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Mask of the Betrayer Q&A @ Gamespot

burrie

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http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/neverwin ... id=6169920

Some interesting tidbits...

KS: The story in Mask of the Betrayer isn't about saving the world. It's an epic story, but it's a very personal one. You awaken in a pool of your own blood. Your immediate goal is survival. The shard of the Sword of Gith has been ripped from your chest and in its place is a dark hunger, a craving that threatens to consume you. The early part of the game involves determining the source and implications of this craving.

We've also increased the depth of the companions by having them also react more believably to poor treatment. If you upset them too much, they will also act appropriately. At first, you'll lose direct control of them (we've improved upon the companion artificial intelligence). Eventually, they'll stop sharing items or carrying around your loot for you. And if you oppose them enough, they'll abandon you. Don't worry, if they annoy you too much, you can kill them, which might bring some benefits....
 

whatusername

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Sounds real interesting. I hope they add in real choices this time, instead of mirages. Though, the chances of that happening are kind of slim. :(
 

Lumpy

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So you have a hollowness inside. Original.
And I suppose halfway through, you'll get the ability to transform into the Betrayer, but that will lower alignment.

And killing people because they annoy you makes no sense whatsoever.
 

Suicidal

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A story that doesn't involve saving the world? Hm... interesting indeed. And the part about companions refusing to do as you ask if you piss them off... And you can even kill them if they annoy you! A feature that was missing in NWN2 because half of the joinable NPCs there probably joined me for the sole purpose of getting on my nerves. If Obsidian manages to accomplish that, then the expansion will pobably be better than the original game.

I also hope they add more interesting quests(like that trial) and don't rush the game so when it is released it wouldn't be a buggy mess.
 

MountainWest

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Sounds like Sawyer has worked some of his ideas into this expansion. That's a good thing.

The story in Mask of the Betrayer isn't about saving the world. It's an epic story, but it's a very personal one.

This quote makes it all to clear that they must use the word epic or face the wrath of an angry PR-department.
 

Surgey

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If they're forced into my party, and they won't share loot with me, then they will definitely die. It's like "I'm coming with you, no matter what you say, but I'm taking what I want!"
 

Mayday

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Yeah, why can't I threaten them to do my will?


BTW, this should be possible for EVERY NPC
"He dude, come join me in my perilous adventures and carry my stuff to help me satisfy my severe kleptomania OR I WILL KILL YOU"
 

Deleted member 7219

Guest
Yeah, killing companions because they piss you off is a bit too much. I'd just prefer to smack them around or give them some mental abuse... like... 'Stop whining or I will fucking rape you'.
 

Suicidal

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Matt7895 said:
Yeah, killing companions because they piss you off is a bit too much. I'd just prefer to smack them around or give them some mental abuse... like... 'Stop whining or I will fucking rape you'.

If they start crying about how bad you treat them I don't think yelling at them or threatening them will do you much good, since that will just make them ever more angry/unhappy with you. But if Obsidian makes it so that threatening party members that lack a backbone would make them do things your way I'll be happy.

If not... well, then the punishment for questioning my will is death, i suppose :)

And they better not force the party NPCs on you, otherwise I will have to murder atleast half of them as soon as they join me because this half will probably be carbon copies of BG characters I didn't like.
 

hoochimama

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The shard of the Sword of Gith has been ripped from your chest and in its place is a dark hunger, a craving that threatens to consume you.

You are a void in the Force.
 

Volourn

Pretty Princess
Pretty Princess Glory to Ukraine
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"Sounds like Sawyer has worked some of his ideas into this expansion. That's a good thing."

O RLY? This would be great except Mr. Sawyer isn't working on the expansion. He's Lead Designer on the Aliens game.

R00fles!
 
Joined
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but it will definitely be an epic and memorable experience.

No it won't.

The story is brilliant--I think it will be Obsidian's best yet.

Maybe it will also be Obsidian's first actual finished one...

It's an epic story, but it's a very personal one. You awaken in a pool of your own blood.

Looks like Obsidian really wants to pull a Bioware-esque move and rehash stuff from an older game they are connected to....this time Planescape.

The shard of the Sword of Gith has been ripped from your chest and in its place is a dark hunger, a craving that threatens to consume you. The early part of the game involves determining the source and implications of this craving.

And then you'll turn into the Slayer most likely.....

For example, monks might acquire the blazing aura feat, which engulfs their body in flames, injuring enemies who attack them, and adding to their unarmed strike damage.

Ignus ripoff.....how long did that take?

the Red Wizard of Thay is one of the new prestige classes.

Expect massive references to Edwin and maybe Minsc.

The highlights of a Neverwinter game are memorable companions and a strong story.

If by memorable companions you mean insufferable dumbfucks and by strong story you mean total shit....then yes.

We've revamped the influence system to now provide gameplay benefits to your companions (and yourself in some cases) when they gain sufficient loyalty to you.

