[foobar]

Bug-Me discussions #4

User chatter, comments, speculations and other stuff.

This thread contains whatever was moved away from the special "Bug Me" thread.

The "Bug Me" thread is special and exclusively reserved for questions to PB. All other posts are either deleted or moved here.


Here are the previous threads:

• Bug Me Discussions thread #1
• Bug Me Discussions thread #2
• Bug Me Discussions thread #3

[Powaz]

Why the hell is Risen 2 so bloomy? Those Gamestar scans look awful because of it. Horrible.

[Nisarg]

I do not think that the bloom effect is particularly large or bright (as it was in the rendered videos of G1 and G2), I think it is more or less like it was in Risen.

But what scans are you talking about?

Oh and by the way, I cannot make head or tail of this with Google Translate. Could someone tell me what's going on over there? Seems like we can't join guilds G1/G2/Risen style in Risen 2.

[Powaz]

I've already posted about the guilds in another thread. Apparently you can't actually join a guild like in G1/2 and Risen, you can only choose for whom you will be working throughout the game. Bjorn said that the game is still heavily faction dependent (it changes ending equipment, character development possibilities etc.)

[warstrike]

I've already posted about the guilds in another thread. Apparently you can't actually join a guild like in G1/2 and Risen, you can only choose for whom you will be working throughout the game. Bjorn said that the game is still heavily faction dependent (it changes ending equipment, character development possibilities etc.)

well ,i knew that . They tried not to say that but it was clear to me . I`m not interested in the game anymore . They`re making "gothic 3 mistake" again .No swimming on a PIRATE setting? No chapters? Can`t join a guild?What`s wrong with them?No wonder why all old members left PB ... Sometimes i even wonder if it`s worth upgrading my pc anymore ,new games are really disappointing and crappy.

[Zocky]

hm i do wonder why did they decide that player will not be able to join factions....not really sure if i like that myself...

[foobar]

hm i do wonder why did they decide that player will not be able to join factions....not really sure if i like that myself...

Me neither. When DS announced R2, they said they learned from the mistakes of R1. Frankly, I can't exactly see where. Except maybe for the vague promise that the game won't be boring in the later parts. But there were so many other points to criticise. And missing faction diversity and missing replay value were pretty close to the top of the list. Yet they seem to be doing the exact opposite. I you don't reserve certain parts of the game exclusively for certain faction, you reduce the replay value.

And I haven't figured out any good reason for removing the exclusive guild membership. So there's a negative side and I can see no positive side. I assume it's because of those stupid magazines.

Oooh, I'm a fancy journalist, I don't have time to really play the games I write about. I only fly through only once at most, that's why I need a quest compass and all the other training wheels and rate games that don't have those lower. I don't have time, everything must go quickly. And I certainly can't be bothered to play the game more than once just to see what the other factions offer. Because I don't have the time. I want everything at once and if you don't gimme, I'll rate lower!!1!1eleven!1! And please, no more leveling before you can go somewhere. Just make level scaling so I can go anywhere at once. I don't have the time to properly build my character. I have a deadline and no time. Did I mention that I don't have time? And always think about the reader because he probably has no time, too.

Games that have to be played more than once to see everything are just not "accessible". Just a guess though.

[TeLovesc]

Oh well ,i wish PB good luck with their new games . From now on i won`t check for Risen news coz i find no interest anymore . Good luck

[foobar]

Oh well ,i wish PB good luck with their new games . From now on i won`t check for Risen news coz i find no interest anymore . Good luck

Well, maybe you can check again shortly before release. I hope we'll be doing a test/review again like with R1. Perhaps there will be big (positive) surprise in it for you.

Quy said that he cannot explain this "no faction thingie" without spoiling the story but he promised it would not be as bad as we currently imagine. I think I will take him up on that promise and wait until I can see the game/demo for myself. And keep my hay fork and torch ready - just in case.

[Maladiq]

When and where was confirmed the fact that there will be no guilds?

[foobar]

When and where was confirmed the fact that there will be no guilds?

In the GameStar 6/2011 there's a preview article. It does not state that there are no guilds. But it says that there will be no mandatory faction membership rather early in the game, influencing what you get to see and play everything after. Instead, the article claims that individual decisions will influence your gaming experience.

If it works out badly, we'll end up with another G3. If it works out well, it might be like "Drakensang 2 - River of Time" where you can decide at the beginning of each section/chapter how you want to play through this part of the game.

[Maladiq]

Well, I remember playing NotR for about 20-24 hours before joining a guild, so that doesn't mean anything... yet...

[foobar]

Well, I remember playing NotR for about 20-24 hours before joining a guild, so that doesn't mean anything... yet...

I think that we're more talking in terms of relative progress in the plot instead of absolute time spent in the world. With NotR, you can rush into into chapter 2 within a few hours or you can take your time and explore everything first. But you have to join a guild in order to leave the first chapter. So you need to join a faction in about the first sixth of the story.

According to the GameStar magazine, that won't be the case in R2. That not only influences the replay value but also the aspect of roleplaying and character identification. If you cannot be a "real" member of the mages guild with the exclusive clothes, quests, ideology, NPC reactions and whatnot, can you still truly feel like a real mage? We'll just have to see what ways PB thought of to substitute for that. If at all.

[Nisarg]

How (un)reliable is Google Translate?

It translated

Selbstverständlich gibt es in Risen 2 auch wieder bekannte und neue Fraktionen, die so ihre eigenen Probleme und Fehden haben. Der Spieler wird sich auch hier schließlich entscheiden müssen, für wen er sich einsetzt. Seine Entscheidung wird auch wieder Einfluss auf die Fähigkeiten haben, für die er sich entscheiden kann, da ihm danach nur bestimmte Lehrer zur Verfügung stehen werden. Dies erhöht nicht nur die Identifikation mit dem Helden, sondern auch den Wiederspielwert.

from this article to

Of course, there are two Risen again known and new factions, so have their own problems and feuds. The player will also have to finally decide for whom he is committed. His decision will again have an impact on the skills for which he can choose, since he then only certain teachers are available. This not only increases the identification with the hero, but the replay value.

but it also translated

Björn Pankratz : Nein.

to

Björn Pankratz: Yes.

Which is why I'm confused whether or not the factions are joinable. Could be a system like The Witcher?

[foobar]

How (un)reliable is Google Translate?

The part you posted (about the factions) is a fairly accurate translation. It's basically what I wrote before: There are factions (with their own problems etc.) and you can decide whom you want to help. The only consequence of that decision that Björn mentions is what teachers are (un)available as result. I just hope it'll be a little bit more than that.

[Andante]

In the GameStar 6/2011 there's a preview article. It does not state that there are no guilds. But it says that there will be no mandatory faction membership rather early in the game, influencing what you get to see and play everything after. Instead, the article claims that individual decisions will influence your gaming experience.

I prefer this kind of approach. Back in the days of Gothic 2 and Risen, I never really had the feeling that I truly belong to a faction. If I had the option to take an independent path, I would certainly go for it.

To be honest, the only thing that made a faction attractive to me was the Armor pieces and weapons it offered. I still remember joining the Mercenaries in Gothic 2, where you had to deal with all these crap-heads to finally get accepted, and besides this, you had to listen to all of their stupid personal stories.

The same with Risen, the best part of the game was the beginning (first two chapters) because you were totally alone, worked for nobody but yourself, guild-less and more focused to survive-explore and understand the world around you. Personally I feel that as soon as I joined a faction, all the magic-atmosphere suddenly disappeared.

[foobar]

I prefer this kind of approach. Back in the days of Gothic 2 and Risen, I never really had the feeling that I truly belong to a faction. If I had the option to take an independent path, I would certainly go for it.

Personally, I think it is very important to have factions with different political, ideological and social specialities. For many reasons, from providing a conflict potential, to creating plausible societies, to offer the player some insight into the ongoing daily struggle. Being able to join a faction is a logical and immersive way to partake in the development of the world. If they're there, why should you not be able to join? And, as in reality, it's a way to gain social standing, money and experience.

Of course, you can always enhance the faction membership experience. It was never perfect with PB games but certainly the right path. And I have no objections if there is also a path through the game where you play as lone wolf. However, there's a difference between an optional "guildless" path through the game and enforcing it on all players - even those who would like to join a faction. That's just... silly.

[glumetzul]

Which is why I'm confused whether or not the factions are joinable. Could be a system like The Witcher?

I really liked The Witcher. It was an interesting kind of feeling especially as every decision was more or less bad and you tried to chose the lesser evil. But I still love the PB kind of faction more and I hope R2 will keep as close as possible to that concept.

I prefer this kind of approach. Back in the days of Gothic 2 and Risen, I never really had the feeling that I truly belong to a faction. If I had the option to take an independent path, I would certainly go for it.

To be honest, the only thing that made a faction attractive to me was the Armor pieces and weapons it offered. I still remember joining the Mercenaries in Gothic 2, where you had to deal with all these crap-heads to finally get accepted, and besides this, you had to listen to all of their stupid personal stories.

The same with Risen, the best part of the game was the beginning (first two chapters) because you were totally alone, worked for nobody but yourself, guild-less and more focused to survive-explore and understand the world around you. Personally I feel that as soon as I joined a faction, all the magic-atmosphere suddenly disappeared.

I'm pretty surprised in reading this since I felt mostly otherwise. Weapons and armor were nice but it was the respect of the guildmemebers that I was really after.

[Maladiq]

About the factions:

Of course in Risen 2 there will be previously known as well as new factions, each of which will have their own problems and feuds. The player will at some point have to decide which faction he will support.

About optional features:

Comfort features are optional. Wenn a player doesn't want the quest giver to be visible on the map, then he doesn't have to activate this function.

So... draw your own conclusions...

[Stalagmite]

Well this is news to me, I was sort of primed/hoping that their could be a main story development based on the faction you chose. You know, join the fighters guild, go squash the mages guild with your large axes or "guns", rather (harhar pirate laugh) then have the main story progress with the fighters guild at its head.

Oh well, I'll be the optimist and say that I hope you can still join a guild and get some guild benefits, like shattering the mages guild and getting some fat equipment for it after the fireballs (or voodoo doll stabs ) in your chest have healed, then progress with the main story accordingly at your own pace, leaving the guild more or less behind as you become more of a 'hero'.