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Update 93: Patch 1.03 - Important Community Fixes


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Wow, the internet crusaders have really come out in droves on this one... Step away from the computers for a while and find some real issues to fight about.

 

This might be the biggest non-issue in the history of the internet.

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I'm not surprised that the limerick got changed. The alternative would have been an explanation about why they didn't think a change was necessary. Welcome to a PR minefield there.

 

Obsidian made the call, the PR drama was averted, this little storm will die out a lot faster than the one after a refusal to change would have. This decision is the politically correct one, and as such the most easily defended. Least harm done to the reputation of the company. In short: it's a business decision.

 

As for the legitimacy of the complaint: I'm sure that someone was honestly offended. That's a personal thing: what A thinks is hilarious or not worth a second glance can be deeply offensive to B. I may or may not agree with A or with B, but that doesn't make their opinion or feelings any less important than mine. It's anyone's right to file a complaint. It's anyone's right to use social media to draw attention to ones cause. It's Obsidian's right to make a change to their game.

 

They didn't cave. Pros and cons were weighted and a decision was made. No point in grabbing the torches and pitchforks.

 

Edit: addition ->

 

Even though I personally cannot imagine ever being offended by the limerick, I would have done the same: ask the backer if he could write something else. Why? Because if a small change can make others happy, and the writer isn't opposed, the net result is more happy people. That's a win in my book. Now, if Obsidian pressured the writer, that'd be something else. But even though the new text suggests that the writer wasn't completely happy, I'll believe Obsidian when they say that the writer is on board.

 

I do hope though that – just as I accept that someone may consider this text offensive, even though I don't share their view – they can accept that I may not consider this text offensive, without labeling me anti-transgender, even though they don't share my view.

 

p.s.: Yes, it could be that the complaint wasn't motivated by being offended. It could be that the reason was trying to draw attention to a cause, no matter what. It could all be some plot or scheme. It could be a self-aggrandising crusade. But there's no evidence for that. So I'll choose to believe in the honesty of people (on the internet, I must be daft *joke*) and chalk this up to a honest complaint. And I think Obsidian handled it in the best way possible.

Edited by Bundin
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Obsidian made the call, the PR drama was averted, this little storm will die out a lot faster than the one after a refusal to change would have. This decision is the politically correct one, and as such the most easily defended. Least harm done to the reputation of the company. In short: it's a business decision.

(...)

They didn't cave. Pros and cons were weighted and a decision was made. No point in grabbing the torches and pitchforks.

 

So you say those who bully the most and cry the loudest will get their way? That's the whole problem. We don't want a climate in gaming industry when a loud call from non-backers will influence the makers of the game.

 

You say it's a business decision while slipping a coy threat like "the PR drama was averted, this little storm will die out a lot faster than the one after a refusal to change would have". Nope. This "little storm" will not be either forgotten or die out.

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Nope. This "little storm" will not be either forgotten or die out.

...because neither side wants anything short of WWI style trench warfare with each other, fighting tooth and claw for every inch of ground.

 

I feel bad for the backer and Obsidian to be stuck in the middle of two groups who care more about winning their mutual pissing contest than do about anything else.

I cannot - yet I must. How do you calculate that? At what point on the graph do "must" and "cannot" meet? Yet I must - but I cannot! ~ Ro-Man

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Obsidian made the call, the PR drama was averted, this little storm will die out a lot faster than the one after a refusal to change would have. This decision is the politically correct one, and as such the most easily defended. Least harm done to the reputation of the company. In short: it's a business decision.

(...)

They didn't cave. Pros and cons were weighted and a decision was made. No point in grabbing the torches and pitchforks.

 

So you say those who bully the most and cry the loudest will get their way? That's the whole problem. We don't want a climate in gaming industry when a loud call from non-backers will influence the makers of the game.

 

You say it's a business decision while slipping a coy threat like "the PR drama was averted, this little storm will die out a lot faster than the one after a refusal to change would have". Nope. This "little storm" will not be either forgotten or die out.

