Pillars of Eternity Thread [Pre-Expansion]

[Branm]

So what made them drop accuracy from stats? Sucks for any shield maiden, can't compliment that weapon set with stats and penalty on shields doesn't seem fair when you look up what you can do with 2-handed or dual wielding.

Their QA, apparently. I don't like the change either. Gonna play the game first before I decide to mod it in or not though.

Even worse for monks...Mine could never hit the shades in the first dungeon...

 

[Bubbles]

I just found out that companion level scaling sometimes gives them more talents than they should have, like Eder getting an extra talent if you recruit him at level 3 vs. recruiting him at level 2 and then leveling him. This is too much for my inner min-maxer, I'm waiting for the patch.

 

[Metatron]

Played a bit.

One does wonder what's the point of a new setting if most things feel like "D&D Reskined". Have fun re-learning all prists and mages abilities again! I mean, there are certantly interesting plot points (particulary in regard to the main quest), but also getting a feeling "been there, done that".

Don't have any problem with menus and the like, then again I (trigger warning) like rtcwp. Feels more BG1 than 2 so far.

That's somewhat unfortunate but to be expected. They pitched it as a game mostly inspired by BG(2) so if they did something radically different now Obsidian would've lied to their backers on Kickstarter.
They just did a different setting because WOTC and it's more profitable/easier cause less meddling to have your own IP.

 

[Monkeysattva]

I have a stronghold because I killed a crazy person and a dumb ghost BITCH then tells me I'm now its ruler. What a load of crap. Also, this animancer bullshit has no depth.

 

[Zombra]

One does wonder what's the point of a new setting if most things feel like "D&D Reskined". Have fun re-learning all prists and mages abilities again! I mean, there are certantly interesting plot points (particulary in regard to the main quest), but also getting a feeling "been there, done that".

For whatever it's worth (and I'm only a few hours in), the visuals of the setting are pretty boilerplate, but the world itself does get kinda off the stereotypical tracks. An early conversation with companion Edér about

Spoiler

animancers transplanting a dog soul into a child's body

had me kind of going, "Huh!"

 

[Bubbles]

Durance adds even more "colour" to those issues.

 

[Haba]

JESUS FUCKING CHRIST THIS FUCKING GOD DAMN SHIT PATHFINDING OBSIDIAN GO FUCK YOURSELF UP THE ASS

 

[bonch]

It's intended to prevent metagaming where you see a skill check, save, assign your points to pass it, check out the reward, and reload. Easy fix is to just have one level-up saved up every time you get to a major settlement.

I never understood this mentality in design. I mean, its a single player PC game, if someone wants to exploit the game, it is a hex edit away. That is, they can't stop me from doing whatever I want with their game, so why bother? I understand the need to keep people from accidentally exploiting, but this need to force people to such is silly. /shrug

Why balance anything?

 

[Xorazm]

This is a bit of a side point, but it's always struck me as really interesting how so many people can be drawn to RPGs because of things that other RPG fans couldn't care less about. Character creation means almost nothing to me

I have bad news for you: if you don't care about character creation then you don't care about RPGs. Character creation is what makes something an RPG. If an RPG has shit character creation then it's a shit RPG. It may still be a good game but it's a shit RPG.

Betrayal at Krondor is a shit RPG?

Seems to be doing pretty pleased with its position over there on the all-time list. No character creation to speak of.

 

[Maculo]

Where do you find the Grieving Mother? She is the only party member that I still want to collect.

 

[Malpercio]

Played a bit.

One does wonder what's the point of a new setting if most things feel like "D&D Reskined". Have fun re-learning all prists and mages abilities again! I mean, there are certantly interesting plot points (particulary in regard to the main quest), but also getting a feeling "been there, done that".

Like JES said, it is relatively risk free to go with a generic fantasy setting because somehow people just like humans, elves and paladins. More obscure setting might scare potential customers away, vice versa I doubt many who find generic fantasy settings boring would not buy it if the game is cool.

I dunno, it's kickstarter and this is Obsidian, if ever there was a place for a more unique setting, it's this.

 

[J_C]

Is there such thing in the game as identifying unknown items, or everything is automatically known for your character?

 

[Bubbles]

Is there such thing in the game as identifying unknown items, or everything is automatically known for your character?

Well, some items have hidden side effects, like permanently disabling a Cipher's Focus gain or removing your racial bonuses. That's not documented in-game though; you have to metagame your way through the technical support forums to find out about that stuff.

 

[PhantasmaNL]

I am enjoying it the way i enjoy a lot of rpgs, just starting over and over and over... even in this supposedly balanced till death, it doesnt matter and we dont give a fuck what you choose game...

Still, i probably will go ahead with my Rogue. Im not seeing me finish this in a continuous run though, since i basically hate rtwp (so its back to VtMB after this weekend).

