Divinity: Original Sin 2 Pre-Release Thread

[JasonNH]

They have added multiple races, origin stories, and a tag system that is supposed to introduce a significant array of different paths through the story. This is where they wanted to invest their time and money rather than adding day/night/npc schedules to accomplish somewhat similar goals. IF they deliver on this tag based system, one can certainly forgive them for deciding not to add the day/night/npc schedule on top of that. I'm a nostalgic Ultima fag and love the idea of full day/night/npc schedules, but I can't fault Larian for choosing the direction they have gone. Trying to tackle both would probably mean neither turns out very good. The day/night cycle stuff requires a lot more overhead to provide what is likely far less flexibility for quest variation. It's ironic that people point to multiplayer as the culprit for not implementing day/night/npc schedules (and it's true to an extent), when the investment that they are making in the origins and tag system is what will actually provide a deeper possibility for single player replayability anyway.

 

[Infinitron]

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/larianstudios/divinity-original-sin-2/posts/1670081

The wind echoes through the abandoned dungeon. This place looks like it may have been a great hall once, but the cavern is vaster than any feasting house you've ever seen. You wonder what calamity could have brought such a great civilisation so low.

Your leather boots send clouds of dust twisting into the air as you swing your torch before you. All around are faded banners written in a script that seems familiar, but the words are utterly alien. You wonder what kind of person would run a net, or what fantasy is truly final? However, this must have been a place for great leaders to come and discuss their realms. At every turn you see signs proclaiming their pax.

As you press deeper into the cavern, something crunches beneath your boot. You reach a mailed hand down and find several decorative pins. The text has faded, but as you squint in the gloom you can make out "Don't Get Mad, Get Elven."

Another is inscribed with "It's Finger Clickin' Good."

You turn another over in your hand and read-

Hi, welcome to Kickstarter Update #27!

It's been a pretty crazy week for us, and it's only going to get crazier. Check out what we've been doing at Pax West, and what's coming up.




PAX West!
As you’ll see in the video above, we had a great time at PAX West. Our Arena Mode really kept the crowds happy, with 1536 matches played. We noticed a few people sneaking back for third and fourth plays … even though the queue was 45 minutes long. Dedication!

Naturally, not everyone that came to our booth ended up in the arena. Some of the Kickstarter backers got to play through part of the campaign, with our devs acting as their personal guides. We got some incredible feedback, so now we're more excited than ever to hear what you think on the 15th!

Look at all those stars!

Josh Sawyer (of Obsidian Entertainment fame) drops by.

Chris Avellone makes Swen feel too tall.

The fantastic booth team that made this PAX so special!

Early Access Twitch Stream on September 14th!



Before we dive into early access, we’ll be streaming some of the highlights that you can look forward to and taking your questions in a three hour Devline. We'll be showing you a lot of stuff you haven't seen before, including something that you've been asking for for a long time.

Everything kicks off on our Twitch page at 10am PST on September 14th, and we'll be chatting with you for about three hours. Keep a watch on our Facebook and Twitter pages for all the latest info!



Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Edition On SALE!
To celebrate our Early Access launch next week, we’ll be cutting the price of Divinity: Original Sin - Enhanced Edition in half on Steam. The sale goes live later today, and will run until Divinity: Original Sin 2 Early Access launches.


Don’t Forget Early Access!
Don’t forget - even though the game isn’t available for download yet, you can claim your game keys right now!

Warning: This is your key for Early Access AND the full game. If you give this key to anyone else, then they'll get the full game at release.

Warning: The game is currently available on Steam only. If you claim a Steam key now you can NOT swap it for a GOG key later. We expect the game will be available on GOG in October.

To get your Steam key, please:

1. Create an account at/log in to https://www.larianvault.com.
2. Once logged in, click on the D:OS2 Kickstarter link in the top menu. If you haven’t linked Larian Vault to your Kickstarter account, you’ll be prompted to do so.
3. Once your accounts are linked, click on the menu item "Your Choices & Input". In the list of rewards, look for the item "Divinity: Original Sin 2 Digital Download" (for some tiers, this reward will be called "Divinity: Original Sin 2 Digital Collector's Edition Download").
4. Select Steam. Click OK. Then click the link "Available! Claim now!". This will generate your Steam key.
5. Once you have your key, activate it on Steam as you would any other game (Click "Games" in the toolbar, click "Activate a product on Steam", and follow the instructions given)
6. Wait patiently for the 15th of September, when you will be able to download and play the game!

And if you want to share the good news with your non-backer friends, you can always send them to Steam, where they can add Divinity: Original Sin 2 to their wishlists and get all the updates when it launches!


