Playing AoD: for dummies

[hiver]

This is probably a totally horrible idea.


But, it seems to me that some people will need a very simple and straight guide into the AoD gameplay.
Something to get them started, put a weapon in their hand, and get them killed.
Or put a book in their hands and push them into a pit full of poisonous blades and bladed poisons... or some traps containing both.
Or train them in the art of assassinations that will get them assassinated.


So, i will collect useful stuff in this sense, here in this awesome OP.
And you will suggest.






Lets start at the start:

After watching the intro, - first thing you do is create your character.
You can choose an awesome "difficulty" and start with a premade awesome character.
Or you can play it normally.
That takes you to character creation screen. (c on your keyboard)

The most important thing to know here is that you should choose one weapon and one combat related defense skill.
Either dodging or blocking.

Do not choose both under any circumstances (which means experience of several years of playing).
The third skill - critical strike, is also one that is recommended only for experienced players.
It makes your character achieve more critical strikes and is useful in some interesting options presented in dialogue.


On the left you will see different backgrounds or "builds" or "classes" that are supported by design of this game.
Those are just your starting roles that get you going down specific paths in the game and set your initial allegiance to one faction or guild in the game world.

Nothing is keeping you from developing your character in different ways or betraying your guild or any others you join later.


You cannot join all of them. You cannot become a boss in any of them.
You can work for them which will benefit you - and make some other guilds hate you which will not benefit you, most likely.... since a steel blade in your kidney generally doesnt have many benefits.
Or a big hammer smacking your head... or a crossbow bolt suddenly appearing in your back... or ...
...well, you get the point.

If not - you will get it.




Observe that when you click onto different backgrounds the primary attributes and skills change.

Thats the game showing you what is useful for each background. What attributes are good for them or what skills.

Fighters favor strength, dexterity and perception... constitution is not really useful and you should put those points elsewhere... probably in more dexterity and intelligence which gives a very big boost for all classes.
and i think you may guess what talkative, persuading, diplomatic characters would need, right?
Splendid.



As for general skills, its best if you choose two or three at the most to compliment your intended style. If you want to fight throughout whole demo... better don't - and just invest all skill points into weapon and defense/attack skills.



........


-edited-

 

[hiver]

- cant edit the post, forums are bonkers again, pages dont load, edit doesnt work, or it all gets redirected to rpg watch.

Anyway, if anyone has any comments or suggestions for other stuff that needs to be mentioned - feel free.
If not ill do it myself eventually.

Just bear in mind this would be a sort of very simple manual for absolute beginners, people that never played anything like it.
Nothing complicated or based on required pre-knowledge about any of the mechanics - and focused on the start of the game. And nothing too revealing or detailed.
There are people out there that would like to try it who dont know anything about mechanics specific for a game like this, or AoD specifics.

I guess a brief explanation for how stealth, stealing, lockpicking works would be good... and a few words about text adventures in general.

 

[hiver]

oh well... it seems im being "discouraged" by DU with these next gen forum mechanics.

how... zanny.

-edit-
I would love to read this pm youve sent me just now DU but all i see is RPG watch page.

 

[hiver]

Ive skimmed over that thread at IT.

Making a tutorial might not be a wisest idea. Sure you already have an Arena but i would rather see the Arena in the game then you wasting time to make a whole tutorial, especially if it would include other mechanics except combat.
It just seems like too much work, or too big of a measure for those complaints there.
Not complaints about difficulty of combat, but those about players not being able to grasp what is good or bad to try, when starting the game.


Now, it is pretty obvious that you have so called "hard core" player base who are generally familiar with the rules - and it is true that design of this game was intended for them from the beginning.
But you do have and will have people who would like to try or play it - that dont have any experience with games such as AoD - at all.

Those are not the usual incompetent bioware or bethesda, ign, kotaku or similar pop-a-mole types of players at all.
Its NOT the only other option/group here.

There are people who would like to try a game like this that dont belong to any of these two extremes.
All they require is something like i started writing here.
Just something thats written in a very simple and straightforward way, to give them the basic info on biggest and most important starting points.
They dont need any hand holding or easy modes. And if you make them a tutorial they will struggle through it as much as through the game unless big letters explaining everything keep flashing over the screen.
Setting all of that up may take quite some time. And i dont think its necessary.

