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

[Hormalakh]

you know, i honestly think that if they had more time they'd make more skills/mechanics. i think just the fact that as the number of skills increases, it becomes harder to fine-tune and so that's why they are on 5 skills currently. I'm really hoping that the skill numbers increase with the expansion or poe2, because -I agree- 5 skills isn't really a lot.

It just seems to me that the things that Sawyer doesn't really agree with, he doesn't really emphasize. Attributes, skills, two as exmaples. Yes yes I know IE had less skills but if you're going to improve on it, then actually improve on it. Half-hearted approaches come off as incomplete and superficial.

 

[tuluse]

you know, i honestly think that if they had more time they'd make more skills/mechanics. i think just the fact that as the number of skills increases, it becomes harder to fine-tune and so that's why they are on 5 skills currently. I'm really hoping that the skill numbers increase with the expansion or poe2, because -I agree- 5 skills isn't really a lot.

It just seems to me that the things that Sawyer doesn't really agree with, he doesn't really emphasize. Attributes, skills, two as exmaples. Yes yes I know IE had less skills but if you're going to improve on it, then actually improve on it. Half-hearted approaches come off as incomplete and superficial.

Two of JES's favorite cRPGs are Darklands and Fallout. I don't think he has a problem with skills.

 

[mastroego]

My whole point is that in PoE there's no solid reason for not making a Mechanics guy and always caping his Mechanic skill. So everyone will open chests/doors and progress at the same pace.

And BALANCE will be restored.
This is going to be fun!

Yes!

 

[Bubbles]

My whole point is that in PoE there's no solid reason for not making a Mechanics guy and always caping his Mechanic skill. So everyone will open chests/doors and progress at the same pace.

And BALANCE will be restored.
This is going to be fun!

Yes!

I like to think that my posts in this thread count as charity.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

It just seems to me that the things that Sawyer doesn't really agree with, he doesn't really emphasize.

Fuck You: Suck My Dick: Josh Sawyer's Personal Dream RPG Experience where I do whatever I personally think is sound and neat and good.

 

[Mangoose]

Racial and Cultural attribute bonuses almost meaningless Yes it's mostly flavor as it should be. There are some people who like the ROLEPLAYING aspect of rpg's and are not just there for the mechnics

Mechanics are how roleplaying is expressed in an video game.

Late to the conversation on this tidbit, but I agree with Fruschy here. Small cultural mechanical bonuses are fine, but I don't want major ones. I want to pick my Rogue's culture because I like the Persian influence on the armor and its oligarchic political structure sounds like a fascinating backdrop for my country of origin. I don't want to "have to" pick some other culture because I'll get +5 on backstabs and backstabs rule.

Uh, I'm talking about dialogue options, faction reputation, NPC attitudes, etc. Those are mechanics, too, you know?

 

[felipepepe]

This reminds me I'm still butthurt that I can't get a feathered hat from any cultural background.

 

[agris]

Why do you think the beta only has 5 party members? They removed one, to balance it with the skills.

I'm pretty sure this was done in order to incentivize/allow you to hire an adventurer.

Rather, I think it was done to minimize cost and promote an earlier release date.

 

[Jezal_k23]

Wut?

 

[agris]

OE asked the community what they thought about more companions, and the majority response was "Yes!". At the same time, Feargus was saying in interviews that their targeted release date was before the end of 2014, and how the KS-raised cash couldn't support the game development lasting longer than that. Taking those facts into consideration, with some speculation on my part that they realized not having all the classes as companions leaves them room to develop content for the expansion and promotes repeat play-throughs, I think they made the call to not include more.

Not too far fetched, right?

 

[Jezal_k23]

Oh, the game allows you to have 6 party members. In the beta you start with 5, so that you can recruit one more if you want.

 

[tuluse]

OE asked the community what they thought about more companions, and the majority response was "Yes!". At the same time, Feargus was saying in interviews that their targeted release date was before the end of 2014, and how the KS-raised cash couldn't support the game development lasting longer than that. Taking those facts into consideration, with some speculation on my part that they realized not having all the classes as companions leaves them room to develop content for the expansion and promotes repeat play-throughs, I think they made the call to not include more companions.

Not too far fetched, right?

I think you are missing the thread here. The question isn't about the real companions but the starting group in the backer beta.

 

[agris]

OE asked the community what they thought about more companions, and the majority response was "Yes!". At the same time, Feargus was saying in interviews that their targeted release date was before the end of 2014, and how the KS-raised cash couldn't support the game development lasting longer than that. Taking those facts into consideration, with some speculation on my part that they realized not having all the classes as companions leaves them room to develop content for the expansion and promotes repeat play-throughs, I think they made the call to not include more companions.

Not too far fetched, right?

I think you are missing the thread here. The question isn't about the real companions but the starting group in the backer beta.

Oh ok, if that's the case, I'm way off the mark.
Nothing to see here, move along

EDIT: all the shitposting is making me skim this thread for real content / discussions, and I guess I missed some context in the process.

 

[Once more unto the Codex]

OE asked the community what they thought about more companions, and the majority response was "Yes!". At the same time, Feargus was saying in interviews that their targeted release date was before the end of 2014, and how the KS-raised cash couldn't support the game development lasting longer than that. Taking those facts into consideration, with some speculation on my part that they realized not having all the classes as companions leaves them room to develop content for the expansion and promotes repeat play-throughs, I think they made the call to not include more.

Not too far fetched, right?

Edit: too late, I guess

 

[agris]

naw it's cool, the Rock does a mean eyebrow.

 

[Jezal_k23]

It's ok, until recently I wasn't following the game at all either. When I heard about the beta, didn't resist though. Had to play it.

