Planescape: Torment

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A sinister AD&D fantasy RPG produced by Guido Henkel (Realms of Arkania games), Planescape Torment is powered by the Infinity engine that was also used in the Baldur's Gate series and Icewind Dale.
You play a scarred, amnesiac immortal in search of his identity. You awake on a cold stone slab in the Mortuary of the City of Sigil. You have no idea how you got there, who you are, or any of your past identity(s). You must escape and explore the strange world to uncover the secret of your death and rebirth...
More information.
 
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Planescape: Torment is a story driven crpg of the so called "Nameless One" that takes place in Sigill - the center of the AD&D-Multiverse. The game has memorable NPCs like

Morte, the floating skull,
Dak'kon, a githzerai,
Nordom, a modron disconnected from its species' hive mind,
Fall-From-Grace is a succubus-proprietress of the Brothel of Slating Intellectual Lusts,
Vhailor an animated suit of armor,
Ignus, a pyromaniacal mage,
Annah-of-the-Shadows, a young and brash thief and tiefling.

Your main character - The Nameless One - has one main quest: "Who am I and why I am immortal ?" - he has to travel through Sigill, through planes, through his own mind and past existences to find answers.

The game is not combat heavy, there are some interesting factions in the game and a lot of dialog; in fact the game is like an interactive novel. Many quests can be solved by asking the right questions and giving the right answers at the right time.

If you're searching for an unique crpg with many new ideas, lots of dialog, non-standard races, interesting party interaction and a cool story - here's your game.
 
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Planescape: Torment is a story driven crpg of the so called "Nameless One" that takes place in Sigill - the center of the AD&D-Multiverse. The game has memorable NPCs like

Morte, the floating skull,
Dak'kon, a githzerai,
Nordom, a modron disconnected from its species' hive mind,
Fall-From-Grace is a succubus-proprietress of the Brothel of Slating Intellectual Lusts,
Vhailor an animated suit of armor,
Ignus, a pyromaniacal mage,
Annah-of-the-Shadows, a young and brash thief and tiefling.

when you describe the characters like that, its sound familiar to the cast in NVN2 OC
 
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This might explain why I've had trouble getting into MotB.
 
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I still call Kaelyn-the-Dove or whatever her name is Fall-From-Grace instead.

My favourite NPC from PS:T did not make a return in MotB though: Dak'kon. Fully exploring his dialogue options as a mage with high int/wis is quite interesting.
 
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This might explain why I've had trouble getting into MotB.

And this doesn't explain why I've had trouble getting into PS:T. I never succeed leave the morgue and wonder how players find the patience to finish that part. I was bored to hear that there's something I don't know and there's to know, for me the heavy insistence was very bad tedious writing.
 
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Not only we had patience, we explored it in so much detail that in the end we got (or was it later when you return to explore it just in the case you didn't miss something) an ability to
resurrect party members.
PST is not Diablo. Every single detail counts. Exiting the morgue too fast means skipping many interesting stuff.
 
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I know I know my opinion on the game means nothing because I haven't really played it yet. But reference Diablo is bad, because it reminds me that this beginning of PS:T is showing one of the most crappy fights design that I ever played only beat by Arcanum.

And for both it's far to be a detail because it's a main part of the game from number of fights to number of skills and items just related to fights. I'm impressed that some players can suffer such tedious moments in a game but for me it's one more reason why I couldn't bear the beginning of this game (but at replay attempts the story telling in the morgue was always the reason to "enough I give up").

And don't underestimate the digging I could have done in the game in this game beginning, even that I found it a poor bad design with hidden stuff with zero hints, it's crap "secret" design. Well it's an ambiguous point because the hints quality is nothing objective.

EDIT: One very weird thing is I remember have first played it at release with a French version and I noticed this version seems have vanished and many players had guaranty me that it was released only in English and only a mod was adding a French version. Alas I just have the box and lost the CD.
 
