New Real Time With Pause Dungeons & Dragons RPG - SWORD COAST LEGENDS

[Keyrock]

It will be interesting to see how this works out.  It's a great idea, in my opinion, but my biggest concern is that the DM tools (both for setting up adventures and for adjusting on the fly) seem to be mostly combat-focused.  I wonder if it will be possible to create heavily story-focused adventures?

[Mamoulian War]

 

Disclaimer: POR2 = Pools of Radiance 2. First 3E edition RPG, which, to put mildly, sucked walrus balls.

 

Remember the 'Wipe Your OS' bug that it came as a free add-on?

 

 

Luckily no. What kind of bug that was?

[Humanoid]

Uninstalling the game would also delete critical system files, rendering your Windows install unbootable. Especially bad because a) the game was terrible and therefore would rather likely be uninstalled, and b) the installation process was prone to fail, and if it did, the only option available if you tried to re-run the install process was to uninstall.

 

Not to be confused with the Sierra Tools uninstall bug that deleted everything in the parent directory when you uninstalled it. If it was in C:\Sierra Tools, well....

 

 

EDIT: That's not to say these are the only two culprits, this sort of thing is more common than one might initially expect.

Edited September 13, 2015 by Humanoid

[Zoraptor]

Yeah, other programs have had similar bugs with varying levels of blame on the user or producer, some users installed to bizarre locations- I remember someone installing stuff into C:\windows (not PoR2 though) because obviously that's where all the windows programs should go... The uninstall bug for PoR2 was tracked down to being the fault of the (3rd party) installer software of the english only version (?) iirc*, so could have effected anything and wasn't really their fault. After all half the point of using 3rd party utilities is that they're supposed to be safe and you don't have to write your own with potential bugs.

 

Having said that, the quality of the game itself was their fault. While there was massive clamour for DD versions of all the IE games, NWN, Gold Box etc there has been nary a squeak about the travesty of not having PoR2 available. Which says all that needs to be said about its quality and how well it is remembered.

 

*I actually thought the problem was basically the same as with the Sierra Tools one though (ie you had to change the default path in PoR2 to get the bug) so I may be conflating them, though I am pretty sure it took a fair while for the bug to be noticed which wouldn't be the case if it were all uninstalls were effected.

Edited September 13, 2015 by Zoraptor

[Nonek]

Can anyone confirm whether the GM tools suffer from enforced level scaling? Apparently even Ancient Dragons, Beholders, Liches, Demons and all the panoply of high level opponents are level scaled to the player, meaning one could have a first level Lich which is impossible as far the old AD&D rules go. If this is so then I am definitely not interested in the title, such hand holding and accessibility would remove any sense of progression, challenge or achievement for me.

[Gfted1]

Hmm, I was wondering why the

Holy Avenger

was looking so wimpy in the gameplay video. Maybe weapons scale too? *shudder* 

[Keyrock]

Can anyone confirm whether the GM tools suffer from enforced level scaling? Apparently even Ancient Dragons, Beholders, Liches, Demons and all the panoply of high level opponents are level scaled to the player, meaning one could have a first level Lich which is impossible as far the old AD&D rules go. If this is so then I am definitely not interested in the title, such hand holding and accessibility would remove any sense of progression, challenge or achievement for me.

From what's been discussed over on the game's forums, it seems level scaling is in right now, though it's always possible they could add an option for static levels in the future.  I'm in two minds about this.  On the one hand, I understand why level scaling is there.  The game is designed so that any party can play any module, regardless of level, and level scaling is a necessary evil in order to make that viable.  On the other hand, the idea of running into a level 3 umber hulk doesn't sit well with me.

 

Ultimately, I think it will be up to the community at large and the DMs running campaigns to fix the issue.  First off, adventure authors should clearly state what level their adventure was designed around in the description, that way if it is a high level adventure you'll have an idea that if you run it at level 4 you might run into level 3 frost giants, if this appeals to you, go for it (it doesn't to me).  Second, the community will need to curate adventures via ratings and reviews to make it easier to weed out the good from the crap, because some people will design sensible adventures while others will think it's fun and cool to have a dracolich and kobolds of the same level (it's neither fun nor cool).  Finally the person DMing the game will be able to make adjustments on the fly to fix what they deem silly discrepancies (e.g. replace a group of goblins with some bugbears or flinds since it seems more level appropriate).

[Nonek]

 

 The game is designed so that any party can play any module, regardless of level, and level scaling is a necessary evil in order to make that viable.

