Information Divinity: Original Sin Kickstarter Reaches $400,000 - Still 16 Days To Go

[hiver]

emotionally engaged. And:

 

[Great Deceiver]

It's pretty criminal that this perfectly-delivered pitch (literally, it's the best Kickstarter campaign I've ever seen by far, game looked almost complete from the get-go) is struggling compared to others that had nothing to show for themselves but words and promises.

Larian is a bro company, Divinity is an awesome series, and I wish them the best.

 

[Kz3r0]

It's pretty criminal that this perfectly-delivered pitch (literally, it's the best Kickstarter campaign I've ever seen by far, game looked almost complete from the get-go) is struggling compared to others that had nothing to show for themselves but words and promises.

Larian is a bro company, Divinity is an awesome series, and I wish them the best.

Sure, unfortunately they are not getting millions, but to be fair they are hardly 'struggling',

 

[Smashing Axe]

First Kickstarter project I ended up backing. Looking forward to the final product.

 

[Dickie]

It's pretty criminal that this perfectly-delivered pitch (literally, it's the best Kickstarter campaign I've ever seen by far, game looked almost complete from the get-go) is struggling compared to others that had nothing to show for themselves but words and promises.

It's a lot easier to sell the awesome game you're imagining in your head than an actual game.

Also, why is a house before more character options?

 

[MicoSelva]

Also, why is a house before more character options?

It is less costly to implement and I guess they wanted to do the cheapest stretch goals first.

 

[catfood]

It's a lot easier to sell the awesome game you're imagining in your head than an actual game.

Honestly there is only half of truth in this statement. Let's compare Inexile/Obsidian to Larian here:

Both Inexile/Obsidian have made (or the people that are working on these teams have made) cult classics. They can easily go and say "Ok, guys we made PST/Fallout, one of the best RPGs of all time. Give us money and we'll make you a spiritual sequel to that". They can get away with pitching a dream because of their history. Not to mention they both have well-known names in the business working for them.

Whereas Larian only made 3 games, none of which is a classic (and one of them God awful). They had some excellent features, they had some bad ones, but overall they never achieved the rank of cult classic. Their fanbase is also small. Larian had no choice in the matter but to put out something tangible in the hopes that people will like what they see and pledge.

Also, why is a house before more character options?

The house doesn't cost 100k to implement (the difference betweengoals). Each of the goals cost more than the previous one, so for instance I doubt that they could've swapped day/night cycles for the player house simply because the cost of adding a well thought out day/night cycle is too high for them at this point. They are hoping to use what money is leftover from the other stretch goals to develop this.

 

[J_C]

The NPCs have the same stats and formulas as the player. One level makes a big difference: they have more hitpoints, do more damage, and are generally harder to hit. But it’s still doable if you know what you’re doing.
As the hero, you start the game with 5 points in every stat, and you get 5 statpoints for customizing your character. Per level-up, you currently get 1 statpoint. But 1 statpoint makes a difference.
Items that have an impact on stats, have their positive and negative effects, so there are trade-offs that help building a character. There are items that support different types of character builds. We'll talk about items in a future update.
Stats are also used for saving throws against different effects. For instance, a high dexterity lowers your chance of falling down when walking over ice, and strength gives you a saving throw against being caught in a wall of ice (you can break through).

It doesn't take a genius to see that this guy's speed stat will be low. And that his armor will absorb a lot of damage. And to wield such an axe, he must be very strong. Other than the lack of speed, what will his weak spots be?
Level

• is a multiplier for your hitpoint bonus from constitution
• is a multiplier for your mana bonus from intelligence

Primary stats
Strength

• gives damage bonuses to attacks with melee weapons
• defines how much weight you can carry
• defines what items you can lift
• defines how far you can throw items, depending on their weight
• gives you a bonus to intimidation

Dexterity

• gives damage bonuses to attacks with ranged weapons
• gives you a higher chance of successfully picking locks and picking pockets
• affects the "ideal range" of ranged weapons
• lower chance of triggering traps, higher chance of disarming traps
• better at repairing

Intelligence

• determines your amount of mana
• gives bonuses to magic (depending on the spell: damage, range, width of a cone, duration, how easy or hard the saving throw is...)
• gives you a bonus to reasoning
• helps you figure out NPC stats and resistances
• helps you to identify unknown items
• gives bonuses to mind resistance

