Game News AoD Gameplay Video - Carrinas Assassination

[Elhoim]

I would be really interested in hear some suggestions on how to improve the music and tracks. Only saying that music is "shit" gives me no indication whatsoever.

 

[Elhoim]

Combat looks nice and plays nice. My only complaint is that apparently in most dialogue/interactive-text instances you only get one choice, which means no choice. Maybe it has to do with the character's build in the demo, I don't know, but I hate having only one possible line to click on.

It's hard to show choices in a video, unless you go back and forth and explore different branches. For example, there are several choices in this quest but they are barely visible in the video. The most important choice is killing your partner instead of killing the Imperial Guards' commander, in which case the quest would take a very different direction. Another choice is using a disguise option instead of fleeing through the window.

For more details about it...

This quest has quite a bit of choices. A big choice is killing your partner, and joining the Imperial Guards or just getting a monetary reward for the deed. If you join, that leads to a fight with your former companions, with a couple of options in how to handle the fight.

Another choice comes up after killing Carrinas, you can escape through the window, or bluff your way out. The difficulty depends on whether or not you asked for information about the merchant renting the room. After that, you have the option to go to Carrinas room, and you can try sneak killing the soldier there, which will reward you with some impressive loot, and will also make the final fight easier once you get back to the guild.

Basically, when you see a choice in AoD, it's a CHOICE, which usually change the quest and dialogue dramatically, not the cosmetic Bioware ones that lead to the same dialogue.

The exception are the "information" choices, where you can ask different questions about the quest, etc.

 

[SimpleComplexity]

An option where you can disable the battle music and get the ambient soundtrack instead should be enough. The main problem with the battle music is the pace of the combat is slow while the music pace is too fast and aggressive.

 

[Lonely Vazdru]

killing your partner, and joining the Imperial Guards

or just getting a monetary reward for the deed

Thanks for the clarification. If cosmetic choices are out, I'm in.

 

[Jora]

The main problem with the battle music is the pace of the combat is slow while the music pace is too fast and aggressive.

On the other hand, the battles are difficult and thus exciting, so the music kinda fits. At least that's how they were in the combat demo.

 

[Elhoim]

Yeah, when you are playing your head goes way faster than the combat, the pace didn't bother me at all.

Perhaps we could include a classical music soundtrack for the monocle gentlemen

 

[Vault Dweller]

killing your partner, and joining the Imperial Guards

There are reasons for that. There are people (shown in-game) who feel that the assassins guild should have never taken this contract because there is no way the guild can stay neutral after killing a high-ranked commander. The PC can share this opinion and may decide to switch teams, killing his partner to prove his sincerity and show that the ties with the assassins guild are cut for good.

 

[Silellak]

Yeah, when you are playing your head goes way faster than the combat, the pace didn't bother me at all.

Perhaps we could include a classical music soundtrack for the monocle gentlemen

Honestly, I'm not sure how your game music system is currently set up, but the easiest thing to do would probably be have a Music directory with the MP3/OGG/whatever files, and let people replace the defaults with whatever they want, as long as the files are named properly.

"Don't like our music? Throw in your own." I know I've done that for a couple of games whose default music drove me a little crazy.

 

[Elhoim]

Yeah, when you are playing your head goes way faster than the combat, the pace didn't bother me at all.

Perhaps we could include a classical music soundtrack for the monocle gentlemen

Honestly, I'm not sure how your game music system is currently set up, but the easiest thing to do would probably be have a Music directory with the MP3/OGG/whatever files, and let people replace the defaults with whatever they want, as long as the files are named properly.

"Don't like our music? Throw in your own." I know I've done that for a couple of games whose default music drove me a little crazy.

Yep, you would be able to do that.

 

[Darth Roxor]

I'm gonna fill the AoD music directory with Britney and whine about how much the soundtrack sucks.

 

[Blind Eye]

I think the only problem with the music is that it's a little too loud for the video. It should be more in the back ground. Other than that, I liked it. It definitely has a Diablo feel to it.

 

[Silellak]

I'm gonna fill the AoD music directory with Britney and whine about how much the soundtrack sucks. praise the team for how immersive, innovative, and ground-breaking the soundtrack is.

Fixed.

 

[ghostdog]

My main concern is the camera, if you manage to give us a decent camera, then I'll buy three copies of AoD and give them to friends.

I'm not talking about a "great" camera , because that's next to impossible when we're talking about 3D isometric cRPGs, just a decent camera that does its job without too much hassle. That's all I'm asking.

 

[TalesfromtheCrypt]

This looks great. The usual suspects are gonna hate as awlays, but this looks really, really good.

About the music...that's a difficult topic. At first I was like WTF is this? then I was like "this sounds unconventional, but kinda interesting" and in the end I was like "this is starting to get on my nerves".

