Game is so much better on 2nd playthrough.

[Zeitzbach]

One of the most troublesome part about open-world is that players are free to explore and play as they want which make it very easy to disrupt and miss majority of the game writing. This is kinda why majority of the open-world ish game always have some kind of inflated stat leash to keep player from exploring too much or make the main quest a no-1-care zone.

 

Having experienced my 1st playthrough, I finally have a general idea of how the game should really be played to get the full experience. I stop doing quests too early and start doing all the faction quests with all 4 faction-based companions presented. Eder pretty much has his own little world anyway. Xoti is over the moment you release the lantern soul and Aloth is like Eder but slightly tied to Huana quest.

 

And the game is just so much better. Companions constantly bicker because of their clash in beliefs and slowly open up to each other because they actually get to travel with each other and not stay on the boat which also affect some of the choices at the end of the game. Quests no longer end out of the blue and more options are open because the companions are there to offer help and serve as the eyes for the faction leader.

 

It's a shame this isn't something player will really notice on the 1st playthrough outside some random weird conversations popping up at the end of the quest if they decide to switch companions for a moment.

[M4xw0lf]

I'm looking forward to my second run already

[Zeitzbach]

I'm looking forward to my second run already

 

There are so many golden lines hidden all over the place. Gotta read em all.

[Slotharingia]

I messed up so bad on this (my first) playthrough, so I'm definitely gonna play it again as soon as I finish.

[jones092201@gmail.com]

I always like the later playthroughs . When, like you say, I know how to order the quests so they make sense from a narrative perspective, and I don't have the nagging suspicion I'm going to miss something, since I already know what is out there.  

[M4xw0lf]

I always like the later playthroughs . When, like you say, I know how to order the quests so they make sense from a narrative perspective, and I don't have the nagging suspicion I'm going to miss something, since I already know what is out there.  

And then you find out, 'f*ck, I did miss it all the time!', on your fourth or fifth time around

[Purudaya]

I do wish that the world was a little *less* open, or at least that some quests would be locked until certain critical path milestones are reached. As it is, I completed basically all of the side content before taking on the critical path - now that I am, the world feels a little too empty. 

 

At least the factions (most of whom heave an interest in your pursuit of Eothas and play a part in the end game) should offer their quests more incrementally as you complete the main storyline. If future patches/content don't add some mechanisms to streamline the pacing, I'll probably self-impose something like this for my second playthrough.

[Zeitzbach]

I do wish that the world was a little *less* open, or at least that some quests would be locked until certain critical path milestones are reached. As it is, I completed basically all of the side content before taking on the critical path - now that I am, the world feels a little too empty. 

 

At least the factions (most of whom heave an interest in your pursuit of Eothas and play a part in the end game) should offer their quests more incrementally as you complete the main storyline. If future patches/content don't add some mechanisms to streamline the pacing, I'll probably self-impose something like this for my second playthrough.

 

It's mainly because the game is too easy right now. This game limit your freedom the same way D:OS 2 does, by throwing enemies too hard for you to do anything about. Like in D:OS2, the number is so bloated you can't do anything if you are under-level without cheesing. In this one, Level 16 steel preacher can be fought at level 8-10. You really can't limit anything when the game is like that.

[Purudaya]

 

I do wish that the world was a little *less* open, or at least that some quests would be locked until certain critical path milestones are reached. As it is, I completed basically all of the side content before taking on the critical path - now that I am, the world feels a little too empty. 

 

At least the factions (most of whom heave an interest in your pursuit of Eothas and play a part in the end game) should offer their quests more incrementally as you complete the main storyline. If future patches/content don't add some mechanisms to streamline the pacing, I'll probably self-impose something like this for my second playthrough.

 

It's mainly because the game is too easy right now. This game limit your freedom the same way D:OS 2 does, by throwing enemies too hard for you to do anything about. Like in D:OS2, the number is so bloated you can't do anything if you are under-level without cheesing. In this one, Level 16 steel preacher can be fought at level 8-10. You really can't limit anything when the game is like that.

 

 

Totally agree, it's really too bad that the difficulty was so gimped at launch. Sawyer has at least confirmed that both Veteran and PoTD will be scaled way up, but by then most everyone who is going to play this game will have already finished it. 

[morhilane]

The game support replay quite well.

 

I also think it might be more interesting with focusing on one faction from the get go, instead of doing everyone and then deciding who you think is less worst. Example, make a character with Rauatai background and support RDC, pick Maia ASAP and make sure all quests are resolved in a way that would favor Rauatai. Let the other companions waddle in your decisions making.

 

 

 

[tela2k]

Totally agree, it's really too bad that the difficulty was so gimped at launch. Sawyer has at least confirmed that both Veteran and PoTD will be scaled way up, but by then most everyone who is going to play this game will have already finished it. 

 

 

The difficulty has a lot to do with all the problems in the game. Quests feel shorter, stakes lower, rewards less satisfying, character building less meaningful and indeed the world too open. Just waiting for the potd patch to hit so I can start my second playthrough.

 

Thing is though, I had Tekehu, Pallegina and Maia in my party on my first playthrough and having them bring the point of view of three factions into many quests was so good that I actually feel like I have to have them on the second playthrough too, since the factions are such a large part of the game. With that in mind there is always only one spot to swap around in my party.

