Eternity Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire + DLC Thread - now with turn-based combat!

[AwesomeButton]

DA:O is the only DA I found bearable in terms of setting, writing, story, and characters. Some of its questlines are really good, some are rather below average, but it has good C&C and the setting was engaging.

 

[Lacrymas]

DA:O combat is enough to hold your attention until you get to the end. The strength is indeed the setting and C&C. DA2 has better writing in general, though. At least a better understanding of writing.

 

[Haplo]

Setting and characters were okay. Character building hit-or-miss (common, I have rarely witnessed such redundance as the sword&board tree... and mage tree was horribly unbalanced).

But the main quest... The Darkspawn? The Archdemon? Common.... was it some kind of sad inside joke/commentary about lack of creativity? That was... like... what the opposite word of creativity would be.

 

[PsychoFox]

Not every conversation has to deteriorate into bashing each other's choice of games (surprisingly). I just installed BG2 to make my own opinion of this supposed masterpiece while i wait for PFKM to get patched.

See, the thing is you guys who played older games when they came out are completely dismissive of how different the experience is for someone who is playing the games for the first time 20 years after release. I want to play as a cleric. Well it turns out I should preferably multiclass to get the most out of it. Okay, sure. Then i have to select all of the spells i'll be getting right from the get go. All of this i'm sure is indicative of a complex and intricate combat system and that's good, but not every great game has to wear its complexity on its sleeve. Ofc this criticism will not be processable by you if you grew up with it. Contrast this with PFKM. That game's character system is just as complex as BG2, but it's so much more enjoyable to go through thanks to intuitive pop-ups, good UI, etc etc. This is the sort of thing i mean when i say that these older masterpieces don't always come off as such to new players. Sure, the criticism is not at all fair considering the age of the games, but it's nevertheless applicable.

 

[AwesomeButton]

But the main quest... The Darkspawn? The Archdemon? Common.... was it some kind of sad inside joke/commentary about lack of creativity? That was... like... what the opposite of creativity would be.

I've heared arguments that it's basically the Mass Efect story moved in a fantasy setting. Either way, for me it's more on the "classic" than "cliche" side. D:OS, that would be a "cliche".

 

[Lacrymas]

See, the thing is you guys who played older games when they came out are completely dismissive of how different the experience is for someone who is playing the games for the first time 20 years after release.

I played BG1 for the first time just before I joined the Codex, and only after that did I play BG2, so it's not about when exactly you play them. Maybe don't start immediately with BG2, finish BG1 and then import the same character, that's how you won't be overwhelmed by 4-5 spell levels worth of spells. BG1's UI is fine, much less cluttered and more readable than the abomination that is PoE's and, from what I've seen, PF:K's.

 

[AwesomeButton]

Ofc this criticism will not be processable by you if you grew up with it. Contrast this with PFKM. That game's character system is just as complex as BG2, but it's so much more enjoyable to go through thanks to intuitive pop-ups, good UI, etc etc.

If you are truly excited to play, you will not be teoubled to read the spells descriptions or play with the manual open next to you, which is strongly recommended. People used to write manuals for a reason back then. There is even an expression for that - "RTFM", which I guess originated somewhere in the latter 20th century.

Thing is, fewer games were released per year back then and competed for the players' attention, therefore a new game was much more anticipated and got a lot more time from a player.

I find PKM's combat log very good, but the tooltips are using terminology I don't always know/needs clarification itself. It's also kind of inconvenient that you have to select abilities without any means to see your current equipment and abilities unless you cancel the levelup.

 

[FreeKaner]

DA:O combat is broken. Anyone who thinks it is good combat lacks critical analysis skills to evaluate any combat. It is like a litmus test, if you think DA:O combat is good you don't get to talk about what is good combat. This is not even a preference thing, DA:O combat is functionally broken with many broken abilities. Broken as in literally dysfunctional (many of the rogue abilities) or entirely trivialising entire game (many of the mage abilities). For example mage has a spell that will oneshot anything with mana, they also can become invincible with the arcane warrior specialisation. Even without those things being broken, the combat is simply tank and spank for 99% of the game facing entirely same enemies.

If you like its setting, storyline, C&C or whatever else, some of which was ok, that's fine. If you like its combat, you don't get to have opinions on combat.

BG1 on the other hand is a great game with great combat, I'd thoroughly recommend it. Much better than BG2 in combat, story and dialogue.

 

[AwesomeButton]

The combat is a sideshow, it provides flashy animations and effects, which contribute to the "epic fantasy" feel of the game.

