Divinity Divinity: Original Sin - Enhanced Edition

[Iznaliu]

On both of these fronts the pre-EE version was better

I've only played EE. Would you recommend the classic version?

 

[lukaszek]

deterministic system > RNG

 

[Jezal_k23]

My friend bought the game. We want to start playing soon. Should we go for tactician mode? I want to, but I'm afraid of scaring him away.

 

[Prime Junta]

Moar impresshuns. Been exploring Cyseal and the surroundings. I dig that there's a lot of hidden-away stuff there, even quite big stuff -- accidentally discovered a big underground dungeon that had some rather nasty traps and pretty nice loot, and ended up above-ground in the city. The combat is pretty good, the encounters so far have been varied, and it's satisfying to use those elemental magic combinations for things.

I don't like the cooldowns though, even though in all fairness they're long enough that most abilities are effectively per-encounter. And I don't like the procedurally generated loot, it's very DA:I-ey, and not in a good way.

Also I'm failing to see the point of a rogue. Anyone can take Shady skills, and from what I can tell, a rogue is just a squishy sub-par fighter. Maybe I'm missing something, but after a bit of experimentation I've settled on a party with two knights, an elementalist, and a ranger, and it's working out pretty nicely so far. But we'll see, it's early days yet.

 

[lukaszek]

deterministic system > RNG

 

[Prime Junta]

Thanks lukaszek, that's very useful. I have done backstabbing (with dual daggers) but at least early on it's just not as effective as whapping someone with a two-hander, especially after you factor in the AP cost of getting into position, and if it fails to take down the target in one (as it often does), I'm often left flanked and will be clobbered in the next round.

Buuut... I didn't get that bit about mobility. So the tactic is to lunge in, stab, and get out, preferably behind elemental cover, all in one round, rather than lunge in and stab until out of AP? Gotta try that.

 

[lukaszek]

deterministic system > RNG

 

[Prime Junta]

I restarted and experimented a bit with Rogue 101 tactics. You're right, they do work well at murdering squishies. Another mistake I had made was to conserve AP and just attempt to backstab whichever target I could reach first; the key is clearly to get yourself in the back by whatever means available, and then stab away. Thanks!

 

[Grunker]

Rogues are pretty one-dimensional so they tend to get boring fast I find. Remember that right now you're at the best spot the game has too offer: non-linearity, diversity, varied content, shittons of hidden challenges, loot, etc.

Before too long you will be on a straight and narrow path with dwindling openness and reduced encounter variety. At that point the strength of your party and the combat is all that's left to carry you during the home stretch.

Overall though, Divinity: OS is a really solid game. If they can tackle the problems of the character system and make it more diverse and grant more build options, #2 could be excellent.

 

[Prime Junta]

^
Aren't you the regular little ray of sunshine. Fine, I'll enjoy it while it lasts then.

 

[Grunker]

Sorry :D

 

[Raghar]

I restarted and experimented a bit with Rogue 101 tactics. You're right, they do work well at murdering squishies. Another mistake I had made was to conserve AP and just attempt to backstab whichever target I could reach first; the key is clearly to get yourself in the back by whatever means available, and then stab away. Thanks!

Shadowblade uses thunder jump which works well, the trouble is to get out. Daggers drawn is also interesting skill, or trip. Just saying.

Also power outage deprived me of ring which gave 2 for speed. And a random goblin activated Meredino chest, thus I'd have to beat up the last boss in a hard way.

 

[Iznaliu]

Aren't you the regular little ray of sunshine. Fine, I'll enjoy it while it lasts then.

I think the combat gets a bit better later on.

 

[Roguey]

Before too long you will be on a straight and narrow path with dwindling openness

I never noticed any openness because of the significant effect level has when it comes to combat.

 

[buru5]

Before too long you will be on a straight and narrow path with dwindling openness

I never noticed any openness because of the significant effect level has when it comes to combat.

This.

The level of openness early game is about as deep as "go 3/4 of the way through these higher level quests to get EXP because it's all just dialogue anyways until the last part of the quest which is a trek through high level zones".

 

[Iznaliu]

I never noticed any openness because of the significant effect level has when it comes to combat.

If you play your cards right, you can fight enemies up to 4 levels above you.

 

[Roguey]

If you play your cards right, you can fight enemies up to 4 levels above you.

