Curly, that scope is amazing. I have not seen that one yet.
Also, back to the rocket launchers from page 24. I have a rocket launcher with x4 elemental of each kind but I just do not use them. I am not even sure I know how to use them. Maybe it is because I haven't done a Brick run through, but I am level 1 proficiency with my level 42 Hunter.
While I wait for Knoxx, I am not going to play my 42 Hunter any more just in case the exp does not keep adding up. So, I started a Siren run-through. Wow, she is so much more overpowered/easier/etc than the solider or hunter. The ability to just disappear when things get too hot and regenerate heath while doing that is just amazing. It makes bloodwing seem dumb. I have to get a better handle on melee though since it seems to be part of her overall style.
I think peoples issue with roland is they are using turret builds and honestly after dropping all points out of that I was able to do moxi with little problems (aside from unlucky mutators like beef cake and naked).
Preacher on
I would like some money because these are artisanal nuggets of wisdom philistine.
I think peoples issue with roland is they are using turret builds and honestly after dropping all points out of that I was able to do moxi with little problems (aside from unlucky mutators like beef cake and naked).
I went non-weapon-specific, non-turret with my Soldier and I was really impressed.
I mostly like the ability to pick up virtually any weapon and rock face with it. It feels a lot like my original Brick, but less streak dependent.
I think peoples issue with roland is they are using turret builds and honestly after dropping all points out of that I was able to do moxi with little problems (aside from unlucky mutators like beef cake and naked).
That's actually my biggest issue with Roland: his action skill is almost worthless.
He can handle his own, but when the other classes have cool, interesting action skills, Roland's crappy turret is a disappointment.
I think peoples issue with roland is they are using turret builds and honestly after dropping all points out of that I was able to do moxi with little problems (aside from unlucky mutators like beef cake and naked).
That's actually my biggest issue with Roland: his action skill is almost worthless.
He can handle his own, but when the other classes have cool, interesting action skills, Roland's crappy turret is a disappointment.
Meh if you go gunslinger bloodwing is useless, and while bricks punching is fun for the guy punching, it makes seing enemies god damn impossible for anyone else. They all have their uses.
I use rolands turrent (turret turrent? I forget which one is the proper spelling and which one is that thing arabian castles have), for a distraction/bosses in arena. Which I finished playthrough 2's arena just need to do 1's (should be easy as the enemies won't be 50 right?)
Preacher on
I would like some money because these are artisanal nuggets of wisdom philistine.
That's the gunslinger build I prefer. It's got almost all of the key damage abilities and it turns bloodwing into a health leech with a 13 second CD. It doesn't have trespass, but it's easy enough to re-spec for that during the few parts of the game where enemy shields are an issue. And when Knoxx comes out, there'll be enough points to have both trespass and a health leech all the time.
And really, if Brick's punching a guy, you'd be better-served finding another enemy to target because Brick's gonna take care of the one he's punching.
That is one of my favorite things about Roland, though, his cauterize let's him shoot into a Brick-induced ruckus and either hurt the enemy or heal Brick. Very useful.
Wet Bandit, I like the Hunter build. I never thought to put so many points to the right though. I just thought Trespass is one of those skills that you want to put points in. Maybe it matters more in EP and Descent though and less against flesh.
I like my solider build which is medic/shotgun. I think though that if you are going to play Roland whether you spec it or not, the turret is great at drawing away fire and the occasional secondary elemental effect. My biggest problem is when someone is playing Roland and then doesn't use it at all.
Plus, in co-op games, having some kind of heath regen either on the turret or through cauterize is just nice.
I have to get a better handle on melee though since it seems to be part of her overall style.
Eh, depends, I think. Playing a controller-y build with a firefly mod and mostly incendiary weapons, I rarely melee unless I'm coming out of phasewalk with only one or two remaining enemies nearby. Mostly what I've been doing is coming out of cover only long enough to daze the bad guys and set them on fire and then ducking back under cover.
I will say, though, that I phasewalked/meleed much more at lower levels, before I got some nice elemental guns.
