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Completed Let's become daemon cops in Unavowed (Finished)

Erebus

Arcane
Joined
Jul 12, 2008
Messages
4,763
We wanted Eli instead of Mandana, and we're stuck with Mandana instead of Eli for the part where we'll get to actually do something...

(I guess that, if Mandana gets captured, Eli's the one who joins us and Kalash ?)


I don't actually mind the fact that the dryad can't tell that Codexia's not the demon. Just because you're a supernatural being doesn't mean that you should be able to immediately detect such a thing. It's weirder that we're not allowed to explain the possession, but I guess pretending that we ARE the demon may play a role in the next part.
 

baud

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Dec 11, 2016
Messages
3,992
Location
Septentrion
RPG Wokedex Strap Yourselves In Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. Pathfinder: Wrath I helped put crap in Monomyth
Later. We have more important things to worry about. Mage Beckett and Galene are the task ahead. Everything else is trivial.

Yeah, right. Suddenly it's all a-okay for the normies to know that djinn exist, because we are in such a hurry. HURR.

Seeing a blue guy with a turban in the NY subway? Most people would think "cool cosplay man", take a pic to show when talking about weirdos in the subway and forget about it.
 

Darth Roxor

Royal Dongsmith
Staff Member
Joined
May 29, 2008
Messages
1,878,406
Location
Djibouti
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A great conflict awaits.

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O hey, neat effect.

kalash1.png
Galene! You have requested an audience! I am here. GALENE!

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kalash1.png
As a welcome, it is a poor one. Show yourself!

gal3.png
I cannot leave my grove, remember? You saw to that. But I have your pet mage. He is in good condition. Mostly!

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gal3.png
Is that little Mandana? My, how you've GROWN. You were just a sapling when I saw you last.

mandy2.png
I grew up.

gal1.png
That you have. You keep interesting company, Kalash. Come to my grove, we have MUCH to discuss.

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kalash1.png
Sheathe that sword. She is baiting you. We are here to NEGOTIATE.

Low energy bait.

mandy2.png
With all due respect, father. Words will NOT work with her. And you know it.

how do you know that

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WTF?

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:lol:

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Seems no bait is too low energy for Bandana.

kalash1.png
*Sigh* I blame her mother for this. Let us follow her.

Taking a look around.

Did these woods always glow like that? Or is it because you're void-touched?

Kalash glares holes in you, urging you to move forward.


Well then, onwards!

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hello

mandy5.png
Eli! Wake up, we are here! He is... not responding.

kalash1.png
The vines. They are drugging him, keeping him asleep.

mandy2.png
No matter. I'll make short work of them.

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good idea, what's the worst that can happen

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certainly not this

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rip

A whole lot of magicool symbols all over this grove, but nothing to interact with. Except the two idiots.

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rumble rumble rumble

gal1.png
It will take mere seconds for my pets to crush them to death. Can you free them in time?

kalash1.png
Galene! Show yourself!

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hi

gal1.png
Kalash. You've gotten old.

kalash1.png
I have evolved. You are just as petulant as ever.

gal2.png
You expect me to be overjoyed to see you? Grateful? You took my FOREST. And I want it BACK.

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:whiteknight: Free Eli and Mandana, then we'll talk.

gal1.png
You are in no position to bargain.

kalash1.png
What do you want, Galene?

gal3.png
What does anyone want from a jinn? I want a wish.

:hmmm:

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:codexisfor: She isn't serious, isn't she?

kalash1.png
Yes. Yes, she is serious. That much I know.

gal1.png
My forest once covered this entire island. It shall be so again. THAT is my wish.

kalash1.png
Out of the question.

gal3.png
Would you let your precious minions die instead?

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:neveraskedforthis: You can turn New York into a forest, but you can't just KILL HER?

kalash1.png
I... cannot. A jinn's power does not work like that. You want a wish, Galene? Then you must FIGHT for it.

:neveraskedforthis:

Some fucking negotiation.

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Ancient chinese secret.

