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First Impressions (v364)


Razsius

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They weren't included in the patch notes I don't think. They *never* give us proper patch notes. I have never known a developer not to do it. Even Iron Tower Studios which is like a two man project gives very nice detailed patch log notes.

 

Josh said on Something Awful that Might was changed to +3% per point, Dexterity to +3% Action Speed, Intellect to +6% AoE and +2 Deflection.

 

Very strange not to also bump CON to 3% per point, but I don't really care about Attributes because they're very easily modded, and anything that's easily modded isn't worth my trouble.

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The term "ninja update" describes changes that are not mentioned in the patch notes. The term is used industry-wide, there are many, many ninja updates, trust me. It's a regular event when GW2 gets updated, for example. Quote from the Urban Dictionary:

 

 

When something is updated without notice, like your video game or your rubric for your paper, making you fail
Ex.1 Dude 1: DUDE! I cant join the server! Did steam ninja update the game?
Dude 2: Yeah, they do that alot

The Seven Blunders/Roots of Violence: Wealth without work. Pleasure without conscience. Knowledge without character. Commerce without morality. Science without humanity. Worship without sacrifice. Politics without principle. (Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi)

 

Let's Play the Pools Saga (SSI Gold Box Classics)

Pillows of Enamored Warfare -- The Zen of Nodding

 

 

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any update to the beta doesn't really need notes. the game isn't finished so everything should technically be work in progress.

 

technically.

 

the notes you expect are from complete games which ahve been published. it's more appropriate to compare betas to betas.

many do it like poe.

Edited by Hormalakh

My blog is where I'm keeping a record of all of my suggestions and bug mentions.

http://hormalakh.blogspot.com/  UPDATED 9/26/2014

My DXdiag:

http://hormalakh.blogspot.com/2014/08/beta-begins-v257.html

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any update to the beta doesn't really need notes. the game isn't finished so everything should technically be work in progress.

 

technically.

 

 

I kind of agree with this. 

 

Sure it would be nice to have 100% detailed patch notes, but I understand that it would take a lot of time to generate. 

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any update to the beta doesn't really need notes. the game isn't finished so everything should technically be work in progress.

 

technically.

 

the notes you expect are from complete games which ahve been published. it's more appropriate to compare betas to betas.

many do it like poe.

I don't agree we don't need notes. If we are to be beta-testing we have to know what changes between builds just as good as the real QA team, if we are to be of help. Not giving us notes leaves me with the impression that no one takes beta testers seriously as someone who can help with the development. And if you ask me, a game that has been delayed twice because of development goals not reached in the assigned timeframe, is certainly a game that could use some free help from its community.

 

If they have a QA team, they must have much more detailed notes on changes between builds. I'm not pretending I know better than them how to organize a team, so I'm sure their QA is working, I just don't know why don't we get the same grade of information as them. Overall, I don't think they are utilizing us as good as they could.

Edited by Gairnulf
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A Custom Editor for Deadfire's Data:
eFoHp9V.png

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One thing I've noticed while playing DA:I and was also present in DA:O is how clearly the combat is designed around static characters. Outside of certain abilites you're not supposed to physically move which actually seems kind of odd when you think about how important positioning is. Like your characters in Dragon Age games start walking through molasses when combat is initiated and they draw their weapons and the only reason it's like that is because the designers decided they were going to heavily disincentivise moving around.

I defintely prefer IE style where you're just as free to move around in combat as out of it and I hope the melee engagement system doesn't lead to PoEs combat being too static.

Edited by NegativeEdge
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One thing I've noticed while playing DA:I and was also present in DA:O is how clearly the combat is designed around static characters.

Huh? What difficulty are you playing at?

I reposition quite a lot in DA:I  to doge aoe attacks and enemies that can teleport past your tank, to place the tank correctly to absorb maximum ranged damage with with shield block, to aggro enemies correctly, place character so that the Barrier spell hits the most of them, etc.

 

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Played the new update. I liked more than the last one. Sadly, the skills and talents are still connected. WHY!!!???

 

Anyway, I feel the standard enemies are about right. They can pose a threat if you don't pay attention, but they won't massacre you if you're a bit reckless. Sadly, the humanoid enemies are too weak! Amp them up a bit OE. 

 

The web effect is WAAAY too over the top. I couldn't even see what was going on.

 

I love the new portraits, but you can't make a pale elf with white skin to match the new portrait. Fix that Obsidian.

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"Good thing I don't heal my characters or they'd be really hurt." Is not something I should ever be thinking.

 

I use blue text when I'm being sarcastic.

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The Elves still look miserable :o
Well, it was good to see some polish, and listen to the VO. But i agree with others here, the background art is too detailed, and it makes the (combat) gameplay a bit messy.

 

And the save/load has been fixed? At least it is running a bit smother on my old machine :)

 

Thanks to Obsidian for all the hard work....  Cheers

 

(But.. You could have saved some time working on the combat selection circles , they looked much better before)...

UFWDJRj.jpg

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Areas of strength:

+The combat feels real good right now. Once they start working on visual feedback, it should be even better. OE should be proud of the system they've put together.

+The voice acting is spot on. I was actually taken aback by how good it was. I wasn't expecting that level of quality.

+The level of polish is noticeably higher. I can't wait to see when this all comes together.

 

Areas of improvement:

-I hope they significantly add to talent selection in order to expand build choices since it seems they are going to stick to linking talents and skills.

-Visual effects are obscuring combat. They need to make things like webs translucent and/or thinner/smaller.

-The characters are hard to see in outdoor environments. They may consider rendering characters with a (very) mild cell shading effect so they have a dark outline.

Edited by Shevek
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One thing I've noticed while playing DA:I and was also present in DA:O is how clearly the combat is designed around static characters.

Huh? What difficulty are you playing at?

I reposition quite a lot in DA:I  to doge aoe attacks and enemies that can teleport past your tank, to place the tank correctly to absorb maximum ranged damage with with shield block, to aggro enemies correctly, place character so that the Barrier spell hits the most of them, etc.

 

Nightmare. I'm not saying there's no movement at all just that it's not really an integral part of encounters. You can tell they don't want you to move much because your characters movement speed is dramatically reduced when combat begins...for no reason other than that's how they wanted it.

And while you can do all the things you mention unfortunately you can also just take 2 mages and spam barrier and war cry/challenge and never die so positioning is a chore and not really required. Whereas it could be the difference between defeat and victory in the IE games and was something you paid attention to a lot.

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DA:O was a fine game and RPG. Loved it. Played it through 3 times.

DA2 was the worst RPG I ever played in my life, and I played lots of ****y ones, and probably is the last game I touch from the bones of a dead company.

 

Regardless, I think people in these forums in general should lay down from their IE obsession. In many topics I think it makes you completely blind. IE is done dead. You want to play a new IE game? You got the EE of the old ones, or you can build your own new IE game. I will probably buy it. Good luck.

PoE does not use the IE and will not be a IE copy *sighs*

 

I also remind you that the E in IE stands for a Engine.

 

(General rant for months spent on these forums)

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✔ Certified Bat Food

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