Larian Studios - Next Projects Update

You mean isometric? DD didn't use a top-down view.

Oh what would you call it then? It was a top view like bladur's gate just without the pause button.
 
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You mean isometric? DD didn't use a top-down view.

Oh what would you call it then? It was a top view like bladur's gate just without the pause button.


Double_Facepalm.jpg



Sorry, but you were just asking for it… ;)
 
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DD is more comparable to Diablo than BG2, and is most certainly an action RPG.

In any case, I'll probably try either one. I'm not sure which approach I like more nowadays - Baldur's Gate or Gothic? Both are excellent.
 
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Oh well cant win every time. You say tomato I say potato.Wont bother posting a silly image. Now what will be the title. Any Suggestions?
 
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DD is more comparable to Diablo than BG2, and is most certainly an action RPG.

I played it few months ago and it sure as hell felt so. It might have similar perspective to BG but that`s about it. Constant clickfest was also the reason I never finished it.
Though I still might one day, because it was a great game too: fantastic atmosphere, huge world, no Diabloesque randomness, combat pause, attention to detail, etc...

Judging by the reviews DKS is certainly worth playing too...not sure about the dragon bit, but I believe I can live with it. As long as it`s no worse than Drakan: Order of the Flame ;)

I think Larian, even with mistakes made, is a great independent studio, a rarity these days
 
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To be honest, I think Lar is actually referring to an isometric perspective instead of a top-down view. He's probably just using the wrong words. It would definitely be cool, but I don't see a publisher accepting a true top-down RPG anytime soon these days.

Regardless of what he is talking about, I am interested in both the projects. I know a lot of people disliked the Dragon-form parts of Divinity 2 (and Vincke seems to know that they didn't manage to pull off these parts very well), but I still think it's a good idea. D2 had a lot of wide-open environments, and I still think it's very cool to be able to explore every nook and cranny of those areas with some sort of flying-thing. The mechanics were bad in the game, but I thought that the idea was good.
 
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-1 for Project E -> Simplistic top-down/iso point and click gameplay from a decade ago can go and DIAF, kthx ;) .
 
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WHY does it have to be an ACTION RPG??????? I WANT a TB game thank you very much!! :)

It's time they took on a new challenge and something different!! :)

I wrote quite the same in the linked thread.

They'll read and they know me - but I have no idea what they'll do with my opinion. ;)

I don't even care as long as they are successful enough to try out other ideas. ;)
 
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I think Larian will produce two good games. Lars is really very vague about both of them. While the 'dragon' feature of Divinity 2 is something I could do without, it is entirely possible that they could implement a dragon feature that would be captivating and fun.

Just got to wait and see really.
 
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I do love to see a top-down perspective Divinity game in the future. I think Divine Divinity is the best game of the series and it would be great to play a Divinity 3 in the future that looks and plays like the first game. Don't get me wrong I like Divinity 2, especially the expansion is great with all its' wonderful quests. But, for me D2 could not give me the freedom feeling that DD have given unfortunately.

DD was the game that made me love the action RPG games. Before DD, I have hated Diablo and all other action RPGs. I had thought playing action RPG's was pointless, time consuming, sillyness, but after the release of Divine Divinity I saw that I had been wrong. DD showed to me a good solid RPG can be played in a isometric action RPG gameplay.

I believe Diablo 3 can bring back the old popularity of the isometric view RPGs. And this time Diablo 3 will give us more roleplay than other game in the series. The fact that they hired Leonard Boyarsky (Fallout concept designer, ex-Troika employee) is the evidence, this time there will be a better construsted world, quests, etc. And this popularity will be able to attract the publishers to this potential and this can be a great opportunity for Larian and its'new isometric Divinity game.

Probably the most wise course of action for Project E is to follow the example of Torchlight or Magicka. I think going with a relatively low budget, getting an agreement with Steam (because releasing in the Steam platform brings the games enough marketing and popularity) and set the game a budget price can be a best course of action for a isometric Divinity game. And maybe Project E can provide some of the cash that required for the Project D.

I do hope we can see the release of both of these projects. Each of them are exciting me much than the other.
 
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DD was the game that made me love the action RPG games.

In my opinion, DD is much more than just an action RPG. If it were just an action RPG then all DD would ever have been is a forgettable Diablo clone.

DD successfully merged 3 strengths typically found separatley in other games into a single game. Arguably, these 3 strengths are perhaps not as deep as when they are experienced individually in a separate game, Larian gave them each enough depth to create a very compelling game.

1) They included the action RPG aspect of Diablo with its hordes of enemies, wide assortment of random loot, and a lot of skills to choose from.

2) They provided an interesting story along with memorable NPCs (taking a que from Baldur's Gate).

3) They provided a moderatley interactive gameworld similar to Ultima VII. This interaction was found with manipulations to the environment, structures, and objects.
 
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To be honest, I think Lar is actually referring to an isometric perspective instead of a top-down view. He's probably just using the wrong words...

Isometric would hardly be a better word because it's a technical to mimic 3D, that game will probably be in real 3D with a view angle fixed and close to what was used for classical isometric games.
 
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I don't see them going back to an isometric view, at least not for a Divinity sequel. Perhaps for a spin-off/side story, but definitely not for Divinity 3.

Being that there was a seven year gap between DD and Divinity II, a lot of Eco Draconis/DKS fans never played DD, and might not be too warm to the idea of a sequel with a fixed camera view.
 
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In my opinion, DD is much more than just an action RPG. If it were just an action RPG then all DD would ever have been is a forgettable Diablo clone.

DD successfully merged 3 strengths typically found separatley in other games into a single game. Arguably, these 3 strengths are perhaps not as deep as when they are experienced individually in a separate game, Larian gave them each enough depth to create a very compelling game.

1) They included the action RPG aspect of Diablo with its hordes of enemies, wide assortment of random loot, and a lot of skills to choose from.

2) They provided an interesting story along with memorable NPCs (taking a que from Baldur's Gate).

3) They provided a moderatley interactive gameworld similar to Ultima VII. This interaction was found with manipulations to the environment, structures, and objects.

That's exactly what I was trying to say. Before DD I always thought it's the action gameplay that alienate me from action RPGs. But DD showed me not the action combat, but actually the shallow role playing in other Diablosque games was the main culprit. DD showed me action combat mechanics can be mixed with classic roleplay elements (freedom, exploration, interactivity, memorible quests and NPCs,etc..) For this reason it's one of my all time favourites.
 
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For this reason it's one of my all time favourites.

Same here. Divine Divinity is up there with U7 in terms of my favorite all time games.
 
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Sorry, but I have a short question :

What is the difference between "top-down" and "isometric view" ?

Alrik
 
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Sorry, but I have a short question :

What is the difference between "top-down" and "isometric view" ?

Alrik

Topdown = Bird's Eye view = Looking directly at the heads of the characters - like in the old Grand Theft Auto games.

Isometric = "2.5D" view = A titled/skewed look at the characters, used in games like Ultima 7/8 and a zillion others.
 
Ah, okay. I think I often mix both.
 
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