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neat, floating crystal that grants wishes

gal1.png
I have your daughter and pet mage at my mercy. Why should I bargain with you?

kalash1.png
Kill them and your wish will never be granted. You will remain trapped here, forever. What say you?

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:codexisfor: You sure you can take her?

kalash1.png
My daughter and mage Beckett are in danger. I have little choice in that matter. I cannot let them perish. Not while it is in my power to save them.

gal1.png
The traditional rules of engagement apply?

:balance:

kalash1.png
They do.

gal3.png
Then I accept. Let this woman be the witness.

kalash1.png
It is done.

gal3.png
Then let us begin. I am ready, Kalash. Whenever you are.

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Codexia regains control.

Kalash peers at Galene through calculating eyes.

Wonder if there's anything we can do here.

gal1.png
I have the patience of the forest. I can wait centuries if need be.

She's baiting you, Kalash, remember your own advice.

Mandana's sword lies discarded on the ground.

Let us join the fray then. Grab that sword.

gal1.png
You will NOT disturb the battle ground! The rules of engagement must be obeyed!

wut

Let's ask Kalash about that.

gal1.png
Do not distract him! I want his full attention.

ffs

maybe pwgra can give us the manual on engagement?!

gal1.png
Stay out of this, child. The adults are talking.

Goddammit.

Screw you, I'm freeing my bros.

gal2.png
Do not DARE touch them. The rules of engagement must be obeyed.

:negative:

Silly me for assuming there's something to do here.

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Other than giving Kalash the green light to attack.

I wonder what this ancient badass jinn can do.

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seriously? :prosper:

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Wasn't quick enough to get a pic. But basically, Kalash swings and Galene turns to dust. Roll credits.

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Nice folding battleaxe.

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kalash1.png
Hmph. Like a toothless hound. All bark, no bite.

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:codexisfor: Really? A tree pun?

kalash1.png
Indeed. I've still got it, regardless of what my daughter says. Now, to the business at hand. Freeing our friends.

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uh-oh

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DAEMONS WILL APPEAR FROM THE WARP WHEN YOUR BACK IS TURNED

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@_@

gal1.png
You really thought I could be so easily defeated? HERE. In my own grove? I draw my LIFE from this place. As long as IT lives, so do I.

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gal1.png
So tired so soon? Get up. Give me your best shot.

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Since Kalash is not a learning animal, all we can do is repeat the circus.

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Swing

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And slash.

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Here's a protip, Kalash, maybe you should consider NOT hiding your axe and NOT turning your back to the obvious danger?!

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:codexisfor: Can't you call this off?

kalash1.png
Absolutely not. The rules of engagement, they cannot be broken. They must be obeyed to the letter.

:codexisfor: The rules of engagement?

kalash1.png
You... you don't know the rules? No, of course you don't.

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mystical scroll

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RTFM, Codexia.

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Well, that's informative. Also, 2nd clause lacks a full stop.

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i am much surprised about her coming back

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kalash1.png
What... are you doing to me?

gal3.png
Conium maculatum. Have you heard of it?

kalash1.png
Hemlock...

RIP

gal3.png
Yes. My own personal strain. Concentrated so densely, it can even weaken the mighty jinn.

gal4.png
Now get up, old man. I've been waiting centuries for this.

GEE

SO IT WAS A TRAP

WHODATHUNKIT KALASH YOU OLD CRETIN

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and since we still can't do anything...

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This looks so cheap and lazy. Even Joey duking it out with the Countess in Convergence had more energy to it than this.

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There was a plan?

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Whatever, I'm picking up Bandana's sword.

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aaaaand that's it for now.

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gal4.png
But you have to kill me first. Now get up and fight.

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Maybe Codexia can cut shit up now.

gal2.png
Do not DARE touch them!

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I've had enough of your shit, Galene.

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Sigh.

Repeated threats can piss her off. Until... :M

gal2.png
That's IT! You were warned. You have broken the rules of engagement!

