Strong feeling of "half of the game cut before release"

[IJBall]

https://twitter.com/BasiliskGames/statu ... 96/photo/1

Did I miss this location or was it removed/replaced before release? Reminds me of the caravan camp at Macross Point.

Reminds me of this place, that never did show up in Book II!...

[BasiliskWrangler]

https://twitter.com/BasiliskGames/statu ... 96/photo/1

Did I miss this location or was it removed/replaced before release? Reminds me of the caravan camp at Macross Point.

Exactly. In the original notes, the caravan was supposed to be held up near Omentor. To improve the flow of the world, it was moved to Macross point.

IJBall... what you are seeing in that early pre-alpha shot is what eventually became the entrance to Talushorn Tower.

This is the danger of releasing screen shots too early- maps will change between alpha and release versions.

[kelticpete]

Have made parts of the game as opening for future mods wasn't a good idea

I think it was a good idea. I do wish that there was in game notation. I spent quite awhile trying to get into level 3 rockhammer. if a door/area is currently impossible, I think the game should tell you somehow.

but I have no problem with the big parts of the mine/other areas being unaccessible.

BasiliskWrangler did it before, other games have done it. when i come to a map and can't go further, I think "I am gonna get DLC/more content!" and am happy. as stated above, what is not fun is dicking around door when the content behind it has not been created yet

[IJBall]

IJBall... what you are seeing in that early pre-alpha shot is what eventually became the entrance to Talushorn Tower.

This is the danger of releasing screen shots too early- maps will change between alpha and release versions.

Wait! - So Talushorn was originally going to be in the middle of a desert?!
If so, that's kind of funny!!

Too bad, though - that pre-alpha shot would have been perfect for Barrea...

[tungprc]

In regards to the topic title:

I felt this way too at first, but the game is growing on me. There are a lot of fun ways to build your characters and I keep restarting, which is a sign I'm enjoying myself. I always restart games, typically 5-10 times before ever finishing even once and I'm doing that with E:B3

[Palog]

Have made parts of the game as opening for future mods wasn't a good idea

I think it was a good idea. I do wish that there was in game notation. I spent quite awhile trying to get into level 3 rockhammer. if a door/area is currently impossible, I think the game should tell you somehow...

That's also why it's not a good idea. It happened to me also, and I tried many things so I spend here a lot of time, just because either it's an unfinished part either it's a part for future mods. That said the time spend was also for a barrel, plus another part of the mine level 2.

But in my opinion the main point is it can creates feeling of missing stuff and that's it's not useful, mods completing the original campaign will found their entrance themselves.

[SharpXe]

i can't see absolutely any reason to add placeholder transaction point to other map when you can just edit existing maps...

especially if some scripting is allowed and you can spawn ladder or portal or anything similar on "mapinit" event...

[Lord_P]

i can't see absolutely any reason to add placeholder transaction point to other map when you can just edit existing maps...

especially if some scripting is allowed and you can spawn ladder or portal or anything similar on "mapinit" event...

If it works like in Book II map editing, editing a map resets it. Meaning that all you have achieved in that very map does as well. That's why the placeholder exists.

[SharpXe]

this is not problem as long as player dont hotswap mods.

if player hotswap - resetting is OK.

[Kreador Freeaxe]

I was also a bit bothered/disappointed that in the barbarian camp there's a gate leading north that you can open (and anger the guards by doing so) but if you go through you'll just get told that your fate awaits elsewhere. Might as well have said "we planned to have something here, but we eventually didn't."

That's Fandugan, an area intentionally left for modders to play with. Perhaps in an update BW can alter the "Your fate awaits elsewhere" text to make this more clear, though it might break the game immersion to do so.

[KFX]

Of course the game is unfinished. Why else would it be so much smaller than 1 and 2 were? Why else would your biggest quest, the one driving you two thirds of the game, be something as trifling and unexciting as finding and delivering a gift to some random warlord? It very much feels like Alundar was only supposed to be the halfway point, if even that.

This is depressing. Eschalon 1 and 2 were some of my favorite games. 3 is a pale shadow of them.

[AtheneWins]

This is depressing. Eschalon 1 and 2 were some of my favorite games. 3 is a pale shadow of them.

I agree. Book 1 and 2 were awesome and my favourite CRPGs. Book 3 was way too short, 10 hours to do everything on the first play through :/.

[IJBall]

This is depressing. Eschalon 1 and 2 were some of my favorite games. 3 is a pale shadow of them.

I agree. Book 1 and 2 were awesome and my favourite CRPGs. Book 3 was way too short, 10 hours to do everything on the first play through :/.

It's funny people keep saying this - I almost feel the opposite: I found Book II's story (and relatively empty world) so comparatively weak that it really cut down on my replay enjoyment. (I've only replayed Book II a few times, and still really feel no burning desire to go back to it...) OTOH, I find Book III's better 'game balance', especially in the first third or half of the game, and generally better story & quest set-up and world design, has drawn me in a lot more: I think Book III is just a plum better game.

Could it be longer? Yeah, sure. (And a really good way to have lengthened the game would have been to just send us back to Misfell (or possibly Amireth or Nor'land) for part of Book III - that wouldn't have even required new map designs, just 'tweaks' and new Mobs added to the old maps...)

But, all in all, I think Book III comes the closest to fulfilling the promise of the best aspects of Books I and II...

[SharpXe]

single players games dont need balance, they need array of methods to get fun and reach target.
there is no reason to balance mage-archer-warrior or skills\spells, ever if some class obviously overpowered players will still play other classes in singleplayer.

camping and foodproduction was nice and easy source of money, that allowed players who like such activity to get best items and boost all skills without grinding every piece of world.
large amount of trainers that dont ask you for stupid quest worked well with money farming.

fallout 2 can be completed in 15 minutes if you want, if you dont want you can travel for IRL days and find something to do.

in book3 you not asked "do you want to visit astral range on level 1 and made your way by madskillz and gunpowder?"