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Planescape: Torment


game-208.gif
Classification: CRPG

Design: W-RPG, Low Fantasy, Dark, Gritty
Theme: Philosophy
Setting: Mythic, Crossworlds, Metaphysical Place
Combat Style: Pauseable Real-time
Reward System: Experience
Play Style: Single-player
Point of View: Isometric
Color Palette: Subdued
Control: Full Control
Voice Acting: Partially Voiced
Character Backstory: Predefined, Free-form
Playtime: 40-60 hours
Funding model: Publisher





I. Defining Features


The three core categories Character Development, Exploration and Story that need to be applied and quantified to determine if an interactive computerized game can be labeled as a Computer Role Playing Game (hereafter referred to as CRPG) are listed to show the necessary component elements and qualifying factors.

Any proposed or purported CRPG must contain all three core categories and their essential necessary Must Have conditions fulfilled to achieve the (minimal) CRPG status.

These core categories must maintain some form of progressive nature that will improve from when the game starts and leads to a conclusive game ending.

1. Character Development
Describes ways to create, change or enhance your characters in order to increase their effectiveness in the game.
  • MC1: You can control and role-play one or more unique characters (➙ avatar or party, not only uniform units.) Yes
  • MC2: You can progressively develop character stats or abilities (➙ e.g. through an in game value (usually exp. points) gained by quests, exploration, conversation, combat, …) Yes
  • MC3: You can equip items to enhance character stats or abilities Yes
  • MC4: Stat checks are required (➙ you need to develop your character in order to progress and finish the game) Yes
2. Exploration
Includes how you can move through the game world, as well as everything you can find, see, manipulate or interact with, like locations, items and other objects.
  • ME1: You can find new locations Yes
  • ME2: You can find and collect items (➙ There is an inventory. There must be more item types than quest items, weapons, ammunition or consumable stat boosters) Yes
  • ME3: You can find information sources (➙ e.g. NPCs, entities, objects that provide info) Yes
3. Story
Concerns all narrative elements like setting, lore, plot, characters, dialogue, quests, descriptions, storyline(s) and similar, including how you can interact with them.
  • MS1: You can get information from information sources (➙ e.g. hints, goals, quests, skills, spells, training, …) Yes
  • MS2: You can follow quests (➙ there is at least one main quest) Yes
  • MS3: You can progress through connected events while playing your character's role. Yes
Each core category and the auxiliary category Combat also have related Should Have conditions; the reviewer should make a comment if a sub list item is not fulfilled. Should one or more (SH) not be fulfilled the game is most likely a special CRPG (see Tags) or a CRPG light.

If all (SH) are fulfilled too there's no further discussion necessary — the game is a true CRPG.

1. Character Development
Describes ways to create, change or enhance your characters in order to increase their effectiveness in the game.
  • SC1: You can create your characters. Yes — You can distribute some stat points in the game at character creation, but that's it.
  • SC2: Pre-planning is required for character development Yes
  • SC3: Tactical use of abilities is required (➙ primary means of problem solving, gameworld interaction and overcoming challenges. The player's physical coordination skills are secondary.) Yes
2. Exploration
Includes how you can move through the game world, as well as everything you can find, see, manipulate or interact with, like locations, items and other objects.
  • SE1: You can find NPCs (➙ non-player characters who you can interact with.) Yes
  • SE2: You can choose a path (➙ there is at least some branching.) Yes
  • SE3: You can interact with the game world (➙ e.g. you can pull levers, push buttons, open chests, hack computers, … appropriate to the game's setting) Yes
  • SE4: The gameworld can affect your characters' conditions or circumstances such that you have to learn and adapt to overcome these challenges (➙ e.g. weather, traps, closed doors, poisoned areas, …) Yes
  • SE5: Inaccessible areas can be reached due to character enhancements or by solving quests or puzzles (➙ e.g. unlock locked areas, overcome obstacles, repair bridges, dispel barriers, …) Yes
3. Story
Concerns all narrative elements like setting, lore, plot, characters, dialogue, quests, descriptions, storyline(s) and similar, including how you can interact with them.
  • SS1: You can interact with information sources (➙ e.g. NPC conversations, riddle statue questions, …) Yes
  • SS2: You can make choices in those interactions. Yes
  • SS3: Some of those choices have consequences. Yes
  • SS4: Thinking is required in order to progress (➙ e.g. irreversible choices, moral dilemma, riddles, …) Yes
  • SS5: The story is influenced by your decisions and your characters' actions and stats or abilities. Yes
4. Combat (Meta)
Describes how combat (or more general: conflict resolving) corresponds to elements of Character Development, Exploration and Story.
  • SF1: Combat is influenced by character stats or abilities (➙ e.g. amount of damage, chance to hit, weapon access, …) Yes
  • SF2: Combat involves random elements (➙ e.g. game internal dice rolls.) Yes
  • SF3: Combat provides some challenge (➙ e.g. requires preparation, use of tactics or environment.) Yes
Planescape: Torment is a CRPG.


