MikeTheRed Posted March 30, 2015 Posted March 30, 2015 It probably bears repeating, but it's a HUGE and not immediately apparent feature that can make leveling SEEM slower. There is no combat XP. All XP is earned through questing, unlocking doors/boxes and other special actions. Kill a dragon for fun? Great loot but no XP. Kill a dragon to liberate a group of prisoners? XP bonanza! It never clearly states this that I could find in the game, and I originally thought "Man, I've killed a TON of stuff and nothing has happened yet... what's going on?" It's a big departure from other CRPGs so it takes a little bit of adjustment to get used to. But it has the benefit of letting Obsidian very tightly control the balance of game encounters. They know with a lot of certainty that by the time you reach certain points, you've hit a certain amount of XP, keeping players from being under/over powered by too much.
Stun Posted March 30, 2015 Posted March 30, 2015 Steam has me logged at 33 hours. My party just now hit level 6. Also, as side note. This gave me a chuckle. As I was checking steam I looked at the achievements for the game. This one caught my eye: lol The triple crown solo achievement is that smug picture of Josh Sawyer. That's hilarious. 2
Delicieuxz Posted March 30, 2015 Posted March 30, 2015 I bet playing at higher difficulty makes the game significantly longer, because choices in battle matter more, and there is more considering of variables during combat pauses. That can easily quintuple the time spent in combat. Also, a harder difficulty brings more cautious approaches to exploring, which can also easily multiply time spent playing. And personally, I clear all black shroud from environments, making the whole area as revealed as possible on the maps.
termokanden Posted March 30, 2015 Posted March 30, 2015 It's a big departure from other CRPGs so it takes a little bit of adjustment to get used to. Vampire: Bloodlines had this system as well, by the way. I think the system is fine, and it reminds me very much of my pen and paper days. I don't think we'd even dream of rewarding our players from running around killing everything in sight, but at the end of each session you'd typically get some XP, even if you hadn't fought anything.
SisU303 Posted March 30, 2015 Posted March 30, 2015 (edited) I'm mid level 3 after 12h. I'm going pretty fast not reading all the books but still exploring everything. *Edtit* I mean slow... Edited March 30, 2015 by SisU303
MikeTheRed Posted March 30, 2015 Posted March 30, 2015 It's a big departure from other CRPGs so it takes a little bit of adjustment to get used to. Vampire: Bloodlines had this system as well, by the way. I think the system is fine, and it reminds me very much of my pen and paper days. I don't think we'd even dream of rewarding our players from running around killing everything in sight, but at the end of each session you'd typically get some XP, even if you hadn't fought anything. Yeah, I'm sure this isn't new to PoE, just that it's pretty rare in the genre in general these days, and the game doesn't explain this as well as perhaps it could. I actually like this XP method, as it's more about what my character does in the world at large, and less about how many kobolds he skewers (a lot). 1
Ultimo Noressi Posted March 30, 2015 Posted March 30, 2015 Am I moving exceedingly slow, or is this a semi-normal pace for the game? This being my first CRPG, I have no idea what the norm is. I have a feeling it's kinda slow, cause I'm taking my time, reading everything I come across, and just enjoying myself. Loving the game so far, and I know it doesn't matter how long I take to play/beat the game, but I'm just intrigued. Sounds about right, in crpgs the journey IS the game, so its going to take a while, that's just how they are. They aren't made for rushing (and will punish you harshly if you do) they are more like an old school romantic honeymoon with your newlywed wife. Take your time and enjoy all the sights and feels along the way ;D Lorenzzo Medicci "Come Vailia , vino ottiene solo migliorare con il tempo . Perché il suo modo Vailiano !"
