Update #65: Ciphers

[Morgulon the Wise]

 

• Mind Wave - The cipher violently intrudes into an enemy's mind, Stunning the target (attacks Psyche) and generating a cone of concussive force behind him or her that can knock down anyone in its path (attacks Fortitude).
• Psychovampiric Shield - The cipher drains Intellect from enemies and uses it to temporarily increase his or her Deflection. The increase in the cipher's Deflection is dependent on how much Intellect he or she successfully drains from victims (attacks Psyche).

 

This looks like a soul tick to me --> mindwaving/stunning an opponent, shielding oneself, sticking to them.

 

From what I have read a cipher can be a very defensive fighter who is centered on a 1 on 1 fight. Ciphers could be devastating against monks (no real damage for their abilities) and would gain a lot if they would have ways to regenerate or suck stamina and health.

 

I'd like to play one.

[mstark]

Lovely, lovely lore.

@JFSOCC,
I agree with your critique of the environment, I pulled up the original PE screenshot for comparison, and it's more densely populated by foliage. I think the quality of the trees (leaves) is miles better in the new screenshot, though. I hope we'll see areas similar to this dense forest area in a Robin Hood game.

I also find that the stones look decidedly computer generated, compared to the art style of the rest of the world. I know they're meant to stand out, I don't mind their textures, but their general shapes are recognizably computer generated.

I also hope we'll see some awesome way of exploring dense forests with trees that are 25-100 meters tall (where the trees are so large the go beyond the visible screen), as opposed to the 4-10m trees we've seen so far. Might be hard in parallel projection.

 

Finally, I hope we'll see urban areas that can rival the quality of those in Commandos 2.

 

I might be alone about this, but, to this day, I still don't think any 2D game has ever rivalled the graphics of Commandos 2. This. Is. Incredible.

[Malekith]

Will a Cipher PC be able to use his mind tricks outside of combat? Something like Force Persuade in KOTOR2, and being able to find/track souls in the game or something?

[JFSOCC]

Josh commented a while back that he played and enjoyed commandos, which I'll take as a good sign

And yes, incredible. I also loved the mission where you had to help the Ghurkas and rescue the holy man, maybe my favourite commandos mission ever. It proves that urban environments in isometric games can be rich and detailed.

[Tuckey]

@mstark I agree with you about Commandos 2 graphics. It's a shame more people don't appreciate them. I think the stone's site is regularly visited looking at the flattened grass, unless their is a phantom gardener who loves mowing the lawn. Good call on the dense and tall trees, that would be interesting and unique for this type of rpg.

[Sabotin]

Well, the mechanics for the cypher look very fun for the most part (that echo thing has the potential to be hilarious to watch even).

 

The spider people look interesting, too, though I'm generally not really a fan of animal people. The fingers make it seem like it would be hard to use utensils, but I guess they use their own variations. I probably don't want to ask what those protrusions on their chests are.

 

The nature shot I like. I don't find it negative for it to be reminiscent of BG1. The simpler environment makes the place seem more a part of the world instead of part of the area.

 

I do have some questions about the lore though. Will it be expanded upon why these stones were broken? It seems like a lot of effort for no reason. And secondly, what's the relationship between psyche and soul, because they are used almost interchangeably in this update. Does being a psion make you able to manipulate other souls or vice versa? Either way it would probably have implications for other classes.

 

And that purple glow really made me chuckle. Would it be so bad if cyphers weren't instantly recognizable? Is that the only function it has?

[GhoulishVisage]

It looks like we finally found out what a Watcher is. That's been a niggling little question on my mind ever since the countdown screen.

 

"This world wants to drag us down, it does. It made you a Watcher.
No one asks for that. And the weight, that guilt they want to hang around my neck, you don't have to carry it one more step.
You think they won't let you rest but it's not up to them, it never was."

And at the end of the KS video: "No rest for the Watcher."

 

Concerning the Vithrack, is that thing on the front of it's chest is a web-spinning organ?

 

I personaly really dont like this creature. If its spider-arachnid like it missing legs. And why should insectoind have high psychic powers? sounds akward and unbeliveable to me. At least make them bees like with hive mind or something like that.

This is a very strange complaint. Why should an octopus (Illithid) have psychic powers or a hive-mind either?
Who's to say that the Vithrack have a hive-mind at all?

[WorstUsernameEver]

Psyche is one of the four defenses which also include deflection, reflexes and fortitude.

 

As far as I can tell "psyche" isn't used from a lore perspective in the update.

[Greensleeve]

Fantastic update! Lovely to see the lore and mechanics of the Cipher class. Terribly excited to play now, though I still want to play as a fighter the first time around. Looking forward to seeing more. 

[Sensuki]

Lovely, lovely lore.

 

@JFSOCC,

I agree with your critique of the environment, I pulled up the original PE screenshot for comparison, and it's more densely populated by foliage. I think the quality of the trees (leaves) is miles better in the new screenshot, though. I hope we'll see areas similar to this dense forest area in a Robin Hood game.

 

I also find that the stones look decidedly computer generated, compared to the art style of the rest of the world. I know they're meant to stand out, I don't mind their textures, but their general shapes are recognizably computer generated.

 

It's probably a Wilderness area from the Prototype.

 

[mstark]

The green grass texture looks quite blurry, as if a lower resolution texture was stretched to cover the area, or even intentionally blurred, before being applied.

