Finished the game, my Feedback:

[Zherot]

I just finished the game (main game not the expansion)

 

Took my i believe like 50 hours or so, have to say its a good amount of time because i was already feeling tired, so i thank is not that longer, im probably not going to do the expansion at least not now.

 

What i have to say is that is a really good game, i really liked it, besides its obvious flaws in the combat system everything else the game has to offer is pretty well done.

 

The story- Some people say they dont liked it or found it "meh", well i dont know but i really liked the story, also liked how you make desicions about your past in those visions, whoever said that there is no romance in this game may need to check what they say in those visions because there is actually a romance in there, its not a sim date or anything but is still there and of course its your desicion to take that choice or not, i took it and thought it was really well done. I really was interested the whole time in what was going to happen next, every turn into the story was exciting for me, all the revelations you get at the end also were really good, who knows why people say the story is bad or dont liked it, you want a terrible story?, play DA:I.

 

 

The combat- Here is where the fanboys ae gonna crusify me, but i dont care, after all this is my feedback and it serves a purpose and that is to improve future releases of this developers not to make them feel bad or anything, you need to grow up if you think people cant criticize something because they care, but to hell with that people... lets continue and not wadte my time. The combat... is kind of bad... not bad like terrible but it could have been better if this game were turn based seriously, bassically all the encounters are :

 

-Make your tanks engage the zerg

-Position your ranged characters in a safe place

-Release AoE on top of the zerg, damage,control,debuffs you name it, just throw it there

-Win

 

Not a lot of deep mechanics and not like you have the time to do anything else in a game that is not turn based, there is little to no room to strategy or do things in a different way.

 

Magic is very simple and its bassically Damage of different colors and buffs/debuffs/heals, or CC, there is really not much about magic and i cant help myself to compare it to the amazing magic system in Divinity Original Sin, the way magic interact with each other is just amazing, here i just feel like it really lacks depth.

 

Melee characters are boring, i dont know why anyone would pick a melee character to main, you are bassically a damage sponge that autoattacks everything while your magic ranged attackers have all the fun with their spells in the background.

 

The combat starts difficult at first because you have no equipment and no levels (i played on Hard), and i remember some fanboys here told me that in Divinity Orignal Sin the combat becomes really easy as you progress in the game... well guess what?, its just the same thing here, as soon as my characters were getting better gear i was facerolling everything and you know what?, THAT IS NOT A BAD THING, i like to feel like im accomplishing something when i get better gear or when i level up, i want to become powerful and enjoy killing things, thats RPGs for you, its what they are about, if i wanted a game that cheap shots me every time even when i had the best equipment with 1 hit kills or something i would play Dark Souls...

 

Overall i think the combat needs to be turn based and magic needs to be more deep from what we have now, but not everyhting is bad there is still some fun to had at least with a wizard with the spells you get so like is said its not terrible but its too simple.

 

A.I.- Was a world of difference playing with AI than with none, when this game released i just couldnt bare to play it because of the micro managing, with the AI all my problems were solved and i could actually enjoy it, so a BIG THANK YOU for listening to us and adding this, i had no troubles whatsoever with the AI, not saying anyone who had troubles with it is wrong or are lying just saying that i personaly didnt found anything in my playthrough.

 

The writing- Amazing, and this is where i throw another punch at the fanboys which probably think im a hater at this point just because i dared to criticize the combat, guess what?, if there is something this game does better than DOS is the writing, man, i really loved EVERY side quest and every thing i found on my adventure, Jesus i liked all my companions even when i always seemed to piss off durance (lol) i really liked the dude,Eder was so funny and a really cool dude, easily the best companion, Aloth with that girl inside him was hilatious , Kana was a really cool dude BIG and strong at at the same time was so cute and adorable seriously, I fell in love with the Grieving mother she was just so amazing character and really felt sorry for her but in the end i helped her to endure her pain and surpass it without forgeting it like she wanted to, sadly thats all the companions i could bring in my journey but i spoke a bit with the druid dude in the stronghold and what he said about all my companions when asking him his opinion was hilarious specially what he said about Pallegina and Durance.

 

I really like what you did with this game, i was hating at first not gaining experience in battles but is soon find myself immersend in your GREAT content with the quests and side quest that i side tracked myself from the mains story for hours... seriously, well done.