 

[PsychoFox]

I played BG1 for the first time just before I joined the Codex, and only after that did I play BG2, so it's not about when exactly you play them. Maybe don't start immediately with BG2, finish BG1 and then import the same character, that's how you won't be overwhelmed by 4-5 spell levels worth of spells. BG1's UI is fine, much less cluttered and readable than the abomination that is PoE's and, from what I've seen, PF:K's.

I'm not exactly overwhelmed by the number of spells. Just sharing my thoughts. And as for the UI, I respectfully disagree. Maybe the UI was different when the game first came out, but now it's simply beautiful and practical.

If you are truly excited to play, you will not be teoubled to read the spells descriptions or play with the manual open next to you, which is strongly recommended. People used to write manuals for a reason back then. There is even an expression for that - "RTFM", which I guess originated somewhere in the latter 20th century.

Thing is, fewer games were released per year back then and competed for the players' attention, therefore a new game was much more anticipated and got a lot more time from a player.

I find PKM's combat log very good, but the tooltips are using terminology I don't always know/needs clarification itself. It's also kind of inconvenient that you have to select abilities without any means to see your current equipment and abilities unless you cancel the levelup.

You make good points about the state of gaming back then. Well i will ofc continue to play BG2. Hopefully it's just as good as people say it is. I don't mind reading the manual. It's simple D&D stuff and i'm familiar with most of it. Like I said above, i'm not exactly overwhelmed. The point i'm trying to make is mostly that i find it odd how older gamers bash new games for being better iterations of the same thing while praising archaic designs and choices.

 

[PsychoFox]

DA:O combat is broken. Anyone who thinks it is good combat lacks critical analysis skills to evaluate any combat. It is like a litmus test, if you think DA:O combat is good you don't get to talk about what is good combat. This is not even a preference thing, DA:O combat is functionally broken with many broken abilities. Broken as in literally dysfunctional (many of the rogue abilities) or entirely trivialising entire game (many of the mage abilities). For example mage has a spell that will oneshot anything with mana, they also can become invincible with the arcane warrior specialisation. Even without those things being broken, the combat is simply tank and spank for 99% of the game facing entirely same enemies.

If you like its setting, storyline, C&C or whatever else, some of which was ok, that's fine. If you like its combat, you don't get to have opinions on combat.

BG1 on the other hand is a great game with great combat, I'd thoroughly recommend it. Much better than BG2 in combat, story and dialogue.

This is the sort of comment that makes this community a much worse place than it could be. Too many personal attacks. Too much self aggrandizement. To much thinking your own opinion is holy decree.

 

[FreeKaner]

This is the sort of comment that makes this community a much worse place than it could be. Too many personal attacks. Too much self aggrandizement. To much thinking your own opinion is holy decree.

Well if you are brain dead and can't even read what is happening in combat what can I say. The combat is literally broken, you can't go around saying combat is good in a game where it is literally dysfunctional. There is nothing "holy decree" about what I said. If you say a car works despite its engine failing to start and I say that car is not working, I am not doing any aggrandisement self or otherwise. I am simply stating a fact.

Combat in DA:O does not work and if you failed to comprehend this fact, because of what is stated in an ability or item description doesn't happen (I.E bugged) or the stated thing is ridiculous (I.E remove all mana from a mob and deal equal damage in a game where all casters have more mana than HP) then you are functionally illiterate. If you didn't even try to get this ability you can get at level 4, which kills anything with mana in an aoe instantly from start of the game to finish, where mobs with mana are supposed to be central pieces in encounters which are all repetitive then you are not supposed to pass judgement on combat.

 

[Lacrymas]

To much thinking your own opinion is holy decree.

This, or a variation of this, is always said by people who do think their opinions are holy decrees, immutable and always correct because that's what "the truth" is for them. I hate it so much. There is a way to voice an unpopular opinion and be taken seriously, this isn't it.

 

[PsychoFox]

Nah this is not worth my time.

 

[Delterius]

DA:O combat is broken. Anyone who thinks it is good combat lacks critical analysis skills to evaluate any combat. It is like a litmus test, if you think DA:O combat is good you don't get to talk about what is good combat. This is not even a preference thing, DA:O combat is functionally broken with many broken abilities. Broken as in literally dysfunctional (many of the rogue abilities) or entirely trivialising entire game (many of the mage abilities). For example mage has a spell that will oneshot anything with mana, they also can become invincible with the arcane warrior specialisation. Even without those things being broken, the combat is simply tank and spank for 99% of the game facing entirely same enemies.

If you like its setting, storyline, C&C or whatever else, some of which was ok, that's fine. If you like its combat, you don't get to have opinions on combat.

BG1 on the other hand is a great game with great combat, I'd thoroughly recommend it. Much better than BG2 in combat, story and dialogue.

