Development Info MCA was checking out Age of Decadence

[mbpopolano24]

You know, there are cars with no doors out there. It's true, I've seen them. If you like your car having no doors, that's fine, go for it. For the vast majority of other people, doors are a feature that a car should have.

Now, try to change the word 'door' with 'walk', and the word 'car' with 'game', and you should get my point about teleportation.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Wait a second, it's not really for VD to decide whether it's shared or not, but Avellones call. Probably you have is blessing too, sure, but you should mention it.

It was my understanding that he gave his blessing. Miss Bee asked him to share his impressions with the Codex, he said that he already gave them to me.

I think that the teleporting works perfectly in the game, especially since it's a game meant to be replayed countless times.... Just as the skills checks and combat, you'll get a bit lost the first time, but once you get used to the game you'll be damn happy that teleport is there....

Pretty much.

 

[Jasede]

That doesn't mean there can't be a checkbox to turn it off! I'm also in the "annoying" camp. I should be able to walk if I wanted to. Fallout let me fast-travel or walk; I had a choice in the matter.

 

[tiagocc0]

choice & consequence walk
sorry, just trolling, I haven't played the demo, will do so

 

[TwinkieGorilla]

sorry, just trolling

B&.

 

[Vault Dweller]

You know, there are cars with no doors out there. It's true, I've seen them. If you like your car having no doors, that's fine, go for it. For the vast majority of other people, doors are a feature that a car should have.

Now, try to change the word 'door' with 'walk', and the word 'car' with 'game', and you should get my point about teleportation.

The analogy doesn't work. Doors serve a purpose - comfort, privacy, protection, etc. Walking in most RPG is a filler. You click and watch your character walking. How exciting.

Now, in games focused on exploration and interaction with environment, walking is an important element. In isometric games focused on conversations and interaction with people, walking is a hindrance, at least for me. Walking from one NPC to another is boring. The goal is to get there sooner and have that conversation, not to watch your character running all over the town again.

Sure, you can make waking more exciting. You can add ambushes and chance encounters and opportunities to spot something. Guess what? It's all there in the game. You can run all over the town between quests until your heart explodes, but you don't have to do it in quests.

AoD is meant to be replayed and teleporting helps a lot there by cutting content that serves no purpose. I understand that some people don't like it and I don't want to lose people who were enthusiastic about the game, but you can't please everyone either.

 

[Vault Dweller]

That doesn't mean there can't be a checkbox to turn it off!

Like I said, it's not that simple. We've provided as many "imma big boy and can walk on my own thank you very much" options in R2 and that's as far as it goes.

Fallout let me fast-travel or walk; I had a choice in the matter.

What's your point, Jas? It's not a Fallout clone and what Fallout had is irrelevant.

 

[tiagocc0]

sorry, just trolling

B&.

Reading the codex is a constant travel to the urban dictionary for me.

Downloading the game, gonna try it tonight.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Let me know what you think.

 

[Jasede]

That doesn't mean there can't be a checkbox to turn it off!

Like I said, it's not that simple. We've provided as many "imma big boy and can walk on my own thank you very much" options in R2 and that's as far as it goes.

Fallout let me fast-travel or walk; I had a choice in the matter.

What's your point, Jas? It's not a Fallout clone and what Fallout had is irrelevant.

I don't think so. I have to think you have been very inspired by Fallout and the whole game is deeply steeped in that style of RPG. Maybe it has become something else and maybe it's not a clone - in fact, it definitely isn't - but there is still the lingering inspiration, the remnants that rest deep inside the code and structure of the whole edifice. Actually I am being too flowery; the game seems extremely Fallout-like, emulating a style of play close to Arcanum, FO 1 and FO 2.

Actually, saying "what Fallout had is irrelevant" seems really contrary to the product you are showing off with the demo! Everything is Fallout-esque, just different, from the skill/stat system to the C&C/stat/skill-check focus to the combat! It even has the fast and targeted attacks, AP, the double weapon slots, similar barter/loot screen, and so on. So don't say it's irrelevant; it's not.

I am just saying that if at all possible all of these teleport events should be optional. It'd require a ton of time to change that, I assume, but it never struck me as if you guys were in a rush. If it's not possible, fine. I can see why they are there.

 

[tiagocc0]

Let me know what you think.

What is the limitation of the demo, just a fraction of the story?

 

[Vault Dweller]

What is the limitation of the demo, just a fraction of the story?

You get the first town with all the quests and encounters, plus two satellite locations. It's about 25% of the game, but you don't see a lot of ruins and exploration there.

