Disco Elysium Pre-Release Thread [GO TO NEW THREAD]

[Molina]

I don't care about the drama (I won't pick up this skill).
But. In terms of roleplay. Can we play many characters as Arcanum/Fallout? With a particular feeling for each of them?

 

[Prime Junta]

But. In terms of roleplay. Can we play many characters as Arcanum/Fallout? With a particular feeling for each of them?

I don't understand the question. Can you elaborate?

 

[Strange Fellow]

I have a very dedicated fan club. Small, admittedly, but dedicated. Maybe you should ask them?

Hey, come on, I like you... most of the time. Please don't lump me in with these nerds. That comment was just my snarky way of pointing out that you don't seem interested in getting people to play this who are still on the fence, and also that I'm about 97% sure that your "best writing ever" claim is complete bullshit. I still am very excited by the 3% chance that it might not be.

 

[Grauken]

I'm about 97% sure that your "best writing ever" claim is complete bullshit.

I think he honestly believes that. It's just that people have so widely different assumptions about what constitutes good writing, that it doesn't say much in itself. We have to wait and see until the games comes out to check whether it works for each of us

 

[Molina]

But. In terms of roleplay. Can we play many characters as Arcanum/Fallout? With a particular feeling for each of them?

I don't understand the question. Can you elaborate?

There's a promise to play any cop. Is that real? Is playing a Thinker so different from playing a Bully? And above all, is there a lot of different archetype beyond the three they present to us?

 

[Got bored and left]

Also, just because the standards for video game writing are so incredibly low, anything competent is gonna stand out. Having said that, the tidbits we've seen so far look promising (at least for my pretentious, English degree-infested eye). I'm anxious to find out what the rest looks like.

 

[Infinitron]

Forget whether or not the "writing" is good. Is the main arc - the story of the mystery you're investigating - compelling? Or is just a MacGuffin and the real point is to go around experiencing weird Thought Cabinet encounters?

 

[Grauken]

Forget whether or not the "writing" is good. Is the main arc - the story of the mystery you're investigating - compelling? Or is just a MacGuffin and the real point is to go around experiencing weird Thought Cabinet encounters?

You can't compartmentalize writing away from plot that way, those aspects are intricately linked. If the writing is utter shit, then the story will not be compelling, if the story is shit, even the best writing in the world will feel hollow and empty

 

[Prime Junta]

There's a promise to play any cop. Is that real? Is playing a Thinker so different from playing a Bully? And above all, is there a lot of different archetype beyond the three they present to us?

Yes, it really is. The game reinforces this in multiple ways. It's wonderfully frustrating in locking little secrets and tidbits behind skill checks, and your dialogue options change dramatically depending on your build and your Thoughts.

But anyway, that's been gone over several times already. If you don't believe it at this point I guess you'll just have to wait :checks: 11 days to find out for yourself.

I think he honestly believes that. It's just that people have so widely different assumptions about what constitutes good writing, that it doesn't say much in itself. We have to wait and see until the games comes out to check whether it works for each of us

Yes I do honestly believe it. I can't think of any cRPG with better writing. PS:T is the only one I'd rate as about equally good. Some of the Witchers get close in the best bits, the Bloody Baron quest for example is in the ballpark, and VtM: Bloodlines dialogues at their best are also comparable, but IMO neither of them have the depth and range.

But yeah it is subjective and I don't think there's much point arguing about rankings; I am quite confident that even kritikal kodex konsensus will put this in the top tier with these games writing-wise.

 

[Grauken]

Felipe Pepe's yearly votings will either vidicate you or ... do the other thing that happens

 

[Prime Junta]

Forget whether or not the "writing" is good. Is the main arc - the story of the mystery you're investigating - compelling? Or is just a MacGuffin and the real point is to go around experiencing weird Thought Cabinet encounters?

I'll have to be very careful in how I answer this because I really am only supposed to talk about the first day, so let me put it this way: you really are a cop, you really are investigating a murder mystery, and it really is a competently crafted one.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Will I be able to roleplay my detective as a shill?

 

[Infinitron]

Oh, that reminds me, does the game have any sort of economy? Do you need to buy stuff?

 

[Prime Junta]

Oh, that reminds me, does the game have any sort of economy? Do you need to buy stuff?

Yes. You start out owing 130 réal for rent.* There are also all kinds of people hawking stuff -- a pawnshop, a guy selling shit that fell off the back of a truck, a kid selling a suspiciously new set of gym pants and illegal narcotics, a liquor shop, and a bunch more. You can get money by pawning junk, soliciting bribes, extortion, begging, collecting empty bottles and turning them in at a convenience store, and so on.

*Exact sum subject to change

 

[Infinitron]

Oh, that reminds me, does the game have any sort of economy? Do you need to buy stuff?

Yes. You start out owing 130 réal for rent.* There are also all kinds of people hawking stuff -- a pawnshop, a guy selling shit that fell off the back of a truck, a kid selling a suspiciously new set of gym pants and illegal narcotics, a liquor shop, and a bunch more. You can get money by pawning junk, soliciting bribes, extortion, begging, collecting empty bottles and turning them in at a convenience store, and so on.

*Exact sum subject to change

Is there a shop interface for buying items, or is it all done through dialogue?

 

[HoboForEternity]

begging, collecting empty bottles and turning them in at a convenience store, and so on.

it's really a hobo simulator i have been waiting for

 

[Adidas-Clichèd Cringe]

Don't the cops in Revachol get a salary, or did our character already drink his last paycheck or something?

 

[Curratum]

40 EUR? Haha, yeah, no.

 

[Prime Junta]

Don't the cops in Revachol get a salary, or did our character already drink his last paycheck or something?

The pay is shit. You drank your paycheck and ran up a tab.

Accepting donations from concerned citizens is permitted, however, as long as they are properly logged.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Don't the cops in Revachol get a salary, or did our character already drink his last paycheck or something?

The pay is shit. You drank your paycheck and ran up a tab.

Accepting donations from concerned citizens is permitted, however, as long as they are properly logged.

Can't I just work for a gamedev company to shill their products for money?

 

[Prime Junta]

Can't I just work for a gamedev company to shill their products for money?

The only gamedev you'll come across on day 1 went bankrupt years ago.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Oh, that reminds me, does the game have any sort of economy? Do you need to buy stuff?

Yes. You start out owing 130 réal for rent.* There are also all kinds of people hawking stuff -- a pawnshop, a guy selling shit that fell off the back of a truck, a kid selling a suspiciously new set of gym pants and illegal narcotics, a liquor shop, and a bunch more. You can get money by pawning junk, soliciting bribes, extortion, begging, collecting empty bottles and turning them in at a convenience store, and so on.

*Exact sum subject to change

Is the spoiler going to be that you're not really a cop after all?

The spoiler is that you're dead and reliving your life solving your own murder.

 

[frajaq]

christ this thread is going so fast what the fuck

 

[ArchAngel]

Oh, that reminds me, does the game have any sort of economy? Do you need to buy stuff?

Yes. You start out owing 130 réal for rent.* There are also all kinds of people hawking stuff -- a pawnshop, a guy selling shit that fell off the back of a truck, a kid selling a suspiciously new set of gym pants and illegal narcotics, a liquor shop, and a bunch more. You can get money by pawning junk, soliciting bribes, extortion, begging, collecting empty bottles and turning them in at a convenience store, and so on.

*Exact sum subject to change

Damn, this is too much like real life. Over here is it impossible to go to any larger food store without a bunch of people waiting to turn in their (bags of) bottles...

 

[Adidas-Clichèd Cringe]

Can't wait to pawn my gun and badge for some trucker meth.