Starfield Pre-Release Thread [GAME RELEASED, GO TO NEW THREAD]

[Gargaune]

Not yet.

I'm getting antsy, if I can't play Starfield, I want to at least watch Todd play Starfield. The moment he says to us "See that planet? You can colonise it" will get a better IMDB rating than anything Netflix will release in 2023.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Giving Todd until march then I break into his house mission impossible style to take a copy.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

Voice acting *should* be miminal. It is one of the biggest declines in gaming.

The more voice acting you have, the more streamlined game is and with less options.

NwN did it best. Only important MQ lines of crucial NPCs were voiced. It is a mistake to have everything voice acted.

Yes, one of the major causes of decline in Oblivion was the transition to voice-acted dialogue, as a consequence of which the amount of dialogue available per NPC plummeted even though the number of NPCs was also slashed by two-thirds. Many of the NPCs in towns have little more than offer than one unique tidbit of information about themselves or their city. Voice-acting in this sort of a game is simply too burdensome an expense for all but the most cash-flush developers.

 

[Zombra]

Yes, one of the major causes of decline in Oblivion was the transition to voice-acted dialogue, as a consequence of which the amount of dialogue available per NPC plummeted even though the number of NPCs was also slashed by two-thirds. Many of the NPCs in towns have little more than offer than one unique tidbit of information about themselves or their city. Voice-acting in this sort of a game is simply too burdensome an expense for all but the most cash-flush developers.

I've been clamoring for 20 years for Bethesda to invest in voice synthesis. The technology is getting high enough fidelity now that we can hope games will actually start using it.

 

[Late Bloomer]

I've been clamoring for 20 years for Bethesda to invest in voice synthesis.

Out of curiosity, what do you believe this would accomplish? What is the ideal end goal with that?

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

Voice synthesis would allow full voicing of dialogue without the drawback of its enormous expense when requiring actual, human voice-actors. This would mean, for example, that the extensive amount of text present in Morrowind could be maintained (or even increased, as it should have been), while those gamers who insist on voice-acting would be delivered it automatically from the in-built software utilizing the text and any accompanying cues. Though I'm not convinced that the technology can render results indistinguishable from competent human voice-actors, which would necessary to avoid complaints from that group who insist on voiced dialogue.

 

[likash]

Just remember: Don't PRE-ORDER this crap.

 

[PorkyThePaladin]

no day/night cycles

you never played morrowind did you?

He also claims that Morrowind has a "dead-feeling world because no voice-overs", even though there is in fact voice-acting for various idle comments by NPCs as well as a much larger number of greetings when the player-character approaches them (and also for combat or theft-related actions). UESP lists only a portion of them: https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Generic_Dialogue_Voiced

"Seen any...elves? Ha, hah, hah, hah, hah, hah, hah, hah, ha"

Morrowind has several books worth of dialogue, and that is completely silent. You think that some NPC's voiced idle comments consisting of 2 words that quckly fade into background noise make up for that? You know, sometimes it's better to chain shit-rate my comments out of sheer butthurt and appear stupid than to start typing and remove all doubt.

Who honestly cares about voice-overs?
Hearing the dunmer say "You N'wah!" or "Die fetcher!" never gets old.
Voice acting was minimal, which was great for the old Elder Scrolls games.

Voice overs are very important in 3rd/1st person games for immersion and creating a world that feels alive and real. They are not a big deal for isometric games like Fallout 1/2 or BG, those could get by with voiced idle comments, because you are not embedded into them in the same way due to the perspective. But for 3rd/1st person RPGs, you are THERE, you are looking at the world through the eyes of its inhabitant, and when dialogue is silent, it really makes the world feel dead, ala Morrowind. Gothic 1/2, which came out around the same time showed how much better fully voiced over games are.

And it had no real day/night cycles

>game has a time system where hours affect gameplay and days are gradually succeed by nights (plus a weather system to really sell the whole package)
>porky: there's no day/night cycle

Honestly at this point I am both curious and hesitant to ask you, just what the fuck do you even consider to be a "real day/night cycle".
Because I know your mental gymnastics will be both hilarious and cringe...

Since you are too stupid to figure this out yourself apparently, let me break it down for you: when people talk about day and night cycles in the context of RPGs, they are not talking about the literal sun going up and down, they are generally referring to things like how day and night impact NPCs behavior and the world. In Morrowind, there was zero impact other than a different color pallette. In much better games, like Gothics, it changed everything. NPCs would sleep home at night, work during the day, sit around campfires in the evening, etc.

