Game News Wasteland 2 Kickstarter Update #34: Gamescom Demo Video, First Dev Diary Released

[Grunker]

If "help NPC and he'll reward you, kill NPC and he doesn't" is a good example of C&C, then Bioware is the king of reactivity.

Implying you can freely kill NPCs in any Bioware RPG since BG2

That's definitely a good thing in WL2. I wonder if you can "complete" the game if you kill every npc.

If you keep killing "everyone" you'll get an ending way sooner than otherwise. "Complete" the game is a flowing concept I suppose.

 

[Lancehead]

I think a useful definition of "completing" the game would be whether you can solve every main quest even if you kill every npc. Of course, one can design in such a way that the concept of main quest is obsolete (Gothic 3, for example).

 

[Cosmic Misogynerd]

Then you must have a pretty lame sense of humor, son.

OK. Thanks for your comments!

 

[Smejki]

Master of the obvious

Some seem to fail to see the difference.

 

[TwinkieGorilla]

OK. Thanks for your comments!

Shut up.

 

[MicoSelva]

VD is mostly spot on, I only disagree with these two comments:

- the 'encounter begins' text is very JRPG like, and so are the flashing damage numbers that belong in RT clickfest games like Diablo 3, not in a TB game with a textbox.

- the descriptions are great and evocative but the louspeaker humor was silly and unnecessary.

There is nothing inherently wrong with either Encounter Begins text (although I prefered the variant shown in the agricultural center video) or floating numbers. The first one is useful for people who play the game with the sound off, so they don't miss the start of the combat and waste some precious AP by misclicking. The second allows for immediate feedback - you can clearly see if the target is being hit or missed. Very useful.

As for the humor, that depends on the taste of course. It was corny/cheesy, but it perfectly fit the mood of everything what was shown (exploding goats, discobot, etc.), except maybe the dying woman encounter.

 

[Gondolin]

Official verdict: Codex underwhelmed by W2 demo video, Kickstarter loses 10 points of moral authority.

 

[Crooked Bee]

Goofiness is perfect given that this is a sequel to Wasteland; in fact, the more silliness the better.

Corridor maps aren't though, for the same reason. I really hope exploration is at least somewhat free-form in the full game.

 

[imweasel]

While I mostly agree with Vault Dweller, these are some points that I don't agree with.

Why would the trader refuse to trade with you and make a profit?

I dunno, maybe because he puts the goods in the cart because he can't carry them? And if the cart is stuck, well... no need to trade then.
The only thing I did not like with this situation was that fact that only one ranger (!) can push the cart out. while everybody else including the trader just stands around like morons. Doesn't really make sense.

Why would the sick woman ask you to kill her, if she can pop some pills and get better? A dying person is one thing. A sick person who can be easily healed is another.

Because this is the wasteland? Who knows if that guy will ever make it back with the medicine that is necesarry to heal her. Who knows if he will even find any medicine. She was probably sick for a long time and just gave up hope (or was delusional) and wanted the pain to end. Typhus for example can be easily treated with antibiotics. But without them, you're totally screwed. It's a horrible and painful death.

- the radio seems to be a way for the NPCs to talk to you from far away, to make sure that you find them. "There is a dying woman in aisle 4, please stop by for loot and xp". Did her husband have a radio too? If yes, why didn't he reply? If he knew that she was dying and asking to kill her, why would he attack you?

Maybe he was out of range? Maybe the battery is dead? Maybe he doesn't have a radio (he didn't have one when you looted his corpse). This is the wasteland. Shit that works is pretty scarce.

 

[Crooked Bee]

Also, re: the sick woman and her husband encounter, I think a game like the original Wasteland would have the husband appear with the medicine no matter what decision you've taken; makes perfect sense, too.

 

[Xeon]

The dev said that you can heal her if you have the skill or go and look for the medicine yourself so the husband is probably placed a small ways on the road maybe and he comes running after hearing the gunshot. Is it possible to kill her with mele?

 

[Crooked Bee]

The dev said that you can heal her if you have the skill or go and look for the medicine yourself so the husband is probably placed a small ways on the road maybe and he comes running after hearing the gunshot. Is it possible to kill her with mele?

You mean he just stands there with the medicine and only runs up to you if he hears the gunshot? That doesn't make much sense to me.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Why would the trader refuse to trade with you and make a profit?

I dunno, maybe because he puts the goods in the cart because he can't carry them? And if the cart is stuck, well... no need to trade then.