Herkimer, this is a spec I can get behind. Although, I would spec Spark early and then get out of it later in the game once I have x3 and x4 weapons. I would probably move those points over to High Velocity since doing more damage with each bullet would make sense later on. Plus, higher bullet velocity will probably help when I have to hit spinning ninja ladies in the new DLC.
My methodical play style is probably not going to work as well when there are boobs and swords flying everywhere.
Pitchford opens up on Gearbox, Borderlands a '3-million-unit game'
* By Brendan Sinclair, GameSpot
* Posted Feb 19, 2010 4:52 pm PT
DICE 2010: Studio president talks success of "looter shooter," outlines the philosophy and profit-sharing that helped his company sell 25 million games worth $500 million.
LAS VEGAS--As the last day of the DICE Summit kicked off, the vast majority of attendees were still recovering from the previous evening's 13th Interactive Achievement Awards. However, at the tender hour of 10 a.m. (by Vegas standards), Red Rock Casino's Summerlin Ballroom was again near capacity for a presentation from Randy Pitchford, president of Borderlands developer Gearbox Software.
Gearbox president Randy Pitchford.
To kick things off, Pitchford gave a little personal background, discussing his stints as a Universal Studios tour guide and a professional magician while studying law in Los Angeles. Now in suburban Dallas, Pitchford dropped out of law school and relocated to pursue a job making video games. To prove his gamer cred, he showed off his Xbox Live gamerscore, which is nearly 89,000 points.
Pitchford's first gig was at 3D Realms, where he worked on the original Duke Nukem. He left in 1997, though, so his involvement in Duke Nukem Forever was "limited," and he quickly skirted the subject. He then founded Gearbox with five other colleagues and still has the first dollar the company ever made framed on his office wall. The dollar bill would become a motif in this presentation, which emphasized the challenges of balancing artistic ambition and economic realities.
FROM HALF-LIFE TO BORDERLANDS
Gearbox's first dollar came from a Sierra Entertainment check for the expansion pack Half-Life: Opposing Force, which became the nascent studio's first hit in 1999. Pitchford said that even though he often worked 18-hour days and slept under his desk, it was one of the happiest times of his career, because he was actually building games. He said that he personally created about two-thirds of the game's levels himself.
Opposing Force was a hit for Gearbox and won an Interactive Achievement Award. By the time the game shipped, the company's payroll had grown to 13, and they enjoyed further success with the expansion packs Half-Life: Blue Shift and Half-Life: Decay. (The studio also contributed to the development of PC shooter phenomenon Counter-Strike.)
Opposing Force was critically hailed upon its release in 1999.
With money in the bank, Pitchford took Valve Software head Gabe Newell's advice and branched out to console development. "He told me there might be something in this PlayStation 2 thing that was coming out," joked Pitchford, as Gearbox would port the original Half-Life to the console in 2001. The developer went on to work on a series of games with major publishers--the PC edition of Tony Hawk: Pro Skater 3 with Activision (2001), James Bond 007: Nightfire with Electronic Arts (2002), and the PC port of Halo: Combat Evolved with Microsoft (2003).
Having enjoyed success working on existing intellectual properties, the company decided to make an original IP, the World War II shooter Brothers in Arms. Pitchford is very proud of the series, which has been published by Ubisoft. Although 2005's Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 and Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood were successes, the long-delayed third installment, 2008's Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway, was considered commercially disappointing.
However, the second time was the charm for Gearbox's original IP efforts, thanks to last fall's Borderlands. Pitchford took a moment to call out Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter (who was not present) for predicting that the action role-playing "looter shooter" would be effectively dead on arrival. The game had a tough launch slot last October, coming in between two top first-person shooters: Halo 3: ODST in September and Modern Warfare 2 in November. Pachter also believed that Dragon Age: Origins--which shipped just two weeks after Borderlands--would suck away RPG fans' dollars.
"You know, Michael, I knew you were wrong. Because I like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup--it's got chocolate and peanut butter," he joked, referring to Borderlands blending of role-playing and first-person shooter elements. (In press materials, Gearbox refers to the game as a "role-playing shooter.")
Borderlands went from being marked for death by analysts to a "3-million-unit game."
