Yeah, get on that. Turn the combat difficulty down to Easy, if you want - that'll just reduce enemy armor and HP and make the fights go by a lot quicker. Make sure you cast every spell at least once, though - the animations are fantastic.
That's always my biggest cripe with video games that tout "open ended" stuff; you still get the best reward for just killing everything. [...] However, in pretty much every game to date (or at least the ones I've played) killing everything is the best reward.
The other pitfall to avoid when doing this is making the best way to complete things being "complete the quest by talking, and then kill everything anyway for the kill XPs."
Yeah, that's what I mean. Take all experience away from killing. So the best they'd get from completing it and then killing everyone is maybe some money/gear, but then there may be the repercussion that it is found out they did it and things get tougher down the road.
Speaking of that, I just read about the original Torment. I never played, but it very much sounds like it is a kind of game where combat isn't a necessity (although Wiki doesn't say if killing everything anyway is still the better reward). It's 2E, which I am 'eh' on, but maybe if I don't have to worry as much about combat I can find more enjoyment in that system. I'll have to add it to my list.
Yes, the vast majority of your XP in Torment will come from quests and dialogue, rather than combat. Combat is still there, and frequently annoying and pointless, but it's far less frequent than most similar titles, and doesn't generally reward you more than a smattering of XP. Whereas some end-game quests/dialogue options result in literally gaining millions of XP at once.
I'll keep that in mind.
And yeah, never played the original Torment for the same reason I never finished BG or BGII; after a few hours of AD&D combat I get frustrated and put the game down.
My memories of combat in Torment are basically clicking on the bad guys and using some spells every once in a while. It's not exactly Baldur's Gate II.
One thing I think they'd need to do to make that work well is remove experience from killing shit and make it part of learning/accomplishing shit. That's always my biggest cripe with video games that tout "open ended" stuff; you still get the best reward for just killing everything. Instead, make the experience be awarded for completing the mission (retrieve the royal gem). You can choose to kill everything along the way, sneak in and take it without being seen or maybe persuade/bribe the guard on duty to distract the other guards while you make a clean getaway. All of those should offer the same reward (but maybe different repercussions). However, in pretty much every game to date (or at least the ones I've played) killing everything is the best reward.
I think if you did that, you'd go a long way to making combat feel less like a necessity and more like one of several options.
I'd love for the option to basically go through the game with minimal or no combat, by stealth or application of non-combat skills.
One thing I think they'd need to do to make that work well is remove experience from killing shit and make it part of learning/accomplishing shit. That's always my biggest cripe with video games that tout "open ended" stuff; you still get the best reward for just killing everything. Instead, make the experience be awarded for completing the mission (retrieve the royal gem). You can choose to kill everything along the way, sneak in and take it without being seen or maybe persuade/bribe the guard on duty to distract the other guards while you make a clean getaway. All of those should offer the same reward (but maybe different repercussions). However, in pretty much every game to date (or at least the ones I've played) killing everything is the best reward.
I think if you did that, you'd go a long way to making combat feel less like a necessity and more like one of several options.
I'd love for the option to basically go through the game with minimal or no combat, by stealth or application of non-combat skills.
I normally love combat, but I agree. It'd be nice to occasionally be able to say 'Yeah, I'd rather do this to solve the problem' and have it work and not feel like I missed out.
One thing I think they'd need to do to make that work well is remove experience from killing shit and make it part of learning/accomplishing shit. That's always my biggest cripe with video games that tout "open ended" stuff; you still get the best reward for just killing everything. Instead, make the experience be awarded for completing the mission (retrieve the royal gem). You can choose to kill everything along the way, sneak in and take it without being seen or maybe persuade/bribe the guard on duty to distract the other guards while you make a clean getaway. All of those should offer the same reward (but maybe different repercussions). However, in pretty much every game to date (or at least the ones I've played) killing everything is the best reward.
I think if you did that, you'd go a long way to making combat feel less like a necessity and more like one of several options.
I'd love for the option to basically go through the game with minimal or no combat, by stealth or application of non-combat skills.
I normally love combat, but I agree. It'd be nice to occasionally be able to say 'Yeah, I'd rather do this to solve the problem' and have it work and not feel like I missed out.
Designers are more aware that players, when they do something unusual (like avoid a fight) expect the rewards to be either equivalent or, perhaps, better.
Although there are also times where entering combat should not be the ideal outcome to an encounter but the rewards end up being better. That's something we haven't seen enough of.
Did it bother anyone that it talks about the caravan master stroking his long beard, or whatever, but the NPC portrait they were using doesn't have one?
Did it bother anyone that it talks about the caravan master stroking his long beard, or whatever, but the NPC portrait they were using doesn't have one?
"Beard" is a euphemism for "penis" in this fantasy world. Remember, because they aren't being controlled by a publisher, Obsidian is finally able to make a mature game.