II. CRPG Elements


Optional elements are listed in the Nice to Have (NtH) list. With it you get precise information which optional CRPG elements are implemented in the game. A general game info questionnaire is added too, to do some rating.

Choice
  • You can name your characters. No
  • You can choose a gender. No
  • You can choose looks or voice. No
  • You can choose or create through play your own class, profession or race. Yes — You can change your class later in the game by talking to certain people.
  • You can choose traits, alignment or disposition. Yes — Your alignment changes based on your actions during the game.
  • You can choose abilities. Yes
  • You can choose spells. Yes
  • You can modify primary stats. Yes
  • Lots of different equipment is available. Yes
  • Lots of different spells or abilities are available. Yes
  • Abilities can unlock or block others or branch. No
  • Character classes or development paths can be changed during the game. Yes
  • You can have pets as party members. No
Interdependence
  • (Story) Character stats can change NPC disposition towards the PC. Yes
  • (Story) Stats, abilities or spells can affect available dialogue options. Yes
  • (Story) Unique items are in the game or can be made. Yes
  • (Exploration) Stats, abilities or spells can affect available paths through the game world. Yes
  • (Exploration) Stats, abilities or spells can affect the amount of things you can see, find or know in the world. Yes
Interactivity
  • You can create combos with spells or abilities. No
  • Your character's stats can be modified by using spells or abilities. Yes
  • Your character's afflictions can be cured by using spells or abilities. Yes
  • You can rest or sleep. Yes
  • Stats can limit in some way what you can equip or carry. Yes
  • You can control party members or pets like your main character. Yes
Immersion
  • You need to specialize (➙ can't have everything.) Yes
  • You can create or choose a background story for your character. Yes — Yes and no. Quite a unique aspect of this game.
  • You can tweak your character lots of times over the whole game. Yes
  • You can wear normal clothes, not only armor. No — There are, however, many different, interesting items to wear.
  • Factions provide prizes for your deeds (➙ e.g. houses, medals, ranks, …) Yes
  • Magic is in the game in some form. Yes
  • Your characters can be afflicted with negative status effects (➙ e.g. diseases, fatigue, etc.) Yes
  • Your characters can eat or drink. Yes — Can, but don't have to.
Choice
  • You can follow different paths to reach a goal. Yes
  • You can reasonably go where you want. Yes
  • You can return to previously visited locations. Yes
  • There are few artificial borders, rare level loading. No — The infinity engine is based on individual areas.
Interdependence
  • (Character) Char development choices can affect available paths through the game world. Yes
  • (Character) Char development choices can affect the amount of things you can see, find or know in the world. Yes
  • (Story) You can find and recruit new party members or tame pets. Yes
  • (Story) Exploring off the beaten path yields rewards, e.g. optional quests, secrets or interesting locations. Yes
  • (Story) You can visit and make use of social locations (➙ e.g. taverns, inns, marketplaces.) Yes
Interactivity
  • You can collect items (➙ there is an inventory.) Yes
  • You can trade items for currency and better equipment. Yes
  • You can interact with items. Yes
  • You can break or destroy items. Yes — Weapons can break upon use.
  • You can repair items. No — ?
  • You can move items. No
  • You can combine or disaggregate items. No
  • You can gather pieces of flora or fauna for later use. No
  • You can craft equipment, spells or items (➙ e.g. alchemy.) No
  • Inventory size is limited. Yes
Immersion
  • There is a place you can call home. No
  • You can explore lots of unique, beautiful and interesting locations. Yes
  • Locations can evolve or change (➙ e.g. town / destroyed town.) Yes
  • There are non-hostile creatures (➙ e.g. wildlife.) No
  • Types of creatures make sense in the area they are encountered in. Yes