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oshit

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gal1.png
*Sigh* Very well.

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*snap*

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Rewind.

You know what happens next.

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Slam!

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:nocountryforshitposters:

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Surely we can cut them down now?

kalash1.png
Stop! The rules of engagement. They cannot be broken.

FFS!

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You totally deserve what's coming to you.

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kalash1.png
Funny. I haven't thought of you at all.

gal4.png
And now you'll think of nothing else. Until you die. Now get up.

As long as she's present, Codexia can't do shit, so let's try that again.

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:codexisfor: Are you all right?

kalash1.png
I feel... odd. That is certain.

:codexisfor: Odd? She shot VINES through you.

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Did she? I... hadn't... noticed.

:codexisfor: This is crazy, let's get out of here!

kalash1.png
I have never backed down before, and I will not now.

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Maybe he'll have better chances if he dual-wields bandana's sword.

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uhm

kalash1.png
Ah. The terms of engagement. You've found the loophole.

EXCUSE ME??? :lol:

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:codexisfor: "Whoever deals the deathblow is the winner."

kalash1.png
Yes. It is not specified WHO deals the deathblow. Only... that it is dealt. Clever. Worthy of any jinn worth the name.

Are you serious? What kind of nonsense is this?

kalash1.png
I cannot defeat her. This is the truth. So do it. Be declared the winner. You will be granted one wish, use it wisely. Through the neck. It is... quickest. Hurry! Before she reforms!

Also, that's it for "I defeated her once, she used to be so much moar powerful and I'm the chief of this ninja commando which is why I'm going there to negotiate to get myself killed".

:stunned:

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:codexisfor: I can't do it.

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Then you doom us all!

:codexisfor: Mandana will never forgive me.

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She is my daughter. She will see the truth of it.

:codexisfor: So I just wish you alive again when I'm done, right?

kalash1.png
NO! The wish will be powered by my death. Negate that, and the paradox could tear a hole in the universe! You will be given a great power. PLEASE don't waste it.

With great power comes great responsibility.

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The chosen one must choose.

...

...

...

Haha, you thought it was a choice? Putting the sword down does nothing in the long run. There's only one way to go forward.

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And that's through stabbing with daemonic strength.

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Bella ciao.

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The crystal breaks and spills its load all over Codexia.

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The chumps are free.

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You CHEAT! That wish was MINE!

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:mlady: It's mine now.

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You have no right! *I* was meant to kill Kalash, not you!

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What? She... speaks true. Father is gone.

gal2.png
And good riddance! Trapping me here. Did he think I'd stay QUIET?

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I would highly recommend it.

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Fine. LEAVE. You have your precious wish. Do with it what you will.

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But.

But...

why do I have to spend the wish HERE? She'll just remain contained in her stupid grove now that Kalash is dead.

And more importantly, if Codexia can WISH FOR HER TO DIE...

*time warp*

:neveraskedforthis: You can turn New York into a forest, but you can't just KILL HER?

kalash1.png
I... cannot. A jinn's power does not work like that.

*/time warp*

:despair:

the chosen one must choose
 
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MRY

Wormwood Studios
Developer
Joined
Aug 15, 2012
Messages
5,703
Location
California
The "what does anyone want from a jinn" line is really good. The rest contains a lot of surprises. I don't know what to make of the fact that the fight proceeds in a Charlie Brown loop where he keeps slashing her, turning his back, and getting stabbed.

The rules of engagement are a little zany. Since you joined in the combat, does that mean you now have to be known as Kalash (or Galene)? If Kalash had won, would his wish have gotten granted? Do djinn and forest spirits really uses the singular neutral "they"? Still, I like the idea of misinterpreting the rules as a djinn-worthy move.

One last thought is that the wishes are really disappointing. There's a lot of room for humor there, like if she wished for more wishes and Mandana got mad that she was deliberately screwing around right after her dad died, plus you should be able to at least wish for El's Drinker or whatever that cool sword was in Dark Sun.
 

baud

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Dec 11, 2016
Messages
3,992
Location
Septentrion
RPG Wokedex Strap Yourselves In Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. Pathfinder: Wrath I helped put crap in Monomyth
Let the dogs piss on her.