 

Items and loot- I found it really well done, but i really dont liked the way you capped it, i mean that you cant stack stats, a lot of gear i got was like "oh looka t that amazing ring with defection" just to find that none of my characters can put more defection on themselves and putting it in the stash forever... lots of equip go useless like this in the entire game which is s shame, also i didnt liked that you cant enchant headgear... and most of the time my characters had to wear ugly hats because they had good stats... at least i got an enchanted hood for my Wizard that even if a got something better i refused to put it on... like seriously why would i wear a deers head?, overall the crafting was easy to use and understand something that is again better done in this game than in DOS where i didnt even bothered with crafting, granted their crafting is deeper and has more options but its so ****ing confusing that i didnt even bothered. I liked the items that gave you spells and interesting effects at first i was thinking that the itemization was bland with just stats but i soon found out that it wasnt true at all.

 

Music and Graphics- Dont want to duel much on this, the graphics are amazing, i reall liked the style, not everygame has to be full 3d and **** to be beatiful, the sad part about this is the fog dudes... why?, it just ruins the amazing stuff you done with the graphics, understand the fog in caves ans **** but in the fields or in the towns???, just no. The music was really good i loved it i have no complaints  other than maybe the music in the battles become to repetitive but they are good tracks, oh and speaking of sound i loved the way your characters actually cast with their voices when doing a spell, sadly some voices are bugged and you cant barely hear them, so i had to change my main character voice to hear him casting and also sometimes with too much stuff happening at the same time they interrupt their voices with other effects.

 

 

Overall i think had a great experience with the game and unlike some people im glad it ended, things have to end, thats why im dweling if i should do the expansion or not since even if i liked the game i am feeling tired of the concept after 50 hours or so, so who knows maybe y do maybe i dont, maybe when i finish FO4, for now i think this game deserves a solid 9, its a great game and i hope you improve on this and when you release another game you take all the feedback we gave you to make an even better one and i encourage you to stop doing expansions to this game and just go for a new one, things have to end like i said, you cant stay doing expansions for this game forever and you shouldnt, you are making a great IP with this and you should take the oportunity to make an even great game than this already is, take your time but not take too much.

 

Thanks for the pleassing experience.

Edited October 18, 2015 by Zherot

[I Roll 20]

Nice, now how about the Godlike backer NPC's numbers seemingly so much more than the named NPCs(not companions!)? I have heard it can really break your immersion. Also not hearing anything good about the combat. I am still deciding whether to buy the game...

[Fenixp]

I Roll 20: Keep in mind that a lot of complaints come down to it not being Infinity Engine combat as opposed to anything else. That being said, it's quite easy to find a universal tactic and then stick to it for the rest of the game, which will become boring after a while. White March expansion added some enemy types to mix things up a bit and most boss encounters are great, but for majority of the game, you need to be willing to experiment to enjoy it (because at their core the combat mechanics are great.)

[CynicalP]

I just finish my game yesterday it took me over 180 hours.  What can I say I am a slow reader and I think I wipe out any and every enemy I could find. I was playing on normal difficulty. Here are are my two cents if any really cares or not.

 

I wasn't too impressed about the main story. I would fall under the ' Meh' category.  I think  the main problem is I just didn't have a strong enough hatred of the antagonist. Too me the main antagonist just didn't inspire much emotion in me one way or another. I guess due to the mysterious nature of the antagonist and his hidden agenda it left me without a clear  purpose and therefore my indifference towards him. The end game reveal had little impact on me cause I just didn't care. Plus the fact that the main population of Dyrwood themselves were more of a threat to innocent lives than the antagonist with all their wars and purges. I had little sympathy for the general population. I guess superstitious ignorant people are unworthy of redemption at least that seems to be the underlying feeling  I get from this game.  I was getting pretty bored with the story until I began the white marsh content.  The whole Durgan's battery dungeon was awesome and I loved the siege of Craigholdt which had some of the best combat encounters in the game.

 

I really enjoyed most of the NPCs in the game. Eder and Kana were my favorite NPCs.  I really like the Baldur's gate like mini interactions between characters.  Kind of wish they had more of them. Along with more input to the game's dialog within the story as well.   At first I couldn't stand Durance but his whole character arc was worth putting up with.  I felt he was the best developed NPC in the game despite not being a very likable character.

 

I really enjoyed the combat in the game it was what drove me to finish the game. Sure there could be improvements and by the end the of game all the trash mob fights broke down to a similar experience, but I still had fun. I guess I enjoyed having all those spells and options at my disposal and the freedom to dispense a righteous  beat down of my choice.