 

It wasn't a threat, coy or otherwise. I approached the issue from a dispassionate PR standpoint. To elaborate:

 

Which story would be more interesting for gaming websites and especially for other media: changing it and the resulting fallout or not changing it and the resulting fallout? It's my personal opinion that no change would have resulted in a bigger problem for the PR department, simply because the complaint gained a lot of traction (relatively speaking) in a fairly short time. It could spill over to grassroots organisations that lobby/work/defend for the position of groups of people and it could be made an example for 'everything that's wrong in the industry'. Justified? Irrelevant. It's a business decision, remember? In the end, Obsidian could be painted as a company that does not care.

 

Now, Obsidian may be the company that cares too much, or that 'caved' for a vocal minority that may or may not have a valid point. That position is a lot more comfortable for the PR department that has to answer questions, and a lot less interesting for other media.

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...because neither side wants anything short of WWI style trench warfare with each other, fighting tooth and claw for every inch of ground.

I feel bad for the backer and Obsidian to be stuck in the middle of two groups who care more about winning their mutual pissing contest than do about anything else.

 

 

Yes, it is a problem. I agree. But as in a war, sometimes lowering your weapons and surrendering without a fight will lead to a massacre. If a company like Obsidian, who got its financing from backers, is not exempt from a "PR nightmare" due some organized people on Twitter, is this a healthy situation? When everyone caves in out of fear of a backlash? When gaming journalists harass developers?

 

What Obsidian won? A temporary peace until the next person is offended.

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Nope. This "little storm" will not be either forgotten or die out.

...because neither side wants anything short of WWI style trench warfare with each other, fighting tooth and claw for every inch of ground.

 

I feel bad for the backer and Obsidian to be stuck in the middle of two groups who care more about winning their mutual pissing contest than do about anything else.

 

 

This is exactly it. Both sides are just as bad, and nitpicking just for the sake of having something to be angry at. 

 

Play the game instead, it's friggin awesome! I'm having more fun with this game than I've had with anything since BG2 (and possibly Skyrim).

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... I'm sure that someone was honestly offended...

 

 

And I'm sure loonies will always find something to get offended.

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"There once was a loon that twitter


Before he went down the ****ter


In its demise he wasn't missed


Because there were bugs to be fixed."


~ Kaine


 


 


 

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A temporary peace until the next person is offended.

 

 

 

This is just the start of a new age where fringe demographics harass developers. In the end, art will suffer.

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"There once was a loon that twitter


Before he went down the ****ter


In its demise he wasn't missed


Because there were bugs to be fixed."


~ Kaine


 


 


 

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It wasn't a threat, coy or otherwise. I approached the issue from a dispassionate PR standpoint. To elaborate:

 

Which story would be more interesting for gaming websites and especially for other media: changing it and the resulting fallout or not changing it and the resulting fallout? It's my personal opinion that no change would have resulted in a bigger problem for the PR department, simply because the complaint gained a lot of traction (relatively speaking) in a fairly short time. It could spill over to grassroots organisations that lobby/work/defend for the position of groups of people and it could be made an example for 'everything that's wrong in the industry'. Justified? Irrelevant. It's a business decision, remember? In the end, Obsidian could be painted as a company that does not care.

 

Now, Obsidian may be the company that cares too much, or that 'caved' for a vocal minority that may or may not have a valid point. That position is a lot more comfortable for the PR department that has to answer questions, and a lot less interesting for other media.

 

 

Fair enough. Then the only way to stop this trend (of content removal and art censorship due to "I'm offended!" backlash) is to make as much big PR nightmare for Obsidian to self-censor content as not. Just as you said, I'm approaching this from a purely dispassionate point of view.

 

Which is exactly why it is happening. This is the point in grabbing the torches and pitchforks.

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If a company like Obsidian, who got its financing from backers, is not exempt from a "PR nightmare" due some organized people on Twitter, is this a healthy situation? When everyone caves in out of fear of a backlash? When gaming journalists harass developers?

So rather than "cave" to some organized people on Twitter who felt the limerick offensive...they should "cave" to some organized people on Twitter that feels any change is censorship?