A jinn's power does not work like that

One way the author could have done better is to have Kalash say "I vowed to never use my power to kill", which would explain why he doesn't wish her out of existence, but Codexia can. Still dumb though.
 

Kabas

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Feb 10, 2018
Messages
1,258
The wishes are indeed boring, all of them.
I guess i will just go with the flow and suggest the statue option.
 

baud

Arcane
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Joined
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Messages
3,992
Location
Septentrion
RPG Wokedex Strap Yourselves In Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. Pathfinder: Wrath I helped put crap in Monomyth
Let the dogs piss on her.

A jinn's power does not work like that

One way the author could have done better is to have Kalash say "I vowed to never use my power to kill", which would explain why he doesn't wish her out of existence, but Codexia can. Still dumb though.

Since the author is active on Twitter I asked him the question, here's his answer:

1r10OLw.png
 

MRY

Wormwood Studios
Developer
Joined
Aug 15, 2012
Messages
5,703
Location
California
BTW, it seems like an easy fix to the "why no better wishes" would be for the rules of engagement to tie the wish specifically to the dryad/grove.
 

Tigranes

Arcane
Joined
Jan 8, 2009
Messages
10,350
This is fucking worse than a Saturday morning cartoon reject.

There's no interactivity. You are there to press buttons just because. No puzzle, no nothing.

Then the writing/pacing. There's zero tension here and I can't imagine there being any with the best looking video game or film form. "Oh it's a trap but hey let's just walk into it again and again", sigh. The Charlie Brown shit isn't funny, witty or cinematic or... what were they even going for here?

As MRY hints, these are places where at least we could have some zany adventure game logic to outwit her with. Instead it's a crappy Powerpuff Girls episode or something.
 

Koschey

Arcane
Joined
Jan 14, 2013
Messages
615
Location
Germany
Haha, you thought it was a choice? Putting the sword down does nothing in the long run.
Yeah, I thought so in my playthrough. A hotspot of 'Galene's face' or similar appearing above the roots of the leftmost tree whenever Galene was disintegrated did not help matters. I spent quite a bit of time trying to stab that face, scratching the magic symbols etc. because I bought into the CHOICES AND CONSEQUENCES marketing hype and thought there must be a way to save Kalash. It would even still have been loophole abuse, just with killing the other combatant!

I don't actually have a problem with the loophole per se (have none of you ever encountered an asshole literal genie during a PnP game?). Nowhere does it specify that the winner has to be one of the combatants. Obviously not intended this way, but that's what being a literal genie excuse me, jinn is all about. My problem is more with the fact that if we accept this as a valid loophole, there are some more ambiguities ripe for obnoxious rules lawyer abuse:
- The deathblow in clause 3 only implicitly refers to the death ending the incarceration in clause 2. Clause 2 doesn't define the deathblow for later reference like clause 1 defines the combatants. It only mentions one of the combatants being dead, but nothing about the cause. Thus striking ANY deathblow, even against non-combatants, should make one the winner of the duel. Just step on a bug or something.
- Whereas the combatants are specified by name, the prisoners aren't, so who is to say prisoners refers to Mandana and Eli?
- Even better, if you want to get really literal, Mandana and Eli are hostages, not prisoners. They are under threat of harm unless a demand by their captor is met, not people deprived of their freedom as punishment for a crime they committed. I did mention it is obnoxious ruleslawyering?

Not loophole abuse, but a sign that perhaps Kalash is an incompetent jinn:
- The winner gets his wish granted. We learn from Kalash himself that the wish is fueled by his own death. So either Kalash dies (as happens) or Kalash wins and then either violates clause 4 by not getting his wish granted or dies afterwards to fuel the wish, but still violates clause 4, since he can't make his wish when he's dead (if he can make it beforehand, he's just dead in this case; clever devil!).
Then again, I guess you could argue that nowhere is it specified that the winner's wish must be granted through use of the wish crystal, but then why didn't Kalash simply wish Eli/Mandana back to headquarters instead of wlaking into a trap. Unless wishes granted by a jinn have to be fueled by someones death, so Kalash's wish would be fueled by Galene?

