the ladies, man

[frantic defenestration]

Where are they?

I'm beginning to doubt your position as supremo and grand authority of orphaned grandpa RPGs.

All classics had dames in them! Pull yourself together already dude! Think! More than half game is complete and no chicks? Something went horribly wrong here.

I must let you know, that I'm as gay as the next guy, eager to pond any stray unshaven arse.
but you can't have a game without women man!, that's just a total no-no.

I'm not buying this shitty B-grade game if it won't appeal to my sensitive need to fuck my friend's MILF(redundantly so) or a hidden pedophile in me, or in the least promises me chilling moderate masturbatory material which is pretty a standard in cRPGs nowadays.

Moving to the serious issues I'm deeply concerned about possibly false perception that focus is primarily on atmosphere and C&C, leaving characters on second tier, and I mean I accepted that there won't be any meaningful companions.
You say plot is awesome, I'm willing to believe you, and take a guess that plot is probably with copious amounts of stylish twists and depressing moral choices, which is exactly what I enjoy.
But what about the characters? So far from what you have shown or described got me the impression that it's just this _tough guys_ world where all dudes are pricks and they are not exceptionally witty or interesting just simple lying fucks like you, and you either kill/fool/do a quest for them and then you just move on to the next guy to take advantage of.
So since you are an honest guy without all the hype mainstream titles come with, I hope I can ask you the following question. Do you think there are at least a couple _strong_ characters in this game now? Characters to die for? Characters which will make you want to replay the game?
Failing that, just plain witty, weird or generally interesting personage by themselves?( without associated plot devices. Of course some may argue that plot _defines_ characters but I generally like when authors place characters above plot and change it drastically if needed, to meet demands dictated by traits of those characters.).

 

[Jora]

Based on quest lines I've read:

There's a female assassin's guild master in the town of Maadoran, so there are women in the game. There's also some rich lords concubine with ties to the Forty Thieves.

I'd say the beginning part of the game (I don't have much knowledge beyond that) is full of really funny and memorable characters. They have lots of witty lines for many situations and there are many hilarious ways to interact with them. Many of the major players share some common traits - scheming, desire to stay in power, animosity towards another group etc. - while others are more normal people. I think VD managed to make each of the bastards have their own personality and hook to make them different from the others.

Nelos, the leader of the assassins in Teron, is a cool guy with a smile always on his face. Petras, the con artist, is just hilarious. Linos the Skull is a greedy old man whose obsession is to bring the Forty Thieves down (a view which might not be shared by all members of the Commercium). They are some of the main players in the game.

There seems to be lots of humor in the game, as well as a sense of a good fantasy adventure, so it's not all just doom and gloom and depressing lying fucks.

So far from what you have shown or described got me the impression that it's just this _tough guys_ world where all dudes are pricks and they are not exceptionally witty or interesting just simple lying fucks like you, and you either kill/fool/do a quest for them and then you just move on to the next guy to take advantage of.

IMO that doesn't seem to be the case.

 

[Vault Dweller]

But what about the characters? So far from what you have shown or described got me the impression that it's just this _tough guys_ world where all dudes are pricks...

Well, it's a tough world where the weak don't do very well. There are quite a few female characters though.

... and they are not exceptionally witty or interesting...

I'm afraid I'm not in a position to say "No, they ARE exceptionally witty and amazingly interesting. I swear!". Such things are subjective. What I can say is that I tried to develop interesting and different personalities for the characters, but it would be for you to judge if I succeeded or failed. NPCs play a very large role in the game and just like you they will move through the game and you may run into them in different places.

For example, Feng, a loremaster, will ask you to kill a rival. If you double-cross him, which would open another way to solve another quest, he'll run away, but he'll surface in another town as a local lord's advisor, making your life very difficult there. It's very choices & consequences-y, of course, but also it's a great way to present and develop characters and your relationships with them.

It's a very character-heavy game as we give you no horrible enemy & monsters to battle and/or worlds to save. You have a group of people and factions, and you'll have to decide whom your good allies and hated enemies are.

Some quests are designed to test your relationships. For example, in the assassins questline, one of the Teron (one of the towns) scenarios is, basically, to go through hell and back with the assassins guildmaster. Assuming you don't betray the guild twice, you and him will be the only survivors of the local guild. So, later on, if you are still with the guild and if you accept a job requiring you to protect a lord of a certain House (since you are an assassin, it will be easier for you to prevent an expected assassination attempt), your old guildmaster is the one who was hired to kill the lord. Your loyalties will be tested.

Suffice to say, we need strong characters for such examples to work. If the guildmaster is nothing but a line/quest dispenser, you wouldn't give a shit if you knew him before or not. Anyway...

...just simple lying fucks like you

Not everyone is a lying fuck. Some characters are very straight forward and honest.

Do you think there are at least a couple _strong_ characters in this game now? Characters to die for? Characters which will make you want to replay the game?
Failing that, just plain witty, weird or generally interesting personage ...

I think so.

 

[John Yossarian]

Jesus man. Is that an early quest too, driving off a guild master?