Sword Coast Legends

Originally Posted by SirJames
I'm getting the impression you haven't played it and are just repeating things you heard back before it was released?

I have played it, and I have a good understanding of 5th edition P&P rules.

SCL plays nothing like 5e, for all the reasons I've stated and more.

It certainly does resemble D&D. Again, WotC approved of everything. It is literally an official, approved 5E implementation.

Just because they approved it doesn't make it faithful. What's concerning is that they did.

Originally Posted by TheRealFluent
To say it's D&D in name only is ridiculous, I'm sorry. The lore is very deep here.

The lore isn't the problem. It's the mechanics.

But it's also a video game designed to be fun. Not a tabletop game.

A videogame based on a tabletop license, with fans expecting a tabletop like experience.

I feel like fans expected a Diablo clone based off the early footage then once they'd made their minds up there was no reason to change it. There was never any indication of a tabletop turn-based game. It was going to be RTwP like BG and include a toolkit like NWN.

They may have wanted a tabletop simulation but that was never suggested anywhere.

Originally Posted by JDR13
Do you already own a copy? I ask because it's no longer for sale.

How come it's no longer for sale? I always intended to get this…

Edit: found a quote on some website:
"The removal from stores comes after developer n-Space closed down last year, leaving publisher Digital Extremes to support the game solo." Darn.

Originally Posted by Shagnak
How come it's no longer for sale? I always intended to get this…

Poor sales lead to the developer going broke. They couldn't keep the lights on for the multiplayer service and just canned the whole thing.

Digital Extremes has no interest in the game because the game has no interest from users. They already make a killing from Warframe and couldn't see any way to make SCL profitable.

You can still find Steam keys for sale on some of the seedier store-sites. Just Google "Sword Coast Legends key".

The servers supporting the game got turned off in June/July so I don't think you can create an account when starting the game. I haven't delved very much but if you haven't already created that account you might not be able to start the game - I suggest checking around the forums before you spend money.

As to the game… Yes it's not bad, voice acting is indeed good and generally speaking it's fun enough as far as computer games go. Like others have said I think they shot themselves in the foot with the design decisions they made. Which is a shame, the rest of it isn't that bad. If they'd stuck to character building and spell and feat mechanics a la NWN they probably would have done a lot better IMO.

Yeah, I think at this stage I would just treat it as abandonware that you just try to get working if you can.

Originally Posted by KaosWarMonk
As to the game… Yes it's not bad, voice acting is indeed good and generally speaking it's fun enough as far as computer games go. Like others have said I think they shot themselves in the foot with the design decisions they made. Which is a shame, the rest of it isn't that bad. If they'd stuck to character building and spell and feat mechanics a la NWN they probably would have done a lot better IMO.

Aren't level-locked Abilities pretty much Feats, though? Correct me if I'm wrong, but let's say Level 3 Search opens as a choice to take at level 4. That's sort of like getting a Feat bonus if it gives you the +2 or whatever to Search, isn't it? A lot of the Abilities are level-locked like that, many of them being passive skills and proficiencies and also active abilities.

No. Levels are not a pre-requisite for feats in 5e.

Originally Posted by Silver Coin
No. Levels are not a pre-requisite for feats in 5e.

I realize that, but it's also a video game adaptation. A lot of the Abilities are level-locked, so it at least gives you a sense of unlocking interesting things as you level up later like a Feat does. Passive boost or otherwise. Sometimes one level will unlock several new options you have to choose from.

I just wish there was a 5th party member slot. I just got 2 new interesting party members and want to use them, but it's only a 4 person limit. There's also a Retraining Dummy at camp where you can respec your character for a chunk of change. Cool feature actually, and I'm curious if it will auto-level your lower level characters because the ones you leave behind don't get XP.

It's not an adaption, but rather a completely different system.

In 5e, once your class gets to a certain level you choose to either increase an ability score or select a feat. You can select any feat that you meet the pre-requisite for, level and class never being one of them. Furthermore, the feats in 5e are completely different from the powers/abilities in Sword Coast Legends.

There are virtually no similarities between progression in SCL and 5e.

Originally Posted by Silver Coin
It's not an adaption, but rather a completely different system.

In 5e, once your class gets to a certain level you choose to either increase an ability score or select a feat. You can select any feat that you meet the pre-requisite for, level and class never being one of them. Furthermore, the feats in 5e are completely different from the powers/abilities in Sword Coast Legends.

There are virtually no similarities between progression in SCL and 5e.

I see your point, and grant that it's much different, but that's okay. It's a fun game, which is the main reason to play them. It's still D&D, having never played 5e just like I didn't play tabletop 2nd ed or 3.5 but still love those games as well. If we dig in enough I'm sure those games had differences and omissions from the tabletop as well.

Originally Posted by KaosWarMonk
The servers supporting the game got turned off in June/July so I don't think you can create an account when starting the game. I haven't delved very much but if you haven't already created that account you might not be able to start the game - I suggest checking around the forums before you spend money.

Originally Posted by Ripper
Yeah, I think at this stage I would just treat it as abandonware that you just try to get working if you can.

Download a pirated crack/copy and problem solved. As this game is abandoned.

Also you never needed an account to play the Single-player campaign.

Update: Launched it from steam it says online mode disabled continuing in offline mode. So there you don't need an account to play just to access the mods & online content.

This thread reminded me that I own this one and only spent about 10 mins on it before getting distracted by something else. Do the steam achievements still work since it was removed from storefront? While I don’t consider myself an achievement whore and realize they are meaningless, I nevertheless feel like I’m being robbed of some part of the experience if they are available and I can’t earn them for some reason.

I'm glad someone actually found a game worth playing in all this, I had high hopes when I first fired it up, only to see those hopes shattered.

Since I was just looking for an rpg and not for the resurrection of AD&D, I enjoyed the small sample that I played and will try it again. I'm glad I picked it up in a sale.

Originally Posted by Heckle
This thread reminded me that I own this one and only spent about 10 mins on it before getting distracted by something else. Do the steam achievements still work since it was removed from storefront? While I don’t consider myself an achievement whore and realize they are meaningless, I nevertheless feel like I’m being robbed of some part of the experience if they are available and I can’t earn them for some reason.

Yes, Steam Achievements work. I've got about 13 so far.

I made this silly video about the game showing some of the skill trees in the game. Boring, but might be of interest to someone who's interested in how to build characters in the game.