Storm of Zehir first impressions

[Admiral Rimjob POOBUM]

I'm actually enjoying the game quite a bit now that I'm at the Sword Coast. Trading is pretty underdeveloped, but setting up caravan routes and exploring is fun, and I have a fucking assload of quests to get through and there seems to be a new one at every corner.
Nowhere near the level of MotB, but not as disappointing as people have been making it out to be.

 

[LeStryfe79]

What in the hell is this "Sozzy" shit?

 

[janjetina]

"Sozzy" is Volourn's new synonym for "shitty".

 

[LeStryfe79]

I really like SoZ, but I'm willing to bet AC was actually a little disappointed in the direction her game went. I think the ones responsible for SoZ knew it was a poor business decision but made it out of spite. The biggest fault here was them not going all the way with it. Complete freedom to kill or steal from anyone, along with a more in depth trading system would have truly made the game shine. I think it's a shame that Obsidian compromised the direction they took with the regular nwn2 gameplay, but I still applaud the new things that were added. In the end, I had a lot of fun with this expansion, sozzy or not (no BJs included).

 

[Imbecile]

They really need to take the things that worked from SoZ (the map) and the things that worked from MotB (Characters) and mash em together.

I got impression (probably wrongly) that they saw the way that SoZ and rebranded it as "lighthearted". I dont really get much of an impression that its got a lighthearted atmosphere other than the loading screen telling me that the guards are teh serious in a funny way.

For the most part SoZ is lite, not lighthearted despite its protestations to the contrary.

 

[theverybigslayer]

My very stupid half-orc fighter can't read the Adventurer's Guide so I can't read the tutorial! LOL This is a great game because I hate reading tutorials!

 

[Annie Mitsoda]

It's always hard for a dev to look back on their game with a really critical eye. I know JE Sawyer can do it - when some people were googooeyed over NWN2 OC he was like "high 7 low 8" - I think it's difficult particularly because you not only know what it COULD HAVE BEEN, you know what you were able TO actually do. I'm still pleased with SoZ - we had 9 months to complete a game with a teeny-tiny skeleton crew and I think what we did was quality. We couldn't do much to the Aurora engine, and for large-scale stuff we had to take what we could get (to be honest with you? Buying shit from merchants fucking pisses me off. Buy and sell 1 item at a time wtf.).

That said, you'll ALWAYS find people on a team who disagree with the direction. Obviously as a writer following up MotB I was intimidated as fuck, and with about a hojillion characters to write and a world to flesh out and not being able to do full companions I was both overwhelmed and a bit let down. I'm glad I fought for the cohorts, and I STILL want to create a mod that does more stuff with them - but when you create a huge world and what really is a HUGE new system (party convo system), you have a shit-ton of new stuff to do and not much time to do it in.

I think every dev sighs "oh if only we'd had a few more months..." I'm no exception. But I still am proud of SoZ. As a player I DO prefer more in-depth character storylines like MotB, but I also clearly understand the allure of SoZ to people who like the open-exploration see-the-world stfu-NPCs kind of play. It's a different flavor, and I DO think going in that direction wasn't a mistake. I knew there'd be a backlash against it from some, but still I will defend it, and I'm pleased with what I was able to do and above all, PROUD of what my co-workers were able to pull off. They're a very talented bunch

I can understand those who were disappointed (although Volurn's burning fierce hatred seems more like a hobby now than anything else. I think there's a search engine in his browser going 24-7, and when it hits "SoZ" the Volurn Signal lights up and he's all TO THE TROLLMOBILE! but I am just making fun like I do), but also those so highly dig it. But like the one that got away - due to the nature of mods and the NWN series - I'm champing at the bit to get my copy and start making "embellishments." Heh.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

I think there's a search engine in his browser going 24-7, and when it hits "SoZ" the Volurn Signal lights up and he's all TO THE PRETTYMOBILE!

Fixed.

Because you know Volly's our Pretty Princess.

 

[Higher Game]

I think there's a search engine in his browser going 24-7, and when it hits "SoZ" the Volurn Signal lights up and he's all TO THE TROLLMOBILE!

This is gold.

 

[Sodomy]

It's always hard for a dev to look back on their game with a really critical eye. I know JE Sawyer can do it - when some people were googooeyed over NWN2 OC he was like "high 7 low 8"

In what universe does looking at NWN2 OC with a critical eye give you a "high 7 low 8"? It's a 5, maybe even a 4. It's the absolute definition of mediocre, except for the orc caves which just might suck enough to deduct a whole point from the score.

 

[Volourn]

"I can understand those who were disappointed (although Volurn's burning fierce hatred seems more like a hobby now than anything else. I think there's a search engine in his browser going 24-7, and when it hits "SoZ" the Volurn Signal lights up and he's all TO THE TROLLMOBILE! but I am just making fun like I do), but also those so highly dig it"

L0L This *is* funny! And, no, that isn't sarcasm. It's genetically funny. :D



"what universe does looking at NWN2 OC with a critical eye give you a "high 7 low 8"? It's a 5, maybe even a 4. It's the absolute definition of mediocre, except for the orc caves which just might suck enough to deduct a whole point from the score.":

Go sodomize yourself. NWN2 OC is a 7.5. Fuckin' tool.

