Bard's Tale IV - Early Alpha Video

Baxorn played some of the early Alpha for The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep.

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Finally we are starting to get to see a really early build of Bard's Tale IV! This is a very short teaser demonstrating what to look forward to. I gotta say, I can't wait for more!

More information.

Stonekeep kept popping into the back of my mind, and that guy is a meme just waiting to be born.

Other than that, I found it entertaining.

This might be really good; i hope it is an 80 hour game and not a 20 hour game.

Looks good for an alpha. It was painful watching that guy play, though. Just make a choice and click on something, man.

Originally Posted by Avantre
Looks good for an alpha. It was painful watching that guy play, though. Just make a choice and click on something, man.

Here, watch him instead then: https://youtu.be/5Z5sLscroO0

Originally Posted by Archangel
Here, watch him instead then: https://youtu.be/5Z5sLscroO0

Thanks for that, they did seem to grasp the combat a lot quicker than the other guy (although this one also seemed to have real trouble with that opening cog puzzle - I'm no great puzzle master but it just didn't seem all that hard to me to figure out what was needed once things started moving)

If this guy will take as long to make combat decisions in the real game he'll be playing it for 350 hours.

Between watching him make choices and the bleeding status noises I’m so triggered that I need to lie down.

Looking at that wretched humanoid on top right was really off putting, also listening to his sewage-ratty voice. WATCH THIS Creep-free GAMEPLAY VIDEO INSTEAD:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lTIcXLPgWs

Nice graphics, but horribly messed up GUI design. Wrong use of space everywhere, resulting in ridiculously cramped Text Areas. UGLY BAD COMBAT DESIGN. Looks like this was designed by lobotomized Alzheimers patients.

Another sign of the _Wi-fi / mobile phone irradiation_ caused --> progressively creeping BRAIN DEATH in the gaming industry.

Originally Posted by Avantre
Looks good for an alpha. It was painful watching that guy play, though. Just make a choice and click on something, man.

Coca-Cola must have sponsored his video

Hum. I do hope they add a method to 'speed up' combat by reducing some of the animations. While they are nice if there are 100's of battles they would get a little old after a while.

One of my friends that is doing the alpha for this remarked that it might benefit from a turbo option, and as prevalent as they are now in games, it wouldn't surprise me at all if something like that is included as a feature.

Stall and bore watchers to death in order to earn more $.
Classic "pro" streamer. Got a warning on Steam when I said streams and streamers are the new cancer of gaming.

I know I've said this a million times, but I'll never understand this thing of watching others playing games. I simply cannot imagine being that bored and games just aren't that expensive anymore, on top of which refunds are always available. For me, it helps having a couple of friends that know exactly what you enjoy playing, and that you'd trust their recommendations.

Originally Posted by Carnifex
I know I've said this a million times, but I'll never understand this thing of watching others playing games. I simply cannot imagine being that bored and games just aren't that expensive anymore, on top of which refunds are always available. For me, it helps having a couple of friends that know exactly what you enjoy playing, and that you'd trust their recommendations.

I’m used to a really busy household so I will sometimes put on let’s plays as background noise while I do other stuff if no-one is home and I don’t feel like listening to music. But I wouldn’t like, make some popcorn and watch gamer content like it was a movie or something.

Watching a few minutes of a lets play can help me make a buying decision. I've never refunded a game, and often don't start playing something after I buy it. What I'm looking mostly for in a let's play is actual images of gameplay. I'll usually skip around if a streamer stops playing and starts meandering. I rarely do this, but I have on occasion with games that interest me, but I don't know much about. I've also watched let's play of so called console classics that I've never played before, like Final:Fantasy Tactics, so I have some understanding of what people are referring to when they talk about a game. This does usually happen when I'm pretty bored though.

I'll say that anything that assists someone in making an informed purchase can only be a good thing. I tend to ask friends or simply read up on a game if any information is available, and I can see how watching someone play a game is basically quite similar to either of those.

As a person that does spend a fair bit of time watching twitch I can try to explain my thought process. Main reason why I watch it:
1. I am playing a new game and I want to see how others play at same time. Also you can discuss the game with lots of other people in real time which is fun.
2. I am interested in a game but my PC probably cannot handle it so I watch others play it for a while (until I get bored)
3. I am interested in certain aspects of the game (story) but not others (gameplay) so I watch so I can experience the part that interests me and not need to play the part that does not. I play another game that has interesting gameplay in the meantime.
4. I don't feel like playing anything at the moment or watching a movie or something so I turn on a live stream for 30 to 60 minutes and watch something that seems fun.

I seriously doubt this clown played any of the original BT titles, as he claims he did. Aside from his influence in this LP, I'd say that this title still has a ways to go but has potential.

Originally Posted by mercy
Looking at that wretched humanoid on top right was really off putting, also listening to his sewage-ratty voice. WATCH THIS Creep-free GAMEPLAY VIDEO INSTEAD:
*snip*

Actually I prefer watching with commentary, but someone who doesn't take 30 seconds to make every combat decision would be better.

Originally Posted by Carnifex
I know I've said this a million times, but I'll never understand this thing of watching others playing games. I simply cannot imagine being that bored and games just aren't that expensive anymore, on top of which refunds are always available. For me, it helps having a couple of friends that know exactly what you enjoy playing, and that you'd trust their recommendations.

Oh I do it all the time, like at least twice a week. What does it for me is three things:
- Games. There is a set of games I don't play, for example rogue-like RPGs and Dark Souls type, I never play them because I hate dying and having to run back to the boss fighting stuff again, but I don't mind watching someone else do it.
- Personalities. I like a few streamers, they're either fun/funny or they know more about the game than I do, specially important for new games I'm curious about.
- Chat. The streamers I watch have moderated chats and trolls are immediately crushed, so I can enjoy talking about the game I'm watching or making fun of a mistake the streamer made, or asking questions, or even what toppings are better on a pizza.