 

[VentilatorOfDoom]

It was my understanding that he gave his blessing. Miss Bee asked him to share his impressions with the Codex, he said that he already gave them to me.

I cannot be sure about his blessing, but that's how it went:

VoD: I've read MCA was checking out AoD. Ask him for his impressions, so we can post them.
Ms Bee: Sure, will do.

Ms Bee: Magnificient Chris?
MCA: Yes, child?
Ms Bee: We've heard you were checking out AoD, can you give us your impressions so we might post them?
MCA: I've already sent my feedback to Vince. That's the best I can do.

Ms Bee: He said, he already sent his feedback to Vince and that's the best he can do. I guess you will have to pester Vault Dweller to share it.
VoD: 'k.

VoD: Hi Vince. I've heard that MCA was checking out AoD, so I told Ms Bee to ask him for his impressions, so we can post them. Now I get the info that he already sent you his feedback and that's the best he can do. What was his feedback?
VD: Here is what he sent me. You decide what to post: ...

Did we wrong MCA by not asking him for his urine blessing? Does he hate us now? Is he about to sue us? Only time will tell.

 

[Jasede]

Perhaps we can pre-emptively appease him with a sacrifice, just in case? Who needs banning?

 

[TwinkieGorilla]

Send him a case of beer.

 

[Vault Dweller]

I don't think so. I have to think you have been very inspired by Fallout and the whole game is deeply steeped in that style of RPG. Maybe it has become something else and maybe it's not a clone - in fact, it definitely isn't - but there is still the lingering inspiration, the remnants that rest deep inside the code and structure of the whole edifice. Actually I am being too flowery; the game seems extremely Fallout-like, emulating a style of play close to Arcanum, FO 1 and FO 2.

My point is that it's not a clone (as you can clearly see), which is why some people were disappointed as they expected a game that's very close to Fallout's style. Yet despite some similarities, the core of the game is very different.

I am just saying that if at all possible all of these teleport events should be optional. It'd require a ton of time to change that, I assume, but it never struck me as if you guys were in a rush. If it's not possible, fine. I can see why they are there.

I don't think it's possible but I'll take another look.

 

[Jasede]

That's all we can ask for; thank you.

 

[SCO]

Fragile ambush scripting probably breaks if you're not teleported exactly where you're supposed to be.

 

[Elhoim]

We added the option to not teleport in most of the logical situations that can be added. In some situations that are time sensitive, especially regarding NPCs, we are not going to add the option. For example, when you send the raiders to attack the mine, setting you "free" creates a load of extra work. First of all, when you send them, you have the hostage with you. You can't go around town with him, or if you just leave him in the cage he shouldn't stay there forever, or if you go before reporting to Dellar and go to the mine we should script a situation in which the raiders have attacked but you are not with Dellar, or just teleport Dellar there saying some excuse like "So you thought of coming here on your own" or some bs excuse, etc.

The main culprit on the perception of the issue are the vignettes, IMO. Teleporting is VERY strong there, and the way we set things up there we can't let them free roam the town. Any suggestions?

 

[Curious_Tongue]

MCA is a polite guy. His responses to my emails were very... polite.

Basically, If Obsidian makes a GTA style RPG with the Infinity engine, you'll have me to thank for it

 

[MetalCraze]

One author of shitty RPGs to another. How cute.

 

[TwinkieGorilla]

One author of shitty RPGs to another. How cute.

I can see how this post was worth making.

 

[Naked Ninja]

- Still loved the writing. Chatting with the Preacher and outwitting the foreign traveler (name escapes me - S___?) to learn the secret of the smelter and the blue steel was cool, made me feel clever and rewarded for choosing speech skills.

Vince and I collaborated on the Preacher (among others). Chris Avellone, Mr Planescape Torment himself, complimented a piece of writing I was involved in.




Alright, continue arguing about whatever you were arguing about.

 

[tiagocc0]

Let me know what you think.

First impressions

Things I liked:
Weapon Synergy
How a background actually sets the attributes so I know how they are used


Things I'm not a fan of:
360 rotating camera
Very dark enviroments

Things I can live without but I would rather see improved:
A way to increase gamma inside the game
Centering the map where you are (when you open the map)
Showing where you are on the map (like a dot or something)
A minimap so I can correlate where I am in the 2D map (while walking)
Be able to remember my zoom level


Back to the game

 

[EG]

The lack of complaints regarding teleporting is most disconcerting, Tiagocc0. Clearly, you're playing it wrong.

Do not be the one dissenter in this thread . . .