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Preview Torment Previews and Interview at Eurogamer, PCGamesN and Rock Paper Shotgun

Infinitron

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Codex Year of the Donut Serpent in the Staglands Dead State Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 A Beautifully Desolate Campaign Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Kingmaker Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
Tags: Brian Fargo; Colin McComb; InXile Entertainment; Torment: Tides of Numenera

During Gamescom, it was primarily German websites who published Torment: Tides of Numenera interviews and previews, and it's taken a while for the big English language sites to catch up. Two days after Gamescom, Eurogamer had some Torment gameplay footage (the same footage we saw earlier) with commentary from Brian Fargo and Colin McComb, but it was only yesterday that major PC gaming sites PCGamesN and Rock Paper Shotgun finally released their own articles. The PCGamesN article works well as a companion piece to Eurogamer's video - it's the most detailed description we've seen of what actually went on in that gameplay reel. So that's what I'll post here:



For the gameplay demo, McComb takes Aligern and the party to a place called The Bloom. “It’s an interdimensional slug beast that reaches through time and space. It’s about the size of a city. People live inside of it,” McComb gleefully reveals. “They travel its veins like roads, they live inside its organs, and they travel the interdimensional pathways to reach new worlds so they can exploit the locals for turning profit.”

As you can imagine the area is, to put it bluntly, pretty damn gross. Sci-fi structures lie half-consumed by the gloopy flesh, and orifices line the ‘walls’. One such orifice is of particular interest to the party; called The Maw, it’s a portal to another world that feeds on guilt. Provide it with enough guilt and it’ll let the party through.

It’s time to get guilt hunting, then. McComb explains that every NPC you can talk to will have stories that could be relevant to your quest. He points out a massive square container jutting out from the Bloom’s flesh. “This is a crashed high-speed container, it’s a kind of train that reaches through space and time. A year ago, the Bloom moved into its path and so the container crashed and everybody aboard died. If we talk to the AI that lived inside there we would learn that it feels really super guilty about letting all its people die.”

He continues to explore the town that’s been built into this giant creature’s innards. “This is Hersia, she’s a terrorist who tried to poison the mutants because she believes in blood purity. She feels a little guilty now, and so she’s trapped in an invisible cage.”

[...] Tides of Numenera is clearly an RPG obsessed with its lore and universe, so much so it can resemble an interactive epic novel more than a videogame. But if your play style leans more on the doing rather than the saying, you’re still well catered for.

To demonstrate, McComb decides that he doesn’t want to seek out the guilty in order to open the Maw. Instead he pulls out a trans-dimensional scalpel that one of his characters had handily stashed away earlier in the game. ‘Particularly effective when cutting the flesh of the Bloom’ reads the tool tip. He has a character slice open the Maw - much to another party member’s annoyance - and opens a gateway to another world.

“This is going to have really bad consequences for us later, but right now we’ve opened the pathway to The Lost Anchorage,” says McComb.

It’s amazing how different this new area is to the last. Where the Bloom was hideous and horrifying, the other side of the gateway is majestic with steampunk decadence.

“This is the home of the Last Guards, a race of people who have been trapped here on the space station when they were cut off from civilization,” details McComb. “Their religion now is based around their faith that a ship will come and take them back to their home. They have a lot of faith, they’ve been here for hundreds of generations.”

The serenity of the glittering station doesn’t last long before a fight breaks out, which allows McComb to show off the turn-based combat. It’s what you’d expect of this form of classic combat, but naturally there’s a focus on weird abilities rather than simple sword strikes. One party member unleashes mind control on an enemy who proceeds to slaughter his allies, while Aligern summons Balefire, a creature of fire, to fight for him.

Meanwhile, rather than diligently take notes like PCGamesN, Rock Paper Shotgun used their tier one status to score an extended interview with Brian Fargo. It's an interesting enough glimpse at the Fargo mindset as it relates to Torment's development, although I'm afraid some of the things he says might rub some people the wrong way given recent events. Brian says he's interested in developing new IPs in the future, but that he feels inXile needs to establish itself further first.
 

VladimirK

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Can you guys please stop calling this game Torment? There's only one Torment and it didn't have a simultaneous console release.

It's obvious why InXile keeps referring to their game by the name associated with PS:T, but this is the Codex, not their PR department.
 

Drowed

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Well, at this point I just want it to be 'good for what it is'.

What we have, beyond this game, in the near future? Bard's Tale IV, BattleTech, D:OS2 and Tyranny, I guess?
 

Goral

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Well, at this point I just want it to be 'good for what it is'.

