Update #74: The Mob Rulers: Wizards and Druids and our Partnership with Paradox

[kozzy]

Wonderful! Keep up the good work!
Congrats on South Park to!

[Galomtala]

I really like the Inn and the overall art style of PoE. And the Druid sounds interesting enough to give it a try.

[Cubiq]

nvm

Edited March 19, 2014 by Cubiq

[Ieo]

Outsourcing distro, I called it.

 

Beautiful art assets there. 

 

Now to really dig into those class details...

[Bryy]

Is the Sapling a forum Inn or is it just an individual backer?

 

I heartily await the Goose and Fox...

 

Also, the portraits look absolutely, 100% stunning. Modern day versions of the old IE portraits.

[ItinerantNomad]

Please tell me that some of the druid forms are not mammals. Everything is a mammal. Boar, stag, wolf.

 

A bird or a reptile for good measure please. Insects would be welcome as well.

 

Otherwise, MAN OH MAN AM I EXCITED! I do like that you're going with "themes" for your classes that might sound "MMO-ish" though I'm sure they're based off prior D&D versions. But I like that that vision is clearer for newer players (after all we're all new to the mechanics in this game) and having more distinct, easily recognizable themes for your classes is very very good. It allows players to quickly learn the basic strategy of a class, and the more creative players to play classes outside of their "regular" roles.

[FireWire]

Awesome update!

 

Just a quick question;

Will all of the backers who backed the tiers that include in-game assets (portrait, inn, character, items, etc) get an update/early look at their stuff before the beta/release?

Not asking to be able to deliver feedback on those things, just curious since I'm part of a group who backed the tier for an npc/item and inn )

[Bryy]

though I'm sure they're based off prior D&D versions. 

God, I hope not. We paid for an original outing, not a rehashed orgy.

[mudd1]

I always loved the inn design idea. It's obviously great for the backers who can get their ideas into the game but it's also great for everybody else since places that used to be very generic in other games (that tavern clone army in Baldur's Gate, God help me) will be very individualistic and have their own character.

[Gumbercules]

All of the art looks great! I really like how the aumaua have ended up looking. The sharp teeth and head ridge do a good job of distinguishing them from humans. Are the yellow lines paint or tattoos, or are those part of their natural coloration? Since this one is bald, is it correct to assume that what the previous aumaua had on their heads was dreadlocked hair and not some kind of tentacles?

 

Is that picture the entirety of the inn, or is there more? What's shown looks very nice, but it seems like there should be some kind of kitchen or prep area, maybe a cellar, and probably some more rooms.

 

The stag form looks even better than the cat form, although it would have been nice to have some non-mammalian options. Oh well, those can always be added in expansions or sequels.

 

Do wizards still have familiars? They weren't mentioned in this update, and indeed I don't recall them being mentioned at all since the initial "core four" update.

[ItinerantNomad]

It would be really cool if Aumaua sharp teeth are more due to this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_tooth_sharpening than this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shark

[Tuckey]

I like the Dimensional Shift spell and can see many uses for it, as well as the missile family of spells. I would like to know more about the crowd control spell effects.

Edited March 19, 2014 by Tuckey

[BAdler]

Awesome update!

 

Just a quick question;

Will all of the backers who backed the tiers that include in-game assets (portrait, inn, character, items, etc) get an update/early look at their stuff before the beta/release?

Not asking to be able to deliver feedback on those things, just curious since I'm part of a group who backed the tier for an npc/item and inn )

 

We will try our best to work with those backers that have in-game content. I can't promise that we will be able to have a significant back and forth with every backer, but we will definitely try when appropriate.

[FireWire]

 

Awesome update!

 

Just a quick question;

Will all of the backers who backed the tiers that include in-game assets (portrait, inn, character, items, etc) get an update/early look at their stuff before the beta/release?

Not asking to be able to deliver feedback on those things, just curious since I'm part of a group who backed the tier for an npc/item and inn )

 

We will try our best to work with those backers that have in-game content. I can't promise that we will be able to have a significant back and forth with every backer, but we will definitely try when appropriate.

 

Thanks for the quick reply!

 

I understand that a proper back and forth will probably be out of the question, was just wondering if these backers would get a "visual" update (not a chance to provide feedback).

Really digging these updates by the way. Everything that's been shown so far has been top notch and it looks like this'll really be the game we've all been hoping/craving for!

[Andraste]

That settles it - I'm playing a druid. They look amazing!

 

Now I just need to settle on a race and a spirit form. Do we get access to the four base forms we don't choose at character creation later, or does picking great cat lock the stag away forever?

[anameforobsidian]

I'm just curious, what does Paradox get out of the deal?  A percentage of the sale revenue?