 

 

A quick note, thank you for the clarification Mr Keyrock, my post is quite heated but obviously not directed at your good self:

 

So basically spoiled players don't want any challenge or progression at all? They want everything right now, because perish the thought they are ever less than all powerful. I'm sorry to say but this is wrong headed, stupid and destroys any internal consistency in the game. What is the point of even having levels in the game, or differing opponents? Accessibility really is the curse of video games.

 

The Lady of Pain holding back the Blood War with quiet persistence, Vecna the Archlich, Mordenkainen of the Obsidian Citadel, the Pit Fiends of the Dark Eight, Tiamat the Chromatic Dragon, all now reduced to the players level because nobody wants to be challenged or have even the possibility of losing. Pathetic.

 

Edit: I didn't even think to start complaining when pen and paper modules were labelled 8-10th level, I looked forward to reaching such dizzy heights and the adventures along the way.

Edited September 15, 2015 by Nonek

[Keyrock]

No worries, Nonek.  Also, you're preaching to the masses as far as I'm concerned.  I'd rather have static levels and if you want to play the dracolich adventure with a level 5 party you get horrifically murdered.  People can solve this partly for themselves by picking adventures appropriate for their party level or the DM altering things on the fly, but I'm not a fan of level scaling for the sake of "accessibility".  The whole point of a dragon is that it's supposed to be a super powerful creature that will annihilate you at low or even mid level, you have to go through many trials, collect artifacts, harden yourself, just to have a chance against, instead of "oh look a level 3 dragon".

Edited September 15, 2015 by Keyrock

[Amentep]

If the Lady of Pain has stats, you're doing it wrong.

Edited September 15, 2015 by Amentep

[Volourn]

Yeah. She's above the gods. She is and Overgod much like Ao.

 

\Also, if that is how they dealing with  level scaling, that's another huge strike against the game. For a company/game striving to be the next NWN they are epically failing to even handle the basics. Seriously, how hard is it for mod ceators just to put recommended levels. It was done that way for NWN series (and any other game with modding tools lol). This is pure stupidity.

[Mamoulian War]

I am speechless...

[ShadySands]

Looks like I'll be playing this weekend

https://swordcoast.com/content/head-start-two-countdown-begins

Edited September 16, 2015 by ShadySands

[SadExchange]

Looks like I'll be playing this weekend

https://swordcoast.com/content/head-start-two-countdown-begins

Same here and honestly a little excited. Even though it may not be true DnD experience like previous infinity engine games. There's just something about being able to go back to Faerun and all the locations I read about in the past.

[Gfted1]

/jealous

 

Fill us in on the details when you can.

[Luj1]

Can this be Nwn Spiritual successor or no?

[Keyrock]

Fill us in on the details when you can.

Seconded.  If you're not under NDA then I would very much appreciate juicy details and impressions.

[Gfted1]

So, I caved and bought it. I was trying to hold out for the Deluxe edition to come down off $Fiddynineninetynine but screw it.

[Volourn]

So.. these idiots sent me an email  reminding me to install the game on steam and discussing path notes. Which is HILARIOUS since I never bought the game.  ARE THEY THAT DESPERATE?

 

  I consider this harassment. Another point against them. MORANS.

 

*erases email with prejudice*

[ShadySands]

I was having fun playing some module by myself when two people dropped into my game. Not sure how or why but I didn't like it.

 

My initial impression is that it's more D&D than I thought it would be but since I'm stuck running modules and random dungeons I don't get to see the story. Some weird (hopefully) bugs such as killing an enemy in a group with one attack(upgraded magic missile) doesn't alert the mobs standing next to them and grenade type weapons keep visually pulsing after the effect is gone. Also, it's decently hard to solo but pretty easy if you have a group on normal difficulty.

 

Edit- Figured out that the lobby is public by default so I had to set it to private so nobody jumps in on my runs

Edited September 19, 2015 by ShadySands

[Eisenheinrich]

Is it true, that there's basically no damage feedback from enemies when you hit them? 

[Gfted1]

Rolled a Pally and dropped into some random module. I had fun with the combat although "story" seemed non-existent, just ran around killing and looting. I assume the SP campaign will come with the full release. Already rolled a mage, cleric and thief too so I think Ill go take them for a spin.

[BruceVC]

Guys keep the feedback going, I am interested in overall views of this game 

[ShadySands]

Is it true, that there's basically no damage feedback from enemies when you hit them?

Kinda but not really, little numbers flash over them almost too quick to read but they are there. HP bloat of the enemies kinda sucks but so far my own HP seems about right. The game also tracks stuff like damage given and received, biggest hit, kills, etc

Edited September 19, 2015 by ShadySands

[SadExchange]

I might be wrong but I think he was asking about hit detection. are they impacted/interrupted?