What we have, beyond this game, in the near future? Bard's Tale IV, BattleTech, D:OS2 and Tyranny, I guess?
Don't forget about Iron Tower dungeon crawler: http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?threads/aod-news-main-thread.80241/page-19#post-4695352

And their artist has finished some concept arts for Colony Ship Game so I'm assuming he will now start working on the crawler so that it might get released in the first quarter of 2017 (VD says that the game should be released this year but I don't believe him).
 

Black Angel

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Well, at this point I just want it to be 'good for what it is'.

What we have, beyond this game, in the near future? Bard's Tale IV, BattleTech, D:OS2 and Tyranny, I guess?
Near future, right? No Truce With The Furies is looking for this year's release, at some circumstances maybe delayed to Q1/Q2 2017. Probably the only thing I could think off the top of my head, right now. Fortress Occident may not had the name as big as inXile, Harebrained, Larian, and Obsidian right now, but their concept and promises is worth looking forward, no?

Like Goral mentioned, Iron Tower Studio's Dungeon Crawler is nigh, so go get them Day 1 to support Vault Dweller and co's endeavor for Colony Ship RPG.

Also, maybe not exactly near future and it's uncertain when will come out, but whatever TimCain and Leonard Boyarsky is cooking right now.
 
Self-Ejected

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Well, at this point I just want it to be 'good for what it is'.

What we have, beyond this game, in the near future? Bard's Tale IV, BattleTech, D:OS2 and Tyranny, I guess?

They'll be lucky if BT4 comes out before 2019.
 
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Can you guys please stop calling this game Torment? There's only one Torment and it didn't have a simultaneous console release.

It's obvious why InXile keeps referring to their game by the name associated with PS:T, but this is the Codex, not their PR department.

Can't agree with you!

I've played the beta, and this game rightfully called Torment.

And if you didn't played the beta, wait till you play the game before accusing Inxile for using the IP for PR purposes ...
 

Sprout

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Can you guys please stop calling this game Torment? There's only one Torment and it didn't have a simultaneous console release.

It's obvious why InXile keeps referring to their game by the name associated with PS:T, but this is the Codex, not their PR department.

Can't agree with you!

I've played the beta, and this game rightfully called Torment.

And if you didn't played the beta, wait till you play the game before accusing Inxile for using the IP for PR purposes ...

While I actually agree with the sentiment, you must admit that they "are" using the IP for PR purposes. Try selling the kickstarter without the torment name and you're lucky to rake in the original funding goal, and even that's doubtful when you think about it.
 

J_C

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Project: Eternity Wasteland 2 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. Pathfinder: Wrath
Can you guys please stop calling this game Torment?
Wait, are you saying that the game is not called Torment? I didn't know that your country uses a different alphabet. Here, the word Torment means Torment. You know, like the title of this game.
 
Joined
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Can you guys please stop calling this game Torment? There's only one Torment and it didn't have a simultaneous console release.

It's obvious why InXile keeps referring to their game by the name associated with PS:T, but this is the Codex, not their PR department.

Can't agree with you!

I've played the beta, and this game rightfully called Torment.

And if you didn't played the beta, wait till you play the game before accusing Inxile for using the IP for PR purposes ...

While I actually agree with the sentiment, you must admit that they "are" using the IP for PR purposes. Try selling the kickstarter without the torment name and you're lucky to rake in the original funding goal, and even that's doubtful when you think about it.

Can't argue with that.

They did used the Torment IP to promote the game.
But, the game itself is without a doubt the spiritual successor of the original Torment.

So, in that case, in my opinion at least, it's more than OK.
 

Neanderthal

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I always call Torment Torment an this new thing Numenera. Though I might start calling it Tier 1.

Is there much torment in this Numenera game? It were central theme o Torment, Nameless' self inflicted, his companions suffering an all he's caused an is causin across planes. Seems like Numeneras more about daddy issues/identity.
 

Infinitron

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Codex Year of the Donut Serpent in the Staglands Dead State Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 A Beautifully Desolate Campaign Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Kingmaker Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
I always call Torment Torment an this new thing Numenera. Though I might start calling it Tier 1.

Is there much torment in this Numenera game? It were central theme o Torment, Nameless' self inflicted, his companions suffering an all he's caused an is causin across planes. Seems like Numeneras more about daddy issues/identity.

There's this: https://torment.inxile-entertainment.com/game/about/four-pillars

The Changing God's castoffs bring with them a much greater curse. The pain they endure transmits from their bodies into others nearby, causing suffering in those around them. Through their survival, the castoffs cause others to die more quickly and painfully. Because of this, many of these near-immortal creatures endure the years in loneliness and isolation, some becoming truly monstrous and others practically saintlike.