 

The artwork in this game was awesome and  the soundtrack was fantastic. Props to the artists and composer. The game was an audio-visual delight. 

 

Overall I really enjoyed most aspects of the game. Doesn't steal the crown from Baldur's gate II as the king of the isometric RTwP based CRPG, but it does a satisfactory job in capturing the look and feel of an infinity engine game. I am looking forward to the POE2  hopefully with a more intriguing story and antagonist. 

[Crucis]

I've completed the game 3 times thus far.  I think that the basic combat system is fine.  However, I do think that the game is lacking in well designed set piece battles.  Take IWD2 as an example.  There were a number of very interesting and challenging set piece battles in IWD2.  OTOH, there are very few, if any, similar battles in PoE.  The battles in PoE can generally be described as the enemies are over there and the good guys are over here, they meet and they fight.

 

Let me give you some examples of the set piece battles in IWD2 for those who aren't familiar with that game.  (I'm doing this from memory since it's been many years since I played it.)  There was one battle where the entire map are was one long, giant running battle from the moment you entered the area.  (I.E.  The battle that ended part 2 of the game, at the bridge.)  Come to think of it, there was a second battle that could be described this way as well, the ending battle of part 1, where you had to defend the town where your party first starts the game. 

 

And there as a battle in an underground tunnel against some sort of monsters that would suddenly appear from nowhere and you'd be constantly attacked from both the front and back.  You didn't put your warriors up front to hide the casters.  You had to have warriors both front and back, with the casters in the middle of the party and hope for the best.  (Often the best tactic in this instance was to summon some allies to serve as cannon fodder on the front lines to support your warriors.)

 

What it came down to was that IWD2's battles were more interesting, even though the basic combat was the same as PoE, because those battles presented different challenges from time to time.  And often you needed to go beyond your personal basic strategy a little.  Not so much because the set piece battles were countering you, but probably more because your basic tactic was so honed in on the generic battle format that when you ran up against a set piece battle that had the baddies doing stuff beyond the norm, you had to adjust on the fly (at least the first time you saw that battle).

 

 

 

I realize that it might be too much to ask at this point, but it would be nice if in WM2, the devs would make some changes in how some of the battles in the game are set up so that every battle wasn't "good guys encounter bad guys. the two teams charge at each other and fight".  This isn't an issue of the bad guys's combat AI.  It's how the battles are set up.

[Zenbane]

I can't tell if this is Feedback for the game itself, or simply feedback about what the reviewer calls "fanboys." Every game has its following, but a good review should avoid referencing them as part of the review itself. It just comes across as being jaded and dilutes any real intention behind a potentially worthwhile review.

 

In regards to combat,

 

Before commenting on the combat of PoE, the reviewer should note their background playing this specific genre of RPG. PoE is on par with Baldurs Gate, IceWind Dale, and Neverwinter Nights. And all of this started primarily with Planescape: Torment. This review doesn't seem to take any of that in to account which I think is important; context is everything.

 

Combat has never been turn-based in this genre and shouldn't start now. Furthermore, if anyone has played through IceWind Dale or Neverwinter Nights in their entirety, then chances are you'll find the combat system in PoE to be a breath of fresh air. Personally, I always loved IceWind Dale over any of the other games. In fact, the only way I was able to commit to all of Neverwinter Nights was with a power build and referencing a full walkthrough. IceWind Dale, on the other hand, captivated my heart, and I gladly played through the game multiple times with multiple parties without ever using a detailed walkthrough.

 

PoE brings a great new element to the Combat system through the use of true Crowd Control, Buffs/Debuffs, and multi-fashioned AoE. The combat experience can be quick & bloody, slow & strategic, or anything in between. I love the way PoE took the combat maechanics we all know and love from the previous titles and enhanced it on multiple fronts... all without destroying the classic "dice roll" D&D experience.

[Gairnulf]

PoE is on par with Baldurs Gate, IceWind Dale,

Lol, no.

 

And all of this started primarily with Planescape: Torment.

What does this sentence even mean?

 

I love the way PoE took the combat maechanics we all know and love from the previous titles and enhanced it on multiple fronts... all without destroying the classic "dice roll" D&D experience.

It doesn't enhance anything. The guy's written it in the OP, it's a couple of strategies that win the whole game for you.

[Fenixp]

Lol, no.

