Prototob: Cool.
Don't like:
"1. Start out as a student in a school (yawn)"
Agreed with this. Not bad in its own; but they don't shouldn't feel the need to copy the OC and SOU. That said, the school setting fits a lot more in this game then it did in those ones.
"2. Quest: Find magical items at certain locations (yawn)"
That's not the main quest. Nice try; though. That's like saying FO's story is 'get the water chip'.... Oops... That IS FO's story. LOL
"3. Walk around boring and small (but pretty) levels (yawn) "
Boring? WOWSERS! As for size, why do people say this? Lien's Landing is an example of a huge. Certainly no smaller than KOTOR's. What were people expecting? Morrowind? The baddest part of this though are the slow load times.
"4. Evil = Being a Selfish Jerk (yawn)"
False. First off, the two philosophies aren't so black and white. Example from ch1: There's this guy who has a debt he can't pay and you have the option to tell him to get lost, (just rude), offer to pay his debt (Open palm), or tell him he should find a way to pay off his own debt (Closed Fist). That is not evil. Where is the evil there? Sure, there are thuggish evil moments; but you don't have to choose them and still maintain your Closed Fistness from what i can tell. Can't ay for sure though since I'm an Open Palm Dude.
"5. Setting, story and writing not very interesting IMHO.'
What? What? What?
"6. Fisher Price. I want some grit (ie. Planescape,Fallout) '
It has enough. It has enough darkness and grit. Afterall, it's not exactly Happy Happy Land. And, you can't save everyone.
"7. Epic Story (yawn) "
Yes, it has an epic story. That doens't make it bad.
"8. This engine needs to die."
You. are. crazy. I love this combat. I love this engine. It's awesome.
Good bits:
"1. Combat is more engaging than KOTOR ever was."
Understatement of the year award goes to you.
"2. Nice lighting effects."
Meh. Don't really notice this.
"3. Voice acting doesn't suck (but it's pretty generic) "
Hmm.. Only game I think that has better is BL. Maybe the KOTOR series too..
"4. It's not Forgotten Realms"
This doens't matter either way. Not a positive or negative, imo. then again, I am bias since I love the FR.
"Make sure you play on Master, at least."
Well.. Student is supposed to be easy. I'm playing on Master, btw.
"the Ogres and the Toad Demons are chumps (tip: weapons own them) "
Meh. Weapons are for useless. It steals my focus. I'm concentrating on Legendary Strike, Heavenly Wave, and Ice Shards as my three styles. I barely touch the weapon styles...
"Perhaps the game will get more interesting as things progress--gee, I wonder if there is a plot twist? (yawn)..."
We had one in ch1. Of course, the problem with BIo's twists right now is that everyone seems to expect one eventually....
Still; though I disagree with many of your assessments; at least they resonate as being honest and fair. I think you seem to dislike BIO's style of game devlopment. That's another thing tow arn others of: this is a BIO game. Don't expect anything other than that.
Decado wrote: "That said, what's the deal with "Chapters"? I thought JE was supposed to be a non-linear game."
The chapters work like they do in BG pretty much. the game is about as linear/non linear as KOTOR is. BIO never said it otherwise. They never promised a FO, or even a BG in terms of non linearty, afterall.
Aaron wrote: "Better than Bloodlines, at least. I think JE might have worked better as a pure RPG."
Combat wise there is no doubt. Story/role-playing it's a little closer though BL gets the edge due to having more non combat skills. Of colurse, JE is better simply on the fact that it isn't buggy. LOL
"Chi and Focus should regen naturally'
No, no, no. That be disgusting. I hate regenrating mana crap. Thank god it doens't automatically regen. I'd have to puke.
"I don't know why they don't let you pick focus (magic/strength/speed/balanced) style and character model independently."
Huh? Your model has nothing to do with your stats. Nothing. the only limiting factor here is how you character looks since you only have 6 (or 7) models. Magic/strength/speed/balanced is 100% up to the player. 100%.
'The game is *extremely* linear so far. I'm almost running on rails. Very small environments, very KOTOR."
Yeha, kinda like KOTOR in this aspect thoguh the areas are a little bigger. Though; it's not completely unrails. There are side quests and stuff and Tien's Landing has a lot to do. A lot. I haven't even done the main quest here and I've alreayd spent a lot of time in this area...