Looking for something to do while you wait for Early Access? We’ve got suggestions!
It was Read A Book Day on September 6th, which sparked lots of excited conversations in our bookworm Slack chats. Of course, we are all huge fantasy fans at Larian, and many of us are dedicated fantasy readers too. Instead of Kickstarter shout-outs today, we thought we’d send some shout-outs to the fantasy authors who inspire us and take our minds on the most incredible journeys. So, here’s some reading recommendations from our team:

Swen recommends Terry Pratchett’s Small Gods, Robin Hobb’s Assassin’s Apprentice and David Gemmell’s Legend, which he calls “flawlessly-executed heroic fantasy”.

Our producer David is very keen on Robin Hobb’s Farseer Trilogy and also has a sizeableDragonlance collection, of which he recommends the War of Souls Trilogy and the Lost Chronicles.

Senior Scripter Mathieu recommends Patrick Rothfuss’ Kingkiller Chronicles, George RR Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire Series, and Joe Abercrombie’s First Law Trilogy.

Programmer Artem thought about his choices all night and finally decided on Alexey Pehov’sChronicles of Siala and The Cycle of Wind and Sparks.

Writer Kevin loves Ursula Le Guin’s Earthsea Cycle, Madeleine L’Engle’s Many Waters and Neil Gaiman’s American Gods.

Scripter & Designer Slava recommends Wolfhound by Maria Semyonova, which only the lucky Russian speakers amongst you will be able to read.

Lastly, writer Char urges you to check out Gene Wolfe’s Shadow of the Torturer, Scott Lynch’sThe Lies of Locke Lamora, China Mieville’s The Scar, M John Harrison’s Viriconium and Fritz Leiber’s Lankhmar… and would keep typing more if she was allowed.

We also asked our friends on Twitter and got some more excellent recommendations, such asTigana by Guy Gavriel Kay (@craigdolphin), The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin (@theJDonnelly), The Stormlight Archives by Brandon Sanderson (@CrashMJF &@AlexiousRahl) … and of course The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkein (@jatinkapanda).

Happy reading!



In closing...
How do you prepare for an event like PAX West? How do you make sure your arena skills are at their absolute peak? How can you gird your mind and body for the challenge ahead?

Well, we don't know about you, but here's how Swen does it!

 

[Sacred82]

 

[HoboForEternity]

Why dont swen and sawyer have a friendly round in the combat arena?

 

[AwesomeButton]

This is the time to ask - I have backed through the Codex, not KS. Argothron said we will be getting keys through larianvault. How is this going to happen?

 

[Murk]

did that vapid rat just compare glorious kodeksia to a fucking DDR machine at an anime convention? how dare you

you detestable lout, 1v1 me right this instance.

the watch is so cowardly and low T they can't even field a champion who is half the man that mindx2 is.

 

[Sacred82]

the watch is so cowardly and low T they can't even field a champion who is half the man that mindx2 is.

And he's already half a man so

 

[AwesomeButton]

Can someone give me a link to the Codex-Watch Divinity match?

 

[Zombra]

You're wrong. NPC schedules is bad for player convenience, which theres too much on anyway. RPGs need less handholding an less babying, an more customers demanding more not excusing less.

There's a major difference between "handholding" and respecting the player's time. I like a good gameplay challenge as much as anyone and I don't need to be "babied" - but trudging back and forth from the inn because the Plaid Pantry closes at 2 isn't a gameplay challenge - it's busywork. It's something I want to get over with so I can get back to playing the game.

I suppose I can understand that some people want a "real life simulation" instead of a fun video game. Maybe they'd love a minigame where they spend 4 hours pressing A and D to make their character toss and turn in bed, trying to get them to sleep, because iron rations gave them heartburn. Maybe they want a pooping simulation built in (because "Why wouldn't you have to poop?"). Maybe they want the hero to spend 8 months (played out in real time!) lying in a hospital bed after taking a gunshot. This certainly wouldn't be "babying" the player!

But me? I don't play games to add more empty tedium to my life. Give me substance.

 

[Crooked Bee]

The match against the Watch was actually just cancelled (not on our end). No explicit reason was given. I bet they're just afraid of mindx2.

(This was a public service announcement.)

Can someone give me a link to the Codex-Watch Divinity match?

It used to be available here https://www.twitch.tv/larianstudios/v/18358114 but it looks like it's been taken down. I wonder if it was ever uploaded to youtube.

 

[InD_ImaginE]

Nah, just add sleep button on inns that let you choose to skip x hours. That will be a good compromise.

