Game News Divinity: Original Sin Kickstarter Update #57: Beta release on April 1st, day/night cycles removed

[Infinitron]

Tags: Divinity: Original Sin; Larian Studios; Swen Vincke

Today's Divinity: Original Sin Kickstarter update brings good news and bad news. The good news is that the game's beta is just around the corner, and will be released on April 1st. The bad news is that day/night cycles, which were promised for the Kickstarter's $1,000,000 stretch goal, have been cancelled. I quote:

This year, April is bringing more than mere showers: The beta version of Divinity: Original Sin is nearly ready for launch and will hit Steam the week of April 1 (no jokes!).

Those of you who have been making careful rounds of the alpha world will be excited to find the following:

• New region unlocks
• Hugely expanded character creation options, including visuals and presets
• Tons of new talents
• A new cache of new skills and spells
• Better AI and new enemy tactics
• Hundreds of bugfixes
• New and upgraded visuals, special effects, and music
• Improved loading times and stability
• Improved cooperative dialog systems

To explain lots more about what's going on in the beta, Swen did a tour of the office and let the developers speak for themselves about what their departments have been up to:

If you watch the video, you'll find a nugget of wistfulness among the litany of good news:



Due to time and budgetary constraints, we have chosen not to implement day/night cycles for the launch of Divinity: Original Sin.

This was no easy decision, but in the end, resources had to be allocated toward stability and bugfixing in order to release a content-heavy, technically smooth game (almost) on time.

We realize our fans and backers will be understandably bummed by this news, but we hope to make it up to you with a game that we are proud to release and you will feel proud to have supported.

If you'd like to read more about the reasoning behind the decision to forego day/night cycles, head over to Swen's blog for a more thorough explanation.
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Alas. It's a significant loss for a game that aims to be an Ultima VII spiritual successor. But as I often say, the tree of Incline shall be watered with the tears of disappointed fans. It's all for a good cause.

 

[Morality Games]

Alas. It's a significant loss for a game that aims to be an Ultima VII spiritual successor, but as I often say, the tree of Incline shall be watered with the tears of weeping fans. It's all for a good cause.

Personally I (1) don't mind and (2) don't disagree with the decision, but this raises the specter of all those ethical questions KickStarter tends to pose.

 

[SuicideBunny]

 

[Volrath]

This blows. I remember Swen being really enthousiastic about the possibilities the NPC schedules would bring when I visited Larian.

 

[evdk]

Well, Roguey is gonna have a field day with this bit of news. Personally I do not care that much, better no day/night cycle than a botched one.

 

[Infinitron]

Morality Games Can you not quote the entire OP like that? It's pretty obvious who you're replying to. Thanks

 

[Arkeus]

Alas. It's a significant loss for a game that aims to be an Ultima VII spiritual successor, but as I often say, the tree of Incline shall be watered with the tears of weeping fans. It's all for a good cause.

It's a pity, but at least they were straight about not being able to do it, saying it before the Beta begins and right in front of the video.

Also, Infinitron, i am disappointed that you didn't include their pimping of Serpent in the Staglands.

 

[Darth Slaughter]

Well, how will they implement NPC schedules without a Day/night cicle? Where's my Ultima 7 clone?

Anyway, NPC schedules in Ultima 7 was very well done, because while the NPC were at their job's location, they would actually perform their jobs, instead of just be standing behind a counter: a baker would bake bread by mixing water with flour, then putting it in the oven, a blacksmith would use his tools, a waiter would tend tables, etc. It's never been done like that ever since, and I was skeptical about DOS being capable to live up to U7... I was expecting something on the level of Gothic.

Anyway, I don't think it's essential, since it was a stretch goal that wasn't actually reached at all in kickstarter. Anyway, it's kind of frustrating, but impressions on the alpha are good, so whatever... it's not like sven is selling larian to Facebook.

 

[Athelas]

My immershun!

 

[Morality Games]

Morality Games Can you not quote the entire OP like that? It's pretty obvious who you're replying to. Thanks

Alright.

 

[Davaris]

The mods will fix it.

 

[AstroZombie]

No schedules?

 

[Xeon]

Due to time and budgetary constraints, we have chosen not to implement day/night cycles for the launch of Divinity: Original Sin.

Since they said for the launch, does that mean they might add it later?

Sorry, Did not read the blog or watch the video yet.

Edit:
Nice update, some of them look exhausted. Looking forward to the stream.

Thanks!

 

[Monty]

Due to time and budgetary constraints, we have chosen not to implement day/night cycles for the launch of Divinity: Original Sin.

Since they said for the launch, does that mean they might add it later?

Doesn't look like it from what Swen said in his blog:

Perhaps those who are disappointed may take comfort from the engine & toolkit supporting pretty much everything that’s necessary for schedules, up to having NPCs sleep in their beds, so it’s not impossible that somewhere down the line a mod or a derivative game is released that uses these features.

 

[Doctor Sbaitso]

So the message was no day/night, but really this means no day/night or schedules based on Sven's comments. That's quite different and much more disappointing.

I'm sure people would forgo scene lighting changes if they could keep NPC schedules.

 

[nikolokolus]

Still looking forward to this game regardless of the decision to cut the schedules. For an Alpha state game, it's been pretty enjoyable in the fits and starts that I've played - I'd play it more but I don't want to spoil too much of my first "official" playthrough.

 

[Dr Schultz]

This game's gonna be SOMETHING no matter what. The Alpha leaves no doubts on this regard. Point is: can you really make a spiritual successor of Ultima VII without NPC scheduling?
I mean, we all know that gameplay-wise a day/night circle is not that big deal. But what about the mood of world?

 

[LESS T_T]

Well, I could wait more for a genuine successor of Ultima 7, given that (from what I played early alpha) this game could be a big step towards to it.

 

[bledcarrot]

Bah. Just delay it another six months and implement it. I'd have absolutely no problem with the wait if it meant schedules.

 

[Arkeus]

Bah. Just delay it another six months and implement it. I'd have absolutely no problem with the wait if it meant schedules.

They are already putting themselves in debt by delaying a lot.

 

[hiver]

I hardly noticed it at all, compared to overflow of good and awesome stuff in the update.

 

[bledcarrot]

Bah. Just delay it another six months and implement it. I'd have absolutely no problem with the wait if it meant schedules.

They are already putting themselves in debt by delaying a lot.

They're developing a tactical turn based isometric open world RPG. They knew they wouldn't be eating when they took this on.

But you're right, I was only a little bit serious.

 

[cvv]

Well, I could wait more for a genuine successor of Ultima 7

You mean shitty combat and no worthy successor for the next 20 years?
I sure hope not.

Must say though, what I've seen of this thing looks very promising. Probably even more than W2, come at me.

 

[LESS T_T]

Well, I could wait more for a genuine successor of Ultima 7

You mean shitty combat and no worthy successor for the next 20 years?
I sure hope not.

Must say though, what I've seen of this thing looks very promising. Probably even more than W2, come at me.

Man, in 20 years, 'Rift in Your Face v20' will make our brains entertain without concerning shitty combat.

So before that dystopia coming, I hope waiting is over when Larian's next game is out, or even some brilliant mod based on the engine. Like Swen wrote on his blog, they've made the RPG development platform and yeah it looks very promising.

 

[Ulminati]

Morality Games Can you not quote the entire OP like that? It's pretty obvious who you're replying to. Thanks

Alright.

Yeah. Copypasting press releases to harvest brofists is a privilege reserved for infinitron and raw.