Josh Sawyer's tweets and teasers, part III

[injurai]

Looks like it's head is about to open up like a demogorgon.

[jf8350143]

The developers know all the spells in the game, but we haven't seen any of the higher level spells yet, so I think it's still too early to judge whether their balance adjustment is justified or not. Besides they can always patch it after the game is out.

[SaruNi]

The developers know all the spells in the game, but we haven't seen any of the higher level spells yet, so I think it's still too early to judge whether their balance adjustment is justified or not. Besides they can always patch it after the game is out.

 

Many higher level spells can be viewed by adding their scrolls with the console. Only thing missing is casting time, which is currently much faster for scrolls than corresponding spells (hopefully that won't be true in the final game though...).

[Boeroer]

Still a multiclass caster has more active ability uses per encounter which should balance the more powerful spells a single class caster might have. There are also other synergies besides lashes that can be very good: Assassinate + spells, Thunderous Blows + spells, Confounded Blind or Arterial Strike with certain spells, Disciplined Barrage + upgrades with spells and so on.

The appliances of weapon lashes to spells was identified as bug right from the start (see technical support subforum of the beta). No surprise they removed it.

[SaruNi]

Still a multiclass caster has more active ability uses per encounter which should balance the more powerful spells a single class caster might have. There are also other synergies besides lashes that can be very good: Assassinate + spells, Thunderous Blows + spells, Confounded Blind or Arterial Strike with certain spells, Disciplined Barrage + upgrades with spells and so on.

The appliances of weapon lashes to spells was identified as bug right from the start (see technical support subforum of the beta). No surprise they removed it.

 

Beta testers thought it might be a bug because it's different from PoE 1, but that was never confirmed by Obsidian devs.

 

Caster-caster multiclass generally only gets one or at most two extra casts per encounter.

[Boeroer]

First it was put on the bug list by Cdiaz and then it got removed by the devs. The case is clear.

 

In general, single class chars gain a power source point every 2 levels. Multiclass chars gain 1 power source point for both classes every 3 levels. At level 7 the single class char will have 6 power source points to use for active abilities per encounter, the multiclass char will have a total of 10 power source points. And so on.

Edited March 28, 2018 by Boeroer

[SaruNi]

First it was put on the bug list by Cdiaz and then it got removed by the devs. The case is clear.

 

In general, single class chars gain a power source point every 2 levels. Multiclass chars gain 1 power source point for both classes every 3 levels. At level 7 the single class char will have 6 power source points to use for active abilities per encounter, the multiclass char will have a total of 10 power source points. And so on.

 

This is what Cdiaz actually wrote:

 

'You guys made me read two pages? TWO?

 

These were some really good insights though. I'm definitely on the, "This is awesome" train, but I've input a bug for Lash effects proccing off of spell damage. Now, it's in the devs hands. I hear they're easily bribed by chocolates.'

 

https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/95045-bug-lashes-from-wildstrike-and-priests-weapons-get-applied-to-spell-damage/page-2?hl=wildstrike

 

And lashes for spells were removed at the same time that Priest and Druid spells got damage buffs (with Priest getting a significantly larger buff). Could be a coincidence, but it's really not clear whether it was initially intended or not.

 

I just tested the single-class vs. multi-class spell progression in-game again. This is it:

 

Level / Single-class casts / Caster-caster multi-class casts:

6th 5 6

7th 7 10

8th 7 10 

9th 9 10

 

So I was partly wrong, there are some levels where the difference is 3 rather than 1.

 

But the number of spell casts isn't equal to the number of resource points a non-caster would get. For example, 9th level rogue gets 7 guile, but 9th level single-class caster gets 9 casts.

Edited March 28, 2018 by SaruNi

[Doppelschwert]

This is a thread about Josh's social media for god's sake, and there is one single tweet buried beneath two pages of balance discussion again already.

Can't you take your balance discussion into another thread where people that actually care can read it while I get an easier time to actually find josh's teasers, which is the purpose of THIS thread?

 

This has been a consistent issue through all iterations of this thread and I'm sure that I'm not the only one who would appreciate being able to quickly get to Josh's new information.

[injurai]

This thread series is more a lunch-table/locker-room/happy-hour topic of the hour sort of thread, where any dev tweet more or less leads the way until a topic is exhausted. I don't see the fuss about people just chatting it up for a bit. These threads are amongst the most self-correcting threads on this forum if you just wait.

[Boeroer]

[...] Can't you take your balance discussion into another thread[...]?

I guess not.

[bleedthefreak]

This thread series is more a lunch-table/locker-room/happy-hour topic of the hour sort of thread, where any dev tweet more or less leads the way until a topic is exhausted. I don't see the fuss about people just chatting it up for a bit. These threads are amongst the most self-correcting threads on this forum if you just wait.

 

I think the only issue is when someone is looking to find out if JS has posted any more tidbits or screen captures, or video clips and they see this thread bumped and get a little excited ... only to find out it's yet more balance discussion. But on the other hand, the very screens or clips or info he's sharing is what is usually sparking the discussion, so it's fine, I suspect.