Wow....it only took you three games to do exactly what even freaking Baldur's Gate already did and Planescape did far better. Only took seven freaking years....

We've also increased the depth of the companions by having them also react more believably to poor treatment. If you upset them too much, they will also act appropriately. At first, you'll lose direct control of them (we've improved upon the companion artificial intelligence). Eventually, they'll stop sharing items or carrying around your loot for you. And if you oppose them enough, they'll abandon you. Don't worry, if they annoy you too much, you can kill them, which might bring some benefits....

Oh wow....again already done in Baldur's Gate and handled very well in Planescape.

though you may come across the opportunity to learn a bit about the fate of some of your old friends.

Rocks fell; everyone died.

Oh, except for that part where you're exploring a sunken Imaskari city ruled by an Oracle of Delphi-like coven of paragon hags. (Designed by Tony Evans, who designed several of the planets in Knights of the Old Republic 2 and led the design of Act 3 in NWN2, the area feels like a classic D&D dungeon adventure.)

A dungeon crawl....how new and exciting!

And then there is about half of the interview talking about the graphics. Outlook is good.
 

Texas Red

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Dungeon crawling at mid to high levels with uber loot was annoying enough in NWN 2. I cant imagine the horror of hack-n-slashing with epic levels and doube uber loot.

Biowhore should have never started the whole epic business. It takes hundreds and even thousands of years for characters in FR to become epic. In the Biowhore version you can become epic by going to a week long(in game time) dungeon delving. Epic characters in D&D rule cities and countless lives, not go hunting drow.
 

Volourn

Pretty Princess
Pretty Princess Glory to Ukraine
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"In the Biowhore version you can become epic by going to a week long(in game time) dungeon delving."

Liar.


" It takes hundreds and even thousands of years for characters in FR to become epic"

Liar.


"Ignus ripoff.....how long did that take?"

Huh? You don't make sense.


"Rocks fell; everyone died."

Except eveyrone didn't die. You must have played the different version of NWN2. The story is rocks fell, and everyone DISSAPPEARED.


"Biowhore should have never started the whole epic business."

They didn't.
 
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Biowhore should have never started the whole epic business. It takes hundreds and even thousands of years for characters in FR to become epic.

I didn't mind it in Throne of Bhaal because it sort of made sense. But Neverwinter Nights was just dumb. You weren't special enough to become Superbeast in a week, you were just a dude at an academy or a dude at some old guy's cabin.
 

MountainWest

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Volourn said:
O RLY? This would be great except Mr. Sawyer isn't working on the expansion. He's Lead Designer on the Aliens game.

R00fles!

And by working on the Alien RPG he's forbidden to talk to his co-workers? In particular those working on the NWN2-expansion (NWN2 which happens to be the game he uses to bring forth The Black Hound)?

Some of the things changed according to this interview are things Sawyer pointed out - in the CODEX-interview - as things he would have done differently had he been in charge of NWN2 from the start. Coincidence?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sawyer said:
I generally think that forced companions are irritating, especially when they are a lot of them. Forcing companions ensures that the player will get some aspect of that companion's role in the story, but it does not ensure that the player is going to enjoy that aspect at all. It also leads to "immortal companion syndrome".

I like party systems, but I prefer to keep the maximum number of party members low enough that a player can choose to "go solo" if he or she is skilled in the nerdly arts.

Article above said:
The cast of companions in Mask of the Betrayer is fairly small, allowing us to better develop their personalities and increase their reactivity to game events. With very few exceptions, you'll never be forced to have a certain (or any) companion with you.

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

Sawyer said:
I would like to see a reaction system that is more generalized to types of behavior, less dependent on the companion having specific reactions to specific events. For example, a character does not like racism and he or she has a pool of generic reactions to comments marked as racist. It could potentially open up more opportunities for the companion to express himself or herself and adjust opinions accordingly.

Article above said:
We've also increased the depth of the companions by having them also react more believably to poor treatment. If you upset them too much, they will also act appropriately.

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


R00fles!
 

Volourn

Pretty Princess
Pretty Princess Glory to Ukraine
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Mar 10, 2003
Messages
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"Coincidence?"

Actually, for the most part, yup.

Many of Sawyer's criticism also happen to be the criticism of those who bought the game ie. forced companions.

I mean, I hated forced companions and said so LOUDLY on the BIO NWN2 baords. That must mean Obsidian listened to ME. L0L0L0L0L0LLIPOP


"You weren't special enough to become Superbeast in a week"

Except:

A. The OC PC never went epic.

B. Both of those campaigns took longer than a week in game time.



"I love Volourn's reasoning."

Heh. It's a lot more sound then those I'm refuting who just post silly nonsense not backed uyp by facts.

L0L 'BIO created epic levels' L0L

L0L 'It takes hunderds of thousands of years for characters in FR to become epic' L0L


Why so much bullshit?
 

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