Demonicon - Preview @ RPS

Dhruin

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Alec Meer has a very late preview of Demonicon from Gamescom, having finally gotten around to writing about it and, unfortunately, not remembering a whole lot of detail:
Oh, and I established that there’ll be one big city you can always revisit to see how your decisions are affecting the world and its people. Plus, you’ll have a house there, where you might find gifts from fans or, distressingly, a “a cat nailed to the door as a threat from the enemies you have made.” I really don’t want to find dead cats at my house,thanks.
More information.
 
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To be honest, the combat trailer looked awfully stiff, straight forward and perfunctory. Reminded me somewhat of Arcania too, which is not a good thing.

Perhaps it'll appear more interesting when details come out about the writing, story and choices that the article mentions. The Witcher comparisons seem a bit implausible, but I guess we'll see. But at this juncture, I'm definitely not seeing the TDE connnection - or is it merely in name only?
 
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The game takes place in a completely different area than what you know from previous games. And it is definitively more action-oriented.

The Black Lands have come into being as a result of the mighty Borbarad being defeated in the Third Demon Battle - the same Borbarad who had been living throughout several incarnations already, he is even mentioned by the Elves in Drakensang 2 - and they mean a former incarnation ! He had been calling himself "Borbarad" at least in 2 incarnations.

After being defeated, the infamous "Demon Crown", he had probably never been wearing, or only for a few seconds or minutes, was destroyed, and is most mighty allies fled with its splinters. They became the Heptarchs of the Black Lands, and used everything Black Magic related they could use to strengthen their positions there.

That's the reason why Black Magic and necromany are more thn common in the Black Lands . Undead ones and Demon are a common sight, the rulers are ruthless, the Paktierers (those Black Mage who had been willing to go into a pact with an Arch Demon) were willing to sacrifice even whole villages to get more undead troops or jut to give them as a "present" to their Arch Demons ... The people are so much suppressed that they have even begun praying to the Arch Demons masked as "dark deities" instead ... Light is rare.

There have been better developmnts, though, Warunk has become a Praiocracy (like a Theocracy, only with Praios as the main God), because Praios has saved them, the currently highest Consecrated One of the Goddess Peraine is establishing an Enclave, and several ones of the former Heptarchs have been killed throughout the last 10 years.

The Black Lands are definitively a dark land. And so is the game.
 
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kinda weird almost everything I read got me excited about the game but almost everything I saw in the video turned me off. Liked the art direction, more realistic I don't like cartoon graphics. Not happy with the action combat. looked way to hack-n-slash almost like diablo with the enemies surrounding you and you just keep hacking. The glowing orbs looked ridiculous and reminded me of fable. Would have liked to see a party based system like drakensang but I guess that's to much to ask in this day and age. The c&c sounded very promising if they can pull it off.
 
This is an early demo. Things might look better at one point.
But I must admit that I don't know too much about it myself, since I don't monitor it regularly.
 
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The game takes place in a completely different area than what you know from previous games. And it is definitively more action-oriented.

So basically, it's dark and gritty and action oriented, like every so-called RPG these days.

Et tu Dark Eye?
 
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So basically, it's dark and gritty and action oriented, like every so-called RPG these days.

Et tu Dark Eye?

The developer always said what the game was. The game since it was first announced before the delay was advertised as a action rpg.
 
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Well, before Kalypso had bought it, it was never so much clear. And TGC seemingly never went into "big developing" with it, only doing so much that for a new press release new material could be shown, as far as I had understood it.
Basically, what Kalypo did, was nothing but a reboot.
 
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Well, before Kalypso had bought it, it was never so much clear. And TGC seemingly never went into "big developing" with it, only doing so much that for a new press release new material could be shown, as far as I had understood it.
Basically, what Kalypo did, was nothing but a reboot.

If you visited the old webpage when if was first announced the screenshots basically showed a Diablo clone. I'm not surprised.
 
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I'm not really surprised. I expect every title that is released nowadays to trend toward the action crowd god forbid anyone actually think in a game anymore, just react. i'm just saying I'd rather have combat like drakensang.
 
If you visited the old webpage when if was first announced the screenshots basically showed a Diablo clone. I'm not surprised.

Can't understand why so many lies are spread about this game.

I'll quote directly from the horses mouth (André Schmitz) http://forum.kalypsomedia.com/showthread.php?tid=8546
Änderungen wie Wegfall Multiplayer

Means: NO multiplayer - so no main Diablo game feature.

Daniel Heßler, ein erfahrener DSA-Autor, ist bei uns festangestellt und unser Kontaktmann zur Redaktion. Wir stellen daher auch auf der Detailebene sicher, dass wir Konform mit der Redaktion sind. Zusätzlich führt Chromatrix Abnahmen durch, um die Kohärenz der Lizenz zu waren.

Means: They have a TDE author as an employee and Chromatrix checks the compliance with the TDE licence - so no bastard TDE game.

