XBOX360 Demo Impressions

[Matt-C]

You Obsidian fanbois

no no no, I meant the "play the character through only once" and "not able to save progress on someone else's game" stuff. how the hell do you save a character on another person's console anyway? and how do you expect to join someone mid-game in that case? with your lvl 20 char, when the host is 10. wait for someone to pop up who's at exactly the same place in the game as you?

 

and what's that "play only once" thing? even Diablo forced players to start new characters if on the same difficulty level. besides, it doesn't tie in with the rest of the game.

 

That is how ARPG's are, and how the first two Dungeon Sieges were. Not the wait for the other person to be up to the same point, you could go back and help them.

 

Diablo multiplayer you could go through the game as many times as you want with the same character.

 

It's a terrible way to handle any kind of multiplayer. Obsidian should of saved themselves the shame and kept this singleplayer.

you a 90's kid, aren't you? have you ever played any consoles other than xbox360, Wii or PS3? Nintendo 64 sounds familiar? Dreamcast? PS2 at least? that's how console games were before xbox live? split-screen or shared screen, game saved to a memory card or a similar devise, you can't have your character unless it's on your machine. you have it easy now.

 

and it's not like it should've always stayed that way. it's great that people today can connect via internet and play console games. but don't expect a game like that to mimic Battle.net

 

Why refer to an age were these games were created like that due to technical limitations of the time? It makes no sense. I started gaming in the early SNES days era... So complete lol to your reference to N64... Are you trying to say that Dungeon Siege 3 should not take advantage of the advancement of technology and rather simulate a game of the 80/90s for no other reason than for the sake of it?

 

Dungeon Siege did a pretty damn good job at creating a great online experience, now 10 years later, why can't it's sequel? Oh that's right because MR know it all believes we should mimic games of the 80s because the kids of today just have it too easy.

Edited June 2, 2011 by Gorth
Lets try again without the name calling

[Renevent]

Here's what I don't get...in this article they make it sound like we will have persistent characters:

 

http://destructoid.com/obsidian-explains-d...ns-195120.phtml

 

Recently, our minds were boggled by the news that Dungeon Siege III wouldn't offer experience points to co-op players, removing a pretty significant incentive one might have for joining another character's game. We recently chatted with Obsidian about it, and found out you do get XP ... for a dedicated co-op character.

 

"Dungeon Siege III

[Matt-C]

Here's what I don't get...in this article they make it sound like we will have persistent characters:

 

http://destructoid.com/obsidian-explains-d...ns-195120.phtml

 

Recently, our minds were boggled by the news that Dungeon Siege III wouldn't offer experience points to co-op players, removing a pretty significant incentive one might have for joining another character's game. We recently chatted with Obsidian about it, and found out you do get XP ... for a dedicated co-op character.

 

"Dungeon Siege III

[Tigranes]

Your loot and experience IS saved to your multiplayer characters. The limitation is that those characters can't be moved to different games, they just exist in the particular game.

 

Matt-C, you don't like what Obsidian did with DS3 MP, we get it. What's the point saying the exact same thing 38 times in 2 days in every single thread? Criticism's fine, but you're not going to make anyone agree with you by yelling into their ear every 5 minutes.

[Xiaolin]

Dungeon crawlers will always be judged on the MP. ALWAYS. So understanding this what the hell is Obsidian thinking?? It would have been better if they had just made it an action/rpg and ditched MP altogether. This is the same as if Sacred/Diablo had come out with lousy MP. Just plain terrible decision to put this game out in this condition.

[Matt-C]

Dungeon crawlers will always be judged on the MP. ALWAYS. So understanding this what the hell is Obsidian thinking?? It would have been better if they had just made it an action/rpg and ditched MP altogether. This is the same as if Sacred/Diablo had come out with lousy MP. Just plain terrible decision to put this game out in this condition.

I think the obvious answer is: Obsidian weren't thinking.

[MonkeyLungs]

Last tme I checked DA:O was the only game with unique beginnings for each character, so I don't get how DS3's one fixed start would be a bad decision.

 

Sacred 2 says HI.

 

 

I don't know why they decided to do an action rpg with more focus on the story than the core gameplay and multiplayer.

sorry about having quoted you, this isn't directed at you, but at every DS fan out there. this seems to be a common misconception.

