Risen 2 - Previews @ Strategy Informer, VG247

I just don't know what PB were thinking taking crystal magic out of the game. What a way to lose a good part of your support base!!
 
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I've always wondered why developers seem to find it so hard to make one interface for consoles and one for PCs. Usually, all it takes is just a slightly different menu system in addition to keymapping.

Of course, getting oldschool Gothic style controls is almost over the top hardcore, but you certainly won't see me complaining!
 
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I hope that voodoo magic will be more than just a supplement to my skills like crafting or I'll be one sad rat.

Like Corwin, I always go down the mage path. I wasn't exactly happy with the crystals, but they were ok. If they have more choices then all is forgiven :)

Can't believe they got rid of crystals and bows. Archery is my second choice when making a new character after the mage. Weird they would get rid of so much and replace it with…..firearms? which are supposed to be slow and definitely not a skill that you are supposed to use all the time like magic/archery.

Why do I have this feeling that they may have taken some notes from Fable III? Please god say that ain't so :p (BTW don't get all hot and bothered. I'm just joking…sorta)

I'm hoping they took notes from Mount & Blade Fire & Sword. Those guns are great, but I only use them once or twice before my army smashes into the enemy with swords and shields. I don't have a whole army just decked out with firearms or I would be wiped out quickly.
 
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I hope that voodoo magic will be more than just a supplement to my skills like crafting or I'll be one sad rat.

Like Corwin, I always go down the mage path. I wasn't exactly happy with the crystals, but they were ok. If they have more choices then all is forgiven :)

I dunno how they will implement a voodoo magic system, or if they've even discussed it publicly… But when I hear Voodoo I think of a wide array of various superstitions - curses/hexes, charms/blessings and undead/zombies. It has potential as an alternative "magic system", but why the departure from previous established lore? Why not a mix of both(magic systems)?

I'm somewhat apprehensive over the introduction of guns too… But if they pull off a good pirate aRPG with strong exploration/open world environment I'm down.
 
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but why the departure from previous established lore?

The same reason they went with the pirate theme? They think that people are tired of seeing the same stuff, at least that's what they've said in interviews.

I doubt i'll get tired of classic fantasy settings. I dont mind the Pirate theme though, i just need to find a good pirate book to read before i play it to get in the mood hehe (anyone got recommendations? ;) )
 
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I dunno how they will implement a voodoo magic system, or if they've even discussed it publicly… But when I hear Voodoo I think of a wide array of various superstitions - curses/hexes, charms/blessings and undead/zombies. It has potential as an alternative "magic system", but why the departure from previous established lore? Why not a mix of both(magic systems)?

I have the same thing in mind when I think voodoo with curses, charms and zombies. Witchy/necro themed magic sounds great to me. Sorta Beliar style magic, but the sad thing is that in Gothic we had two different magic schools with a host of spells to choose from, Gothic 2 and three had three different schools and now we are down to one.

I hope the other areas of the game is what they concentrated on because as of now it seems they are scaling back everything that made PB famous in the first place.

I'm hoping that they have changed the game in other ways to make up for this. I can handle only one magic school and firearms if it means they can concentrated on the rest of the game to make it better.

I wonder if that rumor about it being as big as G3 is true. If so then I can see why they'd want to use their resources to make that instead of having a more robust magic system.
 
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The same reason they went with the pirate theme? They think that people are tired of seeing the same stuff, at least that's what they've said in interviews.

Sure I get that - it's just the sum of the changes that sort of scares me. A sequel that deviates too far from it's predecessor is rarely good(I'm still hopeful they pull it off as I really enjoyed the first couple acts in Risen).

All the changes/tweaks to a unique formula I actually like are a bit unnerving. Story-driven(to the detriment of exploration?), pirate themed, more humor(which can easily be overdone), multiple dialog options, no jumping outside of hotspots, guns, voodoo, ect ect. seem like a seismic shift to me… Don't get me wrong, I am hopeful… Albeit not entirely certain they can deliver a game in the spirit of Risen 1 or prior gothics with some of their upcoming changes. Time will tell.

I doubt i'll get tired of classic fantasy settings. I dont mind the Pirate theme though, i just need to find a good pirate book to read before i play it to get in the mood hehe (anyone got recommendations? ;) )

To get into the role/mood you could always go to a theme party or a bar/pub and start calling the women wenches and the dudes land lubbers or some such… Oh and acquire a foul mouthed parrot to adorn your shoulder! :p

I hope the other areas of the game is what they concentrated on because as of now it seems they are scaling back everything that made PB famous in the first place.

I'm hoping that they have changed the game in other ways to make up for this. I can handle only one magic school and firearms if it means they can concentrated on the rest of the game to make it better.

