Divinity: Original Sin II - Preview @ The Escapist

The Escapist has previewed Divinity: Original Sin II:

Divinity Original Sin 2 Preview - A World You'll Lose Yourself In

Larian Studios' Divinity: Original Sin came out in 2014, but I only started playing last year when it released on Xbox One. I almost hated it. I almost abandoned it. One of my least favorite things in games is trying to figure out what I'm supposed to be doing, and that seemed to be the only thing there was to do in DOS. There are a lot of gamers out there that want no hand-holding whatsoever, and Larian apparently really wanted to make them happy. So, after about 50 hours of wandering around, talking to every single NPC over and over again, something finally clicked, and I started making progress at last. It's the only game in my life that I've been willing to put in that many hours, just to figure the damn thing out. I'm so glad I did, though, and based on the limited preview build, DOS2 could be the perfect follow-up.

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It seems someone learned how to play RPGs …


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. There are a lot of gamers out there that want no hand-holding whatsoever, and Larian apparently really wanted to make them happy. So, after about 50 hours of wandering around, talking to every single NPC over and over again,

Can someone please direct this guy to the games where NPCs have giant ! And ? floating above them.

If he thinks D:OS wasnt about hand holding I shudder to think what he considers games that actually don't hold your hand.

One of my least favorite things in games is trying to figure out what I'm supposed to be doing, and that seemed to be the only thing there was to do in DOS.

What a quote.

Thats the problem with streamlining in gaming. The new generation aren't being widely exposed to games where deep investment pays off in RPGs and so cannot see the value in those games.

I've read many steam reviews where the user dropped it after a couple of hours only to come back to it a year later after a gaming lull and enjoying it. They don't know what they are missing from these types of experiences. Hopefully games like D:OS produce a new generation of classic RPG fans.

There are a lot of lazy folks out there who can't be bothered to think for themselves.

Can't speak for the original D:OS as I played the EE version of the game… but I can't think of a single moment in that game where I felt directionless. Between the journal, map, and NPC dialogs I thought the game was fairly good at providing objectives and clues to those objectives.

Witcher has a lot of hand-holding; quest markers and such is it a horrible thing ?
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Been a while since I played bg2; but it seemed like i always knew where to go - it must have held my hand somehow

I just find it sad that is how so many players approach games. Have they been conditioned to do what they are told to do in the game?

Originally Posted by Eliot69
I just find it sad that is how so many players approach games. Have they been conditioned to do what they are told to do in the game?

Could be. Modern "convenience features" mean younger generations grow up with things being, well, easier.

I played Morrowind for the first time many years ago for the Xbox console. It was my first experience with an RPG like that, and I never really felt directionless. Even if you're just exploring, talking to NPCs, etc., you can just do your own thing at your own pace. That's what I like to do in RPGs.

I feel like some modern gamers have less time for their hobbies and want things done faster, etc. So that could influence the amount of "convenience features" a game has.

Really wish the a lot of people that play RPG's did what I did the first time I played a RPG.

I was handed disc with Ultima 3 on it and told it was cracked by disk doctor.

No books, no maps, no clue how to do anything.

Now of days even if you can't figure out the simplest quest their are a million videos showing you.

Originally Posted by Eliot69
I just find it sad that is how so many players approach games. Have they been conditioned to do what they are told to do in the game?

Yes, mostly thanks to Blizzard with WoW and Diablo being such huge success and their players branching out to other type of games.

what a game…. get quests with your gay lover… .from a talking crustacean … yeah fantasy land

I was a teenager when PC CRPGs began in the late 70s and early 80s. I loved the early games such as the Ultima, Wizardry, Bard's Tale, series. You either had to have a fantastic photogenic memory or takes really great notes and draw good maps. UIs were pretty archaic and it was helpful if you jotted things down as you flipped back and forth in the UI to get whatever info you were looking for.

These days, I still love all that kind of complexity but I prefer that the game displays all the info to me in meaningful and efficient ways so that I don't have to write anything down or have a particularly great memory. Part of this is because of that 'been there done that' curmudgeon in me and part of that is because I'd rather stay focused on the game and making decisions and spend less time on flipping back and forth through a cumbersome UI or a mess of notes I might be keeping next to me.

My bloody baby Jesus!! I used to feel like such a newbie because I started playing PC rpgs with Bards Tale 3… now, I'm usually the most senior rpg gamer in any thread. Morrowind??? I'm sorry but Christ, and you must be one of the most experienced PC RPGer around. Wtf, did the ppl who played early wizardry n Ultima all die off already?!



But, yes, obviously using ones brain isn't something most governments desire. There's been a universal dumbing down of the populace, and for those of us aware, it is quite terrifying. Going back to hand holding. A game I truly adored for letting you loose with zero help was Star Trail, and it felt wonderful trying to make sense of the crazy world you find yourself in.


Edit 2, of course, not having read the e tire thread, I missed the older RPGers. Nice to feel like a newbie again

Originally Posted by PegasusOrgans
My bloody baby Jesus!! I used to feel like such a newbie because I started playing PC rpgs with Bards Tale 3… now, I'm usually the most senior rpg gamer in any thread. Morrowind??? I'm sorry but Christ, and you must be one of the most experienced PC RPGer around. Wtf, did the ppl who played early wizardry n Ultima all die off already?!

My first RPG was Might & Magic Book One back in the late 80s at my cousin's house, but not being my own computer I couldn't never play the whole way through. That's why I consider BG2 my first real "First RPG".

First game I ever played was Pong. There I have everyone beat First RPG was Wizardry Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord.

I think my first RPGs were Dungeon Master and Lands of Lore. Though I found my true love for RPGs with Baldur's Gate.

My first RPG was the first Diablo, so I guess I can call me something between a newbie and an old rpg fan.

I thnik that one of the rpgs that didn't just hold your hand and punished you, as wel as rewarded you for being brave and explore, was Gothic.

I admit I love the rpgs with no hand holding, instead of giving you questmarkers and stuff.

Although for a lot of feople it is true that they don't find the time to invest so mcuh in a game anymore. Doesn't make the other games bad, just different. Some games and rpgs that did a lot of handholding, had great stories too.

Originally Posted by titus
My first RPG was the first Diablo…

Poor guy…