Pillars of Eternity - Patch 3.03 Live, New Novella

I can't get excited about PoE, regardless of patches. This was the biggest disappointment for me of any modern game. Possibly because I was looking forward to it for so many years. Possibly because it couldn't handle the mantle of spiritual successor to the beloved classics of my youth. Maybe bad luck given other great RPGs were released that year. I have no desire to revisit, whereas I've replayed DoS and did another partial re-run of Wasteland 2. I've always thought this was mainly due to lackluster combat and lack of meaningful leveling choices as the game progressed (combat got so easy save for a few battles it didn't matter). But now I have a new theory to test out with you…

I think maybe there's a subconscious linkage between the mood/atmosphere direction and the game platform being used. And I think that darker/moodier/serious themed games don't work anymore with old-school isometric style interface (which is what PoE was). If you want to be serious - basically more realistic - I think you have a higher chance of pulling that off in a more modern 3D environment.

My evidence:

* The original BG games were not very dark/brooding. They were more light hearted.
* Notable old school games there were more dark/serious (Planescape) worked at that time because they were using the most modern engines back then.
* DoS released same time as PoE and I believe it was better received…the style direction matched well with the old school (but modernized) isometric engine. Same with Wasteland…it was more satire type writing, although dark. It wasn't ultra serious.

It will be interesting to see how this new Tides game does. My theory would predict lackluster reception. We'll see.

I also think that D&D 2.5, in all its min-maxing glory, was great fun for this type of game. I sometimes think that these attempts to innovate away the imbalances and cheese drains the fun out of things. I know where I am with THAC0 and a +3 magic sword.

I love when fantasy games try to feel realistic.Obsidian seems to want to move as far away from that as they can to balance out gameplay.Stuff like having to make sure you have enough arrows,while tedious,just makes for a more realistic feel.Now I hear that Tyranny has done away with friendly fire?

Originally Posted by bizorker
I can't get excited about PoE, regardless of patches. This was the biggest disappointment for me of any modern game. Possibly because I was looking forward to it for so many years. Possibly because it couldn't handle the mantle of spiritual successor to the beloved classics of my youth. Maybe bad luck given other great RPGs were released that year. I have no desire to revisit, whereas I've replayed DoS and did another partial re-run of Wasteland 2. I've always thought this was mainly due to lackluster combat and lack of meaningful leveling choices as the game progressed (combat got so easy save for a few battles it didn't matter). But now I have a new theory to test out with you…

I think maybe there's a subconscious linkage between the mood/atmosphere direction and the game platform being used. And I think that darker/moodier/serious themed games don't work anymore with old-school isometric style interface (which is what PoE was). If you want to be serious - basically more realistic - I think you have a higher chance of pulling that off in a more modern 3D environment.

My evidence:

* The original BG games were not very dark/brooding. They were more light hearted.
* Notable old school games there were more dark/serious (Planescape) worked at that time because they were using the most modern engines back then.
* DoS released same time as PoE and I believe it was better received…the style direction matched well with the old school (but modernized) isometric engine. Same with Wasteland…it was more satire type writing, although dark. It wasn't ultra serious.

It will be interesting to see how this new Tides game does. My theory would predict lackluster reception. We'll see.

For me I feel the reason it just didn't grab me was the pulling away from striving to maintain realism.For example removing strength and calling it might and that is the power of your attacks.You want the players minds to feel a difference in characters and giving an 18 strength to a fighter and a 12 strength to a wizard gives that feel.Its a subconscious feeling that this new system removes for me.Every character is the same and then meh its all the same its boring is where my mind goes.

Originally Posted by wolfen
I love when fantasy games try to feel realistic.Obsidian seems to want to move as far away from that as they can to balance out gameplay.Stuff like having to make sure you have enough arrows,while tedious,just makes for a more realistic feel.Now I hear that Tyranny has done away with friendly fire?

And has regenerating health. At least in PoE that regenerating health was supposed to be stamina or something.

I consider Tyranny an action RPG now with some story and I will play it as such.

Originally Posted by Archangel
And has regenerating health. At least in PoE that regenerating health was supposed to be stamina or something.

I consider Tyranny an action RPG now with some story and I will play it as such.

All they needed was a healer to go to each fallen companion and do a little healing animation.Instead we get the sprites to jump back up and are ready to go and that just draws me out. Makes them feel less real.