Yeah, that is exactly how I feel atm. Hopefully that sentiment is way off base.

I wonder if that rumor about it being as big as G3 is true. If so then I can see why they'd want to use their resources to make that instead of having a more robust magic system.

I'll be shocked if Risen 2 is as large as G3.
 
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To get into the role/mood you could always go to a theme party or a bar/pub and start calling the women wenches and the dudes land lubbers or some such… Oh and acquire a foul mouthed parrot to adorn your shoulder! :p
Haha, sounds fun. The parrot i already have since many years actually, an african grey. Funny and also extremely annoying creatures..
I'll be shocked if Risen 2 is as large as G3.

I'm 100% sure they count the water too, same as Two Worlds 2. It's a rather convinient way of "cheating" ;) In this preview it says: "the world of Risen 2 is far larger than that of its predecessor, bigger than Gothic 3's, even." No way that means the land mass is bigger than Gothic3. Impossible.
 
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Yep. The playable landmass is almost certainly not as huge as Gothic 3.
On a semi-related note, Björn Pankratz of PB just last week revealed in this interview that the only reason that Gothic 3 got so big was that they were planning to have player mounts (horses). Then the whole horse-riding thing didn't work out on a gameplay level and they had to remove horse-riding while still being stuck with the huge world. Due to time constraints they had successfully worked themselves into a corner. They had no time to reduce the world size and no time to fill the huge world with content so that's how Gothic 3 ended up being the way it is or was...
 
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The universal agreement when Gothic 3 was released was that PB had bitten off more than they could chew. I would think being smaller than G3 is good thing.

Agreed. Bigger is not necessarilly better. I'd rather have a smaller world, but with more depth.

-Sergorn
 
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Tell that to all the fans of Oblivion, New Vegas, Fallout 3, Morrowind or better yet Daggerfall :p

But I do agree with smaller is sometimes better. Gothic wasn't that large, but it was damn fine game. I expect something better from Risen and the old Gothic's than another Bethesda style game. They've always been better than Bethesda games because of the story and the combat.

I was just wondering if the rumor I read somewhere on this forum was true and if it was then it would makes sense that they scaled back on other areas such as magic to pool their resources into making this world.
 
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Funny thing about Gothic 3 is that I enjoyed it more than Gothic 2 - and perhaps even more than Gothic UNTIL I finally understood how flawed it was.

I started out thinking the combat system was something I could adjust to, and that there'd be some way of overcoming the "boars" and I expected it to have been given more balance attention.

I was absolutely immersed in that game for ~50 hours or so, when I finally gave up because of savegame corruption and the dawning of the realisation that it just wasn't balanced at all.

Which is why I'd love for PB to attempt something like that again, but naturally when they're in a place with the freedom/clout to pull it off.

Truth be told, I'd almost rather have another Gothic 3 than another Risen.
 
I was absolutely immersed in that game for ~50 hours or so, when I finally gave up because of savegame corruption and the dawning of the realisation that it just wasn't balanced at all.

You should try it with the Latest CP and Alternative AI and Balancing on.
Personally I have a 3rd playthrough going with the CPs (starting with 1.6 I believe).
I only managed to go halfway through in my first (pre CP) playthrough and then
shelved it until it was fixed.

Truth be told, I'd almost rather have another Gothic 3 than another Risen.

I actually liked G3 more than Risen. Not because Risen was practically a remake/rehash
(Love that really) but because the game was too small/limited in many regards. Still Loved the game and I expect to replay it a couple more times in the future (but nowhere near the times I've replayed the Gothics).

Risen 2: I am afraid I have to agree with Skavenhorde. Is starting to feel a bit like a less childish/inane Fable. I desperately hope I am wrong.
 
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You should try it with the Latest CP and Alternative AI and Balancing on.
Personally I have a 3rd playthrough going with the CPs (starting with 1.6 I believe).
I only managed to go halfway through in my first (pre CP) playthrough and then
shelved it until it was fixed.

I've tried it a few times, and I still like it alot - but I'm afraid my first experience has all but ruined my ability to be immersed in the world like that again. I think the magic of the first time was that I didn't know the limitations of the story and how they populated the world with treasure and stuff like that. I'm also a big "character development" guy - and once I've experienced the various abilities and powers, I'm much less likely to be engaged again.

I'm just not very good at revisiting stuff once I've been sufficiently absorbed and have had the "magical" first experience. I "suck" the energy out of things :)

Hehe, that didn't sound quite right, did it….