Agreed, I like PoE a good deal more - well aside from Planescape. While I love rtwp combat, I always found the implementation found in IE games to be incredibly clunky, as far as I'm concerned, they would have been better off featuring a full turn-based system. PoE is actually a game designed for PC with combat that goes with it - no need for turn-based mechanic, everything is cooldown-based which lends it a lot more flexibility, it paces itself a lot better and I love how fast it is when compared to IE games. It's a system which is actually built from ground up for a game featuring rtwp combat and it shows. All I'm missing (a lot) are order queues.

 

Aside from that, I found writing in PoE to be a crapload better than in BG and IWD games, I love the story and find the companions a lot more relatable.

 

It doesn't enhance anything. The guy's written it in the OP, it's a couple of strategies that win the whole game for you.

Well eh... That's how I finished entire original Baldur's Gate, entire Planescape Torment and most of Baldur's Gate 2. Icewind Dale games had a lot better encounter design, gotta hand that to them.

[Zenbane]

Lol, no.

Quality retort. If your strategic use of "lol" is meant to imply that PoE is better than its predecessors I agree with the "lol, no." However, if you meant to imply that it is lesser, well then, "lol" right back at ya

 

 

What does this sentence even mean?

Anyone familiar with Planescape, Baldurs Gate, IceWind Dale, Neverwinter Nights, and PoE wouldn't have to ask.

 

 

It doesn't enhance anything. The guy's written it in the OP, it's a couple of strategies that win the whole game for you.

 

Your  post certainly doesn't enhance anything discussed here (quite the opposite in fact). But PoE most certainly does enhance this genre. Then again, you were confused about the Planescape reference so you probably aren't in the best position to judge what is being enhanced in the first place. Sure the OP typed something up, but it doesn't make it the whole truth. And as I stated, the OP seems more concerned with posting a response to what he repeatedly calls "fanboys" as opposed to offering a comprehensive review of PoE within the context of its genre. I mean... the OP suggested that PoE become a turn-based game which makes no sense considering the world in which it was made for. Again, refer to Planescape.

Edited October 27, 2015 by Zenbane

[Zenbane]

 

Lol, no.

Agreed, I like PoE a good deal more - well aside from Planescape. While I love rtwp combat, I always found the implementation found in IE games to be incredibly clunky, as far as I'm concerned, they would have been better off featuring a full turn-based system. PoE is actually a game designed for PC with combat that goes with it - no need for turn-based mechanic, everything is cooldown-based which lends it a lot more flexibility, it paces itself a lot better and I love how fast it is when compared to IE games. It's a system which is actually built from ground up for a game featuring rtwp combat and it shows. All I'm missing (a lot) are order queues.

 

Aside from that, I found writing in PoE to be a crapload better than in BG and IWD games, I love the story and find the companions a lot more relatable.

 

It doesn't enhance anything. The guy's written it in the OP, it's a couple of strategies that win the whole game for you.

Well eh... That's how I finished entire original Baldur's Gate, entire Planescape Torment and most of Baldur's Gate 2. Icewind Dale games had a lot better encounter design, gotta hand that to them.

 

I do agree that the writing in PoE is fantastic. Up until now, IceWind Dale was my absolute favorite from the entire genre. Granted, lengthy combat in IceWind Dale was probably a bit more rewarding overall, or felt that way at times. But I feel that PoE has given this form of combat the much needed "edge" to bring it in to the new era of gaming. Even in IWD, combat tactics became highly repetitive and only a few strategies won the whole game. The diversity offered in the PoE class system is a welcome enhancement.

 

I suppose the biggest difference is that diversity in the form of "gear" was more prevalent in the predecessor games; whereas diversity in the form or class builds and group makeup is much more prevalent and rewarding in PoE.

 

I recently completed the games, Legend of Grimrock 1 & 2; and I am noticing a similar pattern in terms of the gripes/complaints between the 2 genres. PoE has tried to give the age old Planescape combat system a cutting edge approach, which means shorter combat than we are used to. Grimrock did the same thing for the Dungeon Crawler grid-based genre. For example, in original Dungeon Crawlers the player had to write down map information themselves, and explore every single wall for hidden switches. This often resulted in huge time sinks to beat a single game. In Grimrock, someone beat Part 2 in just over 1 hour. Case in point, bringing a "new edge" to that genre resulted in the ability for players to have a short-lived combat experience.