Apart from all that its good sofar. Im getting a PST vibe on some of the settings / lore, which is good.

 

[J_C]

Played a bit.

One does wonder what's the point of a new setting if most things feel like "D&D Reskined". Have fun re-learning all prists and mages abilities again! I mean, there are certantly interesting plot points (particulary in regard to the main quest), but also getting a feeling "been there, done that".

Like JES said, it is relatively risk free to go with a generic fantasy setting because somehow people just like humans, elves and paladins. More obscure setting might scare potential customers away, vice versa I doubt many who find generic fantasy settings boring would not buy it if the game is cool.

I dunno, it's kickstarter and this is Obsidian, if ever there was a place for a more unique setting, it's this.

Yeah, but do you know what would happen if they made a game with a totally new, and alien setting? The Codex would love it, great. But what if most of the gamers wouldn't like it? Sure, it wouldn't be a financial disaster, because the game was already funded, but if the game flops, and gamers don't like it, then you can say goodbye to RPGs like this forever, because Obsidian would see that it doesn't sell. Obsidian is a profit oriented company, they won't make games that has no market appeal just for passion.

No, this was the way to go. Use a more generic setting for the first time, which people dig, and if the game is a financial success, and Obsidian pulls itself together financially, then they might try out some more interesting settings.

 

[Mastermind]

This is a bit of a side point, but it's always struck me as really interesting how so many people can be drawn to RPGs because of things that other RPG fans couldn't care less about. Character creation means almost nothing to me

I have bad news for you: if you don't care about character creation then you don't care about RPGs. Character creation is what makes something an RPG. If an RPG has shit character creation then it's a shit RPG. It may still be a good game but it's a shit RPG.

Betrayal at Krondor is a shit RPG?

Seems to be doing pretty pleased with its position over there on the all-time list. No character creation to speak of.

I haven't played it so I can't comment but it's possible that it found its way on the list on account of it being a good game which happens to be an rpg.

 

[Diablo169]

They've just designed a brand new setting and this is a small part of it. Fairly sure they can do crazy shit in the expansion pack or sequels.

 

[Xenich]

The butthurt in this thread is hilarious. You have Darth Roxor saying PoE's character system feels too much like an MMO's...and then praising a character system that has stuff like cooldowns and equipment with level restrictions and saying it is better than PoE's.

Then you have roshan complaining that spell VFX are too glowy and flashy while simultaneously complaining that a chandelier only lights a small section of the wall instead of casting bloom all over the place.

I don't get it? Me thinks you don't either, but are maybe a bit too high to realize such?

It's intended to prevent metagaming where you see a skill check, save, assign your points to pass it, check out the reward, and reload. Easy fix is to just have one level-up saved up every time you get to a major settlement.

I never understood this mentality in design. I mean, its a single player PC game, if someone wants to exploit the game, it is a hex edit away. That is, they can't stop me from doing whatever I want with their game, so why bother? I understand the need to keep people from accidentally exploiting, but this need to force people to such is silly. /shrug

Why balance anything?

Think a long while, consider all angles, all positions and then make a point to read the furtherance of this discussion. If you don't understand by then, you never will. Might I suggest a shiny new console unit for you?

 

[Whiran]

Well, some items have hidden side effects, like permanently disabling a Cipher's Focus gain or removing your racial bonuses. That's not documented in-game though; you have to metagame your way through the technical support forums to find out about that stuff.

Wait.. what?

They have character class crippling effects that are NOT revealed?

Do you just realize it after equipping the item and then noticing that your racial is gone or that you no longer gain focus?

That's.... so not cool. At all.

What items are they?

Edited to add a link to a post on the obsidian forum about the cipher item - it may be a bug - at least I hope it is.

http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/72...ntly-disabled-by-drinking-horn-of-moderation/

 

[Ivan]

After playing for several hours, I definitely want the expansion, or sequel or whatever, to be more weird. This soul reading ability has so much cool potential. Kinda reminds me of the Fade in Dragon Age. Also, the past lives thing echoes the Nameless One.

 

[Xenich]

[stuff]

If you have seen my arguments in the past, you know I am HUGE on character development and so having as many options as possible and lots of flexibility is important to me. I mean, I think character development is pretty much the primary point of a cRPG so when I see them limit it as such, it annoys me.

This is a bit of a side point, but it's always struck me as really interesting how so many people can be drawn to RPGs because of things that other RPG fans couldn't care less about. Character creation means almost nothing to me, and I'm honestly kind of annoyed by wide open systems - feels like it cheapens the central narrative if everything in the story could have been done by just anyone. If you have to write a story that one of several dozen race/gender combinations could tackle then it seems to me like you've watered down the central narrative. The gold standard in my mind remains something like Betrayal at Krondor - an in-depth narrative written around the development of several thoroughly fleshed out characters. If Owyn in that game could have been some pink-haired half-Orc it would have shattered his backstory and compromised his overall arc, leading to a less structured and meaningful experience.