  • Creatures are wandering persistently (➙ no random encounters.) Yes
  • Looting makes sense (➙ no shield on a dead wolf.) Yes
  • Time is measured (➙ e.g. there is a day/night cycle.) Yes
  • Time affects the game world (➙ e.g. some things are only available at night.) No
Choice
  • You can reasonably do what you want when you want to do it (➙ quest order doesn't matter much.) Yes
  • Some quests depend on each other. Yes
  • Some quests rule others out. Yes — Not sure, but I think so. Perhaps in regard to factions.
  • Quests can be solved in more than one way. Yes
  • You can join factions, though not all at the same time. Yes
  • You can make moral choices (or romance choices.) Yes
Interdependence
  • (Character) Character stats can change NPC disposition towards the PC. Yes
  • (Character) Char development choices can affect available dialogue options. Yes
  • (Character) Unique items are in the game or can be made. Yes
  • (Exploration) You can find and recruit new party members or tame pets. Yes
  • (Exploration) Exploring off the beaten path yields rewards, e.g. optional quests, secrets or interesting locations. Yes
  • (Exploration) You can visit and make use of social locations (➙ e.g. taverns, inns, marketplaces.) Yes
Interactivity
  • Dialogue is fleshed out (➙ there are multiple options in one conversation.) Yes
  • There is more than one game ending. Yes
  • You can have conversations with party members or take care of pets. Yes
  • There are many side quests. Yes
  • State of the game changes in accordance with the player's actions. Yes
  • You can solve or create conflicts between factions. Yes
Immersion
  • Lore is provided (➙ context, faction rules, laws, history, …) Yes
  • There are different factions (➙ races, groups, guilds.) Yes
  • NPCs or party members are well developed (➙ expansive background stories, etc.) Yes
  • NPCs or party members interact with each other. Yes
  • NPCs have schedules. No
  • There are surprises and twists. Yes
  • The storyline is character-driven (➙ character development within the narrative.) Yes
  • There is a proper ending or sense of closure. Yes
  • There are memorable antagonists. Yes
  • Your main character is defined. Yes — Both yes and no. The game is quite unique in this area.
Units
  • Combat can be avoided due to stats (➙ e.g. enemies flee) No
  • You can control at least six characters. Yes
  • Your characters are specialized (➙ different battlefield roles.) Yes
  • Enemies are specialized (➙ require different tactics.) Yes
  • Resource management is necessary. Yes
  • Units have multiple attack options. Yes
  • Delayed attacks are possible (➙ e.g. counterattacks, attacks of opportunity, etc.) No
  • Movement-focused special abilities are available. No
  • Units have multiple resistance options (➙ e.g. armor, elemental resistance, etc.) Yes
Environment
  • Combat can be avoided through sneaking or gameworld manipulation. No
  • You can get a good sense of space (➙ e.g. there is a grid.) No
  • Combat can start at variable distances. Yes
  • Directional facing plays a role (➙ e.g. more damage from behind, flanking.) Yes
  • Terrain is variable (➙ e.g. natural choke points, cover, combat bonuses.) Yes
  • Terrain can be manipulated (➙ e.g. you can create barriers.) No
  • There are elevation effects (➙ e.g. combat bonuses from higher grounds.) No
  • There can be zones or items on the battlefield that reward units who get there in time. No
  • There can be Zones of Danger on the battlefield (➙ e.g. environmental damage.) No
Scenarios
  • Combat can be avoided through dialogue. Yes
  • Combat can have different win scenarios (➙ e.g. keep NPC alive, defend town.) No
  • Combat can have side objectives aside from "win/loss". No
  • Characters don't die immediately but can be revived during combat. No
  • Decisions on the battlefield have character development consequences. No
  • There are memorable bosses. Yes
Roleplay Focus: Character : Exploration : Story = 0.78 : 0.68 : 0.96
Gameplay Focus: Choice : Interactivity : Immersion = 0.74 : 0.73 : 0.81
Combat Focus: Units : Environment : Scenarios = 0.67 : 0.33 : 0.33


