Thursday is finally here.

[Kaol]

Non combat needs some work. Theres no real gameplay involved. Its just pass a skill check and thats it.

 

[Cassidy]

Non combat needs some work. Theres no real gameplay involved. Its just pass a skill check and thats it.

First, text-based CYOA with skill checks is a type of gameplay. Second, proper CRPGs always need some level of abstraction, although I'd love to see a detailed sneaking system but I don't think it could be implemented in any reasonable timeframe. Besides that however, how could skills like persuasion, streetwise, lockpicking etc go with gameplay other than the text-based gameplay ? QTE and popamole minigames?

Because that is definitively not the kind of "gameplay" I'd want in replacement of simple skill checks.

 

[Excidium]

The problem is that your options in the CYOA part are heavily limited by your skillset and the way checks are handled. More often than not you only have one or two options to pick.

 

[GarfunkeL]

Holy crap. Is this still Codex or not? We played the Combat Demo to death two years ago and now there's this much bitching about the combat? Can't fucking believe it. Yes, the RNG plays a part. No, it's not all-powerful. Yes, you can gimp your character through bad choices. No, it's not necessarily permanent. I guess I should whine that my dagger/throwing assassin wasn't able to fight the four heavily armed/armoured Guardsmen who assaulted the Boatmen even though I tried several times - or I could just man up and realize it's because I hadn't bought Armour-Piercing javelins and enough nets. Or invested in crossbow skill and bought some AP bolts. Or I could have chosen otherwise earlier in the game.

Fuck, most of us complain how ridiculously easy all modern RPGs are and when there's finally a properly challenging game, people ragequit like that?

And environmental interaction? Roxor and commie, did you seriously enjoy going through all the random barrels and boxes in Neverwinter Nights, hunting down those oh-so-logical gems and gold coins, left lying around? Are you the sort of person who goes through every single house in every village and town in BG1&2 to loot them because their OCD doesn't allow otherwise? Fuck me.

 

[Excidium]

Since most cRPGs don't do enviromental interaction right, just scrap it alltogether. Maybe we can do the same with C&C and combat, have just a black screen and we larp we're playing a game.

 

[Kaol]

Holy crap. Is this still Codex or not? We played the Combat Demo to death two years ago and now there's this much bitching about the combat? Can't fucking believe it. Yes, the RNG plays a part. No, it's not all-powerful. Yes, you can gimp your character through bad choices. No, it's not necessarily permanent. I guess I should whine that my dagger/throwing assassin wasn't able to fight the four heavily armed/armoured Guardsmen who assaulted the Boatmen even though I tried several times - or I could just man up and realize it's because I hadn't bought Armour-Piercing javelins and enough nets. Or invested in crossbow skill and bought some AP bolts. Or I could have chosen otherwise earlier in the game.

Fuck, most of us complain how ridiculously easy all modern RPGs are and when there's finally a properly challenging game, people ragequit like that?

And environmental interaction? Roxor and commie, did you seriously enjoy going through all the random barrels and boxes in Neverwinter Nights, hunting down those oh-so-logical gems and gold coins, left lying around? Are you the sort of person who goes through every single house in every village and town in BG1&2 to loot them because their OCD doesn't allow otherwise? Fuck me.

Thing is there isnt really any challenge involved. You either chose the right stats for a given task or you did not.

 

[Cassidy]

The problem is that your options in the CYOA part are heavily limited by your skillset and the way checks are handled. More often than not you only have one or two options to pick.

Unfortunately that is the trade-off of designing a game with a very strong focus in the replay value without having a team large enough to still build a large amount of different options for each possible character build.

It is either that or even more countless thursdays of game development and "polishing" so that we can get two more options per dialogue or text-based quest, now that the game was already designed this way.

 

[Excidium]

Yeah. :/

 

[Phelot]

Well, most dialogue in cRPGs is filler or fleshing out the game's lore. If AoD could have something of an encyclopedia that could give details on the lore, that would be great.

I will say that while I don't like the idea that every line of dialogue appears to be tied to a quest of some sort, I do think it is likely more realistic than what we normally see. In real life, no one goes around saying shit like "Hey, do you know about God? What is it? Tell me about this world's religion" or "Tell me your life's problems, tell me every little detail about yourself, because I'm the player character, thus everything revolves around me." Instead it's kind of nice having to "earn" the right to listen to someone babble about their life problems, like Feng being exiled based on the PC's charisma.

For the most part, each dialogue encounter seems to cover each of my character's skills. I'm starting to realize also that as a fighter, I don't and can't get into every conflict the game throws at me. Another sobering detail.

 

[J_C]

Umm, I don't want to say that the game is bad or anything, but I still couldn't leave the first room. The guard always kills me. I probably could make it with a melee build, but i want to roll a crossbow/dagger user assassin. So WHAT THE FUCK?!

