About that expansion....

[Marceror]

I hope that it doesn't simply add new content, but also improves some of the existing content.

 

The stronghold could certainly use some love. I'd love to see a large scale, scripted siege against the stronghold occur, where all of your hirelings, party members (the six in your party and any additional in your barracks and house) all have a role to play. Maybe an upgrade to include some siege engines for improved defense. I'm talking an epic battle here, where an unproperly defended keep can have serious consequences. I'd also like to see more life in the Caed Nua. Folks coming to visit. That amphitheater having some periodic performances. Some additional generic guards in key locations. And I'm sure there's plenty more that could be done.

 

I'd also like to see some "epic weapons" added, that compare to the likes of Crom Faeyr, Carsomyr, etc. Weapons that are too powerful to be further enchanted, and that actually go beyond the standard limitations for enchantments... artifact level items.

 

Most important though is plenty of new content, high levels of experience that can be obtained, and a story that continues the exploits of the Watcher. I certainly wouldn't mind seeing a new part of the world either. Aedyr, Readceras, the Vailian Republic... those would all be great. Though an expansion of the Dyrwood and/or Eir Glanfath would be great too. Maybe an expansion on the known areas and a bit of new as well would be doable.

 

A new companion or two would be nice, as would perhaps a new class, but these are extra credit in my opinion. Not requirements.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing what Obsidian has in store. What would you guys like to see?

Edited April 15, 2015 by Marceror

[FalloutBoy]

I doubt we will see anything that doesn't fit onto the existing map. So the places you mentioned all probably out. More likely I would expect something like 2-3 outdoor areas, a multi-level dungeon, definitely a few new enemies, definitely some new cool loot, possibly a new companion. My concern is that they kind of need to increase the level cap when they add more content, and that means new spells and abilities, which would be a hell of a lot of work.

 

I don't really expect them to add much to existing systems like the stronghold since they are a relatively small team and would probably choose to focus on making one great new storyline, rather than split up their efforts.

 

That's all speculation though.

 

EDIT: Also my personal preference is that they add something that fits into the middle of the story rather than continue the story after the current end.

Edited April 15, 2015 by FalloutBoy

[Marceror]

A great new storyline could certainly intersect back to places like the stronghold.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

I just want encounters that are more interesting. So far the only things that have given me much trouble are the mushroom things.

[Arsene Lupin]

From what they've said, the first expansion is almost certainly bound to disappoint (almost) everyone. They're apparently rushing its development and are comparing it to TotSC in terms of scope and size. TotSC was super small, and added 3-4 maps and 5-6 (very short, very simple) sidequests.

[Marceror]

From what they've said, the first expansion is almost certainly bound to disappoint (almost) everyone. They're apparently rushing its development and are comparing it to TotSC in terms of scope and size. TotSC was super small, and added 3-4 maps and 5-6 (very short, very simple) sidequests.

Is that the first expansion as in, the first part of the expansion they plan to deliver? Or that's the total sum including the second installment as well?

[Tigranes]

From what they've said, the first expansion is almost certainly bound to disappoint (almost) everyone. They're apparently rushing its development and are comparing it to TotSC in terms of scope and size. TotSC was super small, and added 3-4 maps and 5-6 (very short, very simple) sidequests.

 

TOTSC was pretty big relative to the rest of BG1, since Durlag's Dungeon was basically 3-4 vanilla dungeons in and of itself. 

[LadyCrimson]

From what they've said, the first expansion is almost certainly bound to disappoint (almost) everyone. They're apparently rushing its development and are comparing it to TotSC in terms of scope and size. TotSC was super small, and added 3-4 maps and 5-6 (very short, very simple) sidequests.

I loved TotSC ... or more specifically, I loved Durlag's Tower. Size isn't everything.

 

...that said, if they don't improve combat, even a Durlag's Tower might disappoint me a little, since it was the trap-filled, crazy combat that made that so fun back then, to me (a non min-max player).

[Hiro Protagonist II]

I'd also like to see some "epic weapons" added, that compare to the likes of Crom Faeyr, Carsomyr, etc. Weapons that are too powerful to be further enchanted, and that actually go beyond the standard limitations for enchantments... artifact level items.

 

 

Obsidian won't do that. I submitted an epic item and it was rejected for being too OP. It was also broken into four parts scattered across the game world that you had to take to get forged but they also rejected that as well. This is what Obsidian views as an Epic item from the Kickstarter.

 

Hiro's Mantle

• Retaliate when hit by a Melee attack
• + 3 Crush DT
• + 3 Pierce DT

 

http://pillarsofeternity.gamepedia.com/Cape

[Tigranes]

Wait, so Hiro's Mantle is now in the game with those stats? Or that was what you originally submitted?

 

Those stats could be anything from OK to Epic, depending on what 'retaliate' does. 