 

[Alienman]

Works in Minecraft and Terraria. Just hire a room in a inn like a true adventure party, can't get any more roleplay than that

How do they handle "one person wants to advance time while players elsewhere are doing their own thing"

Aren't you supposed to stick together like in the first game?

 

[Alienman]

You're wrong. NPC schedules is bad for player convenience, which theres too much on anyway. RPGs need less handholding an less babying, an more customers demanding more not excusing less.

There's a major difference between "handholding" and respecting the player's time. I like a good gameplay challenge as much as anyone and I don't need to be "babied" - but trudging back and forth from the inn because the Plaid Pantry closes at 2 isn't a gameplay challenge - it's busywork. It's something I want to get over with so I can get back to playing the game.

I suppose I can understand that some people want a "real life simulation" instead of a fun video game. Maybe they'd love a minigame where they spend 4 hours pressing A and D to make their character toss and turn in bed, trying to get them to sleep, because iron rations gave them severe heartburn. Maybe they want a pooping simulation built in. Maybe they want the hero to spend 8 months (played out in real time!) lying in a hospital bed after taking a gunshot. This certainly wouldn't be "babying" the player!

But me? I don't play games to add more empty tedium to my life. Give me substance.

From day and night cycles to simulated poop

 

[Zombra]

Aren't you supposed to stick together like in the first game?

Not unless they've done major cuts since the KS. There was a whole section where a dwarf character wasn't allowed past the city gates because racism, so while the rest of the party strolled on in he had to infiltrate via sewer tunnels and it was this whole separate thing. I want so much to be able to do this in single-player. Fuck Larian for making SP a Chosen One game instead.

 

[Infinitron]

Aren't you supposed to stick together like in the first game?

Not unless they've done major cuts since the KS. There was a whole section where a dwarf character wasn't allowed past the city gates because racism, so while the rest of the party strolled on in he had to infiltrate via sewer tunnels and it was this whole separate thing. I want so much to be able to do this in single-player. Fuck Larian for making SP a Chosen One game instead.

Uh, who says you can't? The companions aren't player-created characters but you still control them.

You seem to be haunted by this strawman idea of a "Chosen One game". It's not going to be that black and white.

 

[Murk]

the watch is so cowardly and low T they can't even field a champion who is half the man that mindx2 is.

And he's already half a man so

What he lacks in limbs, he makes up for in balls and good taste in cRPGs. o>

 

[Zombra]

Uh, who says you can't? The companions aren't player-created characters but you still control them.
You seem to be haunted by this strawman idea of a "Chosen One game". It's not going to be that black and white.

I'd like to believe you're right and I'm sure you're generally better informed than I am, but I haven't seen anything to imply that SP is not a Chosen One game and much to indicate that it is.

 

[Infinitron]

Uh, who says you can't? The companions aren't player-created characters but you still control them.
You seem to be haunted by this strawman idea of a "Chosen One game". It's not going to be that black and white.

I'd like to believe you're right and I'm sure you're generally better informed than I am, but I haven't seen anything to imply that SP is not a Chosen One game and much to indicate that it is.

It's a systems-driven game - a player-created Dwarf PC in a multiplayer game is subject to the same restrictions as a Dwarf companion. If there's a guard who doesn't let Dwarf characters pass, then they're not going to make an exception for your Dwarf companion because he's a companion.

 

[Kaivokz]

This is the time to ask - I have backed through the Codex, not KS. Argothron said we will be getting keys through larianvault. How is this going to happen?

Angthoron, figured I'd tag you.

 

[Zombra]

It's a systems-driven game - a player-created Dwarf PC in a multiplayer game is subject to the same restrictions as a Dwarf companion. If there's a guard who doesn't let Dwarf characters pass, then they're not going to make an exception for your Dwarf companion because he's a companion.

Fair enough, but I bet that character just goes "offstage" and then maybe reappears later (or maybe not) while the "camera" stays on the Chosen One. In fact I bet they force you to simply dismiss him from the party or fight the guards. You're not going to be able to split the party and have cool side adventures with characters who are not "you". I'd love to be wrong.

 

[Kirkpatrick]

I really hope you are wrong too. Imagined what Infinitron said was a sure thing...would work better in multiplayer, but would still be present in single.

 

[Infinitron]

I don't see why wouldn't be able to have side adventures with characters "who aren't you". It's all systems-driven, dialogue uses tags, etc. It would actually be more work for them to make it operate the way Zombra describes.

 

[Zombra]

We already know for a fact that companion characters can't pursue their own origin quests; they only exist to serve the story of the "main character". This required them to do separate scripting for single-player and multiplayer, which shows that Larian is OK with doing extra work to make sure that the single-player game is about the Chosen One and not the party.