The pathfinding and game state code is being completely redone. We have been reworking it since before E3, but it is pretty extensive. Unfortunately, it won't be ready in time for the initial Backer Beta launch. It is about 90% ready, but it needs to be 100% before we can integrate it back into our main code branch. I would expect that it will go into one of our first beta updates.
The pathfinding and game state code is being completely redone. We have been reworking it since before E3, but it is pretty extensive. Unfortunately, it won't be ready in time for the initial Backer Beta launch. It is about 90% ready, but it needs to be 100% before we can integrate it back into our main code branch. I would expect that it will go into one of our first beta updates.
Wow this game is riffing on IE games so hard it's even having IE path finding problems! Blast from the past...
Yeah, get on that. Turn the combat difficulty down to Easy, if you want - that'll just reduce enemy armor and HP and make the fights go by a lot quicker. Make sure you cast every spell at least once, though - the animations are fantastic.
That's always my biggest cripe with video games that tout "open ended" stuff; you still get the best reward for just killing everything. [...] However, in pretty much every game to date (or at least the ones I've played) killing everything is the best reward.
The other pitfall to avoid when doing this is making the best way to complete things being "complete the quest by talking, and then kill everything anyway for the kill XPs."
Yeah, that's what I mean. Take all experience away from killing. So the best they'd get from completing it and then killing everyone is maybe some money/gear, but then there may be the repercussion that it is found out they did it and things get tougher down the road.
Speaking of that, I just read about the original Torment. I never played, but it very much sounds like it is a kind of game where combat isn't a necessity (although Wiki doesn't say if killing everything anyway is still the better reward). It's 2E, which I am 'eh' on, but maybe if I don't have to worry as much about combat I can find more enjoyment in that system. I'll have to add it to my list.
Yes, the vast majority of your XP in Torment will come from quests and dialogue, rather than combat. Combat is still there, and frequently annoying and pointless, but it's far less frequent than most similar titles, and doesn't generally reward you more than a smattering of XP. Whereas some end-game quests/dialogue options result in literally gaining millions of XP at once.
I'll keep that in mind.
And yeah, never played the original Torment for the same reason I never finished BG or BGII; after a few hours of AD&D combat I get frustrated and put the game down.
If I remember right there's less than five battles that you don't have a choice about regarding participation. You can talk, reason, or worm your way out of nearly every conflict.
We have some important information for you regarding the Backer Beta and how to manage your pledge. We also have exciting news for you regarding Wasteland 2 keys and how you can get your key from the backer portal. Our next update will be focused on how to redeem your Eternity beta keys and special Backer Beta information.
Important Backer Information
A few very important changes will be happening on August 22nd.
First, we will be ending the crowdfunding period for Eternity. This means that as of August 22nd, you will only be able to preorder the game and will be unable to back the game at reduced prices. If you have already backed the game before August 22nd this won't have any effect on you, but if you would like to back an additional copy of the game at reduced prices or buy any add-ons, please make sure you do it before August 22nd.
Second, we are completely locking all tiers on August 22nd. This is necessary so we can start the manufacturing process for the various fulfillment rewards.
We are going to completely lock down all surveys as well. We locked these surveys a few months ago for anyone that had in-game content (items, NPCs, inns, etc.), but we were still allowing people to enter in content for their credits and memorial stones. So, if you have any remaining credits or memorial stone surveys to finish, please do so before the 22nd.
Wasteland 2
If you backed a tier which included a Wasteland 2 key we have exciting news for you. Starting now, you can head over to the Products tab in your Account Profile to snag your Wasteland 2 Steam key. Please note: Only Steam keys are presently available. If you want Wasteland 2 on GOG, that won’t be available until InXile has released the game.
On the account page, you will want to click the link on the left that reads "Products." This tab displays all of the products you have associated with your account.
Click on the Wasteland 2 entry to expand the entry.
Once the Wasteland 2 entry is expanded, click on the "Generate" button.
You will be asked to confirm that you would like to generate a key for Wasteland 2. If you wish to generate a key at that time, press the "Generate Key" button.
If you generate a key, you should see a banner at the top of the tab that confirms your success.
Expand the Wasteland 2 entry again and you should see your key with instructions in how to install it on Steam.
Enjoy your post-apocalyptic experience!
Backer Portal Additions
Darren and the web support team have been hard at work adding some additional functionality into the backer portal to make it easier to manage your pledge and your account. Below we will discuss a couple of the new features and how to use them.
Address Verification
For those of you that will have physical goods shipped to you, you may now view your address on record. If you have a physical goods order, please verify that the address we have on file is correct. You’ll have some time to update us if not; we’ll let you know exactly when we need to stop taking address changes.
Once you are on your Account Profile page, you can click on the "Addresses" tab and view your default address on record. If this address is incorrect, you can click the Edit link below the address to update us.
For now this will bring you to a form where you can request that the Obsidian team changes your address, but in the future we will add in functionality for backers to edit their addresses directly.
