wireless mini game, I think the basic idea of populating the stronghold and fleshing out things like the quests and visitors is a good idea. I think I saw somewhere that Sawyer confirmed a change naming the side quests something a little more substantial than 'average quest.' ...But I guess the wireless idea would be one way to make me finally take the plunge and play a game on my phone. <.<

Just bite me! :Cant's good-natured snarky icon: ... I will, if you really really want me to Eldar.... *Next* time, super Cal. :Cant's expansive grin icon:

For build advice, you should try out the builds forum. I'm going to move the thread there and leave a placeholder here so you can get some advice from the grognards in both places. :Cant's sly grin icon: I would make suggestions, but I tend to prefer magic for my major dpsers so far on my runs. I will say that damage bypass is da bomb, but having two different types of damage is sweet in order to get around the immunities big K mentions.

hahaha It turns out my GoG account is also under Cantousent. So, I just purchased collections 1, 2, and 3. I would say I'd grief you if it disappoints, but I plan on having fun and, anyhow, I'm stingy. My decisions are my decisions and only *I* get credit or blame for them. :Cant's tongue in cheek grin icon: EDIT: and it occurs to me that I'm being bad about going off topic. Clearly, I'm happy that PoE has been selling well. I'm pretty much a shoe in for joining the kickstarter for the next campaign, although perhaps not for the same tier. I don't mind folks voicing their opinions, but sometimes the folks coming online just to be cheerleaders against the game if not outright haters can be a drag. Still, even if I disagree with much of their pool of suggestions, I suppose that there is some good in at least considering different ideas.

I haven't participated in the thread because I don't want to appear to take sides in all the troll accusations flying around, but the one thing that strikes me as being unreasonable is for folks to lump all of the IE together for comparisons. Now, I don't want to cite anyone by name, but I have to point out that there have been folks on both sides who've taken bites out of the same apple in this regard. For my part, I just can't see making Pillars of Eternity measure up (or down) in every way to every IE title. I also think that it's probably not unreasonable to compare PoE to the IE games generally, but the primary comparison should be to BG1. This is the first title and some things will be ironed out in subsequent releases. Some of those things ironed out will probably royally piss off folks who actually liked things the way they are. That's already happened. I, for example, don't like the idea of immunities. On the other hand, I just started a new run with the goal of working through White March, so I haven't faced immunities as of yet. I just try to play the game with as fresh a mind as possible without prejudging the way something will work without at least playing. I will say this, there are members (and that's plural on purpose) who really dug in and suggested a lot of things for the game. I respect all of these members, some of whom succeeded in their advocacy and some who didn't. However, I'm pretty happy with the things Obsidz decided to do. In a lot of cases, I think the things some folks suggested that didn't make it into the game would not have made the game substantially better during actual gameplay (as opposed to theory) but would have made the game substantially different. I know some folks have hit these topics already and I didn't quote them. That wasn't to deny them credit. Merely to avoid citing individuals in a highly charged thread. Also, I don't think I can post without at least exhorting folks to respect one another. Be gentle. Attack arguments, not persons. Be charitable in assessing opposing statements. No one has reported anything from this thread, which is great. It does seem to be a little testy and far too personal at times, but folks still seem to be making arguments and addressing each other's points, even if they're addressing each other's personalities a little too much. Hopefully, when you guys attack one another, you do it with a grin and the other person reads it in the same way. Anyhow, that's the end of my typical Cant sermon about playing nice. EDIT: what a difference one 'not' makes.

How about the new Pathfinder card game you guys are making right now? :Cant's angelic grin icon: I can see the way it would go now: GSG: "I'm going to school ya!" MD: "Get ready for some treatment!"

I don't know 'bout weed, as I've never taken any illicit drugs, but I love my booze. Sadly, I was put on antibiotics yesterday and can't drink. I'm also in some discomfort and unable to sleep more than 15 minutes at a time before the angry ol' infection wakes me, so I'm on vicadin. Now, to be straight about it, vicadin is in no danger of taking over my sweet spot for slow liver failure. Loves me some beer, wine, and spirits. ...And, if it weren't for the antibiotics, I think I would have been able to throw down some demon rum and get a little shut-eye. I've had only bits and pieces of sleep over the past 45 hours. However, I'm actually in good spirits. Getting a little goofy at the moment, and perhaps a wee bit punch drunk, but still counting myself lucky. Probably good to give my liver a break anyway. :Hearty grin icon:

I went ahead and approved the post for you, lowestOne, and I can sympathize. However, 'bitch' has found increasing acceptance in popular culture, including television. It's not even filtered in this forum. However, you are correct in that there is a forum language filter. That's because I believe Obsidz thinks of this forum as a resource for a larger and more inclusive community while the games are more creative and intended for somewhat more mature players. That's my guess. I just go where I'm told and stand around until I'm told to do something. :Cant's wry grin icon: However, keep advocating for your position. It's healthy and you never know when you might make headway towards your goal.

