Divinity: Original Sin 2 Kickstarter Update #36: Game Master Mode Reveal
Divinity: Original Sin 2 Kickstarter Update #36: Game Master Mode Reveal
Game News - posted by Infinitron on Tue 9 May 2017, 19:37:57
Tags: Divinity: Original Sin 2; Larian Studios; Swen VinckeLarian have published a new Divinity: Original Sin 2 Kickstarter update that officially unveils what has been one of the game's most closely-guarded secret - the Game Master mode that was its $2M stretch goal. As they usually do, Larian have overdelivered on their promise, with an impressively full-featured mode that allows the Game Master to generate items and encounters, manipulate characters, alter the environment, and even create Pillars of Eternity-style scripted interactions, all on the fly. It's an obvious play for the Neverwinter Nights fanbase, something which is made clear by Swen's visit to Wizards of the Coast HQ in the accompanying video. Forgotten Realms in the Divinity: Original Sin 2 engine, anybody? I don't know if this game is going to be the long-awaited "turn-based NWN", but it will definitely be close.
This, my friends, is the ultimate power trip. In Game Master Mode, you can write stories, create NPCs (both heroic friends and fiendish enemies), build your own customisable items and treasure, craft the scenes in which your tale will play out, and much, much more as you lead your friends through the ultimate role-playing adventure.
Will you be a kind and benevolent god, or will you cover every available surface in harsh, unforgiving flame? It’s entirely your choice, as up to four players put their fates in your hands and start off on an adventure through your collective imaginations.
With Game Master Mode, we set out to create something that bridges the freedom of tabletop role-playing, and the interactivity and visual presentation of a computer RPG.
We built Game Master Mode to be as flexible as possible, so you can adapt to your friends on the fly and create a truly reactive world. Do your players want to burn down an NPC’s home? Make a pact with, rather than kill, the demonic boss? Perhaps they want to parlay with the pack of rabid wolves using pet pal? Even if you haven’t planned for it, you can adapt quickly to their choices and still deliver a story that feels real.
Whether you’re new to tabletop role-playing or an experienced GM, we’ve worked hard to make sure this is easy to pick up and intuitive to use. We also have prepared campaigns so you can jump straight in, working with a preexisting world to get a feel for the tool or, of course, you can create your own.
Game Master mode comes with a variety of world maps and over 100 pre-made locations! But of course, you can always upload your own world map or craft your own location in our powerful Divinity Engine Editor.
Tweak the atmosphere, ambience, music, time of day (why yes, there is a night option), weather and more to fine-tune your story!
Unleash the bestiary with hundreds of monsters and characters from the Divinity universe or download player-made characters and enemies from Steam Workshop. Give characters unique skills and name them. Cover the landscape in any of our elemental surfaces using our Surface Painter. Make the fight worthwhile by creating unique items for the players to loot.
Control any enemy or NPC directly by possessing them.
Add NPC dialogue, narration, and present difficult choices with our powerful Vignette System. Add your own graphics and even additional dialog options on the fly! Managing different dialogs and encounters is now as simple as creating a presentation.
We brought in the essential component of every tabletop session: skill checks. Let your players roll the dice to see whether they succeed or fail!
Tell your story in real-time, no rulebooks needed. Possess creatures, level up the party, create new locations, encounters and items on the fly. Tell your stories, your way - and share them with the world using Steam Workshop!
We couldn’t be happier with how Game Master Mode has turned out, and we can’t wait to let you play it, but there’s still some work to be done. Game Master Mode will be available when Divinity: Original Sin 2 launches, later in 2017.
A bunch of websites (Rock Paper Shotgun, Eurogamer, PC Gamer, PCGamesN, RPGWatch, IGN, Polygon, PCWorld, USgamer, TheSixthAxis) have published their own previews of the Game Master mode, and it will also be streamed live on Larian's Twitch channel later today at 16:00 PST. The game is set to receive a new Early Access patch in a few weeks, but that won't include the Game Master mode, which will only be available in the final release.
This, my friends, is the ultimate power trip. In Game Master Mode, you can write stories, create NPCs (both heroic friends and fiendish enemies), build your own customisable items and treasure, craft the scenes in which your tale will play out, and much, much more as you lead your friends through the ultimate role-playing adventure.
Will you be a kind and benevolent god, or will you cover every available surface in harsh, unforgiving flame? It’s entirely your choice, as up to four players put their fates in your hands and start off on an adventure through your collective imaginations.
With Game Master Mode, we set out to create something that bridges the freedom of tabletop role-playing, and the interactivity and visual presentation of a computer RPG.
We built Game Master Mode to be as flexible as possible, so you can adapt to your friends on the fly and create a truly reactive world. Do your players want to burn down an NPC’s home? Make a pact with, rather than kill, the demonic boss? Perhaps they want to parlay with the pack of rabid wolves using pet pal? Even if you haven’t planned for it, you can adapt quickly to their choices and still deliver a story that feels real.
Whether you’re new to tabletop role-playing or an experienced GM, we’ve worked hard to make sure this is easy to pick up and intuitive to use. We also have prepared campaigns so you can jump straight in, working with a preexisting world to get a feel for the tool or, of course, you can create your own.
Game Master mode comes with a variety of world maps and over 100 pre-made locations! But of course, you can always upload your own world map or craft your own location in our powerful Divinity Engine Editor.
Tweak the atmosphere, ambience, music, time of day (why yes, there is a night option), weather and more to fine-tune your story!
Unleash the bestiary with hundreds of monsters and characters from the Divinity universe or download player-made characters and enemies from Steam Workshop. Give characters unique skills and name them. Cover the landscape in any of our elemental surfaces using our Surface Painter. Make the fight worthwhile by creating unique items for the players to loot.
Control any enemy or NPC directly by possessing them.
Add NPC dialogue, narration, and present difficult choices with our powerful Vignette System. Add your own graphics and even additional dialog options on the fly! Managing different dialogs and encounters is now as simple as creating a presentation.
We brought in the essential component of every tabletop session: skill checks. Let your players roll the dice to see whether they succeed or fail!
Tell your story in real-time, no rulebooks needed. Possess creatures, level up the party, create new locations, encounters and items on the fly. Tell your stories, your way - and share them with the world using Steam Workshop!
We couldn’t be happier with how Game Master Mode has turned out, and we can’t wait to let you play it, but there’s still some work to be done. Game Master Mode will be available when Divinity: Original Sin 2 launches, later in 2017.
A bunch of websites (Rock Paper Shotgun, Eurogamer, PC Gamer, PCGamesN, RPGWatch, IGN, Polygon, PCWorld, USgamer, TheSixthAxis) have published their own previews of the Game Master mode, and it will also be streamed live on Larian's Twitch channel later today at 16:00 PST. The game is set to receive a new Early Access patch in a few weeks, but that won't include the Game Master mode, which will only be available in the final release.
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