The problem with this approach is that it would make going back to clear lower level areas a bore. And yes, you have to clear them.

 

[buru5]

I never noticed any openness because of the significant effect level has when it comes to combat.

If you play your cards right, you can fight enemies up to 4 levels above you.

Sure, maybe on your 2nd/3rd/4th playthrough when you actually know what you're doing, but I guarantee you most people do things in relatively the same order on their first playthrough.

 

[Abu Antar]

I never noticed any openness because of the significant effect level has when it comes to combat.

If you play your cards right, you can fight enemies up to 4 levels above you.

Sure, maybe on your 2nd/3rd/4th playthrough when you actually know what you're doing, but I guarantee you most people do things in relatively the same order on their first playthrough.

I did the spiders in the desert or whatever and they were 3-4 levels above me. Can't say that I know what I was doing. Adapt to the situation was my method.

 

[buru5]

I never noticed any openness because of the significant effect level has when it comes to combat.

If you play your cards right, you can fight enemies up to 4 levels above you.

Sure, maybe on your 2nd/3rd/4th playthrough when you actually know what you're doing, but I guarantee you most people do things in relatively the same order on their first playthrough.

I did the spiders in the desert or whatever and they were 3-4 levels above me. Can't say that I know what I was doing. Adapt to the situation was my method.

True. I did that too. But at that point I had warmed up to the combat and had a lot of cheap tools available to me in the form of teleport-shenanigans and elemental arrow abuse. I guess I was more referring to early game than late game.

 

[Raghar]

Finally finished it. The last fight was difficulty level asian. Both Zandalor and Icara repeatedly attempted suicide by charging last boss before healing, and preventing me from casting 4x deadly spores and 3x meteor.

 

[Prime Junta]

Moar impressions.

The combat really is good. There's a lot of stuff to do, and the enemies don't pull their punches. What I don't like about it is that it's not possible to pre-position -- when the "FIGHT!" thing lights up, everybody snaps into formation more or less where they were. So for example I can't go invisible with my rogue, sneak her in the back, then pull the group with the rest of my guys. And I still don't care for those cooldowns.

The procedural and leveled loot is increasingly grating. It's become a matter of "oh, leveled up, let's see if I already have some next-level gear, no, rats, must craft some." It starts out as instant-gratification but then becomes a grind and a chore; there's not a whole lot of satisfaction in finding a piece of kit when you know you're only gonna keep it for a level or, tops, two, and that there'll be more of the same awaiting. And because procedural, it's just really bland. Knobbed Goblin Dildo of Slickness etcetera.

I'm also getting a little disappointed in the worldbuilding. As in, there actually doesn't seem to be much there. It feels like a theme park, with no breadth or depth to it. I'm not missing Obsidianite loredumps, mind, but it's as if the world outside Cyseal just doesn't exist for most people. Who sent those legionaries? Who do they answer to? Who made Cecil mayor? Where does the vegetable seller get his vegetables when all the farms outside are overrun by undead? Why is everything so bloody normal inside Cyseal's walls although the place is under desperate siege by unnatural undead? How come it always rains in one corner of the map, and shifts to sunshine the minute you step inside the walls? If it's magic, how come nobody comments on it?

I get that this is supposed to be a light-hearted you're-the-chosen-one-now-go-save-the-world romp, BG1 style, but Baldur's Gate 1 had a livelier-feeling world than this. The iron crisis was a thing. It was worrying people. They commented on the roads being unsafe.

I.e., I'm starting to feel that beyond the very well-crafted models and environments and excellent combat, there's really not all that much there there. And I did enjoy Battle Brothers combat even more.

We will see if this changes as I get further into it.

 

[lukaszek]

deterministic system > RNG

 

[Prime Junta]

There are formations. You can notice that your portraits are chained. If any character from chain is spotted then whole group enters fight. If you unchain rogue he wont start - you will be free to get behind and get into fight by throwing grenade, after which action you will be inserted into sequence.

Ha! Thanks, I must have done something wrong when I thought I tried this in one fight. Will do so again. I have experimented with formations but they seem kinda useless so far at least.

 

[Roguey]

How come it always rains in one corner of the map, and shifts to sunshine the minute you step inside the walls? If it's magic, how come nobody comments on it?

They wanted it to be rainy there for mood purposes. Dynamic weather required too much effort.