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Just RPG: DS II is the best E3 RPG ( Game news )
posted by Vault Dweller on Tue 25 May 2004, 17:33:01
More info on Dungeon Siege 2 - More info on Gas Powered Games

Just RPG has picked the best E3 2004 RPG: Dungeon Siege II. Bloodlines was "honorably mentioned". Go figure.


Thanks, DemonKing

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Dungeon Siege II Developer Diary ( Development info )
posted by Exitium on Sat 22 May 2004, 11:07:23
More info on Dungeon Siege 2 - More info on Gas Powered Games

Gas Powered Games has posted up their latest installment of their Developer Diary, this time with Level Designer Brian Fricks behind the keyboard. He talks about his experiences at the E3, and describes some of the new features of Dungeon Siege II, new powers, and he talks about a pet which eats your phat lewt(tm). Here's an interesting bit:

The other task on my plate will involve some scripting with the new "Flick" system. Throughout the game, we are creating numerous areas where the world is active, and even interactive. Flick provides a wide variety of life and personality in the gameworld; it also increases the opportunities for player choice and combat tactics to influence that world. Sometimes we invite the player to decide, for example, between being a witness to a battle and being an active participant. Other times we design the encounter to respond to the choices made by the player.

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Dungeon Siege 2 checked out by WHAM! ( Preview )
posted by Saint_Proverbius on Mon 17 May 2004, 17:21:02
More info on Dungeon Siege 2

No, not the rock group WHAM, some silly Canadian gaming site. Anyway, they have a preview of Dungeon Siege 2. It covers new additions to the character advancement system, such as something you might get to choose when you advance like a new ability. It also covers choices in the game as well as consequences of choices, like this:

Besides the way your character levels up, the game and story itself are very different this time as well. Your actions now have consequences – both in the short term, and long term. I asked how many different endings there could be when Dungeon Siege II makes it to market, but that is still being decided. You won’t have to wait 25 hrs of playing the game to find out how your decisions have impacted your ending, in some cases you’ll be able to see it almost immediately. In one instance, I arrived at a gate, and had 2 options – be shifty to get through the door without a fight, or simply attack my way through. I attacked, and upon entering said locked gate, found a whole bunch of new enemies who were now hostile to me because I attacked their compatriot. I was told that wouldn’t have happened had I been sneaky with my responses.

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Dungeon Siege 2 E3 piece at GameSpy ( Preview )
posted by Saint_Proverbius on Sun 16 May 2004, 03:18:50
More info on Dungeon Siege 2

GameSpy has a preview of Dungeon Siege 2 talking about things like feeding pets magic items and other good stuff. Here's a bit for you arsonists out there:

The maps are much more immersive and interactive than before. In the jungle level that we saw the vegetation was thick, enabling creatures to hide in the underbrush. Maps can have big scripted sequences: while raiding an enemy encampment, we were able to take a stick, set it on fire to turn it into a torch, and use it to burn down a wooden watchtower. The watchtower burst into crimson flame and then exploded into a mushroom cloud leaving rubble behind - very satisfying! The developers aim to have great moments like these spaced out at regular intervals, so that you'll always have something to sink your teeth into.

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Chris Taylor talks to GameSpy ( Interview )
posted by Vault Dweller on Fri 30 April 2004, 14:21:48
More info on Dungeon Siege 2 - More info on Gas Powered Games

GameSpy posted an interview with Chris Taylor, the man behind everyone's favourite screensaver, about Dungeon Siege II: Now 50% More Interactive!.

In what other ways will the world be more interactive than before?

GameSpy: In what other ways will the world be more interactive than before?
Chris Taylor: In DS1, interactivity was mostly opening secret doors, flipping switches, and the opening of various treasure containing items like barrels and crates. One of the best examples is the addition of doors or objects in the world that are operable or usable if the character is of a specific class. Additionally, many of our quests involve a much higher level of interactivity, from blowing up buildings to using siege weapons to filling an area with water.