 

[DJOGamer PT]

Called it

No idiot
When people talk about day and night cycles, they do literally mean the process of the sun going up and down
What you described are NPC schedules, an entirely different gameplay system

 

[MadMaxHellfire]

yes, the dragonborn is indisputably more powerful than the nerevarine

strongly disagree.
nerevarine can fly, teleport around, has access to working invisibility, can achieve true invisibility (100% chameleon), can empty entire dungeons with a single gesture, and has access to waaaaaay better enchanted equipment.
even for non-mages, at anything lower than max level a smart nerevarine has already found at least full glass or mostly full daedric while the dragonborn is going to peruse through cadavers forever.
dragonborn can just belch very very loud.

can't you become the archmage knowing literally one basic spell

no, you need at least two (hot and cold), three if you pick the wrong answer when trying to enter hogwarts.

 

[Hace El Oso]

The Nerevarine is the sacred embodiment of his people and launches a righteous jihad. He’s more powerful because he doesn’t make you want to uninstall the game.

 

[Larianshill]

no, you need at least two (hot and cold), three if you pick the wrong answer when trying to enter hogwarts.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

or become the archmage.

can't you become the archmage knowing literally one basic spell

Obsidian lets someone speech check their way into becoming a nuclear engineer, codex rubes clap. Skyrim does it, Todd bad!!!!

 

[The_Mask]

I'll go ahead and say that even if the whole game is thoroughly mediocre, I am still going to enjoy it if he makes a good customizable ship.

As in: I don't care what kind of universe he sets up for me to blast, as long as I can customize my slice of it.

 

[Delterius]

or become the archmage.

can't you become the archmage knowing literally one basic spell

Obsidian lets someone speech check their way into becoming a nuclear engineer, codex rubes clap. Skyrim does it, Todd bad!!!!

 

[rusty_shackleford]

or become the archmage.

can't you become the archmage knowing literally one basic spell

Obsidian lets someone speech check their way into becoming a nuclear engineer, codex rubes clap. Skyrim does it, Todd bad!!!!

other way around

 

[Delterius]

or become the archmage.

can't you become the archmage knowing literally one basic spell

Obsidian lets someone speech check their way into becoming a nuclear engineer, codex rubes clap. Skyrim does it, Todd bad!!!!

other way around

my anthropological study discovered that writing a pillars review is akin to a complex mating ritual in codexian culture

 

[Zarniwoop]

or become the archmage.

can't you become the archmage knowing literally one basic spell

Obsidian lets someone speech check their way into becoming a nuclear engineer, codex rubes clap. Skyrim does it, Todd bad!!!!

other way around

Nah. Women's disdain for manlets is well known.

See this chick heightmogging the shit out of Todd

 

[PorkyThePaladin]

Called it

No idiot
When people talk about day and night cycles, they do literally mean the process of the sun going up and down
What you described are NPC schedules, an entirely different gameplay system

Yeah, I guess when someone has double digit IQ like you, everything has to be pointed out to them word by word. Why would anyone care about the literal day/night cycle in an RPG past mid 90s? Every single one has them. It's like talking about a graphical UI or sound effects. But keep grasping at semantics, Morrowind is still shit.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

yes, the dragonborn is indisputably more powerful than the nerevarine

strongly disagree.
nerevarine can fly, teleport around, has access to working invisibility, can achieve true invisibility (100% chameleon), can empty entire dungeons with a single gesture, and has access to waaaaaay better enchanted equipment.
even for non-mages, at anything lower than max level a smart nerevarine has already found at least full glass or mostly full daedric while the dragonborn is going to peruse through cadavers forever.
dragonborn can just belch very very loud.

They lie because they fear the Shezarrine.

Unrelenting Force	Your Voice is raw power, pushing aside anything - or anyone - who stands in your path.

Become Ethereal	The Thu'um reaches out to the Void, changing your form to one that cannot harm, or be harmed.

Slow Time	Shout at time, and command it to obey, as the world around you stands still.

Storm Call	A Shout to the skies, a cry to the clouds, that awakens the destructive force of Skyrim's lightning.

Cyclone	Your Thu'um creates a whirling cyclone that sows chaos among your enemies.

Dragon Aspect	Once a day, take on the mighty aspect of a dragon, delivering colossal blows, with an armored hide, and more powerful shouts.

Bend Will	Your voice bends the very stones to your will. As it gains power, animals, people, and even dragons must do your bidding.

Call of Valor	The valiant of Sovngarde hear your Voice, and journey beyond space and time to lend aid.

Drain Vitality	Coax both magical and mortal energies from your hapless opponent.

Marked for Death	Speak, and let your Voice herald doom, as an opponent's armor and lifeforce are weakened.

Kyne's Peace	The Voice soothes wild beasts, who lose their desire to fight or flee.

Soul Tear	Your Thu'um cuts through flesh and shatters soul, commanding the will of the fallen.

Whirlwind Sprint	The Thu'um rushes forward, carrying you in its wake with the speed of a tempest.

