Divinity: Original Sin II - How Larian is branching out the modern RPG @ Eurogamer

[HiddenX]

Richard Cobbet talks about Kickstarter, RPGs, Larian, Divinity: Original Sin II and more options for gamers:

[...]"We have Original Sin 2. It's funded," Vincke states. "There's no doubt about that. Original Sin was a success, and we're putting everything from that into Original Sin 2. We don't need publishers, we don't need investors. But, what defines a great RPG is freedom of choice - and choice means options, and options mean features and features obviously translate into budget. So, what are the options that Kickstarter let us increase? We can increase the number of origin stories. Every one is going to be a lot of work, with a lot of choices to make. We can have more races, each with custom armour models and animations and voice, and since there's no point if characters aren't reacting to that choice, that's a whole lot more writing to be done. Then we have skills. We already have a lot in there, but there's a lot of skill trees people would like to see and we just can't do all of them. Same goes for systems. There's a lot of systems we could add... If people give us the room to do all this extra stuff, then we'll happily do all that, because we like our RPGs! We're also offering people the game at a lower price, and with Kickstarter, if you back it, you know that your money is going into the game rather than just into someone's coffers. We're not doing this to grab money. It's all going into the game."

Despite this, Larian wasn't always going to return to Kickstarter. Last year, Vincke's opinion was that while it had worked well, and the company wanted to harness its community again in future games, Kickstarter specifically was a one-time thing. "Yeah. For a long time, it was a much debated issue. Originally I wasn't a big fan of the idea, but then I had a big argument with Brian Fargo, of all people, who convinced me. My argument was that Kickstarter is there to start something, not to continue something. He said that wasn't true. He pointed out that big Kickstarters are necessary in the current ecosystem, and he's right." As just one example of that, "When we do an update on Kickstarter, people see that immediately and then they get involved." Also, "A large project on Kickstarter is not necessarily a negative for the others on there." [...]

More information.

 

[rjshae]

Some day I'd like to see them do a space opera rpg using a similar approach to D:OS. I'll bet it would kick arse...

 

[Ripper]

I could get into some of that.

I'm interested in what they're doing with multiplayer. I've always liked the idea of a single player style campaign, played with friends, but I just have an aversion to the MMO model where we are forced to depend on some company's servers to play.

 

[azarhal]

lol, we can blame the existence of the D:OS II Kickstarter on Brian Fargo...

Also, more Arhu in the EE, cool.

 

[Ripper]

Yes - I respect the fact that they acknowledge that this use of Kickstarter is arguable. I can see both sides, but I hope that the new funding platform, Fig, will harness the community involvement benefits without leaving me with the nagging feeling that they're slightly taking the piss.

 

[Edgy]

I wanna see them and OE make si-fi rpgs while inexile give as meantime.

 

[Zloth]

GameTrailers has an interview, too: http://www.gametrailers.com/videos/...kstabbing-your-teammates--pax-2015-interview-

 

[Silver]

Or vampire hunter 4 player co-op!

 

[Couchpotato]

I would be more excited for more RPGs from Larian, but I don't like their resent focus on making Co-op RPGs. I won't apologize as I prefer good Single-player RPGs.

Also I know you can play solo but it feels like something is missing is when you do. So hopefully the enhanced edition of Original Sin will fix some of the games few flaws.

Now I except I'll have an angry mob with pitch forks after me now.

 

[Silver]

I would be more excited for more RPGs form Larian, but I don't like their resent focus on making Co-op RPGs. I won't apologize as I prefer good Single-player RPGs.

Also I know you can play solo but it feels like something is missing is when you do. So hopefully the enhanced edition of Original Sin will fix some of the games few flaws.

Now I except I'll have an angry mob with pitch forks after me now.

Why? Your just expressing a preference for single player content. I prefer single player too, but the way that Larian does the co-op actually adds a lot more to the single player side of things. ie. more simulation, mechanics led design etc. At least for me that is.

What particularly don't you like about the single player in Larian games?

 

[Couchpotato]

Why? Your just expressing a preference for single player content. I prefer single player too, but the way that Larian does the co-op actually adds a lot more to the single player side of things. ie. more simulation, mechanics led design etc. At least for me that is.

What particularly don't you like about the single player in Larian games?

Well I disagree Silver especially with how party AI/Companions were handled in singleplayer. Also Larian seems to prefer marketing the Co-op features.

Though it looks like they are improving the AI in the sequel at least. Anyway at the end of the day I would still prefer playing more RPGs like Wasteland 2 & Pillars of Eternity.

 

[Silver]

@Couchpotato
Well they have acknowledged the problem with the ai in the original game and they are coming up with an update soon (won't be the next one) to address what they are doing with the single player. I presume you are referring to mechanics like rock, paper, scissors and the personality traits that didn't always align with what you would think to be the case.

I just played with the ai off and you could auto-resolve the rps game so was not so aggravating for me. It was still weird sort of talking to yourself (ie. 2 player controlled characters) schizo style but this will not occur in the sequel. You might as well wait for more information before writing off the single player. Larian shows that they respond to community feedback and I'm sure concerns like these have been noted.

 

[Couchpotato]

I just played with the ai off and you could auto-resolve the rps game so was not so aggravating for me. It was still weird sort of talking to yourself (ie. 2 player controlled characters) schizo style but this will not occur in the sequel. You might as well wait for more information before writing off the single player. Larian shows that they respond to community feedback and I'm sure concerns like these have been noted.

Yeah that's what I was talking about Silver. As I personally prefer to have fully fleshed out companions with their own back story, agendas, and personalities.

I blame Obsidian/BioWare/ & InXile for making good companions.

Don't get me wrong though I have already backed the game on Kickstarter. I'm just airing out some of my thoughts about what I didn't like about Divinity: Original Sin.

So to conclude my point if Larian makes better companions I will be ecstatic .

 

[wiretripped]

I would be more excited for more RPGs form Larian, but I don't like their resent focus on making Co-op RPGs. I won't apologize as I prefer good Single-player RPGs.

Also I know you can play solo but it feels like something is missing is when you do. So hopefully the enhanced edition of Original Sin will fix some of the games few flaws.

Now I except I'll have an angry mob with pitch forks after me now.

Ah well. There's plenty of good single player RPGs, but not a whole lot decent ones to play in co-op, so I am glad they are focusing on it and filling that niche. If you don't like that, well, to each their own. There's plenty of other games out there for you. And oh, I won't apologize either.

 

[HiddenX]

A coop-RPG is closer to a P&P RPG with the program as dungeon master. Can be interesting if you have
a) the time
b) find a good group of friends to play together

I had real fun with coop-shooters like Left 4 Dead or Far Cry 3, why not with an RPG? My greatest problem: You need a lot of free time for this.

 

[Silver]

@Couchpotato
I definitely expect better companions. Who knows? Maybe Chris Avellone will write some.

 

[Wisdom]

A coop-RPG is closer to a P&P RPG with the program as dungeon master. Can be interesting if you have
a) the time
b) find a good group of friends to play together

I had real fun with coop-shooters like Left 4 Dead or Far Cry 3, why not with an RPG? My greatest problem: You need a lot of free time for this.

I love the idea in theory but finding 3 friends willing to match my schedule for 50 hours of game time is nigh impossible.

 

[daveyd]

The thing that irked me about the companion AI in D:OS was the way in which losing the debate (RPS game) meant that the choice would permanently dictate how I would have to complete certain quests.. I mean, the concept of having yout companion disagree with you with is great in theory but it needs to be done in a way that doesn't make the player feel like their freedom of choice is being taken away.

It sounds like in the single-player version of DOS2 the companions will have set backgrounds and personalities and if they don't get along with you, they'll probably just leave the party. And I hope that the new dialogue system does away with the rock paper scissors. Really everything they're saying in the Kickstarter sounds good, even if I don't care about the co-op aspect one bit.

 

[rjshae]

It sounds like in the single-player version of DOS2 the companions will have set backgrounds and personalities and if they don't get along with you, they'll probably just leave the party. And I hope that the new dialogue system does away with the rock paper scissors. Really everything they're saying in the Kickstarter sounds good, even if I don't care about the co-op aspect one bit.

My hope for a single-player version would be that the companions behave like they do in BG2; some will leave while others will just bicker.

 

[Myrthos]

They can't leave the party as far as I know. Also death isn't permanent. They can be resurrected.