Poll on preferred party size

[blotter]

Wow. That didn't come up during the Q&A.

 

Not that I particularly care as long as it doesn't interfere with the features of the desktop version.

[demeisen]

Wow. That didn't come up during the Q&A.

 

Not that I particularly care as long as it doesn't interfere with the features of the desktop version.

 

Does it ever not?

 

I've never seen consolification do anything good to RPGs.

[blotter]

 

 

I've never seen consolification do anything good to RPGs.

 

Depends whether development of each version occurs alongside each other or not. Given that Pillars 2 has already been in development for a while, has a release estimate of around 13 months from now, and they're only "considering" a console port right now without any in-depth planning or discussion per the above quote, the PC/Mac version of Pillars 2 seems well insulated from console-related simplification. If they ever decide to do it, and I'd be surprised if there's much demand for console RPGs harkening back isometric party-based RPGs of old, then maybe I'll worry about Pillars 3. Until then...

[pi2repsion]

Wow. That didn't come up during the Q&A.

 

Not that I particularly care as long as it doesn't interfere with the features of the desktop version.

Given that nobody likes to maintain two distinctly different user interfaces and given that gamepads and keyboard/mouse setups lends themselves to radically different user interface patterns, and furthermore given that the visual presentation in a user interface that is designed to be watched not only closeup on a monitor as is the typical desktop use but also at a distance on a television requires a much lesser information density than in a user interface designed only to be watched closely, it always ends up interfering even with the best of intentions as designers make compromises to get identical basic interaction that works reasonably well on both.

 

That's just how it goes. The typical result is large fonts, low information density on screen, and extra clicks to access information. And if one is reallly unlucky, a case  of listitis, where large amounts of information that - on PC - should have been shown in a grid or in different tabs or with different filters one can click on-off with the mouse, nicely using the user interface patterns that were painstakingly established and improved upon over three decades of keyboard & mouse experience - are instead presented as long lists.

 

The only hope one can have as a PC user is that it is designed for PC first and only adapted to console later in the process, where a redesign of fundamental interactions and interface is very expensive - and even then one risks a situation like with inExile's Wasteland 2 where its director's cut version for PC and console despite many improvements is a step back in some areas of the interface due to having to accommodate reasonable console user interface patterns.

[blotter]

The only hope one can have as a PC user is that it is designed for PC first and only adapted to console later in the proces

 

I agree. This also happens to be why I said "Depends whether development of each version occurs alongside each other or not" and proceeded to explain why this seems unlikely for Pillars 2 in the post just above yours. It may bode ill for the series going forward, but Pillars 2 seems safe from the ravages of consolization for the time being.

Edited February 19, 2017 by blotter

[hilfazer]

With party of 6 Boeroer will be able to test more build concurrently thus saving a couple of years of his life. 6 is clearly superior.

[BrotherFerg]

6 please no idea why you would have all of these classes and then reduce party size no multiclassing doesn't make up for it

[Leeuwenhart]

Multiclassing means covering more bases with less people.

 

 

So yeah... it balances.

 

That and maybe the game is more replayable then the 1st. With NG+ and all... seem to be going in that direction.

 

 

Also in poe1 your off field party members had quests and tasks they could do...

 

I imagine with a BOAT CREW you got some more options even.

 

A nice way to use some of those sidekicks!

[JerekKruger]

... I'd be surprised if there's much demand for console RPGs harkening back isometric party-based RPGs of old...

 

Yeah, I'd imagine that most console gamers who are nostalgic for this sort of thing also own PCs and would rather play such a game with mouse and keyboard, and those who wouldn't would likely also see an isometric RPG as a step back from modern 3D ones. I might be completely wrong of course, but that's my feeling.

[Archaven]

 

Wow. That didn't come up during the Q&A.

 

Not that I particularly care as long as it doesn't interfere with the features of the desktop version.

 

Does it ever not?

 

I've never seen consolification do anything good to RPGs.

 

 

I disagree. Look at Dragon Age franchise. It transitioned from a party based RPG to a 3rd person hack and slash RPG where the rest of companion are so smart i don't need to even manage them. It removes the tedium of micro-management of  the party. And when i press a button "something awesome has to happened". If anything, Obsidian can learn from Bioware as they have "Made RPG great again"!

[DigitalCrack]

I found myself, more than a few times, feeling like areas/encounters were too crowded and a lot of that was the fact we had a party of six. half the time I ended up letting one companion just do what he wanted because the abilities of 5 were enough for most any encounter.

[JerekKruger]

I disagree. Look at Dragon Age franchise. It transitioned from a party based RPG to a 3rd person hack and slash RPG where the rest of companion are so smart i don't need to even manage them. It removes the tedium of micro-management of  the party. And when i press a button "something awesome has to happened". If anything, Obsidian can learn from Bioware as they have "Made RPG great again"!

