Pathfinder Why Owlcat's Kingmaker Sucks, in Plain Language

[NJClaw]

Here, let me help you: https://www.wordreference.com/definition/insecure

Doesn't answer the question "why not decrease the difficulty". That's why it is a buzzword.

This is the first definition:

1. subject to fears, doubts, etc.; not self-confident or assured

This is the definition of self-confident:

trusting in one's abilities, qualities, and judgment.

If you are insecure/not self-confident, you don't trust your own abilities, so you need constant validation from the external world: you can't accept the fact that you need to play a game on easy mode, because you seek validation even in small and insignificant things like videogames difficulty settings. You need your game to tell you that you are normal.

 

[Xamenos]

The problem with these steam reviews is that they don't go into depth as to why. For example:
>the design is awful. I didn't like it and want to sound smarter than I really am.
>checks are absurdly high I don't understand how to make a character who is good at something. I am also probably playing on Hard like I'm used to.
>encounters and locations are not planned appropriately I got filtered by spiders.
>constantly overwhelmed Actually, I got filtered by everything.
>"choices" and their consequences are completely opaque until too late I can't read and/or am mildly retarded and want the game to cater to my disability.
>quests are broken Ditto.
>issues have not been fixed after all the negative feedback for the same issues. Waaah, the big, bad, meanie devs won't make the game easier and stroke my fragile, fragile ego.

What does any of the above even mean in the context of Kingmaker? You could copy those very same complaints, and paste them for any other RPG and it would read the exact same. These complaints are just so generalized and lack any real depth. The only point that has anything to do with Kingmaker was the mention of kingdom management. The low effort steam reviews are not worth the effort of pasting here. But Gregz is on a mission. I respect his dedication. I would have burned myself out on page 1, and went back to playing Pathfinder.

Here, I translated it for you. Those complaints aren't true for any other RPG, because most other RPGs do cater to their disabilities and allow facerolling apes to finish them even on higher difficulties.

 

[Pink Eye]

My thanks, anon.

 

[LannTheStupid]

Is the rent affordable in those places?

In Russia the privilege of intolerance is available not only to the poor.

you don't trust your own abilities, so you need constant validation from the external world

I do not understand this link. If even I don't trust my abilities how someone who is not me can validate them?

 

[Desiderius]

Here, let me help you: https://www.wordreference.com/definition/insecure

Doesn't answer the question "why not decrease the difficulty". That's why it is a buzzword.

If a little failure* can set one off like that then one's sense of oneself is on insecure footing - i.e. one is in need of constant validation, akin to an addict. Among some cohorts that need has become so endemic that they consider themselves entitled to such validation and become offended if it should be denied even by indifference or ignorance, like a corrupt, decadent rentier class demanding deference from the peasants.

* - of course much of the joy in life is derived from overcoming failure and learning from it with the sense of accomplishment that engenders and good games seek to emulate. I think it's alienation from/obliviousness to that entire dynamic and the very real sense of fragility that goes along with it that produces the primal screeds of game journalists/steam reviewers and scares many devs into retreating back to their comfy faceroll. It would be better like a good parent to just gut it out and help people through the pain to a better life (not just in gaming) on the other side.

 

[Desiderius]

If even I don't trust my abilities how someone who is not me can validate them?

Exactly so. And yet that is the tail they're taught to relentlessly chase. Massive relief to run out of those particular fucks to give.

 

[Desiderius]

These complaints are just so generalized and lack any real depth.

The merely concrete is déclassé.

 

[NJClaw]

Is the rent affordable in those places?

In Russia the privilege of intolerance is available not only to the poor.

you don't trust your own abilities, so you need constant validation from the external world

I do not understand this link. If even I don't trust my abilities how someone who is not me can validate them?

Man, are you saying that the need/search for external validation is not a thing? It's a fundamental mechanism in our society and in our personal growth as human beings. Overcoming at least partially that need is a very important step in the process of becoming an adult.

That's why game journalists like to cry about this game's difficulty: because they are a bunch of fucking babies.

 

[Desiderius]

The problem with these steam reviews is that they don't go into depth as to why. For example:
>the design is awful. I didn't like it and want to sound smarter than I really am.
>checks are absurdly high I don't understand how to make a character who is good at something. I am also probably playing on Hard like I'm used to.
>encounters and locations are not planned appropriately I got filtered by spiders.
>constantly overwhelmed Actually, I got filtered by everything.
>"choices" and their consequences are completely opaque until too late I can't read and/or am mildly retarded and want the game to cater to my disability.
>quests are broken Ditto.
>issues have not been fixed after all the negative feedback for the same issues. Waaah, the big, bad, meanie devs won't make the game easier and stroke my fragile, fragile ego.

What does any of the above even mean in the context of Kingmaker? You could copy those very same complaints, and paste them for any other RPG and it would read the exact same. These complaints are just so generalized and lack any real depth. The only point that has anything to do with Kingmaker was the mention of kingdom management. The low effort steam reviews are not worth the effort of pasting here. But Gregz is on a mission. I respect his dedication. I would have burned myself out on page 1, and went back to playing Pathfinder.

Here, I translated it for you. Those complaints aren't true for any other RPG, because most other RPGs do cater to their disabilities and allow facerolling apes to finish them even on higher difficulties.