III. Fun Features


1. Character Development
Describes ways to create, change or enhance your characters in order to increase their effectiveness in the game.
  • FC1: Are there useless skills? No
  • FC2: How would you rate character progression? Balanced
  • FC3: Is there auto-leveling of some sort? No
2. Exploration
Includes how you can move through the game world, as well as everything you can find, see, manipulate or interact with, like locations, items and other objects.
  • FE1: Is Auto-Mapping available? Yes
  • FE2: Is Fast Travelling available? No
  • FE3: Are there quest markers? No
  • FE4: Is there a quest compass? No
  • FE5: How much realism is there? Balanced
  • FE6: How much looting is in the game? Some
3. Story
Concerns all narrative elements like setting, lore, plot, characters, dialogue, quests, descriptions, storyline(s) and similar, including how you can interact with them.
  • FS1: Does the story follow cliched paths? No
  • FS2: How linear is the game? Network-like
  • FS3: How would you rate the suspense? Ok
  • FS4: Are there pre-selected options? (➙ Choice is reduced.) No
4. Combat (Meta)
Describes how combat (or more general: conflict resolving) corresponds to elements of Character Development, Exploration and Story.
  • FF1: How much fighting is in the game? Some
  • FF2: Grinding: Is filler combat necessary to develop your character? No
5. Interface

  • FX1: How often is gameplay interrupted with loading? Sometimes
  • FX2: How would you rate the game's interface? Ok
6. Difficulty

  • FD1: How difficult is the game? Normal
  • FD2: Can difficulty be adjusted? Yes
  • FD3: How balanced is trading? Good
  • FD4: How much reloading is necessary to beat the game? Some
  • FD5: How good is the AI? Medium
  • FD6: How much handholding is there? Little
7. Gameplay Features

  • FG1: Are there Easter Eggs? Yes
  • FG2: Are there minigames? No
This fact sheet was created using CRPG Analyzer 1.01 Beta.
 
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Roleplay, Character, high value? I felt it as one of the worst character building ever.

Gameplay, immersion? Gee looks very bizarre to me that "immersion" is gameplay value. Without to mention that immersion looks to me as a total subjective value, and no way means interesting. Do I forget I play a RPG? Never ever.

EDIT: But there's probably some schism here, I read a comment complaining some RPG was feeling like a toy, no immersion value. For me deepest RPG succeed provide me the feeling it's a great toy, not meaning it's not serious, but meaning it's something I have to play with and related to manage many things. Difficult to explain, I quoted it more recently probably because it's a fun I have less and less, and a sort of limit between boredom management and toying fun.

EDIT2: Immersion isn't interesting, isn't great story, isn't attaching characters, isn't great character building, isn't great combats, isn't great exploration, isn't great puzzling, isn't great equipment building, so what? For me it looks like a non relevant characteristic. And then there's a schism, for some players it really means something. I hope they don't confuse it with get interested by enough to forget close-by environment, because this isn't realism, play a chess game and argue it's realist; nobody will believe you. So yeah immersion would mean something, but nothing related to realism or sort of simulation, but just how interesting and captivating is the game. Too vague and too general characteristic in my opinion, just a word nice to use and avoiding analyze why you like a game and what you like in it, just vague comfort, not information.
 
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nice bug :lol:
12k rings in a container
 

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