ELEX Pre-Release Thread

[Cthulhu_is_love]

Of course you could clearly say that F1, F2 or Arcanum have "the best" C&C, but for me this games are like the only ones which have it. (as key feature)
The problem i've got with praising the C&C in Gothic is this: The minor C&C in Gothic isn't really the important part of the game.
No one of you is playing Gothic for that but rather for the features i summarized earlier.

A little bit C&C doesn't make a game better than one without it, if it's not one of the main design ideas.
So why can't we just stay at the things, which are good in G1 and G2 but now have to pull new brilliant (non-existing) qualities out of our hat?

 

[Gnidrologist]

Well, it did add to replay value. I felt obliged to to play it once for every faction at least. And even few of side quests i did with all possible outcomes. There is nothing even remotely close to that in venerated titles like BG, Wizardry or MM series and other big name titles so by comparison, yes Gothic has some c&c, not as much as fallouts or even Arcanum.

 

[HiddenX]

World of Risen has collected quite a few facts about Piranha Bytes' new project:

Facts and information

Production information

• Jenny confirmed that Piranha Bytes are working on a new project!
• Work on the new project started in early 2014. (Most likely the pre-production, brainstorming part)
• The new project will most likely be a DX11 one
• Björn Pankratz is the Project Manager. He has also been PM for Gothic II: Night of the Raven add-on, Risen 2 (together with Mike Hoge) and Risen 3.
• Mike Hoge (PM for Gothic 1 - Risen 2) will not be involved with the new project, and neither will be Mattias Filler, Kai Rosenkranz or Ralf Marczinzik. (see current and past members of Piranha Bytes)
• There will be a different composere than Risen 3.
• The music will be darker.
• No recycled assets will be used from previous games, like Risen 3 used from Risen 2.
• The graphical design will still be stylized/a bit cartoonish, but in a darker, less colourful, more adult way.

Technical information

• Platform: *SPECULATION* The project will be developed for PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
• Engine: The same in-house engine used by Piranha Bytes since Risen 1, updated to the present technology (i.e. DX11).

Gameplay information

Story & setting

• The new game will have a happier/more satisfactory ending than Risen 3.
• The game will be structured into chapters.
• Playing with a party of NPCs will be optional as a rule.
• Different kinds of environment, though the diversity of which remains be seen.
• The player will interact with at least on non-human species.
• Apparently there will be a big unitary landmass rather than a fragmented map.
• The game will feature relatively small settlements, none the size of Khorinis (Gothic 2), but larger than the mage settlement in Risen 3.
• There will be no ships.

Activities

• The climbing will again be scripted.
• There will be swimming.
• There will be no Quick Time Events!
• The inventory will again be unlimited.
• More NPCs will be killable in the new project, not just quest-related kills.
• There will be teachers and a crafting system which allows the player to craft more than just weapons.
• There will be different factions granting special abilities and weapon skills upon joining them.
• The hero will be able to sleep.
• The inventory will be redesigned.

Combat

• There will be difficulty level from which the player can choose.

More information.

 

[Gnidrologist]

• There will be Risen 4.

 

[Doktor Best]

This "optional party" mode makes my faith about the project vanish before the announcement even. Either you design your game as a party based rpg, and you design your game around that concept, or you go for a solo arpg, which leads to completely different points of focus in your gamedesign. This half assing both ways to try and satisfy as many customers has backfired massively in their previous games, and it backfired in almost any game i can think of (just like optional turnbased combat in arcanum).

 

[Cthulhu_is_love]

There will be Risen 4.

PB said long ago, that the series is completed.

This "optional party" mode makes my faith about the project vanish before the announcement even. Either you design your game as a party based rpg, and you design your game around that concept, or you go for a solo arpg, which leads to completely different points of focus in your gamedesign. This half assing both ways to try and satisfy as many customers has backfired massively in their previous games, and it backfired in almost any game i can think of (just like optional turnbased combat in arcanum).

I think they just mean optional companions like in R2 and R3. Okay they were cheats, but at least optional.
So what problems do you have with companions in Fallouts or Arcanum? I think the only flaw is that you can't control them in combat. (and they always kill you)
But you understand the whole advantage of "optional" (one of my favourite words): You don't have to fuck with 'em.
You can just let 'em die anyway.(or sell them, how i like that feature in F2)
Also real-time combat in Arcanum was optional not the other way round. And combat in Fallout also was bad, so it doesn't matter.

 

[Gnidrologist]

PB said long ago, that the series is completed.

Not in the name.

 

[Lord Andre]

New game confirmed to be shit...

 

[theSavant]

• The graphical design will still be stylized/a bit cartoonish

Shit confirmed

 

[T. Reich]

• The graphical design will still be stylized/a bit cartoonish

Shit confirmed

B-but, it's also

in a darker, less colourful, more adult way

And

The music will be darker too

Surely, it can't be THAT bad!

Seriously, though, the feature list fits pretty much any Gothic/Risen game, and given PB's general decline in quality of making said games, there is nothing good to be expected from this new one, no matter how it's going to be called.

 

[Goblino]

This "optional party" mode makes my faith about the project vanish before the announcement even. Either you design your game as a party based rpg, and you design your game around that concept, or you go for a solo arpg, which leads to completely different points of focus in your gamedesign. This half assing both ways to try and satisfy as many customers has backfired massively in their previous games, and it backfired in almost any game i can think of (just like optional turnbased combat in arcanum).

