Kickstarter: Divinity: Original Sin 2 [Over, $2 million funded]

What they need to improve is the writing in general. That was the main issue I had with the first one. The writing was really dull.

I agree the writing needs work. But it bears mentioning that the writing was not *bad* in D:Os (at least by the standards of the medium). It just wasn't interesting. I think the sharper perspectives of the second game (defined by the player's origin choices) will bring the writing up a few notches. And almost any attention to the main plot would be an improvement on the original.

And yet apparently day/night and NPC schedules are off the table. FFS Larian, you'll never have that Ultima VII-like masterpiece without that. Heck, Ultima V had it.

This, I don't worry too much about. Day/Night cycles are nice, but they're just one way to draw me into the stories of NPCs or the town they share. If dialogue trees are deep enough and reactive enough to major events, I will not complain that I never saw NPCs at night.
 
What they need to improve is the writing in general. That was the main issue I had with the first one. The writing was really dull.

The writing was fine.

I've never got the hate-boner some people seem to have for writing in an RPG that is:

a) wacky
b) not up to their standards of what epic is
c) both
 
So they're releasing the first on consoles soon, weird they're not doing them from the start with this one. Money won't be an issue.
 
The writing was fine.

I've never got the hate-boner some people seem to have for writing in an RPG that is:

a) wacky
b) not up to their standards of what epic is
c) both

Whimsy and self-awareness take second seat to faux-realism nowadays. No one wants to play a kid's game, after all.

Divinity: Original Sin 2
REAL. VISCERAL. MATURE.

It's not that Divinity's ever had bad writing but rather that it doesn't meet the expectations of consumers nowadays, always expecting very self-indulgent rather than self-aware writing.


I really hope the new writing style works out for Larian's games. Hopefully they can preserve the humour and Larian-ness of it all. I need my Bellegar fix from somewhere, dammit.
So they're releasing the first on consoles soon, weird they're not doing them from the start with this one. Money won't be an issue.
Turn-based games traditionally bomb on consoles. See console darling XCOM as an example.

Divinity may end up an exception, but it's really wait-and-see at this point. There's a couple turn-based RPGs on the way and their performance will make or break future support for consoles, I think.
 
A bold prediction. BG2 and Arcanum had co-op multiplayer.

It is a bold prediction but I stand by it. First of all it has on of the best turn-based combat systems(so it's already ahead of BG2 and games like that :P). On top of that the game seems to be designed for co-op where everyone can choose his path and get a unique experience. Quests against each other, fighting wars against other players or simply cooperating and helping ... getting tabletop vibes from that. A thing that is very hard to achieve for a predesigned game.
 
Whimsy and self-awareness take second seat to faux-realism nowadays. No one wants to play a kid's game, after all.

Divinity: Original Sin 2
REAL. VISCERAL. MATURE.

It's not that Divinity's ever had bad writing but rather that it doesn't meet the expectations of consumers nowadays, always expecting very self-indulgent rather than self-aware writing.

I lol every time I read someone butthurt about Harry Potter existing.
 
The writing was fine.

I've never got the hate-boner some people seem to have for writing in an RPG that is:

a) wacky
b) not up to their standards of what epic is
c) both

It's not even about wackiness or lack of "epicness." My main problem with the game is that it lacks memorable characters.

I mean, I like Saints Row and Assassin's Creed. God knows my minimum standard for plot is not really that high.
 
It's not even about wackiness or lack of "epicness." My main problem with the game is that it lacks memorable characters.

I mean, I like Saints Row and Assassin's Creed. God knows my minimum standard for plot is not really that high.
yeah non of the companions really gelled for me
what the mysoginistic, demon-hating, hermit, cat loving wizard was actually a 1000 year old king all along? where the fuck did that come from?

The only way I can resolve the fighters quest line is by murdering one of the nicest orcs I have ever met, who is a victim of his mother taking advantage of his childlike mental retardation to use him as a weapon???

Fuck that shit
 
Glad to see this:
Divinity: Original Sin 2 aims to change the way we work with narrative in RPGs. We’ve invested heavily in our writing team, hiring new writers with extensive experience in everything from screenwriting and narrative design to role-playing and table-top RPGs.
 
The stretch goals are here.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/larianstudios/divinity-original-sin-2/posts/1335715

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The stretch goal stuff also sounds cool and I am sure most of it will be hit pretty easily.
 
$1,000,000 Stretch Goal: Racial Skills
In Divinity: Original Sin 2, your unique origins will radically change the way you experience the world around you. Of course, since combat is one of the central ways in which you’ll engage with this world, it’s only sensible that your origins and your skillset should intertwine.
When we reach the $1M mark, we’ll develop a set of race-specific skills, abilities, and talents reflective of each race’s background and strengths.
Imagine: a Wood Elf able to summon an army of shambling trees; a Lizard recalling the devastating powers of his draconic ancestors; a Dwarf with the authority of the Empress; a human so good at pickpocketing, he can even catch his own party mates unawares...
I'm usually human, but those sound pretty badass.
 
Bard - Inspire your allies to perform even greater feats of magic and carnage, then pacify, confuse or lull to sleep your enemies with songs and music. Of course, you don't have to be the party's unwavering champion. You can also weave lies into your tales, which can influence the attitude of NPCs in various ways. Sing your own praises and see them cheers you; paint your friends as cowards and see them be hailed with contempt!

This sounds awesome.
 
You laugh, but look at the art direction from their prototype area. Lots of muted colours and earth tones. The bright colourful aesthetic seems to have been tossed out unfortunately.


I'm really hoping that it's just because it's a prototype and it will be more colourful for the final product.
 
I was hoping to see NPC scheduling and day / night cycle to be in those stretch goals. I would love to see an RPG try to simulate a living breathing world where people leave their houses to go to work, kids go to play or go to school etc. Essentially take what Ultima VII did to the next level.

Also no mention of Avellone yet...
 
I was hoping to see NPC scheduling and day / night cycle to be in those stretch goals. I would love to see an RPG try to simulate a living breathing world where people leave their houses to go to work, kids go to play or go to school etc. Essentially take what Ultima VII did to the next level.

Also no mention of Avellone yet...

Weren't they meeting at PAX or something?
 
Oh no they're putting the skill trees up to a vote?

Guaranteed the most boring 2 will win. Anytime something like this goes up for a vote, people vote for the worst things.

So... yay... Guardian and Juggernaut...
 
Will this have full Voice overs like the update or console port?

Kickstarter fatigue.

From random developers I would say yeah. There are some that I may have backed in the past however I have seen some projects die off years after backing them, so I am reluctant to back much.

From a proven developer why not back it? Original Sin was good, the proof is in the pudding.
 
Ee gadz. I hope we reach all of the stretch goals! I hope we reach a few more after the 1.5M too. Maybe a 3rd pick a skill tree? I'm between Alchemist, Polymorpher, and Bard.

The rest of the goals sound cool too! Here's hoping to further success for the Kickstarter!
 
The writing was fine.

I've never got the hate-boner some people seem to have for writing in an RPG that is:

a) wacky
b) not up to their standards of what epic is
c) both

I might be in the minority but I really like Larian's writing style with the Divinity series. It's unique in the way that it blends wackiness, humor and serious stuff together. It's definitely not The Witcher and I appreciate that. Both have their places in my mind.

It sounds like you agree with me so I hope for our sake Larian doesn't loose what made the other Divinity games special. I want the wackiness!
 
Sort of tangential, but have they made any comment on when the Enhanced Edition of the first one comes out? I can't find a date, just a bunch of 'when it's ready'.

Solid stretch goals, except for the de facto confirmation that 'blood and tits and cursing' is basically what the game is. Not that I mind that stuff, but I'm not a fan of some stupid poll determining the overall tone of the game, especially when the choice is in such sharp contrast to the first game.
 
What they need to improve is the writing in general. That was the main issue I had with the first one. The writing was really dull.

Yea the writing was kinda boring. They were shooting for wacky but it ended up just being irreverent. But now they have more than one writer, so the humor should be more varied and less samey throughout the game.
 
Oh no they're putting the skill trees up to a vote?

Guaranteed the most boring 2 will win. Anytime something like this goes up for a vote, people vote for the worst things.

So... yay... Guardian and Juggernaut...

*Scrolls down to comments*

Personally I'm really liking the sound of that Guardian skill tree.

Heh.

Polymorpher and Bard, based on their description sound the most interesting. Alchemist could be great if they moved away from "let's turn sorcerer spells into potions", and gave it esoteric or unique qualities.
 
Whimsy and self-awareness take second seat to faux-realism nowadays. No one wants to play a kid's game, after all.

Divinity: Original Sin 2
REAL. VISCERAL. MATURE.

It's not that Divinity's ever had bad writing but rather that it doesn't meet the expectations of consumers nowadays, always expecting very self-indulgent rather than self-aware writing.)


I really hope the new writing style works out for Larian's games. Hopefully they can preserve the humour and Larian-ness of it all. I need my Bellegar fix from somewhere, dammit.

Turn-based games traditionally bomb on consoles. See console darling XCOM as an example.

Divinity may end up an exception, but it's really wait-and-see at this point. There's a couple turn-based RPGs on the way and their performance will make or break future support for consoles, I think.

Bingo bango tingo tango.

We need Matsuno (but folks letting off the OW THE EDGE like horribly overly selfconcious 8th graders when its gamebuying time.
 
Whimsy and self-awareness take second seat to faux-realism nowadays. No one wants to play a kid's game, after all.

Face it, the humor could have been done better. Even Diablo 3, with its horrible story, has way more memorable and self-aware characters like Covetous Shen and Zoltan Kulle.

I appreciate what they're trying with characters like Arhu in DO:S, but the comedic timing and delivery are just off. When the "halibut, sheep's cheese" lady is more memorable than a major NPC, something's wrong with the writing.
 
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