PCG Article RPG News (Yea!), 5 Recent PCG Articles on various RPG topics

[mainer]

Rather than make a bunch of individual threads, I'm going to bunch these articles into one thread.

Starfield is coming in September | PC Gamer

@Pifanjr posted the release video over in our weekly game thread, but I thought I'd link the entire article here. One of my biggest current gaming fears has become reality: Starfield's release will be nearly the same date as Baldur's Gate 3, only 6 days apart (8/31/2023 for BG3 and 9/6/2023 for Starfield).

My number 1 (Starfield) and number 2 (BG3) most anticipated games of 2023 being released essentially at the same time. There's no way that I can start BG3 knowing that Starfield will be released six days later. I may not actually get to BG3 until 2024, as both games will take me weeks to do a playthrough, especially Starfield, which will easily take me through the end of 2023.

The delay in Starfield's release is disappointing, but also encouraging, as Bethesda realized that it wasn't ready to be released back on the original release date (11/11/2022). This is a huge game for Bethesda, and having it released nearly a year after the original date will be important, as it needs to make a similar impression on gamers as Skyrim did. I look forward to seeing the "deep dive" presentation on 6/11/2023.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s free upgrade didn't make me buy the RPG, but this sure as hell did | PC Gamer

Owners of the Early Access version of BG3 will get upgraded to the Digital Deluxe version for free. Might not seem like much to some players, but it's a lot of digital extras for free for EA players who took the initial plunge. Very nice move by Larian, giving EA version players a bit of a bonus.

Everyone's favourite Fallout now has voice acting for over 40 NPCs, thanks to modders | PC Gamer

Voice acting comes to one of the best Fallout games ever made, with no AI tech used, just 2 mods utilizing amateur voice actors to voice existing NPCs who formally didn't have voiced lines. The video embedded in the article is quite impressive, and I love seeing these older classic RPGs still being supported.

The Outer Worlds' new version is getting slammed on Steam—'Spacer's Choice Edition: now with 200% more performance issues!' | PC Gamer

I think we, as gamers, have a problem. And that's with the current influx of "remasters" that we're subjected to., with developers applying graphical enhancements to older games, then charging full price, I feel like it's becoming a bit of a "cash grab" opportunity for some developers. Don't get me wrong, I love that older games are getting remastered or given enhanced editions, like Beamdog's Baldur's Gate & Icewindale's enhanced editions, or 3D Projekt's Witcher 3 remaster.

It just feels that recently, some developers are trying to cash in on the "remaster craze" by charging for something that should be a free upgrade. Some are worth it, some are not (opinion). Obsidian, one of my favorite RPG game developers appears to have fallen in to that latter category; trying to glean profit from the "Spacer's Choice" edition of Outer Worlds

The cinematic BioWare-style RPG is dead, it just doesn't know it yet | PC Gamer

I don't know if I really believe that or not, but I do acknowledge the possibility when it comes to EA/Bioware games. Gaming trends seem to go in cycles, where one type of game gains popularity and another falls into disfavor, then eventually shifts back. It may also depend on the "median" gaming age or "target" market for any specific game. Older gamers like me may still prefer that story-based RPG game, but some developers may not find it financially worth their time. And that's a shame.

 

[Pifanjr]

Rather than make a bunch of individual threads, I'm going to bunch these articles into one thread.

Starfield is coming in September | PC Gamer

@Pifanjr posted the release video over in our weekly game thread, but I thought I'd link the entire article here. One of my biggest current gaming fears has become reality: Starfield's release will be nearly the same date as Baldur's Gate 3, only 6 days apart (8/31/2023 for BG3 and 9/6/2023 for Starfield).

My number 1 (Starfield) and number 2 (BG3) most anticipated games of 2023 being released essentially at the same time. There's no way that I can start BG3 knowing that Starfield will be released six days later. I may not actually get to BG3 until 2024, as both games will take me weeks to do a playthrough, especially Starfield, which will easily take me through the end of 2023.

The delay in Starfield's release is disappointing, but also encouraging, as Bethesda realized that it wasn't ready to be released back on the original release date (11/11/2022). This is a huge game for Bethesda, and having it released nearly a year after the original date will be important, as it needs to make a similar impression on gamers as Skyrim did. I look forward to seeing the "deep dive" presentation on 6/11/2023.

I wasn't planning on getting Starfield on release, as I expect it'll have its fair share of bugs even with the delay. However, my wife is interested in Starfield as well, she is far less patient than I am and her birthday is only a few days after release, so I suspect she'll choose that as an early birthday gift.

The Outer Worlds' new version is getting slammed on Steam—'Spacer's Choice Edition: now with 200% more performance issues!' | PC Gamer

I think we, as gamers, have a problem. And that's with the current influx of "remasters" that we're subjected to., with developers applying graphical enhancements to older games, then charging full price, I feel like it's becoming a bit of a "cash grab" opportunity for some developers. Don't get me wrong, I love that older games are getting remastered or given enhanced editions, like Beamdog's Baldur's Gate & Icewindale's enhanced editions, or 3D Projekt's Witcher 3 remaster.

