Divinity: Original Sin Beta Release Thread [GAME RELEASED, GO TO THE NEW THREAD]

SCO · Jan 25, 2014

will the beta have the linux support or is that in post-release... somewhen :negative:

Roguey · Jan 25, 2014

Summer is a bigger delay than I expected, looks like I overestimated Larian's capabilities.

Amazing how all these Kickstarter RPGs keep getting delayed into the same release-window. Now it's a toss-up when it comes to which one will be out first.

Infinitron · Jan 25, 2014

Roguey said:
Summer is a bigger delay than I expected, looks like I overestimated Larian's capabilities.

Amazing how all these Kickstarter RPGs keep getting delayed into the same release-window. Now it's a toss-up when it comes to which one will be out first.

"All these" == two games?

Also, where do you get "summer".

Roguey · Jan 25, 2014

Infinitron said:
"All these" == two games?

Wasteland 2, Dead State, D:OS.

Also, where do you get "summer".

http://www.gamestar.de/spiele/divinity-original-sin/news/divinity_original_sin,48271,3032029.html
Google translate: Instead of February 2014 is now assumed that the publication by the summer of this year. This was confirmed by Swen Vincke us, Founder and Creative Director at the Belgian development studio Larian Studios, during a visit to the editors of Gamestar.

ERYFKRAD · Jan 25, 2014

Roguey said:
Infinitron said:

"All these" == two games?

Click to expand...

Wasteland 2, Dead State, D:OS.

Also, where do you get "summer".

Click to expand...

http://www.gamestar.de/spiele/divinity-original-sin/news/divinity_original_sin,48271,3032029.html
Google translate: Instead of February 2014 is now assumed that the publication by the summer of this year. This was confirmed by Swen Vincke us, Founder and Creative Director at the Belgian development studio Larian Studios, during a visit to the editors of Gamestar.

What would you do if there was no one to stalk?

sea · Jan 25, 2014

Roguey said:
Summer is a bigger delay than I expected, looks like I overestimated Larian's capabilities.

Amazing how all these Kickstarter RPGs keep getting delayed into the same release-window. Now it's a toss-up when it comes to which one will be out first.

Developers are notoriously bad about estimating how long a project will take. Conventional wisdom is to take any estimate and at least double it. It usually stems from them being enthusiastic and passionate but not accounting for everything that can go wrong along the way, and all the "extra" stuff you have to do (like bug-fixing) that you don't think about up-front.

SCO · Jan 25, 2014

read the mythical man month yo sea

ForkTong · Jan 25, 2014

When it comes to time management, work for hire stuff is perfectly do-able. You get a budget, you calculate how much time that gives you, you make a design that fits that. You kind of need to know your limitations and not go apeshit with features and scope, kill your babies, and keep it realistic. When you're working on your own game, however, it's very, very hard to drop something or not do something, and once you see the potential, you just want to make sure it's the best game you can make. If you can proverbially buy time, you will, and it's only better for the game. The fact that we can postpone release, does not mean we suck, it indicates that we have the means to do it.

pakoito · Jan 25, 2014

ForkTong said:
When it comes to time management, work for hire stuff is perfectly do-able. You get a budget, you calculate how much time that gives you, you make a design that fits that. You kind of need to know your limitations and not go apeshit with features and scope, kill your babies, and keep it realistic. When you're working on your own game, however, it's very, very hard to drop something or not do something, and once you see the potential, you just want to make sure it's the best game you can make. If you can proverbially buy time, you will, and it's only better for the game. The fact that we can postpone release, does not mean we suck, it indicates that we have the means to do it.

Don't get worked out about it. Any mouthbreather in a forum thinks he can budget, estimate and manage projects of any size without breaking a sweat. The fools.

ForkTong · Jan 25, 2014

I'm not getting worked up. I've been doing this for ten years. If I would suck at it, or if I would get worked up over something someone said on the internet, I wouldn't have lasted 10 years.

Visperas · Jan 25, 2014

Roguey · Jan 25, 2014

ERYFKRAD said:
What would you do if there was no one to stalk?

