Vapourware Realms Beyond: Ashes of the Fallen - Chaos Chronicles reborn and dead again

[moleman]

German magazine Gamestar made a preview. Unfortunately behind a paywall.

https://www.gamestar.de/artikel/realms-beyond-beta-gameplay-preview,3358833.html

Contains interview with lead level designer and lead writer.
Most of the stuff is already known but anyway:

• 50 h for a playthrough, has two major factions, if you want to see story from both sides, add 50 h for second playthrough
• no level-scaling
• no companions, full player party creation
• starts on a prison island
• early access release between september 2020 to beginning 2021 on steam and gog
• early access version has starter area with a few quests, all relelevant mechanics and mod tools

 

[Aemar]

50 h for a playthrough, has two major factions, if you want to see story from both sides, add 50 h for second playthrough

To be honest, gameplay time doesn't seem that impressive given the amount of locations on the world map. I wouldn't mind paying for some additional content via DLCs or expansions, but at least the game comes with a solid set of modding tools which can add extra content.

 

[underground nymph]

50 h for a playthrough, has two major factions, if you want to see story from both sides, add 50 h for second playthrough

To be honest, gameplay time doesn't seem that impressive given the amount of locations on the world map. I wouldn't mind paying for some additional content via DLCs or expansions, but at least the game comes with a solid set of modding tools which can add extra content.

i wish we’d stop the ridiculous race for more gameplay hours someday
anyway i think it is referring only the main game which involves only a fracture of the world map.

 

[Dodo1610]

So they finally admitted that they won't be finished this year.

 

[vonAchdorf]

no companions, full player party creation

Companions were a mistake and an unnecessary waste of development resources leading to degenerate behavior like romances.

 

[AliceAlcina]

• no companions, full player party creation

Storm of Zehir says hi!
I'm fine with IWD2 copycat, though...

 

[luj1]

no companions

FINALLY

 

[Lacrymas]

Companions were a mistake and an unnecessary waste of development resources leading to degenerate behavior like romances.

The extensive and overwrought writing that was used for companions was an unnecessary waste. Companions like in BG1 add a lot to the atmosphere and lessens the feeling of playing alone with yourself.

 

[Lord_Potato]

Companions were a mistake and an unnecessary waste of development resources leading to degenerate behavior like romances.

The extensive and overwrought writing that was used for companions was an unnecessary waste. Companions like in BG1 add a lot to the atmosphere and lessens the feeling of playing alone with yourself.

True, playing with yourself in good company is usually preferable to lonely masturbation.

 

[Dorateen]

 

[rashiakas]

Nice. I'm curious, do you think a cleric would do better solo? Does Combat Reflexes work with reach weapons the same way as in TOEE?

Okay, so I tested combat reflexes on a barbarian with a reach weapon, and the AI is much smarter than in ToEE. They move up to one square away and then wait until the next turn and make a five-foot, avoiding taking an AoO as much as possible. So don't think that will be a viable exploit.

Eh this is even more exploitable. Hit em, 5ft step back, repeat.

 

[User0001]

Nice. I'm curious, do you think a cleric would do better solo? Does Combat Reflexes work with reach weapons the same way as in TOEE?

Okay, so I tested combat reflexes on a barbarian with a reach weapon, and the AI is much smarter than in ToEE. They move up to one square away and then wait until the next turn and make a five-foot, avoiding taking an AoO as much as possible. So don't think that will be a viable exploit.

Eh this is even more exploitable. Hit em, 5ft step back, repeat.

They can kamikaze once and you won't get any more.

 

[underground nymph]

no companions, full player party creation

Companions were a mistake and an unnecessary waste of development resources leading to degenerate behavior like romances.

while i somewhat agree with this, i tend to think that a good written characters were most welcome in the original BG. it is the overemphasis on companions and romancing options in the second BG that spoiled the party, making it the rpg disney land. beamdog proved this by adding more romancing stuff along with more stupidity overall trying to cater everyone, ending in a complete flop.

 

[V_K]

The only right way to do companions is like in Wizardry 8 or Realms of Arkania - you create your whole party, and on top of that can pick one or two companions. Everything else is decadent storyfaggotry.

 

[Fenix]

no companions

At all? WTF O_O
I don't need romances lol, but a few NPC with some story and quests will be good imho.

 

[zwanzig_zwoelf]

no companions, full player party creation

Nice, finally some incline coming this way. I'll prepare a big bowl for Biodrone and storyfag tears right here.

 

[Darth Canoli]

At all? WTF O_O
I don't need romances lol, but a few NPC with some story and quests will be good imho.

Don't worry, you can always romance the gargoyle or gelatinous cube companions in KotC 2.

 

[Fenix]

Don't worry, you can always romance the gargoyle or gelatinous cube companions in KotC 2.

B-but I don't need romances...

 

[Ontopoly]

I'm going to fuck that gargoyle like mad

 

[Crispy]

I'm really hoping those 50 hours are only for those who faceroll through the game. For those of us who have RPG autism and play at a snail's pace it'll probably be double.

 

[Ontopoly]

At all? WTF O_O
I don't need romances lol, but a few NPC with some story and quests will be good imho.

Don't worry, you can always romance the gargoyle or gelatinous cube companions in KotC 2.

I would.

 

[ArchAngel]

At all? WTF O_O
I don't need romances lol, but a few NPC with some story and quests will be good imho.

Don't worry, you can always romance the gargoyle or gelatinous cube companions in KotC 2.

I would.

 

[Kliwer]

Personally, I really don't like full party creation. Pre-generated companions with dialogues and banters are much more interesting to me. Of course you can overdo it. Everyone always mentions only BG2, where companions are (maybe) too talkative. But there are games like Drakensang, where our companions were written more sparingly (which some of You may like more). Besides, it's really hard to identify with a group of six, which kills the aspect of playing a role for me (because which role do you play?).

Apart from the story aspect, pre-generated companies are more interesting from a tactical perspective; instead of leading a power-gaming team of killing machines (which is damn boring), we are leading a real group. We have to adapt our tactics to the available characters, accept their weaknesses and suboptimal attributes. We have to accept that not every combination of classes will be available to us (e.g. due to alignment differences, as in BG1), that we will have to use less powerful weapons (because our warrior has skill points in short swords). We will have to think about how to use less powerful spells etc. It amuses me much more and games such as BG1, BG2 and Drakensang are ideal for me in this respect.

For me, this aspect makes the difference between a real RPG and a tactical game. And shit companions from the Dragon Age gay universe can't change that.

 

[AliceAlcina]

I prefer party creation, but I understand the setiment

 

[V_K]

instead of leading a power-gaming team of killing machines (which is damn boring), we are leading a real group. We have to adapt our tactics to the available characters, accept their weaknesses and suboptimal attributes

Why don't you play JRPGs then? Seems like a perfect genre for you - no character customization whatsoever.