Eternity Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire + DLC Thread - now with turn-based combat!

[Quillon]

Discussed it already... I'm against area gating but they should have paced side quest availability; make them available gradually somehow.

"Pace yourself" is a shit argument, its like "create your own stories in skyrim". They should have paced the game for me and bethesda should have hired better writers.

 

[Safav Hamon]

They shouldn't do a lot of things - like having combat devoid of challenge because their target audience is too stupid to handle thinking. But they keep doing those things. The things I want them to do would make it a better game for the only people I care if its a better game for - me and people with similar likes and tastes as me.

You're criticizing an open world game for giving you too much freedom, which I think is unfair. You don't like open world games, fine, but that doesn't mean there's something wrong with it.

As for the combat not being challenging enough, I'd say that it's significantly less of a problem than at release. With the addition of late-game bosses and challenge modes, it wont be a problem at all when they're finished.

 

[Roqua]

You're criticizing an open world game for giving you too much freedom, which I think is unfair. You don't like open world games, fine, but it's not a problem with the game.

As for the combat not being challenging enough, I'd say that's no longer a problem or significantly less so than at release. They're also focused on adding high level content and challenge modes, as you can read in the interview.

Is it an open world? No content is gated? Every area is accessible from the get-go?

That's a nonsense statement. It wasn't an open-world game. It was a regular crpg with extremely bad pacing that would have been dramatically improved with city section gating to stop people from getting burnt out on one gameplay aspect instead of spreading out the gameplay aspects.

 

[Safav Hamon]

Yes, it's open world. Every location is accessible the moment you get your ship

The entire purpose of an open world is letting the player find their own pace. Just because you're overwhelmed by having too much freedom, doesn't mean the game is inferior. For most people, Deadfire's freedom of exploration is one of its greatest strengths.

 

[Quillon]

I've got a new appreciation for PoE's itemization btw. Everyone knows Modwyr, the bitch sword.

My only problem with Modwyr is that she has more content than any of the sidekicks.

4 sidekicks stretch goal was 3 to 3.25M, 1 modwyr was 4 to 4.25M. Do the math

Yeah 250ks on each don't necessarily represent the resources used on either but we could say talking weapon was more important than any sidekick in development.

 

[Roqua]

Yes, it's open world. Every location is accessible the moment you get your ship

The entire purpose of an open world is letting the player find their own pace. Just because you're overwhelmed by having too much freedom, doesn't mean the game is inferior. For most people, Deadfire's freedom of exploration is one of its greatest strengths.

Is there 100% level scaling?

 

[Safav Hamon]

I don't know what '100% level scaling' means or how it is relevant to the discussion.

There are three level scaling options. No scaling, upscaling, and downscaling. Upscaling and downscaling affect enemies up to 4 levels.

 

[Safav Hamon]

Back to the more important new information in the article.

• The Dead Floe in Beast of Winter was originally cut content.

• Seeker, Slayer, Survivor is recommended for level 16. Beast of Winter was level 14.

• The story involves you going to an island to commune with an aspect of Galawain (Toamowhai), to figure out why villagers are going crazy during the annual Crucible games.

• A new artifacts system. You travel around the 'fire archipelago' and collect artifacts in order to unlock battles in the arena.

• There will be more companions in future DLC (I found two in the game files, Ryona and Muatu)

• Josh Sawyer is working on making the ship combat better

• In Forgotten Sanctum they may add a special system for pets

 

[Roqua]

I don't know what '100% level scaling' means or how it is relevant to the discussion.

There are three level scaling options. No scaling, upscaling, and downscaling. Upscaling and downscaling affect enemies up to 4 levels.

Enemy level is the oldest way to gate content.

 

[Haplo]

However in Deadfire with some effort, skill and/or cheesy tactics you can often even beat triple red skull enemy encounters.

Double white skull is like the optimal difficulty for me.

 

[Safav Hamon]

I don't know what '100% level scaling' means or how it is relevant to the discussion.

There are three level scaling options. No scaling, upscaling, and downscaling. Upscaling and downscaling affect enemies up to 4 levels.

Enemy level is the oldest way to gate content.

You're shifting the goalposts, but okay. Higher level areas isn't necessarily gating. It just means you are going to have a tougher time if you go to them early.

Even so, Deadfire offers enough versatility so that no area is closed to you with the right equipment, abilities, potions, skills, tactics, party combo, ect. If you come adequately prepared, then you can win just about any fight. Or you can just sneak or talk your way through most places.

 

[Roqua]

I don't know what '100% level scaling' means or how it is relevant to the discussion.

There are three level scaling options. No scaling, upscaling, and downscaling. Upscaling and downscaling affect enemies up to 4 levels.

Enemy level is the oldest way to gate content.

You're shifting the goalposts, but okay. Higher level areas isn't necessarily gating. It just means you are going to have a tougher time if you go to them early.