I'd hardly call reading other publicly-viewable discussions stalking.

Edifice · Jan 27, 2014

Infinitron said:
http://steamcommunity.com/app/230230/announcements

Alpha Update V 1.0.99 - January 23rd 2014
23 jan
Another quick update that fixes savegame issues on Windows 8 and possibly on other Windows versions.

Please let us know if there are still problems after this update was applied, and thanks for assisting us in finding this!

Click to expand...

Alpha Update V1.0.102 - January 24th 2014
20:21
Hi Everybody!

We're planning on releasing a big update next week with several improvements. In the meantime, here are a number of fixes for major issues that were reported.

- Fixed players that stopped following you after save/load

- Fixed crash in item combinations

- Fixed item combinations not correctly taking stats into account

- Fixed specific crash during loading of savegames during combat

- Fixed issue in inventory screen where items could dissapear

Savegame compatibility shouldn't be affected by this update.

Have a great weekend!

Click to expand...

Have they said anything about adding more content in the next update or is it just bug fixes and balancing?

Stabbey · Jan 27, 2014

They're working on an update that should do a bunch of UI changes and alter the stat/levelling system again. It's said to be a big update, not just bugfixes.

hiver · Jan 27, 2014

ForkTong said:
When it comes to time management, work for hire stuff is perfectly do-able. You get a budget, you calculate how much time that gives you, you make a design that fits that. You kind of need to know your limitations and not go apeshit with features and scope, kill your babies, and keep it realistic. When you're working on your own game, however, it's very, very hard to drop something or not do something, and once you see the potential, you just want to make sure it's the best game you can make. If you can proverbially buy time, you will, and it's only better for the game. The fact that we can postpone release, does not mean we suck, it indicates that we have the means to do it.

Nicely said.

Stabbey said:
They're working on an update that should do a bunch of UI changes and alter the stat/levelling system again. It's said to be a big update, not just bugfixes.

Ah... i think i might take a dip when this comes out.
I wanted to wait for it to become a bit ... fuller.

And i recently developed a dislike for steam. All that shit that comes with it... but i guess i could sacrifice some time having it installed... bleh..

Infinitron · Jan 30, 2014

Previews: http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/113125-divinity-original-sin-previews-2.html

We have rounded up a few recent previews for Larian's Divinity: Original Sin, a very promising turn-based RPG slated to release this year, all seemingly based on the Early Access build of the title.

OnRPG:

This is a part of the game that really stood out. I initially gave the game a quick go for about fifteen minutes by myself before I invited a friend to join me and we got on TeamSpeak together to play. From start to finish, our two-hour play session was a blast and full of laughter. Sure, a bit of that laughter was at exploiting bugs for funny outcomes (such as being able to kill ourselves for exp), but most of it was because of all the fun we had playing the game. I usually don't play Co-Op games as it's often done horribly and isn't enjoyable at all. Usually, unless you're the “main” player, you're just there for the ride.

However, in Divinity, the game was made with Co-Op in mind. You can tell right from the start that the devs intended this game to be played with a friend. From the often-times hilarious conversations you can have with your fellow player that can have a beneficial end in one way or another, to working together in combat, it just works perfectly. In most games, you're forced to stay together on the screen, even if you're playing on two different machines with two different monitors. In Divinity, while we're in town I can go about doing my business (which usually involves teleporting poor citizens and vendors to their death) while my friend does his. Rather than just a tag-along experience, you're truly playing together with your friend and that's just not an experience that can be beat.

The Gaming Heretic:

By allowing Kickstarter investors to play the game early, they have had a large pool of testers at the ready to help them prepare for the game’s release at the end of February 2014, a date that had already been pushed back from their intended release of Autumn 2013. In addition to allowing Kickstarter investors in, they’ve also opened the game up to Steam Early Access, adding an extra source of income and testers.

I haven’t played any of the past Divinity games, so jumping into this world is a new experience for me. With its three-quarter overhead view, I’m reminded of the Diablo series and Baldur’s Gate among many other games from the 90s. You’re able to point-and-click or drag your character around the map as you progress along your quests. The storyline is played out over a series of dialogue options, trying to find items you need, and combat.