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Dungeon Siege 2 features at GameSpy ( Preview )
posted by Saint_Proverbius on Fri 30 April 2004, 10:34:33
More info on Dungeon Siege 2

GameSpy has posted a little features preview of Dungeon Siege 2, telling us basically what a few of the new features the sequel will have over the original. Here's one of them:

A More Dynamic World

The land of Aranna is a lot more interactive this time around. Players will be able to really impact the environment, by destroying certain buildings or even flooding areas. They'll be able to use the terrain to their advantage, using interactive parts of the map to lay waste to large groups of enemies.

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Dungeon Siege 2 dev ramblings at DS2 site ( Preview )
posted by Saint_Proverbius on Sat 24 April 2004, 20:50:23
More info on Dungeon Siege 2 - More info on Gas Powered Games - More info on Sarah Boulian

There's a little dev diary thingy at the Dungeon Siege 2 site hosted by Gas Powered Games, and written by Sarah Boulian, talking about building a game world for the upcoming title. Here's a taste of it:

The dialogue and quest systems have been completely overhauled and are now significantly more flexible (and complex) than in DS1. True branching conversation trees are not just possible, but used extensively! The new quest system allows much greater control in setting up quests under the hood, as well as some really cool possibilities in what can be done in a quest in the first place.

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Dungeon Siege II website is open for business ( Game news )
posted by Vault Dweller on Mon 19 April 2004, 21:34:13
More info on Dungeon Siege 2 - More info on Gas Powered Games

Just like the title says. Click here if you don't believe me.

Elite Battle Party - Players must choose battle comrades carefully to build a party of up to six members. Parties can be honed over time using an all-new character development system filled with new skills and specialties.

Hero Powers - As the stakes have increased, so have the party's abilities. Each class now has access to unique Heroic Powers that are capable of turning the tide of battle, but they require wisdom and strategic timing to use properly.

Powerful and Unusual Allies - The packmule was only the beginning. Players can now choose from a number of exotic creatures with special abilities that adventure and grow alongside players.

Tactical Gameplay - Players will face-off against opponents whose power and tactical prowess will rival their own. Passive gameplay stile will no longer suffice. As a result of the new tactical system introduced in "Dungeon Siege II," players will be able to develop and use different tactics based on their skills and abilities.

Interactive World - The world of "Dungeon Siege II" is brimming with activity. From pitched battles raging around players as they adventure through the world, to special environments that players can turn to their tactical advantage in the heat of battle - players will do well to pay heed to the world around them.

Jaw-dropping Special Effects - The new SFX engine in "Dungeon Siege II" takes visual special effects to the next level for everything from the environmental atmosphere to dazzling spell effects, creating an engrossing and immersive gaming experience.

Cinematic Storytelling - "Dungeon Siege II" introduces a new Flick authoring system providing a new level of in-engine cinematic storytelling that keeps players in the game world instead of pulling them away from it. New story-driven quests provide a deeper adventure that evolves with players as they complete quests and missions.

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Chris Taylor talks to FileFront ( Interview )
posted by Vault Dweller on Sun 18 April 2004, 16:22:41
More info on Dungeon Siege 2 - More info on Gas Powered Games

FileFront ran into Chris Taylor of Gas Powered Games and Dungeon Siege's fame, and asked him a few questions.

For this question’s sake, let’s say someone didn’t enjoy Dungeon Siege. How would you convince them to buy Dungeon Siege 2?

Unfortunately I can’t answer this question yet either, as the feature list for DS2 is also still under wraps.

What do you think went right with Dungeon Siege? On the other hand, what went wrong?

We were very happy with Dungeon Siege as our first game from our new company, but clearly the next steps for us were to take a look at what we could do with a sequel that just wasn’t possible the first time around. Today we have a super talented group of people, an awesome base of technology, existing company infrastructure and processes built to handle the massive amount of content required to make an RPG game today.

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Dungeon Siege 2 website is up and running ( Game news )
posted by Vault Dweller on Fri 05 March 2004, 13:58:14
More info on Dungeon Siege 2 - More info on Gas Powered Games

Microsoft has launched the website for the mother of all interactive screensavers, Dungeon Siege 2. The site is plain and ugly featuring the overview and the E3 trailer.

It’s been a generation since you vanquished the evil that plagued the Land of Ehb, and now…a new menace has awakened. In Dungeon Siege II, the sequel to the best-selling RPG from Gas Powered Games, you will be called on to again wield sword and spell to save the world from a growing abomination many years in the making.

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