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[Corleth the Fey]

Okay, I ran some tests with the Pro version side by side with regular PS4. Here's what I found.

Loading is few seconds faster on Pro - I do have a Firecuda SSHD in there though so it's most likely down to that. The regular has the normal 1TB HD that came out of the Pro in it.

Framerate is higher most of the time on Pro. I can't measure it, but it is clearly visible so probably at least 5 - 10 FPS. Remember framerate is unlocked - so this isn't me saying that the Pro's at 30 FPS and the regular is at 20 FPS. The regular appears to be around 30 most of the time - the Pro is just better and must often get near 60 FPS.

I was playing them side by side - even on different TV's the resolution seemed to be the same for both versions.

My conclusion - Boost mode is enabling the Pro to run faster as the framerate is unlocked. No Pro patch yet. Regular PS4 still runs more than acceptability, but is probably prone to lower FPS at busy times.

Please remember I am not Digital Foundry or NX Gamer - so I don't have any tools for accurately assessing the game. Hopefully one of those guys can look into a proper analysis of the game.

What I did find fascinating was how the dynamic weather systems and dynamic dialogue cutscene systems made the same locations and dialogue cutscenes different between not only the Pro and Regular, but how it could make anyone playing the game experience different to somebody else's.

So here's some Share button footage I captured that demonstrates the above. Please forgive the background noise on Pro - PS Camera wasn't muted. Also you can only capture at 720p on regular - so it looks much muddier than it actually is. I was also trying badly to play these side by side with a controller in each hand - yeah so it looks like I suck even more than I actually normally do!

Pro version - 1080p capture at 30 FPS from the start of the game - https://youtu.be/KmwJKdhGFLg -

Regular version - 720p capture at 30 FPS from the start of the game - https://youtu.be/wBG-Bl4nGnI

So as you can see - the Pro Version started in the rain - so the visuals look much more muted with fogging appearing much closer to the player character. It's not a game issue - it's the dynamic weather. The regular starts with a sunny day and consequently looks much brighter with view distance pushed much further out - again the weather system at play.

Also when I chat with Duras toward the end of the clip you can see that game is dynamically setting the dialogue cutscene angles. That explains why you occasionally get a borked angle. If they were set to the same angles for every game then any play testers should have picked up on the occasional problems.

Here's a couple more videos showing two fairly similar runs through Goliet - the Berserker town. Again different capture resolutions and background noise making proper analysis mute - but I uploaded them anyway.

Pro version - 1080p capture at 30 FPS - https://youtu.be/QGhnzwTf__4

Regular version - 720p capture at 30 FPS - https://youtu.be/ujawWkK22EM

 

[Krakn3Dfx]

Anyone playing on ultra difficulty? How is it?

Yeah, it's tough but satisfying, especially early on. I would at least give it a try, and be patient in battles early on, the stamina system can get frustrating if you let it.

 

[His Majesty]

Got destroyed by the burnt chicken early on on hard difficulty (eventually killed him after a few tries). Will try ultra now, thanks.

 

[Buckle]

Do enemies respawn in Elex?

I imagine they do but I always kind of liked how they stayed dead until switching acts in Risen 1. I love a good RPG that lets you really clear out an area.

 

[Anoxida]

I REALLY like this game. However, yeah the combat kinda sucks. I've done most of the Berserker quests that I can do without committing and I can hardly kill anything. Got bunch of money and bought the armor I could but nope, get destroyed. About to trek over to Outlaw camp and gonna join up. Hopefully I can score my first gun and get some decent armor from them.

 

[FlyinJ]

Do enemies respawn in Elex?

I imagine they do but I always kind of liked how they stayed dead until switching acts in Risen 1. I love a good RPG that lets you really clear out an area.

I'm still in act 1 (I think?) and haven't seen any enemies respawn.

 

[Artdayne]

Do enemies respawn in Elex?

I imagine they do but I always kind of liked how they stayed dead until switching acts in Risen 1. I love a good RPG that lets you really clear out an area.

I think the really small fodder animals do but none of the bigger ones.

 

[Ronin Ray]

I wish Piranha Bytes would let you create a character.

 

[Anoxida]

First 6 hrs no crash. Last hour 4 :/

 

[Leezard]

What's the stat to upgrade to get a bigger Stamina meter?
I'm at work can't check, yesteday i went 50/50 strength and constitution.

I don't know if a stat gives stamina at all, you can learn a skill to get more Stamina though, it requires 30 constitution and is in the survival area. Rings can give additional stamina too.

 

[Steez]

I'm still in act 1 (I think?) and haven't seen any enemies respawn.

They probably respawn when you enter a new act like in all the other PB games.

 

[Buckle]

Anyone know yet if flamethrowers are unique to clerics?

Gamepressure's guide has "Flamethrower Type A" listed as a unique faction but not sure if its the only version of that weapon in that game.

Initially planned to go Outlaws with heavy weapon focus.

 

[Labadal]

I've played it for 2 hours and enjoy it. Exploration is fun and the jetpack isn't just a gimmick. I've already found some places where it was needed to reach some chests and avoid some enemies. I also used it for getting past a guard to a restricted area.

 

[Ombra]

I don't know if a stat gives stamina at all, you can learn a skill to get more Stamina though, it requires 30 constitution and is in the survival area. Rings can give additional stamina too.

Thanks I found a dude Hakon in the berserkers spot who allows learning of that skill!

 

[His Majesty]

Game peaked at 19k concurrent players today, which is more than double that of Risen 3. Let's hope sales and word of mouth will bring in even more players.

 

[Fishook]

On the fence on whether to purchase the game as I love the sci-fi setting. Never really played previous Piranha Bytes games. Strange since I love my western based rpg's.

The Euro Jank aspect doesn't bother me so much as I enjoyed Stuff like Technomancer and the Game of Thrones RPG. I just do know if I can handle another RPG as I stiill playing Divinity and South Park.

 

[Moff]

anyone found a way to just enter the cleric town?

Spoiler

after I found abessa, the cleric teleporter was activated as well, but the guard won't let me in. he tells me I need to find someone in abessa who will make me an acolyte, but I finished all quests in abessa and nothing happened. I can bribe him and oew him a favor but is there another way in?

 

[Barberetti]

They need a patch to resolve the following:

- allow rebinding all keys for all functions, don't lock any keys.

Which keys are locked?

 

[Artdayne]

So either I've encountered an almost game breaking bug or my choices have prevented me from being able to progress further through the Berserker faction. One of the quest givers is not giving me a quest that he's supposed to.

 

[RadicalRad]

This weird narrative has to die, Risen has quite a few fans and was received quite well even by international media with a Metascore of 77. I'm not in love with Risen 2 & 3 but they are basically Risen in different scenarios and at worst, boring, always talking about the PC versions. Not having played Elex also doesn't help your argument.

They are a small, independent developer that has managed to not only stay in business for almost 20 years now, but also develop two successful role-playing franchises with a third now in the works, all based on their own engine and tech. These are good games. Just because they don't look like The Witcher 3 and are lacking on the technical side doesn't make them worse per se. A game like Fallout 4 can be released full of bugs, terrible animations, lifeless characters, but because ELEX is a european PB product every second comment you hear is "lol eurojank". It's pretty tiring to see how this very special breed of roleplaying game you don't get with bigger AAA productions gets dismissed at every corner.

Sorry for the tangent

So true, so many people are so grossly unaware of how great most of the PB games are. I've replayed Gothic 1 so many times. The fact that NPCs would remember that you beat them up and turn a blind eye to all elicit acts was just so before its time.

 

[MosquitoSmasher]

So that cool little detail in the launch trailer where the protagonist walks past a car and touches it. This always happen with cars? And with walls?

 

[Ragona]

uhm, I played for 8 hours or so and just now wonder if there is any screen to see hp, stamina and attack totals?

 

[Jams775]

Anyone have any tips on how or where to get armor early on. I'm getting worked and I don't know if I should just buy it or what.

 

[OmegaDL50]

Does anyone know what the rare herbs are yet? PB always has rare herbs/plants as +1 permanent stat boosts, which can later be infused into a potion for +5 permanent stat boosts.

I remember how this made alchemy fucking bonkers on both Gothic 2 and Risen 1.
Less clear memories of the other games.

This sounds like something you can do in the original Two Worlds, another Janky game.

There was these giant Praying Mantis type enemies called Trachidis. Killing them you could loot a Trachidis Egg, Brew 10 of these into a potion and gave you a Permanent +30 to Vitality.

There was also an NPC that let you respect. And stat gains from permanent potion effects were refunded too, so you could take the +30 Vitality boost and convert it into Strength, Magic, or anything else. Trachidis Egg hunting could easily break the game. I mean like drinking 10 potions like this not even 10 hours into the game and all four of your main stats at 75+, some ridiculous stuff.

Not sure if you could do the same thing in Risen and Gothic 1 though. I should replay them after I'm done with Elex.

 

[Moff]

Anyone have any tips on how or where to get armor early on. I'm getting worked and I don't know if I should just buy it or what.

in the city, go to duras, he is at the top in front of the hotel, he will give you his personal quest which is a murder investigation, you'll get NPCs all over the place you'll need to interrogate. the one in the east is a hunter and in sleeping place should be a chest with a hunting armor, used that for over 10 hours, great starter armor until you join a faction.

 

[FlyinJ]

One simple thing that would have made exploration even better is if the map was blank at first and you needed to fill it in as you walked around.

It would make knowing what you haven't explored so much easier.

 

[Jams775]

in the city, go to duras, he is at the top in front of the hotel, he will give you his personal quest which is a murder investigation, you'll get NPCs all over the place you'll need to interrogate. the one in the east is a hunter and in sleeping place should be a chest with a hunting armor, used that for over 10 hours, great starter armor until you join a faction.

Thanks, I'll check it out

 

[Sentenza]

Not sure if you could do the same thing in Risen and Gothic 1 though. I should replay them after I'm done with Elex.

It wasn't SO excessive in Gothic and Risen, since at least these "permanent stat raising plants" were unique items that didn't respawn and were typically hidden in the most dangerous places.
Still, they were generous in number enough to make Alchemy BY FAR the single most powerful "secondary skill" in the game. Nothing else came anywhere near close to grant a similar boost in power.

P.S. Lords of Xulima was another game where Herbalism was absolutely insane if maxed out. The game was filled with +1 permanent stat plants. The thing is: once you capped the skill at 40, gathering ANY of these herbs guaranteed you five plants of the same kind.
If you avoided to loot them for few hours and then went back to do all the gathering once the skill was capped, you were rewarded with an insane amount of herbs, which gave you the option to raise all stats insanely high.

 

[FlyinJ]

in the city, go to duras, he is at the top in front of the hotel, he will give you his personal quest which is a murder investigation, you'll get NPCs all over the place you'll need to interrogate. the one in the east is a hunter and in sleeping place should be a chest with a hunting armor, used that for over 10 hours, great starter armor until you join a faction.

I went to that guy and didn't see any armor. Can you explain on the map where it is?

 

[pots555]

As usual, Amazon still has not shipped my copy. I am still playing trough Arcania the complete tale, but I want to play a new PB game. It's been too long since Risen 3.

 

[FlyinJ]

As usual, Amazon still has not shipped my copy. I am still playing trough Arcania the complete tale, but I want to play a new PB game. It's been too long since Risen 3.

If you are such a Gothic/PB fan that you can suffer through Arcania because it slightly resembles a PB game, then you're going to be blown away by Elex.

After 10 hours I'm starting to think it's even better than Risen 1. It might be the best PB game after Gothic 2.

 

[aY227]

I went to that guy and didn't see any armor. Can you explain on the map where it is?

https://imgur.com/a/KQvui

Chest in his home.

 

[FlyinJ]

https://imgur.com/a/KQvui

Chest in his home.

Thanks!

 

[FlyinJ]

Is anyone noticing that the pda/map takes longer to come up the further into the game you are on PS4?

When I started it took half a second, now it takes almost 2 seconds to come up after about 10 hours if play.

I wonder if it's because my inventory is full of stuff.

Is there anywhere in the game where you can store inventory items?

EDIT: I shut down the game and ran it again, now the PDA comes up in a half second again. Must be a memory leak.

 

[Buckle]

Man, the clerics are kind of horrifying.

Spoiler

Super religious, super into spreading the word, they "re-educate" their people and they have mind control powers.

They make the Brotherhood of Steel seems well adjusted in comparison. Still kind of torn between them and the Outlaws though.

I love tech, I hate cults. Kind of a conundrum, really.

 

[piratepwnsninja]

Trying to escape death. They helped!

https://clips.twitch.tv/AgileCreativeNoodleDancingBaby


Also, this is why I love games like this. It took me a few minutes to get this to work, but was worth it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IHOZ6AuEcI

 

[Humdinger]

I'm only about an hour in at the first town. The first real story mission (Find out who murdered that bloke) seems to be a tour around the area you start in. I figure that is as good a place as any to start. Is that a good idea?

Not really. You need some armor first.

I learned that out the hard way.

 

[Humdinger]

Also, this is why I love games like this. It took me a few minutes to get this to work, but was worth it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IHOZ6AuEcI

That was pretty cool.

 

[piratepwnsninja]

Not really. You need some armor first.

I learned that out the hard way.

Yeah...where do I get armor? I feel like I can't really do anything.

 

[Ombra]

I'm throwing in the towel on this I adore the idea but the execution is very weak i'm not attached to the character enough to want to continue the story and the combat is probably the worst in an rpg I've played this generation.

which is sad because I see what they're trying to do there. Feel like I wasted 60 dollars lesson learned.

 

[Karak]

Stoked to see so many folks enjoying this!

 

[Alebelly]

Stoked to see so many folks enjoying this!

Once I gave into the game and realized I need to be very careful which fights I pick and not worry too much about leveling up, instead just focused on surviving and completing quests, it all kinda fell into place. I can see that down the road Ill be more of a badass, but its going to be awhile before I get there. Really enjoying it.

 

[Alebelly]

Not sure if mentioned before, but check your Potions, Elex Drink will give you XP.

I had 5 Small Elex Drinks in my inventory, each one gave 100XP

 

[Sinatar]

Not sure if mentioned before, but check your Potions, Elex Drink will give you XP.

I had 5 Small Elex Drinks in my inventory, each one gave 100XP

Elex drinks are a component in permanent stat increase potions, I wouldn't waste them.

 

[vesirott]

Glad to see it is still old style PB game and there are still people, who enjoy it over generic action-rpg crap. Don't know if this has passed through this thread, but there will be no DLC for Elex but there will be an expansion type of thingy (https://www.derstandard.de/story/2000063294868/elex-verzichtet-auf-dlc-weil-dlc-stinkt).
Also ELEX2 is planned as the project was granted some monies from EU budget (support media creation).

 

[BeeDog]

I'm actually getting quite hyped for this game! Unfortunately, my ancient PC sucks for PC gaming, and I have a hard time seeing the game being fun to play on the PS4 (Pro) if you like save scumming and brute-forcing through quest bugs etc.

Anyone that can give some console impressions on how the game is holding up?

 

[Bl@de]

This weird narrative has to die, Risen has quite a few fans and was received quite well even by international media with a Metascore of 77. I'm not in love with Risen 2 & 3 but they are basically Risen in different scenarios and at worst, boring, always talking about the PC versions. Not having played Elex also doesn't help your argument.

They are a small, independent developer that has managed to not only stay in business for almost 20 years now, but also develop two successful role-playing franchises with a third now in the works, all based on their own engine and tech. These are good games. Just because they don't look like The Witcher 3 and are lacking on the technical side doesn't make them worse per se. A game like Fallout 4 can be released full of bugs, terrible animations, lifeless characters, but because ELEX is a european PB product every second comment you hear is "lol eurojank". It's pretty tiring to see how this very special breed of roleplaying game you don't get with bigger AAA productions gets dismissed at every corner.

Sorry for the tangent

 

[Banzai]

My first couple of hours:

First off, I said earlier that I had the game crash on me after an hour. Turns out I'm just an enormous dumbass: The game froze until I would push the "L" key to select a new mission or something and I just didn't see the prompt for some reason. Yeah.
Anyway, after that it was smooth sailing. I am playing on hard, so I figured I should get some of my stats up before leaving the town. I know from previous PB games that some quests are just about making some dialog choices aka easy EXP. Went up to level 5 and got all of my stats somewhere between 15-25. That way I could equip the Hunter armour I bought and learn a perk to get Animal trophies, which are always a good source of cash. I pretty much gave up on getting that bonus stat-point boost perk for 50 INT early on sometime around then. Right now I am finished with all quests that can be completed without leaving town, with some of my choices being kind of unpopular with the Berserkers (stealing a sword, letting a Cleric escape, etc).
I wonder if that'll prevent me from joining them, but I usually play all factions as neutrally as possible before making a final choice in PB games anyway, to max out EXP.
My last accomplishment was beating up the tavern owner, so I suppose I'm strong enough to head outside now.
Having a lot of fun.

 

[Sanctuary]

It was meant as a positive you know...

It was meant more as a "you know if you'll like it or not".

Really? That's strange to hear. I don't visit there frequently, but I remember they loved the first game and the second is an improvement in every way

Unless you actually enjoy playing elemental damage dealing casters, then it's not at all. Plus the crafting system is much worse this time around, so the earlier levels are worse, but then gear inflation is ridiculous, so you end up overpowered near the end. As a physical class of course. I mostly enjoyed my time with it, but it has a lot of balance problems and it peaks with Act 2.

Played about 3 hours last night. It's a PB game alright. FANTASTIC world to explore if you can get past the jank, bad combat & ui.

That's what I'm talking about. It's a place I'd want to visit, but then can't wait to leave. I cannot stand the jank and especially bad combat in PB games. WRPGs need to stop living like it's 1999 with that shit.

 

[Anoxida]

I feel stuck almost. Even monsters that are below my level almost two shot me even when using hunters armor. Guess I need to pump some constitution. However I still deal no damage at all so idk what to do at this point. Speneing points in int and cunning at the start was a huge mistake. Im level 8 now but I think it will take me another 5-6 levels to catch up :/ got 20 str and 25 dex atm, far from any weapon upgrade.