 

[Sodomy]

"what universe does looking at NWN2 OC with a critical eye give you a "high 7 low 8"? It's a 5, maybe even a 4. It's the absolute definition of mediocre, except for the orc caves which just might suck enough to deduct a whole point from the score.":

Go sodomize yourself. NWN2 OC is a 7.5. Fuckin' tool.

I would, except my penis isn't that flexible when erect

Anyways, you clearly have low standards. How boring that must be. A 7.5 is ToEE or Ultima 7. An 8.5 is Prelude to Darkness or Arcanum. A 9.5 is Fallout.

 

[Volourn]

"A 7.5 is ToEE or Ultima 7."

TOEE is NOT 7.5. You are the one with low standards. TOEE is a 6.


"An 8.5 is Prelude to Darkness or Arcanum. A 9.5 is Fallout."

Prelude, IIRC, is a 7. And, ARC is an 8.

Fallout is a 9.

I believe you overrate games too much.

 

[Sodomy]

You would rank NWN2 OC over ToEE?

You fail.

 

[Wyrmlord]

Is there a numerical measuring device that you have which you use to measure game quality?

 

[Sodomy]

5 is "average". 10 is perfect. 0 is Big Rigs: Over The Road Racing.

 

[Volourn]

You would rank TOEE over NWN2 OC?

You fail.

 

[Sodomy]

I guess if liking a game with poor writing but a decent combat system and a reasonable amount of non-linearity over a game with average writing, a barely passable combat system, and more linearity than the average JRPG constitutes failure, then, yes, I do indeed fail.

 

[Volourn]

"I guess if liking a game with poor writing but a decent combat system and a reasonable amount of non-linearity over a game with average writing, a barely passable combat system, and more linearity than the average JRPG constitutes failure, then, yes, I do indeed fail."

TOEE had a good combats sytem, above average non linearty, HORRID writing, TERRIBLE combat accounters.

NWN2 OC had mostly solid writing, a good combat system, decent encounters, okayish/average non linearty.

NWN2 OC > TOEE.

This is undisputable no matter how much you try to dispute it in such a futile matter.

 

[Qwinn]

I don't get the whole complaint about linearity. Who cares what order you do things, or if the order is predetermined? I care about whether each individual thing to do is fun and well written, or not. The order is totally immaterial.

If non-linearity mattered to me, Morrowind and Oblivion would've rated a whole lot higher in my book. (For the record, I give the first a 7 and Oblivion a 6). Those two games probably did "non-linear" as best as it can be done. Did that really make either of those games rank higher for me than a more well written but more "linear" RPG? Not even a little bit.

Qwinn

 

[Sodomy]

NWN2 OC had mostly solid writing, a good combat system, decent encounters, okayish/average non linearty.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

So, NWN2 combat engine is as good as TOEE combat engine?

NWN2 encounters aren't just "mindlessly hack through the mooks"?

NWN2 has ANYTHING on the mainquest where you're not on rails?

Game Over. R00fles!

I don't get the whole complaint about linearity. Who cares what order you do things, or if the order is predetermined? I care about whether each individual thing to do is fun and well written, or not. The order is totally immaterial.

Personally, I'd like to have SOME agency as how the game unfolds, wouldn't you ?

If non-linearity mattered to me, Morrowind and Oblivion would've rated a whole lot higher in my book. (For the record, I give the first a 7 and Oblivion a 6). Those two games probably did "non-linear" as best as it can be done. Did that really make either of those games rank higher for me than a more well written but more "linear" RPG? Not even a little bit.

Oblivion isn't "non-linear"; every questline is just that- a LINE. You just choose what order they're done in.

 

[Annie Mitsoda]

Volurn... is... defending... one of my statements.

...

...

I THINK MY BRAIN DONE MELTED A LITTLE BIT YES'M. :shock:



R00fles withya, Volly. TO THE TROLLMOBILE WE GOOOOO!

 

[gromit]

TOEE had... TERRIBLE combat accounters.

Untrue. All of the modifiers were very explicitly described, and hotlinked to the help system.

 

[Qwinn]

Personally, I'd like to have SOME agency as how the game unfolds, wouldn't you ?

Certainly you can, even in "non-linear" games. That's what character customization is about. You can tackle the challenges with different tools. Of course, some games suck whether they're linear or not.

Oblivion isn't "non-linear"; every questline is just that- a LINE. You just choose what order they're done in.

Okay, so what game -doesn't- match this criteria? By that definition, PS:T is also completely linear. And pretty much every other game I can think of.

Qwinn

 

[poocolator]

Lol, the guy signs his own post.