 

I see the same trend in PoE. In the older games we could build a diverse group and move slowly throughout the campaign. Inch by inch, weapon by weapon, players evolved the story and their characters until the final end-game confrontation. In PoE, players can find a handful of builds and literally buldoze their way through the game. And then the go to the forum and post about how PoE is limited in its diversity.

 

Well, for the sake of my comparison here, I would say that in both games from both genres, despite the fact that it is possible to bulldoze through the campaign, it is also 100% possible to take your time and build a group of characters that enhance the overall experience as opposed to eploiting game mechanics. In other words... just because "you can" doesn't mean "you have to." And it certainly doesn't mean, "that's the only way."

[Guest 4ward]

 

me again    i don't really understand why some of you find combat in PoE more satisfying. While admittedly i just play the base game and my party is just level 7, so far i simply can go stealth with a ranged char who preferrably has a weapon with long range and leave the others behind as far as possible. Then my ranged char initiates combat and runs back to the rest of the party. In the meantime, since combat started, i can let Durance cast a buff and Kana, if he's reached 3rd or 4th invocation summon an ally and/or Eder summon an ally with an item. So, basically i can do what i did in BG2 as well, i don't see where the difference is. Then kiting, taunting in BG2 people say had to go since it's cheesy. Yet in PoE you can taunt enemies to the edge of their movement zone/radius with ranged weapons and when they turn their back on your party you attack them with ranged weapons again, move them to the edge again and repeat until enemy dead.

 

Then i can also lock enemies up in melee, and nuke them. While there's the expert mode to turn off the visual helpers for AoEs it's still way cheesy because of sticky melee and stat regulating AoEs so much so that they nearly become foe only. The status effects aren't really dangerous for the player, but enough to screw up the enemy. And even if your meleer gets hurt in the process you don't care since he gets up after battle. In comparison in BG2 going down the pit in the unseeying eye quest and then one of your chars getting killed, with no way back, proceed without him to finish that quest.

 

Melee engagement IMO relies on crowding the player with enemies so that there's still enemies left who move to other chars in your party (which also is the reason corridors/doorways are that wide). Since melee already controls movement, status effects duration is also reduced. That leads to counterspellig not being tactical as it was in say BG2. Counters are done before real face-to-face combat starts and whether it's even necessary depends on the enemy. Say you face wind blights in your next battle, then you simply can let Durance cast a prayer and you're good to go for the entire battle. So you have a couple of universal counters which you cast before the enemy reaches you and that takes out the need to counter when you share the battlefield with the enemy. So, while there's a strategical component to combat in PoE, there's just not really a tactical one, it's not as dynamic as in say BG2 and i believe the first step to change that would have been to enable free movement.

 

Also, in BG2, even if i managed to obtain the staff of magi, after going through one of the toughest battles in the game, that didn't make my sorcerer suddenly a melee powerhouse since i could only put 1 prof. pt into staffs and btw was also reduced to using dagger, sling and darts only. And if the player wanted a multitalented guy, then that multiclass char would progress slower. Also, action queues are already in, which i associate with mindless static version of rtwp combat (e.g. KotOR).

[Zenbane]

i don't really understand why some of you find combat in PoE more satisfying. While admittedly i just play the base game and my party is just level 7, so far i simply can go stealth with a ranged char who preferrably has a weapon with long range and leave the others behind as far as possible. Then my ranged char initiates combat and runs back to the rest of the party. In the meantime, since combat started, i can let Durance cast a buff and Kana, if he's reached 3rd or 4th invocation summon an ally and/or Eder summon an ally with an item. So, basically i can do what i did in BG2 as well, i don't see where the difference is. Then kiting, taunting in BG2 people say had to go since it's cheesy. Yet in PoE you can taunt enemies to the edge of their movement zone/radius with ranged weapons and when they turn their back on your party you attack them with ranged weapons again, move them to the edge again and repeat until enemy dead.

 

Right, so kiting is alive and well in PoE. That doesn't make it more satisfying, that puts in on par which is one of the claims I made in this thread. Kiting exists in quite a few genres, even MMORPG's.

 

 

 

Then i can also lock enemies up in melee, and nuke them. While there's the expert mode to turn off the visual helpers for AoEs it's still way cheesy because of sticky melee and stat regulating AoEs so much so that they nearly become foe only. The status effects aren't really dangerous for the player, but enough to screw up the enemy. And even if your meleer gets hurt in the process you don't care since he gets up after battle. In comparison in BG2 going down the pit in the unseeying eye quest and then one of your chars getting killed, with no way back, proceed without him to finish that quest.

