Definitions in things like common dictionaries especially internet ones are adjusted as people change the usage of a word....I had a college psychology class that spent a major portion on the topic of cults and cultism which is far more accurate than any online dictionary I'm aware of. I know how the word is used but it's wrong....do I REALLY need to clarify that no I won't go killing the world's equivalent of the "cult" of Elvis or the small religious band that believe in the second coming of the candy pooping rainbow unicorn or something? For all intents and purposes the word "cult" has no place in a CRPG outside its proper meaning of a malevolent group.

 

And no I don't need to go investigating the group of teen punk rockers that dress crazy and call themselves a cult....please get serious.

Edited September 24, 201213 yr by Darth Trethon

I'm rather fond of the mysteries that seem bizarre and horrible and plain befuddling, but then lead to someone absurd and clueless (like RIncewind from Discworld) being responsible more or less by accident.

 

Not that I dislike more serious ones.

 

The whole 'skinner murders' thing played out in several places kind of unexpectedly throughout BG2 without really letting you see through the veil, so to speak, which was neat.

Investigation quests can be some of the best in their games when done right. If the writers can make the player think they figured it out themselves and not through the dialog boxes it gives a great feeling.

 

As far as just slaughtering the cult, presumably they do not label the NPCs as evil cultist when the mouse hovers over them.

Definitely hate the labelling of NPCs as evil cultists etc... this is not an ARPG.

 

Besides, as I have reiterated - the evil cult investigation is an EXAMPLE of the type of investigative quests that could be incorporated into the Eternity Project. There is no need to use this if Obsidian finds it to cliche.... We could have other types of investigative quests leading to political rivalries, esponiage and the ilk.

Edited September 24, 201213 yr by agewisdom

I love detective quests. Damn, they can make the whole game like that

Edited September 24, 201213 yr by leshy

Love em'

I love those! It's very rare to see a well planned out quest of that sort in any game, though. The murder investigation quest in the first Witcher was my favourite one by far - not only would the outcome change the plot a bit, you wouldn't know if you did it right or wrong immediately. You'd have a false sense of acomplishment and security if you did a half-assed job during the autopsy.

Yep, the Witcher 1's quest was pretty well planned. You really had to read the journals and pay careful attention to make sure you made the right decisions. That's exactly the type of investigation quests that I'm looking for

Definitions in things like common dictionaries especially internet ones are adjusted as people change the usage of a word....I had a college psychology class that spent a major portion on the topic of cults and cultism which is far more accurate than any online dictionary I'm aware of. I know how the word is used but it's wrong....do I REALLY need to clarify that no I won't go killing the world's equivalent of the "cult" of Elvis or the small religious band that believe in the second coming of the candy pooping rainbow unicorn or something? For all intents and purposes the word "cult" has no place in a CRPG outside its proper meaning of a malevolent group.

 

And no I don't need to go investigating the group of teen punk rockers that dress crazy and call themselves a cult....please get serious.

Bull****. You got your "change of usage" backwards (aside from the crazy fandoms).

 

In its "proper" use cults, sects, religions and spiritual movements are all one and the same, only differing in size at best. All have a varying amount of brainwashing and sacred rights and a mix of bene- and/or malevolence.

 

That in games and pop-culture in general cults are usually evil cults and that whatever class you went to focused on that narrower definition doesn't change the actual meaning of the word. Otherwise there would be no need in almost all of those cults being classified as evil cults. Words can gain new meanings fast, but they lose old ones rather slowly, especially when the new one is merely a narrowing (or broadening) of the original definition.

Edited September 24, 201213 yr by twincast