Constitution

• determines your amount of hitpoints
• gives you higher resistance against poison
• gives you a bonus to charming

Speed

• determines the distance you can walk with one action point
• defines how good you are at dodging or evading attacks (defense rating)
• gives bonuses to initiative
• spend less action points when changing equipment or using items in combat

Perception

• determines how much chance you have of successfully hitting an enemy (offense rating)
• defines your sight and hearing which helps your enemy awareness (e.g. on the mini map)
• helps with discovering traps and finding treasures and secrets

This fire demon is a formidable foe. He has a very high resistance to fire. So high even, that fire damage actually heals him. He can create lava surfaces from a distance. Even though his speed stat is pretty low, he is known to sometimes fly over the battlefield. When he runs out of mana, he has to come close to drive his claws through his enemies, dealing piercing damage, or uses his tail to sweep multiple enemies in one attack, dealing crushing damage with a chance of knockdown.
Secondary stats
Offense and defense
These are determined by your primary stat perception and speed. They can be boosted by magical equipment. When you attack someone, your offense rating is compared to your enemy’s defense rating. This determines how much chance you have of actually hitting him.
Damage
This stat is determined by your weapon or your spell, and gets a bonus from one of your primary stats. This can be boosted by well-made or magical equipment.
Critical chance and critical damage
These stats are determined by your weapon. They can be boosted by well-made or magical equipment.
Armor
When a hit is successful, armor absorbs part of the damage that was dealt. For instance, if you’re hit with 8 damage and you have armor 3, you only take 5 damage. If your armor rating is very high, it is possible to completely absorb all the damage that is dealt by a weak enemy. This stat is determined by your equipment and can be boosted with well-made or magical items.
Blocking chance
This is determined by the shield you are wearing, if you are wearing a shield. When a hit is successful, the shield gives you a chance of actually fully blocking the attack. Different shields obviously have different blocking chances.
Hitpoints
This stat is determined by your constitution stat, and can be boosted with magical items. Hitpoints do not regenerate automatically, and can only be regained by healing, eating or resting.
Mana
This stat is determined by your intelligence stat, and can be boosted with magical items. Magic spells cost mana. Mana does not automatically regenerate and can only be regained by drinking potions, eating certain types of food, or resting.
Sight and hearing
These secondary stats are determined by your perception stat. They can be boosted by special or magical equipment. They define how far you can see (we have a shroud, and fog of war system), and how well your hearing is (so you can hear and even identify an NPC without being able to see him).
Initiative
This stat is determined by your speed stat, and can be boosted with special or magical items. It gives you bonuses when combat starts and initiative is rolled.
Persuasion
This is determined by equipment bonuses only. Persuasion gives you bonuses when trying to intimidate, charm or reason with your party members or NPCs.
Walk speed
This stat is determined by your speed stat, and can be boosted with special or magical items. It determines how far you can walk with one action point in turn-based combat.
Luck
This stat can only be boosted with magical items. It’s the X factor of the game...
Poison resistance
Determined by your constitution stat. Poison resistance will absorb the damage poison would do every turn.
Fire, Water, Earth and Air resistances
Determined by magical items you are wearing. These absorb elemental damage.
Mind resistance
Determined by your intelligence stat, and magical items you are wearing. This helps against mind attacks (for instance fear).
Piercing, Slashing, Crushing resistances
Determined by the equipment you are wearing. These resistances absorb damage from physical attacks.

 

[Dickie]

Also, why is a house before more character options?

It is less costly to implement and I guess they wanted to do the cheapest stretch goals first.

It just makes more sense to me to put the features people want more first to convince people to back sooner. I look at it and see they need $250k more to get to the next feature I want, so my tiny donation isn't really gonna matter much. I guess a lot of people probably like having a house in games, but it just makes me think of Fable any time I see it mentioned.

 

[MicoSelva]

Usually I don't care for a player house at all, but this Shelter Plane At The End of Time looks pretty unique.

 

[catfood]

Also, why is a house before more character options?

It is less costly to implement and I guess they wanted to do the cheapest stretch goals first.