Even so, Deadfire offers a lot of versatility so that no area is closed to you with the right equipment, abilities, potions, skills, ect. For example, Splintered Reef is probably considered the hardest area in the game. However, if you go there prepared with immunity potions or a party with high resistance, then it can be beaten as early as level 10. Or if you have high stealth and the right dialog skills, you can get past the entire area without spilling any blood.

Enemy level really is the earliest form of gating. Was Dark Soul "open world?" It isn't shifting the goal post - its an intrinsic part of rpgs and why most crpgs of my time aren't open world games. If they made enemies in the city sections different levels for gating purposes - that would be gating and I would be happy with that.

 

[Safav Hamon]

It isn't shifting the goal post - its an intrinsic part of rpgs and why most crpgs of my time aren't open world games.

Player agency and exploration should be intrinstic parts of CRPGs. Not gating.

 

[Feyd Rautha]

loads better than Arcanum this

 

[Yosharian]

"Higher level" is absolutely not the same thing, thematically (and thus for the player experience), as 'much tougher creatures'.

What I mean is, there's a huge difference between what FONV does with using Deathclaws to effectively gate content, and, say, what The Witcher 3 does with having enemies that you've killed before but you can't kill these ones because they have a big number above their heads.

 

[Quillon]

 

[2house2fly]

I like the hints in the existing DLC files that there is some kind of overarching story in the DLCs. In Beast Of Winter the dragon you kill is keeping itself alive by using an artifact called Neriscyrlas's Hope- "a relic from the days when the gods walked Eora as titans", "an object of such potency that it defies the deified". Files which will probably be accessed by other DLC mention it responding to the proximity of other artifacts called the Tooth of Toamowhai and the Weight of Revelation- names that fit the tone of the other two DLCs. Any two artifacts can be combined into something called the Chain of Rightful Authority, and all three can be combined into what is described as a crown. I don't much care about making new endgame equipment in a game that doesn't really have an end boss, but a bonus for getting all the DLC (if this isn't cut content) is pretty cool

 

[Infinitron]

 

[Roqua]

It isn't shifting the goal post - its an intrinsic part of rpgs and why most crpgs of my time aren't open world games.

Player agency and exploration should be intrinstic parts of CRPGs. Not gating.

Now who is shifting the goalpost?

Games with an rpg system where you get more powerful also having enemies too powerful to tackle from the get-go? GET OUT OF TOWN!!!!

It sounds like you picked the wrong genre and should play exploration games. I always have and always will want my rpgs to be good rpgs first, last, and always, with good pacing and enemy level gating. You want a world scaled to your level.

 

[Safav Hamon]

https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/105576-update-55-seeker-slayer-survivor-preview/

Update #55 - Seeker, Slayer, Survivor Preview

Greetings, Watchers,

We hope you've been enjoying all the soft balls we've used to ease you into Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire's combat until now, but the baby gloves are coming off. This month, we're releasing the Abydon and Skaen challenges in Patch 2.1, a Mega Boss for those who adhere to the "get good" philosophy, and an entire DLC focused around proving your worth through glorious combat. Prepare yourselves, Watchers - none of this is for the unworthy.

Seeker, Slayer, Survivor


Far from the bustling trade lanes of the Deadfire Archipelego, the most ambitious warriors of Eora gather to compete for divine favor. Face the challenges of Kazuwari's Crucible and seek treasure and truth in an arena designed to test the mettle of you and your party. Slay your way through the most challenging foes you have ever faced, both past and present. Survive the trials and whims of the spirits and their worshipers to prove you stand above even the greatest the Deadfire has to offer.

Be ready, Watcher. Seeker, Slayer, Survivor comes September 25th.


Seeker, Slayer, Survivor Screenshots

 

[Safav Hamon]

We hope you've been enjoying all the soft balls we've used to ease you into Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire's combat until now, but the baby gloves are coming off. This month, we're releasing the Abydon and Skaen challenges in Patch 2.1, a Mega Boss for those who adhere to the "get good" philosophy, and an entire DLC focused around proving your worth through glorious combat. Prepare yourselves, Watchers - none of this is for the unworthy.

Tough words, Obsidian.

 

[Yosharian]

We hope you've been enjoying all the soft balls we've used to ease you into Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire's combat until now, but the baby gloves are coming off. This month, we're releasing the Abydon and Skaen challenges in Patch 2.1, a Mega Boss for those who adhere to the "get good" philosophy, and an entire DLC focused around proving your worth through glorious combat. Prepare yourselves, Watchers - none of this is for the unworthy.

Tough words, Obsidian.

The whole game should be like that...

 

[Safav Hamon]

The early game is brutal now on PoTD. The main complaint has always been the level 14-20 range, which is what they've been trying to fix through the DLC and mega-bosses.

 

[Infinitron]

WTF is up with those tiny screenshots

 

[Quillon]

WTF is up with those tiny screenshots

Requires clicking on them in the Obs forum post.