 

[Zombra]

Racial and Cultural attribute bonuses almost meaningless Yes it's mostly flavor as it should be. There are some people who like the ROLEPLAYING aspect of rpg's and are not just there for the mechnics

Mechanics are how roleplaying is expressed in an video game.

Late to the conversation on this tidbit, but I agree with Fruschy here.

Uh, I'm talking about dialogue options, faction reputation, NPC attitudes, etc. Those are mechanics, too, you know?

Cool, I'm into that stuff too, but the posts I quoted and the mechanics Frusciante was talking about were culture bonuses at character generation. (It was a few days ago so it's OK if you forgot. )

Hanging heavy mechanics on choice of culture cheapens that choice into "what bonus do I want" instead of "what culture is coolest for this character".

 

[Once more unto the Codex]

Hanging heavy mechanics on choice of culture cheapens that choice into "what bonus do I want" instead of "what culture is coolest for this character".

Yep. This is why I'm perfectly happy with the fact that the cultural choices are not particularly impactful mechanically in PoE. I want to play as a character from The White that Wends (or whatever) because it fits my RP vision of the character, not because it's bonuses are critical to being an effective ranger (or whatever). I am perfectly happy with racial bonuses/drawbacks being mechanically significant but culture should definitely be primarily more significant for C&C than for combat mechanics.

 

[Mangoose]

Racial and Cultural attribute bonuses almost meaningless Yes it's mostly flavor as it should be. There are some people who like the ROLEPLAYING aspect of rpg's and are not just there for the mechnics

Mechanics are how roleplaying is expressed in an video game.

Late to the conversation on this tidbit, but I agree with Fruschy here.

Uh, I'm talking about dialogue options, faction reputation, NPC attitudes, etc. Those are mechanics, too, you know?

Cool, I'm into that stuff too, but the posts I quoted and the mechanics Frusciante was talking about were culture bonuses at character generation. (It was a few days ago so it's OK if you forgot. )

Hanging heavy mechanics on choice of culture cheapens that choice into "what bonus do I want" instead of "what culture is coolest for this character".

I guess I assumed you were talking about culture bonuses in general for the game rather than culture bonuses that just affect combat. Completely agree that culture should have no effect on combat. But there should be significant (or moderate, I guess) effect on character interaction encounters.

 

[Mangoose]

I am perfectly happy with racial bonuses/drawbacks being mechanically significant but culture should definitely be primarily more significant for C&C than for combat mechanics.

To me I believe C&C is itself a mechanic. That might be too much of a semantic argument, but on the other hand I do think it's important to consider C&C and dialogue to be gameplay mechanics in a general game design point of view. I'm not talking specifically about PoE here, but I think dialogue and etc. are mechanics that really need to fleshed out more and complexified (and I don't mean time limited bullshit like in AP or DOS's RPS lol).

 

[Once more unto the Codex]

I am perfectly happy with racial bonuses/drawbacks being mechanically significant but culture should definitely be primarily more significant for C&C than for combat mechanics.

To me I believe C&C is itself a mechanic. That might be too much of a semantic argument, but on the other hand I do think it's important to consider C&C and dialogue to be gameplay mechanics in a general game design point of view. I'm not talking specifically about PoE here, but I think dialogue and etc. are mechanics that really need to fleshed out more and complexified (and I don't mean time limited bullshit like in AP or DOS's RPS lol).

I completely agree; that's wgy I tried to roll a save at the end there and specified that I was referring to "combat mechanics" as opposed to other game mechanics. Though admittedly I did not make this distinction throughout.

 

[Jaesun]

Completely agree that culture should have no effect on combat. But there should be significant (or moderate, I guess) effect on character interaction encounters.

So basically what you are saying is, that a Culture that is say perhaps war-like and focuses on war and combat should only get a bonus for speech?

 

[Mangoose]

Completely agree that culture should have no effect on combat. But there should be significant (or moderate, I guess) effect on character interaction encounters.

So basically what you are saying is, that a Culture that is say perhaps war-like and focuses on war and combat should only get a bonus for speech?

If you want to represent that Culture combat-wise then you are free to pick a class that focuses on war-like melee combat.

Besides, I did not say a bonus for speech. I said, "I'm talking about dialogue options, faction reputation, NPC attitudes, etc."

 

[Invictus]

Played the beta today at a friend's and the cultural theme seemed fine to me, a slight bonus to your stats is cool although for some reason I would have thought that a skill bonus would have been more fitting.
All the angst and woe in this thread I originaly attributed to the Codex just beign the Codex but now I am kind of worried too; the whole "balance" for stats is beyond retarded and Sawyer will not fix it it seems.
The combat is a mess as well as the pathfinding and all the bugs (performance seems good to me) but between the XP only for questing and limited customizaton options we will play the game as Sawyer intends us to play not as we would want it
Kind of crestfallen now, and looking at least at a Hollidays release

 

[MicoSelva]

I have a dream:

http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/68014-sensukis-suggestions-012-non-terrible-main-hud-mockup/

Your HUD is better than the current beta one, Sensuki, but I still have two problems with it.

1. HUD in the IE games changed based on the character/characters selected. This way if you had a summon or mind controlled someone, the HUD automatically adjusted, allowing you to use this temporary character's abilities. PoE HUD does not take this into account and, for example, when I mind controlled someone/something using Puppet Master ability, I could only auto-attack with that character, because there was no interface to use his/her/its abilities.
Your HUD does not really deal with this issue either (at least not in any obvious way).
2. Current monitors and TVs have much more horizontal space than vertical space. Putting the HUD on the bottom further reduces that vertical space. I would much prefer to have the HUD on one of the sides (or even both), only leaving combat log at the bottom (with the additional possibility of making it transparent).

Your version definitely solves some problems, but IMO not all of them.