Interview Chris Taylor talks DS2 afterglow at gameSlave

[Spazmo]

Tags: Dungeon Siege 2; Gas Powered Games

Gas Powered Gamers bigwig <b>Chris Taylor</b> did an <a href=http://www.gameslave.co.uk/content/dungeon_siege_2_q_a/page1.cfm>interview</a> with <a href=http://www.gameslave.co.uk/>gameSlave</a> about the recently released Dungeon Siege II.<blockquote>CT – Dungeon Siege II is a much, much better game, all the way around than the original. Consider that for the original we spent much of our time developing technology, and had only a short time at the end of the development cycle to focus and balance the gameplay elements. For the sequel we spend a lot more time on almost every aspect of the game, including technology, but really drilled down on creating a vast fantasy world.</blockquote>"We made a flashy engine but didn't have time for a real game" isn't an excuse for games like Dungeon Siege II. It is, unfortunately, an explanation for the state of the genre.
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Spotted at: <A HREF="http://www.bluesnews.com">Blue's News</A>

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

The problem with Dungeon Siege 2 is that they made the gameplay a little flashier, but not much. The graphics remained about the same.

 

[Avé]

"We made a flashy engine but didn't have time for a real game" isn't an excuse for games like Dungeon Siege II. It is, unfortunately, an explanation for the state of the genre.
Spotted at: <A HREF="http://www.bluesnews.com">Blue's News</A>

He was talking about DS1, hence the "Consider that for the original"

 

[Spazmo]

You're quite right. Omit the "II" and I think the statement still works.

 

[AZ]

"We made a flashy engine but didn't have time for a real game" isn't an excuse for games like Dungeon Siege II. It is, unfortunately, an explanation for the state of the genre.

It's true for the whole computer gaming nowdays. See any game.

 

[Sol Invictus]

You're quite right. Omit the "II" and I think the statement still works.

Your opinion doesn't count for much, though, does it? Considering the fact that you haven't even played it I don't think that you're in any position to blab on about how some lame statement 'works'.

I happen to like DSII as a matter of fact. For the kind of game that it is, it's a great game. It's not as if it aspires to be something it isn't. Many other games have made the mistake of trying to deliver too much.

 

[Borys]

Ya. it isn't a Fallout game that's for sure.

DS2 is pretty good but goddam BUGGY. The final boss (Talon) of second act never showed up on my save

Luckily, some modder wrote a fix and I'm already in Act III.

The worst part of DS2 is limiting your party to 4 members. What the hell? I can't have a Combat Mage even because my party - dual-wielder, two-hander, Nature Mage, Archer - is full.

At least the powers are pretty devastating.

 

[Spazmo]

Considering the fact that you haven't even played it I don't think that you're in any position to blab on about how some lame statement 'works'.

Indeed, I haven't played DSII, which is why I might "omit the II" and thus make the statement apply to the first Dungeon Siege, whose demo I hated. And since every review of DSII pretty much says that the sequel is more of the same...

But let's just say that Dungeon Siege II is indeed a shining example of a great action RPG (something I'm happy to accept)... whoopedy fucking do. I don't want action RPGs. There are too goddamn many action RPGs as it is. Nobody's making any regular CRPGs because nobody wants to publish anything but action RPGs. This is a bad thing, regardless of the quality of the action RPGs we're seeing. Even if DSII is good and a huge success and even if it cures cancer, it and other ARPGs like it are still responsible for the shoddy state of the RPG genre today: all action and no RPG.

 

[Whipporowill]

At least DS II is more (if not by any extremes) of an rpg than DS - and a better action rpg. I'd rather see a slow trend towards "more rpg in rpgs" than not. Not saying I'm happy about it though, but I guess it's that's whats called clutching at straws when there's not much else looking forward to, eh?

 

[Section8]

I think I broke Dungeon Siege 2 by limiting my party to myself and a mule. The boss at the end of Act 1 didn't even hurt me enough to warrant potion use. I started wading the the second act, but once again, barely anything could either me or my mule. I'll have to give it a go with a bigger party sometime, but so far it hasn't impressed me much.

 

[Sol Invictus]

Yeah, DSII is balanced for a full party, or it's too easy.

 

[Section8]

Maybe I'm a tightwad who thinks that spending 500 gold on an extra party slot would be better spent on shit to feed my mule.

Still, it's a shame that a game that is essentially about powergaming and munchkinism can be broken so easily by doing exactly that.