And from the vision document back in 2013: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BxMevjNSr2EjRXBlY0l1RmpuaWM/edit

You’ll have the unique ability to manipulate pain in those around you. In gameplay terms, you might divert damage to your companions or protect them by taking it yourself, but this decision isn’t strictly a mechanical one. Your companions will react to how you treat them. The fallen priest might serve you more loyally for taking his pain on yourself. The bitter jack might resent you for it, but spit at you and leave when you cast your pain onto her.

Though I'm not sure how the latter element ended up in practice.
 

Black Angel

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I've played the beta, and this game rightfully called Torment.
But, the game itself is without a doubt the spiritual successor of the original Torment.

So, in that case, in my opinion at least, it's more than OK.
But the beta only offer a glimpse. Are you 100% sure the game would invoke the same feeling of playing Planescape: Torment, from start to finish?

There was already criticism towards the legitimacy of the setting used as a supposed successor to the first Torment. I also heard that, apparently, Chris Avellone is limited in his involvement with the narrative/writing.

Will the game truly succeed where Planescape: Torment did, ~16 years ago? That remains to be seen. But with what we know so far, it cast doubts to the already great expectations burdened upon the upcoming successor.
 
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I've played the beta, and this game rightfully called Torment.
But, the game itself is without a doubt the spiritual successor of the original Torment.

So, in that case, in my opinion at least, it's more than OK.
But the beta only offer a glimpse. Are you 100% sure the game would invoke the same feeling of playing Planescape: Torment, from start to finish?

There was already criticism towards the legitimacy of the setting used as a supposed successor to the first Torment. I also heard that, apparently, Chris Avellone is limited in his involvement with the narrative/writing.

Will the game truly succeed where Planescape: Torment did, ~16 years ago? That remains to be seen. But with what we know so far, it cast doubts to the already great expectations burdened upon the upcoming successor.

Look, first of all the Beta is about 10 hours of gameplay if you "try it all".
And in this game, 10 hours means tons of reading, NPC's, few fights and a good taste of the atmosphere, the companions and the world.

And I got to say, this game is the closest thing to a new Torment game.
And it's so good by its own right, that it doesn't even really matters.

Now, about Chris Avellon...
Nobody can take from him the fact that he made Planescape Torment.

But in the last couple of years, he just writes minor stuff for lots of projects.
He writes for InXile, Obsidian, Larian and etc...

He didn't "OWN" a real "Full" project in a long time...
So... When I hear his name, unlike some other dudes here, I don't get any errection!

The new Torment have some really talented writers.
In fact, this Beta have the best writing I've seen in years in a video game.

It's so good, that after 6 hours in the beta I suddenly realized that i had only one real fight in the game!

So, with this game, I let the haters hate.
I had an amazing experience with the beta (with all its flaws)... And I can't wait to play the full game!
 

Black Angel

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Look, first of all the Beta is about 10 hours of gameplay if you "try it all".
And in this game, 10 hours means tons of reading, NPC's, few fights and a good taste of the atmosphere, the companions and the world.

And I got to say, this game is the closest thing to a new Torment game.
And it's so good by its own right, that it doesn't even really matters.
Yeah, yeah, but will it stay true to the very end of a playthrough in final release? Iirc, Underrail's Early Access version only gets to Junkyard, and it was received very well. The game then gets final release, and everybody, even Blaine, start flipping their shit when they arrive in Deep Caverns, and that game takes 7 years to make. Though, granted, the game was made by just 1 people, before eventually he was joined by 2 more. Torment: Tides of Numenera? I'm sure inXile got what it takes to deliver the game in the initially planned est. time of delivery, they made WL2 after all and I'm sure as hell they could learn a lesson or two from there. But then, things happen, whatever that is, and for some reason they had to delay the game for many times.

So, what does one successor matters?

Now, about Chris Avellon...
Nobody can take from him the fact that he made Planescape Torment.

But in the last couple of years, he just writes minor stuff for lots of projects.
He writes for InXile, Obsidian, Larian and etc...

He didn't "OWN" a real "Full" project in a long time...
So... When I hear his name, unlike some other dudes here, I don't get any errection!
But you can't deny his involvement with the original Torment was quite vast. One had to wonder why is his involvement with a supposed successor to the original Torment has to be limited in such kind of way. After all what happened, you saw how he'd done 3 out of 4 DLCs for Fallout: New Vegas, and what could've been of Ulysses as he originally planned, had the engine and resources suffice to do the job.

Unless you haven't played through nearly everything he made in the past, I'm sure you would want something more than just Durance in Pillars of Eternity.

The new Torment have some really talented writers.
Wow, really?

So, with this game, I let the haters hate.
There you go, people, with your criticism = hate worldview.

Fuck, even the Codex aren't safe from this bloody plague.

You have to admit, the loss of the original NumaNuma Pools system is one of the very unfortunate thing to happen to this game.
 

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