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

[Molina]

For the first run, i'm going for a full intellect and motorics. I guess it's a ticket to death.

 

[Prime Junta]

For the first run, i'm going for a full intellect and motorics. I guess it's a ticket to death.

You will be a very cool psychopath. That's basically the New Sherlock Holmes setup.

 

[Comte]

I want to do a tough guy cop for my first run. Who also enjoys drugs drinking urine and beating people up.

 

[Prime Junta]

I want to do a tough guy cop for my first run. Who also enjoys drugs drinking urine and beating people up.

You only need Physique for that.

As I said though I don't know if they put in any urine for you to drink but I wouldn't put it past Electrochemistry to suggest that. It has some really bad ideas.

 

[Comte]

I want to do a tough guy cop for my first run. Who also enjoys drugs drinking urine and beating people up.

You only need Physique for that.

As I said though I don't know if they put in any urine for you to drink but I wouldn't put it past Electrochemistry to suggest that. It has some really bad ideas.

What other stat would complement a tough guy run in your opinion?

 

[Prime Junta]

I want to do a tough guy cop for my first run. Who also enjoys drugs drinking urine and beating people up.

You only need Physique for that.

As I said though I don't know if they put in any urine for you to drink but I wouldn't put it past Electrochemistry to suggest that. It has some really bad ideas.

What other stat would complement a tough guy run in your opinion?

Psyche. Authority will let you bully the fuck out of everyone. Empathy will be trying to talk you out of it but nobody says you have to listen to that wimp.

 

[Zombra]

About the dialog combat. It’s clear they did it this way because they wanted to, not because it was easier. It would have been much simpler to slap on a JRPG style BATTLE!!! screen where you and Kim trade punches with the baddies.

I want to repeat out loud that I'm very excited about this. Many (many, many) RPGs use the "combat minigame" as a (the) major attraction; but I still haven't heard anyone give a good reason why killing things has to be the main activity of any story where you build a character and choose how to solve problems. "Because my favorite games when I was 12 all did it" is insufficient.

 

[Prime Junta]

There's one thing that's worrying me a little. It's about Latro. I'm afraid he won't be able to figure out one of the core gameplay mechanics and it'll ruin the game for him. Truth be told I think it ought to have been advertised a bit better in the UI.

It's spending skill points in order to reroll.

People who are used to level-based games and save-scumming will very likely spend their skill points as soon as they get them, and then savescum their way through the dialogue encounters. That's ... not all that much fun IMO. It's much better to keep a couple of points in reserve, and then use them to reroll those checks that you really want to or need to pass; in this situation your improved skill is more of a side effect, kind of like learning by failing and then succeeding.

The game is pretty generous with skill points but not so generous you'll be able to just reroll your way through everything. In my previous (partial) run as Fantadomat I spent two skill points this way: one in order to pass the vomit Endurance check without having to spend a Thought slot on Volumetric Shit Compressor, and one to take another shot at Measurehead when I whiffed the first time. Since Physique was my primary stat I don't feel at all bad about having built up Endurance and Physical Instrument this way, I would've wanted to do that anyway -- but the "right" way to play is really to wait until you need a reroll before you spend your skill points working towards the build you want. And, perhaps, occasionally spending one even for a skill you didn't really have in mind -- little unexpected twists like that are also part of the game.

 

[Adidas-Clichèd Cringe]

Was thinking Psyche and Motorics for my first run. Not sure about the signature skill, Visual Calculus to make me into a crime-solving machine?

Having high Intellect for a first character would be nice though for the Encyclopedia lore dumps when I'm still learning about the setting.

 

[barghwata]

There's one thing that's worrying me a little. It's about Latro. I'm afraid he won't be able to figure out one of the core gameplay mechanics and it'll ruin the game for him. Truth be told I think it ought to have been advertised a bit better in the UI.

It's spending skill points in order to reroll.

People who are used to level-based games and save-scumming will very likely spend their skill points as soon as they get them, and then savescum their way through the dialogue encounters. That's ... not all that much fun IMO. It's much better to keep a couple of points in reserve, and then use them to reroll those checks that you really want to or need to pass; in this situation your improved skill is more of a side effect, kind of like learning by failing and then succeeding.

The game is pretty generous with skill points but not so generous you'll be able to just reroll your way through everything. In my previous (partial) run as Fantadomat I spent two skill points this way: one in order to pass the vomit Endurance check without having to spend a Thought slot on Volumetric Shit Compressor, and one to take another shot at Measurehead when I whiffed the first time. Since Physique was my primary stat I don't feel at all bad about having built up Endurance and Physical Instrument this way, I would've wanted to do that anyway -- but the "right" way to play is really to wait until you need a reroll before you spend your skill points working towards the build you want. And, perhaps, occasionally spending one even for a skill you didn't really have in mind -- little unexpected twists like that are also part of the game.

Personally i have an issue with this, hiding skill points to use whenever you need to pass a skill check feels less like roleplaying and more like you're just trying to beat the game in whatever way possible, i believe creating a concept for a character and sticking in to it regardless of whether it really works out or not is more fun.

