Game News Age of Decadence Released on Steam Early Access

[ERYFKRAD]

It happens once, in the merc vignette, that much I know. But does it happen in other builds too?

 

[Zeriel]

Awesome button never made the game actually easy. It just sets you up with a (semi) optimal combat build. If you suck at playing the combat (which anyone who can't even figure out how to build a character will), you're still going to get slaughtered.

 

[VentilatorOfDoom]

I think you start with way more skillpoints, no? I just never did it again because I don't like being forced into the mercenary background.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

You don't start with more skillpoints, you start with merc stats and higher than the usual sword and board. And some good gear. All of which is useless if you can't into the system.

 

[hiver]

Speaking of getting down with da system...




- EDITED into a better full version. -

 

[RedScum]

Hey Hiver, i had some troubles with that fight with my spear using merc. Care to post your build? I know you're playing as an assassin though but would be interesting if you could!

EDIT: Scratch that, saw it at the end of the video. Silly me!

 

[hiver]

Yeah, at the end there. Shame i had a cut in action there, for some strange reason, so you dont see two guys going down. But im uploading that part again and ill try to montage it in.

I only won this because of preparations before hand. Though its a shame i didnt have to use any other alchemical stuff i had ready, except the poison.

Really tense there at the end. Arr!

-

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

Impressive, though spears are pretty simple to figure out - just keep running back and getting those free attacks. I'd really like to see someone take on that fort using daggers or a sword at least...

 

[hiver]

Youre welcome to try it if you think its that easy.

 

[Why.jpeg]

For the all kinds of awesome a sword and dodge merc is ranged attackers are my Waterloo. This is a pretty fun game, not sure why some people harp on it as too hard.

 

[a bear named spigot]

You must be really incredible at video games if you cannot even comprehend how some people might find it difficult! Really impressed!

 

[Why.jpeg]

You must be really incredible at video games if you cannot even comprehend how some people might find it difficult! Really impressed!

There is a difference between hard and unwinnable by design which a lot of people on Steam who are either unwilling or unable to learn the combat system are calling it. Yeah its a tough game but its not impossible by any stretch.

 

[a bear named spigot]

not sure why some people harp on it as too hard

Yeah its a tough game

Question answered I guess!

 

[Why.jpeg]

not sure why some people harp on it as too hard

Yeah its a tough game

Question answered I guess!

Oh go fuck yourself, you know exactly what I meant.

 

[Irenaeus]

It's hard, but not too hard. It's like learning to play piano. It takes time and effort, but ultimately it's a rewarding experience.

 

[Vault Dweller]

You must be really incredible at video games if you cannot even comprehend how some people might find it difficult! Really impressed!

There is a difference between hard and unwinnable by design which a lot of people on Steam who are either unwilling or unable to learn the combat system are calling it. Yeah its a tough game but its not impossible by any stretch.

They just approach it differently.

Some are stubborn. They spread the points too thin, get into the first fight, can't hit shit, and instead of making a more capable character try to get through by reloading and fishing for lucky rolls (then complain that luck is more important than non-existing skills (kinda like "useless" firearms in Bloodlines if you put only 2-3 points in it). Others don't understand the design philosophy.

One guy wanted to kill the assassin in the vignette without taking any damage at all, because he wanted to save Vardanis (the shady deal you're offered after) with a fairly mediocre character (invested into hammers and throwing). You can walk away and the game will continue. You don't even have to kill the assassin, but they feel that they have to.

 

[Irenaeus]

Most probably think that completing ALL quests in a flawless manner is necessary to progress and finish the game.

 

[FeelTheRads]

I'm sure this was suggested before, but what the hell. Did you consider adding some pregenerated characters? Leaving aside the rather absurd comparison with a roguelike, even "hardcore" RPGs had pregenerated characters or parties.
If nothing else, when a reviewer says he can't do shit with a pregenerated character you can say it's his fault because the character is perfectly good.

 

[Vault Dweller]

I'm sure this was suggested before, but what the hell. Did you consider adding some pregenerated characters? Leaving aside the rather absurd comparison with a roguelike, even "hardcore" RPGs had pregenerated characters or parties.

It's not absurd. It may seem this way, but it's not.

What are the roguelikes truly about? They are about making mistakes, dying, and learning what works, what doesn't, what might work if you're ready, what will fuck you up. Same here. You can't play BG2 or Fallout 2 these way. These juggernauts take a very long time to finish. Your time investment should be respected. Restarting BG2 when you reach the final areas 50 hours later would be silly. Retiring a character in AoD after an hour or two is not.

You make a character, give him skills that make sense, run him through the game, see what happens. Maybe he has what it takes, maybe he doesn't. He dies - you make a new one, make different decisions, go with different skills.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

Youre welcome to try it if you think its that easy.

Oh, don't misunderstand, I said it was impressive and I meant it. It's just that most of the combat vids I see people post are using spears.

Anyway, yeah, I think most gamers have been so spoiled by the ease of modern games, that to them actually having to work for a victory means the game must be broken.

Just take a look at modern FPS's: there are no hitpoints anymore, the screen just gets red and you have to take cover for 3 seconds, then it's back to killing as if you haven't just taken multiple gunshots! What ever happened to the progress that was being made by games like Deus Ex, where if your legs got shot up, you had to crawl to a medbot? It's as if at some point someone said, "hey, winning is fun and losing isn't, let's make it so that players can win more so they'll have more fun" - and so the challenge left all our games.

edit: Have to say I'm with FeelTheRads on this though, Again, most players will be completely unprepared for the fact that their choices at the start will matter as much as they do. I don't see anything wrong with offering the option, but we've been over this before.

 

[FeelTheRads]

It's not absurd. It may seem this way, but it's not.

It's absurd, first of all, because a game in which you have to do through dialogues, where you actually have to choose options rather than mashing that A button to skip it can't be as fast as a roguelike. Not too mention the combat which is not very fast either. Or the character creation.
I just don't think a game like this can feel like a roguelike.
I don't care anyway, I like creating characters and trying to "beat the system", but I don't see anything wrong with having some pregenerated characters.

 

[RedScum]

Finally managed to beat the tower battle with the imperial guards, now im at the palace fight. Hard stuff but fun!

 

[Johannes]

I'm sure this was suggested before, but what the hell. Did you consider adding some pregenerated characters? Leaving aside the rather absurd comparison with a roguelike, even "hardcore" RPGs had pregenerated characters or parties.

It's not absurd. It may seem this way, but it's not.

What are the roguelikes truly about? They are about making mistakes, dying, and learning what works, what doesn't, what might work if you're ready, what will fuck you up. Same here.

Not the same at all. AoD world is always the same, when you learn how something works you will know it for certain. Whereas in roguelikes there's always a hundred random variants that will force you to adapt, there's always unknown and surprising things coming your way throughout a game. Have you actually played and finished any roguelikes? This is honestly a bizarre statement to me. Any game with challenge is about learning what works and what doesn't, yet not every challenging game is a roguelike.

AoD is much closer to, as LundB mentioned earlier, games like Long Live the Queen or Princess Maker, you bit by bit learn how the specific instances in the gameworld work and build your character to reach the right thresholds at the right times. In AoD the concept doesn't work as well, though, since AoD's character advancement system is much more simplistic (earn skillpoints -> spend skillpoints), and it on the surface looks like an ordinary RPG.

 

[Dickie]

It's just that most of the combat vids I see people post are using spears.

I've noticed this, too, and I'm starting to wonder if spears are too good. That's relatively, of course.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

A lot of people seem to favour spears on account of their ability to intercept people moving in.
Me, I dig hammers. No other build of is apt to succeed like my sledgehammer/dodge Imperial Barbarian.