Killyox Posted March 30, 2015 Posted March 30, 2015 I am almost sure Triple Crown will be done by Mechanics & Stealth character utilizing LOTS and LOTS of traps :D
5g65dsfg16s2v.x0vse51f6sa@ Posted March 30, 2015 Posted March 30, 2015 (edited) Played 33 Hours and hit levl 6,mind you dont get xp killing monsters once you complete its lore task. I been doing the Endless path dungeon so monsters are the same except for level 9 which I just reached today. Also I been playing under the Path of the damned diffuculty which requires lots of pausing and micromangement on battles and hit and run tactics and ambush them when alone. Edited March 30, 2015 by 5g65dsfg16s2v.x0vse51f6sa@
IndiraLightfoot Posted March 30, 2015 Posted March 30, 2015 Completionist here. First playthrough. I read and listen to everything. I try to search and pry every nook and cranny there is. I passed level 3 with my main at like hour 11. Personally, I love this slow levelling pace. *** "The words of someone who feels ever more the ent among saplings when playing CRPGs" ***
Leferd Posted March 30, 2015 Posted March 30, 2015 Took me 27 hours to complete Act 1 at level 5. Now I'm at 30 hours at level 6. The pacing feels right. "Things are funny...are comedic, because they mix the real with the absurd." - Buzz Aldrin."P-O-T-A-T-O-E" - Dan Quayle
SuperNose Posted March 30, 2015 Author Posted March 30, 2015 (edited) Loving these responses. I knew you only gained a small amount of XP from killing things, and only until their codex fully unlocked. I just hit Defiance Bay last night, and only because I have no way of knowing where I can/can't go and what I can/can't do yet due to my level. I haven't gone to Raedric's Hold yet, cause I figured I wouldn't be able to for some odd reason. Seems like that would be an act boss or something. Maybe I'll give it a go. I'm beginning to think I need to take a second look at Eder. Every thread I've seen that talks about him, makes him out to be this amazing tank. And here I am using him as DW DPS, with my Paladin PC as a tank, who isn't doing so well. Edited March 30, 2015 by SuperNose
Stun Posted March 30, 2015 Posted March 30, 2015 (edited) Well I wouldn't say Eder is that great. Because he's not. In fact, you won't realize how mundane his skills are until you get Pallegina and see how front lining is really done. Of course, "tanks" in general is probably not the ideal way to go about things. To correctly build a tank in this game, you have to sacrifice so much fire power on a character. Before I finally dumped him, Eder was averaging about 5-10 damage per hit. Worthless. But hey, he never died! But now I have Pallegina in my party. She's not as durable as Eder (but she doesn't need to be, she can instantly heal herself), but unlike Eder, she's a destroyer on the battlefield. Edited March 30, 2015 by Stun
jivex5k Posted March 30, 2015 Posted March 30, 2015 Ive played now for about 43 hours since release date (over 3 days) having worked 1 of those days too. Im currently level 6, going to all areas, making notes of things I cant do yet, killing ALL the things I find and as many quests as I can.......so level 4 is amazingly fast in comparison, however, what loots or storey texts have you missed? hmmmm? :D Oh and I haven't done Defiance Bay at all yet, I've completed literally everything before that and Dyrford to about 90% (not completed all yet). The bay is next on my list...OR IS IT! :D Amazing game ^^ GG POE Wait what? I haven't even been to Dyrford yet, don't you have to travel through Defiance Bay to get to it? Also I'm level 4, about 12 hours of gameplay....haven't been this addicted to a game in a while!
kylania Posted March 30, 2015 Posted March 30, 2015 Six hours in myself and just picking up level 3. I'm in the temple under the first town still.
Cantousent Posted March 30, 2015 Posted March 30, 2015 I've felt compelled to pitch in around here, otherwise all of my free time would be spent playing. I'm at level three right now and I've only scratched the surface. I haven't even been in every dwelling in the first place we arrive. Sorry to sound obscure, just being careful of spoils! Nice tags, Kylania. :Cant's huge grin icon: Fionavar's Holliday Wishes to all members of our online community: Happy Holidays Join the revelry at the Obsidian Plays channel:Obsidian Plays Remembering tarna, Phosphor, Metadigital, and Visceris. Drink mead heartily in the halls of Valhalla, my friends!
