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Full Playthrough vs Playtesting Builds  

48 members have voted

  1. 1. What do you enjoy more, a full playthrough or playtesting a new build?

    • Full Playthrough
      42
    • Playtesting a new Build
      6


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Okay, I bit. I say full playthrough, but the reality is, when I *first* get the game, I want to try different builds and I'll restart a lot. ...But I'll usually spend more time doing full play. Disclaimer: If I like a game, I'll play through at least twice and maybe several times.

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Agreed. When I get the urge to test out a new build I just purchase a new hirling and run a side quest. Normally I lean towards repeated build tests, but with some games I get addicted to the full playthrough. Games like Shining Force and Final Fantasy come to mind.

 

Games where the build test takes priority (for me) include:  Diablo, Legend of Grimrock, every MMORPG

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Yeah, it's not as clear cut as that, because as Cant said earlier it's nice to play around and create different characters/classes first to learn the ropes. Once I have clearer idea, I'm then in for the story though. Of course, if I am familiar with the system then I don't need the learning part, and would skip straight through to finishing the game. Having said that, once I have finished a game a couple of times it's fun to try different classes. Confusing no? And no straight answer :)

Edited by rheingold

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I have to say I am pleasantly surprised by the results of this poll. With all the talk of builds and the impact of patching, I thought it was a no-brainer that most people spend more time trying new builds than they do committing to a full playthrough. Guess I was wrong!

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Full play through.

 

I enjoy trying out new builds, but the purpose is always to decide on a full party for my next play through. I never test builds for the sake of testing builds.

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Testing builds is number one priority for me - after I did some playthroughs. That way I get to know the system, I discover what I like and what not and where's potential.

I like to toy around with the ruleset and items to find interesting and fun to play builds. When I find something really nice, I will do a playthrough again. Maybe the playthroughs take more time than the builds though. I want to make sure that they not only work at lvl 14, but throughout the whole game.

 

So it happens from time to time that I don't kill Thaos because I know before (after Crägholt for example) that a build or a party composition is working really well. So Thaos can wait forever. Most of the time (with a powerful party) the fight against Thaos is a child's birthday party anyway, so... 

All that testing is the only reason I'm still starting the game (like... every day). My poor kids... ;) 

Edited by Boeroer

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Can't answer poll; both are my favorite.  You should have included a third choice: both.

 

The first thing I do with a game (ANY game, this includes MMOs) is playtest to determine a "working hypothesis" for favorite first class/race/general build to play.  Then I'll play for a while to see if the testing was right.  If it was, I do a complete on that toon.  If playtesting was off for some reason, it's back to the drawing board.

 

I probably made and deleted 25 toons when I first started WoW.  Ditto RIFT.  Ditto PoE.  I don't have a complete in this game yet, because I won't until WMII is released and I can play the whole thing.

 

For PoE my complete game main will be a Ranger with a Wolf pet, and 5 custom companions.  (I never use premades; hate the whole idea of them, always have.)

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Testing builds is number one priority for me - after I did some playthroughs. That way I get to know the system, I discover what I like and what not and where's potential.

I like to toy around with the ruleset and items to find interesting and fun to play builds. When I find something really nice, I will do a playthrough again. Maybe the playthroughs take more time than the builds though. I want to make sure that they not only work at lvl 14, but throughout the whole game.

 

So it happens from time to time that I don't kill Thaos because I know before (after Crägholt for example) that a build or a party composition is working really well. So Thaos can wait forever. Most of the time (with a powerful party) the fight against Thaos is a child's birthday party anyway, so... 

 

All that testing is the only reason I'm still starting the game (like... every day). My poor kids... ;)

 

You get a free pass since the outcome of your testing is some quality build suggestions. I'm very much looking forward to your Backlash Bedlam when WM2 comes out. Out of curiosity, are there any other RPG's you are active in where you perform build tests?

 

 

 

 

Can't answer poll; both are my favorite.  You should have included a third choice: both

 

 

I probably made and deleted 25 toons when I first started WoW.  Ditto RIFT.  Ditto PoE.  I don't have a complete in this game yet

If you haven't performed a full playthrough of PoE then "both" would kinda be a lie of sorts, no? I'm pretty sure you are a play-test vote.

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I'm in a new run and I'm having a blast. I don't know what all changed in terms of patching, but I love the game even more than the first time, which is actually pretty unusually for me. ...And my favorite NCP in terms of monkeying around with damage and crowd control is Aloth, so I don't think I'm having more fun because I'm playing a priest than I did when I played a mage. I've started many games, played several through to the first village and only three out of the first village and I think this game's got real legs. However, as a disclaimer, I do think that my paladin run which I stopped might have been because I'm just fond of paladins. I was metagaming in that one and trying a build because I didn't figure I needed to take a certain NPC with me having done her quest the first time. This time, I figured I didn't care if I had duplicate builds in my party or not.

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Out of curiosity, are there any other RPG's you are active in where you perform build tests?

 

Not at the moment, no. I waited a long time for a RPG like PoE. A game that has a complex ruleset with many talents/abilities/items. A RPG that is not like many others nowadays which want to make everything supereasy for the casual gamer und simplifiy everything and making mistakes impossible. I'm looking at you, Diablo III, biggest disappointment ever! ;)

 

I played Torchlight II for some time and had some very nice Engineer builds, but I got bored quickly after two complete playthroughs.

