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Eternity Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pre-DLC Thread [GO TO NEW THREAD]

Rinslin Merwind

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-Ondra mentions whatever you did with Mahena.
-If you defied Wael in the scroll quest in PoE1, he will take a bunch of your shit as punishment for getting too uppity.
-I do not recall quickly, but I believe one of the Valian leaders will mention your work with the Knights.
Thanks for the answer, but I meant subendings (every fraction in PoE had 2 endings), for Knights it was automaton technology, for Dozens it was their relations to Knights, Dommenels had their quests (never sided with them). Maneha had more endings than in constructor.
 

Sensuki

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Codex 2014 Serpent in the Staglands Shadorwun: Hong Kong A Beautifully Desolate Campaign
Storm of Zehir would be the better example to use since a stronghold wouldn't make sense for MotB's story. Anyway, Josh's exact words

SoZ as better example: yeah, probably

Exact words: I remember what he said, however ...

The stronghold in the Baldur's Gates (and the Pocket Plane in ToB) were not systems. They were locations with content and used the core game systems. The Pocket Plane was actually very well done IMO because it offered an easy to get to safe place to rest, store companions, had it's own 'Master Blacksmith' and it had good content relevant to the main plot of the game.

The Ebon Hawk in the KotOR games and The Normandy in Mass Effect were effectively Strongholds as well. Both locations are very well used, have at least some if not a lot of plot relevance and are a good space for content (particularly companion content) to take place.

The Pirate Ship in Pillars 2 was a golden opportunity for this type of thing because unlike Caed Nua it is not an optional location, and it was clear that the mini-game style Stronghold in PoE1 was unpopular.

5jjso.jpg
 

Tigranes

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There's nothing particularly exciting or fun about the Pocket Plane or Ebon Hawk though. Oh, somebody comes to you and talks to you there, instead of talking to you somewhere else, whatever. Oh, Best Blacksmith is your servant instead of a world location, whatever. They're not really examples of good strongholds, they're the lack of a stronghold.

Caed Nua was unpopular because it was a fucking browser game. But I think plenty of people cried out for a more extensive stronghold, which is what they tried here, and which a Pocket Plane would not be.

Ironically, I would support the Pocket Plane style solution because I think strongholds are kind of shit 99% of the time and not worth the extensive development cost, unless they can pull off another Crossroads Keep.
 

Darth Roxor

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Oh, somebody comes to you and talks to you there, instead of talking to you somewhere else, whatever.

saves on loading screens and running back and forth, i approve greatly

in fact, a funny thing i've noticed about poe2 is that i'm just cruising around the map with some 15 finished quests that i just dont wanna go and cash in because i know that the quest givers are all scattered all across fucking tikitaka, in all the districts, each inside a house with 2 or something floors like holy shit, i'd rather just keep sailing and doing stuff
 

Tigranes

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Just talk to them when you happen to be there for more than one reason. You also had to go all over the place in Athkatla with similar loading screen density, and it's not like you can have all 4 faction leaders be in one place hanging about

Of course we will never know which retarded dev was behind the idea that in some places you enter the first floor and there is nobody important and you go to the second floor to talk to questgiver every single time :M
 

Sensuki

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Codex 2014 Serpent in the Staglands Shadorwun: Hong Kong A Beautifully Desolate Campaign
They're not really examples of good strongholds, they're the lack of a stronghold.

Nonsense. Who says a Stronghold is a 'system' or a 'mini-game' ? Technically it's a 'grand' location that the player character 'owns', can visit, store things, companions stay there, and a safe place to rest.

I think it works best when it uses core game systems (which is that RPG content takes place there), rather than mini-games.
 

Darth Roxor

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Just talk to them when you happen to be there for more than one reason.

i have no reasons to be there other than cashing in the 15 quests

You also had to go all over the place in Athkatla with similar loading screen density

Iirc Athkatla had a lot of 'recurring' content though, in that new (sub)quests would open up there related to other quests, which makes your previous point valid - if you're there to start/continue one quest, you might as well go cash in on a few others. Meanwhile after you 'clear' a district in Neketaka, there's hardly ever any reason to get back there.
 

Grampy_Bone

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Traditionally the purpose of a stronghold is to serve as a base for war/large scale battles. If you're not going to have wars, not much point to the castle. Just having a home base to stock up and rest between adventures is nice but it's hardly a noteworthy feature.

It would be cool if more RPGs tried to incorporate war battles instead of adding romance options.
 

Sensuki

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Codex 2014 Serpent in the Staglands Shadorwun: Hong Kong A Beautifully Desolate Campaign
Athkatla had a lot of 'recurring' content though, in that new (sub)quests would open up there related to other quests, which makes your previous point valid - if you're there to start/continue one quest, you might as well go cash in on a few others. Meanwhile after you 'clear' a district in Neketaka, there's hardly ever any reason to get back there.

Re-using locations was one of BG2's strong points, agreed. Pretty much every corner of Athkatla had something take place there, a lot of it only after XYZ script condition was met.
 

Darth Roxor

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Also, let me repeat a sentiment that is oft cited in this thread.