 

The texture on the stones could do with displacement/bump maps, for the dark lines not to look so flat. Actually, since it's all pre-rendered, go wild with the displacement maps! It adds actual depth to an otherwise flat texture. No idea if the software you use supports it, I've used it with v-ray for architectural renders: http://www.vray.com/vray_for_sketchup/manual/displacement_in_vray_for_sketchup.shtml.

[Ineth]

+1 to what mstark said.

 

The ground (grass/dirt texture) and rocks in that picture look like they could be from a screenshot of a real-time rendered 3D game.

 

I thought one of the benefits of going pre-rendered, is so you can add more detail / "grittiness" / "irregularity" to the backgrounds than what would be possible in real-time 3D.

Edited October 2, 2013 by Ineth

[pseudonymous]

The green grass texture looks quite blurry, as if a lower resolution texture was stretched to cover the area, or even intentionally blurred, before being applied.

 

The texture on the stones could do with displacement/bump maps, for the dark lines not to look so flat. Actually, since it's all pre-rendered, go wild with the displacement maps! It adds actual depth to an otherwise flat texture. No idea if the software you use supports it, I've used it with v-ray for architectural renders: http://www.vray.com/vray_for_sketchup/manual/displacement_in_vray_for_sketchup.shtml.

 

The current displacement on the rocks is fine, it's the diffuse map that needs work... the Aqua-to-violet gradient doesn't look right.  If it is supposed to be algae, it's way off:

 

[Sensuki]

If you zoom right in you can see the jpeg distortion.

 

The original screenshot grass looks much worse, although I think it was done way before they optimized their rendering method.

 

But sure I'll also agree that it's not "the most organic" that it could look, but it's still a step up on Icewind Dale I guess.

 

If we're going to be real nitpicky, there's only three tree models used in that screenshot

 

Baldur's Gate grass in comparison is a bit 'grainy'. I definitely have Baby Duck syndrome though when it comes to original IE.

 

 

The area most thinly populated by trees that is a Forest tile in BG1 is probably Peldvale, and here they have some patches with a tree here or there like the Adra screenshot, but the clumping is IMO a bit more realistic.

 

 

Who knows, the Glanfathans may have 'procured' the Forest that way, or a lot of the trees were cut down by Dyrwoodans ?

[Rabain]

I wouldn't be overly worried about the screenshot.  I think the image was more for the purpose of showing you some stones, not as an example of a gameplay screen in its final stage.

 

The post was about Ciphers, not area art.

[PIP-Clownboy]

Definitely going to be playing as this class first.

 

Yeah, same here most likely, focused on two-handers (morningstar mind****ing!), sounds like an absolute blast.

 

Cipher definitely seems like the most unique class which will be a refreshing change of pace, though it might depend on what story NPCs are available.  

[Maf]

Woohoo !

The kickstarter campaign seems like yesterday but in reality it's more like yesteryear.

Somehow feels like congratulations are in order!

Not nearly posting as much as I did in the early stages bit still just as eagerly awaiting this master piece's completion

Thanks again team Obsidz!

[Inertia]

Does soul whip work with ranged weapons as well? i wanna shoot some soul bullets. Maybe with a feat/talent choice perhaps?

Edited October 2, 2013 by Inertia

[rjshae]

Well hopefully their powers will work with a reach weapon, so they can poke from the second rank then weaken or damage the opponent with their soul powers.

 

 

I wouldn't be overly worried about the screenshot.  I think the image was more for the purpose of showing you some stones, not as an example of a gameplay screen in its final stage.

 

The post was about Ciphers, not area art.

 

IIRC, 'adra' was an artificial material created by the progenitor race, and that is the look created in the scene: unnatural stones. Like the kind you'd put in an aquarium.

Edited October 2, 2013 by rjshae

[Nonek]

Sounds like a perfect class for the "Gish" or spellsword that a lot of people have been asking for.

[Gfted1]

 

The fact that they need to fight with a weapon (at close range) to charge their class resource is what turns me off about them

 

Yeah, it sounds a little too similar to the Monk class.

 

I hope this isn't a mechanic for all classes. It would stink to have to make my mage stab people to power up his spells.

[ShadySands]

Yeah, I was hoping for some kind of psionic nuker or something

 

Leave the melee to the peasants

[Sylvius the Mad]

Other game developers should take note - THIS is the sort of announcement that is valuable during development. It discusses mechanics and lore, but doesn't discuss any events or characters within the game, and doesn't spoil anything.

[Valorian]

 

Soul Whip (Modal) - At close range, the cipher's weapons generate fields of parasitic energy that lash out at a target's soul. The Soul Whip mode reduces the amount of damage caused, but each successful hit briefly lowers the target's Psyche defense and generates Focus for the cipher (attacks Psyche).

Hullo.

There's one thing I'm curious about.

 

The cipher needs to successfully hit (grazes don't count) his target with the weapon, overcoming Deflection first, for the Soul Whip Psyche attack to take place, right?

 

I really like two-stage attacks aka on-hit effects. It detaches damage and additional effects. This way, the target can take damage from the sword/claw/fangs, but resist the effect. If it's lumped together, it reduces possibilities.

[Bester]

Please consider improving that art. Make it more serious. Your insects look like 1-4 lvl creatures, not like admirable foes.

 

Look how it could be, for example: