So... Pillars of Eternity - their "spells" are just BG/IWD spells hit with 'Power Word: Rename'
I would like to see more isometric CRPGs to be sure. So, PoE succeeding can only be good thing.
But they seem to have liberally pilfered the D&D spell lore, among other things:
http://pillarsofeternity.gamepedia.com/Wizard_spell
Examples:
[with D&D counterparts in square brackets -- they are the same spell level as original D&D cast the same number of times per day by their "wizard" of the same level]
....
4th Level spells
[Confusion]
Confusion – Confuses all enemies in the area.
[Mordenkainen's Force Missiles]
Minoletta's Concussive Missiles – Fires five missiles at the target casing a shockwave of crushing damage to anyone near to the target.
[Fireshield]
Fire Shield – Increases the freeze damage threshold of the caster and inflicts burn damage to any enemy that hits the caster.
[Stoneskin]
Ironskin – increases the caster's damage threshold for 10 attacks.
....
5th Spell Level
[Cloud Kill]
Malignant Cloud – Creates a cloud of virulent poison that does raw damage (ignoring armor) to anyone in the cloud over time.
[Cone of Cold]
Blast of Frost – Creates a bitter surge of ice and freezing cold air, inflicting Freeze damage on anyone caught in the conical area of effect.
[Sun Fire]
Torrent of Flame – Instantiates a terrifying inferno of flame around the caster, inflicting Burn damage on everyone nearby.
....
But they seem to have liberally pilfered the D&D spell lore, among other things:
http://pillarsofeternity.gamepedia.com/Wizard_spell
Examples:
[with D&D counterparts in square brackets -- they are the same spell level as original D&D cast the same number of times per day by their "wizard" of the same level]
....
4th Level spells
[Confusion]
Confusion – Confuses all enemies in the area.
[Mordenkainen's Force Missiles]
Minoletta's Concussive Missiles – Fires five missiles at the target casing a shockwave of crushing damage to anyone near to the target.
[Fireshield]
Fire Shield – Increases the freeze damage threshold of the caster and inflicts burn damage to any enemy that hits the caster.
[Stoneskin]
Ironskin – increases the caster's damage threshold for 10 attacks.
....
5th Spell Level
[Cloud Kill]
Malignant Cloud – Creates a cloud of virulent poison that does raw damage (ignoring armor) to anyone in the cloud over time.
[Cone of Cold]
Blast of Frost – Creates a bitter surge of ice and freezing cold air, inflicting Freeze damage on anyone caught in the conical area of effect.
[Sun Fire]
Torrent of Flame – Instantiates a terrifying inferno of flame around the caster, inflicting Burn damage on everyone nearby.
....
3
Comments
Fantasy settings are becoming very ordinary with a variety of copycats with their dwarves and elves ready to tell an uninspiring setting. Original settings are possible however it's a challenge most developers are not ready for.
I don't think Obsidian's fantasy lore is going to be the quality of D&D which is unfortunate because the game looks very impressive.
The only gameplay I've seen from PoE is the very first trailer in which something resembling magic missiles and fireball is used. That's what I noticed and remember, so it seems I'm biased.
There couldn't have been any other way, obviously.
it is my hope that there are variations to the spells such that it is useful to select a wide variety of spells and have them interact with each other. If it can differentiate itself from other games like it (BG and the like) yet still deliver the same fun as those games, it will be truly a good game (maybe great?).
Just because things are similar, doesn't necessary mean they are the same. And if they ARE the same, it just means that they are/can be as fun.
They could have made Summon Annoying Fairies or some kind of imaginative thing as new spells but why reinvent the horse?
http://store.steampowered.com/app/291650/
They also say you can pre-order a giant miniature space piglet, wtf?! Looks pretty good though and might have to give it a try.
Now we wait for a mod that gives the spells their proper names back.
I read a good quote somewhere once, that basically, in music, most of the good ideas have already been tried, and all we really expect are good to great facsimiles of what has come before. I tend to agree, in regards to just about anything.
I for one am glad I don't have to relearn spell names. That stuff's annoying as hell.
You see it a lot in the 'Big' networks and movie houses simply grind out the same formula over and over again, while the Indie houses and movies actually do original stuff, albeit with a much smaller budget. The same seems to be happening with the gaming community. Several Kickstarter games with original content are doing quite well and people are starting to lose interest in the Big name titles.
"Fake Burning Hands"
"Fake Grease"-best wizard spell in the game so far
"Fake Magic Missile"
"Fak-no, make that plain ole' Fireball"
I do find the priest and druid spells very unique though
I often say this to close friends and some trusted colleagues and students. If all the ways to create beautiful, pleasing music have been discovered, then so be it. If the imperative to be "original" is really *that* important in music, then creating UGLY music is *not* the solution.
In a time when social valuing of and economic demand and support for classical and orchestral music is in such crisis, I think this issue is more important than ever.
Audiences want to hear "The Three B's", The 1812 Overture, Rossini, and Mozart, NOT "the latest avant guarde composer of ugly music that they're supposed to pay $50 a ticket to tolerate."
Classical music may be doomed in the late 21st century if more music leaders don't come to understand this.
Those were the Good Ole Days before copyright!
I'm gonna give the spiritual successor to the Infinity Engine games some slack, especially when the references are on purpose.