A kickstarter backers first playthrough and some thoughts.

[Jarmo]

Spoiler free.

 

 

So I didn't jump right at it.

Waited for a patch then a second, read forums, decided to waith for further patches. Ended up waiting for White March, then the second part, then a further patch. Still ended up getting hit by the save reload oh crap can't beat these guys no matter how many times I try thing. But other than that, smooth sailing, bug free. 

 

 

To get it out of the way first, I liked it. A solid 8.

 

There's quite a lot more things I do not like than things I do, but the things I like are rather more important. 

I did the main plot and many side quests, but didn't touch white march or reach the bottom of Old Nua. With a fighter and default companions.

 

 

What's good.

 

The overall plot, is up there with the better RPG plots. The whole thing lacked stupidity and cringeworthy elements, and while some of the plot twists were predictable, they were not painfully so.

 

Companions, especially Eder and him trying to be friends with Hiravias made me laugh out loud which is unusual. In general, they were well made, their banter livens up the exploration and makes the whole game that much more enjoyable.

 

Graphics. A very much Temple of Elemental Evil feel to the experience, only better by a significant margin. 

 

Music. As in, it set the mood perfectly and created the feel of the place. Didn't jump at your face yelling EPIC EPIC. Well done indeed.

 

 

What's not. (In descending order of magnitude.)

 

You can wear a cloak, OR a necklace. Like… what the really? Being able to wear cool looking cloaks, but then not actually because there's better necklaces. Bugged the hell out of me. Really.

 

Pollaxe. Finally a pollaxe in an RPG, which it turns out to be a poleaxe instead. Sad face.

 

Read soul. Apparently you can read soul of about 10% of population, all of whom seem to have been adventurers in past life. The skill is not used at all in any meaningful way and later turns out you in fact can't read souls of the living. So there's a bunch of zombies running about but nobody gives a damn? So it's some kind of backer thing? It's stupid and messes up the experience.

 

Companion quests. I was disappointed I could only finish Saganis quest on the first playthrough. Turns out I actually did also finish Eders, Aloths and Palleginas quests, but didn't realize it as they felt so unfinished. Actually I had thought I didn't even begin Palleginas quest, it being so simple task.

 

Games deliberate ignoring of me wanting to get in Palleginas pants.

 

Combat animations. Reminiscent of NWN2. 

Oh the animations were fine as such, when they played. But most of the time everybody just stands waiting for their turn to do something. Which I could accept in turn based ToEE, but not in NWN2 and especially not in PoE, the game not being turn based. I assume the characters do not actually stand still doing nothing, so the graphics should show them doing that something instead of doing nothing, while waiting for their turn.

 

A whole crapload of combat mechanics. Which make no sense at all, except from game balance point of view. Like why is a two handed weapon inherently less accurate than one handed? Hatchet gives a deflection bonus? A club is the most accurate weapon in the world. A club, is? The hell. 

 

Not having any obvious way of telling how fast is a fast weapon, compared to a slow weapon. Does a fast weapon hit twice as often as a very slow one, or ten times faster? First choose your build and then try out with a stopwatch and a spreadsheet? The mechanics are made by such gamers for such gamers? Disappointing. But then I'd prefer simple, simulationist and damn the balance.

 

 

So... much complaining, less praising. But as I said, the most important things are fine or ok.

 

I did start a second play through with a rogue, this time planning to not finish the main game but doing white march and all of caed nua.

[PieSnatcher]

Interesting. I'm more or less in the same boat. Right when it came out I played right until the first town, then decided to give it time to get patched—I've loved Obsidian games since KOTOR II, but regardless of how valid their reputation for buggy games is, I have just had awful experiences with them (bug-wise). I guess that's telling of how much I still like them. I think I'm waiting for at least one more patch for this one though. I've waited this long, right?
 

In any case, the reading-souls thing was a backer deal. I would totally throw money at them if they do another kickstarter, but at the same time I don't want them to be pigeonholed into fulfilling in-game promises that end up detracting from the experience.

[InsaneCommander]

Games deliberate ignoring of me wanting to get in Palleginas pants.

 

Well, if you had Hiravias in your party, then you know what he has to say about that. Or, actually, what he would like to know about that...

[Anaeme]

Games deliberate ignoring of me wanting to get in Palleginas pants.

 

 

Are you sure Pallegina's pants are not full of feathers?

[Fenixp]

The overall plot, is up there with the better RPG plots. The whole thing lacked stupidity and cringeworthy elements, and while some of the plot twists were predictable, they were not painfully so.

"It was not terrible. 8/10" is how your feelings read :-P Anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed the game. And sure, there's still a decent amount of what needs to be fixed, I'm mostly hoping Obsidian will try to get rid of the massively gamey elements for the sequel. But we'll see.

[Jarmo]

 

 

Well, if you had Hiravias in your party, then you know what he has to say about that. Or, actually, what he would like to know about that...

 

 

 

 

Are you sure Pallegina's pants are not full of feathers?

 

 

 

I did have Hiravias around when he asked about it.

But I couldn't find it out myself. Mysteries unsolved.

 

 

"It was not terrible. 8/10" is how your feelings read :-P Anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed the game. And sure, there's still a decent amount of what needs to be fixed, I'm mostly hoping Obsidian will try to get rid of the massively gamey elements for the sequel. But we'll see.

 

 

Guess it kind of reads that way, but that's not quite how I see it, really.