Of course you can probably do it in better ways than i see it now but .... i think "Playing AoD for Absolute beginners" starter manual, would be a simpler, quicker and better solution.
(i just named this "for dummies" because of that series of books "for dummies" about everything but it probably wont look to good here)

They need simple, straight and easy to understand explanations for absolute beginners, explanations that do not use game specific or advanced terminology.
Therefore, none of you devs can write it. Im not an advanced connoisseur of AoD mechanics and slang or dev terminology but i do know my way around - and i still sometimes dont immediately get what the hell are you guys mumbling about.
Youre too far beyond the event horizon, chaps.

And none of the advanced forum members either.
Even Ghan seems to be too far behind the curve... but he could surely do it if directing was good and focused. Starwars too... etc. throw in Gregorius Prime for bit of giggles, One Wolfe if he is still there... etc...
You need someone who understands the basic and important stuff but isnt a too big of a gamer; and is capable to write about it in normal everyday language. Something like i attempted to do in OP.


Then you get them to write - and as a reward you put their nicknames onto the "cover" of the file.
Written by our forum members team.... :nicknames:

Hell if you do it like that you may even allow them to write their own whole sections and you guys just sort paragraphs that cover the same stuff into appropriate chapters or sections, so that players can get the info from two, three, four guys - each writing from a slightly different perspective.
Nothing too wild... more like simply getting a few different but similar presentations and perspectives on each of the basics. In style, more of a "talk between palls" then some technical, dry manual.
Each writes what he wants, you collect and arrange it all and ... no problem.

 

[corvus]

Pity post.

 

[Stinger]

Hiver doesn't need your pity dipshit.

That's a pretty good guide Hiver. I'm personally avoiding the beta to save up my AoD virginity for the day I WIN THE PHOTOSHOP COMPETITION FUCKERS! er...buy the game but it's nice to know a few quick tips on the general playstyle for combat builds in advance.

Agreed that AoD doesn't need a tutorial, at best include it in the descriptions of each skill in the character creator e.g. You don't need both blocking and dodging or something like that, or just keep that shit in the manual.

 

[hiver]

Well, manuals tend to be too concentrated on players that do have some basic knowledge already, or get too technical and too long.

I was literally thinking about something very short, specifically made for complete absolute beginners (thats a better marketing name) and maybe something you could throw in into the game at the start. Or maybe into the character creation or just before it.
Nothing mandatory visible for all players. Just a a button to click if you need it and then a screen for absolute beginners pops up. Two, three pages long at the most.


Or something like that. Easy to access but not bothering regular players.
Full manual can be a separate thing.

Seems easier to do than a whole tutorial, especially considering the game isnt geared towards casual players in the first place and there probably wont be many of them. Though, considering they need every pre order and every copy sold eventually...
This covers both bases in an easy way, devs dont waste a lot of time on it and you give your good forum members some additional cooperation and recognition.

Plus they already have a combat demo thats easy to hype inside the game or that section for beginners, set up as torrent they can download.
Still, beginners will need a few pointers even for combat demo...

 

[hiver]

Well, manuals tend to be too concentrated on players that do have some basic knowledge already, or get too technical and too long.

I was literally thinking about something very short, specifically made for complete absolute beginners (thats a better marketing name) and maybe something you could throw in into the game at the start. Or maybe into the character creation or just before it.
Nothing mandatory visible for all players. Just a a button to click if you need it and then a screen for absolute beginners pops up. Two, three pages long at the most.


Or something like that. Easy to access but not bothering regular players.
Full manual can be a separate thing.

Seems easier to do than a whole tutorial, especially considering the game isnt geared towards casual players in the first place and there probably wont be many of them. Though, considering they need every pre order and every copy sold eventually...
This covers both bases in an easy way, devs dont waste a lot of time on it and you give your good forum members some additional cooperation and recognition.

Plus they already have a combat demo thats easy to hype inside the game or that section for beginners, set up as torrent they can download.
Still, beginners will need a few pointers even for combat demo...

 

[Sukeban Cho]

Since you seem to have been following the development quite closely I'll post a question I have while being too lazy to check what has been written over the years on the topic: Will the game be clearable by a character investing points in absolutely nothing but social skills? Then, would such a character reach a high completion rate, even if not one hundred percent? Your introduction to the gameplay does not make it look that way, as the first thing you mention is to learn a combat skill, a defense skill, and some shit like that.

 

[hiver]

Look.. if you took the minimal effort to READ or even just look at the bloody site of the DEVS:

http://www.irontowerstudio.com/

You would see there are several backgrounds made specifically for.... what?
SECOND - THIS ISNT A BLOODY FULL ARTICLE!
And i dont fucking intend to write it!

I just started to write the beginning... so everyone can see exactly on what level of simplicity it should be, in my... not so humble opinion.