 

[Deleted Member 22431]

Personally i have an issue with this, hiding skill points to use whenever you need to pass a skill check feels less like roleplaying and more like you're just trying to beat the game in whatever way possible, i believe creating a concept for a character and sticking in to it regardless of whether it really works out or not is more fun.

Only pussies hoard SPs. The people who complained about this in AoD are idiots since you could invest your SPs without planning just fine as long as you didn't spread them too thin.

 

[Deleted Member 22431]

Prima Junta, should I invest in how many skills in a single playthrough without crippling my character? Two, three?

 

[barghwata]

Personally i have an issue with this, hiding skill points to use whenever you need to pass a skill check feels less like roleplaying and more like you're just trying to beat the game in whatever way possible, i believe creating a concept for a character and sticking in to it regardless of whether it really works out or not is more fun.

Only pussies hoard SPs. The people who complained about this in AoD are idiots since you could invest your SPs without planning just fine as long as you didn't spread them too thin.

I agree, but AoD did have a major problem ......... when i played the game i played it like a roguelike, when i died that was it; i would just delete my save and start a new run, it was fustrating but quite rewarding once i actually managed to finish the game.
However there were times where i would just get blocked or stuck even though i did my best to specialise my characters, i don't have a problem with dying but getting blocked is awfully annoying because you don't really get an ending or a closure to your run and you feel like you wasted a lot of time for nothing.

 

[Zyondyne]

Maybe a bit off-topic, but I was listening to some music while reading this topic and I stumbled upon some Scorpions album cover which strongly reminds me of Disco Elysium. (Blackup album cover, 1982)

And then I just had this stupid idea to add some mutton chops to this guy, blend the Thought Cabinet artwork into the broken glass background and slap some text on it once it was done. But then I remembered I suck at photoshopping stuff. Did it anyway out of boredom. Final result:

Here's the version without the mutton chops.

 

[Deleted Member 22431]

I agree, but AoD did have a major problem ......... when i played the game i played it like a roguelike, when i died that was it; i would just delete my save and start a new run, it was fustrating but quite rewarding once i actually managed to finish the game.
However there were times where i would just get blocked or stuck even though i did my best to specialise my characters, i don't have a problem with dying but getting blocked is awfully annoying because you don't really get an ending or a closure to your run and you feel like you wasted a lot of time for nothing.

You are focusing on the downsides of this experience due to negativity bias. The upside of this frustration is that the gameworld feels more real and genuine. They are not silly things you can explore with every build just because you feel entitled to. They are there as real obstacles and they won’t budge. Once you finally beat them, you feel rewarded, whether you are planning ahead or not. People who complain about gated content and text-adventure gameplay are egocentric idiots who despise stat/skill checks.

 

[barghwata]

I agree, but AoD did have a major problem ......... when i played the game i played it like a roguelike, when i died that was it; i would just delete my save and start a new run, it was fustrating but quite rewarding once i actually managed to finish the game.
However there were times where i would just get blocked or stuck even though i did my best to specialise my characters, i don't have a problem with dying but getting blocked is awfully annoying because you don't really get an ending or a closure to your run and you feel like you wasted a lot of time for nothing.

You are focusing on the downsides of this experience due to negativity bias. The upside of this frustration is that the gameworld feels more real and genuine. They are not silly things you can explore with every build just because you feel entitled to. They are there as real obstacles and they won’t budge. Once you finally beat them, you feel rewarded, whether you are planning ahead or not. People who complain about gated content and text-adventure gameplay are egocentric idiots who despise stat/skill checks.

Let's move this conversation to an AoD thread.

 

[Zombra]

Spending skill points in order to reroll.

OK, you certainly just blew my mind. Was this mentioned before? This is the first I've actually parsed it. I think of skill points as a permanent resource, used to improve your abilities for good. Using them instead to increase a one-time chance to overcome one specific challenge? And then having no further benefit from them? My old RPG reflexes see this as extraordinarily wasteful. Being able to bench 350 one time, or 300 any time for the rest of my life? I mean, that one time had better be damn important. I'm going to need some space to wrap my head around this.

Different game.

 

[Prime Junta]

OK, you certainly just blew my mind. Was this mentioned before? This is the first I've actually parsed it. I think of skill points as a permanent resource, used to improve your abilities for good. Using them instead to increase a one-time chance to overcome one specific challenge? And then having no further benefit from them?

No no, you still increase the skill. And yes it has been mentioned before: you can retry any "white" check after increasing your skill.

What I'm sayin' is, this kind of puts the cart before the horse: I recommend playing by increasing your skills when you need to reroll, not increasing your skills and then getting to reroll. So instead of buying a skill and getting a reroll, you buy a reroll and get the skill. It's mechanically the same thing, but the player intent is different.