Wie viel DSA steckt in Demonicon: Wir lieben Aventurien, weil keine andere Rollenspielwelt so liebevoll und detailreich gestaltet ist. Diesen Schatz wollen wir unbedingt in Demonicon haben. Da braucht man auch nichts zu amerikanisieren oder dergleichen. Aventurien hat das Potential zum deutschen Exportschlager! Beim Regelwerk hingegen müssen wir, wie alle bisherigen DSA Interpretationen auf dem Computer, Kompromisse eingehen.

Means: No americanization, but like ALL TDE games before: compromises are neceassary [Sir_Brennus: Even the Northland trilogy games are not by far as complex as the P&P game]

Demonicon als RPG oder Action-RPG?: Um dieses Thema gibt es wohl die meisten Missverständnisse. Demonicon wird kein Action-Rollenspiel wie Diablo oder Sacred. Es handelt sich um ein storylastiges Spiel mit Entscheidungsknoten und geschicklichkeitsorientierten Kämpfen. Das Action-Element lässt sich am ehesten mit Spielen wie „The Witcher“, „Gothic“ oder „Venetica“ vergleichen.

Means: Demonicon won't be an ARPG like Diablo or Sacred. It's more like "The Witcher" or "Gothic"

That may set some things straigt.
 
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Means: NO multiplayer - so no main Diablo game feature.

You interprete :

D. = MP game

I interpret :

D. = Action game

This is very different from one another.

From my perspective, your insisting that Demonicon has no MP and is therefore no D. clone, makes not much sense, because I see it as an action game as its main game feature.

In my definition, the main game feature is action, not MP. I don't even understand how you came to the thought that Demonicon could be an MP game ? TDE games have never been MP games ! And no-one plans them to be ! (See Sativan's Chains or Under the Coppermoon)

And last : They DO say that it will be an "action-oriented game.

For ME, this is nearly the same as an action-RPG, no matter what they say.
 
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Means: Demonicon won't be an ARPG like Diablo or Sacred. It's more like "The Witcher" or "Gothic"

That may set some things straigt.

Actually that's not precise.

The action element will be comparable to Gothic, The Witcher or Venetica.

The game itself might well be completely different.
 
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Actually that's not precise.

The action element will be comparable to Gothic, The Witcher or Venetica.

The game itself might well be completely different.

Well thats misleading. It's the non-action portions of the game that separate those games from Diablo or Sacred. If you just take the combat and ignore everything else, there are differences yes but you are basically still hacking and slashing.
 
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Can't understand why so many lies are spread about this game.

I'll quote directly from the horses mouth (André Schmitz) http://forum.kalypsomedia.com/showthread.php?tid=8546

Änderungen wie Wegfall Multiplayer

Means: NO multiplayer - so no main Diablo game feature.

Huh I didn't know Diablo was considered a MP game. I never played online and was talking of the hacking and slashing. So there any other comments about misinformation?

Just refer to Alrik's post if you need to understand. Its what I think also.
 
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I am baffled. How could someone not get this? I'll try again

Demonicon als RPG oder Action-RPG?: Um dieses Thema gibt es wohl die meisten Missverständnisse. Demonicon wird kein Action-Rollenspiel wie Diablo oder Sacred. Es handelt sich um ein storylastiges Spiel mit Entscheidungsknoten und geschicklichkeitsorientierten Kämpfen. Das Action-Element lässt sich am ehesten mit Spielen wie „The Witcher“, „Gothic“ oder „Venetica“ vergleichen.

Translation:
Demonicon as an RPG or an Action-RPG?: Probably there are the most misunderstandings regarding this topic. Demonicon won't be an Action-roleplaying game like Diablo or Sacred. It is a story heavy game with choice and consequence and player skill based combat. The action element is most likely comparable with games like "The Witcher", "Gothic“ or „Venetica“.


I think this is obivous. Demonicon is no Diablo clone. End of story.
 
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I am baffled. How could someone not get this? I'll try again

I think this is obivous. Demonicon is no Diablo clone. End of story.

Yeah I heard this bullshit before we shall see. Seriously you seem to be the one with a problem here. I only said the combat will be the usual click fest.

So I think I'm done here but you never answered my question how is Diablo a mp game?
 
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A combat demo was playable at the GC. It was bland and had no personality whatsoever. I guess they only showed it to communicate that Demonicon will be different to Drakensang.
 
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They've done quite a lot of talking before. After TGC's misleading PR tactic and development chaos (as far as you could hear from Kalypso reps) they really can't expect a warm welcome. There is a point where you need evidence for people to believe. They have to show more proof for their intentions. What they've shown so far is more similar to Fable and Devil May Cry. Even Demonicon's artwork reminds me of God of War and Dante's Inferno. From what I've seen so far, I don't get the "Gothic" feeling and (imho) Venetica is more of an action-adventure than a RPG. I doubt Kalypso has the expertise to provide a significant CRPG experience. They are good in providing midbudget german-style simulations and strategy games. Chromatrix will approve for a compatibility to the franchise, but not for an interesting gameplay or profund CRPG experience.

€dith: German preview, date September 7, 2011

Worth mentioning:
- wave combat
- Mass Effect dialog wheel
- live essence (the glowing points seen in the RPS video) as part of the magic system

The main question is, if you rate Mass Effect as an CRPG or an ARPG. Depending on this Demonicon might be an CRPG.
 
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