[Hiro Protagonist II]

I didn't submit those stats. My original item was going to be a sword. JES said in a post on these forums to not submit swords because they didn't want hundreds of epic swords in the game. So I submitted a cloak instead. Obsidian came up with the stats. Not sure what retaliate does because I'm still in Act 2 and haven't found the cloak to try it out. I wish there were two slots for amulets and cloaks though. In hindsight, if I knew there was going to be one slot or there were items they were short of, I would have changed it to something else. Apparently there was a lot of submissions for cloaks and amulets.

 

Those stats could be anything from OK to Epic, depending on what 'retaliate' does. 

 

It definitely could be epic. If a character is carrying a blunderbuss, I wonder if the attack is immediate? I'll have to test it out when I find it. Send in a character with a blunderbuss in melee and see what the reaction time is when getting hit.

Edited April 15, 2015 by Hiro Protagonist II

[Marceror]

 

I'd also like to see some "epic weapons" added, that compare to the likes of Crom Faeyr, Carsomyr, etc. Weapons that are too powerful to be further enchanted, and that actually go beyond the standard limitations for enchantments... artifact level items.

 

 

Obsidian won't do that. I submitted an epic item and it was rejected for being too OP. It was also broken into four parts scattered across the game world that you had to take to get forged but they also rejected that as well. This is what Obsidian views as an Epic item from the Kickstarter.

 

Hiro's Mantle

• Retaliate when hit by a Melee attack
• + 3 Crush DT
• + 3 Pierce DT

 

http://pillarsofeternity.gamepedia.com/Cape

 

Taluntain's staff, which was submitted by Sorcerer's Place is decidedly unepic. It's a normal staff that allows you to cast fireball, with no other mods. Fireball is nice and all, but in reality it's a staff that basically no one is going to want to use. A far cry from the epic item we expected it to be, and drastically nerfed from what the original concept was. I'm at least using Hiro's Mantle in my party right now. Retaliate is pretty good, and DT is always useful.

 

Tal's staff is staying in the inventory of the vendor who is selling it. Definitely not one of the best weapons in the game, or remotely close. Probably one of the most unmemorable weapons in the game, in fact, save for its description.

Edited April 15, 2015 by Marceror

[Lychnidos]

My biggest wish for the expansion is a Plumed Helm with a plume.​ 

[Marceror]

My biggest wish for the expansion is a Plumed Helm with a plume.​ 

You might want to set your aim a bit lower their friend. It sounds like you're destined for disappointment with big dreams like this!

[Hiro Protagonist II]

Taluntain's staff, which was submitted by Sorcerer's Place is decidedly unepic. It's a normal staff that allows you to cast fireball, with no other mods. Fireball is nice and all, but in reality it's a staff that basically no one is going to want to use. A far cry from the epic item we expected it to be, and drastically nerfed from what the original concept was. I'm at least using Hiro's Mantle in my party right now. Retaliate is pretty good, and DT is always useful.

 

Tal's staff is staying in the inventory of the vendor who is selling it. Definitely not one of the best weapons in the game, or remotely close. Probably one of the most unmemorable weapons in the game, in fact, save for its description.

 

From memory, the original design was that you meet Hiro (an NPC I submitted who's in Dyrford Village) and he'll give you a scroll that lists some items that you need to collect to get forged. Hiro is a traveller who's looking for family items including parts of a sword that belongs to an ancestor. You take the scroll, pommel, hilt and blade back to Hiro and you pay him 20,000 copper to forge a sword for you. The sword's name was Hiro's Fury. There was a reason and some history why the sword was broken up. There was also some other stuff about being a family heirloom and you had the option to give him the sword or keep it. There was some consequences to either decision. The scroll was to stay with Hiro and you could talk him into giving it to you, pick pocket it or kill him (rep loss) for it. You could keep the scroll or sell it but served no further purpose in the game. The scroll may have had another purpose if you imported your character in a sequel.

 

But at least it's good to see broken up items in this game that you can forge even though they're not as epic as in BG2.

Edited April 15, 2015 by Hiro Protagonist II

[Telmorial]

I just want encounters that are more interesting. So far the only things that have given me much trouble are the mushroom things.

 

Yep, me too. Maybe massively improving the AI and add in hard counters may help but whatever the solution, the combat in PoE is no where near as interesting and challenging as BG2.

 

One of my favorite type of battles in BG2 was fighting enemy mages. Your whole party would be wiped out if you just tried to damage with melee and magic. You had to strip the mage of their multiple layers of defenses. Then at various stages in the battle, you would get surprised by something (maybe a contingency spell would be triggered or the mage would summon something right next to your casters), forcing to you to change tactics ASAP to win the battle.

 

But in PoE, most combat is just lay in with damage and a couple of crowd control spells/abilities then rinse and repeat.