I actually liked G3 more than Risen. Not because Risen was practically a remake/rehash
(Love that really) but because the game was too small/limited in many regards. Still Loved the game and I expect to replay it a couple more times in the future (but nowhere near the times I've replayed the Gothics).

Risen 2: I am afraid I have to agree with Skavenhorde. Is starting to feel a bit like a less childish/inane Fable. I desperately hope I am wrong.

Yeah, agreed on all counts.

Well, except I don't think Risen 2 will be much like that. I just worry it's a step towards that for PB, which I think would be devastating. I'm not ready to lose interest in another beloved developer!
 
Tell that to all the fans of Oblivion, New Vegas, Fallout 3, Morrowind or better yet Daggerfall :p

Well I think Daggerfall is a prime exemple of "Bigger is not better". I honestly have a strong dislike for that game and I've been enjoying Bethesda's game more and more basically because they seem to have realise this and tend to offer smaller worlds than before but with more interesting content.

Which is why I'd love for PB to attempt something like that again, but naturally when they're in a place with the freedom/clout to pull it off.

Truth be told, I'd almost rather have another Gothic 3 than another Risen.

I really didn't care about Gothic 3 - as I said on another topic (and even if it will get people to roll their eyes) I found much more enjoyment in Arcania than in it. This really was one of my biggest gaming dissapointment of all time... I enjoyed it at first, and the farther I got into the game, it got worst as I realized how repetitive it was, how little dialogues and plot there was and so on. Finally talking to Xardas... that felt like a very very cold shower. I often see people saying how the Community Patch fixed Gothic 3, but Gothic 3's issue ran far deeper than anything that could be "patched out".

That's not to say the game has no redeeming quality (the world design was impressive, and it was gorgeous to look at), but it was basically my worst Gothic nightmare came true. When they announced how big Myrtana will be and how many cities it would have my first fear was "Oh boy, I hope it's gonna be too big for its good and PB won't end up bitting more than they can chew"... and this is of course exactly what happened.

But... I can recognize, acknoledge and applaud PB for trying something different to bring Gothic into a new direction rather than playing it safe and do yet another game with the same Gothic 1/2 formula.

After the dissapointment that was Gothic 3, I loved Risen basically BECAUSE it was a Gothic 2-like, but I have to admit that PB really did played it safe there, which is understandable but a tad dissapointing. I mean they could have tried to improve on the Gothic 3 formula for instance.

So I'm not too sure what to expect with Risen 2, hopefully it'll bring more new stuff to the tables besides pirates and guns.

-Sergorn
 
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I often see people saying how the Community Patch fixed Gothic 3, but Gothic 3's issue ran far deeper than anything that could be "patched out".

I agree. Even though the CPs did improve the game somewhat, my two biggest complaints - the lame combat and overall repetitiveness, are still issues. I'll take Gothic 1+2+Risen any day.

Still.. G3 was WAY better than Arcania. :)
 
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Very good news! I'm very excited about the exploring aspect being rewarding. Not very many developers these days seem to take advantage of player curiousness when it comes to adventuring (save a couple, as opposed to a decade ago). Explore and experiment, I always say.

I'm surprised JDR hasn't posted yet. I'm curious to know his input, since he's a huge Risen fan, I believe.

Edit: Spoke too soon (or too late)! Posted the same minute I did. :p
 
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I'm surprised JDR hasn't posted yet. I'm curious to know his input, since he's a huge Risen fan, I believe.

Edit: Spoke too soon (or too late)! Posted the same minute I did. :p

Heh heh.. that was interesting. :)

I'm not so much a Risen fan as a Piranha Bytes fan in general. I've really enjoyed every game they've developed so far. Some more than others.. but I like them all.

I'm definitely excited about Risen 2, and I like almost everything I've seen so far. My only concern is how well the gun combat is going to work. Specifically, I don't like what I've seen of the aiming reticule so far.
 
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I often see people saying how the Community Patch fixed Gothic 3, but Gothic 3's issue ran far deeper than anything that could be "patched out".

Gothic 1,2 and Risen are story driven, mostly open world games. Gothic 3 is an almost completely open ended sandbox RPG. The amount of "story" and lore is arguably more
than in the other games, but there is no exposition or narrative whatsoever and certainly not a guided plot/Main quest. You kinda have to dig yourself for what story there is.

The fix you are implying means making a different Kind of game really. Its obvious by your
dislike of Daggefall i.e. (not to mention liking the superlinear mind numbingly boring Arcania more) that this simply is not a kind of game you like at all…

Which is Ok of course :) I like both types and would love to see an Improvement of the Gothic 3 formula (Less repetitiveness, better Combat and more meaty content and well written characters/quests) instead of a more streamlined, accessible, casual and closed in Risen.
 
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