Did anyone pay attention that the expansion is called: The White March. Part 1?
At first, I just thought it was because the video with the announcement had two parts. But in fact, it's because they decided to release the expansion in two parts.
"We've always been planning to do an expansion and the way we're really looking at it is that it needs to be a meaty expansion," explained Feargus Urquhart . "It needs to be this old-school expansion, not some DLC that's two or three hours of gameplay. What it looks like we're going to do, because this kind of expansion can take a while, we're going to split the expansion into two parts. It's going to be one full story that will go from part one to part two, but it's going to be two parts and anyone from Kickstarter that contributed will get both parts. They'll get the full expansion, but the best part is that they'll be able to play it early. We should have an announcement coming up soon."
The expansion pack (both parts) is supposed to take a total of six months to develop, although it's unclear if that timeframe is still relevant now that it's been split.
The expansion starts out in a village called Stalwart which is besieged by ogres. It is not another megadungeon.
New UI features include new targeting circles and a hit chance display.
Yes, @Fardragon , the expansion is directly inspired by Icewind Dale. It'll have lots of winter variants of existing monsters, and some new ones too.
The expansion will have optional (THANK GODS that it's optional) level scaling. It will ask if you want the encounters scaled to your level - which may be a good idea if you go there late in the game, as otherwise they might be too easy.
Obsidian are implementing a limited form of multiclassing, by allowing you to learn weaker versions of other class' core abilities. The so called "multi-class talents".
The reason there's no release date yet is that Obsidian decided to add more areas to make the expansion longer.
Also, there will be ogres with bazookas...
AND:
A new Kickstarter update for the Pillars of Eternity: Lords of the Eastern Reach card game has revealed the identities of two of the expansion pack's companions.
They are the Devil of Caroc, a robot-like "rogue construct", and Zahua, a monk. There's also a third companion that they're not allowed to reveal yet. Perhaps he'll be in the second part of the expansion.
So, the Devil of Caroc will be a thief rather than a barbarian. A robot-like. Interesting.
Wait, so the whole expansion will be free for backers? That's pretty badass. I'd gladly give them more money for more gameplay, though.
It looks like they changed their mind about this: as far as I can remember the expansions were planned since the kickstarter campaign and they should have been free for the 165$ tier and bigger only...
Hmmm. I just got this game(finaly) I've played just a few hours, in game I need to go have a talking to with the noble somesuch who's hanging all these villagers up in trees. Duke Rhetoric or something. I forget. Anyway, the game seems solid, though a few things are... Off. Small things, but things I get pedantic about.
1. What's up with the inventory here? Is there really no limit to how much you can carry? And what's this stash? How come it can hold so much.i can't even find a weight limit. I'm carrying like 80 suits of armor right now.
2. I was afraid of this. Everything is so balanced it doesn't matter anymore. I'm starting to appreciate dnd class item restrictions. It doesn't matter what I do. If I put my mage Cipher in pull plate, he get some kind of disadvantage. Probably. But he also gets a huge boost in ACdefense. And it all works out. If I make a Mage with high stregth might then it isn't a bad character, because it seems like every stat effects everything. I learn spells with my six pack and stab people with my charisma resolve. Why do I even bother creating my own character is they're all the same?
3. Why the HELL don't helmets do anything?! A helmet is the MOST important part of your armor. Just look at history. Even the poorest troops with no armor back in the Bronze Age have some kind of helmet. Soldiers wear helmets now. They have always worn them. HEADS ARE IMPORTANT.
4. The "rapiers" are bullshit.
5. Really? I don't need arrows?
6. Maces are not "the bane of mail clad soldiers everywhere." Maces are anti-plate weapons. Do your research, writers. don't just guess at what the hurty-stick does.
7. Why did you start me off with these guys if you where just going to kill them off in the first hour? I heard there where only like 8 companions and the two have already died. Does that mean every play through with a full party uses the same team?
I'm still trying to figure this system out. It seems even more complicated than Dnd, so my opinion isn't very mature yet, but seriously. bows need arrows in order to work.
I actually like the basic way the system is payed out with the two healths and stuff, but I think it could use a 2nd edition and revision here.
While I didn't care much for the stash and infinite arrows I very much did enjoy that every stat affects something as opposed to some stats not doing anything at all. Also, wearing heavy armor increases the time between your character's turns so light armored characters will get more casts/attacks/abilities off than heavy armored characters.
I'm neither a big fan of the arrowless, weigh-limitless ways of PoE, but the overbalanced mechanics you mentioned are that one thing that actually affected negatively my enjoyment of the game. Everything else I got used to, that one kept nagging me throughout.
The unlimited stash reminded me of Gothic 3, where I remember basically stealing everything in the entire world small enough to carry and hauling around it all in my backpack. By the end of the game I had like 6000 items in there. Whenever I had to sell some of them to get money, I actually felt bad about it. They all were my precious!
Wait, so the whole expansion will be free for backers? That's pretty badass. I'd gladly give them more money for more gameplay, though.
It's free for backers if you pledged enough for a Kickstarter pledge tier that included the expansion, or purchased it as an addon. You won't automatically get the expansion for free just because you were a backer.
I was cool with not having to worry about inventory or ammunition management.
Useful helmets are rarer, and make them special when you do find them.
There are 8 full time companions, the two from the beginning are not part of that.
I'm sure if you had spent as much time with the pillars universe as you had with the DND universe (theoretically) you would probably consider the systems easier to understand.
I'm sure if you had spent as much time with the pillars universe as you had with the DND universe (theoretically) you would probably consider the systems easier to understand.
Keep playing and I'm sure you will enjoy it
It's not that I don't understand the system, I'm just getting used to a few quirks. I keep dividing by 5 and subtracting in my head to figure out what my THAC0 and AC are:P
I was thinking earlier, and I think I know what(one more thing, at least) makes the combat feel a little lacking. There are no item proficiencies. This feels wrong. I know this system fixes a lot of thing I don't like about dnd, but it really makes sense that someone who's trained with a rapier for a long time can just pick up a spear and be just as good. I think the penalties dnd applies are a little over the top(using a club is not that different than a mace. Actually, it's not different at all) but I think vBG1 was probably on the right track. It also gave me a tangible sense of character progression(combat wise) when I leveled up, and character customization. I liked being a badass bard with a big halberd, rather than just a badass bard with whatever the best magical weapon he can find is. Now I know you still choose to play with just a halberd, but there's WAY less incentive. It makes it real. And not all people can do that anyway. I also liked focusing on just one weapon and becoming a super awesome grand master by the end of the game.
2-3? I think I saw a thing, but it's hidden among a bunch of other things to pick from. Is that a considerable bonus? I forget what it is. I'm still sorting out which stuffs is the good stuff.
The bonus +6 hit bonus from weapon focus is considerable, much more significant than the apparently mathematically equivelent +1.17 in DnD. Two reasons: it directly increases critical hits, and enemy defense scales with level much more effectively than AC scales. I would take it on any character that will attack with a weapon. You simply won't hit the most dangerous enemies without it.
There are other abilities you can choose to further specialise in your chosen weapon, such as a weapon style and Reposte (rogue). Clerics get the equivelent of a favoured weapon too.
The one that gives +6 to hit with a select group of weapons is well worth the investment if you depend on weapons to defeat enemies (that's everything from few-to-no misses and grazes to more crits). The one that gives +15% damage? Well... depends on how committed you are to doing damage. If damage is your thing, then sooner or later you'll probably make room for it as well. If not, there are plenty of other talents that might do you better.
This game really wasn't that great at character building.. a lot of inconsequential choices that made it fee like it didn't matter which skill I picked made me sort of skip over the levelling up quickly to get on with the story. Also zero memorable items... this game looked so promising, but I felt really let down after playing it to be honest... don't really fancy another playthrough like I do with bg. The backgrounds/world etc were amazingly well done though
The skill choices are far from incosiquential if you focus on an idea and select ones that work together. Yeah, if you pick them at random they won't amount to much. And as with DnD, spells are overwhelmingly dominant in the late game.
I don't get it. Am I really supposed to just kill everyone in this castle?
The way I did it was on the north part of the entrance there's a vine/rope/grapple spot I think that you can climb up onto the ramparts. I killed two guards then looted some priest robes off a rack or something. I put them on everyone and smooth talked my way avoiding combat with almost everyone. I think if you go down from the entrance you can enter the sewers and talk to the Necromancer girl. I definitely want to do that next time because if I can become friends with the Necro-girl that'd be great! You also can get an undead black cat from the room she's in.
[spoiler]@Vallmyr I remember getting to the roof or something and sneaking my way in to the throne room...or something like that. That floor you are on is deadly and there isn't anything but death in that dining area (no paths out behind that fight)[spoiler]
Ok I'll try that. I was kinda confused cause everyone was like, "go talk to this dude" but when I tried to talk they killed me. Also I felt like if I murdered his entire castle he wouldn't be super open to negotiation.
Comments
At first, I just thought it was because the video with the announcement had two parts. But in fact, it's because they decided to release the expansion in two parts.
"We've always been planning to do an expansion and the way we're really looking at it is that it needs to be a meaty expansion," explained Feargus Urquhart . "It needs to be this old-school expansion, not some DLC that's two or three hours of gameplay. What it looks like we're going to do, because this kind of expansion can take a while, we're going to split the expansion into two parts. It's going to be one full story that will go from part one to part two, but it's going to be two parts and anyone from Kickstarter that contributed will get both parts. They'll get the full expansion, but the best part is that they'll be able to play it early. We should have an announcement coming up soon."
Here's the White March gameplay footage:
http://www.twitch.tv/twitch/v/6281592?t=5h34m00s
The expansion pack (both parts) is supposed to take a total of six months to develop, although it's unclear if that timeframe is still relevant now that it's been split.
The expansion starts out in a village called Stalwart which is besieged by ogres. It is not another megadungeon.
New UI features include new targeting circles and a hit chance display.
