Wasteland The Wasteland 2 Beta Release Thread [GAME RELEASED, GO TO NEW THREAD]

[Roguey]

system design sucks - Chris Keenan is no Josh Sawyer.

I've said this several times already. Don't need to play the full game to know that.

The writing is terrible - Nathan Long should go back to writing comedy fantasy with boobplate armored women on the front cover.

Same here, after ol' Longpig released the worst Wasteland novella yet.

The ship of failure floats on a sea of excuses.

Nailed it here.

 

[Rake]

I'd love to review it but I'm afraid my writing style is too narrative without the nuts & bolts mechanics analysis that the Codex seems to prefer. There a way too many others here that are more knowledgeable when it comes to that aspect of cRPGs. Me, I just look at what makes a game "fun" (writing, encounters, world setting/ lore, plot, etc.) and that can be quite subjective. Which is what reviews really are, I guess.

To be honest, i would prefer your review than a nuts & bolts mechanics analysis, but i agree that a part of the Codex would complain.
Why don't you do a team review with Grunker? He can fill the mechanics angle just fine.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Question: Why this Rom look?

?

Rohm?

 

[imweasel]

So, if PE is BG/IWD/PST, the question is what are the exact proportions. 50 IWD/50 PST is one thing, 90 IWD2/10 PST is another.

PE has Darklands in it too, don't forget that.

 

[WalkinDude]

You know, Vogel shits out a 'new' rpg in less than 18 months and has been doing so quite consistently

 

[Darkzone]

No, not Ernst Julius. The Gaius Iulius thing.

 

[Vault Dweller]

You know, Vogel shits out a 'new' rpg in less than 18 months and has been doing so quite consistently

Same engine, systems, art assets.

My argument was that you need around 3 years to make a decent full-scale RPG from scratch and 1.5-2 years to make a decent sequel that uses an existing, ready-to-go engine, all systems (character, combat, magic, inventory, crafting, etc), and art assets.

No, not Ernst Julius. The Gaius Iulius thing.

AoD?

 

[Darkzone]

Vault Dweller est victor.

 

[VioletShadow]

Maybe I'm just a jerk, but I would read the Infinitron vs. Felipepepe "crossfire" review.

I'm not a jerk and I'd love to read a Felipe/Infini duo review. :D

 

[Country_Gravy]

Do we need a poll to see who wants to jerk infintron and felipepe to write a review together?

 

[throwaway]

Speaking of months, assuming a mid Sept release, how many months will W2 have been in development ?

 

[Zombra]

Speaking of months, assuming a mid Sept release, how many months will W2 have been in development ?

"Funded! This project was successfully funded on April 17, 2012."

So if we say that development started mid-April and ends this coming September, that's 29 months.

 

[Onholyservicebound]

Felipepepe sounds like a horrible choice, at least based off of the opinions I've read here. The kind of opinions that you can't argue against are also the kind of opinions that don't mean anything in a review.
If I read a review about Wasteland 2 telling me that it was a fun atmospheric game with real soul and true vision, and if it sang the blues I'd listen, I would have no more or less information about the game than before reading the review. Even a nitpicky hiver wall of text would be preferable.

I think most preferable would be someone who wasn't heavily involved in the beta and the discussion boards/arguments here, since that's the type of person that will benefit from the review.
Edit: Although maybe a duo wouldn't be so bad, Infinitron could balance it out by stating plain facts about the game as if it was a news article. Though two bad reviews =/= one good review.

 

[Grunker]

Grotesque

I only trust Vault Dweller to review it.

I love reviewing games (I'll be writing 2 reviews for felipepepe' book project), but I won't be reviewing Wasteland 2.

To be honest, there is a fairly good chance I won't like it (based on what I've seen so far) and if I write what I think most people will assume that I'm jealous/bitter/butthurt - take your pick.

Even on the Codex when I was saying things that should have been obvious to everyone - there is no way they can do a decent RPG in 18 months, the design of quests that were shown or given as examples seemed to be too simplistic, etc, many people felt that my opinion was driven by jealousy over the fact that Fargo is so successful and/or my own inability to make a game in 18 months. Now, those were just quick forum posts. A front page review? I'll be eaten alive.

Mandatory disclaimer: I'm not saying it's a bad game and I didn't pay any attention to the recent updates/changes.

Haven't read any of the replies to this post, but dude, this is a weak cop-out

You are definetely the man to write the Codex review for Wasteland 2. Who cares that people get butthurt? They got extremely butthurt when you called DA the best RPG since Arcanum. I understand if you don't want to review it/don't think you have the time, but there's no denying that you writing a review of Wasteland 2 seems more appropriate front page content than anything.

