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An Infinity Engine Retrospective

Discussion in 'Playground' started by Beren, Mar 22, 2011.

  1. Beren

    Beren Lovesick and Lonely Wanderer Staff Member Member of the Week Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Remove all ads!
    Here's an opinion that views the Infinity Engine era with quite a strong sense of nostalgia, and as a basis of critique for more recent RPG titles:

    http://www.dealspwn.com/love-infinity-engine/

    Quite an interesting and insightful read.

    Franky, I'm not sure I agree.

    Don't get me wrong, I still play the IWD and BG games with all the relish and enthusiasm as I did when they first came out. But for all its strong points, and there many, Infinity wasn't without problems for some people. Pathfinding .... gawd .... was a sore tooth for me.

    And honestly, I enjoy SOME of the new titles that have been out in recent years. I liked NWN2 OC and Dragon Age Origins despite their cliched storylines. Hey, I knew what to expect so I wasn't going to complain. And Mask of the Betrayer was an absolute masterpiece in storytelling.

    But I also see the point about 'style over substance' for some titles as well. Everything I've either heard or observed about Awakening, or Dragon Age 2, seems to confirm this for me. Dragon Age Origins I thought was very well done, because it was years in the making. They took the time to get it right, although the rules system seems a tad simple to me. Dragon Age 2 by comparison seems like a rushed and dumbed down cash grab.

    Anyway, what do you guys think?
     
    Beren, Mar 22, 2011
    #1
  2. 8people

    8people 8 is just another way of looking at infinite ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran

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    [​IMG] I think it's actually quite interesting to see how the cycle continues.

    For my coursework I have had to design a 2D game. Most people have put forward a scope along the lines of a simpe tower strategy game whilst mine is based on a freeware simulation of infinte. The main question my lecturer had?
    "If you're going to put that much effort into a game why not make it 3D instead?"

    My response was a simple "What would it add?" too often a game is based on the expected features of the given demographic - eyecandy has spoilt the genre to an extent. They don't just want gorgeous graphics, but want to see those graphics from every angle and want it to be so immersive that imagination doesn't need to come into it so much anymore.

    A difficulty in the market is also - fresh blood. I have been looking at the indsutry lately from the perspective of a job seeker - I have yet to find a job for a writer/designed that does not specify "Must have had at least one major title" that you have worked on as part of a team and has been a top profit turner.

    If the people on the design are people that have already had a hit then there is going to be a linearity of expectations that develops.
     
    8people, Mar 22, 2011
    #2
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