Ice Form	Your Thu'um freezes an opponent solid.

Aura Whisper	Your Voice is not a Shout, but a whisper, revealing the life forces of any and all.

Animal Allegiance	A Shout for help from the beasts of the wild, who come to fight in your defense.

Dismay	And the weak shall fear the Thu'um, and flee in terror.

Fire Breath	Inhale air, exhale flame, and behold the Thu'um as inferno.

Elemental Fury	The Thu'um imbues your arms with the speed of wind, allowing for faster weapon strikes.

Pretty strong for some burps, imagine if he farted?

 

[Norfleet]

nerevarine can fly, teleport around, has access to working invisibility, can achieve true invisibility (100% chameleon), can empty entire dungeons with a single gesture, and has access to waaaaaay better enchanted equipment.
even for non-mages, at anything lower than max level a smart nerevarine has already found at least full glass or mostly full daedric while the dragonborn is going to peruse through cadavers forever.
dragonborn can just belch very very loud.

Ah, but the Dragonborn can create armor that gives him billions of hitpoints and an armor rating sufficient to withstand a supernova, which is necessary when stabbing someone with a knife that unleashes the power of said supernova.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Also the dragonborn can move when encumbered beyond capacity.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

yes, the dragonborn is indisputably more powerful than the nerevarine

strongly disagree.
nerevarine can fly, teleport around, has access to working invisibility, can achieve true invisibility (100% chameleon), can empty entire dungeons with a single gesture, and has access to waaaaaay better enchanted equipment.
even for non-mages, at anything lower than max level a smart nerevarine has already found at least full glass or mostly full daedric while the dragonborn is going to peruse through cadavers forever.
dragonborn can just belch very very loud.

They lie because they fear the Shezarrine.

Unrelenting Force	Your Voice is raw power, pushing aside anything - or anyone - who stands in your path.

Become Ethereal	The Thu'um reaches out to the Void, changing your form to one that cannot harm, or be harmed.

Slow Time	Shout at time, and command it to obey, as the world around you stands still.

Storm Call	A Shout to the skies, a cry to the clouds, that awakens the destructive force of Skyrim's lightning.

Cyclone	Your Thu'um creates a whirling cyclone that sows chaos among your enemies.

Dragon Aspect	Once a day, take on the mighty aspect of a dragon, delivering colossal blows, with an armored hide, and more powerful shouts.

Bend Will	Your voice bends the very stones to your will. As it gains power, animals, people, and even dragons must do your bidding.

Call of Valor	The valiant of Sovngarde hear your Voice, and journey beyond space and time to lend aid.

Drain Vitality	Coax both magical and mortal energies from your hapless opponent.

Marked for Death	Speak, and let your Voice herald doom, as an opponent's armor and lifeforce are weakened.

Kyne's Peace	The Voice soothes wild beasts, who lose their desire to fight or flee.

Soul Tear	Your Thu'um cuts through flesh and shatters soul, commanding the will of the fallen.

Whirlwind Sprint	The Thu'um rushes forward, carrying you in its wake with the speed of a tempest.

Ice Form	Your Thu'um freezes an opponent solid.

Aura Whisper	Your Voice is not a Shout, but a whisper, revealing the life forces of any and all.

Animal Allegiance	A Shout for help from the beasts of the wild, who come to fight in your defense.

Dismay	And the weak shall fear the Thu'um, and flee in terror.

Fire Breath	Inhale air, exhale flame, and behold the Thu'um as inferno.

Elemental Fury	The Thu'um imbues your arms with the speed of wind, allowing for faster weapon strikes.

Pretty strong for some burps, imagine if he farted?

Same stuff but behind him

 

[Silverfish]

Same stuff but behind him

Since Skyrim has cooking, the effects should change depending on what you eat. Anyone who messes with a dragonborn who just downed three bowls of potato soup have no one to blame but themselves.

 

[zapotec]

Called it

No idiot
When people talk about day and night cycles, they do literally mean the process of the sun going up and down
What you described are NPC schedules, an entirely different gameplay system

Yeah, I guess when someone has double digit IQ like you, everything has to be pointed out to them word by word. Why would anyone care about the literal day/night cycle in an RPG past mid 90s? Every single one has them. It's like talking about a graphical UI or sound effects. But keep grasping at semantics, Morrowind is still shit.

Saying that every RPG past the mid 90s has a NPC scheduling it's a maliciuous statement that makes you less of a man becase you are lying and you know it.

Here a small list:
Fallout I-II: No npcs scheduling
Bg I and II does not have it (Well, Beregost's blacksmith was empty at night)
Wizardry 8
Wizard and warriors
The Exile series
The NWN series
Wasteland 2-3
Planescape