Whatever the case, fact is this scene is terrible. It tries to set up a good 'forced to kill a friend after exhausting every reasonable alternative' situation, but instead ends up with a bad 'forced to kill a friend, despite there being a myriad possible alternatives which you aren't allowed to even try to pursue, because DRAMA'. Especially with the much tauted RPG INFLUENCE this would have been THE opportunity to have meaningful choices and consequences in the game, with the effects of Kalash living or dieing rippling throughout the rest of the game. Instead this of all MORAL DILEMMAS in the game is a 'but thou must' moment.

Frankly speaking, I didn't share too many of the grievances aired in this thread before this update, mostly because some of those are questions that get answered later in the game or because they concern details where I am fine with ambiguity. I also think (and guess after actually seeing the scenes in context quite a few would agree) that complaints about WEG going full fauxgressive because of Art's seduction (Demons tempting mortals into sex for nefarious ends? Never heard that one before! DAMN YOU, SOCIAL JUSTICE!) and Vicki's gaslighting comment (Wasn't some YOU GO GRRL moment against a strawman macho swine, but directed at Harrison, who quite literally, if unintentionally, manipulated her into thinking she is going crazy) were oversensitive knee-jerk reactions.
But then this scene and the absolutely underwhelming payoff of the MORAL DILEMMAS during end game stand out in memory as the absolute low points of the game, dragging the rest down with them. I don't think the game as a whole is horribad, but ok-ish with lots of wasted potential. I bought and got a WEG adventure, but it's definitely not their best one, not even close to it. Sad, since Dave Gilbert seems to have been especially passionate about this one :/
I mean...damn, this scene and the endgame are like the ending of the Blackwell series all over again :negative:
Unavowed additionally being light on puzzles in quantity and quality doesn't help, either.

Still, there are also some high points in the future :dealwithit:

tl;dr: This scene is shit, overall the game is ok-ish.

edit: Forgot to vote; monster girl petrification snuff bestiality golden shower porn it is :bounce:
 
Last edited:

MRY

Wormwood Studios
Developer
Joined
Aug 15, 2012
Messages
5,703
Location
California
Tigranes It’s WEG’s best-selling (per Dave), best-reviewed, and tied-for-highest user-rated game ever. It may not be the game for the Codex, but it's the game for somebody (a lot of somebodies). It's also the game for Dave himself. He's always explained that puzzles were his least favorite part of adventures and stories were his most favorite -- the setting, the structure, etc. is all what he's been working toward for years. It's pretty awesome when someone's dream project turns out to be lucrative and well-received. I'm sure someone else will continue catering to the niche-within-a-niche-within-a-niche crowd that likes retro puzzle-based point-and-click adventures.
 

Tigranes

Arcane
Joined
Jan 8, 2009
Messages
10,350
Thanks for the context MRY. It puzzles me, though, because what I see in this LP is some awful writing.(And it's not the logical inconsistencies that bother me, either - I'm usually happy to suspend all that.)

What keeps the player going? Is it the sheer inventiveness of the concept? No, it's like you fed some supernatural hero cartoons into a machine learning program. Is it the likeable or at least striking larger-than-life characters? No, we get about one halfway chuckleworthy line per update. Is it the tight pacing and cinematic moments? As this update shows, hell no. Is it the plot and the intrigue of figuring it out? Nope. It's not like the Blackwell Legacy was Tolstoy, but I seem to remember it delivering far more in atmosphere, not to mention Grim Fandango or Gabriel Knight. The little gimmicks with choice and swapping characters is fine, but they don't make up for the fundamental weaknesses.