[Bryy]

I always loved the inn design idea. It's obviously great for the backers who can get their ideas into the game but it's also great for everybody else since places that used to be very generic in other games (that tavern clone army in Baldur's Gate, God help me) will be very individualistic and have their own character.

Yeah, all of the backer-made content was very smart.

 

You can see it emulated in the Darkest Dunegeon KS.

[Lephys]

I hate to be the one to respond to this awesome update by pointing out a typo, but my android programming will not allow me to skip this step:

 

Dare I assume that this...

 

In addition to their per-rest spells, all wizards have two basic abilities that serve them well: Blast and Arcane Veil. Blast allows wands, scepters, and wands wielded by wizards to do a small amount of foe-only damage in a small radius around their target.

... is supposed to say "staves, scepters, and wands"?

 

Also... it is now my goal in life to generate the longest ever bounce-streak between my Wizard and an opposing Wizard, both of whom are using Minor Arcane Reflection.

 

SO EXCITED ABOUT WIZARDS!

 

... AND DRUIDS, TOO, AS WELL, ALSO!

 

Could you guys please make the details of this game somehow less excitable? You're killin' me, here...

 

Also, splendid portraits! Is the blue-skinned, shark-toothed guy an Aumaua?

 

And finally, I've gotta just mention how much I adore the multiple aspects to spells. Like the Wizard's Dimensional Shift, which provides both the utility of swapping positions, AND the ability to offensively smite lots of foes flanked between your Wizard and his ally. Or the Druid's Twin Stones (probably the best example, off the top of my head). Maybe you're a Druid, and that's your favorite spell, and you're playing the game and having your fun. When suddenly, FOES WHO ARE RESISTANT TO CRUSH DAMAGE! OH NOES! Now you have to stop being that awesome boulder-launching Druid for the time-being, right? WRONG! Force, flush, or otherwise finnagle those baddies near a solid obstacle of some sort, and BOOM! Piercing Shrapnel!

 

It's like TWO spells for the price of ONE! 8D

 

I love it... I'm considering proposal. Yeah. That much. o_o

[Prometheus]

I hate to be the one to respond to this awesome update by pointing out a typo, but my android programming will not allow me to skip this step:

 

Dare I assume that this...

 

In addition to their per-rest spells, all wizards have two basic abilities that serve them well: Blast and Arcane Veil. Blast allows wands, scepters, and wands wielded by wizards to do a small amount of foe-only damage in a small radius around their target.

... is supposed to say "staves, scepters, and wands"?

No it's rods scepters and wands. See update video around 6:20.

Edited March 19, 2014 by Prometheus

[Tuckey]

My admiration to Kaz for the portrait art. It is looking excellent thus far.

 

Additionally I would like to say that the inn's and taverns unique look shows an attention to detail I admire, bravo! I do wonder however how people secure there belongings given there are no doors.

Edited March 19, 2014 by Tuckey

[Lephys]

No it's rods scepters and wands. See update video around 6:20.

Ahh. Sorry, I cannot view the update video at the moment. I just knew it wasn't "wands, scepters, and wands," heh, and I couldn't remember what the third thing was (that had been mentioned before -- the set of "weapons" that used Blast).

 

Oooh! Another question! With the things like Minoletta's Minor Missiles, that fire out multiple projectiles, will we be able to take advantage of that by targeting up to one target per missile? And, even if not (in which case T_T), does each missile get its own Attack Resolution and damage roll, etc.?

 

Also, on the note of Minoletta's Minor Missiles... I grant to the design team the Award of Alliterative Alacrity. ^_^

[ManifestedISO]

 

Twin Stones - Two boulders fly out from the druid, causing Crush damage as they go. If the boulders strike a solid surface the boulder explodes, doing Pierce damage to anyone in the area. (Deflection/Reflexes)

 

I see my dark paladin will not have an easy time against his Sworn Enemy, who are now not merely feline-related druids ... but Great Cat-druids, shooting boulders!  

 

Whew, all those spells are exciting, can't wait to play this game, even more than last time.  

[Vitek]

I have to say I really like the wizards spell mechanics.

 

What I would like to see is to be able to gain possession of some new unknown spell.

It says new spells are researched constantly and it would be sweet if one could gain newly researched (or long forgotten and lost) spell who is unknown to enemies and so they can't use it.

It wouldn't have to be all-powerful spell, just something nice, gimmicky and situational, maybe more specialised variant of standard spell.

Also if there are some NPC wizards, you could sell them knowledge of that unknown spell and although it would net you nice sum ofm oney, it would also mean it becomes more widespread.

 

Also, I really love the inn, it looks great.

[Cubiq]

It's a shame they used the stag form.

The ibex goat would have been awesome and i think it would fit along the lines of the pagan sabbatic goat.

Edited March 19, 2014 by Cubiq

[Bryy]

Just to clarify: the backer portraits are only for those backers?