 

Also they need to vastly expand the number and varaity of items. The named items are hardly better, and just as important, hardly more interesting that the non named items.

[bonarbill]

 

I just want encounters that are more interesting. So far the only things that have given me much trouble are the mushroom things.

 

Yep, me too. Maybe massively improving the AI and add in hard counters may help but whatever the solution, the combat in PoE is no where near as interesting and challenging as BG2.

 

One of my favorite type of battles in BG2 was fighting enemy mages. Your whole party would be wiped out if you just tried to damage with melee and magic. You had to strip the mage of their multiple layers of defenses. Then at various stages in the battle, you would get surprised by something (maybe a contingency spell would be triggered or the mage would summon something right next to your casters), forcing to you to change tactics ASAP to win the battle.

 

 

I rather not have that kind of BS in PoE. 

Edited April 15, 2015 by bonarbill

[Telmorial]

 

 

I just want encounters that are more interesting. So far the only things that have given me much trouble are the mushroom things.

 

Yep, me too. Maybe massively improving the AI and add in hard counters may help but whatever the solution, the combat in PoE is no where near as interesting and challenging as BG2.

 

One of my favorite type of battles in BG2 was fighting enemy mages. Your whole party would be wiped out if you just tried to damage with melee and magic. You had to strip the mage of their multiple layers of defenses. Then at various stages in the battle, you would get surprised by something (maybe a contingency spell would be triggered or the mage would summon something right next to your casters), forcing to you to change tactics ASAP to win the battle.

 

 

I rather not have that kind of BS in PoE. 

 

 

You'd rather not have interesting battles which force you to change tactics often? Wow.

[MLMII]

I don't know, I'm all for "interesting tactical combat" but the entire "stripping layer after layer of defense" in my opinion just wasn't all that interesting and lead to "God Guide It!" play more then actual tactics ... similar to how sometimes in say ... Dragon Age your mages "just know" where and when to drop a couple of nasty AoE effects in order to counter an upcoming ambush. 

[Bryy]

From what they've said, the first expansion is almost certainly bound to disappoint (almost) everyone. They're apparently rushing its development and are comparing it to TotSC in terms of scope and size. TotSC was super small, and added 3-4 maps and 5-6 (very short, very simple) sidequests.

To be fair, they rather did paint themselves into a corner by announcing an expansion in the Kickstarter. I wouldn't expect it to be really in-depth.

 

In b4 "the expansion is coming out in two parts, just like Broken Age".

[Valsuelm]

 

From what they've said, the first expansion is almost certainly bound to disappoint (almost) everyone. They're apparently rushing its development and are comparing it to TotSC in terms of scope and size. TotSC was super small, and added 3-4 maps and 5-6 (very short, very simple) sidequests.

Is that the first expansion as in, the first part of the expansion they plan to deliver? Or that's the total sum including the second installment as well?

 

 

The guy doesn't know what he's talking about in regards to something that already exists, hence it's not wise to seek his thoughts about what he thinks in regards to something that doesn't exist yet.

Edited April 15, 2015 by Valsuelm

[Mungri]

I want more unique / exceptional / superb arbalests.

 

Arbalests are amazing. Currently I have tk make do with 1 exceptional arbalest and 1 exceptional crossbow because that's all the act 2 merchants had.

 

I liek arbalests.

[Atheosis]

I doubt we will see anything that doesn't fit onto the existing map. So the places you mentioned all probably out. More likely I would expect something like 2-3 outdoor areas, a multi-level dungeon, definitely a few new enemies, definitely some new cool loot, possibly a new companion. My concern is that they kind of need to increase the level cap when they add more content, and that means new spells and abilities, which would be a hell of a lot of work.

 

I don't really expect them to add much to existing systems like the stronghold since they are a relatively small team and would probably choose to focus on making one great new storyline, rather than split up their efforts.

 

That's all speculation though.

 

EDIT: Also my personal preference is that they add something that fits into the middle of the story rather than continue the story after the current end.

 

It should be considerably more than what you are describing if it follows the model of BG expansions.  What you are describing is more like the crappy DLC we see all the time these days.

[Lychnidos]

 

My biggest wish for the expansion is a Plumed Helm with a plume.​ 

You might want to set your aim a bit lower their friend. It sounds like you're destined for disappointment with big dreams like this!

 

 

I was crushed when I put the Plumed Helm on, and there was no plume. Thanks Sawyer.

 

[Exyll]

Would love to see this game use more of the NWN2 mechanic of rebuilding the Keep. I keep that game in my Library *just* because of that  feature - was awesome.

Someone said the Fort now feels too mobile app-like with the notifications/events...I have to agree.

I like the idea and I would like to see it improved upon, there's certainly a lot of room for it

Edited April 15, 2015 by Exyll