Preview ArcaniA: An Oblivion Tale

[Monolith]

Tags: Gothic 4: Arcania

It's E3 time and surprisingly <a href="http://www.arcania-game.com/">ArcaniA: A Gothic Tale</a> is getting some coverage. Both <a href="http://www.gamingexcellence.com">Gaming Excellence</a> and <a href="http://www.rpgamer.com/">RPGamer</a> put up a short preview based on what they saw of ArcaniA on the E3.
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<a href="http://www.gamingexcellence.com/pc/games/2210/p20090603.shtml">Gaming Excellence</a> is mighty impressed by the intellectual capabilities of fans of the first two Gothics because the gaming excellence apparently didn't get the games' control schemes.
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<blockquote>Ya know, I really have to wonder about the mental state of people who are big fans of the Gothic series? Not that it’s a bad series, not by any stretch, <b>but the mental fortitude that’s required to play through one of these games to completion is staggering</b>. Only having clocked around seven hours of gameplay between the second and third game the sheer beating you receive from even the first enemies can be a life altering experience. These are truly games for the hardcore gamer and if you don’t have the stones for it then too bad for you.</blockquote>
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"Staggering, I tell ya.", my little sister, who was 10 the first time she played it.
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Luckily <a href="http://www.spellbound.de/front_content.php?idcat=77">Spellbound</a> felt bad for those who are intellectually inapt and didn't just change controls, but also added a quest compass.
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<blockquote>Luckily for the rest of us humans the developers are going for a slightly different approach with Arcania. Rather than focusing exclusively on the hardcore crowd they’ve expanded their approach to make the game more accessible to the rest of humanity. A good example of the starting point of this is the fact that you can now turn on a quest tracker. This will give you a quick way of traveling to the waypoints that will help you actually find your goal.</blockquote>
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According to the <a href="http://www.rpgamer.com/event/e3-2009/impressions/gothic4imp.html">RPGamer</a> chick, who also praises the accessibility of ArcaniA, guilds are isolated quest providers, all joinable, without that unfunny choices & consequences part.
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<blockquote>Factions and guilds have been completely re-thought for Arcania; in prior Gothic games they were tied together. Now, the five guilds are factionless and a player may interact with all, some, or none of these establishments. Quests associated with their respective guilds follow the logical path: the Fighter's Guild will send the hero out to kill specific monsters for trophies, while the Mage Guild is more interested in gathering reagents (spell components) and errand-running quests. </blockquote>
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The one thing that makes guilds interesting ditched.
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To be fair, it doesn't sound bad the way combat works and the "weather affecting NPC behaviour"-part sounds like it could add a little bit to gameplay, if used wisely. But that's a big if.
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There are also some new screenshots <a href="http://media.pc.ign.com/media/908/908255/imgs_1.html">over at IGN</a>.
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Spotted at: <a href="http://www.rpgwatch.com">RPG Watch</a>

 

[Darth Roxor]

Re: ArcaniA: A <strike>Gothic</strike> Oblivion

WHERE IS THE TUTORIAL AND QUEST COMPASS???

OH GOD, SO COMPLICATED

what? yes, mommy, I did my maths homework for tomorrow, and quit pestering me about school, I'm already 11 years old so I can be responsible for myself well enough!!

 

[Stereotypical Villain]

Luckily for the rest of us humans the developers are going for a slightly different approach with Arcania. Rather than focusing exclusively on the hardcore crowd they’ve expanded their approach to make the game more accessible to the rest of humanity. A good example of the starting point of this is the fact that you can now turn on a quest tracker. This will give you a quick way of traveling to the waypoints that will help you actually find your goal.

 

[someone else]

Did your sister managed to complete the game when she was ten? How many times did she reload when she got killed? btw the article talked about the 2nd and 3rd Gothic games not the first two.

 

[Monolith]

She completed it, although it took her quite some time. Which is more than I can say. She was almost 11, btw, got a little far fetched up there. Dunno about the reloading. After getting the hang out of the controls she's never complained, finished the game as a cultist.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Reading that was depressing. Interest -1000.

It's okay if you want a compass you could use if you get stuck, but saying it requires a superhuman effort to find your goal without a big red pointer makes me sad. I dont know if people got lazier or retarded-er.

And complaining that the enemies in gothic actually *gasp* want to kill you. I thought I was playing to have fun, why am I getting killed? This will traumatize me for the rest of my life, I WILL SUE

And "simpler = better, amirite?" with the guilds. I have a better idea, why not start as the leader of all guilds just so you don't have to go through the ranks. That is HARD and heavily detracts from the game experience, you know.

 

[Shannow]

Fuck, I hate the industry. Why keep the Gothic name if you're not making a Gothic game? I asked the same about FO3. There still is no acceptable answer. Jowood can go fuck themselves.

but the mental fortitude that’s required to play through one of these games to completion is staggering.

As much as I'd like to take this as a compliment it pretty much stays a self-diss for the "journalist".

 

[Avu]

Sure there's an acceptable answer just not for many of us. Oh and it's money.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Fuck, I hate the industry. Why keep the Gothic name if you're not making a Gothic game? I asked the same about FO3. There still is no acceptable answer. Jowood can go fuck themselves.