 

1) the original Dungeon Siege was a mediocre game, that appealed to those gamers, that tend to play anything that "lasts" (and for all the wrong reasons), no matter how bad it is. fact

 

2) Dungeon Siege 2 was a piece of trash that only got picked up by said gamers. fact

 

3) Obsidian tries to save the franchise (not their original intention of course, they're trying to exploit your weaknesses), and you start to go on about how they're ruining a "great concept". pah-lease

 

there was no core gameplay. Diablo 2 had core gameplay. neither of DS did.

 

and coming here saying that the ability to play over the Net is more important than story and proper implementation of RPG mechanics - just makes you people look like fools, seriously.

 

haven't played the demo, and I don't need to in order to see flaws in your argumentation. at least think a little before posting, sheesh.

 

Well you quoted me so I am just going to state very clearly. I did not mention dungeon siege 1 or 2 in my posts. The great concept they are ruining is the concept of robust, highly varied multiplayer in an action rpg with players allowed to have persistent saves of THEIR character so they play drop in drop out co-op with THEIR character with rasndom people OR friends over PSN, Xbox Live or using their PC. It doesnb't have to become any more complicatecd than that.

[MonkeyLungs]

Hey sorophyx:

 

Dreamcast had online gameplay. PSO anyone??? Way ahead of its time. Um it also had a web browser which my Xbox 360 doesn't even have.

[UndeadLegacy]

Nuff said

[tangmcgame]

Dungeon crawlers will always be judged on the MP. ALWAYS. So understanding this what the hell is Obsidian thinking?? It would have been better if they had just made it an action/rpg and ditched MP altogether. This is the same as if Sacred/Diablo had come out with lousy MP. Just plain terrible decision to put this game out in this condition.

 

Says you. However, the success of Torchlight disagrees with your claim.

 

Also, UndeadLegacy said what I'm thinking.

Edited June 2, 2011 by tangmcgame

[MonkeyLungs]

Torchlight is not a 60 dollar SKU ...

[MonkeyLungs]

Just to not be such a negative nancy. The dungeons and enemy variety and quest C&C and loot could turn this into a fun single player title. The character level up system seemed quite cool.

[sorophx]

Dungeon Siege did a pretty damn good job at creating a great online experience, now 10 years later, why can't it's sequel?

because DS wasn't a console game?

 

Um it also had a web browser

so did PS2, that's not my point.

[blueboykc]

Dungeon crawlers will always be judged on the MP. ALWAYS. So understanding this what the hell is Obsidian thinking?? It would have been better if they had just made it an action/rpg and ditched MP altogether. This is the same as if Sacred/Diablo had come out with lousy MP. Just plain terrible decision to put this game out in this condition.

I think the obvious answer is: Obsidian weren't thinking.

just my opinion here but im betting they were thinking..thinking that the way they did it was a lot easier to develop. a lot of it just seems like they didnt want to do the work maybe due to time or money i dunno..but the mp thing and the cut scene thing just seem lazy and cheap to me..the more and more i think about it the more pissed off i get that they are trying to pass this off as a $60 game when its looking more and more like a $15 xbox live game..

[sorophx]

just my opinion here but im betting they were thinking..thinking that the way they did it was a lot easier to develop. a lot of it just seems like they didnt want to do the work maybe due to time or money i dunno..but the mp thing and the cut scene thing just seem lazy and cheap to me..the more and more i think about it the more pissed off i get that they are trying to pass this off as a $60 game when its looking more and more like a $15 xbox live game..

you're talking about SquareEnix, right? because they are the ones calling the shots.

[blueboykc]

just my opinion here but im betting they were thinking..thinking that the way they did it was a lot easier to develop. a lot of it just seems like they didnt want to do the work maybe due to time or money i dunno..but the mp thing and the cut scene thing just seem lazy and cheap to me..the more and more i think about it the more pissed off i get that they are trying to pass this off as a $60 game when its looking more and more like a $15 xbox live game..

you're talking about SquareEnix, right? because they are the ones calling the shots.

could be..but someone made some bad decisions and its gonna cost them im afraid..

[blackspear]

I've been playing the Demo and I have mixed impressions about Multiplayer/Singleplayer.

 

Singleplayer gameplay is fine, well implemented on consoles format. Combat speed is ok, as well as the graphics. Animations look fine too, but a little bit out-dated. As the demo is too short I cannot judge the story line, but the way it is done seems quite similar to other Obsidian's games, which I think is good. I really don't like how the inventory is managed, but I suppose is a need in the console's format.

 

However, if you are fan of the original DS's, you will feel quite a bit dissapointed. The game seems to be absolutely different to the first and second editions of the series. For some it will be better, for others, worse. But do not expect a "Dungeon Siege" as it is no more.

