The Dark Eye Blackguards - turn-based tactical RPG set in The Dark Eye world

[felipepepe]

I'm sorry, your indirects are a bit too mystifying. Is this going to be the Citizen Kane of something or what?

Right now, it looks to a be solid tactical RPG that recognizes its own weaknesses (unlike Shadowrun: Returns or Conquistador which were way too ambitious given their budget).

Exactly. Instead of trying to do everything and failing, they removed the free-roaming 3D world most RPGs have and focused heavily on the combat encounters, and ended with a great tactical RPG.

I'll never forget you recommended FF XIII to me, Felipe. Only thing worse than that was Hommlet.

it's obviously not a game for everyone, but I still stand that it's fight mechanics are extremely cool and a very creative approach. That's why FF XIII-2 is one of my favorite jRPGs ever, as it greatly expands on that formula while removing all the linear corridors and half-hour long cutscenes.

 

[Indranys]

Why are there no flanking modifiers and why can you parry attacks from behind?
We experimented with a flanking system, but ultimately, we ditched it. It would've caused unwanted 'tactical' patterns, having players running around enemies every turn just to get a flanking bonus/backstab.

This one worries me a bit guys.
I do love the usual flanking feature in my SRPG, FFT won't be the same without the physical backstabbing aka rape the shieldbearers from their backs.
But if they pull their mechanics very well, which means no HP bloat, no ridiculously overpowered skills, plus a nice combat encounter for each battle, then it will be great.
And they already did a right move by eliminating the filler combats.
So I'll keep my eye on the game from now on.

 

[Delterius]

Felipepepe you are a bro. But please! JRPGs are not cool .

They are. Japan was always a great place to get your tactical RPG fix. Sure, you can always look at Europe, but they tend to cancel projects and go bankrupt a bit too often. The worst thing possible that is consistent with JRPGs is the art direction and the general anime mood, which I actually mostly like.

But FF XIII is way too much.

 

[Grunker]

Shadowrun: Returns wasn't very ambitious.

That's not incompatible with my point. Blackguards is screens with exposition/towns and fights. Hub-based, mission-based structure. That's it. Kindda like that thing Grunker was talking about that Shadowrun: Returns should have been.

More simplistic in structure. And that's why those core concepts have a chance of working. Shadowrun might not have been ambitious, but you can clearly see that it spreds too little butter over too much bread. That is the definition of being too ambitious.

This may suck, but they're approaching it correctly.

 

[felipepepe]

Agreed. That's also why looking back now, Chaos Chronicles had little chance of delivering all they promised...

 

[Grunker]

Will it fill the void left behind by Chaos Chronicles?

Definetely not. The two were very, very different games.

Agreed. That's also why looking back now, Chaos Chronicles had little chance of delivering all they promised...

Not too sure. I believe CC had a much bigger budget and a longer development run.

 

[Infinitron]

tuluse I would argue that Shadowrun Returns WAS trying to be ambitious. It had tons of underdeveloped stuff like social skills (etiquettes), dialogue trees that didn't actually let you choose anything, meaningless weapon and armor progression, etc.

 

[Zetor]

Hm, I'm not a fan of the entire early access thing, but I may just end up pulling the trigger on this -- if only because felipepepe is a fellow XTH bro (or something). You better not let me down!!! :p

And yeah, SRR was a bit too ambitious (and the team a bit too inexperienced) for their dev time / budget... I'd say out of the 3 things they wanted to excel at (cRPG, tactical combat, editor) they achieved around 1.5. Still worth the price, though.

 

[Grunker]

tuluse Grunker I would argue that Shadowrun Returns WAS trying to be ambitious. It had tons of underdeveloped stuff like social skills (etiquettes), dialogue trees that didn't actually let you choose anything, meaningless weapon and armor progression, etc.

I don't think we have to define ambitious here. The core thing is that they tried more than they could handle. That's being too ambitious regardless of how ambitious they were.

 

[Delterius]

Will it fill the void left behind by Chaos Chronicles?

Definetely not. The two were very, very different games.

I'm sorry as a Codexer all I can see is 'turn based' and 'based on tabletop RPG rules'. So I'm not sure what you're trying to pull here...

In all seriousness, I'm actually thinking about that more expensive edition that comes with Chains of Satinav. Anyone knows anything about it here?

