1 hour ago, kanisatha said:

Thanks!

Could you provide a rundown on the difficulty settings of the game? Does it have anything along the lines of an easy or story mode? And if so, how does that actually impact the game?

There is an easy mode and I am currently playing it. Combat is complicated, with a bunch of different directions to block and attack. I don't love it. Easy mode seems to simplify it a bit. I can just block and attack. I'm only about 5 hours in though, so I don't know if it will get harder or boring. So far it hasn't been combat heavy. Lots of exploring and investigating.

18 minutes ago, Hurlshort said:

There is an easy mode and I am currently playing it. Combat is complicated, with a bunch of different directions to block and attack. I don't love it. Easy mode seems to simplify it a bit. I can just block and attack. I'm only about 5 hours in though, so I don't know if it will get harder or boring. So far it hasn't been combat heavy. Lots of exploring and investigating.

Thanks!

I added it to my wishlist, and have been reading through some of the discussion on the Steam forum and watching some youtube videos. Alongside the timer issue, the combat seems to be the other major concern for people. But if I can make it meaningfully easier on me through the game's difficulty settings, then that will make a difference in whether I buy the game or not.

Btw, the boss I was talking about is named Xanthe. Apparently, you don't necessarily need to fight her, and can instead befriend her. So, there is that. But if you end up fighting her, please share details on that encounter.

16 hours ago, kanisatha said:

Thanks!

I added it to my wishlist, and have been reading through some of the discussion on the Steam forum and watching some youtube videos. Alongside the timer issue, the combat seems to be the other major concern for people. But if I can make it meaningfully easier on me through the game's difficulty settings, then that will make a difference in whether I buy the game or not.

Btw, the boss I was talking about is named Xanthe. Apparently, you don't necessarily need to fight her, and can instead befriend her. So, there is that. But if you end up fighting her, please share details on that encounter.

On Codex there is lots of criticism around the level scaling mechanics , I hate level scaling because of how it undermines immersion and risk vs reward exploration

Mods will remove that when they released

10 hours ago, BruceVC said:

Mods will remove that when they released

Yes, apparently the game is very mod friendly, as people have already created mods to increase/eliminate the various time limits.

They really need to patch the soft locking in Zero Company... Kills the will to play the game. FFS it locks up in the main menu...

Edited yesterday at 07:52 AM1 day by Sarex

Re: Blood Of Dawnwalker (and that supposedly "timer"..)

I sympathize with people disliking elements of a game (be glad if you're not as allergic to markers for everything as I am btw ^^). But this still highlights why I'm barely playing triple-A blockbusters anymore. Numerous mainstream outlets have already highlighted how they've had all the time to explore almost everything (GameStar ran articles and a video, PC Gamer argued they were near invincible after 20 days of 30... calling it a bit tame.)

But more importantly: The moment there's even a tiny bit of friction teased, people panic (or mod it out). Let this sink in: It isn't a game over, as the game carries on. Or a real-time clock ticking. It's just trying to represent the consequences of your (in-)actions. In a way that only a game could do. A book may describe a tragedy. A movie may show a hurry. But only a game could make you find a pile of corpses and realize: "Oh my GOD, if I hadn't wasted the prior 1000 hours on brainlessly farming every question mark on the map, that Ciri girl, er, my family may still be alive!" Hollywood is laughing, with gaming throwing its core advantage away, one formulaic triple-A blockbuster at a time. :D And yeah, rather hesistant to pay premium for ideas that sound grand on paper ("Narrative Sandboxes!") -- but then get nerfed in playtesting to barely matter anyway.


The good thing is that studios that go with the friction can be winning (Warhorse being the most recent example). Whilst those that are desperate to please everyone in the room and heavily compromise, they may suffer (Bioware). After all, these aren't the mid 2000s anymore, where the entire market was gatekept closely by major publishers (and even retail). Similar to music, this is now a heavily fragmented digital one. Where playing it bland now can run the risk of being ignored (in particular if your product isn't a part of an established franchise or studio still riding high). Prior, lawnmower product makers worldwide only had to upload a glitzy trailer -- and hit the launch button.

No more.

Edited yesterday at 12:20 AM1 day by Sven_

Anything with a timer is a hard pass for me. Spirit eater, timer to respond in Alpha Protocal, etc... I want to brainlessly farm every question mark on the map and be ridiculously overpowered by chapter end.

3 hours ago, Gfted1 said:

Anything with a timer is a hard pass for me. Spirit eater, timer to respond in Alpha Protocal, etc... I want to brainlessly farm every question mark on the map and be ridiculously overpowered by chapter end.

Preach!

I can live with action timers, but everything else just makes my brain hurt trying to come up with the best way to cram as much into the game as possible. So, yeah, no. Thanks, but no thanks. Keep your nasty timers. I'll go do every sidequest in Amn and then go looking for Imoen. Bye!