Musings on the state of the beta and project trajectory

[Sensuki]

I'm also a bit annoyed that we haven't been given a full list of bugs or missing features.

 

Obsidian gave us some basic things in one of the KS Updates, but it would be nice to know the full extent of reported issues, and also missing features because superfluous bug reporting and superfluous suggestions (which I've put a fair bit of time into) are quite annoying and not really helping anyone.

 

Hopefully with the next update we also get those.

Edited August 26, 2014 by Sensuki

[Mayama]

 

Based on Obsidian's own announcements, the backer beta is meant to focus on the classes, combat, UI, crafting/enchanting, etc. But until you have a more functional game it's extremely difficult to provide meaningful feedback on those areas. The fans are not professional beta testers, so giving them a fundamentally broken game and expecting them to know how to sort that out is unrealistic at best.

 

It is possible (dare I say, likely) that they released what they had knowing that some non-zero percentage of the feedback that they were going to get was going to be garbage.

 

Considering the amount of bitching and moaning that took place before the beta came out, I can't imagine that they are least bit surprised to see bitching and moaning afterwords as well.

 

I guess maybe the only thing to do now is take a long, hard look in the mirror and ask ourselves if we are the people helping or the people bitching.

 

If they listen to the crowd, not single oppinions they are fine.

[Marceror]

As another guy put it, PoE feels more pause-with-realtime than realtime-with-pause. This is due mainly to the vast number of commands (i.e., abilities) you need to issue to succeed in combat--and the need to issue them in quick succession.

 

That was my line. Glad to see that it's catching on.

[IndiraLightfoot]

Thank you for that chill pill, PrimeJunta! Wise words.

 

Or should I call you PrimeHunta (see post below) - given your avatar, this would almost be as fitting and cool as the name you have.

 

PrimeHunta, let me just say from one Prime* developer to another: You nailed it!

 

 

 

The one and only issue that concerns me at a design level is combat. As another guy put it, PoE feels more pause-with-realtime than realtime-with-pause. This is due mainly to the vast number of commands (i.e., abilities) you need to issue to succeed in combat--and the need to issue them in quick succession.

 

A decent set of AI scripts (think Baldur's Gate where you could choose Ranged, Melee, and a dozen variants) would help. But how would they keep movement in battles quick enough to look natural, without making the player feel they have to frantically hit space lest they lose a tactical opportunity?

 

Well, Diablo's developers did manage to turn a turn-based strategy game into a real-time action game. Maybe Obsidian will do the reverse and build a turn-based option on top of the existing system. I don't know; it will be really interesting to see how this system evolves.

PrimeHydra: I agree. Combat is the big issue - and turn-based would of course have made everything so much more clear and lucid.

 

Completely agree, although I'm kinda shocked to find a reasonable, well rounded opinion on the internet! 

 

 

When PrimeJunta delivers, he beats the heck out of FedEx!

 

I'm also a bit annoyed that we haven't been given a full list of bugs or missing features.

Obsidian gave us some basic things in one of the KS Updates, but it would be nice to know the full extent of reported issues, and also missing features because superfluous bug reporting and superfluous suggestions (which I've put a fair bit of time into) are quite annoying and not really helping anyone.

Hopefully with the next update we also get those.

You can say that again, and may I add more frank info on which aspects of the game design are open for debate and even change, and which are locked down as a must for their vision of the game.

[PrimeJunta]

Yah, I've noticed the atmosphere becomes noticeably more cheerful every time Josh shows up and actually explains his thinking and goals. So more info would be nice. A blog post addressing these topics maybe?

[IndiraLightfoot]

As long as no aspects are avoided, but yeah, for the most part, Josh giving info ==happier forum crowd.

[PrimeJunta]

Talking about combat XP? I'm fairly certain he and others have flatly stated that it's ruled out. Unless that changes, I can see why he wouldn't feel like stating it again (i.e., because it would immediately dump a truckload of distilled Internet hate on him). Bit of "Generalissimo Franco is still dead" IMO. "Combat XP still not on the table."

 

(Yeah, there was that one video where it looked like he was leaving the door open, true, but I think you guys are grasping at straws here. Invite Ziets and have a good Irish wake, then move on. It wouldn't be an IE successor if there wasn't something about it that drove you up the wall, no?)

[Sensuki]

It's ruled out. So there's many people wasting their breath.

 

I'd also been reading your name as PrimaJunta for a very long time until the other week, lmao.

Edited August 26, 2014 by Sensuki