I just finished a big project and now I'll have a little time this week to complete Dragonfall finally. It's such a great game, although it seems a little heavy handed with current day movement references to sexuality and the like. Not enough to put me off, just often enough to make me grin and roll my eyes. I mean, some people are straight also, right? lol ...But it's a great game and it definitely does lend it that European sort of self congratulatory cosmopolitanism. Got a kick out of the subtle slap at the US for using the atom bomb. Actually, I thought that was well done. Didn't agree with the implication about the US, but they did a good job with it. Unless it really tanks in what must be the last bit coming up, this is one I can see playing again.

Damn it, I didn't get to see the end. I'm in the precarious position of having to choose between my headset, whereupon I can't hear my wife, or my speakers, whereupon I'm forced to sign off. lol Still, what I saw was funny. I need try to condition the wife not to be irritated listening to the chat. I looked up SOMA, and I might pick it up, but I'm actually jonesin' for that title at the end of the last run. The one where they were all stuck in some sort of winter lodge with bad folk hunting them. I swear, this isn't just the booze talkin'! :Cant's diminished capacity grin icon:

Like my TrueNeutral friend and all the other mods, I'm a volunteer. I'm the newest and least important moderator. ...And, to top it off, I can be a royal pain. So, not working for Obsidz, I'm not defending it. I have had some harsh words for and about the company over the years, so don't take this as an apology for folks that don't even employ me. More to the point, this isn't a warning, an admonition, or even an attempt to shut anyone up. Hell, I think folks should complain about stuff on these boards. Unless people use profanity or personally attack another member (and I don't care if the other member is a dev, a mod, or some poor schmuck like I've been most of the time in these forums), I'm all for letting folks vent frustration or rage. I can understand the fear that this game could end up as vaporware. After all, it's been in development for some time, an eternity compared to some games and the quicker pace and turn around of some projects. So, I kind of worry if I'm going to end up disappointed also. ...But, as a gamer and a consumer, I've seen a lot of projects come and go over the years. I was heartbroken when Van Buren was canceled and, I will say with utmost drama queen fervor, I literally felt like I'd lost a beloved girl friend when the Black Hound got the chop. That was Black Isle Studios and Interplay. I complained bitterly about Van Buren. I remember posting at one point about how the latest news had pretty much made me throw in the towel on the project. I also recall vividly the response one of the developers made, one who would find himself unemployed not soon thereafter. He laughed. He was right to laugh at me. I was jonesin' for a game. He lost his job. Like I said, keep givin' 'em hell. That's all cool. I mean, I figure folks here are griping because they *want* the game to succeed. They want it to succeed, be done, be good, and work to start on the xpac or sequel. ...But I'm also saying keep in mind that the designers who actually come here probably *can't* say more than they do. Their jobs might depend on it. Now, because I stuck my head out and got preachy, I'll not take it personally if you grief me over it. :Cant's loosening his collar with a worried grin icon:

Sounds good. You and GSG can wow us with your gaming prowess and we can make goofy comments from the gallery. Life. is. good! Actually, there were several members of the Obsidz clan who were having fun. That one haunted house game was pretty damned funny with Michieee getting folks hammered at one shot a scream! heh heh heh Who woulda thought watching someone else playing a video game could be entertaining? :Cant's bemused grin icon:

bwahahaha 'Strawnir' That was laugh out loud funny. I'm afraid I'm going to have to miss watching the new Star Wars film in the theater. For me, it was Jar Jar Binx. Ruined the franchise for me. I'll wait for it to come to bluray and then rent it. ...But, just to slap a target on my back, I don't like either Star Trek or Star Wars. Star Wars was great sci-fantasy, fun without being too serious or complicated. Perfect for my... eight? nine year old mind when it came out? Then the prequel decided to explain The Force which immediately turned it into The Farce. The best thing about the prequels was the job McGregor did as Obi-Wan Kenobi. Star Trek is commie utopian fluff. There's no other way to put it. Luckily, while the premise is laughable, the writers have *never* taken the commie leanings seriously and write stories that more or less revolve around people who clearly don't live in the utopian society that is technically the back-drop for the Star Trek universe. Okay, so I'm a moderator, but I know how folks feel about Star Trek and Star Wars and insulting them is fightin' words. So, I promise I won't be angry or put anyone on moderated status for going after me. Just keep profanity to a minimum (well... none really) and it's all good. :Cant's equable grin icon: ...And, just as a disclaimer, I actually do enjoy some Star Wars and Star Trek stuff every now and then. I just don't take them seriously enough to earn my techno nerd chops. EDIT: lol my wife read what I posted and now she's actually angry with me.