The shanties are by far the best part of the soundtrack. I wish I could exchange all those stupid generic fantasy orchestrations for shanties, including on normal maps and in fights etc.
 

Xeon

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Ehh, the novelty will wear off pretty fast if it was too frequent and it will lose its appeal.
 

IHaveHugeNick

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Personally when doing big cities in RPGs, I specifically plan my routes and quest order to avoid extensive backtracking. So I only go back to a certain area to hand in the quests after I have a bunch of them finished.
 

frajaq

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I wish they implemented the missive system from Tyranny to solve some of the quests to avoid so much backtracking
Oh also the reputation system where you unlock stuff according Favor/Wrath and Loyalty/Fear

I should play Tyranny again...
 

IHaveHugeNick

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Also, let me repeat a sentiment that is oft cited in this thread.

The shanties are by far the best part of the soundtrack. I wish I could exchange all those stupid generic fantasy orchestrations for shanties, including on normal maps and in fights etc.

That's actually what I did eventually. Muted the ingame music and just played shanties from YouTube. Improves the atmosphere amazingly.

Ehh, the novelty will wear off pretty fast if it was too frequent and it will lose its appeal.

No.
 

Xeon

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Yeah, I don't think they unlock anything if you max rep with companions in either direction in PoE2.
 

Tigranes

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They're not really examples of good strongholds, they're the lack of a stronghold.

Nonsense. Who says a Stronghold is a 'system' or a 'mini-game' ? Technically it's a 'grand' location that the player character 'owns', can visit, store things, companions stay there, and a safe place to rest.

I think it works best when it uses core game systems (which is that RPG content takes place there), rather than mini-games.

That's fair, but I don't really see a huge benefit either way. Of course it's better to intersect stronghold with core gameplay, but the stronghold doesn't really add anything to the gameplay. What is the added value of having someone visit you in Pocket Plane instead of sending a missive? Meanwhile, the ability to decorate and upgrade and own your house etc got really old really fast and only caters to Farmville type gameplay.

I guess my point is that strongholds suck unless you can really invest in them, and the pocket plane / ebon hawk hardly contributed to gameplay either.
 

Tigranes

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Just talk to them when you happen to be there for more than one reason.

i have no reasons to be there other than cashing in the 15 quests

You also had to go all over the place in Athkatla with similar loading screen density

Iirc Athkatla had a lot of 'recurring' content though, in that new (sub)quests would open up there related to other quests, which makes your previous point valid - if you're there to start/continue one quest, you might as well go cash in on a few others. Meanwhile after you 'clear' a district in Neketaka, there's hardly ever any reason to get back there.

Doesn't that also add to backtracking? I agree that it's nice to return to the Bridge District for the Twisted Rune way after you were there for the murder investigation, but I don't think it's design that reduces the loading screens.

Honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about it. On one hand, people might prefer to be able to go somewhere and pick up all the quests, instead of having to come back later multiple times. On the other hand, people don't like it if you clear a district in a couple of visits. But all of these things tend to add loading screens one way or another.

And where we try to get rid of 'return to questgiver' stage, or even teleport people there, it seems to lose something of the experience in terms of alternative quest resolutions and NPC responses.
 

Rinslin Merwind

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I don't mind strongholds in games (perhaps deep inside of my mind I always wanted my own castle, I don't know) BUT strongholds ideally fit to games where exist more developed strategical aspect and diplomacy. If PoE had conquest system with precise world map where you was able doing the same funny shit that you doing in strategic games (conquesting neighbors/ diplomacy/marriage with goals strengthen your position). On PoE example:
"Wait, Dyrford does not have a ruler? Eder, you want free real estate? Gather your soldiers, they have job to do!"

"So Kolsh now a Gilded Vale ruler, situation with food improved, but I need much better trade deal anyway...Fuck I don't want to storm this shit a third time!
Grieving Mother!!! Fix your make up and name, we going to Kolsh for official visit. And pray that he into middle-aged womans or you will be without husband to the end of your days."

"Hmm, Kana, remember you said that Raustai trying conquest the world? Well I want to offer excellent proposition, I help you to become a Rautai king and in exchange you would be my vassal. Just need a bit intelligence about royal family and open gates for my friends in dark leather armor with blades."

and so on.
 
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2house2fly

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Some brave codexer needs to write up a mock piece about how PoE objectifies women by giving the player bonuses for sex, and how the game uses brothels and prostitutes as degenerate shorthand in lieu of creativity, taking power and agency away from the real victimization that happens to sex workers.

I guarantee you that if we can get some "journalist" to tweet something to this effect it'll be made into a clickbait article. Could possibly even help sales.
Hard to imagine anything could hurt sales
 

LESS T_T

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Codex 2014
Beard and Hair Pack:



The Beard and Hair Pack expands the character customization options with new hair styles, beard choices, and a new personality setting. Whether you are making a brand-new party or giving an existing hero a bold new look, this free DLC expands upon the already impressive array of character customization options found in Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire.

Included in this DLC:
• Four new hairstyles.
• Three new beards.
• New Energetic personality setting.
 

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