This one right here shriveled my willy in an instant. Basically this confirms that you'll be travelling around with a band of immortal retards. Whether they're optional or not won't mean shit. These guys have had plenty of time playing and designing video games to figure out how shitty that sort of thing is. You don't dangle a broken feature in front of the players and pretend it's a plus. Assuming companions are shitlords again, all of that characterization will be wasted because nobody who plays PB games wants to watch their support bitch chip a tough monsters health down to zero while NH Mark III is shitting his pants and chugging healing booze.

 

[theSavant]

Ok... I wonder how much "a little bit cartoonish" really is...

Also... is 1st person view planned?

 

[Trodat]

• The graphical design will still be stylized/a bit cartoonish

Shit confirmed

B-but, it's also

in a darker, less colourful, more adult way

And

The music will be darker too

Surely, it can't be THAT bad!

Seriously, though, the feature list fits pretty much any Gothic/Risen game, and given PB's general decline in quality of making said games, there is nothing good to be expected from this new one, no matter how it's going to be called.

That's fucking stupid. First of all, you can make a game that's mature and has colours, but has nothing to do with cartoons. PFF WHEN WILL THEY LEARN

 

[Q]

And I liked Risen 1-2-3.
It was certainly worse than G1/2 and had a lame plot, but gameplay was somehow fun and engaging for me. Don't even know why, cause I don't like TES series, for example.
So I'll play their new game even it's R4.
But i hoped for big cities again - like Khorinis or even an Old Camp, where the main hero was a newfaggy loser earning respect - it was best part of Gothics for me. Shame.

 

[Immortal]

• Mike Hoge (PM for Gothic 1 - Risen 2) will not be involved with the new project, and neither will be Mattias Filler, Kai Rosenkranz or Ralf Marczinzik. (see current and past members of Piranha Bytes)

 

[Doktor Best]

I didnt play Risen3 yet (just the tutorial), but i certainly enjoyed Risen2. I wont say its a good game (because its not), and ofcourse its no match to PB's highlights, but sometimes you just enjoy a bad game because of some of its perks. And Piranha Bytes just evokes this homestead atmosphere in me, giving me a little handcrafted world, with little men's problems and their quirks and oddities.

And i have to disagree with you that Gothic 1+2 or Risen have bad writing. Its not elaborating philosophical themes like planescape, or deconstructing fantasy tropes like witcher and implenting modern political or social ethical themes, but yet again it also doesnt try to do so.

It tells a simple, down to earth low fantasy plot which introduces us to its gameworld filled with believable social structures, with functional power structures both in wildlife and civilization, and small scope events and shifts in those structures that the inhabitants of the world react to in a plausible way. It succeeds at what its trying to be, the plot fits the setting. This is also a quality in writing, a very important one at that.

Gothic is low fantasy at its best, and i dont think i know any rpg that does this better than those games (mainly because there are very few who even try and succeed in this type of setting). And this is also why piranha bytes are still alive and manage to sell games, because there is no competition for them.

 

[adddeed]

^ Well said. And if you liked Risen 2, then Risen 3 is a must. The whole series is very unerrated. Ive had more fun with the three Risen games than any of the Witchers, Elder Scrolls etc

 

[Lord Andre]

Risen series is indeed better than Witcher series cutscene snoozefest but only the first one is actually incline.

for the next game 2 lines betray the lack of incline beyond doubt:

- scripted climbing

- small city

 

[Cthulhu_is_love]

Well, it did add to replay value. I felt obliged to to play it once for every faction at least. And even few of side quests i did with all possible outcomes. There is nothing even remotely close to that in venerated titles like BG, Wizardry or MM series and other big name titles so by comparison, yes Gothic has some c&c, not as much as fallouts or even Arcanum.

Sorry, I can't accept that...
Like Reich said: The different factions are just character creation; no c&c.
You're right with Wizardry or MM, but i think every Infinity game has the same amount of c&c (maybe more) than Gothics. (or maybe this games are just better in creating the illusion)

After my glorious victory in this discussion, back to new PB game.

I think it will be the attempt to revive the Gothic franchise while failing even harder than with R2 and R3 (which was very hard).
They emphasize the dark setting/ dark music thing. So it will not be Risen 4.

The posts above me: I think I'm in the wrong thread. There are so many scary opinions.

 

[Gnidrologist]

but i think every Infinity game has the same amount of c&c (maybe more) than Gothics

Confirmed for retarded or shameless liar.
''Possibly retarded'' tag requested.

 

[Cthulhu_is_love]

Confirmed for retarded or shameless liar.
''Possibly retarded'' tag requested.

C'mon there are at least 5 quests in BG, that have a choice. (i guess; not sure about that, been a long time)

 

[Jools]

but i think every Infinity game has the same amount of c&c (maybe more) than Gothics

Confirmed for retarded or shameless liar.
''Possibly retarded'' tag requested.

 

[Gnidrologist]

BG choicese:
1. [good] I will save your child from goblins.
2. [evil] Muahahaha, i will save your child from goblins for 100 gold muahahah.
3. Good day.

 

[Jools]

BG choicese:
1. [good] I will save your child from goblins.
2. [evil] Muahahaha, i will save your child from goblins for 100 gold muahahah.
3. Good day, m'lady.

Fixed.

 

[theSavant]

BG choicese:
1. [good] I will save your child from goblins.
2. [evil] Muahahaha, i will save your child from goblins for 100 gold muahahah.
3. Good day.

BG sux confirmed. Missing kill option.