Speaking of collecting items and movement, I would practice extreme caution when trying to click things. One wrong move and you’re going to cause trouble for yourself, be it by accidentally stealing someone’s pile of gold that they have sitting on their table or simply by touching a jail cell which incurs the wrath of the guards. You never have a reason to be in a hurry, so make sure that you’re clicking on what you want to be clicking!

PC Gamer has an Early Access report that includes info on Original Sin:

The whole thing is full of clever little systemic nuggets, from conversations to the combat. Any mission has multiple solutions, and you can kill every single person you meet. I wish I had the room to write about it, but I'm also loathe to spoil it, so here's a small combat example: it's possible to cast fire onto water to create a steam cloud that'll confuse your enemies. You can then zap it with electricity to turn it into a deadly lightning cloud.

There's no doubting it's an early game: you can't name your characters nor select their gender, loading takes ages, and it has crashed a few times. More damningly one save game loaded my group of characters into a city of unmoving NPCs. I was lucky enough to have a working quicksave, or I'd have had to restart. Clawing back hours of progress is that clammy fear that we all hold when playing games, and it intensifies when you're playing a huge RPG that can claim it warned you this could happen.

But the biggest problem is that it's really moreish. The alpha features a fraction of the projected 100 hours of content, and if I keep playing, I'm going to hit a wall where the alpha ends. That's the problem with putting a scripted, quest-based RPG on Early Access. But I can't not recommend it - even at the £30 they're asking - it's a hell of a lot of fun, but if you get into it, you're doing so knowing that there's unlikely to be a resolution to the journey that you start for a very, very long time.

Finally, PCGMedia has a video preview.

Arkeus · Jan 31, 2014

Stabilise your life with an alpha update; Watch Jesse Cox deal with crabs; and Mac users, rejoice!

Happy Friday, friends!

First things first: We'd like to congratulate Tim Schafer and the team at Double Fine for the release of their very exciting-looking adventure game, Broken Age. Their success on Kickstarter in 2012 paved the way for Larian and other studios to give crowd funding a shot and the rest, as you know, is history.

In other news, we're pleased to offer a new update on Steam for Divinity: Original Sin. Assuming you enjoy improved stability; massively improved rule systems for classes, spells, stats, and items; fixed bugs and new features (including one that could help your weary and deserving heroes take the occasional break from hunting Source and making pizza), this update will certainly please you.

Sometimes it's nice to just sit and enjoy the show.
In the following video, Swen discusses the update, explains how your contributions on the forum have helped us, and offers some encouraging news for Mac users eager to get their hands dirty hunting Source in Rivellon.

Also, did someone say something about the release date?

Some details about the update and more:

What new features have been implemented?
Character presets:

We've improved character presets and included three new classes:

Rogue: a thief-like mischief-maker equipped with a dagger and bow, specialised in keeping a low profile both in town and in combat.

Cleric: a cross between a warrior and a wizard, with enough strength to carry a mace and armour, but enough wisdom to support and heal your party in combat.

Knight: a two-handed sword wielding brute so invested in strength, (s)he'll need good support and armour to stay energised while hacking a path through the orcish hoards.

The game is, as ever, classless in that you can customise your heroes' abilities however you like; these presets merely provide your starting point.

Skills:

Each character preset comes with its own unique skills from the start. In this update, you'll get to add a few new ones to your arsenal. Enjoy finding new ways to torment your enemies with Deadly Spores, Infectious Flames, Chain Lightning, Dust Devil, and Battering Ram.

We've revised the effects, chances, and damages of most existing skills. David, D:OS' producer and resident skills wizard, recommends checking out Earth Shield. Why he is tenting his fingers and chuckling maniacally is for you to find out.

Don't forget to keep your skills up to par with your character, and visit the skillbook vendors in Cyseal! Maybe they have an improved version of your Regenerate spell if you feel yours has lost its muster.