 

Okay so you're basically describing the process of Tanking with DPS backup. Anyone can take pretty much anything in life and describe it in terms of the lowest common denominator. That doesn't prove or disprove whether or not something is more/less satisfying at face value. The difference being: face value description vs lowest common denominator description.

 

Tanking is much more satisfying in PoE than its predecessors imo. Especially with fun abilities that come from the Godlike races. If your fighter runs out of both Endurance and Health in PoE, they are completely useless even if you can drag them along. Having to either restart or continue without a party member isn't a proper challenge, imo. That's a needless penalty that is making the game hard for the wrong reasons. And if you want to penalize yourself, then just change the difficulties in PoE and suddenly it's way worse than what you described in BG2.

 

 

Melee engagement IMO relies on crowding the player with enemies so that there's still enemies left who move to other chars in your party (which also is the reason corridors/doorways are that wide). Since melee already controls movement, status effects duration is also reduced. That leads to counterspellig not being tactical as it was in say BG2. Counters are done before real face-to-face combat starts and whether it's even necessary depends on the enemy. Say you face wind blights in your next battle, then you simply can let Durance cast a prayer and you're good to go for the entire battle. So you have a couple of universal counters which you cast before the enemy reaches you and that takes out the need to counter when you share the battlefield with the enemy. So, while there's a strategical component to combat in PoE, there's just not really a tactical one, it's not as dynamic as in say BG2 and i believe the first step to change that would have been to enable free movement.

 

That is extremely situation (eg, your personal style of play) and doesn't really govern the overall experience every player can expect. For example, Monks work entirely differently than everything you just described. Chanters as well. Both are mid-to-late battle abilities and counters.

 

 

Also, in BG2, even if i managed to obtain the staff of magi, after going through one of the toughest battles in the game, that didn't make my sorcerer suddenly a melee powerhouse since i could only put 1 prof. pt into staffs and btw was also reduced to using dagger, sling and darts only. And if the player wanted a multitalented guy, then that multiclass char would progress slower. Also, action queues are already in, which i associate with mindless static version of rtwp combat (e.g. KotOR).

 

Most people who describe BG2 talk in terms of how much better it is in terms of items and gear. It's interesting to read you describe the opposite. But I think the recurring theme in your response is centered around personal preference.

 

If you limit yourself in BG2, PoE, or any other RPG, then of course you won't experience many of the enhancements. Due to the nature of all the games mentioned, for every situational argument there is a perfectly valid counter argument. This is a full fledged micromanaged RPG based on D&D rules. At the end of the day, all these games give you enough options to make your gameplay experience either narrow or diverse. The combat can be either monotonous or unique. It's all based on the choices you make. Perhaps in the end that is what makes PoE feel more satisfying: a more intriguing array of choices in what appears to be a more noticeably unique world.

[Yellow Rabbit]

PoE is on par with Baldurs Gate, IceWind Dale, and Neverwinter Nights. And all of this started primarily with Planescape: Torment.

No, seriously, what does it mean? Your phrasing is a little confusing.

 

BG, IWD and NWN started primarily with Planescape: Torment? This is not true. Torment started because Black Isle/Interplay had Baldur's Gate's engine, Planescape license they needed to utilize and MCA willing to work on two projects at once for giggles.

PoE started primarily with P:T? This is not true either. PoE took inspiration from IE games in general, and Torment is the one from which it took the least of all.

As a matter of fact, I can't think of anything Planescape: Torment "primarily started" up until inXile's Tides of Numenera pitch and, maybe, Mask of the Betrayer back in the days.

 

Also, NWN is certainly redundant in your list. It being D&D based modding toolkit with RTwP combat and OC pure **** doesn't mean PoE related to it somehow.

[Zenbane]

 

PoE is on par with Baldurs Gate, IceWind Dale, and Neverwinter Nights. And all of this started primarily with Planescape: Torment.

No, seriously, what does it mean? Your phrasing is a little confusing.

 

BG, IWD and NWN started primarily with Planescape: Torment? This is not true. Torment started because Black Isle/Interplay had Baldur's Gate's engine, Planescape license they needed to utilize and MCA willing to work on two projects at once for giggles.

PoE started primarily with P:T? This is not true either. PoE took inspiration from IE games in general, and Torment is the one from which it took the least of all.

As a matter of fact, I can't think of anything Planescape: Torment "primarily started" up until inXile's Tides of Numenera pitch and, maybe, Mask of the Betrayer back in the days.

