Solasta - Early Access Preview @ PC Gamer

I don't play PnP and haven't played D&D 5e but from what I read/heard 5e seem much more simplistic than 3.5e/Pathfinder. 5e might be less time consuming for PnP which may make the session more enjoyable but as a PC player, I think I'd prefer more complex system like Pathfinder/3.5e.
The simplification harkens back to the release of the 4E. It basically divided the player base as it made the rules more game friendly for MMO's. The 4.5E tried to fix it.

Seems many think 5E was an improvement but parts still feel like the 4E. Just my two cents as I don't play TT games anymore. Due to lack of time and uninterested friends.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Oct 1, 2010
Messages
36,178
Location
Spudlandia
The D&D system is fine and it works fine, for me it's just not elegant or interesting enough as a system to stand on its own as the main draw. The abstraction of "HP" for example is something I find pretty boring.
 
Joined
Aug 31, 2013
Messages
4,881
Location
Portland, OR
5e might be less time consuming for PnP which may make the session more enjoyable but as a PC player, I think I'd prefer more complex system like Pathfinder/3.5e.

I partially agree with you. I used to think like that but I was surprised how fun D&D5e can be as a PC game after playing BG and Solasta. Now I am not entirely sure. Moreover, D&D5e actually improves some mechanics that make the game more fun, particularly the spell progression system, which I think is superior to PF.
 
Joined
Feb 25, 2017
Messages
441
The simplification harkens back to the release of the 4E. It basically divided the player base as it made the rules more game friendly for MMO's. The 4.5E tried to fix it.

Seems many think 5E was an improvement but parts still feel like the 4E. Just my two cents as I don't play TT games anymore. Due to lack of time and uninterested friends.

Please do not speak of the edition that must not be named.
 
Joined
Feb 25, 2017
Messages
441
I don’t think so. If we’re comparing to BG3 it has a more complex character creation and delay an action and delay a turn. Other than that combat is pretty much the same. I fully expect that BG3 will add some of these things.

Realistically it’s probably less complex than Xcom. So , no I don’t think it’s too complex.
Why do you assume it has no story or characters to care about.
(yes, please use the normal single quote in your text, your posts are barely readable)

There's no point in comparing BG3 and Solasta for the mechanics, they just don't aim at the same experience, and to me they are and they feel completely different. But I won't repeat what I've already written in details earlier.

For the story-telling, I'd say indeed Solasta is more the storyteller than BG3, at the exception of the characters.

Solasta has many cut scenes and dialogs on the main story, and on the lore (*). In comparison, there never has been much of a storytelling by Larian, they're more the action & fun kind, the story is the quest and the little bits we learn along the way, but that's it and it's enough for most people who can't be bothered to read more than one sentence at a time. Perhaps they'll focus more on storytelling later on, but I doubt it will change much from what I saw in the D:OS series.

On the other hand, Larian does more about the inter-character relationship, even introducing those "romance" threads that are a bit overdone and too much marketing-driven to my taste, but that's optional anyway so I don't care. What I like is discovering the personality of those characters, and it's easy to get attached to them.

Tactical Adventures has taken this strange decision not to have a main character, which implies there is no guarantee the player will use pre-made companions. As a consequence, the characters of the party have no past history to share - though they could, by selecting a more refined background, but if the players create their own characters, maybe they have a story in mind, which won't correspond to the pre-made one. It's awkward either way. That's the only little gripe I have with them, but I'm not worried, and they may still surprise us.

So it's just two different approaches, both for the storytelling and the mechanics. I think both are nice, and it would be great to have everything at the same time, but that's rarely the case.


(*) Of course the cut scenes and dialogs are not happening right at the beginning of the Solasta game, which is more of an intro to the mechanics, so many people may have concluded prematurely it was only about combat. I suppose T.A. put the focus on mechanics and a squeletton of quest, so that we could test what needs testing first. I'm sure they'll expand the story even further, later on. The story is also quite simple for now, but it hints at a larger story than a bunch of people who need to heal themselves.
 
Joined
Aug 29, 2020
Messages
10,157
Location
Good old Europe
I play D&D 5e and after playing AD&D for 30 years I think 5e is fantastic. When you add multi classing and feats, 5e can be plenty hardcore. Throw in a few house rules and I enjoy it more than Pathfinder.

5e is great for people that like to roleplay. My group we roleplay a bit but we are more power gamers and love tactical battles.

D&D settings are some of the best of all time and there will never be a setting with better creatures and lore. Just read about the Blood Wars and look at all you can do with demons and devils.

Could you imagine playing Skyrim in Forgotten Realms with all the D&D monsters? Going into the Underdark and fighting Beholders and Umber Hulks. Best selling crpg of all time.
 
Joined
Aug 28, 2010
Messages
2,838
Location
Wolf Light Woods
Could you imagine playing Skyrim in Forgotten Realms with all the D&D monsters? Going into the Underdark and fighting Beholders and Umber Hulks. Best selling crpg of all time.

I know a lot of people think forgotten realms is over-rated, and I see their point, but I don't agree totally.. I think there is huge room for unwritten lore and stories to be developed!
I would love skyrim in Forgotten realms!
What I would prefer though is instead of relying upon dumbed down player based combat, that they would give you combat choices to play out instead:
ie. For the next 4 seconds, I will do a crane style sword movement; and then you would see the animation for that move, and how well it corresponds to the opponents move depends upon multiple factors including characters skills, and enemies skills and enemies choices on what sort of combat moves they are engaging at the time.... perhaps make it a 2 second choice... choose what moves you will do (but don't actually do them yourself as the player, as you can't perform that sort of thing in reality)
Just my 2 cents

I am really enjoying solasta at the moment!
Using different rules for different games? - depends upon how they are implemented really!
 
Joined
Jul 15, 2013
Messages
195
Location
Queensland, Australia
I too received the Steam key instructions as a backer, but I am afraid to use it as I wanted a DRM free version of the final released product.
 
Joined
Oct 27, 2020
Messages
1
Back
Top Bottom