 

[Neanderthal]

You're wrong. NPC schedules is bad for player convenience, which theres too much on anyway. RPGs need less handholding an less babying, an more customers demanding more not excusing less.

There's a major difference between "handholding" and respecting the player's time. I like a good gameplay challenge as much as anyone and I don't need to be "babied" - but trudging back and forth from the inn because the Plaid Pantry closes at 2 isn't a gameplay challenge - it's busywork. It's something I want to get over with so I can get back to playing the game.

I suppose I can understand that some people want a "real life simulation" instead of a fun video game. Maybe they'd love a minigame where they spend 4 hours pressing A and D to make their character toss and turn in bed, trying to get them to sleep, because iron rations gave them heartburn. Maybe they want a pooping simulation built in (because "Why wouldn't you have to poop?"). Maybe they want the hero to spend 8 months (played out in real time!) lying in a hospital bed after taking a gunshot. This certainly wouldn't be "babying" the player!

But me? I don't play games to add more empty tedium to my life. Give me substance.

See this is what pisses me off, that players now think only when they're killing or lootin are they playin game, its fuckin backwards an excuses lack o other gameplay. Everythin should be handed to em an nothin should get in way o their killin an recycling loot. Fuck that. I want a world that doesn't cater to me, I want a theatre o conflict that abides by its own rules an doesn't make exceptions for me. Put aside notion that a well detailed world is good in and of itsen, needs no justification other than you're makin a good setting rather than half arsing one. Should be plenty o other gameplay to indulge while you wait for shops to open, including sleeping since its night an not gonna shops since they're closed, there should be masses o stuff to do an lootin (unless its actually epic treasure rather than identikit crap) or combat should be far from your mind an way down on list o interesting stuff.

As for "trudging" back an forth, thats just bollocks, if a gameworlds so fucking sparse an uninteresting that you think going a few seconds or minutes out o your way is so detestable, then its badly designed. Or you need to up your attention span. Should be interesting stuff to do an see all over place. As for busywork what do you call fucking combat an looting? Vastly overused, usually poorly implemernted an so fucking tiresome any chance to get away from it should be a welcome break.

I don't want tedium, I want as I said a well simulated gameworld backed up by integrated gameplay. Now I know gonna bog is always brought up as first an last retort, but even that can be used for an ambitious RPG. In pen an paper i've had players casing out a stronghold learning guard patrols an when they go to jakes, slipping laxative herbs into a barrel o small beer so that guards go more often so they can slip through patrols easier. If you use imagination you can turn anything into a feature an an opportunity for a more reactive an fucking exciting world. I'm not asking for retard stuff that you list in middle paragraph, i'm asking for an expansion of options which arises from a more detailed gameworld, that runs by rules that a player needs to adapt to and take advantage of, rather than a background painting thats there to do nowt but perpetuate same old boring shit.

Seriously RPGs have become one o most unimaginative an formulaic game types there is, an folk just cheer that fucking on when declines plain to see. I'm beginning to think players want three screens, combat, loot instantly converted into gold otherwise its busywork, an then a conversation one. Repeat until credits.

Autism Intensifies.

 

[Zombra]

Good post, Neanderthal. We actually agree. Grinding mobs can be just as tedious as walking back and forth from the inn for no reason, and a trip to the inn can be good gameplay just like good combat. It all comes down to implementation.

In my experience, though, day/night cycles have not been implemented well in RPGs. That is to say, they have made games less fun and more tiresome. That boring trudge back to the inn just to move the clock forward is, historically, a boring trudge. Going to the quest giver's house to find it empty because he went for a walk isn't an exciting twist. Opening the Rest menu to "Wait for 16 hours" is bad gameplay, plain and simple. Mazisky's insistence that "lots of games have done it therefore it must be good" is dumb ... because 1) that's obviously bad logic but 2) more importantly, day/night has never (or rarely) been done in a way that makes a game more fun for me, and often is done in a way that makes it suck.

To me, the test of any game is simple: am I excited to get home and play it some more?
When a game is less meat and more busywork, the answer comes up "no". The dozens of unfinished games in my library are there because the time I spent with them, moment to moment, wasn't enjoyable enough to bring me back. If my party has 20 suits of unsold chain mail in inventory to unload, and I have to walk in a circle 50 times before the store opens so I can get rid of them, I am not on a compelling adventure; I'm doing shit work. That's a saved game I am not eager to load and get back to. That's an icon I don't double click after a hard day at the office. That's a game I might have finished if it didn't have that "feature".