And where is the logic in that? Now that his cart is stuck he HAS to trade them. He can't carry his goods, but he can carry cash. Besides, it's not like he's stuck there forever. He can go and get help (i.e. he isn't in the middle of nowhere).

The only thing I did not like with this situation was that fact that only one ranger (!) can push the cart out. while everybody else including the trader just stands around like morons. Doesn't really make sense.

That too.

Why would the sick woman ask you to kill her, if she can pop some pills and get better? A dying person is one thing. A sick person who can be easily healed is another.

Because this is the wasteland? Who knows if that guy will ever make it back with the medicine that is necesarry to heal her. Who knows if he will even find any medicine. She was probably sick for a long time and just gave up hope (or was delusional) and wanted the pain to end. Typhus for example can be easily treated with antibiotics. But without them, you're totally screwed. It's a horrible and painful death.

Good point.

- the radio seems to be a way for the NPCs to talk to you from far away, to make sure that you find them. "There is a dying woman in aisle 4, please stop by for loot and xp". Did her husband have a radio too? If yes, why didn't he reply? If he knew that she was dying and asking to kill her, why would he attack you?

Maybe he was out of range? Maybe the battery is dead? Maybe he doesn't have a radio (he didn't have one when you looted his corpse). This is the wasteland. Shit that works is pretty scarce.

He didn't have a radio on him, yet his wife was talking to him. Of course, she was actually talking to you, catching your attention, hence my point.

 

[Xeon]

You mean he just stands there with the medicine and only runs up to you if he hears the gunshot? That doesn't make much sense to me.

That's what most games do, no? The npc just sits there until you show up and help with their problems.

 

[felipepepe]

The entire dream was that W2 wouldn't be "most games"...

 

[imweasel]

Why would the trader refuse to trade with you and make a profit?

I dunno, maybe because he puts the goods in the cart because he can't carry them? And if the cart is stuck, well... no need to trade then.

And where is the logic in that? Now that his cart is stuck he HAS to trade them. He can't carry his goods, but he can carry cash. Besides, it's not like he's stuck there forever. He can go and get help (i.e. he isn't in the middle of nowhere).

So the trader should only want to sell items while his cart is in the ditch. If you are able to get his cart out of the ditch, then he would also be willing to trade or buy items. Good point. Makes sense.

 

[tuluse]

He didn't have a radio on him, yet his wife was talking to him. Of course, she was actually talking to you, catching your attention, hence my point.

Wasn't the dialog of the wife just asking for anybody to come by?

 

[Vault Dweller]

No, she says "if you can hear me, please come back, I can't take it any longer, etc".

 

[FeelTheRads]

In short, the writing is pretty sucky from that video and the humor is completely humorless. But, this is not supposed to be Torment. If at least the combat and overall gameplay was engaging.

 

[Infinitron]

In short, the writing is pretty sucky from that video and the humor is completely humorless. But, this is not supposed to be Torment. If at least the combat and overall gameplay was engaging.

You know what the man wants to say.

I like the humor. All of a sudden RPG "LOL DONGS" Codex is in favor of subtle, highbrow humor? Give me a break, people.

 

[tuluse]

So the trader should only want to sell items while his cart is in the ditch. If you are able to get his cart out of the ditch, then he would also be willing to trade or buy items. Good point. Makes sense.

Imagine if that was a solution to the quest. You buy so many things until the cart is light enough to move.

 

[Crooked Bee]

You mean he just stands there with the medicine and only runs up to you if he hears the gunshot? That doesn't make much sense to me.

That's what most games do, no? The npc just sits there until you show up and help with their problems.

Yeah, that'd make sense in a completely scripted game. But a Wasteland game is supposed to be free-form, not just scripted.

 

[FeelTheRads]

All of a sudden RPG "LOL DONGS" Codex is in favor of subtle, highbrow humor?

Not talking about highbrow humor. Simply don't find it funny. Feels forced etc.

 

[undecaf]

Official verdict: Codex underwhelmed by W2 demo video

And for a reason too. But, judging from the fairly mediocre amount of feedback (no 20+ pages of "Fuck this decline shit"), there's not much that's wrong. Should be (relatively) simple to fix.

 

[felipepepe]

Official verdict: Codex underwhelmed by W2 demo video

And for a reason too. But, judging from the fairly mediocre amount of feedback (no 20+ pages of "Fuck this decline shit"), there's not much that's wrong. Should be (relatively) simple to fix.

But going from "SAVIOUR OF cRPGS" to "probably good for what it is" is still disappointing...