Add-on Purchases
One of the cool new features we have been working on is the ability for backers to purchase additional add-ons without having to create a new order or cancel existing orders. This means if you would like to add a beta key add-on (or any other add-on) to your order you can do so easily.
It is as easy as heading to your pledge management page and pressing the "Buy Addons" button. This will take you to a list of add-ons that we have available for purchase. Please note: Physical addons will no longer be available after August 22nd!
Backer Beta
Backer Beta is still on track to be released on August 18th. There were some key pieces of information I wanted to make sure everyone knew about, though:
We will be releasing the Backer Beta on Steam only. The reason for this is because Steam makes the process of uploading new builds much easier than other platforms. This will allow us to put out updated versions of the game more quickly than we could otherwise. The main game will still be available on all previously promised options (Steam, GOG, etc.)
You will be able to download your Backer Beta key from our backer portal. Once we release the Backer Beta, we will send instructions on how to get your key.
The Backer Beta key WILL NOT be the same key that you use to get the final game. It will only give you access to the beta version of the game. The main reason we are doing this is so that backers are not locked into Steam for the final version of the game. For example, you can use Steam for the Backer Beta and GOG for your retail copy of the game if you wish.
For feedback, we will be creating a special forum for Backer Beta discussions and bug reports. Our QA Lead, Matthew Sheets, will be on the forums often to collect data and get it input into issues for the team to fix.
Initially, we are releasing the Backer Beta on Windows only. We are still working out a few kinks on Mac and Linux, but we expect that we will be able to release those a few weeks after our initial release, if not sooner. We want to get Mac and Linux players in the game as soon as possible too.
That's it for the update. Our next update will be when we release the Backer Beta!
Arquebuses do the most damage per shot of the firearms (and are the least-inaccurate) but are the slowest to reload. Pistols do less damage than arquebuses and are less acurrate but reload faster. Blunderbusses reload as fast as pistols and are quite inaccurate -- but they fire 8 projectiles that each do a small amount of damage. If the target does not have much armor and has low Deflection, or if it's from a Sneak Attack, blunderbusses are the most devastating.
theovf22stuff said: Hey Josh, just another question. The Backer Beta will give you a clear impression of how players approach the early game content, providing the team with information on what can be modified, removed or introduced. Without that kind of information for the later parts of the game, and only a small team working on PoE, how do you balance it? How do you approach it?
Our Backer Beta actually targets mid/high levels (5th-8th). Due to testing our E3/press demo and a few hours past that, I think we have a pretty good idea of the strengths and weaknesses of various classes/attributes in the early game. As an example, I recently re-ordered the rogue’s starting abilities because Finishing Blow and Dirty Fighting, while nice, seemed much less fundamental than the combination of Crippling Strike and Sneak Attack at 1st level. We also know that there’s currently a bias against Resolve and Perception for characters who aren’t in the front line, so we’re thinking about ways to address that.
With no information to go on other than the 5-8 are mid/high levels, I would think the game is setup for most people to complete it around level 10.
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AkimboEGMr. FancypantsWears very fine pants indeedRegistered Userregular
edited August 2014
There are actually two 'caps' to consider.
What is the intended maximum level of the system they've made for Eternity?
What is the level they expect most people will reach by the end of PoE?
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Give me a kiss to build a dream on; And my imagination will thrive upon that kiss; Sweetheart, I ask no more than this; A kiss to build a dream on
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I'll keep that in mind.
And yeah, never played the original Torment for the same reason I never finished BG or BGII; after a few hours of AD&D combat I get frustrated and put the game down.
I'd love for the option to basically go through the game with minimal or no combat, by stealth or application of non-combat skills.
I normally love combat, but I agree. It'd be nice to occasionally be able to say 'Yeah, I'd rather do this to solve the problem' and have it work and not feel like I missed out.
Although there are also times where entering combat should not be the ideal outcome to an encounter but the rewards end up being better. That's something we haven't seen enough of.
I was thinking that too, but then thought I missed an update somewhere.
Also, from the quick-look ...
Did it bother anyone that it talks about the caravan master stroking his long beard, or whatever, but the NPC portrait they were using doesn't have one?
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Wow this game is riffing on IE games so hard it's even having IE path finding problems! Blast from the past...
If I remember right there's less than five battles that you don't have a choice about regarding participation. You can talk, reason, or worm your way out of nearly every conflict.
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August 18th. Just a little over a week away.
https://eternity.obsidian.net/backer/addons
if someone wants to get a beta key.
That's not good.
Too much load I imagine.
From the 17th to 19th centuries, yes. And arquebus were an early rifle.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blunderbuss
With no information to go on other than the 5-8 are mid/high levels, I would think the game is setup for most people to complete it around level 10.
What is the intended maximum level of the system they've made for Eternity?
What is the level they expect most people will reach by the end of PoE?