Sitting and Lying Down:

As you may have noticed, characters are now capable of sitting and lying down on benches, chairs, and beds. This seemingly minor feature causes more computational chaos than a Source-addled technomancer, so we hope this little bit of realism adds some spice to your experience. And if you get bored, you can always use telekinesis to pull a chair out from under Mayor Cecil. He's probably too senile to realise who did it, anyway.

Keep in mind this is a brand new feature - as such, we hope you'll be forgiving (and let us know on the forums!) when you find bugs and glitches.

Camera close-ups during conversation:

As you'll probably notice very quickly, the camera now zooms in on the speaker of a dialogue. This should help you keep track of the conversations and maintain a better idea of who's speaking and when.

In addition, the user interface has been improved to make your options easier to navigate.

You can find the full change list here but if you want to see the highlights for yourself, watch the following video in which Swen showcases the new features available:

Which rule systems have changed?
Magical skillbooks now require you to have invested a certain number of points in magic abilities. So if you want to learn the improved Winterbreath (aptly named Winterblast), make sure your Water Specialist ability is up to speed.

Items now have a requirement on a primary stat and are no longer level-locked. So if you want to create a glass cannon just so you can wield that impressive two-handed axe you just found, go ahead. But before you do, check out your alternatives, because every weapon, stat, and type of armour has its pros and cons.

The Way of the Warrior ability and the Way of the Ranger ability have completely changed. For every point you put in them, you receive a unique advantage. Check out their tooltips in game for more details!

One important change to the primary stats is that Intelligence now also boosts the damage you do with your elemental magic. Over time, it will also decrease the number of Action Points your magic costs. The more powerful the spells become in the game, the more Action Points they will require, and you will need Intelligence in order to cast them at all! This is also an interesting stat if you want to hang on to your "low level" spells longer: their damage output will shift, and they will cost less AP. The same goes for your elemental specialisations: boost them, and you'll boost elemental damage.

These are only some of the enhancements we've made to the in-game systems - there are plenty more ways to strategise with this update!

What about balancing?
Enjoy a world of better-balanced weapons, armour ratings, damage, resistances, saving throws, statuses, gold, and treasure distribution and generation.

Balancing is, of course, an ongoing process and while this update offers much improvement, you'll find that we've still got our share of tweaking to do.

How has stability been improved?
Causes for certain frequent crashes have been identified and fixed, and performance has been improved and stabilised for Windows 32 machines. Also, co-op campaigners can breathe easy: Multiplayer has been secured, and strangers will no longer be able to pop into your game at random.

Check out the complete change log for more thorough information about updated game elements.[link to Larian changelog site]

Do you actually pay attention to feedback from the forums?
Absolutely! Many of the bugs and areas for improvement we focus on come directly from the Larian forums. Any likes, dislikes, frustrations, bugs, or suggestions Early Access players provide filter directly to the programmers and designers currently working on the game world. Your feedback is absolutely crucial to this process, and we are deeply grateful to everyone who contributes.

Is this update compatible with my Kickstarter alpha key?
Yes. The update is available through your Steam account. Note, though, that when the full version of the game is released, you'll receive a NEW key to unlock your copy of the game through either Steam or GOG. Your old alpha key will then be nullified.

What about my backer tier rewards ("Design a Henchman," "Name a Pet," etc.)
Head over to the Larian Vault, log in, and fill in any available fields related to your Kickstarter rewards. If a field for a tier you paid for is not available, have no fear! We'll soon begin contacting backers individually to collect information to complete their rewards.

What should I do if I want to play Divinity: Original Sin, but I missed the Kickstarter campaign?
The game is available for Early Access on Steam! Grab two copies if you'd like to experience cooperative gameplay and dialogue with a friend. You'll get the first region of the game now (roughly 10-15 hours of gameplay) and the full version upon release.

In the News:
Jesse Cox and Crendor take to Rivellon in a hilarious (and occasionally painful) two-part playthrough of part of the alpha world of Divinity: Original Sin.

And Divinity: Original Sin proves capable of binding nations across time and history as an Englishman and an Irishman from PCGMedia band together to outsmart the Larian developers during their playthrough of D:OS.