Putting the 'role' back in role-playing games since 2002.
Donate to Codex
Good Old Games
  • Welcome to rpgcodex.net, a site dedicated to discussing computer based role-playing games in a free and open fashion. We're less strict than other forums, but please refer to the rules.

    "This message is awaiting moderator approval": All new users must pass through our moderation queue before they will be able to post normally. Until your account has "passed" your posts will only be visible to yourself (and moderators) until they are approved. Give us a week to get around to approving / deleting / ignoring your mundane opinion on crap before hassling us about it. Once you have passed the moderation period (think of it as a test), you will be able to post normally, just like all the other retards.

Editorial The Gift of Torment

VentilatorOfDoom

Administrator
Staff Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2009
Messages
8,603
Location
Deutschland
Tags: Black Isle Studios; Planescape: Torment

Former GameSpot executive editor Greg Kasavin has put up <a href="http://kasavin.blogspot.com/2010/03/gift-of-torment.html">his thoughts</a> on this classic RPG.
<br>
<br>
<p style="margin-left:50px;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;border-top-color:#ffffff;padding:5px;border-right-color:#bbbbbb;border-left-color:#ffffff;border-bottom-color:#bbbbbb;">It took years for anyone to improve on Torment's basic idea of letting you determine your character's intent and not just the content of his speech, but the Mass Effect games finally took this a step further through their system of subtext-driven dialogue. In those games, it's genuinely exciting to see the protagonist act out your dialogue choices, because you don't know exactly what Shepard is going to say or do -- you tend to just pick the emotion or intent behind the outcome you want, and your reward is seeing Shepard act it out faithfully, in most cases. The basic consequence of this is that dialogue sequences tend to be worth watching and listening to, something that's rather important for a game that's bothering to have tons of story content.
<br>
</p>
<br>
<br>
Mass Effect - the first games that managed to genuinely improve on the standards set by Planescape Torment.
<br>
<br>
Spotted at: <A HREF="http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/97364-the-gift-of-torment.html">Gamebanshee</A>
 

JarlFrank

I like Thief THIS much
Patron
Joined
Jan 4, 2007
Messages
34,349
Location
KA.DINGIR.RA.KI
Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
It took years for anyone to improve on Torment's basic idea of letting you determine your character's intent and not just the content of his speech, but the Mass Effect games finally took this a step further

I stopped reading there.
 

Jaedar

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Aug 5, 2009
Messages
10,136
Project: Eternity Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 Pathfinder: Kingmaker
I wish, Oh God, I wish I could say I am surprised by the idiocy.
 

SerratedBiz

Arcane
Joined
Mar 4, 2009
Messages
4,143
Moray said:
Silellak said:
Former GameSpot executive editor
I stopped reading there.

Perhaps it was stupidity of just this sort that led to his current status as a "former" editor.

Yes, I'm sure Gamespot is enraged at the idea of sucking ME cock.

11mbale.jpg


Oh wai-
 

Sceptic

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Mar 2, 2010
Messages
10,881
Divinity: Original Sin
JarlFrank said:
It took years for anyone to improve on Torment's basic idea of letting you determine your character's intent and not just the content of his speech, but the Mass Effect games finally took this a step further

I stopped reading there.
I was going to say "great minds think alike"...

Silellak said:
Former GameSpot executive editor
I stopped reading there.
... then I saw this and thought "fuck I should've done that instead".

Clockwork Knight said:
Btw, when did people start using "streamlined" as a buzzword? I missed it.
Not sure when it started but it's been around. One of the more rage-inducing ones was Dungeon Siege but I'm sure it wasn't the first.
 

denizsi

Arcane
Joined
Nov 24, 2005
Messages
9,927
Location
bosphorus
As far as I can remember, "streamlining" is at least 10 years old. Google interviews to sequels of any popular game from early 2000. I'm sure it goes further back.
 

Silellak

Cipher
Joined
Aug 19, 2008
Messages
3,198
Location
Tucson, AZ
root said:
what the fuck does streamlined even mean? is it less pointless sidequests, less spikes on ships, or less brickblock graphics?
I always assumed it meant the box the game came in had less air resistance than its predecessor.
 

Gragt

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Nov 1, 2007
Messages
1,864,860
Location
Dans Ton Cul
Serpent in the Staglands Divinity: Original Sin
I remember that Kasavin used to write some pretty good reviews, and then went downhill in a drastic way.
 

DriacKin

Arbiter
Joined
Oct 9, 2008
Messages
2,588
Location
Inanescape
For what it's worth, the article really isn't all that bad. The last paragraph (where he makes the comparisons to ME) make me cringe, but the rest of it wasn't a bad read. It didn't add much that we haven't already heard before, but it still wasn't bad.

Also, Kassavin was one of the few decent reviewers that Gamespot had, imo.
 

Gragt

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Nov 1, 2007
Messages
1,864,860
Location
Dans Ton Cul
Serpent in the Staglands Divinity: Original Sin
DriacKin said:
Also, Kassavin was one of the few decent reviewers that Gamespot had, imo.

For a time at least. Then, whether of his own free will or not, he just joined the others in their mediocrity.
 

Black

Arcane
Joined
May 8, 2007
Messages
1,873,126
Yup, I love ME dialogue system

Sure (+1 paragon)
Okay
Alright (+1 renegade)
It's subtle and next gen!
 

Volourn

Pretty Princess
Pretty Princess Glory to Ukraine
Joined
Mar 10, 2003
Messages
24,985
"RPG Codex"

I stopped reading there.












...............



You fuckin' wish, assholes!!! :twisted:
 
Self-Ejected

ScottishMartialArts

Self-Ejected
Joined
Feb 24, 2005
Messages
11,707
Location
California
Isn't Kasavin unemployed now that C&C4 has shipped? As I recall, EA was going to sack the EALA RTS team as soon as the project was completed.
 

Volourn

Pretty Princess
Pretty Princess Glory to Ukraine
Joined
Mar 10, 2003
Messages
24,985
"I stopped reading there"

Heh. If only.



"D"

Stopped reading there.
 

As an Amazon Associate, rpgcodex.net earns from qualifying purchases.
Back
Top Bottom