So when I hear users and reviewers apparently love the story - I don't know, maybe there's a subset of people who really like superheroes, space operas and high fantasy that somehow are tickled by Unavowed's mix of common tropes? Centuries long ghostbusters and all that?
 

MRY

Wormwood Studios
Developer
Joined
Aug 15, 2012
Messages
5,703
Location
California
I haven't played the game or closely read the LP, so I can't speak to the specifics. At a general level, it seems like Unavowed distills two mechanics from late-Bioware games (resolving social problems through snap dialogue choices and exploring companions backstory through check-the-box non-branching dialogue that is slowly unlocked over the game) in a way that removes the grinding combat, economy, and minmaxing that happens in between those interactions. (It also seems to reduce the walking around a fair bit.) Further, it distills some aspects of 90s-era adventure games (the visual perspective, unlocking closed areas and closed treasure chests, looking for hotspots) while in a way that removes the tricky puzzles, inventory management, possibility of death, etc. In short, it got rid of all the friction and gave people a certain set of highlights. Apparently, some significant contingent of players really just wanted those highlights.

In terms of the narrative, what jumps out to me is that it is traditional fantasy wish-fulfillment, but told in a socially conscious way that makes players think that it's not just wish fulfillment (for instance, because the wishes being fulfilled are the wishes of people from different backgrounds than the player, or simply because they're not traditional fantasy heroes). As with Game of Thrones, this is great -- it's like the "healthy" "fruit and nut" bars that are actually just cashews (fattiest nut) and dates (sugariest fruit) and are nutritionally about the same as a Milky Way bar. You're able to enjoy both the Milky Way bar and the smugness of looking down on people who eat candy. Traditional wish fulfillment fantasy meets a human need, and it's a need that people can be starved for when they shun that type of story out of embarrassment. Unavowed makes it okay to root for a hero who runs headlong into battle with a giant sword, or a hard-boiled ex cop, or a fireball-toss wizard in a trenchcoat!

Also, I think there's a strong player mentality that adventures with epic stories in which the protagonist kills/defeats lots of bad guys are per se better than the goofy or personal stuff that most adventure games have. For instance, I think Gemini Rue has the weakest story of any WEG game other than Da New Guys, but if you look at its reviews, a huge number of people think it's an amazing story. Unavowed seems like a pretty good story in a non-conventional setting, and I've seen several good lines just glancing at the LP, so if you combine EPIC with better execution than Gemini Rue, I'm not surprised it's well received.

I tend to put high stock in expertise and the market. Right now, Dave is probably the most experienced developer of adventure games in the industry, and the market loves Unavowed. So even if there are things that look wrong or off to me, I assume that's because I don't see clearly, not because the game is flawed.

That said, I'd never emulate its approach because it's the opposite of what I care about in games. But that's easy for me to say because games are a hobby I could afford to lose money one, whereas they're Dave's livelihood.
 

lightbane

Arcane
Joined
Dec 27, 2008
Messages
10,158
Wow, this game hits a new low.


O hey, neat effect.

The only good thing from the update.


I grew up.

No you didn't, considering you act completely OOC for no apparent reason.

Seems no bait is too low energy for Bandana.

Case in point. If this was meant to show that Womyndana cared for Eli, it should have used more work. So far it seems they dated at some point and... That's it. And even then she's never so reckless until now.


Kalash. You've gotten old.

I have evolved. You are just as petulant as ever.

So much for evolution. Also, a practically immortal creature accusing another of growing old? Wut?


What does anyone want from a jinn? I want a wish.

Weren't genies the ones meant to grant wishes? Djinns don't have any reason to do so, you must force them to abide and even then they may still screw you 'cause they're dicks.

I... cannot. A jinn's power does not work like that. You want a wish, Galene? Then you must FIGHT for it.

This is like the Witcher but worse.

Silly me for assuming there's something to do here.

Yep. Glorified cutscene ahoy!

Since Kalash is not a learning animal, all we can do is repeat the circus.