This is the sort of comment that makes this community a much worse place than it could be. Too many personal attacks. Too much self aggrandizement. To much thinking your own opinion is holy decree.

thats ok i'm going to edit it for safety

IMO DA:O combat is broken. Anyone who thinks it is good combat lacks critical analysis skills to evaluate any combat. It is like a litmus test, if you think DA:O combat is good you don't get to talk about what is good combat. This is not even a preference thing, DA:O combat is functionally broken with many broken abilities. Broken as in literally dysfunctional (many of the rogue abilities) or entirely trivialising entire game (many of the mage abilities). For example mage has a spell that will oneshot anything with mana, they also can become invincible with the arcane warrior specialisation. Even without those things being broken, the combat is simply tank and spank for 99% of the game facing entirely same enemies.

If you like its setting, storyline, C&C or whatever else, some of which was ok, that's fine. If you like its combat, you don't get to have opinions on combat.

BG1 on the other hand is a great game with great combat, I'd thoroughly recommend it. Much better than BG2 in combat, story and dialogue.

now everything is friendly

 

[Sailor Woedica]

 

[AwesomeButton]

Even contains footage of Huana and an Orlan.

 

[TheChickenKing]

My major issue with DAO was the same as my major issue with PoE1. It might be mostly a personal preference thing, but I couldn't stand the pacing in either game. Tons of easy combat against trash mobs that never quite let me just cruise-control through fights but never really challenged me that much either. I tried turning up the difficulty, but then I just got annoyed over how long the combat took. DAO especially. The Deep Roads still give me nightmares.

On topic, I find myself continually wanting to like PoE1 and 2 and I saw the season pass for 2 on sale. Is it worth anything? Does it improve on the base game and make the whole experience better?

 

[Efe]

Not every conversation has to deteriorate into bashing each other's choice of games (surprisingly). I just installed BG2 to make my own opinion of this supposed masterpiece while i wait for PFKM to get patched.

dao just has mmo like trivial combat. there arent even any variations, you press the same buttons over and over.
and i certainly didnt do any personal attacks. i like dao too but thats in spite of its combat.
we overlook flaws in a game we like, im sure you too would agree on its combat eventually.
also dont mind freekaner, hes just angry his candidate for mayoral elections in İstanbul lost.

 

[Lacrymas]

If you min-max in DA:O, it's auto-pilot even on nightmare. There are some difficulty mods out there, but I haven't really tried them.

 

[Elephantman]

Oh boy do I love me some uncle Soyer sometimes and his b a l a n c e!

So, I tried to see how much deflection I can stack with the dagger modal on Eder.
I can add:
drug: coralsnuff for +5
fighter ability/stance: +5
dagger mod: +10
food/rest: didnt see one, dunno

+20 - ok, right? Wrong!
I am looking at the log and only the dagger shows up. Wth? So I switch around and it turns out that all three dont stack! Its not "leave one" either. Its pick ONE.
The drug conflicts with the fucking fighter stance and the weapon modal, and the modal with the stance! Go fuck yourself, Soyer, you retarded autist.

This turns the fighter stance into trash since I always can snuff coral for +5 and pick the Guardian Stance (which Ive been using anyway) for +5 DR for every trashmob engaged. And it turns the dagger modal into trash because I have a better Gladiator Sword that gives me +5 and I can sniff glue /s coral anytime I want - and those 2 stack.

^ what is this bug implying?

Thank you, highlight point, I wouldnt have found my way otherwise!

Perfectly balanced!

(Soyer is so fucking retarded, he didtn give the Naga sword even a little fluff distinction, its identical to a FINE greatsword...)

 

[FreeKaner]

The problem is not "balance" but rather streamlining, which Soyver loves religiously. He is downright dogmatic when it comes to streamlining everything.

 

[Parabalus]

The problem is not "balance" but rather streamlining, which Soyver loves religiously. He is downright dogmatic when it comes to streamlining everything.

The above example is really horrible though, talents being invalidated because they clash with spammable consumables.

Should have axed consumables completely if he's going down this road, but doing things halfway and pleasing nobody is PoE's (Sawyer's) shtick.

 

[Citizen]

Muhdickus, dialogues in this game are insufferable, ec?

 

[Elephantman]

Ac, the other thing about dialogue, and I am sure I am repeating what others have said a million times, is the vulgar/juvenile tone of the quips.
I am already rolling my eyes preemptively on area transition if I hear something starting to talk...
The fucking shark faggot says literally nothing else! The furfag as well. I even liked him at the beginning but his insufferable "the sex" talk and "on muh the sursserrerrr!" eroded any and all sympathies.
After tanking a handful of dragons with his head, Eder seems to have went the retarded route. He LOVES animals like a little downie.