 

Also, NWN is certainly redundant in your list. It being D&D based modding toolkit with RTwP combat and OC pure **** doesn't mean PoE related to it somehow.

 

They were both published by Interplay in December; but yes, BG was in 1998 and Torment was in 1999. I played Torment first and was certain that the dates were the other way around. oops!

 

I stand corrected on the Timeline, but the timeline is hardly the point. I brought up all these games that entail the same combat mechanics in order to address the notion that PoE should become a turn-based game.

 

Although, if you don't see the relation between PoE and NWN when engaged in combat then you either haven't played NWN or you're being intentionally dense.

Edited October 28, 2015 by Zenbane

[Yellow Rabbit]

I brought up all these games that entail the same combat mechanics in order to address the notion that PoE should become a turn-based game.

Oh. Nevermind then. I misintepreted your words for the notion that PoE took NWN as source of inspiration while it's just combat feel they have in common which is similar in all D&D based RTwP games.

[Zenbane]

No worries. Besides, I should have double-checked the official release dates of BG and Torment before I proclaimed which came first lol

 

[brindle88]

I have finished the game twice, on hard and on path of the dammed.

 

This is by far the best game i have played since baldurs gate 2.

 

In saying that obsidian have created something great but they had the opportunity to create something legendary and they slightly missed that mark.

 

Areas that need work are:

 

- better story line, the whole soul BS was a bit cheesy

- more exiting talents to choose from at level up

- more and more powerful magic items to gain

- enchanting should be eradicated to give magic items a more " unique" and special effect

- the stronghold should be a bastion of power, you should be The Lord of your lands. It is effectively a useless money sinking pit. There should be adventures tied to it other effects.

- there needs to be more boss type battles

- and most importantly you should be able to become the master of the universe, just like we did in bg2

[Gairnulf]

Quality retort. If your strategic use of "lol" is meant to imply that PoE is better than its predecessors I agree with the "lol, no." However, if you meant to imply that it is lesser, well then, "lol" right back at ya

My strategic use of "lol, no" means that your statement is so far from the truth that it's not worth more efforts than commenting on how ridiculous it sounds. Replying "lol, no" to especially stupid statements is common practice: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=lolno 

 

 

What does this sentence even mean?

Anyone familiar with Planescape, Baldurs Gate, IceWind Dale, Neverwinter Nights, and PoE wouldn't have to ask.

 

Anyone familiar with the order they have been released wouldn't claim that "it all started with Planescape:Torment". The first IE game was Baldur's Gate. The phrase "You are full of poo-poo" surfaces in one's mind.

 

 

nose-in-the-air gibberish

OP lists his impressions and opinions of the game. Some of them I agree with. Fanboys like you jump because in their imagination the game has been attacked and they have to defend it. That's the way I see things.

 

And don't bother responding. According to your own standards, "anyone unfamiliar with Planescape, Baldurs Gate, IceWind Dale, Neverwinter Nights, and PoE" isn't worth talking to, right.

Edited October 28, 2015 by Gairnulf

[Zenbane]

You're an exceedingly unimpressive troll, Gairnulf; and even worse with your embarrassing Forum Warrior attempt. I see that you shine your "PoE Backer" sigil and judging from your cliche Web Flamer tactics you fall in to 1 of 2 categories: you spent the lowest amount possible to donate and used it a Troll Currency; you spent more than you should have and are now bitter about the final product.

 

Either situation explains your persona perfectly, but I will enjoy watching you butcher the verbal warez you copy/paste around here.

[Zenbane]

I have finished the game twice, on hard and on path of the dammed.

 

This is by far the best game i have played since baldurs gate 2.

 

In saying that obsidian have created something great but they had the opportunity to create something legendary and they slightly missed that mark.

 

Areas that need work are:

 

- better story line, the whole soul BS was a bit cheesy

- more exiting talents to choose from at level up

- more and more powerful magic items to gain

- enchanting should be eradicated to give magic items a more " unique" and special effect

- the stronghold should be a bastion of power, you should be The Lord of your lands. It is effectively a useless money sinking pit. There should be adventures tied to it other effects.

- there needs to be more boss type battles

- and most importantly you should be able to become the master of the universe, just like we did in bg2

Agreed on the Stronghold, Items, and Master of the Universe stuff. I think Enchanting is cool so maybe dont get rid of it entirely, but let it simply enhance gear in a way that compliments a play style without completely overshadowing Unqiue/Named items.