If you were in doubt, would you rather buy a new title (risk of being shit) or a game already on it's third iteration? If there are 13 Final Fantasies, it means there are people that like them, which means I can buy it and not be scared (if I like jrpg's, that is).

Also, the setting and all is ready

 

[nomask7]

Playing G2: NotR for the first time was one of the best & most chaotic experiences of my life. I hadn't played any Gothic game before that. I can barely remember now what it was like, and these new "games" do not help me relive those moments of fun & wonder. :sigh & decline:

 

[denizsi]

I want to murder these people, literally. I would if I could and get away with it. If only I were given the opportunity...

 

[SimpleComplexity]

Quest Compass, Multiplatform release, RangedCombat auto aim, Unkillable Questgivers...

This game will be shit, no further previews required.

Edit:Dev Walkthrough is up, Part 2:
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/e3-09-arcania/51096
Not aiming with locked mode, gives you double damage. Hoho.
Dev comment: "It`s a RPG, so it`s gotta have a fireball" and praising the graphics
Fireball looks like a nuclear explosion, no joke.
Copypasted Trees everywhere, Speedtree technology it seems
All guilds are joinable to get cool achievement points.

Basically just praising the graphics and hectically showing off cool stuff before the attention span of the consoletards ends.

 

[Morgoth]

AI still doesn't work, let alone quests aren't even implemented yet. If Jowood really thinks they're gonna release that at the end of this year, we'll just have another Forsaken Gods disaster.

 

[Squirly]

Well that's that then. Is indie the only place we can even hope to find a decent RPG these days?





DON"T LET US DOWN VINCE!

 

[Durwyn]

Well that's that then. Is indie the only place we can even hope to find a decent RPG these days?





DON"T LET US DOWN CLEVE!

Fixed

 

[denizsi]

VD is Cleve's alt. He'll be polishing AoD for the next 10 years.

 

[Shannow]

If you were in doubt, would you rather buy a new title (risk of being shit) or a game already on it's third iteration? If there are 13 Final Fantasies, it means there are people that like them, which means I can buy it and not be scared (if I like jrpg's, that is).

Also, the setting and all is ready

What is "being in doubt"? If I'm incredibly casual and just browse store shelves I'll go by box design and the information on the back. Otherwise I'll inform myself on the net. If I'm still in doubt I'll play the demo. If still in doubt or no demo isn't available I'll torrent it. Whether it is a sequel or not simply doesn't factor in.
I'd buy Gothic 4, if it were like Gothic 1/2(/3). It won't be. It'll make Forsaken Gods look good. And you couldn't have chosen a worse example than FF because it has no internal consistency whatsoever, AFAIK.
Yeah, Beth were a fine example how to work with an existing setting. Which, by the way, is another argument against the value of sequels. If you make major changes to the game, why keep the name?

Sure there's an acceptable answer just not for many of us. Oh and it's money.

And now try to make a convincing argument why a company should expect more money by abusing the name of an established franchise. And while you do so keep the flop that was "Forsaken Gods" in mind.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

What is "being in doubt"? If I'm incredibly casual and just browse store shelves I'll go by box design and the information on the back

Exactly, that's why the big "3" or "XIII" is better. That's why they put "delivering you quality since 1940" on food; you feel safer, because there's tradition.

I'd buy Gothic 4, if it were like Gothic 1/2(/3). It won't be.

And you couldn't have chosen a worse example than FF because it has no internal consistency whatsoever, AFAIK.

Correct, but you are thinking as a kkkodexer, not as the bajillions of potential buyers which are more Lawful Casual than Chaotic Hardcore.

Yeah, Beth were a fine example how to work with an existing setting. Which, by the way, is another argument against the value of sequels. If you make major changes to the game, why keep the name?

They are interested in the brand name and the setting/ original gimmicks, not in a just and faithful spiritual sequel.

 

[Lumpy]

Quests associated with their respective guilds follow the logical path: the Fighter's Guild will send the hero out to kill specific monsters for trophies, while the Mage Guild is more interested in gathering reagents (spell components) and errand-running quests.

Logically.

 

[bhlaab]

To be fair, it seems like most of these changes are optional. The articles imply that the compass is something you can turn on and off so perhaps the game won't be built around it like in Oblivion. Of course, we'll have to wait and see.

I was never a fan of Gothic myself. The controls put me off immediately.

 

[nomask7]

Gotta have instant gratification

This is why humanity needs eugenics.

 

[bhlaab]

Gotta have instant gratification

This is why humanity needs eugenics.

No, I gotta have a fucking game I can control properly.

And maybe, maybe a PC game should consider using the mouse for some of its menus instead of having to tap through the god damn inventory with my arrow keys.

 

[Kraszu]

No, I gotta have a fucking game I can control properly.

And maybe, maybe a PC game should consider using the mouse for some of its menus instead of having to tap through the god damn inventory with my arrow keys.

You know that you can hold the arrow right? Actually it worked fine it was scrolling fast I don't see what the big problem is. What was so bad about the controls?

 

[Talby]

The controls are crap, that's what's so bad about them.

 

[nomask7]

Gotta have instant gratification

This is why humanity needs eugenics.

No, I gotta have a fucking game I can control properly.

I can control it properly, so it's a goddamned fact it can be controlled properly. So try something else, because your response is objectively stupid. Maybe try a mirror.