 

What also limits the choice of games is the fact that I use Linux and only buy games that I can install directly via steam (no Wine and other fiddling).

 

And I have a job, two little kids (third incoming) and a really nice wife who want to spend some time with me from time to time. I only got permission for one game at a time.  ;) 

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Hey congrats; I have my first turning 1 years old this December. I too am only allowed one single video game commitment at any given time lol

 

Although since my day job is as a software developer, I get to sneak in a casual second (sshhh). Right now it's PoE and Wizardry 8.

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Can't answer poll; both are my favorite.  You should have included a third choice: both

 

 

I probably made and deleted 25 toons when I first started WoW.  Ditto RIFT.  Ditto PoE.  I don't have a complete in this game yet

 

If you haven't performed a full playthrough of PoE then "both" would kinda be a lie of sorts, no? I'm pretty sure you are a play-test vote.

 

 

Nope.  Because you can't do a "complete" when there's still WM2 coming next month.  That's when I'll have 10 or 15 completes.  PoE isn't complete yet, so you can't have a complete game....

Edited by Oralaina
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I've finished the main campaign once already and now I'm considering taking my level... 6? I think characters to the White March xpac which I have not yet done. I might wait a bit. Nevertheless, I, for one, will be finishing a second run with the xpac included before too long. I do have some time constraints but, alas, on children.

Fionavar's Holliday Wishes to all members of our online community:  Happy Holidays

 

Join the revelry at the Obsidian Plays channel:
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Remembering tarna, Phosphor, Metadigital, and Visceris.  Drink mead heartily in the halls of Valhalla, my friends!

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I just don't sleep anymore. That way I'm able to do a lot of playthroughs and builds. ;)

And we appreciate you for sharing those builds with us man! Still, don't neglect your rest :)

 

As far as the topic is concerned, so far I have enjoyed full playthroughs more than trying out new builds. I've finished the game once on hard and am now working on a triple crown run with the standard companions. However, come WM2 I might restart, tinker with a few more builds and then create a fully customised party. Whatever virus it is that Boeroer has caught, it seems to be spreading...

Edited by gogocactus
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Ive never been one to replay a cRPG or playtest different builds, I go right to Paladin or Wizard and min/max the hell out of it. When I control all the toons in the party I feel like Im playing all those classes anyway. Oh, and I (save/reload) click through all the conversation branches so I feel like I see all the story has to offer. I guess I don't get the different ending slides though. :shrugz:

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Wow not a single replay of any RPG ever? Impressive. I don't do it often due to the time sink, and the desire to try "the next big thing." But there are a few exceptions; games I've definitely replayed in their entirety:

 

1) Final Fantasy 1

2) Diablo 1 and Diablo 2 (I gave up on this franchise after that)

3) Lords of Magic (beat the entire game with every single race)

 

Although I'm not sure if LoM counts since it is turn-based strategy. But it had magic and a story :blink:

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Do you still play WoW, gfted? That's kind of a replay in a way, although as I recall you basically made your kickass mage and kept playing that. I always played a healer. Guess I'm a special teams kind of guy whereas you're the burn.

Fionavar's Holliday Wishes to all members of our online community:  Happy Holidays

 

Join the revelry at the Obsidian Plays channel:
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Remembering tarna, Phosphor, Metadigital, and Visceris.  Drink mead heartily in the halls of Valhalla, my friends!

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Wow not a single replay of any RPG ever? Impressive. I don't do it often due to the time sink, and the desire to try "the next big thing." But there are a few exceptions; games I've definitely replayed in their entirety:

 

1) Final Fantasy 1

2) Diablo 1 and Diablo 2 (I gave up on this franchise after that)

3) Lords of Magic (beat the entire game with every single race)

 

Although I'm not sure if LoM counts since it is turn-based strategy. But it had magic and a story :blink:

 

Nope, never replayed a single "regular" RPG, not even my beloved BG series. Now aRPG's are a different story. If I disclosed how many hours I have invested in my D3 demon hunter you guys would all point and laugh.

 

Do you still play WoW, gfted? That's kind of a replay in a way, although as I recall you basically made your kickass mage and kept playing that. I always played a healer. Guess I'm a special teams kind of guy whereas you're the burn.

 

No more WoW. ;(  I played from launch until SWTOR was release but I was getting a little burned out with the time requirements of being in a raiding guild. I occasionally feel the old itch but so far Ive successfully resisted. Hmm, maybe I should try out SW again.

 

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I played through all of SWTOR once, beating the main story as a Sith - and I loved it. Kudos for hitting WoW's endgame, I just was never able to do it. I was a huge fan of the WarCraft franchise since the release of WarCraft 2 (I played it on a Windows 3.1); but after DAoC, WarHammer Online, and even Shadowbane... I just couldn't commit to WoW. I played an Orc Rogue up til level 20-something and then said goodbye.

 

Oh and IceWind Dale is another I can add to my list; I completed a full playthrough 3 times.

Edited by Zenbane
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