Pillars of Eternity Beta Discussion [GAME RELEASED, GO TO NEW THREAD]

[Maculo]

Shadenuat what difficulty did you play on? I recently tried path of the damned with my barbarian and it did go smoothly. I was about to write the barbarian off, but your post about the stilettos caught my interest

I play on Hard, Expert mode /off.

Thanks. I meant to correct my post and say, "it did not go smoothly."

I was really unsure about the class, until I read your post.

 

[Infinitron]

Also a post on Fighter abilities and one of the benefits of the new pathfinding system

Fighters get some higher level abilities but I can't remember what they're currently getting at 6th/7th/8th level in the BB. Crippling Guard is a good one because if the fighter's DA hits the target is immediately Hobbled. Fighters also have an ability like the 4E warden's Thorn Strike that pulls a somewhat distant enemy back toward them and immediately Engages.

The new pathing system makes Engagement much more strict and "snappy", so hopefully that will solve many of the problems.

Athelas As you can see, the fact that he's mentioning "higher level abilities" strongly suggests that choosing class abilities at level-up is off the table.

 

[Shadenuat]

Shadenuat what difficulty did you play on? I recently tried path of the damned with my barbarian and it did go smoothly. I was about to write the barbarian off, but your post about the stilettos caught my interest

I play on Hard, Expert mode /off.

Thanks. I meant to correct my post and say, "it did not go smoothly."

I was really unsure about the class, until I read your post.

I'm not sure about that class myself really. But dual wielding weapons that ignore DR and light armor helps at least a bit.
Guns are still more op however.

Found fine estoc, 2 handed, also passes 5 DR. Gonna try it too.

 

[felipepepe]

If I get felipepe correctly, there are unique items with unique backgrounds ...but they don't actually do anything unique, more like a combination of 3 + minor magical effects.

Yeah, there are some in the beta:

These are unique items with unique lore, but those are all enchantments you can create yourself. These items just have more of them. P. banal, especially as a spiritual sequel to the game with best itemization ever.

 

[Maculo]

I'm not sure about that class myself really. But dual wielding weapons that ignore DR and light armor helps at least a bit.
Guns are still more op however.

Found fine estoc, 2 handed, also passes 5 DR. Gonna try it too.

Barbarians are one the classes that I feel are awkward without more feats and abilities to develop it. The opposite of priests at the moment.

I still need to try guns and arbalests though.

 

[Sensuki]

Second, Icewind Dale actually looked better than PoE, it had some really beautiful maps (and Planescape: Torment had an amazing art direction). This game lacks it so far. I won't say PoE is ugly, but it is certainly not up to Icewind Dale quality.

I'll second this, and also add that Baldur's Gate 2 had some amazing maps, and BG1 had a fantastic art style even if not technically that great.

Found fine estoc, 2 handed, also passes 5 DR. Gonna try it too.

Sawyer said the Estoc is the best weapon against high DT.

P. banal

God I love this expression. Thx Excidium. I'm going to say that out aloud in one of my videos for lols.

 

[Zed]

is anyone having fun with the enchanting system btw or does it suck hard as I think it does?

also, has obsidian posted any response to feedback yet?

 

[Shadenuat]

shooting permahostile lions and feral druids with muskets. we'ra best barbarian nature loving party evah

 

[Sensuki]

What the hell is that massive shadow line across the screen?

is anyone having fun with the enchanting system btw or does it suck hard as I think it does?

you're probably right

also, has obsidian posted any response to feedback yet?

Nah just individual stuff. Kaz, Roby Atadero and Dimitri Berman have commented on my efforts, otherwise it's been the QA Testers replying to stuff in the threads.

 

[Abu Antar]

 

[J_C]

If I get felipepe correctly, there are unique items with unique backgrounds ...but they don't actually do anything unique, more like a combination of 3 + minor magical effects.

Yeah, there are some in the beta:

These are unique items with unique lore, but those are all enchantments you can create yourself. These items just have more of them. P. banal, especially as a spiritual sequel to the game with best itemization ever.