When the NPD Group's 2009 US sales numbers were in, Borderlands was the top new IP in the US. "We're now looking at a 3-million-unit game," declared Pitchford. It was unclear if he meant lifetime sales to date of the game--which had sold at least 2 million units worldwide as of December--or potential lifetime sales of the game. Gearbox reps had not responded to requests for clarification as of press time.
Gearbox has also enjoyed success with the game's two expansions, the critically acclaimed Zombie Island of Dr. Ned and the coolly received Mad Moxxi's Riot. However, Pitchford promised the next expansion, the upcoming Borderlands: The Secret Armory of General Knoxx, would be bigger than the two previous expansions combined. He also said that, in a move of Spinal Tap-ian logic, the expansion will raise the level cap by 11 instead of the 10-level bump common to role-playing game expansions. ( GameSpot previewed the Secret Armory of General Knoxx this week.)
GEARBOX'S PHILOSOPHY
With Borderlands' success, Gearbox has now sold 25 million games that have grossed $500 million since its founding. With its expanded bank account, Gearbox has itself expanded. The company has gone from occupying half a floor in a Plano, Texas, office tower to three full floors, including the penthouse.
As for its future plans, the company is working on two games, code-named "Cedar" and "Oak." The two projects were on an internal schedule slide that Pitchford presented, and he was somewhat alarmed that they could be clearly read on the large screen. "Good thing we code-name all our projects after trees," he said, laughing nervously.
Pitchford then went on to explain Gearbox's corporate philosophy. First and foremost, the company is about entertaining people--both a general audience and themselves. "I want to make sure that everything we do at our studio are things we want to do," he explained.
As a studio, Gearbox has three goals:
1. Be creative: "Be inventors and solve problems," as Pitchford put it.
2. Happiness: A harmonious workplace is key, so Gearbox applies the "3D policy" when hiring--"No drama, no dicks, no douche bags."
3. Make money: Game development is a business, so profit is key. Pitchford said the biggest challenge is that often creativity and happiness cost money. So it's important to always think about money, since that can help with the other two goals.
According to Pitchford, this studio's core mission is grappling with what he calls the "artist's dilemma." He says that as artists, the creative minds at Gearbox can visualize perfection very clearly, but nothing they--or any human--will ever do can be perfect.
He asked the audience, "So the question is, when do you stop [going for perfection]? How imperfect is 'good enough?'" He held up the example of the Mona Lisa, which is considered one of the greatest artworks of Western civilization. "It isn't perfect."
As a former programmer, Pitchford uses math to look at the world, and believes "Perfection is an asymptote." An asymptote is a line that forms a curve that approaches but never touches zero, instead going on infinitely.
After showing the asymptote curve in abstract, he shows the asymptote curve as Gearbox sees it: a curve between game quality vs. money. The curve won't ever touch perfection, but it will continue to cost the developer money as long as they can work on it.
"So where is the sweet spot? When do we stop [working on a game]? That's the dilemma we all face," explained Pitchford. He then went on to show how time skews the graph and accelerates costs. This problem brings up an obvious--and infamous--example.
"Now, this is where I could talk about Duke Nukem [Forever], but I'm not going to," Pitchford said. "I owe George Broussard…my career, so I am not going to say anything bad. I just want to make that clear to all the journalists out there."
SHARING THE LOOT
How does Gearbox determine where the "sweet spot" is? Pitchford says an aggressive profit-sharing scheme instills a sense of ownership in all Gearbox's employees. Through a combination of profit sharing, milestone incentive payments, stock options, and discretionary merit pay, Gearbox returns 40 percent of its profit to its employees, retaining the rest for its future development.
When asked by a former colleague why he gives away 40 percent of his profit, Pitchford said, "It's simple. I'm greedy, and having this system makes everyone work harder and allows other people to want to make good decisions…It makes every single person in the organization want to create a great product with maximum profit…and allows them to be team players. It allows us to say 'Oh yeah, this is the sweet spot,' and stop."
Wet Bandit, I like the Hunter build. I never thought to put so many points to the right though. I just thought Trespass is one of those skills that you want to put points in. Maybe it matters more in EP and Descent though and less against flesh.
In my experience, enemy shields never made much of a difference except against Guardians at the end. Otherwise, trespass struck me as good in theory, but less useful in practice.
