What game are you wasting time on?

[CthuluIsSpy]

I'm not sure I like the overall quest structure of BG2. It seems to throw a bunch of quests at your early on and some of them are annoyingly difficult. Like the Cult of the Unseeing with the Gauth firing team or that level 13 party in the sewer with the mage that instant kills your MC with finger of death or the gank squad in the planar prison that you can't leave with that thief that just kills your cleric. I had to use some cheese to get through the first 2 and I'm going to come back to the planar prison later after clearing up some of the other 10 quests in my log.

BG1 also had issues with progression but there it was too slow. In BG2 there's just too much at once. Act 2 seems really congested to me.

 

[Sergio]

I'm not sure I like the overall quest structure of BG2. It seems to throw a bunch of quests at your early on and some of them are annoyingly difficult. Like the Cult of the Unseeing with the Gauth firing team or that level 13 party in the sewer with the mage that instant kills your MC with finger of death or the gank squad in the planar prison that you can't leave with that thief that just kills your cleric. I had to use some cheese to get through the first 2 and I'm going to come back to the planar prison later after clearing up some of the other 10 quests in my log.

BG1 also had issues with progression but there it was too slow. In BG2 there's just too much at once. Act 2 seems really congested to me.

The game gives you freedom to choose your own way of progression. Sure, if it's your first time and you play without a guide, you won't know which quests are easier or harder. It kinda mimics a real D&D session, where its the players who choose where to go and what to do, and then have to face the consequences. But that's what makes it so good. Being guided by the hand would make the experience bland.

 

[CthuluIsSpy]

I'm not sure I like the overall quest structure of BG2. It seems to throw a bunch of quests at your early on and some of them are annoyingly difficult. Like the Cult of the Unseeing with the Gauth firing team or that level 13 party in the sewer with the mage that instant kills your MC with finger of death or the gank squad in the planar prison that you can't leave with that thief that just kills your cleric. I had to use some cheese to get through the first 2 and I'm going to come back to the planar prison later after clearing up some of the other 10 quests in my log.

BG1 also had issues with progression but there it was too slow. In BG2 there's just too much at once. Act 2 seems really congested to me.

The game gives you freedom to choose your own way of progression. Sure, if it's your first time and you play without a guide, you won't know which quests are easier or harder. It kinda mimics a real D&D session, where its the players who choose where to go and what to do, and then have to face the consequences. But that's what makes it so good. Being guided by the hand would make the experience bland.

I guess, it's just that usually in a DnD session the DM is there to reign it in so that the party doesn't get too wrecked or overwhelmed. The DM at least would wait until the party completes a quest first before giving them another one, with the difficulty depending on how competent he thinks that party is.
Not "oh, you just started? Here's 20 quests, a few of them with time limits. Oh what's that, you just got wrecked by a bunch of shadows and mummies because you didn't know where to find a +2 enchanted weapon 5 mins into the game? Lol. Lmao"

That said, I did think Nalia's stronghold quest was fairly well designed. It's literally the first quest the game points you to and they make it very clear what you're up against and give you the tools to deal with. The Umbar Hulks and Torgal are a little much but you can bypass the Hulks entirely if you kill some dogs (or just throw a cloudkill into their room) and Torgal can be cheesed by using a stealthed character to initiate conversation and running back to the party so they can jump him.

I don't like Hexxat. She's a NPC that Beamdog added and she's pretty annoying, especially since they basically force her quest on you when act 2 is already really congested. The only good thing about her is that she gives you an early bag of holding. She's still less obnoxious than fucking Neera though.

Maybe it's just an Act 2 thing. I think after I do everything in Act 2 and move on to act 3 the pacing will be much better.

 

[Squidhead]

Vampire Survivors is more addictive than drugs. I can't stop playing. Send help.

I played 30 minutes and refunded it. Felt like a waste of time. I'm sure Balatro is the same thing.

 

[coldcrow]

Around christmas I went through a pseudo-mystical experience involving copiuos amounts of weed and: Genome Guardian, Inscryption and Knock on the Coffins Lid.
Genome Guardian is a masterpiece in minimalistic game design (dev's next game "Cell Command" is TBS, where you summon minions you can customize endlessly).
Inscryption is relly engrossing for one or two playthroughs - but then falls off hard.
KotCL - well I can't really describe it. It's a meticulously crafted, huge game. If you like this kind of game, you should check it out.

 

[coldcrow]

Vampire Survivors is more addictive than drugs. I can't stop playing. Send help.

I played 30 minutes and refunded it. Felt like a waste of time. I'm sure Balatro is the same thing.

You sure you read the thread title?

 

[Squidhead]

I stand corrected!