To be fair to Gregz,

(1) the game was buggy as hell on release so deserves some of those reviews. Using player base to alpha test is a decent idea, but not if you charge them full price for the privilege and don't inform them of the arrangement.

(2) the design includes a great deal of unfulfilled potential, as can be seen by comparing the full areas to the empty ones for instance

(3) the joke of making the "weakest" characters OP for skill checks only works if you can get people to try those characters in the first place, which many have been bullied into not doing by other games/min-maxxers. On a related note, those raised on faceroll are unfamiliar with trial and error.

(4) vectoring people to swarms on the first quest/permanently Blinding them was a good joke (you've got better things to do than getting a junkie his fix) and/or throwback to old games that made lvl 2 seem like an accomplishment. But you need to let people in on the joke at some point. There are accounts of people playing the game Blind all the way up to VTomb (!) at which point they got their asses completely kicked and gave up (constantly overwhelmed). Just have Jhod meet you back at Oleg's and explain permanent conditions/stat drain and offer to heal it once for free. Yes, people need to be cured of "must clear whole area now" expectations, but at least at the beginning you need to let them know what's happening.

(5) The one thing that can kill you in KM (Bald Hilltop) is in fact pretty much opaque until you figure it out by trial and error reloading (something many younger gamers don't know how to do yet) or looking it up.

 

[Desiderius]

See, Gregz is right. I've tried everything I can think of and still can't hit the broadside of a barn.

 

[mediocrepoet]

AB 91

That's so gross.
What's the 2 x +2 from mirror bow for?

I'm just curious, because even if it's a bug, at that point with the AB, it doesn't really matter.

 

[Pink Eye]

Jesus Christ, good man. That AB is overkill even for Unfair.

 

[Desiderius]

AB 91

That's so gross.
What's the 2 x +2 from mirror bow for?

I'm just curious, because even if it's a bug, at that point with the AB, it doesn't really matter.

Bane Weapon from Inquisitor 5 + Holy Sword from Tristian I think. Build is Zen Archer 14/Inqusitor 5. No bugs, I can account for everything. Missing Freebooter's Bane in that pic.

 

[Desiderius]

Jesus Christ, good man. That AB is overkill even for Unfair.

Too much is never enough.

You can see just how bad Deadly Aim is here. Totally caused me to miss.

 

[Sranchammer]

Owlcat is a Russian spy job.

 

[Desiderius]

Just noticed that I forgot to cast Haste lol.

That 91 is on the fourth attack! Flurry of Blows for the win.

 

[Pink Eye]

I guess that's one way to do it. But near late game I already can easily surpass enemy AC, so there isn't a need to go far and beyond.

 

[Pink Eye]

Just noticed that I forgot to cast Haste lol.

That 91 is on the fourth attack! Flurry of Blows for the win.

Flurry of blows is always for the win.

 

[Desiderius]

I guess that's one way to do it. But near late game I already can easily surpass enemy AC, so there isn't a need to go far and beyond.

Yes, that's the joke. Was trying to get to 100, but didn't quite make it.

 

[Pink Eye]

I can't tell what's a joke and what isn't anymore.

 

[DalekFlay]

Again, all I read is "the game is too hard on normal difficulty but I feel too insecure about myself to switch to easy".

I don't think anything he listed has to do with difficulty. As in the menu setting anyway, which revolves around combat. I'm playing the game on "challenging" and think it's pretty easy honestly. The design decisions I dislike somewhat are much more about tedium than being "difficult."

 

[Desiderius]

I can't tell what's a joke and what isn't anymore.

AB - AC > 50 = joke

 

[Desiderius]

91
+ 2 Reduce Person
+ 1 Haste
+ 2 Transformation
+4 Freebooter's Bane
=
100

 

[NJClaw]

Again, all I read is "the game is too hard on normal difficulty but I feel too insecure about myself to switch to easy".

I don't think anything he listed has to do with difficulty. As in the menu setting anyway, which revolves around combat. I'm playing the game on "challenging" and think it's pretty easy honestly. The design decisions I dislike somewhat are much more about tedium than being "difficult."

The only way I can justify the phrase "encounters and locations are not planned appropriately" is if he is talking about encounters difficulty, things like "oh no these monsters have damage reduction what am I supposed to do" or "what? I can't kill this monster when the area description explicitly said that it was occupied by a very powerful creature".

I'm with you on the design decisions: there are plenty of details in this game that still baffle me, but that review isn't pointing to anything.

 

[DalekFlay]

The only way I can justify the phrase "encounters and locations are not planned appropriately" is if he is talking about encounters difficulty, things like "oh no these monsters have damage reduction what am I supposed to do" or "what? I can't kill this monster when the area description explicitly said that it was occupied by a very powerful creature".

I'm with you on the design decisions: there are plenty of details in this game that still baffle me, but that review isn't pointing to anything.

Fair enough. I think encounter design is pretty simplistic and slapdash, but the stuff you're talking about really isn't an issue, I agree. Though the game would probably be better if there were more hints in dialogue about possible coming complications, i.e. take a shitload of restoration spells into the spider caves in the Bloom quest finale.