It just makes more sense to me to put the features people want more first to convince people to back sooner. I look at it and see they need $250k more to get to the next feature I want, so my tiny donation isn't really gonna matter much. I guess a lot of people probably like having a house in games, but it just makes me think of Fable any time I see it mentioned.

But then if you put the features that few people want at the higher end then there is little chance the funding will make it that far. The point is to gather as much money as possible, and that is to put the most desirable goals higher.

Now I kinda get your point in that for instance let's say that day/night cycle is the most desired goal by backers they're stuck at 490k and need 500k for it. People might start thinking "holy shit only 10k more to go guys let's all up our pledge by a dollar and we'll make it". But then few people would continue backing because the feature they wanted most has been secured. It's kinda like fishing: if you pull the hook to soon out of the water you might find that you lost the fish, you need to reel it in slowly.

Kickstarter logic, mang.

 

[Curious_Tongue]

Why are strongholds and player houses so expensive to add to games? They're usually pretty high up on stretch goals.

 

[evdk]

Why are strongholds and player houses so expensive to add to games? They're usually pretty high up on stretch goals.

I think it's more because the masses demnd them, so placing them higher on the stretch goal track is a good way to generate more pledges.

 

[Angthoron]

Why are strongholds and player houses so expensive to add to games? They're usually pretty high up on stretch goals.

Probably because they're essentially vanity stuff that adds rather little to core gameplay, unless it were designed to be central to plot/mechanics.

 

[Cosmo]

Why are strongholds and player houses so expensive to add to games? They're usually pretty high up on stretch goals.

Because they represent resources better spent elsewhere ?

 

[Curious_Tongue]

I'm playing Planescape at the moment (awesome), but I'm having real trouble with deciding what items I wish to drop, considering that it was stressed to me in game that any item could open a portal. A place to at least be able to store shit would be welcome to be honest.

 

[Zed]

I'm playing Planescape at the moment (awesome), but I'm having real trouble with deciding what items I wish to drop, considering that it was stressed to me in game that any item could open a portal. A place to at least be able to store shit would be welcome to be honest.

I'm playing PST too, and I'm having the same experience. Weird gems and shit, notes, some keys that aren't removed when used and so on.

 

[SCO]

Gothic is the ultimate loot-whoring series...

Items have no weight

And money is useful

 

[Roguey]

I'm playing Planescape at the moment (awesome), but I'm having real trouble with deciding what items I wish to drop, considering that it was stressed to me in game that any item could open a portal. A place to at least be able to store shit would be welcome to be honest.

I'm playing PST too, and I'm having the same experience. Weird gems and shit, notes, some keys that aren't removed when used and so on.

I believe you can store any item indefinitely in any given container.

Use the tweak pack to get better item stacking.

 

[Metro]

If only Dragon Commander was turn based.

 

[Zed]

I'm playing Planescape at the moment (awesome), but I'm having real trouble with deciding what items I wish to drop, considering that it was stressed to me in game that any item could open a portal. A place to at least be able to store shit would be welcome to be honest.

I'm playing PST too, and I'm having the same experience. Weird gems and shit, notes, some keys that aren't removed when used and so on.

I believe you can store any item indefinitely in any given container.

Use the tweak pack to get better item stacking.

I don't like using tweaks but thanks for the tip.
I took a break from it. Did the pregnant alley and freed the fire guy. Don't really feel like picking it up from where I left off.
Oh and

Spoiler

Morte got kidnapped and the only character that knew where he was taken stopped talking to me after I helped him with a quest. The game sucks without Morte.

 

[Gragt]

If only Dragon Commander was turn based.

Parts of it are.

 

[evdk]

If only Dragon Commander was turn based.

The strategic map is

 

[Mangoose]

Also, there are attacks of opportunity.

 

[Brotherman Bill]

I'm playing Planescape at the moment (awesome), but I'm having real trouble with deciding what items I wish to drop, considering that it was stressed to me in game that any item could open a portal. A place to at least be able to store shit would be welcome to be honest.

First time I played it I threw away a piece of trash in some random place. Turned out you needed it to open a door, and that piece of trash was the only piece of "trash" in the game

Ended up using a savegame editor to give myself the trash later on.