Obsidian General Discussion Thread

[Fairfax]

When InXile got the PoE engine for Torment, what did Obsidian get? Do we know the deal?

I don't think so. The engine is still Unity, by the way. Obsidian just share the tech they made for it.

 

[Infinitron]

Eh. That's still just skipping content. PoE doesn't have a problem with letting players skip content and miss out on XP, so I don't see that as a valid defense. I'm talking about ways to complete content without fighting. There are only a few parts that have actual diplomatic/stealth alternative routes. Temple of Woedica is the most significant I can remember.

Like I said, map painting.
(inb4 rat diplomacy)

 

[Roguey]

If Pillars had xp per kill, xp junkies would clear out the Skaen Temple and complain about it instead of just taking the back door.

Additionally

If it is not rewarding enough to play on its own, stop playing our terrible game.
...
The response was not intended to be snarky, but 100% sincere. If participating in a specific type of core gameplay is not enjoyable on its own, our game is bad and I sincerely encourage people to not engage in it/not play the game. There is one main thing we want to reward with XP in our game: pursuing and completing quests. Our quests are unique, they cannot be repeated, and they typically can be completed in a number of different ways using a number of different gameplay mechanics. If you get tired of talking to people to solve quests, start provoking fights. If you get tired of fighting, start sneaking around. If none of those things are fun anymore, then the game's not fun anymore. I don't want to motivate people to grit their teeth while using gameplay mechanics they hate because there's an XP incentive for doing so.

 

[AN4RCHID]

I loved the Skaen Temple

edit:

Our quests are unique, they cannot be repeated, and they typically can be completed in a number of different ways using a number of different gameplay mechanics.

<maury meme>The released game determined that was a lie </>

 

[Rivmusique]

AN4RCHID I'm actually thinking primarily about enemy-bypassing shortcut routes in dungeons. My impression is that PoE is more deliberate about including these compared to the old games.

Eh. That's still just skipping content. PoE doesn't have a problem with letting players skip content and miss out on XP, so I don't see that as a valid defense. I'm talking about ways to complete content without fighting. There are only a few parts that have actual diplomatic/stealth alternative routes. Temple of Woedica is the most significant I can remember.

Raedrics, frost temple, fangs temple, looters at bridge, Doemenels two story job thing (it's significantly stranger if you take the "kill to solve" way), save the prostitutes thing, get amulet off prostitute thing, lighthouse banshee, 1/2 of the Berath quest, vithraks in Od Nua, Dragon in Od Nua, vithrak in that dungeon near the flooded gorge, Nest Egg bandits, Hiravias quest, Sagani quest, Sky Dragon, sewer amulet quest, initial leaden key contact in sewers, get dagger for child quest, murder investigation in DB, infanticide stuff in TE, Ogre vs pig farmer and both Dozens quests have a "talk out of fight" option. Combat xp would make you a sucker if you went with the fight dodging options that are, IIRC, present in all of these.

TWM added some more too.

 

[AN4RCHID]

Yeah, Temple of Woedica is still the most significant one.

Combat xp would make you a sucker if you went with the fight dodging options that are, IIRC, present in all of these.

Not if there's a good reason to avoid combat, like faction rep, different loot, or alternative story outcomes. And if there's not then non-combat route is essentially a Hepler button.

 

[Zetor]

Thing with noncombat in POE is that you typically need high 'talky stats' (resolve, int, sometimes perception) to access them. Int is probably going to be high for the protagonist anyway - it's a really good stat for most classes - and perception is a fairly good all-around stat now thanks to +accuracy, but resolve... ehh.

That said, non-combat routes are a bit more prevalent in TWM, yeah. I think the biggest deal is probably the monastery: it has truckloads of enemy monks / paladin groups, and having to fight them all would've been really fucking obnoxious.

 

[Sizzle]

Thing with noncombat in POE is that you typically need high 'talky stats' (resolve, int, sometimes perception) to access them. Int is probably going to be high for the protagonist anyway - it's a really good stat for most classes - and perception is a fairly good all-around stat now thanks to +accuracy, but resolve... ehh.

That said, non-combat routes are a bit more prevalent in TWM, yeah. I think the biggest deal is probably the monastery: it has truckloads of enemy monks / paladin groups, and having to fight them all would've been really fucking obnoxious.

Yeah, resolve is only really useful for tanky characters, but it's the equivalent of charisma - so it has plenty of "I win!" dialogue checks which other stats don't.

But since they added the respec option to the taverns, it's become a bit too easy to abuse that system. If you know there's a high RES check (or PER or INT), you can just pop back to the pub, give your PC the appropriate stats and easily pass it.

 

[Fairfax]

I think their first Fig campaign should be a gym.

 

[Excidium II]

Damn, imagine the chaos if Obsidian network admin blocked access to tumblr.

 

[Roguey]

There's only one dyed-hair side-shave there, that's a plus.

 

[Excidium II]

There's only one dyed-hair side-shave there, that's a plus.

But Obsidian oughta start some employee wellness program.

 

[Roguey]

There's only one dyed-hair side-shave there, that's a plus.

But Obsidian oughta start some employee wellness program.

Eh, not their responsibility. Chris Avellone, workaholic that he is, had enough time and motivation to hit the weights.

 

[Excidium II]

Anyway, do you recognize any of those chicks?

 

[Hegel]

One more reason why he's better than Josh Hack Sawyer.

 

[Roguey]

Anyway, do you recognize any of those chicks?

Dini McMurry but only because I've seen her before and she's an obvious lesbian. I imagine most of them are artists, so they're off my radar.

One more reason why he's better than Josh Hack Sawyer.

Sawyer's a cycling enthusiast though.

 

[Excidium II]

Josh was kinda chubby in his black isle days. Now he sports the HIV positive look.

 

[Roguey]

Josh was kinda chubby in his black isle days. Now he sports the HIV positive look.

At his heaviest, he was outright obese. 6'2 and 265 lbs.

 

[Fairfax]

Josh was kinda chubby in his black isle days. Now he sports the HIV positive look.

Josh was kinda chubby in his black isle days. Now he sports the HIV positive look.

At his heaviest, he was outright obese. 6'2 and 265 lbs.

MCA supposedly got pretty fat in the Black Isle days, putting on 40lbs during PST's development alone. I wonder if there's a picture of the two at their peak weight. Would make the fictional internet rivalry more interesting.

 

[Ninjerk]

"fictional"

 

[Roguey]

MCA supposedly got pretty fat in the Black Isle days, putting on 40lbs during PST's development alone. I wonder if there's a picture of the two at their peak weight. Would make the fictional internet rivalry more interesting.

 

[Yuri Gagarin]

Is that Colin McComb? The guy next to Feargus in the first pic.

 

[Ninjerk]

Even in those days they had to have someone between them

 

[Roguey]

Is that Colin McComb? The guy next to Feargus in the first pic.

Yep. That's the Torment team.

 

[Excidium II]

Is that Colin McComb? The guy next to Feargus in the first pic.

Yep. That's the Torment team.

Any of those people still working on CRPGs besides the usual suspects?