Did you know that there are weapons outside of pistols that can have melee stuff? I didn't until I randomly melee'd with this shotgun:
It doesn't mention any melee stuff in the description, but the spike on the handle is used to bash enemies.
I don't know if it gives any bonuses, but it looks nice.
Now I wonder if there are more weapon types that can have bayonets and that I've just never seen it.
Herkimer, this is a spec I can get behind. Although, I would spec Spark early and then get out of it later in the game once I have x3 and x4 weapons. I would probably move those points over to High Velocity since doing more damage with each bullet would make sense later on. Plus, higher bullet velocity will probably help when I have to hit spinning ninja ladies in the new DLC.
My methodical play style is probably not going to work as well when there are boobs and swords flying everywhere.
Yeah, I ought to respec one of these days, but I'm very lazy
edit: wow, Thursday? OK, at level 48 now. Two levels in four days is totally doable.
I think once my tax return comes in I'll be buying this for 360, since I want to play that new DLC and my PC can no longer run the game (my video card fried).
Does the storage added in Mad Moxxi's allow you to access the same guns from any of your characters or is it per character? And you can drop in and out from your normal playthrough or any NewU to trade out weapons?
I haven't gotten any of the DLC since I've only completed playthrough 1 and have a Sniper at lvl 37 and Siren at 27 (who is at Rust Commons East). But looking to start playing Dr. Ned with a friend and figured it may be good to have a stash for the nice weapons I find that I can give to my Siren.
Also, started playthrough 2 with my Sniper and now I see that you shouldn't do the side quests until you are lvl 50? confused.
Does the storage added in Mad Moxxi's allow you to access the same guns from any of your characters or is it per character?
Pretty sure it's per character.
And you can drop in and out from your normal playthrough or any NewU to trade out weapons?
Yes, as soon as you unlock fast travel in your playthrough.
Also, started playthrough 2 with my Sniper and now I see that you shouldn't do the side quests until you are lvl 50? confused.
1) Playthrough 2.5 isn't really a full third playthrough (hence 2.5). Any quests that you've completed will not be available. However, quests that you have not yet done will be available. Hence, ph4t lewts
2) It's pretty easy to be overleveled in playthrough 2. Skipping the side quests ensures that enemies will typically be equal level, thus more challenging.
well crap, is there anything that you should try to lvl up before you play? (bosses that don't return that you should hit only at lvl 50) I just started playthrough 2, so perhaps I haven't missed too much.
Posts
Also, back to the rocket launchers from page 24. I have a rocket launcher with x4 elemental of each kind but I just do not use them. I am not even sure I know how to use them. Maybe it is because I haven't done a Brick run through, but I am level 1 proficiency with my level 42 Hunter.
While I wait for Knoxx, I am not going to play my 42 Hunter any more just in case the exp does not keep adding up. So, I started a Siren run-through. Wow, she is so much more overpowered/easier/etc than the solider or hunter. The ability to just disappear when things get too hot and regenerate heath while doing that is just amazing. It makes bloodwing seem dumb. I have to get a better handle on melee though since it seems to be part of her overall style.
pleasepaypreacher.net
I mostly like the ability to pick up virtually any weapon and rock face with it. It feels a lot like my original Brick, but less streak dependent.
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
pleasepaypreacher.net
guess I will have to start working my way through to catch up!
peace,
jaggedge
That's actually my biggest issue with Roland: his action skill is almost worthless.
He can handle his own, but when the other classes have cool, interesting action skills, Roland's crappy turret is a disappointment.
Meh if you go gunslinger bloodwing is useless, and while bricks punching is fun for the guy punching, it makes seing enemies god damn impossible for anyone else. They all have their uses.
I use rolands turrent (turret turrent? I forget which one is the proper spelling and which one is that thing arabian castles have), for a distraction/bosses in arena. Which I finished playthrough 2's arena just need to do 1's (should be easy as the enemies won't be 50 right?)
pleasepaypreacher.net
That's the gunslinger build I prefer. It's got almost all of the key damage abilities and it turns bloodwing into a health leech with a 13 second CD. It doesn't have trespass, but it's easy enough to re-spec for that during the few parts of the game where enemy shields are an issue. And when Knoxx comes out, there'll be enough points to have both trespass and a health leech all the time.
