Game News The Age of Decadence Released

[oscar]

Funny, I'd been reading a lot of Black Company a few nights before this on a very quiet security shift (I'd dropped the series around book three but returned in boredom as I had it as an ebook on my phone). I'm guessing from the quote it was quite an inspiration to Vince?

The division of SP into General, Combat and Civil was a good decision. The civil points were nice for pure fighters who it almost feels silly them having literally no even minor life skills beyond swinging an axe.

 

[Cadmus]

This happened a lot to me and not only in regards to fights, but also being stuck thinking I had hit a dead end. Exploring and experimenting a bit more was the trick to getting back at the game. BOO YA

Yeah, the complaints about the necessary rerolls seem greatly overstated from my experience because there seems to be always lots of way to finish each quest and some hidden quest and SP sources you can always tap into to make the rolls just by the skin of your teeth. I say this because I'm still on my first char having only played the Teron demo 2-3 years ago and it all seems quite doable so far.

 

[Irenaeus II]

I'm on my 14th playthrough by now so I'm starting to learn how to play. Like you said, tasks that seemed impossible suddenly become barely passable (which is great) after looking around and finding a hidden quest or location and using the much needed in just the right spot. Also, I failed some quests, including in the main Assassin line, and rolled with the punches, continuing the game.

 

[Cadmus]

I'm on my 14th playthrough by now so I'm starting to learn how to play. Like you said, tasks that seemed impossible suddenly become barely passable (which is great) after looking around and finding a hidden quest or location and using the much needed in just the right spot. Also, I failed some quests, including in the main Assassin line, and rolled with the punches, continuing the game.

Yeah, many people don't seem to realize that while there are some hard quests, like the 1st AG quest in Madorraan had some harsh skill checks, you can actually still progress in the game while failing those. Well, maybe that will end the game at some earlier point, I have no idea, but it seems like the game incorporates lots of soft failures and people simply think they are hard failures or can't deal with the idea that they wouldn't complete something.

 

[Mortmal]

While your suggestion makes sense, the game has a huge amount of options and at some point we had to draw a line.

Well, we can make you stand in the library all day like Erebus or Cassius, and call you every now and then to identify some artifacts

I think that should have been an option, a game over option, telling you clearly the build is no good . Softer than getting thrown in the garbage bin but a game over still !

 

[ArchAngel]

i guess they must have used one of those fabled dialogue option teleports since i couldn't see them anywhere during or after the fight

either that or they have some p. powergamed stealth

thx bro now the scenario makes perfect sense i wuld nevar have seen the logic behind it if not for u

I said long time ago playing AoD is like playing D&D with a jerk DM that wait for any smallest player mistake so he can murder them and laugh at them.
And it seem in addition it also has those famed jerk DM NPCs that can do stuff without error that player characters fail all the time. Got to love those sessions

Spoiler

Not really

 

[Irenaeus II]

I said long time ago playing AoD is like playing D&D with a jerk DM that wait for any smallest player mistake so he can murder them and laugh at them.

That's just the kind of DM that me and my friends were back in school (we took turns) and what made me addicted to RPGs. Maybe your DM was a push over who let you roleplay a dragon hero who run around killing stuff without consequences.

 

[Jaedar]

Finished the game as a hybrid Imperial guardsman.

stats

Godhood ending.
Could and should have gotten godslayer too, but I forgot to do it before it got closed off.
Highlights of the playthrough include killing the arena champion by just using bombs

I'm surprised that out of my hybrid attempts, the one joining IG (the supposedly most combat heavy faction) had the most success and with minimal investment in a subpar weapon group (axes, daggers and crossbows seem to be a cut above the rest).

I will now pass on what I have learned from my attempts at hybrid characters: Dump charisma. Dexterity 8 is pretty much the minimum for any fighting character. Dodge is a better defensive option than block (block gives too many offensive penalties and typically just meant I got worn down over time as my shield DR approached 0). For civil skills to support combat alchemy is the best, and alchemy 2 is basically essential. Crafting is nice but remember to use whetstones, so probably don't get more than 6 (10 would also be great, but that's A LOT of points). Lore 3 more than pays for itself after you visit Saross.

When it comes to enemy types, the hardest to deal with is armored dodgers. Low armor blockers are the easiest (spam arterial/head/power attacks depending on where their armor is bad).

 

[Cadmus]

I have the most trouble with assholes with shields and heavy armor. I can cripple heavy armor 2h guys easily but the shield often deflects my blows and I get rekt.
The most fun I have when some arrogant thief thinks he's the shit because he is fast. Ha, I skin them alive and eat them for breakfast. Like the important NPC assassin in Madoraan. Bitch ate dust on the 2nd try.

 

[ArchAngel]

That's just the kind of DM that me and my friends were back in school (we took turns) and what made me addicted to RPGs. Maybe your DM was a push over who let you roleplay a dragon hero who run around killing stuff without consequences.