 

[Infinitron]

Short interview: http://www.rpgamer.com/games/wasteland/wasteland2/brianfargoint.html

Excerpt:

JS: Do you have any specific examples of gameplay mechanics or features that have been changed due to the Early Access feedback, or was it relegated more to bug fixing?

BF: There have been a number of changes. There are points of system balance, such as beefing up the usefulness of Charisma. There are points of level design, such as adding more instances where Alarm Disarm, or Demolitions for disarming traps are more useful. Or it’s minor points, such as the fact that all Wasteland 1followers were found in the gravesite in Ranger Citadel, and this came as a bit of a shock to players who had grown fond of them, so we changed a number of gravestones. In a broader sense, it also lets us know what features people really value and use frequently, so we can prioritize them, such as putting back in a local map functionality. This is important info to have both for now, and for possible post-release work. The beauty of this process is that we took all the feedback that normally comes post launch, and moved into production where we could react to it.

JS: Will there be any assets or aspects of Wasteland 2 that will carry over into Torment: Tides of Numenera?

BF: No particular assets or aspects. Torment is very much so its own game, with different design goals from Wasteland 2, and carrying over design concepts doesn’t really work. The main thing we’re taking from Wasteland 2 into Torment is experience and lessons learned!

JS: What are some of those lessons learned from Wasteland 2?

BF: In the widest sense, it’s about establishing a team and keeping it together. InXile had downsized significantly before the Wasteland 2 Kickstarter, but the money coming in allowed us to build a team up again, and because we planned ahead for Torment, we can keep that team together from project to project. Having an experienced team who have worked together makes a huge difference in how efficiently you can work on a project. Other things have to do with seeing the way people react to things, as we now have a baseline to work from for some things like the user interface.

 

[Darkzone]

Grunker
Do not push someone who does not want to, because it is then doomed from the beginning. If you intend to push someone, then only if the person is undecided.
Infinitron has offered to do it, while alone on its own it would be not a good review, it can become quite good if someone else with an opposite opinion balances it out.
I don't know if Felipepepe is a good balance, but they both could give a try.

Sensuki
I thought your analysis of Infinitron and Roguey was accurate and hilarious. But i wanted to wait for Roguey response, before telling you this.

 

[Grunker]

Do not push

wat

 

[felipepepe]

Felipepepe sounds like a horrible choice, at least based off of the opinions I've read here. The kind of opinions that you can't argue against are also the kind of opinions that don't mean anything in a review.

Yes, because writing for a review is exactly the same thing as making a forum post, and I never wrote an objective post or review before...

FFS, Hiver and I debated for months with huge walls of texts on each aspect of the game, from map design to how underused Ag. Center is, and the replies were usually "it's a beta" or "I trust Fargo". And now I'm the subjective guy.

 

[Infinitron]

I have a much broader perspective on this game than some of you may think. What, you really think my review would be "HERE'S A LIST OF GOOD THINGS, 10/10 MUST BUY MUST PLAY"?

I've read this entire thread and I'm aware of all the issues and concerns people have with this game. Even if I don't personally consider them to be game-breaking flaws, they would be addressed in any review I write. Isn't that the purpose of a review? To go over all the issues?

felipepepe too will probably be more broad-minded if he has to write a full review of the game, but I'm not sure that will be necessary.

 

[felipepepe]

I'll only do it if you post something too biased on the staff forum. :3

 

[Vault Dweller]

You are definetely the man to write the Codex review for Wasteland 2. Who cares that people get butthurt?

It's not about butthurt (butthurt's always a bonus). It's about credibility.

Felipepepe writes a critical review, nobody will suspect that he's biased. A developer who's making his own post-apoc TB game that sells fuck all and is all but ignored by the media (this is how it will be looked at) criticizes popular and beloved Wasteland 2? 9 out of 10 people will assume that it's not a review but an attack driven by jealousy. That's different from causing butthurt.

They got extremely butthurt when you called DA the best RPG since Arcanum. I understand if you don't want to review it/don't think you have the time, but there's no denying that you writing a review of Wasteland 2 seems more appropriate front page content than anything.

Thanks.

 

[Sensuki]

He's got a point there.

 

[felipepepe]

Kind of. A lot of people already think I'm biased, and I can't really blame them... but it has been almost six months since I last played W2, so I'm looking forward to see what they changed.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Personally, I dislike "2 for the price of 1!" reviews unless it's written by 2 people who are in agreement on everything (and settled their disagreements prior to writing the review). I'd rather read one person's thoughts, uninterrupted by someone else's opinion, not because it might be different but because the angle might be completely different, which isn't as good as one might think.

If there is a need to have a different opinion representing a different group/point of view, it should be presented in a second review. Either way, I definitely want to read felipepepe 's opinion. He does make good points and is very passionate about RPGs.

 

[Decado]

Guys.

Guys.

Hey, guys.

I will do it.