[Zeitzbach]

 

Totally agree, it's really too bad that the difficulty was so gimped at launch. Sawyer has at least confirmed that both Veteran and PoTD will be scaled way up, but by then most everyone who is going to play this game will have already finished it. 

 

 

The difficulty has a lot to do with all the problems in the game. Quests feel shorter, stakes lower, rewards less satisfying, character building less meaningful and indeed the world too open. Just waiting for the potd patch to hit so I can start my second playthrough.

 

Thing is though, I had Tekehu, Pallegina and Maia in my party on my first playthrough and having them bring the point of view of three factions into many quests was so good that I actually feel like I have to have them on the second playthrough too, since the factions are such a large part of the game. With that in mind there is always only one spot to swap around in my party.

 

 

No Sera? HOW COULD YOU?!

 

Also turns out the map all over the world also have their own special dialogue if the faction-based party member are involved, such as Maia seeing an old face or Tekehu enjoying the beautiful beach with Serafen and complimenting how Deadfire isn't such a terrible place after all.

 

RIP XOti, Aloth and Eder. You three were forgotten by the writers.

Edited May 17, 2018 by Zeitzbach

[Lexi]

Does Aloth feel rather out of place to anyone else? He is by no means bad in Deadfire. But I don't know, coming across him randomly on the same island you crash on? That feels a little much, and while his personal quest was interesting it feels a bit tacked on given there is no other mention of the Key cult in Deadfire outside of it. I like his character a lot, but it feels like it might have been an idea to sit him out (Guys busy dismantling/running the Key) for Deadfire, give others time to shine and bring him back for the third?

[Xsanf]

Yeah, furthermore, I don't see the reason why (after finding Oderisi's notes) Aloth may want to tag along Watcher from island to island instead of staying with animancers and doing his own business. At least we could have some dialog option for clarifying that moment (maybe, I just missed it).

 

P.S.: waiting for PoE III: Aedyr 

[jf8350143]

on my second play through I basically ditched Eder and Aloth (besides their personal quest)since their personal quest didn't really relate to any faction. I only keep Xoti because I want to see her romance with Maia and I need a priest in the team.

 

It's generally more fun to bring faction related companions with you because they trigger more dialogues everywhere.

[Crucis]

on my second play through I basically ditched Eder and Aloth (besides their personal quest)since their personal quest didn't really relate to any faction. I only keep Xoti because I want to see her romance with Maia and I need a priest in the team.

 

It's generally more fun to bring faction related companions with you because they trigger more dialogues everywhere.

 

I'm kind of torn on this.  I really like both Pallegina (in large part due to liking her in the first game) and Maia, if for no other reason than I find her immensely useful for her long range fire support with an arquebus.    But I'm really loathing the thought that I'll probably end up losing one of them (probably Pallegina) at some point.  The odd thing for me is that I find Maia more expendable, because replacing her combat skills isn't that difficult.  OTOH, replacing Pallegina would be more painful from a combat perspective because I find having a paladin along is great when you run into anything that is going to charm, etc. party members, because of the pally's Aegis of Loyalty ability.  (I suppose if I played a pally Watcher, I could avoid this, of course.)  However, I think that I like Maia's personality a little better than Pallegina's.  And I find the Rauatians somewhat less objectionable than the Valians. 

 

For what it's worth, I don't know if Tekehu is considered a faction-linked Companion or not, or if you risk losing him due to a faction choice at some point in the game.  It's not a huge deal for me at the moment because I'm not a big fan of druids or chanters, and his 3 class options are druid, chanter, or druid/chanter.  Plus, I don't really like his personality very much.

 

Honestly, the fact that I might lose a companion, is one reason why I often will switch one of them out for a little while and give one of my "bench players" a chance to be with the first team, to try to keep up with XP, as well as me getting used to working them into the party.  The only party members I haven't switched out are Eder and Xoti.  Eder because he's my party mechanic and Xoti because she's my party priest.  And I kinda like her friendly, bubbly personality. 

[marimo]

Yeah, furthermore, I don't see the reason why (after finding Oderisi's notes) Aloth may want to tag along Watcher from island to island instead of staying with animancers and doing his own business. At least we could have some dialog option for clarifying that moment (maybe, I just missed it).

 

P.S.: waiting for PoE III: Aedyr 

Maybe it's because the poor lad has a nasty habit of ending up dead when he's not with the Watcher. 

[Wormerine]

I thought game did a good job guiding through the content. I essentially moved between objectives which were given to me, exploring stuff I encountered in my way. Got a really coherent and structured experience that way.

 

I will try the trick with rolling with 4 faction characters (I might create a wizard character then... hmmm). I had a lot of neutral characters in my 1st playthrough (Eder, Aloth, Xoti). Maybe that’s why they felt so disconnected from everything else.

[Maximuuus]

I thought game did a good job guiding through the content. I essentially moved between objectives which were given to me, exploring stuff I encountered in my way. Got a really coherent and structured experience that way.

 

I will try the trick with rolling with 4 faction characters (I might create a wizard character then... hmmm). I had a lot of neutral characters in my 1st playthrough (Eder, Aloth, Xoti). Maybe that’s why they felt so disconnected from everything else.

 

Wich difficulty level and levelscaling ?

Because in hard with no level scaling I got the opposite experience about exploration....