 

Urgh! No thank you. Bioware style CRPGs are pretty much the reason I want games like PoE.

[Leeuwenhart]

 

 

Wow. That didn't come up during the Q&A.

 

Not that I particularly care as long as it doesn't interfere with the features of the desktop version.

Does it ever not?

 

I've never seen consolification do anything good to RPGs.

I disagree. Look at Dragon Age franchise. It transitioned from a party based RPG to a 3rd person hack and slash RPG where the rest of companion are so smart i don't need to even manage them. It removes the tedium of micro-management of the party. And when i press a button "something awesome has to happened". If anything, Obsidian can learn from Bioware as they have "Made RPG great again"!

Eddie Murphy Voice:

 

"GTF outta heeee wiff dat Buulllshhii"

 

 

 

XD

Edited February 19, 2017 by Leeuwenhart

[Elric Galad]

Thou shalt count to six, no more, no less. Six shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be Six. Seven shalt thou not count, neither count thou five, excepting that thou then proceed to six. Eight is right out. Once the number six, being the sixth number, be reached, then thou shalt stop and have a party.

[Kinowek]

Archaven's sarcasm was a bit too subtle for some, it seems.

 

Disclaimer: I voted for 6 person parties.

[Leeuwenhart]

Archaven's sarcasm was a bit too subtle for some, it seems.

 

Disclaimer: I voted for 6 person parties.

 

You do know there's a symbol for sarcasm on our keyboards don't you?

[Leeuwenhart]

Archaven's sarcasm was a bit too subtle for some, it seems.

 

Disclaimer: I voted for 6 person parties.

 

You do know there's a symbol for sarcasm on our keyboards don't you?

 

 

Its the reverse question mark.

[Messier-31]

 

Archaven's sarcasm was a bit too subtle for some, it seems.

 

Disclaimer: I voted for 6 person parties.

 

You do know there's a symbol for sarcasm on our keyboards don't you?

 

 

 

 

Archaven's sarcasm was a bit too subtle for some, it seems.

 

Disclaimer: I voted for 6 person parties.

 

You do know there's a symbol for sarcasm on our keyboards don't you?

 

 

Its the reverse question mark.

 

 

You do know there's a button to edit your posts so you don't have to type multiple posts one after another?

 

It's the EDIT button 

[Leeuwenhart]

You do know that when youre on a smarthphone and you upload your answer but your wifi sucks and you refresh then upload again you can sometimes get 2 post for 1?

 

 

Also... yes i know the edit button.

 

You wang XD

Edited February 19, 2017 by Leeuwenhart

[Kirk]

I voted 6 members in the party as preferred size, but I will give devs a try and will see how it works with just five. 

[ArnoldRimmer]

 

So i was right after all.. based on the Twitch Q&A video session, he revealed that we are not allowed to mod 5-6 characters simply because the "UI" doesn't allow for that.

Goddamnit. I didn't see the Twitch stream, but if this is the case I'm canceling my pledge. PoE was supposed to be about reviving the IE style of game for hardcore cRPG fans, a NICHE MARKET. This news sounds like they're trying to eventually go down the old dumb down/simplify road in order to pander to the masses and *shudder* attempt to release to consoles.

 

Do I go too far in saying that I'm starting to have doubts, to thinking that maybe Obsidian has capitalized on their fanbase and is gearing towards abandoning them for the sake of the almighty dollar?

 

I'm beyond disappointed. Looks like Beamdog (the creators of the Enhanced Editions) are my only hope now.

 

I want 6 people... If others want less let them take less as in PoE 1. I certainly shant be buying the game if they make it 5

Edited February 21, 2017 by ArnoldRimmer

[JerekKruger]

I certainly shant be baking the game if they make it 5

 

You mean we'll have to eat it raw

 

More seriously, if that's your criterion then, but all accounts, your decision has already been made for you.

[Don-Esteban]

Only 5 members in PoE II? Sad!

[Leeuwenhart]

Only 5 members in PoE II? Sad!

I read this in a Donald Trump voice...

 

 

Sad! Hahaha

[Heinrich Bhaal]

Whitout 6 Groupmember, without me.
The same pigs like in Exile.
At the beginning still advertised it will be like IE.
After the money was there and the artificial hype around the first part, you now make your own thing.

I was an idiot, who gave them more than $ 250!

I read it only yesterday:
http://jesawyer.tumblr.com/post/156419783766/hallo-josh-es-wird-gemunkelt-das-f%C3%BCr-deadfire

As in Exile, no clear and direct communication. No information on the Mainpage of the fig campaign side. This deliberate concealment.