-- I'm pointing this out because there are at least two "blocker" white checks in the first day: if you don't pass them sooner or later, you can't progress. I think there's even a possibility of completely locking yourself out if you play stupidly -- i.e., use all your skill points as soon as you get them while doing cool side stuff, once you've finished all that get back to the main event, roll snake-eyes, and be SOL. (I think this is pretty unlikely and you'd have to be particularly boneheaded but it could happen.)

Only pussies hoard SPs.

Yeah well that's what I'm worried about.

If you play like that, at the very least make a note of which important white checks you've failed and come back to them after you've bumped up that skill.

Prima Junta, should I invest in how many skills in a single playthrough without crippling my character? Two, three?

You should invest in 2-3 abilities on character creation. From there on out it's really your call. I think there will be occasions that you'll be pretty much forced to spend a skill point on increasing a skill in order to get a reroll on a critical check, but other than that I really have no comment. I haven't played enough of the game to have an informed opinion.

 

[lobsterfrogman]

OK, you certainly just blew my mind. Was this mentioned before? This is the first I've actually parsed it. I think of skill points as a permanent resource, used to improve your abilities for good. Using them instead to increase a one-time chance to overcome one specific challenge? And then having no further benefit from them? My old RPG reflexes see this as extraordinarily wasteful. Being able to bench 350 one time, or 300 any time for the rest of my life? I mean, that one time had better be damn important. I'm going to need some space to wrap my head around this.


Different game.

I'm pretty sure it is just a case of Junta wording himself poorly. I didn't play the game yet but from the devblog it was supposed to work like this: When you fail a check it gets blocked until you get better at the thing you are trying to do (raise the skill, equip appropriate item, get bonus from thought cabinet) or you manage to make the thing easier for you (turning of the fan while trying to grab a necktie hanging on its wing). So you don't really spend the point only to reroll it - there is no wasted character progression on the whole, you just might be forced to dip into some skill you didn't plan on maxing.

 

[Prime Junta]

I'm pretty sure it is just a case of Junta wording himself poorly. I didn't play the game yet but from the devblog it was supposed to work like this: When you fail a check it gets blocked until you get better at the thing you are trying to do (raise the skill, equip appropriate item, get bonus from thought cabinet) or you manage to make the thing easier for you (turning of the fan while trying to grab a necktie hanging on its wing). So you don't really spend the point only to reroll it - there is no wasted character progression on the whole, you just might be forced to dip into some skill you didn't plan on maxing.

Yeah I clearly did word myself poorly.

I still maintain that spending your skill points strategically with rerolls in mind is the way to go. There are times when you want the reroll more than you want the skill increase -- specifically, there are white checks that block progress until you pass them.

And as I said, I'm a little worried that the game doesn't communicate this effectively enough. If you ignore the reroll mechanic, you will get blocked sooner or later.

 

[barghwata]

I'm pointing this out because there are at least two "blocker" white checks in the first day: if you don't pass them sooner or later, you can't progress. I think there's even a possibility of completely locking yourself out if you play stupidly

Oh dear god here we go again ................... so the game will sometimes force you to put SP where you don't want just to be able to move on instead of giving you more diffcult or punishing ways of finishing the quests if you can't pass certain skill checks; without having to change your initial build, is that what you're saying?

 

[InD_ImaginE]

Is it possible not to use up all the buy point when creating character?

Say I want to make an average fat cop with average (3 or 4) intelligence and 2 in everything else.

 

[Prime Junta]

Oh dear god here we go again ................... so the game will sometimes force you to put SP where you don't want just to be able to move on instead of giving you more diffcult or punishing ways of finishing the quests if you can't pass certain skill checks; without having to change your initial build, is that what you're saying?

There's always* a way to progress using one of your main skills, but there are skill checks you have to pass no matter what. The vomit endurance check for example. If you have 1 endurance, you'll fail unless you roll boxcars. Then you do some stuff and get one free retry, which you'll likely fail again. Then you get a Thought you can internalise, which dramatically improves your odds, raises the Endurance learning cap to 4 (it was 1 if your Physique is 1) and gives you another reroll (at that point your odds will be about even, assuming 1 Endurance). If you still fail, your only recourse is to put a pip in Endurance, which bumps your odds to about 2/3 and another reroll.

And yes if you're really unlucky you might have to do that a few more times, thereby ending up with a lot more Endurance than you planned. On the other hand playing with 1 Endurance is really hard because you only have one single miserable HP.

(There's a similar skill gate with Measurehead, on Physical Instrument or Rhetoric, but you don't need to do those if you've passed a couple of Perception checks elsewhere.)

So, yeah, you really might have to buy some skills you're not super interested in otherwise.

*usual disclaimers apply

 

[Strange Fellow]

There are times when you want the reroll more than you want the skill increase

I don't get it. By increasing the skill after having failed the white check, wouldn't you get both these things?

 

[Prime Junta]

Is it possible not to use up all the buy point when creating character?

Say I want to make an average fat cop with average (3 or 4) intelligence and 2 in everything else.

I just tried making a complete loser with 1 1 1 1 and yes it's possible. You do have to tag a Signature skill though.