 

[RK47]

Hiver, why are you being so mean to Sukeban Cho? o_O
Anyway, completion without combat skills...It'd be pretty hard since the game promotes C&C having less combat skills would punish you severely should you fail a speech check, or undertake a quest that requires mandatory combat. Obviously I am not VERY experienced in this game, but high completion rate for certain background (Praetor) that is meant to employ non-combat skills is certainly very possible, though I doubt a smooth talking assassin can have an opponent's back turned to him all the time.

 

[corvus]

Hiver doesn't need your pity dipshit.

No one would've responded if it weren't for me.

Hiver you realize you just called your former White Knight charge a dipshit?

 

[Sukeban Cho]

@ Hiver

Oh, boy. You truly are a jerk when you don't know who's fucking who. Talk about disappointment.

That aside, if I wanted to read about the game I wouldn't have said I did not feel like doing exactly that. Duh. I have no interest on the game outside the potential for a purely social playthrough, and I value my time too much to closely follow the development of a game I am interested in nothing but a single aspect of it. Therefore, I turn to those who have followed the development closely and have first hand experience with the game for answers, like any rational person on the same situation would.

Second, LOL at the comment about the backgrounds. There's not a single role playing game in which all available options are equally worth it and perfectly balanced, so the presence of a given option is worth nothing by itself. Then, notice one of the points on my post was about how much of the game would you be able to experience even if the game were to allow for such a character to clear an ending.

Third, where did I say this was a full article? Also, where did I say you intended to write one? Oh, wait. Nowhere. I mentioned what you had written because you mentioned it being important to pick a combat skill and a defense skill, and maybe the critical skill, which in itself implies the posibility of content not being balanced for purely social characters, which was the main point of my post.



@ RK47

Thank you for the answer.

Following that, are social checks based on an actual dice roll or on your skill values being equal or above a given target number? Also, can social characters go around with a small entourage of NPCs that give her a chance if her skills fail at a bad time or a random encounter rears its ugly head? If so, do you have to control those characters directly yourself or do they act by themselves like in Fallout and Arcanum?

I am sorry for making what must seem to be very basic questions to someone who has been following the development of the game. People sure is touchier here than I remember them to be.

 

[RK47]

No trouble at all. I didn't have much fun, but want others to give this game a chance since quite a sizeable crowd DO preorder AoD, to my great surprise.
As far as I know, you CANNOT give NPCs orders. I could have fights with 2 allies and I am forced to act according to them. Not the other way around, there's lots of frustration when you had to escort a pitiful merchant as a warrior and watch as this fat idiot run head first into 2 robbers in a dark alley. Fallout style - without the command of Arcanum.

As for the Skill Checks - lots of issues being...umm...resolved(?) most prominently is save scumming and saving up skill points to bypass checks. I didn't like that. Too much meta. I don't know how it works now in the latest Demo Build. But hey, if you're really interested, you should give the demo a try. It's pretty large IMO, though there's no pretty dresses and witches to pretend as.

As for perma companion. No, I doubt there's any available.

 

[Executer]

I remember there being talk of hirable companions in the full game, but whether or not they will be permanent or only available for particular quest lines, I don't know.

 

[hiver]

Hiver, why are you being so mean to Sukeban Cho? o_O

a) Because i cant be nice as i usually am to all of you, all the time?
b) Because im having a bad hair day?
c) Because im generally discouraged in my good will toward fellow humans?
d) Because am all out of chewing gum?
e) all of the above?

Anyway, completion without combat skills...It'd be pretty hard since the

Its not pretty hard - it is impossible.
Every background has its own specific playthrough AND you dont get to see or experience any or very large parts of others.

This is definitely a material for AoD for Dummies.

Hiver doesn't need your pity dipshit.

No one would've responded if it weren't for me.

Shut up faggot.

Hiver you realize you just called your former White Knight charge a dipshit?

Youll get a white knight replica in your ass one of these days. And its going to wave his weapons all the time. And march. And wave. And come out of your mouth. Dipshit.
Sukeban Cho

Oh, boy. You truly are a jerk when you don't know who's fucking who.

How am i supposed to know who is fucking who ?
Or care...
I actually deleted most of my answer.
btw, im sometimes a jerk regardless of who is who. Goes with being human.

also

and some shit like that.

doesnt really induce my serotonin levels to raise.

That aside, if I wanted to read about the game I wouldn't have said I did not feel like doing exactly that. Duh.

Oh DUH..be.. DUH - DUH!

wheres the bloody trailer....

Second, LOL at the comment about the backgrounds. There's not a single role playing game in which all available options are equally worth it.

THERE IS NOW! LOL!