SuperNose Posted March 31, 2015 Author Posted March 31, 2015 Six hours in myself and just picking up level 3. I'm in the temple under the first town still. I just went back to that, it's one of those things I figured I was too low level for and I'm mopping the floor so far. Might restart(I think I built my Paladin wrong-ish), and I'll end up doing that before I leave that area :-P
Katarack21 Posted March 31, 2015 Posted March 31, 2015 I totally missed that dungeons existence. Came back at level 5 when I read about it on the forums.
Bryy Posted March 31, 2015 Posted March 31, 2015 also.. No combat xp.. So that way you should be well of, reading and solving the quests. There is actually quite a bit of combat XP.
AtotehZ Posted March 31, 2015 Posted March 31, 2015 Am I moving exceedingly slow, or is this a semi-normal pace for the game? This being my first CRPG, I have no idea what the norm is. I have a feeling it's kinda slow, cause I'm taking my time, reading everything I come across, and just enjoying myself. Loving the game so far, and I know it doesn't matter how long I take to play/beat the game, but I'm just intrigued. This has been said to death already, but don't worry. Look at it as an opportunity to enjoy the content more. It's not all about character strength development, a huge part of it is the story and realm you're in. PoE is supposedly the spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate(BG). BG had a level cap of ~7. The real cap was exp based and different classes needed different amounts of exp, but level 7 is considered the cap. So in comparison they've started out with more levels to obtain. I don't know how true they intend to stay to DnD, but if PoE resembles it at all you will get epic abilities at level 20. My guess is that we can look forward to something like that in the future. Constructing a meaningful and vast story at the same time isn't easy, give them a few years to get a sequel together. So far I am pleased with PoE and that's saying something considering I've shied away from the genre with the exception of Neverwinter Nights and Dragon Age Origins. Most games simply don't have a prayer when you've played the BG series. If you play this to the end and still want more I can recommend Baldur's Gate. I think they've fixed most of the bugs in the Enhanced Edition now, but otherwise the original is perfectly fine.
Volourn Posted March 31, 2015 Posted March 31, 2015 "Welcome to CRPGs! If you're not gaining 10 levels per minute that's perfectly normal here." What RPGs are you gaining l10 levels per minute (not counting 'epic' starts like HOTU or MOTB when creating your character)? Stopz the liez, startz the truthz. DWARVES IN PROJECT ETERNITY = VOLOURN HAS PLEDGED $250.
SuperNose Posted March 31, 2015 Author Posted March 31, 2015 Am I moving exceedingly slow, or is this a semi-normal pace for the game? This being my first CRPG, I have no idea what the norm is. I have a feeling it's kinda slow, cause I'm taking my time, reading everything I come across, and just enjoying myself. Loving the game so far, and I know it doesn't matter how long I take to play/beat the game, but I'm just intrigued. This has been said to death already, but don't worry. Look at it as an opportunity to enjoy the content more. It's not all about character strength development, a huge part of it is the story and realm you're in. PoE is supposedly the spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate(BG). BG had a level cap of ~7. The real cap was exp based and different classes needed different amounts of exp, but level 7 is considered the cap. So in comparison they've started out with more levels to obtain. I don't know how true they intend to stay to DnD, but if PoE resembles it at all you will get epic abilities at level 20. My guess is that we can look forward to something like that in the future. Constructing a meaningful and vast story at the same time isn't easy, give them a few years to get a sequel together. So far I am pleased with PoE and that's saying something considering I've shied away from the genre with the exception of Neverwinter Nights and Dragon Age Origins. Most games simply don't have a prayer when you've played the BG series. If you play this to the end and still want more I can recommend Baldur's Gate. I think they've fixed most of the bugs in the Enhanced Edition now, but otherwise the original is perfectly fine. I own both BG and BG2, both Enhanced Editions. I've attempted each one a few times, and only made it 30 minutes to an hour. I'm a shallow person and could not get past the dated graphics in either. But now that I'm having a ton of fun, I might be able to go back and force myself to look past them, or maybe it won't look so bad to me. I don't know.
Reever Posted March 31, 2015 Posted March 31, 2015 Around 12 hours in (or a bit more?) and I just hit level 5. Off to Defiance bay (after I clear Old Nua level 2...if I'm good enough).
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