It is really interesting that Josh wanted the create a perfect new ruleset, make the IE formula better, correct the shortcommings of the D&D formula, yet he slips on things like that.

 

[Crispy]

Let's talk more about stealth. Pardon if it's already been done to death in the megathread; I never trudged through that behemoth much and now that we've all had a chance to play the beta it makes more sense to dissect it here.

I don't like stealth the way it's implemented right now.

It's far too much of a super-ultra radar mode. Once you enter stealth, all enemies' stealth radii are always visible to the character regardless of their personal "stealthy" capabilities. This is the basis of my argument, so please correct me if I'm wrong. I haven't progressed far enough into the beta yet to note whether this is true for every possible opponent or not.

What I'd prefer and like to see is a more reactive mode and methodology implemented for stealth, specifically to those radii. I'd love to see them treated with varying levels of translucency on the screen according to the creatures' own stealth capabilities vs. the characters' detection abilitites -- completely invisible radii for skilled rogues stalking about vs. nice, bright circles for dumb ogres making large amounts of noise. Having your own stealth circles completely visible to the player at all times makes perfect sense, of course.

As it is, it's far too much of a tactical advantage to plan nearly every one of your encounters by simply enabling stealth mode. Even if your own radii are very small and the creatures' very big, as long as you're playing in a high enough resolution, it's a trival matter to choose ahead of time the ideal approach angle (pardon, but that's the best term to use), the best position to potentially funnel your foes, etc. You can always 'get the drop' on them, but they can never do the same to you.

I honetly don't know if any LOS rules are in-place for PoE at all. Are they? If so, tie these in with stealth, but relax them somewhat to account for hearing and other senses. Even if the foes' models can't be "stealthed" (invisible) at least make it not so blatantly obvious where they always are on-screen with those neon stealth circles.

Sensuki?

 

[Shadenuat]

What the hell is that massive shadow line across the screen?

Very tall tree. You can harvest mushrooms growing from it too. Called "Settler's Arrows" I think. Nice lore bit

Come to think of it, trees are fucking hueg in that area

 

[Sensuki]

It is really interesting that Josh wanted the create a perfect new ruleset, make the IE formula better, correct the shortcommings of the D&D formula, yet he slips on things like that.

There's a fine line between

B a L a N c E and B a N a L

 

[Harold]

p. banalce

 

[Infinitron]

Those items that felipepepe posted don't look that banal to me. They seem pretty typical of the sort of low-tier magical equipment you might find in BG1.

 

[FeelTheRads]

They have some interesting looking boots in that world.

 

[Shadenuat]

THE MOTHERLOVING LIONS AGGROED ON MY PIG TALISMAN AND KILLED IT
while I was in stealth

(loads the musket)

ITS ON BITCHES
TOTAL MAP CLEANING INCOMING

 

[J_C]

They have some interesting looking boots in that world.

Ssssh, it is Josh's take on generic fantasy. People wearing sack of flour for boots.

 

[ZagorTeNej]

Does athletics skill affect movement speed?

 

[Osvir]

They have some interesting looking boots in that world.

Ssssh, it is Josh's take on generic fantasy. People wearing sack of flour for boots.

Hahaha! Obsidian should totally tribute the Beta icons into a "Boots of Flour" item xD

 

[Abu Antar]

Does athletics skill affect movement speed?

Not as far as I know.

 

[Frusciante]

If I get felipepe correctly, there are unique items with unique backgrounds ...but they don't actually do anything unique, more like a combination of 3 + minor magical effects.

Yeah, there are some in the beta:

These are unique items with unique lore, but those are all enchantments you can create yourself. These items just have more of them. P. banal, especially as a spiritual sequel to the game with best itemization ever.

Is it the item abilities themselves or is it the attribute/skill system that is the problem? I'm not really an item expert so I'm not sure what is the problem here.

Could you give examples of item stats that would not be p.banal?

 

[J_C]

Oh for fuck's sake!

 

[Tytus]

Oh for fuck's sake!

What can change the balance of a rpg?