 

[Grunker]

I'd say out of the 3 things they wanted to excel at (cRPG, tactical combat, editor) they achieved around 1.5.

Shadowrun didn't excel at anything. Maybe except music.

 

[felipepepe]

Hm, I'm not a fan of the entire early access thing, but I may just end up pulling the trigger on this -- if only because felipepepe is a fellow XTH bro (or something). You better not let me down!!! :p

I've played up to chapter 3 of the press build, and while there are some issues (mostly related to lack of documentation), the game is an extremely solid, combat-focused RPG.

I'm writing a long preview with Roxor, so you might want to wait for that before buying, if you're insecure.

 

[Excidium]

Yeah not even the editor which was supposed to be the focus.

 

[Zetor]

I'd say out of the 3 things they wanted to excel at (cRPG, tactical combat, editor) they achieved around 1.5.

Shadowrun didn't excel at anything. Maybe except music.

I dunno, the editor is pretty solid, at least a 0.8 (for ~potential~). Distribute the other 0.7 between the other two pillars as desired.

e:

Hm, I'm not a fan of the entire early access thing, but I may just end up pulling the trigger on this -- if only because felipepepe is a fellow XTH bro (or something). You better not let me down!!! :p

I've played up to chapter 3 of the press build, and while there are some issues (mostly related to lack of documentation), the game is an extremely solid, combat-focused RPG.

I'm writing a long preview with Roxor, so you might want to wait for that before buying, if you're insecure.

Hey, as long as they don't have the fuckstupid character system (especially levelling, ugh) from Realms of Arkania, I don't mind. The obvious cover spots on the screenshots are a bit jarring, but eh.

 

[Grunker]

Hm, I'm not a fan of the entire early access thing, but I may just end up pulling the trigger on this -- if only because felipepepe is a fellow XTH bro (or something). You better not let me down!!! :p

(mostly related to lack of documentation)

why the fuck is this so hard for all rpg designers

 

[Excidium]

Hm, I'm not a fan of the entire early access thing, but I may just end up pulling the trigger on this -- if only because felipepepe is a fellow XTH bro (or something). You better not let me down!!! :p

(mostly related to lack of documentation)

why the fuck is this so hard for all rpg designers

Designers only do what people demand. Most CRPG players are fine being ignorant.

 

[tuluse]

I forgot about the editor. That did make the project ambitious when the game was less so.

 

[felipepepe]

(mostly related to lack of documentation)

why the fuck is this so hard for all rpg designers

Yeah, half of the game's systems where impossible to decipher until I read the Dark Eye P&P ruleset... the good thing is that I talked with them about it and they said it's something they are already looking into it.

(Not sure if I could be talking about this, oddly the beta NDA is still on... :3)

 

[Jack Dandy]

R$40 for shovelware, no thanks

You would be surprised... it definetly beats Shadowrun Returns and Conquistador.

I really liked Conquistador. Does this have any sort of exploration in between battles?

EDIT: I just found out there isn't. Can you sum up what you do in between battles, then?

 

[FeelTheRads]

I can provide info,pics and TSR #'s for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Edition Base Set Blood Wars cards..

Which edition? I assume the last one?

 

[Jaedar]

Hm, I'm not a fan of the entire early access thing, but I may just end up pulling the trigger on this -- if only because felipepepe is a fellow XTH bro (or something). You better not let me down!!! :p

(mostly related to lack of documentation)

why the fuck is this so hard for all rpg designers

Nobody likes writing documentation, not enough people complain when it isn't there.

This is your chance to make the world a better place Codex.

 

[Jack Dandy]

Man, I can't decide on whether to get this or M&MX.
On side, I really like exploration and dungeons and quests, and M&MX has that. From what I've 'tested', the combat system can also be pretty damn enjoyable.

On the other hand, I adore tactical RPG battles, and if it has hexes, all the better. I always wanted to play something that like Conqusitador only with a more in-depth battle system. Blackguards has that, but no exploration...

What am I to do?

 

[Infinitron]

The obvious answer is to wait for the Steam sales and see which one gets a deeper discount. (probably MMX since it's been out longer)

 

[Delterius]

The obvious answer is to wait for the Steam sales and see which one gets a deeper discount. (probably MMX since it's been out longer)

 

[Grunker]

That did make the project ambitious when the game was less so.

You deny SRR failed to live up to its ambitions?