OK.
I've basically said everything I think of this game before, so I just want to address some of the stuff I complained about earlier, since most of it has been fixed or at least improved since those posts.
- UI: much improved, tooltips have expanded, explanations are generally better and more clear. Still work to do but shaping up great.
- The new Info menu is very promising. Several items I specifically complained about in my first post are now explained. Hopefully
LoreMaster can thread the needle between properly explaining mechanics and not spoiling fun exploration.
- Combat map is still frustrating, for the same reasons. But overall it's a minor detraction from the overall experience.
- Camping is still not well-explained, janky and basically works as a free refill mechanic if you're inclined to abuse it (there's now a chance to be ambush but it seems really low, and won't seriously inconvenience you even if it happens most times). I got access to a new type of campfire (by figuring out a very cool in-game secret, of which I am VERY proud), but I have no idea what it does. My best guess is that it allows my camp to see moongates etc (which normally can't be interacted with if any light source - including the campfire - is present).
- Everything being learn-by-doing is now, by far now that inventory management is much improved, my biggest complaint. Especially when you get the later characters, the grind is to catch them up is almost intolerable.
- As noted in my last post, the inventory, and inventory-related NPC interactions (buying/selling, quests etc) is much, much improved. I am very happy to report this. There's still room for improvement but overall it works much better than when I started playing. Huge props.
- In-combat pathfinding still sucks
.
- I've tentatively changed my mind about crafting. I think part of the problem I had was I didn't need consumables (including potions), ever, due to never increasing difficulty (I started on Normal and then forgot about it). So I never saw a need to craft potions. As for forging and enchanting, they're actually pretty cool systems once you dig into them a bit. You can actually strengthen the properties bestowed by forging materials by using them repeatedly. For instance, Silver lowers the STR requirement to wield a weapon or wear a piece of armor. If you've got the mats you can forge something with Silver repeatedly to continue lowering the stat requirements, allowing for instance a mage character to use a nice 2-handed sword, or wear a piece of unique plate armor. Multiple forgings are very material-intensive so using the feature requires you to pick and choose, but the option is available. The same goes for each of the other materials. Very neat.
- On that note, enchanting is very nifty as well. You can strip enchantments off of existing items, and they're stored for later use on something else. You can also strengthen enchantments. So you could for instance in theory, strip a +1 STR enchantment from a ring, then place it on a favorite weapon, and then strengthen it to +5 STR. Again, strengthening and placing powerful enchantments is very material-intensive, so you can't do it willy-nilly. But it allows for a lot of customization if you plan it out well.
- One of my specific complaints, about enhancement spells (specifically weapon element spells) was addressed in kind of a cool way - now, when you enchant a weapon with an element in combat, it receives a glow effect of a color appropriate to the element. It's not as readable as the icons from direct buffs (such as stoneskin or the Resist line), but it's functional and it adds flavor to your characters in combat. I like it.
- The exploration is fucking amazing. There are so many cool nooks and crannies and little secrets to discover in this game. There's a ton I know is in the game that I never figured out, enough that I've immediately started a new playthrough.
This game fucking rocks. Buy it, it's amazing. I want to support it enough that I'm going to gift 5 copies in the Gifting thread.