Good Lord, my manifested friend, you've gone stalker on us! :Cant's slap on the shoulder grin icon:

Sensuki does sometimes come on a bit strong, but he did back the game and he put in a lot of work on it. I don't agree with everything he says, but he does have the right to vent a little. Hell, I pretty much think everyone should have the chance to air grievances, backers and non-backers and even folks who haven't played. I have to admit that I don't take arguments made by folks who haven't played quite as seriously. :Cant's broad grin icon: lol However, I agree with Tigranes about the fact that all games, once you get to know them, become rote after a bit. Hell, I loved mage battles in the IE games, but talk about a heavily formulaic dance between magic users! Not an excuse complacency, though.

:Cant's Big Fat Greek Wedding accent: Math come from Greek word manthano meaning 'come to understand.' In the perfect tense, you've come to understand and therefore you know. I could go on and on about this, but folks would probably find it pretty boring. I do run into the word quite a bit as the stem forms the root for a variety of words. I guess you could say that math comes from the noun, but I think the verb predates the noun in Ancient Greek, although I'm too lazy to go look. Most notably for me recently, in Koine the word for Jesus' disciples formed from the same stem, although the meaning has become more specialized. The question about whether or not math existed before the study of math? Hmmm Strictly the speaking, one must assume the things enumerated, explained, or otherwise abstractly manipulated must have existed before people, but math as an abstract idea is a human construct, so it may be a chicken and egg argument. :Cant's easy grin icon: Anyhow, I find these discussions interesting. Kind of weird how threads mutate to these topics. As for the original question, I'm going to restart my hard game soon. I played through on normal and about halfway through on hard when real life took precedence. I have a little time coming in a few weeks and I plan on hitting the game again. I want to do a hard run and then go to PotD. I just hope the tweaking for balance's sake is over soon so I don't have to rethink things in the middle of my PotD run.

lol now we can take offense at your offense. okay okay, we've all been reading into things too much. :Cant's crooked grin icon: Fair enough. I figure, as far as logical and authentic seeming answers, aweigh has had the best responses, but it still comes down to whether or not Obsidz will pop in to let us know, which they have no obligation to do. Otherwise, I figure we can all just speculate. After all, this is the interwebs. It's what we do.

I don't know about anyone else, but I was never trying to convince you, Heijoushin. The problem is, no one seems to have a purely logical reason for why the hatchet has a deflection value. There might not be one. Unless and until one of the devs comes in to give a more or less official answer, speculation will be all we have. ...But I don't think anyone means disrespect. We're just discussing the issue that you broached. My point about the utility of the hatchet wasn't that it started out as a tool and therefore could block. Rather, it was from the angle that, just because it serves as a tool does not mean that it doesn't function very well as a weapon and could *not* block. The relationship between utility and blocking wasn't causal. It might have utility as a tool but nevertheless have utility as a weapon and one such utility *might* be deflection, but I don't know. At any rate, I gladly give opinions. All the time. I don't know that they mean much, but I seem to have a bag of infinite holding that contains nothing but personal opinions. :Cant's wry grin icon:

Most weapons evolved from utility outside of combat and that utility tends to predate its use as a weapon. Spears were for hunting. Axes for chopping wood. Pole arms for pruning trees, especially in orchards and the like. Even daggers have utility outside of combat. Hell, while I don't carry a 'dagger' on hikes, you can rest assured I take a more or less equivalent length knife with me and, like folks throughout the centuries, I find having a relatively short, sharp blade quite useful. I don't deny that sometimes those weapons looked wildly different from the original functional tools, but they still reflect their history. Take swords and battle axes. Hell, take some of the crazy assed pole arms from the so called middle ages. As far as why the hatchet carries a deflection bonus, that's a good question. Njall had a pretty good point about game balance, although I would contend that tomahawks are quite marshal in nature. A hatchet tends to be a term that we use for the tool, and I would agree that the game tends to emphasize the utility aspect in the description, but they're basically small battle axes. ...But all this sounds kind of argumentative as I read over it, and that's not my intention. I'm also curious myself if it's just balance or if there's some historical basis for the deflection attribute. Maybe it's like our Zenbane friend here says and it has to do more with it's speed and construct being more useful for 'deflection' or some such, although I'm sure I understood that completely. Not uncommon as I get older, I'm afraid. :Cant's sheepish grin icon: