[Zocky]

Well i don't think it's really that important where he caries his sword, more importent thing is that it will not use securom or similar

[Forward]

well i find it annoying when you got so many things on your back.

[UR1Z13L]

1h sword belongs to the side like in g1 i believe

[Argenguy]

Yeah, I also found annoying in Gothic 3 having a 1h sword + a shield + a crossbow all on the back.
It looked horrible, the crossbow clipped through the shield.
Please change it, 1h swords must be on the waist again.

[Demonium]

ohh thats a really bad news! well i dont like the idea of carrying ur swords on ur back especially 1 handed weapon.. do you think you might still chnage it?
in the trailer you see that guy who carrys his one handed sword on his side

What happens then with dual wielding? Should they have one sword on the side and on on the back?..Just find a solution to this, and Piranhas will change that i assume...

What i have to say is about shields...There should be 3 types of them. Small medium and large(tower)...The large ones could be held constantly from the left hand...

But then comes the problem with the dialogs. When the NPCs are talking, they are moving their hands (using expressions)...In Gothic 3, the NPCs were moving their hands extremely often wile they were talking. They looked like politicians. Or deaf who are talking the language of the hands...

So IMO spears and large shields shouldnt be carried on the back...

[Feyenord]

What if the one handed swords would be kept on the waist, but pushed to the back a bit? Something like this (example for dual wielding):

[Bild: g2sword.jpg]

Yes, I suck at photoshop, but I think you get the idea . The handle should be low enough, and pushed a bit to the side and front of the waist, to not interfere with hands and the rest of the body. And the tip of the sword shouldn't stick out too much to the side or the back. I don't know if it's possible to make it like this, depends on the shape of the sword I guess. When the hero wants to pull out his swords, he would just have to reach to his right side.

[Powaz]

If the weapons are on the back then please no sword scabbards because it's impossible to draw a sword from it if the sword is on the back.I like Feyenords idea a lot I just can't dual wielding weapons that way, but it's a great idea for 1 h swords.

[Frostburn]

1h weapons on the back - bad
no weapon draw sound - bad

if the problem is dual wielding the weapons can be on both of the sides and problem solved, they may even both be on the left like samurai weapons, I can't see why they have to be on the back, it's very confusing let alone not very eye pleasant
and draw sound why didn't G3 have that? veery bad..

and third variant is like that http://i37.tinypic.com/fx6jkg.jpg

[Argenguy]

1h weapons on the back - bad
no weapon draw sound - bad

if the problem is dual wielding the weapons can be on both of the sides and problem solved, they may even both be on the left like samurai weapons, I can't see why they have to be on the back, it's very confusing let alone not very eye pleasant
and draw sound why didn't G3 have that? veery bad..

Well, at least the G3 Community patch team stated that the upcoming 1.7 patch will implement weapon drawing sound effects (taken from the previous gothic) once again.
IMHO, the 2 swords should be kept on the back, while if wield one sword, it should be placed on the waist. So you can leave the back free for equiping a ranged weapon or a shield.
I have a suggestion to Ralf and the piranhas: What about if you can't equip a shield and a ranged weapon at the same time? so we don't have to suffer the awful clipping problem from Gothic 3, that the bow/crossbow clips through the shield.

[Raul48]

When the NPCs are talking, they are moving their hands (using expressions)

It might be a good idea to use different speech animations and gestures (not completely different, but just to get rid of clipping), depending on what weapon or shield is carried.

[iab]

i think the main problem for putting 1h sword at waist happens when NPC sits in a chair or on the ground - the sword will 'penetrate' the chair/ground and that's very unrealistic.
maybe we can solve this problem by adding some certain actions before sitting:
NPC'll remove his sword from waist and then hold it at hand while sitting - the sword is either laid on his legs or held upright on the ground.

and, yes, when equipping two 1h swords i still think it's best to put all of them on back.

It might be a good idea to use different speech animations and gestures (not completely different, but just to get rid of clipping), depending on what weapon or shield is carried.

i get another idea from yours:
how about let different types of NPCs have different gestures while speaking?
like the inquisitor has very noble and commanding gestures, the thieves have somewhat dirty ones, and so on?

[Maelthra]

Hi Ralf
I just finished half life 2 episode 1 and 2. In those games for the whole time follows you an npc Alyx. However, its not like stupid character who always gets into trouble. The girl acts really realistic, has nice AI and sometimes acts like a real-life actress. I think it really deepens the experience when playing the game.

So my question is:
Do you plan to include some advanced ingame friendship/cooperation, much deeper than just ordinary "follow me"

[Dogar]

Hey Ralf and company. Many thanks for taking the time to sate our curiosity. I have just one question. Will it be possible to play Risen as a neutral guy? As fun as it was to rise through the ranks in Gothic 2, I think the funnest part of the game was when you were just some unaffiliated guy in his leather armor who did quests for whoever would pay you enough for it. No loyalties or ethics except for the ones you chose for yourself.

[Feyenord]

I have a question regarding the collector's edition. Will it be in English too, and available throughout EU? Because I live in a smaller country and would really like to get my hands on it, when it comes out. Heck, I'd preorder it right now if it was possible

[[Spawn]]

I have question. How much has Monkey Island inspired Risen and Gothic?
[Bild: cursemi3wc6.th.jpg][Bild: thpix.gif]

[eXecutioner]

Hello Ralf,

I have a question for you. I do not know for certain if it has been answered before although I try to read through all of your answers.

The question is:

Why did you picked the apparently evil faction in the Risen game to be named the Inquizition? Why this (which has a reference in the real world) and not one that would have been made up by the story team? Or is it that this faction bears many resemblances to the real Inquizition (the Spanish one)?

Thank you for taking time to answer this!

[Ralf]

ohh thats a really bad news! well i dont like the idea of carrying ur swords on ur back especially 1 handed weapon.. do you think you might still chnage it?
in the trailer you see that guy who carrys his one handed sword on his side

It´s not up to me to decide it. Mike and the other Gamedesigners thought it is the best solution if swords an otherewapons have different sizes and shapes.

What if the one handed swords would be kept on the waist, but pushed to the back a bit? Something like this (example for dual wielding):

[Bild: g2sword.jpg]

Yes, I suck at photoshop, but I think you get the idea . The handle should be low enough, and pushed a bit to the side and front of the waist, to not interfere with hands and the rest of the body. And the tip of the sword shouldn't stick out too much to the side or the back. I don't know if it's possible to make it like this, depends on the shape of the sword I guess. When the hero wants to pull out his swords, he would just have to reach to his right side.

That would work fine- if all swords hat the same length. Sadly (or luckily) the haven´t. Also when they sit, they need an animation to put it aside- and if so: Can you now steal it?
You see- lot´s of implications...

i think the main problem for putting 1h sword at waist happens when NPC sits in a chair or on the ground - the sword will 'penetrate' the chair/ground and that's very unrealistic.
maybe we can solve this problem by adding some certain actions before sitting:
NPC'll remove his sword from waist and then hold it at hand while sitting - the sword is either laid on his legs or held upright on the ground.

and, yes, when equipping two 1h swords i still think it's best to put all of them on back.



i get another idea from yours:
how about let different types of NPCs have different gestures while speaking?
like the inquisitor has very noble and commanding gestures, the thieves have somewhat dirty ones, and so on?

Different gesture would be nice- and we have now a bigger variation for them.
I can´t tell how many- but what´s in the game now doesn´t look too repetitive.

I have a question regarding the collector's edition. Will it be in English too, and available throughout EU? Because I live in a smaller country and would really like to get my hands on it, when it comes out. Heck, I'd preorder it right now if it was possible

I assume we have a German one- and an English one for the international markets.

I have question. How much has Monkey Island inspired Risen and Gothic?
[Bild: cursemi3wc6.th.jpg][Bild: thpix.gif]

Those- and countless other games and films.

Hello Ralf,

I have a question for you. I do not know for certain if it has been answered before although I try to read through all of your answers.

The question is:

Why did you picked the apparently evil faction in the Risen game to be named the Inquizition? Why this (which has a reference in the real world) and not one that would have been made up by the story team? Or is it that this faction bears many resemblances to the real Inquizition (the Spanish one)?

Thank you for taking time to answer this!

It was Mikes decission to pick the name. I also raised an eyebrow when I heared it first time - but he seems happy with it...

[eXecutioner]

Can you please ask him why he chose the name?
Will there be any resemblances between the Risen Inquisition and the Spanish one?

I mane I can see a few like:
- the Inquizition (Inq,) fighting monsters just like the Spanish Inq. was fighting so called demons, witches and stuff like this.
- poor people on the streets; it is believed that the Spanish Inq. was established to found the monarchy by confiscating the goods of people thought to be against 'the will of God'.
- and maybe others I didn't sopt right now.

[edit] Did the same company that created the Risen trailer do the Gothic 3 intro movie? And what was your opinion as a graphics artist on the wather in that movie? Didn't it look a little out of place? I mean the waves looked so unnatural. It actually looked as it was fragmented and each fragment bumped into each other. If I recal correctly the CG Gothic 3 trailer was way better. If you will keep the graphic quality of the game movies the same as in the trailer for Risen things should be more than ok.

Thank you Ralf!

[iab]

1. i'm missing the left/right strikes in G1&2 (ctrl + left/right arrow), with them we can perform various fighting tricks - yes, ctrl + up arrow defines the main fighting style but we have to advance with it, while left/right strikes allow us to fight without changing position, this is very, very useful in some occasions .
will we see left/right strikes in Risen?

2. i see there're glasses out of the throne room, can we break them with sword or arrow this time?

[Bild: eeba4273721f99e652e50deb18e1ddd3.jpg]

[catalinux]

I'm sure we won't see glass windows in Risen...