Third, where did I say this was a full article?

You jumped to conclusions about combat being a mandatory skill for every "build" as if it was a full article, not noticing or wanting to notice its a work in progress which is clearly visible.... with a bit of reading.

Also, can social characters go around with a small entourage of NPCs that give her a chance if her skills fail at a bad time or a random encounter rears its ugly head?

You get additional NPCs only in specific quests - based on your choices and skills. They dont stay with you any longer than necessary.
Diplomatic characters dont need those, or dont get into those quests at all - because you are not supposed to be doing any combat in diplomatic/conspiracies/betrayal playthrough.
You have your own whole diplomatic/conspiracies/betrayal playthrough to enjoy.

Several of them - in fact.

 

[CappenVarra]

Long story short, in the demo several routes can be 100% completed with non-combat skills only. Note they are not necessarily "social" skills (Lore, Trading, Disguise, Sneak...) Purely social skills (Persuasion, Etiquette, Streetwise) and a 10 CHA character can go a long way (play a Grifter or something), but won't make every quest possible. Skill checks are fixed threshold - reloading to re-roll doesn't change anything. Well, mostly, sometimes the checks added a random -1 or +1 in R1 (which is pretty small on a scale of 0-100), didn't check R2.

 

[corvus]

Hiver doesn't need your pity dipshit.

No one would've responded if it weren't for me.

Shut up faggot.

I guess that means you agree.

Youll get a white knight replica in your ass one of these days. And its going to wave his weapons all the time. And march. And wave. And come out of your mouth. Dipshit.

... Are you trying to seduce me Mr. Hiver?

How am i supposed to know who is fucking who ? :p
Or care...
I actually deleted most of my answer.
btw, im sometimes a jerk regardless of who is who. Goes with being human.

Oh man, you are the worst white knight ever.

 

[hiver]

wow... what a pathetic weak answer.
oh..god.

oh fuck thats so disgustingly worthless.... just... just fuck off somewhere and kill yourself.

 

[corvus]

Not before you give me a better insult than that. You can do better, Hiver-kun.

 

[RK47]

Long story short, in the demo several routes can be 100% completed with non-combat skills only. Note they are not necessarily "social" skills (Lore, Trading, Disguise, Sneak...) Purely social skills (Persuasion, Etiquette, Streetwise) and a 10 CHA character can go a long way (play a Grifter or something), but won't make every quest possible. Skill checks are fixed threshold - reloading to re-roll doesn't change anything. Well, mostly, sometimes the checks added a random -1 or +1 in R1 (which is pretty small on a scale of 0-100), didn't check R2.

Which creates the issue of reloading to bump up your skill by 5 or so. Hoping it'll pass. I was kind of shocked that even stealth isn't a toggle skill like Fallout.

 

[hiver]

http://imgur.com/a/zylpv#0

 

[TheEntitledOne]

http://imgur.com/a/zylpv#0

Incline of hiver.


And I take that when dealing with higher classes Etiquette will take the place of Streetwise, right?

 

[hiver]

Etiquette is for noble men, lords and ladies.
Would have no effect on Littlefinger.

anyway, there wont be anymore stuff like that in the future EEERs. (i think)
It sort of just "came to me", in the moment.

 

[John Yossarian]

Long story short, in the demo several routes can be 100% completed with non-combat skills only. Note they are not necessarily "social" skills (Lore, Trading, Disguise, Sneak...) Purely social skills (Persuasion, Etiquette, Streetwise) and a 10 CHA character can go a long way (play a Grifter or something), but won't make every quest possible. Skill checks are fixed threshold - reloading to re-roll doesn't change anything. Well, mostly, sometimes the checks added a random -1 or +1 in R1 (which is pretty small on a scale of 0-100), didn't check R2.

Which creates the issue of reloading to bump up your skill by 5 or so. Hoping it'll pass. I was kind of shocked that even stealth isn't a toggle skill like Fallout.

Uh, no. The +1 -1 are (or were, i think they removed them after R1) set at the beginning of each playthrough, as to prevent people from pinpointing skill checks at the start of the game. They could go up to +2 or 3 I think. But they don't change on reload, only if you start a new character.
Sukeban Cho
IIRC, there are about 3 ways of finishing the game (as in different endings) with 0 combat builds, out of about 10 endings. How much you get to see of the game will be roughly the same amount for each character, combat or not, but what you actually see is different. You should check the different non-combat builds in the demo, even if just the vignettes to get a feel for that kinda stuff. Just make sure you chicken out of every combat. Or not, and then come back and complain about combat being too hard.