So I downloaded the BB on my housemate's 64-bit PC (Even with the update, on 32-bit it crashes to desktop so frequently as to make it unplayable), and am finally playing the beta instead of just suffering it.

 

My first thoughts are that it is really quite enjoyable, and despite the lack of combat exp I still feel compelled to kill every damned Skaen Cultist or Beetle I come across. At the moment I'm still in the Dyrford Ruins, exploring that. Also, after my 32-bit nightmare, I'm pleased to see that the beta has far fewer gameplay-altering bugs than it did, so those updates are helping.

 

Of note:

 

-Graphical Glitches A go-go: Graphics of items appear all over the world without warning - my PC has a shield, a bow and a spear at his feet constantly. My personal favourite was when my fighter reloaded his Morning Star and fired it at the enemy.

 

-Cipher works like a Charm: The level 1 charm spell is hideously overpowered and is at the core of every battle I win. That it can be used infinitely needs balance.

 

-My arch-nemeses, "Missing String" - Aka Skaen Archer. Deep Wounds consistently kills off my party members and this power alone makes Skaen Archer far, FAR harder than other enemies.

 

-Selective engagement: Sometimes they will, sometimes they won't.

 

-Selective "Escape": See above. Not the best combination.

 

-Underpowered Mage: I know Josh has complained about Quadratic mages in D&D, but at present the mage seems woefully unpowered compared to the Cipher - even on a spell per spell basis (to say nothing that the Cipher does not have to rest and can charm everything he needs to). As it stands, when I get back to Town I'll probably swap out my lvl5 mage for a level 1 or 2 Cipher/Chanter/Paladin. I'm sure that can't be right.

 

-Exit to reload: For some reason, for all the update notes, if I want to reload my game I have to close down PoE entirely and re-open it.

 

Generally enjoying things and look forward to chipping away at the beta over the coming days.

Re Deep Wounds: have you tried the LVL2 priest spell which suppresses hostile effects?

 

Re the Wizard: have you tried playing an armored frontline "muscle" wizard? Those L1 cone-shaped spells are pretty badass IMO, but you can't effectively use them from the back row.

My interpretation of the priest spell was that it merely delayed the impact of things like deep wounds, meaning that my fighter would die 9 seconds later than he otherwise would. Is this not the case?

 

I must admit that I haven't tried muscle-wizarding (Traditionally I've used Mages as artillary rather than controllers or giths) but half of the issues I've experienced with the wizard are that it's impossible to do any useful dps without blasting your front-liners in the process. Frequently a spell will be used that misses the enemy but hits the fighter!

Rogue Escape is bugged atm where if you select a path that traverses over an area with no navmesh, the Rogue will crash into the edge of the Navmesh, I reported this bug a few days ago, but haven't got a reply yet.

Edited September 7, 201411 yr by Sensuki

So I've finished clearing most of the temple, barring a few sections of invulnerable guards (deflection = 150+).

 

Hope and Dreams: To return to the village, empty the stash, dismiss the wizard and pick up a Paladin.

 

Reality: First off, dismissing the wizard in the manner I have grown accustomed to does not appear to be an option at the present time. Instead I have had to opt for a rather more constructive dismissal at the hands of some invulnerable Skaens.

 

The shere amount of effort it took to get an unarmoured, seemingly defenseless wizard killed made me question whether his removal was the right decision. I marched him alone into a room of 2 Skaen Cultists, 2 invulnerable Skaen Guards and 2 of the the aforementioned *Missing Strings*. He lasted for over ten minutes by which point both the Cultists and one of the *Missing String*s had perished after the Skaens got so riled up at being presented with a naked wizard that they duely hacked each other to pieces. No charm spells used by me on this occasion. Unsure if this is a bug or a feature.

 

Whatever.

 

So with the wizard "dismissed" I leave the temple.

 

5 warriors arrive in Dyrford Ford. Four character portraits. My hired adventurer Barbarian's health and picture have gone.

 

By the time I reach the village, the adventurer has gone entirely. The off-screen indicator will suggest that a blank character is somewhere off-screen, but nothing reveals.

 

I go and recreate a new adventurer, and the new hired gun's portrait appears, but not their character. Again, the off-screen indicator points vaguely north of the inside of the inn. I cannot leave the inn, because I cannot "gather my party".

 

Any thoughts?

In other news, in my eagerness to put forward my opinion, I've created a new thread when in hindsight this might be best placed in one of the general discussion threads.

 

So if a mod would like to move it, that would be great.