 

Singleplayer's demo is, for me, a 7,5/10. Good game but not epic or "classic".

 

Multiplayer has deeply dissapointed me. I was prepared fot it as I was well informed on how Obsidian has planned it to be in DS3, but is even worse in the real game. The fact which made me play DS1 for months was, in my opinionion, the amazing MP gaming it had. I really loved exploring that huge map, which made me feel I was really travelling with friends (people who I knew in-live and others who I met from another countries) in a kind of epic journey. I really enjoyed the way it was planned, although we all know it had some terrible problems like character progression and a quite repetitive combat system.

 

Being unable to personalize your character (name, body, etc) is completely oppossite to the way it was thought in the previous games. However, what makes MP gameplay reallly bad for me is the format Obsidian has bet for: the host saves the game, you don't have a "personal" character, moreover it is just the part of a plot that, after leaving the game, you will never continue unless you know the host. Guys, this kills MP completely.

 

 

I would probably give it a try (PC version), but I advise DS fans will be terribly dissapointed. I think the demo will make no good to Obsidian as they are going to lose a lot of sells from the fan base.

[sorophx]

I think the demo will make no good to Obsidian as they are going to lose a lot of sells from the fan base.

if there are no royalties involved, and Obsidian isn't publishing the game, this will actually be a good thing. it's an independent company, they don't need the "DS fan base". if people can't appreciate their games for what they are, nobody's going to try and hold these people

[Pidesco]

How big is Dungeon Siege 1 and 2's fanbase, anyway? Isn't it tiny on account of the games not being particularly well received?

[C2B]

I would probably give it a try (PC version), but I advise DS fans will be terribly dissapointed. I think the demo will make no good to Obsidian as they are going to lose a lot of sells from the fan base.

 

 

We'll see. There is also a huge base who didn't really like the gameplay of the first two DS games where Obsidian can draw from. Its too early for sales predictions anyway. Also it will not lose all DS Fans. Draganta, whos also a long time DS Fan, quite likes it.

Edited June 2, 2011 by C2B

[blackspear]

Yeah, if the game is good enough it doesn't need a Fan base (particularly DS one which is, as you noted, not big), as you have said, to be a good-seller.

 

Although this is not uncompatible with the statement I made. I think they are going to lose probably 85% of the fan base, and doing so, if I were the Obsidian chief designer I would seriously think if what I have made is right, or "loyal" to the name of the game.

 

You must not forget the game is called Dungeon Siege 3, not "Generic fantastic name: First Edition". That's what I'm talking about, it is Dungeon Siege no more. BUT, as I have said, if the singleplay gameplay is fine, it would be another good RPG game. But just forget it is named DS or it has a nice MP.

[ShadowScythe]

Square Enix expects 1 mill sales (don't have the source on me but it was posted on the forums here a while back). It's not too high so hopefully that threshold is reached, given that Squeenix appears to be one of the few publishers that hasn't treated Obsidian like crap I'd like for that to actually pay off.

[sorophx]

Squeenix appears to be one of the few publishers that hasn't treated Obsidian like crap

heh, GRIN's history with Square makes it hard to see it as a "good publisher"

[C2B]

Yeah, if the game is good enough it doesn't need a Fan base (particularly DS one which is, as you noted, not big), as you have said, to be a good-seller.

 

Although this is not uncompatible with the statement I made. I think they are going to lose probably 85% of the fan base, and doing so, if I were the Obsidian chief designer I would seriously think if what I have made is right, or "loyal" to the name of the game.

 

You must not forget the game is called Dungeon Siege 3, not "Generic fantastic name: First Edition". That's what I'm talking about, it is Dungeon Siege no more. BUT, as I have said, if the singleplay gameplay is fine, it would be another good RPG game. But just forget it is named DS or it has a nice MP.

 

Its still connected to Dungeon Siege in multiple ways though. That you can associate a game ONLY with the gameplay is a little... biased and must not hold true for all fans of a series.

 

Edit: Also again, DSII was already plenty different in that regard.

Edited June 2, 2011 by C2B

[C2B]

Squeenix appears to be one of the few publishers that hasn't treated Obsidian like crap

heh, GRIN's history with Square makes it hard to see it as a "good publisher"

 

And from what we've seen. Yes, Square Enix treated Obsidian well.

 

Also there is a difference between the Branch of Squee that was in Europe when the GRIN contract began and the one now.

Edited June 2, 2011 by C2B