 

Although it's interesting reading this forum and seeing how divided people tend to be in regards to the Story. Some people love it moreso than other games in this genre, and others think it was lacking.

[Fenixp]

My strategic use of "lol, no" means that your statement is so far from the truth that it's not worth more efforts than commenting on how ridiculous it sounds. Replying "lol, no" to especially stupid statements is common practice: ht

When you're participating in a discussion, it's a common courtesy to at least post basic explanation of your position, no matter how much does your universal truth divert from an opposing position. That's why they're called "discussion boards" as opposed to a "chat room".

 

OP lists his impressions and opinions of the game. Some of them I agree with. Fanboys like you jump because in their imagination the game has been attacked and they have to defend it. That's the way I see things.

Yes, people of opposite positions to that of yours do tend to post their positions on discussion boards. When you invite hostility into a discussion, by retorting "lol, no" for instance, you are opening floodgates to a heated discussion. How exactly do you imagine a discussion, you post and everybody else responds with "You are correct, thank you for showing me error of my ways"?

 

Anyway, I apologize for derailing. This community is kind of awesome for the most part, I just can't help myself at times.

Edited October 29, 2015 by Fenixp

[Dignity]

 

I have finished the game twice, on hard and on path of the dammed.

 

This is by far the best game i have played since baldurs gate 2.

 

In saying that obsidian have created something great but they had the opportunity to create something legendary and they slightly missed that mark.

 

Areas that need work are:

 

- better story line, the whole soul BS was a bit cheesy

- more exiting talents to choose from at level up

- more and more powerful magic items to gain

- enchanting should be eradicated to give magic items a more " unique" and special effect

- the stronghold should be a bastion of power, you should be The Lord of your lands. It is effectively a useless money sinking pit. There should be adventures tied to it other effects.

- there needs to be more boss type battles

- and most importantly you should be able to become the master of the universe, just like we did in bg2

Agreed on the Stronghold, Items, and Master of the Universe stuff. I think Enchanting is cool so maybe dont get rid of it entirely, but let it simply enhance gear in a way that compliments a play style without completely overshadowing Unqiue/Named items.

 

Although it's interesting reading this forum and seeing how divided people tend to be in regards to the Story. Some people love it moreso than other games in this genre, and others think it was lacking.

 

 

Agreed, I personally found the story "ok," nothing outstanding or overly memorable but individual tastes differ. The Stronghold thing however is something that can be taken from a completely objective point of view and frankly it was utterly lackluster adding nothing really compelling to the game. You don't really directly interact with any of the events nor NPCs, the upgrades are more or less there just for rest bonuses. The invasion events are more generic than the "you've been waylayed in your travels" events from Baldur's Gate 2 (a 15 year old game). The stronghold isn't your seat of power it's just a glorified inn that takes you 12-20 plus hours of "world time" to get to.

 

While I'm on a rant there was one other thing that really disappointed me with the game, for all the effort that went into crafting the characters and backstories in the game they sure don't let their personalities shine through whatsoever with their character selection/combat quotes. Heck half the time I can't even tell which unit I have selected because they typically just give you a random "Huh?" "Yah?" "What?" quip. Grieving Mother stands out because she's even too lazy to do that and you get wind bell chimes instead (I know, I know it's part of her backstory but doesn't mean she has to be dull and lifeless the majority of the time). At least make it seem like they're invested at being part of your party, they exhude all the enthusiasm of an 8 year old at a congressional hearing.

 

Compare the selection/combat speech you get in this game with Blizzard titles (WC, SC, HOTS), Bioware titles (BG, DA), C&C titles hell, pretty much any other game where you click on a unit and it acknowledges you with a voiced line, it's just dismal and bland in comparison. I think that's where some if not most of the flak for this game "being bland" comes from. They don't let the characters and voice talent express themselves in the single most common game situation. I truly hope they resolve this in future titles, cause while it might seem like a really nitpicky thing, a simple thing like one liners does really help add "soul" and "personality" to a game. Minsc isn't iconic because he's got a deeper background than say Durance; he's iconic because he stands out and his personality resonates through your speakers/headphones and immediately leaves a lasting impression (good or ill) on the player through his one liners alone.

 

That said what the game does well, it does really well. Obsidian built quite a good foundation with PoE, just a little more polish and I bet it could be more of mainstream hit rather than just appeal to a very niche audience.