Bottom line: The piece is not that bad, but hearing it for more than a few minutes makes it irritating.

 

[MonkeyLancer]

ghostdog: I think syndicate wars is an example of a 3d iso game that has a good camera, one can hope it is similar enough to that, perhaps?

Seriously? How is the music a difficult topic, seems like such a retarded to have a hangup about; volume too loud, turn it down in the audio options; don't like what it's playing, mute it or play some other music.. FFS

 

[Silellak]

Seriously? How is the music a difficult topic

Oh, hi there. Welcome to the Codex.

 

[Jaesun]

 

[Forest Dweller]

I would be really interested in hear some suggestions on how to improve the music and tracks. Only saying that music is "shit" gives me no indication whatsoever.

Well, I guess that's kinda hard, since if all the music is contextual, we need - well, context. But if I was to just take each track at face value: I've already said this about the arena music, but it sounds very jrpg-ish to me, and I think that's a bad thing. Part of that is the midi sound, but it's also there in the melodic material. Vince has said he likes it, so whatever. But that's my two cents. I'd say make it less "heroic" sounding too.

As for the track in the video (night battle music?) I think overall it's good. I like the drums. I guess the constant repeating guitar motive does get tiring. My only suggestion would be to get some variations on that thrown in. Otherwise I think it's a good idea for the track to evolve subtly instead of having notable "climaxes" that one could hear a lot of times in a long battle.

Oh, the main town music in the combat demo seemed fine too.

Perhaps we could include a classical music soundtrack for the monocle gentlemen

Terrible idea.

 

[MonkeyLancer]

Oh, hi there. Welcome to the Codex.

How do you do, Mr. Silekllak. *bow*

It must really be that much of an important mechanic for a cRPG it ruins the whole immersion for some...

 

[denizsi]

Just ditch the combat music completely. I don't remember a single time it was good, it added anything and that the games that didn't have one lacked nothing. Saying that you didn't "mind" or "notice" the music only adds to the argument; that it's useless.

For instance, I searched for the words Arcanum combat music and the first result I got is:

Is there any way to change the battle music?

Maybe, play a non-looping short introductory piece that only plays once at the beginning of the combat, and maybe when you reload the game to a combat (if it's possible to save during combat).

 

[Esquilax]

I agree with Dicksmoker. The battle track can sound irritating because the guitar melody is very repetitive. There's very little variation, so I can see how in a battle that might take you four minutes or a couple of reloads, it could get annoying.

The drums sound great in it, however. Maybe you should just try the track with drums, it might be a little less intrusive, but would retain that "battle" feel. Mask of the Betrayer has one of my favourite soundtracks, there was a battle track called "Akachi" in it that was all-drums, and it sounded really good and appropriate for the situation.

Getting rid of the repeating guitar melody in there would also go a long way to making the track appear less "midi" soiunding.

On the other hand, the town theme is really nice. Conveys the mood of a desolate, dead town. The town theme in the combat demo was great too, even better in fact. Overall, I'd say that your town themes are significantly more memorable, but that might have something to do with the fact that it's difficult to make a battle theme that simply doesn't suck, let alone one that's really memorable.

But this is all bullshit Codex nitpicking to begin with. Really great stuff you put together, guys (love all the choices present on the screen), I am eagerly anticipating the final product.

 

[Lonely Vazdru]

killing his partner to prove his sincerity

That's the part I've never bought in that classic. I say classic because the in my post meant "hardly original", not stupid.

But if it comes to discussing that part, then I never felt that betraying your former partners and doing a 180° turn to go from "assassins" to "imperial guards" made any real sense.

First because I'd rather see a "I'm not going further with the guild, but won't become a guard either, there's only so far I'm only willing to go" option, and second because betraying and killing your former partner always felt like a proof that you "can't be" trusted to me.

Anyway, the different "on switching sides, the nature of loyalty and its possible measurements" interpretations are a recurrent point of disagreement I meet with a lot of movies, books, games whether they be mafia, sci-fi, military, fantasy... and not specifically with AoD.

 

[el Supremo]

Why everyone seems to be so excited about this game? Sure, it don't looks half bad for a indie. But it seems to use turn based combat?? I mean, c'mon, I have enjoyed UFO EU at the time, but we have XXI century now.

 

[Lonely Vazdru]

You could at least have the courtesy of creating alts that develop the mere shell of a life of their own before they start the blatant trolling spree.

 

[Silellak]

Why everyone seems to be so excited about this game? Sure, it don't looks half bad for a indie. But it seems to use turn based combat?? I mean, c'mon, I have enjoyed UFO EU at the time, but we have XXI century now.

I hate responding to obvious troll-alts, but on the other hand, I so rarely have a chance to post this GIF.