That's by no means a criticism, of course, just personal preference in terms of how I approach RPGs. The main point I'm making is that what makes RPGs so singular as a genre is that it can attract so many people who deeply love it and yet at the same time disagree so deeply on what they love above it. If there's another category of games (or anything, really) with that feature, with that sort of kaleidoscopic audience, I'm not aware of it, and it's a really fascinating, really peculiar quirk about role playing games.

This was all brought home to me by Dragon Age Inquisition - the first game I ever played where not only could I not have any fun with it, but I couldn't even imagine how a person possibly could. Turns out there's people who care way, way, way more about certain aspects of RPGs that have never made the slightest difference to me. When I was doing my bewildered best to understand why this game wasn't going down in flames I came across plenty of posts stating a version of the above - that what really matters in an RPG is the story, with challenging combat more or less a bonus. This is a complete inversion of how I'd always thought about RPGs - a great story is a wonderful bonus (and Pillars of Eternity seems to be delivering in that regard), but the game lives or dies on its combat.

In order of importance - PoE is delivering a meaningful challenge, the upgrades are arriving quickly enough to keep me interested and keep the combat fresh, the exploration so far is rewarding and the story is intriguing. You guys can argue about torches and lighting effects all day long but to me those are just finicky details I just have to accept for some reason matter to some people. So far PoE is delivering on my core expectations so I consider myself pleasantly pleased.

Well, I experienced RPG gaming from its inception (ie the late 60's early 70's) and watched it evolve into cRPG systems. There was a pretty clear focus (once we got past the misunderstanding of D&D's first release) to which led to cRPG games. RPGs of this nature were statistical focused, ie... board games, etc... which is why most people complain about early cRPGs being "combat heavy". They were board games with stories.

Adventure games perfected "story without combat" focus. That was their genre, they game, their "hook". So, when I wanted story/puzzle focus mainly, I played Adventure games (Zork and Oregon Trail, Kings Quest, Police Quest, Space Quest), but when I wanted cRPG play, I went for games like Ultima, Wizardy, etc...

See, if I want merely a story, a cRPG game is not my first choice, but... I can enjoy a story if a games focus IS entirely the story (ie adventure game). I don't appreciate playing half-assed cRPGs who are really just an adventure game. I mean, why bother with all the stupid mechanics that are obviously designed to appeal to those who really just want a story? I say.. screw the mechanics and lets get to the story.

Though... when I want to play a cRPG, I like the mechanics. The story is secondary, as character development is king. Don't get me wrong, but if I have to choose between story and mechanics here, mechanics win every day and twice on Sunday. So, it really comes down to that. Am I playing an adventure game or am I playing a cRPG. What I expect depends on what is being sold.

 

[jagged-jimmy]

Ten hours in, having fun.

Combat is fun.
Can't feel engagement hate - i mostly did the same in IWD: "engage" with front row, maneuver with shooters/casters. Only complaint so far - fights are to quick yet.

Level ups could be more fun. Some options are just a bit boring - like early Monk talents... Wizard gets to choose 1 spell...

Writing is ok, but pretty BG-style. A bit grim-dark here and there, probably because no publisher involved.

Quests are BG-style simplistic so far. Hope they managed to add a couple of complex quests in the cities.

Probably misunderstood Monk. It supposed to be a fast dmg dealer with high hp by design i guess (unarmed Barbarian?). I made a high perception, high resolve (=high deflection) defensive Monk. Seems a bit useless at times. Gets more dmg than Eder and can't deal more. Abilities do not offset getting hit to much. Probably not the best class/build for fun ...but i'll stick with it.

 

[Brutan]

A review on Steam best sums it up:

"Dear Baldur's Gate fans,

welcome home."

It's been a long wait but it was worth it. Obsidian released a masterpiece.

 

[Lhynn]

Monks are very high damage when not using any armor, they are not mobile enough because their defense is not good and they dont seem to have an option to break engagement so far. They also have the most retarded concept of all the classes in poe, one that is shit at the start of combat, cant take many hits but taking hits is how he powers his abilities, and that you actually have to PAY a talent point to be able to hurt yourself to power your own abilities more safely.

PoE monks:


Honestly i found them a pretty shit class overall and the one that made it should rethink his life. They are not appealing to people that like playing martial characters, they are not appealing to people that like playing glass cannons, they are not appealing to people that like playing tanks.

 

[Xenich]

A review on Steam best sums it up:

"Dear Baldur's Gate fans,

welcome home."

It's been a long wait but it was worth it. Obsidian released a masterpiece.

yeah, from what I have read here, I don't think that is quite accurate. In fact, I think some BG fans would be quite pissed if you were to categorize it as such. Considering your post count, I get highly suspicious of you being a plant.