The AGS engine is showing its age here. That, or they could have tried adding another animation of Kalash trying to parry (and failing) these vines, instead of being repeatedly backstabbed like a moron.

Well, that's informative. Also, 2nd clause lacks a full stop.

The game lacks polish yep.

This looks so cheap and lazy. Even Joey duking it out with the Countess in Convergence had more energy to it than this.

Can Kal actually die if you do nothing here?

But you have to kill me first. Now get up and fight.

Good thing that the villain kindly informs you of how to cure the deadly poison.

Did she? I... hadn't... noticed.

Perhaps you shouldn't turn around so often FFS.

"Whoever deals the deathblow is the winner."

This is not the best way to exploit a loophole. Why can't you stab that dryad instead?


NO! The wish will be powered by my death. Negate that, and the paradox could tear a hole in the universe! You will be given a great power. PLEASE don't waste it.

So, why hasn't the universe exploded yet? You bet some moron would try that. Also, what happens when a phoenix, if they're around, resurrects a djinn?


And more importantly, if Codexia can WISH FOR HER TO DIE...

Plothole detected.

the chosen one must choose

I'll go against the flow and choose mind-rape her to be a peace-loving hippie. That sounds a fate worse than death.


---------------

It would even still have been loophole abuse, just with killing the other combatant!

Exactly.

Not loophole abuse, but a sign that perhaps Kalash is an incompetent jinn:

He is: The American branch had TWO OPERATIVES for decades, they joke about how rookies fare worse than XCOM trainees, he doesn't give a fuck about ghosts, doesn't care of usinga veil, etc.

Whatever the case, fact is this scene is terrible. It tries to set up a good 'forced to kill a friend after exhausting every reasonable alternative' situation, but instead ends up with a bad 'forced to kill a friend, despite there being a myriad possible alternatives which you aren't allowed to even try to pursue, because DRAMA'. Especially with the much tauted RPG INFLUENCE this would have been THE opportunity to have meaningful choices and consequences in the game, with the effects of Kalash living or dieing rippling throughout the rest of the game. Instead this of all MORAL DILEMMAS in the game is a 'but thou must' moment.

PErhaps they took influence from a JRPG? Or a Telltale game? The former is often blamed of having cutscenes like this one, with varying degrees of quality.
This thing though is reaching Isekai levels of bad writing.

hat complaints about WEG going full fauxgressive

Considering that the Lamplight game received a suspiciously quick review from Hardocregaming101, but the plot contains blatant PC elements so the whole thing was yet another SJW move, this may be happening for real.

I bought and got a WEG adventure, but it's definitely not their best one, not even close to it. Sad, since Dave Gilbert seems to have been especially passionate about this one :/

Just because he's passionate doesn't mean the game is good.

It’s WEG’s best-selling (per Dave), best-reviewed, and tied-for-highest user-rated game ever.

Fallout 3 sold a lot and won the Best Writing game award, and you surely agree this doesn't mean that the game is good, right?

Just because flies like shit, it doesn't mean it's good.

I haven't played the game or closely read the LP, so I can't speak to the specifics.

Then you should, because the evidence is right there.

At a general level, it seems like Unavowed distills two mechanics from late-Bioware games

Late Bioware games were mostly terrible especially regarding this aspect, with the last ME3 DLC being blatant fanservice that makes little sense in-universe ("Hey guys, let's have a last-minute party while Earth is burning!").
 

lightbane

Arcane
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Messages
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Lol. What happens then, game over?

Anyway, forgot to mention: The game would benefit from an "enhanced edition" re-release to add more stuff. It would compensate the bad writing if there was more shit to do and actual consequences with obvious effects.
 