 

I mean really Obsidian was screwed the minute someone found something offensive - it guaranteed that one side of the outrage brigade would be butthurt by any path they took.

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I cannot - yet I must. How do you calculate that? At what point on the graph do "must" and "cannot" meet? Yet I must - but I cannot! ~ Ro-Man

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So rather than "cave" to some organized people on Twitter who felt the limerick offensive...they should "cave" to some organized people on Twitter that feels any change is censorship?

 

I mean really Obsidian was screwed the minute someone found something offensive - it guaranteed that one side of the outrage brigade would be butthurt by any path they took.

 

 

Or it could mean, with a similar force tugging either way, the developers will come to disregard any outside influence on social media and just make the games they want, wthout listening to either side. Relying only on fans who buy the game.

 

That would be the ideal course of action.

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I mean really Obsidian was screwed the minute someone found something offensive

 

 

 

Not really. They should've just let it blow over.

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"There once was a loon that twitter


Before he went down the ****ter


In its demise he wasn't missed


Because there were bugs to be fixed."


~ Kaine


 


 


 

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Unfortunately the quick save feature remains very slow, even after the patch is loaded. It seems to get slower as the game progresses.

"It has just been discovered that research causes cancer in rats."

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I mean really Obsidian was screwed the minute someone found something offensive

 

 

Not really. They should've just let it blow over.

 

There'd still be the butthurt.

 

Only difference would be we'd get "They didn't change it! They support hate! I'll never buy again!" instead of "They changed it! They support censorship! I'll never buy again!"

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I cannot - yet I must. How do you calculate that? At what point on the graph do "must" and "cannot" meet? Yet I must - but I cannot! ~ Ro-Man

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Rebalanced fight difficulty and spell selection for the Old Watcher.

 

Question regarding that fight. I had been playing on hard, and restarted a game on normal post 1.03. Did the Watcher ever have a skill that he could heal himself for a substantial amount? I found his fight to be much more challenging this time around even on normal because he kept healing himself in the fight and I couldn't figure out if it was a spell or if he was bugged. At least 3 times I got him down to 1-2 bubbles and he'd heal all the way back fairly quickly too. But it looked like he was casting wizard spells, so maybe he was also using that endurance spell. I should have checked the log. I just know he used it what seemed like at least 4 times that fight.

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I mean really Obsidian was screwed the minute someone found something offensive

 

 

Not really. They should've just let it blow over.

 

There'd still be the butthurt.

 

So what?

"There once was a loon that twitter


Before he went down the ****ter


In its demise he wasn't missed


Because there were bugs to be fixed."


~ Kaine


 


 


 

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I don't know if it is more amusing the fact that the original limerick was intended as offence toward homophobic people (and as such misunderstood heavily), or that you all are still here discussing this stupid event.

Well, you try reasoning with a species that for fun and giggles put itself in oval arenas and fought amongst itself in staged battles; battles, that rarely, if ever, did not lead to a brutal and gory death, and often other animals too would partake... For fun and giggles. Which was not so long ago.

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Yes, uh hello. I am just curious if there is a way that when I buy this game later that I could still have the one joke in there along with the patch? Just idk feels like I would be getting jipped otherwise

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Yes, uh hello. I am just curious if there is a way that when I buy this game later that I could still have the one joke in there along with the patch? Just idk feels like I would be getting jipped otherwise

 

There's a mod for that in the Nexus, if you'd rather have the old text than the new (the tombstone wasn't removed, it just moved to a different place when the text was changed).

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Yes, uh hello. I am just curious if there is a way that when I buy this game later that I could still have the one joke in there along with the patch? Just idk feels like I would be getting jipped otherwise

 

There's a mod for that in the Nexus, if you'd rather have the old text than the new (the tombstone wasn't removed, it just moved to a different place when the text was changed).

 

That is interesting to hear, though I generally don't like trusting third party mods due to their dubious nature and possible problem with future patches. I would though like to know if there would perhaps be an option not to have it removed officially? Idk, it just bugs me otherwise

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