Editorial RPG Codex Gamescom Report, Part 2: Futuristics and the Popping of Moles

[Crooked Bee]

Well, if you ever have anything substantial to say about the Codex content that wouldn't be just throwing empty preconceptions around, do let me know.

 

[Cadmus]

pretty interesting report! It got me interested in all the games except for PoE, strangely..
who gives a fuck about twitter

 

[Sceptic]

Dyrford isn't the most exciting place in the world, but it was the Prototype area and probably the side content the most far along for non-spoiler presentation

It seems like an odd thing to pick as prototype though. What Roxor was shown screams "generic banal shit boring". If you're going to develop an area for presentations, make it something to hook people, present them with stuff that would make people who were still on the fence suddenly go "hey I DO want to buy this when it comes out!" "This is our most boring area but the rest of the game is better, honest!" is not good marketing.

 

[Athelas]

It seems like an odd thing to pick as prototype though. What Roxor was shown screams "generic banal shit boring". If you're going to develop an area for presentations, make it something to hook people, present them with stuff that would make people who were still on the fence suddenly go "hey I DO want to buy this when it comes out!" "This is our most boring area but the rest of the game is better, honest!" is not good marketing.

By 'prototype' he doesn't mean it was especially made for presentations, he means it was the first area they designed when development on PoE began.

I do agree that Obsidian is terrible at marketing/PR, even if I find the lack of fake hype and exaggerated buzzwords refreshing.

 

[LeStryfe79]

Goddamnit, I'm too drunk to read right now.

 

[Roguey]

The tweet about my ToEE article referred to me as controversial, if that's not a warning, I don't know what is.

It seems like an odd thing to pick as prototype though. What Roxor was shown screams "generic banal shit boring". If you're going to develop an area for presentations, make it something to hook people, present them with stuff that would make people who were still on the fence suddenly go "hey I DO want to buy this when it comes out!" "This is our most boring area but the rest of the game is better, honest!" is not good marketing.

They wanted people to think 'Hey this looks like Baldur's Gate!" and they succeeded.

 

[Sceptic]

the lack of fake hype

"this is totally not D&D!" "every stat maps to a D&D stat!"
"there are totally no dump stats!" [min-maxing during chargen]
"we're totally like BG, we have a paladin class!" [Paladins are unrelated to BG/D&D paladins]

They wanted people to think 'Hey this looks like Baldur's Gate!" and they succeeded.

First 2 fights in BG1 are against two named PCs, not giant rats beetles

 

[felipepepe]

"This is our most boring area but the rest of the game is better, honest!" is not good marketing.

InXile disagrees with you, they seem very passionate about it.

 

[Athelas]

"this is totally not D&D!" "every stat maps to a D&D stat!"
"there are totally no dump stats!" [min-maxing during chargen]
"we're totally like BG, we have a paladin class!" [Paladins are unrelated to BG/D&D paladins]

How are those typical buzzwords? Do Bioware and Bethesda advertise their game by talking about how balanced everything is? I don't think so. The gaming press also doesn't really give a damn about D&D.

 

[Infinitron]

"No dump stats" doesn't mean that you can't still dump a stat.

 

[Roguey]

First 2 fights in BG1 are against two named PCs, not giant rats beetles

Does it matter what the character models look like? We've also seen what the first fights in PoE are like: first it's wolves, then it's guys.

Showcasing more complex scenarios in the backer beta demonstration wouldn't be a good thing considering the struggles they were having with beetles.

 

[tuluse]

First 2 fights in BG1 are against two named PCs, not giant rats beetles

Unless you did the tutorial fight.

 

[Grunker]

Well, you know I disagree with you on some things Darth Roxor. Still, good work. I'm glad we have people who sacrifice their sanity at places like Gamescom for our entertainment and informational gain

the lack of fake hype

"this is totally not D&D!" "every stat maps to a D&D stat!"
"there are totally no dump stats!" [min-maxing during chargen]
"we're totally like BG, we have a paladin class!" [Paladins are unrelated to BG/D&D paladins]

Like I said in the editorial forum, I don't see how you'd get this idea if you'd actually read anything Obs said about PoE. "This will be D&D with Sawyer's own spin" and "Pillars of Eternity is Obsidian's version of an IE-game" was plastered all-over. They never, ever made an attempt to hide the fact that they would take the base IE experience and make it their own. For better or for worse (currently, I'm in the "for worse" camp, but that doesn't change that the contradictions you so avidly proclaim simply do not exist. In fact, what you're making out to be contradictions is pretty much exactly what they repeatedly stated they would do: take known D&D mechanics and labels and change them to suit their needs.

 

[hairyscotsman2]

I like the PoE attempt to make stats matter to different classes but use the same mechanical bonuses.
The combat is currently a bland but I can see it improving considerably.
I like the feel of the conversations.
Why they chose to publicly show off the game using just the basic beta test area escapes me.

 

[drae]

I can't muster enough fucks to read

Obviously.

 

[Zeriel]

I was also the one to greenlight Roguey's article - which dissed Obsidian's Tim Cain and ToEE. I don't care what readers of our Twitter think. I just post whatever I want to.