 

[RK47]

Make a video Matt.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Holy crap. Is this still Codex or not? We played the Combat Demo to death two years ago and now there's this much bitching about the combat? Can't fucking believe it. Yes, the RNG plays a part. No, it's not all-powerful. Yes, you can gimp your character through bad choices. No, it's not necessarily permanent. I guess I should whine that my dagger/throwing assassin wasn't able to fight the four heavily armed/armoured Guardsmen who assaulted the Boatmen even though I tried several times - or I could just man up and realize it's because I hadn't bought Armour-Piercing javelins and enough nets. Or invested in crossbow skill and bought some AP bolts. Or I could have chosen otherwise earlier in the game.

Fuck, most of us complain how ridiculously easy all modern RPGs are and when there's finally a properly challenging game, people ragequit like that?

I'm genuinely surprised myself.

 

[GarfunkeL]

Since most cRPGs don't do enviromental interaction right, just scrap it alltogether. Maybe we can do the same with C&C and combat, have just a black screen and we larp we're playing a game.

Or maybe you can stop already. You made your point in the first post. VD did state from the beginning what his aims and goals with AoD were/are. Someone taking a completely different route to what CRPGs have traditionally done is, to me, refreshing. I can understand it being jarring to other people, resistance to change and all that.

Thing is there isnt really any challenge involved. You either chose the right stats for a given task or you did not.

Did you even read what I wrote? I chose the right stats but I forgot to buy "right" equipment, so my assassin was fucked. Even if I didn't have the money to buy the proper stuff so I'd have a better chance defeating the Guards, there's an option, earlier, that I can reload to and avoid the whole mess in the first place. It's hinted at that the leader of the Boatmen is making a grave error of judgement, so switching allegiances isn't a lightning bolt out of the blue sky. Yes, in the text-adventure parts only stats matter. But when it comes to combat, equipment (preparedness!) is equally important. And people shouldn't forget what a difference the nets can make - you can use them even if you are adjacent to an enemy and that close-in the THC% is pretty good even if you haven't invested in throwing.

 

[felipepepe]

Actually, someone should really make a fake trailer out of this.

I swear, the only reason I'm not stopping my work to do a quick trailer like this NOW is because my workstation is a filthy mac, so I can't play the game & capture some footage. Wait for it this weekend.

I am a man of word:



A refreshing change from doing banal shit boring corporate videos.

EDIT: Urgh, hate seeing finished videos, there are so many thing I would change now, 15 minutes after making it...:p

 

[Excidium]

Since most cRPGs don't do enviromental interaction right, just scrap it alltogether. Maybe we can do the same with C&C and combat, have just a black screen and we larp we're playing a game.

Or maybe you can stop already.

Yeah. Any criticism is answered with "you're trolling" or "baaw popamole", let us give up and just join the circle jerk.

Just "finished" the demo again, now as a thief. Except for one quest: Is it possible to win the fight against the mercenaries with these stats? I setup the trap with enough skill to cause a serious explosion, then I procceed to throw nets on everyone (actually, first I have to waste action points equipping the nets because the game automatically equips the bow before the battle), when everyone is trapped I switch to bow but it seems that I have to do all the fighting myself because the thieves are pretty terrible with their crossbows, except when they get lucky with the knockback special.

Also, since we all have ranged weapons, why the hell are we fighting on melee range instead of showering them with missiles from the top of those buildings?

 

[Tigranes]

Should be possible after the traps, I remember getting through it once without traps with my mercenary (I think), first by keeping them away from the thieves until they unload the crossbows then using them as meatshields. But then every time I tried the thieves were very helpful with crossbows taking a couple of the enemy out, whereas with the daggers they rarely beat DR.

 

[RK47]

All the best. It's clear you set out to make a game you want and know how to play. I used to think maybe Lionheart would be better with turn based combat - clearly I was wrong.

 

[sgc_meltdown]

I am a man of word

...

there are so many thing I would change now

BLASPHEMY THE ONLY THING YOU NEED TO CHANGE IS ADD MANLY EURO-READING OF GAME TITLE

 

[Krraloth]

I am a man of word

...

there are so many thing I would change now

BLASPHEMY THE ONLY THING YOU NEED TO CHANGE IS ADD MANLY EURO-READING OF GAME TITLE

Yeah, video is fantastic, I approve of this shit.

Good Fucking Riddance indeed

 

[felipepepe]

BLASPHEMY THE ONLY THING YOU NEED TO CHANGE IS ADD MANLY EURO-READING OF GAME TITLE

I have a deep voice, but the BRBRBR AHSUHSDHIAOS accent woudn't work well...If any manly euro codexer wants to provide one, I shall add it.

 

[Krraloth]

You really need an Ukranian one

 

[Gragt]

Back when I played WoW, I've been told I had a Schwarzenegger accent.

 

[Kos_Koa]

Actually, someone should really make a fake trailer out of this.

I am a man of word:

Loved it. The most emotionally engaging trailer I've seen.

 

[Cassidy]

All the best. It's clear you set out to make a game you want and know how to play. I used to think maybe Lionheart would be better with turn based combat - clearly I was wrong.

Says the man who preordered Mass Effect 3.

 

[RK47]

yes, continue to use it as reason why I can't enjoy other games. It's completely valid.