Pillars of Eternity - Thoughts & Impressions

I praise the good parts and condemn the bad parts. Which is, admittedly, a fool's errand in the early days of a hyped RPG around here, since the blind fanaticism tends to drown out any constructive criticism.

The googly-eyed effect will wear off in a month's time. A solid 9/10 thus far… but that -1 does indeed exist for valid reasons.

I don't know about people hating everything they play, but I've met people in forums (not this one yet) who only post about games they hate. This gives the impression that they hate all games.

Is there any way to tell the level of an opposition before combat ; i.e, if you should encounter or run like the wind ?

Also is there anyway to mark the map with notes ?

Originally Posted by Drithius
Why, oh why can't I remain stealthed on a rogue if nearby party members engage a target. This pretty much forces a rogue into 1v1 scenarios if you want to use backstab at all.

It's stuff like this that makes the combat a real annoyance at times. Up there with spells such as charm categorized as 'combat-only'.

According to the Sneak Attack description, if you get an automatic Sneak Attack if you strike within two seconds of combat starting. The other uses appear to be synergistic with various effects.

For the second time, sneak attack != backstab in PoE.

Originally Posted by you
Is there any way to tell the level of an opposition before combat ; i.e, if you should encounter or run like the wind ?

Nope, which makes a PotD first-run of the game pretty insane

Can anyone say "bear"? Wait Joxer isn't playing?

Originally Posted by Thrasher
Can anyone say "bear"? Wait Joxer isn't playing?

You have to be kidding me, I took a break to make a tea. I sit back down and what am I about to fight….A BEAR!!! LOL

I'm like fluent, I like most rpg's…well at least I like that they bring entertainment to me in different ways.

I'm not so black and white that it is either good or bad….If I get some enjoyment out of it I can see the benefits of it.

Originally Posted by CelticFrost
You have to be kidding me, I took a break to make a tea. I sit back down and what am I about to fight….A BEAR!!! LOL

I named the bear Joxer, I petted it, and it was happy.

Originally Posted by CelticFrost
You have to be kidding me, I took a break to make a tea. I sit back down and what am I about to fight….A BEAR!!! LOL

Okay so I am not ready to fight this bear on my own yet…

Originally Posted by rune_74
I named the bear Joxer, I petted it, and it was happy.

You gave it the wrong name if it can be made happy.

I think some people here are a bit "selfish" in their criticisms of games. As in, if something isn't done exactly the way they want it, then it must be "flawed." Or, if they cannot adapt to the rules as they are and come up with a sound strategy, then it's not their fault; the game is "flawed." God forbid anyone adapt and learn new things!

PoE challenges some preconceptions of party-based combat design, and for the better. (Some people really don't like change, I guess). I've had a blast coming up with my own clever ways of getting through encounters within the wide range of possibilities that the system allows. One of the things I hated most about BG2 was that many encounters had one "right" way of getting past them.

PoE throws a challenging fight at you, and then empowers you with a full arsenal of creative possibilities to overcome the fight with your own tactical prowess. The system seems brilliant and incredibly well-though out to me, much better than I ever anticipated would happen.

Well, back to adventuring! I'll let the grumpy and jaded continue to find obtuse, meaningless little things to nit-pick while Durance and the gang help me bash some skulls and solve some quests.

Originally Posted by Aubrielle
You gave it the wrong name if it can be made happy.

Joxer ignores me now, so I must have him replaced with bear. Or squishy.

Originally Posted by ChienAboyeur
it is unplayable.

Um … yeah. What a joke.

Well I got some good time tonight to put into the game, maybe a little too much time as I should be in bed by now.
I can't say it was right into it the first hour or so but I am really liking so far. Well I must be I have sat here in in the same chair for almost 6 hours. I have never been a fan of the darkening the area when you are not in it. Once I explore an area I like to be about to see that I have been there. Though I knew coming into the game that was a going to a apart of it, so not a complaint just not something I am personally a fan of.

The combat at times I fine when I give commands I am not sure if they have done it or they just don't do what is asked. Though it hasn't cause me to die YET. Not sure if it is me or if anyone else has noticed this?

As for the story it is really well done. I am looking forward to see farther down the road how some of the things I have done may or may not impact how people interact with me.

I must say I have one heck of a motley cure for a party, but we seem to be able to get the job done so far. Is anyone playing it with just 2 or 3 total in their party? I just added a forth and not sure if I really need or want to have 4 or more?

I will get a few more hours into it this week and we have a long weekend coming up so I hope to get some time like tonight to put into it.

Originally Posted by txa1265
Um … yeah. What a joke.

Blah!!! maybe it is unplayable for him. Who knows what sort of game he has coming out in the next few weeks or years that will have us all amazed.

You can't please everyone, but the game sure seems to be pleasing a lot of people.

Woot! I finally beat the bear one on one after leaving vision-ville I'm a druid and hit him with the sunlight spell that blinds him and does burn damage. Then, when he rushed me to wipe me out in two blows I was able to get off a flaming hands scroll and it rolled a critical. 95 damage and bear steaks for lunch

I think this is vague enough not to be a spoiler….

Originally Posted by CelticFrost
I must say I have one heck of a motley cure for a party, but we seem to be able to get the job done so far. Is anyone playing it with just 2 or 3 total in their party? I just added a forth and not sure if I really need or want to have 4 or more?

I wondered the same right at first. I was breezing through mobs, no problem. Then I got to the second level of that first dungeon, the temple. I'd saved up enough to hire my first helper, and I'm really glad I did. It got a lot harder down there.

Tons of people on here have been able to handle most of the game so far with only two or three party members, but I've personally found that having four is way better…for me at least. I don't think I could have done some of the stuff I've done with any less.

(like taking on that one dude's castle…)

(edited for spoilers)

I'm at at a full party of 6 now, still fairly early in the game. 5 possible story companions, and my own created rogue. I really like the way the different styles of all the characters in my party compliment each other. I've really enjoyed setting off chain reactions," where one character uses an ability to benefit another.

For example, my cipher (main character, fwiw) casts Phantom Foes, causing enemies within the radius to think they are flanked. My rogue then steps in and deals extra damage thanks to this status effect. Great "synergy" in this system, and I'm still finding new ways to have my party compliment each others' unique skills.

Originally Posted by Nerevarine
I'm at at a full party of 6 now, still fairly early in the game. 5 possible story companions, and my own created rogue. I really like the way the different styles of all the characters in my party compliment each other. I've really enjoyed setting off chain reactions," where one character uses an ability to benefit another.

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding you, but how could you have 5 story companions plus a rogue you created in addition to your Cipher? That would make 7 party members.