[George_Truman]

Update: no recent news from Josh

[bleedthefreak]

Update: no recent news from Josh

 

Actually that's not quite true - yesterday marked 19 years in the industry for him, which is pretty damned impressive.

[Wormerine]

I think the only issue is when someone is looking to find out if JS has posted any more tidbits or screen captures, or video clips and they see this thread bumped and get a little excited ... only to find out it's yet more balance discussion. But on the other hand, the very screens or clips or info he's sharing is what is usually sparking the discussion, so it's fine, I suspect.

This thread is Deadfire’s take on lootboxes: you get excited every time you see a new post, sometimes it’s something really cool, but for most part it’s something you have no interest in.

[Boeroer]

Let's make sure that we do something awesome as forum collective once Josh hits 20 years in the industry next year. We should open a thread like "Josh, it's a surprise for your 20th anniversary in the game industry - don't read!" and discuss what to do.

[draego]

Reddit Stuff

 

Hello there. The trailer shows off a cool, well amazing actually, Polynesian inspired boat. Recently I was reading a paper about the migration of the Polynesians and I started to get really interested in their culture. I really love how you guys have used it as an inspiration for the Rautai people and wondered if the aesthetics are used heavily in the arms and armour? Do Rautai-ans also have weird interpretations of Eothas and make Easter Island type heads out of Adra?

 

josh answer:

 

The Huana are loosely inspired by a variety of Polynesian/Pacific Island cultures but are not a direct analogue. The Rauataians have some similar roots, but some of their design elements are inspired by Ainu (northern Japanese) clothing.

 

The Huana do not have moai or equivalent, but their representations of gods are often quite different from the cultures of the Eastern Reach. Notably, they represent Ondra as an aumaua woman (somewhat like the Venus of Willendorf) with the head of an angler fish and Berath as a pair of eels.

 

another question:
 

0:55 of the trailer, there is a LEAPING attacker going between ships!?!?!? I'm super pumped :3

 

Josh

 

Yeah, any kith (player race) or spiritshift form can leap between decks at a few points.

Edited March 28, 2018 by draego

[draego]

Also update this week.

 

Interesting item about scaling difficulty and ship combat

Edited March 28, 2018 by draego

[bleedthefreak]

Thanks for the link!

 

Other tidbits I picked up (that were new to me):

 

Update 46 is coming this week. I mean, sure, it kind of had to but it's nice to have confirmation.

 

Also, in regards to a new backer beta update... no idea when. Planned, but any time "up until launch" which to me is sort of odd. I'd rather they didn't even try at this point.

 

We will probably be releasing a new beta version prior to launch, but I haven't been told anything about exactly when. (

 

When asked about getting details on abilities/spells being cast by enemies, it's believe but not confirmed you can mouse over the icon to get details. That would be awesome, I hope it's true. Sounds like some other quality of life improvements have been made since we last saw combat.

 

I believe so... combat has been given a lot of QoL improvements, and I know that interrupting casting is a big part of it now. However, I'm not 100% certain about the mouseover thing. I will find out and get back to you.

[SaruNi]

Correction to my earliest post: spell progression happens at every power level increase, fills casts for your previous highest spell level, and adds one cast for your new highest spell level. After level 4 it's essentially +2 every two levels for single-class and +4 every three levels for multi-class. So the multi-class advantage should go from 1 at level 9 to 5 at level 10 (then back to 3 for two levels...).

 

Level Single-class Multi-class

 

1 2 4

2 2 4 

3 3 4

4 3 6

5 5 6

6 5 6 

7 7 10

8 7 10

9 9 10

 

Projected:

10 9 14

11 11 14

12 11 14

13 13 18

14 13 18

15 15 18

16 15 22

17 17 22

18 17 22

19 19 26

20 19 26

Edited March 28, 2018 by SaruNi

[draego]

Pax East stuff:

 

Looks like you can play the game and there will be panel "Role Playing-Our Lives Depend on It!". Hope this is streamed. 

[draego]

Beta stuff:

 

 

2house2fly posted:

They seem to have stopped with beta updates.

 

We’re testing a new release right now.

[Mannock]

There#s a quiestionnare out where you can fill out the choices you made in PoE. It will be summarized so you can see how the rest of the community handled the choices.

 

Link: https://t.co/WbPC3sKbYF

[Sedrefilos]

There#s a quiestionnare out where you can fill out the choices you made in PoE. It will be summarized so you can see how the rest of the community handled the choices.

 

Link: https://t.co/WbPC3sKbYF

Just did it. No other purpose than comparing, right?

[Mannock]

 

There#s a quiestionnare out where you can fill out the choices you made in PoE. It will be summarized so you can see how the rest of the community handled the choices.

 

Link: https://t.co/WbPC3sKbYF

Just did it. No other purpose than comparing, right?

 

Don't think so.

[Guest]

 

There#s a quiestionnare out where you can fill out the choices you made in PoE. It will be summarized so you can see how the rest of the community handled the choices.

 

Link: https://t.co/WbPC3sKbYF

Just did it. No other purpose than comparing, right?

Well...maybe give us a hint at which decisions are going to carry over into Deadfire.