You know there is a whole layer of DM styles between those two.

I was the DM and I punished players for being extra stupid, but I didn't make it my mission to do that. My mission was to tell a good story so we can all have fun while making sure the world around behaves somewhat logically (the law going after players if they fuck up). Probably the reason why I continued having people to DM to after I left school. Most jerk DM usually are left without players, while a small number manage to find players that enjoy being pissed on. Sounds familiar?

 

[Vault Dweller]

Reason for refund: multiplayer doesn't work

 

[Irenaeus II]

You know there is a whole layer of DM styles between those two.

I was the DM and I punished players for being extra stupid, but I didn't make it my mission to do that. My mission was to tell a good story so we can all have fun while making sure the world around behaves somewhat logically (the law going after players if they fuck up). Probably the reason why I continued having people to DM to after I left school. Most jerk DM usually are left without players, while a small number manage to find players that enjoy being pissed on. Sounds familiar?

I stopped playing Pen and Paper when we was about 14 yo when our interest moved to sports, girls, and in my case, studying/getting a job. Only played a couple of times afterwards (WoD) when I was like 21 and had a great time thanks to the setting, but unfortunately with more of a weak and forgiving DM. I'm not sure what's the point in this, but I AoD is like the DM I have been missing since the mid-90s. <3

Reason for refund: multiplayer doesn't work

aside, AoD could have an Arena like multiplayer for 1v1 or even multiplayer battles.

 

[likaq]

Around 4% of the copies were refunded in the last month. Two biggest complains:

Not Fun - 51%
Too Hard - 15%

^ elhoim on its forum

Reasons given for asking for refund:

- Multiplayer does not work
- Died during terrible tutorial
- very irritating click fest
- It's not a fun game, If you choose a different character, it's the same exact story line as a different character, expected this game to be like runescape and skyrim combined
- It's not nearly worth the money it's price, it's a mess, combat is ruining the game in my opionion, definitely a half done game, I think.
- the writing in this game is absolutely awful
- There was not enough direction to intuitively figure out how to progress the game and I had trouble following the early story and got logs. I am not currently interested in playing a game that that I need to struggle to and figure out how to progress.
- The build up trailers made it seem as if it would be possible to lead people, however i have found out that it is mostly a solo game
- The atmosphere is really not what i expected. sorry!
- the difficulty is not skill-based but numbers-based.

^ vd on its forum

 

[Bubbles]

^ vd on its forum

This list might be helpful for Darth Roxor's review.

 

[Irenaeus II]

expected this game to be like runescape and skyrim combined

wtf

 

[TheEntitledOne]

I have a question from my previous post about Hellgate, this time low spoiler

Spoiler

Is the construct at the entrance supposed to be a pushover? My non-combat diplomat threw a "Grenade" I found and fixed next to the elevator and stabbed the thing to dead afterwards (steel dagger). it could only attack once and I had a 75% to hit with 1 point in daggers.

Or was that a side effect of the grenade (is not exactly easy to identify and fix it afterall))? I found it pathetically easy.

 

[Irenaeus II]

Spoiler

Is the construct at the entrance supposed to be a pushover?

Yes, he's fairily easy.

 

[Darth Roxor]

This list might be helpful for Darth Roxor's review.

of course, i've already noted down that the broken multiplayer is a complete turnoff

 

[Cadmus]

of course, i've already noted down that the broken multiplayer is a complete turnoff

Don't forget that you can't "lead" people.

 

[Elhoim]

I have a question from my previous post about Hellgate, this time low spoiler

Spoiler

Is the construct at the entrance supposed to be a pushover? My non-combat diplomat threw a "Grenade" I found and fixed next to the elevator and stabbed the thing to dead afterwards (steel dagger). it could only attack once and I had a 75% to hit with 1 point in daggers.

Or was that a side effect of the grenade (is not exactly easy to identify and fix it afterall))? I found it pathetically easy.

Yes, intended. It's broken from previous fights.

 

[Elhoim]

Don't forget that you can't "lead" people.

In AoD, people lead you.

 

[TheEntitledOne]

In AoD, people lead you.

Is there more than one ending where you become some kind of ruler (even if it is from the shadows).

 

[Irenaeus II]

Don't forget that you can't "lead" people.

Which is actually a blatant lie since you can lead Crassus either to Antidas or to the abandoned house.

Yes, intended. It's broken from previous fights.

That I didn't know. Must have missed something somewhere that explained it.

 

[Vault Dweller]

The intro says that it's damaged.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Is there more than one ending where you become some kind of ruler (even if it is from the shadows).

You mean:

"From the top of the ziggurat, you survey a land barely recognizable. Your hand-picked slaves, the most capable and most pliable, kneel behind you. As with the God Himself, none may stand in your presence without your explicit invitation. Patiently, they wait your orders. It is not as lonely at the top as one might think."