Yes, @Fardragon , the expansion is directly inspired by Icewind Dale. It'll have lots of winter variants of existing monsters, and some new ones too.
The expansion will have optional (THANK GODS that it's optional) level scaling. It will ask if you want the encounters scaled to your level - which may be a good idea if you go there late in the game, as otherwise they might be too easy.
Obsidian are implementing a limited form of multiclassing, by allowing you to learn weaker versions of other class' core abilities. The so called "multi-class talents".
The reason there's no release date yet is that Obsidian decided to add more areas to make the expansion longer.
Also, there will be ogres with bazookas...
AND:
A new Kickstarter update for the Pillars of Eternity: Lords of the Eastern Reach card game has revealed the identities of two of the expansion pack's companions.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2081578473/pillars-of-eternity-lords-of-the-eastern-reach-car/posts/1266758
They are the Devil of Caroc, a robot-like "rogue construct", and Zahua, a monk. There's also a third companion that they're not allowed to reveal yet. Perhaps he'll be in the second part of the expansion.
So, the Devil of Caroc will be a thief rather than a barbarian. A robot-like. Interesting.
In other news, Pillars of Eternity is currently on sale in Steam: 33% off ($30). http://store.steampowered.com/app/291650/
And on gamesplanet.com, the sale is even better: 60% off (£13.99).
https://uk.gamesplanet.com/game/pillars-of-eternity-hero-edition--2709-1
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/obsidian/project-eternity/description
So if they changed their mind is certainly a good thing!
Anyway, the game seems solid, though a few things are... Off. Small things, but things I get pedantic about.
1. What's up with the inventory here? Is there really no limit to how much you can carry? And what's this stash? How come it can hold so much.i can't even find a weight limit. I'm carrying like 80 suits of armor right now.
2. I was afraid of this. Everything is so balanced it doesn't matter anymore. I'm starting to appreciate dnd class item restrictions. It doesn't matter what I do. If I put my mage Cipher in pull plate, he get some kind of disadvantage. Probably. But he also gets a huge boost in ACdefense. And it all works out. If I make a Mage with high stregth might then it isn't a bad character, because it seems like every stat effects everything. I learn spells with my six pack and stab people with my charisma resolve. Why do I even bother creating my own character is they're all the same?
3. Why the HELL don't helmets do anything?! A helmet is the MOST important part of your armor. Just look at history. Even the poorest troops with no armor back in the Bronze Age have some kind of helmet. Soldiers wear helmets now. They have always worn them. HEADS ARE IMPORTANT.
4. The "rapiers" are bullshit.
5. Really? I don't need arrows?
6. Maces are not "the bane of mail clad soldiers everywhere." Maces are anti-plate weapons. Do your research, writers. don't just guess at what the hurty-stick does.
7. Why did you start me off with these guys if you where just going to kill them off in the first hour? I heard there where only like 8 companions and the two have already died. Does that mean every play through with a full party uses the same team?
I'm still trying to figure this system out. It seems even more complicated than Dnd, so my opinion isn't very mature yet, but seriously. bows need arrows in order to work.
I actually like the basic way the system is payed out with the two healths and stuff, but I think it could use a 2nd edition and revision here.
The unlimited stash reminded me of Gothic 3, where I remember basically stealing everything in the entire world small enough to carry and hauling around it all in my backpack. By the end of the game I had like 6000 items in there. Whenever I had to sell some of them to get money, I actually felt bad about it. They all were my precious!
I was cool with not having to worry about inventory or ammunition management.
Useful helmets are rarer, and make them special when you do find them.
There are 8 full time companions, the two from the beginning are not part of that.
I'm sure if you had spent as much time with the pillars universe as you had with the DND universe (theoretically) you would probably consider the systems easier to understand.
Keep playing and I'm sure you will enjoy it
I was thinking earlier, and I think I know what(one more thing, at least) makes the combat feel a little lacking.
There are no item proficiencies. This feels wrong.
I know this system fixes a lot of thing I don't like about dnd, but it really makes sense that someone who's trained with a rapier for a long time can just pick up a spear and be just as good. I think the penalties dnd applies are a little over the top(using a club is not that different than a mace. Actually, it's not different at all) but I think vBG1 was probably on the right track.
It also gave me a tangible sense of character progression(combat wise) when I leveled up, and character customization. I liked being a badass bard with a big halberd, rather than just a badass bard with whatever the best magical weapon he can find is.
Now I know you still choose to play with just a halberd, but there's WAY less incentive. It makes it real. And not all people can do that anyway. I also liked focusing on just one weapon and becoming a super awesome grand master by the end of the game.
What level are you @meagloth ?
There are other abilities you can choose to further specialise in your chosen weapon, such as a weapon style and Reposte (rogue). Clerics get the equivelent of a favoured weapon too.
The backgrounds/world etc were amazingly well done though
[spoiler]@Vallmyr I remember getting to the roof or something and sneaking my way in to the throne room...or something like that. That floor you are on is deadly and there isn't anything but death in that dining area (no paths out behind that fight)[spoiler]