Storyfag

Perfidious Pole
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At a general level, it seems like Unavowed distills two mechanics from late-Bioware games (resolving social problems through snap dialogue choices and exploring companions backstory through check-the-box non-branching dialogue that is slowly unlocked over the game) in a way that removes the grinding combat, economy, and minmaxing that happens in between those interactions. (It also seems to reduce the walking around a fair bit.) Further, it distills some aspects of 90s-era adventure games (the visual perspective, unlocking closed areas and closed treasure chests, looking for hotspots) while in a way that removes the tricky puzzles, inventory management, possibility of death, etc. In short, it got rid of all the friction and gave people a certain set of highlights. Apparently, some significant contingent of players really just wanted those highlights.

It's almost... like that thing Cleve Hepler was talking about.
 

Koschey

Arcane
Joined
Jan 14, 2013
Messages
615
Location
Germany
Not loophole abuse, but a sign that perhaps Kalash is an incompetent jinn:

He is: The American branch had TWO OPERATIVES for decades, they joke about how rookies fare worse than XCOM trainees, he doesn't give a fuck about ghosts, doesn't care of using a veil, etc.
I was talking less Kalash being incompetent in general and more Kalash being incompetent as literal rules lawyer. Regarding your points:
I'm pretty sure it was mentioned they are not a branch responsible for all of America, but just New York specifically. If that's the case and until recently they had maybe one case a month, I can accept them having only two street operatives for decades. I'm more annoyed by the incosistency when combined with Mandanas comments about XCOM trainees you mention.
The ghost thing I don't have a problem with as part of the story. A centuries old person being stubborn and stuck in their ways, a centuries old organisation having outdated rules is fine with me and gives the player opportunity to be a reformer. Also it's not like the Unavowed could really do much without a Bestower. Just a case of 'We do our job, they do theirs, let's not get in each others way' probably being a viable approach when population numbers where lower, people were less connected with each other and life was slower in general. Espicially since it seems to be rare for ghosts to go poltergeist, so the threat to living humans is low.
The veil thing was just a one-off gag and someone already mentioned that in New York Kalash would probably just be seen as a weirdass cosplayer. Depending on how long casting the veil takes, I can understand it not being a priority just for the subride in a hostage situation. It's not like it would make much of a difference what colour he appears to be should he be observed axe-murdering a woman in a forest.

Then again, I'm not arguing Kalash to be hypercompetent, just not grossly incompetent, more out of touch and stuck in his ways.

I bought and got a WEG adventure, but it's definitely not their best one, not even close to it. Sad, since Dave Gilbert seems to have been especially passionate about this one :/

Just because he's passionate doesn't mean the game is good.

I'm aware, the sad part is that this seems to be the kind of game he wants to make, so future titles by WEG will be closer to Unavowed than the Blackwell series.

At a general level, it seems like Unavowed distills two mechanics from late-Bioware games
Definitely explains that Unavowed's ending is basically ME3's 'choose a colour' ending all over again. :lol:
 

lightbane

Arcane
Joined
Dec 27, 2008
Messages
10,158
The ghost thing I don't have a problem with as part of the story. A centuries old person being stubborn and stuck in their ways, a centuries old organisation having outdated rules is fine with me and gives the player opportunity to be a reformer.

The problem is that the player is a nobody that is fixing everything, that while an acceptable writing mechanic for books destined to younger readers, the dev is known for being a better writter than this (Roxor also points out that it has all of the standard "urban fantasy" clichés including the mention of fairies, even tohugh the latter haven't appeared so far and only existed to make the fire wizard seem more miserable than he is already, they weren't necessary IMO). It also doesn't help that the fire mage makes a comment about "hey, why didn't we have a ghost specialist before?", which wile intended to be a joke, it actually makes the problem stand out even more. Even disregarding that, they go from having no recruits for years to gathering a small army in weeks.

But that's again small fry compared to worse inconsistences like that "duel".

more out of touch and stuck in his ways.

That aws the intention, but Kal comes out more like an incompetent due a combination of shitty animations and writing.

I'm aware, the sad part is that this seems to be the kind of game he wants to make, so future titles by WEG will be closer to Unavowed than the Blackwell series.

So, 2d Telltale-style games incoming.

*Lightbane will remember this*
 

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