It was a nostalgy trip, didn't push the genre forward providing something never seen before.

8 is a good score and I am replaying it, while I drifted off Dragon Age Inquisition 3/4 way through and gave up Witcher 2 after the prologue dungeon.

 

--

Edit. Oh yeah, you meant the plot. Yep, Not terrible is high praise when it comes to RPG plots.

Edited May 19, 2016 by Jarmo

[Ink Blot]

Not having any obvious way of telling how fast is a fast weapon, compared to a slow weapon. Does a fast weapon hit twice as often as a very slow one, or ten times faster? First choose your build and then try out with a stopwatch and a spreadsheet? The mechanics are made by such gamers for such gamers? Disappointing. But then I'd prefer simple, simulationist and damn the balance.

 

This, as well as a number of other mechanics that are unexplained. Honestly, I like exploring builds and game mechanics as much as the next guy, but some accurate documentation/explanation would really be appreciated. Hopefully for POE2.

[MaxQuest]

A whole crapload of combat mechanics. Which make no sense at all, except from game balance point of view. Like why is a two handed weapon inherently less accurate than one handed? Hatchet gives a deflection bonus? A club is the most accurate weapon in the world. A club, is? The hell.

The idea probably was that light melee weapons are easier to, uhm.. maneuver than their heavier counterparts. But yeah I do agree completely regarding hatchet.

Like really: what's so deflective in that weapon)

 

Not having any obvious way of telling how fast is a fast weapon, compared to a slow weapon. Does a fast weapon hit twice as often as a very slow one, or ten times faster? First choose your build and then try out with a stopwatch and a spreadsheet? The mechanics are made by such gamers for such gamers? Disappointing. But then I'd prefer simple, simulationist and damn the balance.

I hope it won't come as a surprise, that marked as [slow] two-handler hits at the same rate as a [fast] hunting bow

And.. you kind nailed it, regarding spreadsheets.

Edited May 19, 2016 by MaxQuest

[Jarmo]

 

I hope it won't come as a surprise, that marked as [slow] two-handler hits at the same rate as a [fast] hunting bow

 

 

You.. really!!!??????? What.. *sputter*... what THE ACTUAL F***... *sound of brain exploding* 

[MaxQuest]

Yeap. And your confusions feels familiar.

 

Btw, regarding your suggestion on stopwatch and stuff, if seems like you will find this thread useful.

Edited May 19, 2016 by MaxQuest

[Rosveen]

Pollaxe. Finally a pollaxe in an RPG, which it turns out to be a poleaxe instead. Sad face.

 

 

Can you elaborate?

[Jarmo]

 Can you elaborate?

 

 

Well ok, the terms are used loosely and probably were at the period as well, and all weapons in PoE are super-large for... visibility reasons I guess?

But what I wanted was a not very long knightly weapon, not a full size halberd or another such long polearm. 

https://youtu.be/vwGHNWdZIqc?t=417

 

or http://talhoffer.blogspot.fi/2009/05/what-is-pollaxe.html

 

Of course, if the same weapon has slash/crush/pierce, it'd be too good I guess.

 

Pollaxes for knights, Halberds or poleaxes for soldiers.

[Jarmo]

Oh one more thing, having now killed a big dragon.

If you show a roomful of gold and tell it's a vast, immense pile of wealth....

 

... I'd expect a bit more than 86gp.

[Ink Blot]

Oh one more thing, having now killed a big dragon.

If you show a roomful of gold and tell it's a vast, immense pile of wealth....

 

... I'd expect a bit more than 86gp.

LOL - I actually have that as a pet peeve. Just played through Gothic 2 for the first time (yeah, yeah, I know - late to the party) and I had the same thought with the dragon hoards: you see shining piles of gold, gems, weapons, and armor but you can't pick all that stuff up. Dragon hoards are legendary. I understand that if the devs actually put a hoard like you'd expect in the game it would totally break the economy, but come on - at least a couple pieces of nice kit and a good hoard of gems/gold.

[Sking]

 

Oh one more thing, having now killed a big dragon.

If you show a roomful of gold and tell it's a vast, immense pile of wealth....

 

... I'd expect a bit more than 86gp.

LOL - I actually have that as a pet peeve. Just played through Gothic 2 for the first time (yeah, yeah, I know - late to the party) and I had the same thought with the dragon hoards: you see shining piles of gold, gems, weapons, and armor but you can't pick all that stuff up. Dragon hoards are legendary. I understand that if the devs actually put a hoard like you'd expect in the game it would totally break the economy, but come on - at least a couple pieces of nice kit and a good hoard of gems/gold.

 

 

I always think of these situations like Oregon trail. Yeah there is a whole buffalo's worth of meat, but you can only carry so much. haha.

[Fenixp]

I always think of these situations like Oregon trail. Yeah there is a whole buffalo's worth of meat, but you can only carry so much. haha.

"Let's see, we're carrying 58 axes, 37 swords, 40 halberds, 90 poleaxes, 85 full sets of armor, a small jewelry shop, crafting supplies that would traditionally be carried by an entire caravan and over 60k copper pieces. It's a shame we didn't exchange that copper for higher valued currency, otherwise we could have carried more than 86 copper pieces out of that huge pile of gold. Oh well, it's not like this place is beneath our fotress and we can return at any point or anything, we'd better take what we can carry and leave." Edited June 6, 2016 by Fenixp