Divinity: Original Sin II - Full PvP Match

[Silver]

Swen Vincke and Tom Marks face off in a PvP match in Divinity Original Sin 2.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Larian was kind enough to let us record a full match from the latest pre-alpha build of Divinity: Original Sin 2 to show off some of the game's new combat mechanics like height and blessed/cursed surfaces. However, the game's audio is still in development, and as a result most of the sounds in this build of the game are missing.

This a full match between Tom Marks of PC Gamer and Swen Vincke, CEO of Larian Studios, recorded from Tom's point of view.

You can also find out more about the Tom and Swen's rivalry here: www.pcgamer.com/divinity-original-sin-2-*showdown-pc-gamer-vs-larian-studios

More information.

 

[crpgnut]

This game is moving even further away from something that I'd like to play. PVP, meh. I'll buy it when it hits a sale; if ever. Larian was at their best in DKS prior to becoming a dragon. It has gone steadily downhill since.

 

[azarhal]

The PVP match feature was announced from day one and it's basically them integrating a mod made for D:OS I.

 

[crpgnut]

None of which invalidates my statement. So? If you like it, I'm happy for you. I didn't back DOS II and am quite satisfied that my money reflects my view.

 

[Sacred_Path]

I don't buy into their "multiplayer makes a better singleplayer" rhetoric either, but what they have shown so far of reactivity and interactivity of the gameworld sounds very, very nice. You might be losing out if you skip this one

 

[crpgnut]

I wasn't super impressed with the various elemental traps and such in the first game. It was gimmicky and kinda dull after the first few times. I'm much rather see innovations outside of combat. I don't like combats that take 10-15 minutes/battle. I find that extremely dull. If they could improve the horrific party banter, clean up crafting so it isn't a convoluted mess, get rid of the stupid pet stuff and the other overpowered traits, that would be time better spent. IMO.

 

[Sacred_Path]

I wasn't super impressed with the various elemental traps and such in the first game. It was gimmicky and kinda dull after the first few times.

Absolutely. The elemental mini-game got stale quickly, but it was pretty much all there was to the combat system.

edit: there are new skill trees now, which I hope will make combat more diverse.

I'm much rather see innovations outside of combat. I don't like combats that take 10-15 minutes/battle. I find that extremely dull. If they could improve the horrific party banter, clean up crafting so it isn't a convoluted mess, get rid of the stupid pet stuff and the other overpowered traits, that would be time better spent. IMO.

Have you seen the latest teasers? They seem to have improved a lot on the puzzle front, which is where the reactivity and interactivity I mentioned come into play. Dialogue seems much deeper now, too. If they can pull off branching dialogue for all selectable origins, that will be a roleplayer's delight.

 

[Silver]

Some of the games systems in action

I'm digging the music so far and cursed fire/blessed fire is a thing.

 

[KaosWarMonk]

I don't buy into their "multiplayer makes a better singleplayer" rhetoric either...

I tend to agree. I'm not a fan of squeezing PvP into what is supposed to be mainly an SP or co-op game. IMO it invariably leads to howling from what is usually a very vocal minority of min/max-ers within a game's community that then leads to balancing of this vs that vs this. These sorts of changes of course spill over into the SP experience and screw things up, either limiting character options or leaving everything feeling kind of same-same. I'm a glass half empty kind of person though so am inclined to the negative.


-kwm

 

[Silver]

Larian has been pretty good at sticking to their vision. I think a little faith is warranted.

 

[crpgnut]

Their vision no longer matches my gaming interests, so they can do what they want. It doesn't cost me a dime. I have faith the game will suck.

 

[Glorian]

I'm digging the music so far and cursed fire/blessed fire is a thing.

There is a bug in the video and 2 tracks are overlapping unfortunately

 

[Pongo]

Larian has been pretty good at sticking to their vision. I think a little faith is warranted.

Yeah I agree. In general I avoid PVP like the plague and completely agree with kaos_war_monk's concerns about min maxers, but I'm still very optimistic about this one and I don't see anything in the videos to be concerned about - the graphics look fantastic and combat looks interesting, especially with the ladders and whatnot. Hopefully this will rock.

 

[Silver]

There is a bug in the video and 2 tracks are overlapping unfortunately

Well it is a work in progress. So how goes the music thus far? Any tidbits you can share?

 

[Glorian]

Well it is a work in progress. So how goes the music thus far? Any tidbits you can share?

The progress goes well. Few ideas are already produced, yet we need to test and tune them in the game before thinking of sharing anything.

One detail I can hint at the moment - expect a varied score full of many different ethnic, classical and other (surprising) instruments ;-)

 

[KaosWarMonk]

... Hopefully this will rock.

Despite what I said, I hope so too and I think Silver's comment on having some faith in Larian is perfectly valid. They have a pretty good record to date from the titles I've played.


-kwm

 

[Morrandir]

Developing MP features to boost SP? Hasn't this failed big time somewhere? No, I'm definitely not looking at you, SotA!

I give Larian the benefit of the doubt though. I didn't agree with all and every design decision for D:OS I, but so far I don't see the danger of focussing too much on MP and neglecting a deep SP experience for D:OS II.

 

[crpgnut]

As I have no money invested, I'm cool with the wait and see approach. If the game is good, I win. If the game looks like a combat-fest with boring little quests, ugly models, and horrible dialogue like D:OS, I can save some money. I got a normal game's worth of play out of Sin, but I was a big-time backer at over $500. Larian should give me free games for the rest of my life I backed so high because I really loved Divinity 2. The character models were much, much nicer in D2 than in D3.

If they someday go back to a single-character, single-player game with great NPC's like Stan and Olly and the guy with the tin hat, then I'll be a backer. I thought DKS was a much better game.

 

[CelticFrost]

I tend to agree with Nut. I have zero interest with anything multiplayer, co-op etc.
All day long I interact with people, so when I am playing a RPG it is my time to escape humans.

I didn't back this as it seems the direction was to bring co-op more into the game.

 

[Pladio]

As I have no money invested, I'm cool with the wait and see approach. If the game is good, I win. If the game looks like a combat-fest with boring little quests, ugly models, and horrible dialogue like D:OS, I can save some money. I got a normal game's worth of play out of Sin, but I was a big-time backer at over $500. Larian should give me free games for the rest of my life I backed so high because I really loved Divinity 2. The character models were much, much nicer in D2 than in D3.

If they someday go back to a single-character, single-player game with great NPC's like Stan and Olly and the guy with the tin hat, then I'll be a backer. I thought DKS was a much better game.

I didn't back D:OS 2 either, but for different reasons.

Putting $500 into a game I didn't like ("enough") would certainly also make me not want to buy the second iteration with worse systems.

:O