And really, if Brick's punching a guy, you'd be better-served finding another enemy to target because Brick's gonna take care of the one he's punching.
That is one of my favorite things about Roland, though, his cauterize let's him shoot into a Brick-induced ruckus and either hurt the enemy or heal Brick. Very useful.
I like my solider build which is medic/shotgun. I think though that if you are going to play Roland whether you spec it or not, the turret is great at drawing away fire and the occasional secondary elemental effect. My biggest problem is when someone is playing Roland and then doesn't use it at all.
Plus, in co-op games, having some kind of heath regen either on the turret or through cauterize is just nice.
Eh, depends, I think. Playing a controller-y build with a firefly mod and mostly incendiary weapons, I rarely melee unless I'm coming out of phasewalk with only one or two remaining enemies nearby. Mostly what I've been doing is coming out of cover only long enough to daze the bad guys and set them on fire and then ducking back under cover.
I will say, though, that I phasewalked/meleed much more at lower levels, before I got some nice elemental guns.
My methodical play style is probably not going to work as well when there are boobs and swords flying everywhere.
Steam profile.
Getting started with BATTLETECH: Part 1 / Part 2
pleasepaypreacher.net
In my experience, enemy shields never made much of a difference except against Guardians at the end. Otherwise, trespass struck me as good in theory, but less useful in practice.
It doesn't mention any melee stuff in the description, but the spike on the handle is used to bash enemies.
I don't know if it gives any bonuses, but it looks nice.
Now I wonder if there are more weapon types that can have bayonets and that I've just never seen it.
General Knoxx is coming out tomorrow on XB360 and Thursday for PC and PS3. $10 pricepoint.
Gearbox Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/GearboxSoftware
Personal Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/PezRadar
You have ruined my week's plans!
Steam profile.
Getting started with BATTLETECH: Part 1 / Part 2
The Division, Warframe (XB1)
GT: Tanith 6227
Edit: oh a gearbox-dude, please fix Bricks non-functioning mods.
You guys weren't kidding when you said it was coming soon.
That gives me a few days to cap my Soldier to 50 in prep for Knoxx.
Origin: Galedrid - Nintendo: Galedrid/3222-6858-1045
Blizzard: Galedrid#1367 - FFXIV: Galedrid Kingshand
I am so freaking excited for this piece of DLC.
Yeah, I ought to respec one of these days, but I'm very lazy
edit: wow, Thursday? OK, at level 48 now. Two levels in four days is totally doable.
I'm just so happy.
Xbox Live / Steam
This guy.
pleasepaypreacher.net
PS2
FF X replay
PS3
God of War 1&2 HD
Rachet and Clank Future
MGS 4
Prince of Persia
360
Bayonetta
Fable 3
DS
FF: 4 heroes of light
Playing borderlands after marathon masturbation?
pleasepaypreacher.net
Drinking alone?
http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197991893336
I haven't gotten any of the DLC since I've only completed playthrough 1 and have a Sniper at lvl 37 and Siren at 27 (who is at Rust Commons East). But looking to start playing Dr. Ned with a friend and figured it may be good to have a stash for the nice weapons I find that I can give to my Siren.
Also, started playthrough 2 with my Sniper and now I see that you shouldn't do the side quests until you are lvl 50? confused.
Pretty sure it's per character.
Yes, as soon as you unlock fast travel in your playthrough.
1) Playthrough 2.5 isn't really a full third playthrough (hence 2.5). Any quests that you've completed will not be available. However, quests that you have not yet done will be available. Hence, ph4t lewts
2) It's pretty easy to be overleveled in playthrough 2. Skipping the side quests ensures that enemies will typically be equal level, thus more challenging.
360 Patch Notes (Comes 2/23)
http://gbxforums.gearboxsoftware.com/showthread.php?t=97399
PS3 Patch Notes (Comes 2/25)
http://gbxforums.gearboxsoftware.com/showthread.php?t=97400
PC Patch Notes (Comes 2/25)
http://gbxforums.gearboxsoftware.com/showthread.php?t=95764
Gearbox Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/GearboxSoftware
Personal Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/PezRadar