It just feels that recently, some developers are trying to cash in on the "remaster craze" by charging for something that should be a free upgrade. Some are worth it, some are not (opinion). Obsidian, one of my favorite RPG game developers appears to have fallen in to that latter category; trying to glean profit from the "Spacer's Choice" edition of Outer Worlds

I don't consider this to be much of a problem. People need to learn not to spend money without making sure they're buying a good product. I suspect lazy remasters will pretty quickly become unprofitable once people catch on to the risks.

The cinematic BioWare-style RPG is dead, it just doesn't know it yet | PC Gamer

I don't know if I really believe that or not, but I do acknowledge the possibility when it comes to EA/Bioware games. Gaming trends seem to go in cycles, where one type of game gains popularity and another falls into disfavor, then eventually shifts back. It may also depend on the "median" gaming age or "target" market for any specific game. Older gamers like me may still prefer that story-based RPG game, but some developers may not find it financially worth their time. And that's a shame.

Did you read the article? It wasn't about the death of story-based RPGs, but cinematic RPGs. Cinematic RPGs being the ones with shallow RPG systems with more of a focus on spectacle. Mass Effect's "streamlining" of the RPG mechanics over the course of the trilogy being a perfect example of the series become more cinematic.

However, I think Hogwarts: Legacy is kind of a cinematic RPG as well, though different from the Bioware style RPGs. More like a Ubisoft cinematic RPG. Considering how enormously successfully that game was, I wouldn't be surprised if we'll see a bunch more clones coming up soon using various other IPs. Maybe something based on the Hunger Games.

 

[Brian Boru]

current influx of "remasters" that we're subjected to., with developers applying graphical enhancements to older games, then charging full price, I feel like it's becoming a bit of a "cash grab" opportunity for some developers

Full price, same as the original game? That's pushing it indeed.

In my fav remaster—Command and Conquer Remastered—we got 2 full games and 3 major expansions, that's ~$200 in the 90s, all for $20. And it was excellently done, with some of the original devs involved.

 

[Zloth]

Outer Wilds remaster is just $10 for people who own the game, isn't it? Or am I confusing some other game with it?

 

[ZedClampet]

Outer Wilds remaster is just $10 for people who own the game, isn't it? Or am I confusing some other game with it?

They are talking about Outer Worlds, not Wilds, but to make things more confusing, I don't think Outer Wilds was remastered. Lay off the hardcore drugs!

 

[Zloth]

They are talking about Outer Worlds, not Wilds, but to make things more confusing, I don't think Outer Wilds was remastered. Lay off the hardcore drugs!

Dang it! Outer WORLDS' remaster was (I think) just $10. Though they might make you buy all the DLC to get it, too.

 

[mainer]

Dang it! Outer WORLDS' remaster was (I think) just $10. Though they might make you buy all the DLC to get it, too.

Yes, if you own the original Outer Worlds and both DLCs you can get the full remastered version for $10, but if you own only the base game you'd have to purchase both DLCs to get the remaster at $10. Otherwise, the remaster is $60. I don't object so much to the $10 price tag, as $10 USD doesn't really buy much in today's economy anyway, but $60 for the game with basically only some graphical enhancements feels a bit extreme or heavy handed in my opinion.

I expect to pay $60, or even $70, for a newly released game like BG3 or Starfield, but not for a remastered game.

Did you read the article? It wasn't about the death of story-based RPGs, but cinematic RPGs. Cinematic RPGs being the ones with shallow RPG systems with more of a focus on spectacle. Mass Effect's "streamlining" of the RPG mechanics over the course of the trilogy being a perfect example of the series become more cinematic.

Yes, I did read the article, however, my response (in hindsight) wasn't really written that well. In my mind, I associate cinematic RPGs with story-based RPGs. There are a lot of story-based RPGs that aren't cinematic, yet most cinematic RPGs are generally story-based. If that makes sense (?). I have a bad tendency to flip terms around when I'm writing that don't communicate my thoughts very well, even though they make sense in my own mind.

 

[PointnClicker01]

I wouldn't be surprised if we'll see a bunch more clones coming up soon using various other IPs. Maybe something based on the Hunger Games.

That‘s an interesting thought! Although, I‘d say Hunger Games wouldn‘t be the right base to create a „Hogwarts-like“ openworld, storydriven RPG. The big bonus of Hogwarts is, that you‘re extremely free to explore, while in Panem, you‘d get shoot if you move one step to the wrong place… Also, (at least in my opinion) I wouldn’t be so much interested to discover the world outside those Hunger Games arenas. Still, I‘d think a Hunger Games arena battle game could be quite fun. And you say that no one has thought of such a game yet? Incredible!

Another series that would make a great cinematic RPG could be the Maze Runner. I could totally see a game where you explore the last bits of our deserted cities, meeting sometimes other survivors, sometimes cranks. You could even start off in one of those dozens of other labyrinths they were talking about during the second part. And wihle the book’s „Chosen One“ is making its way to save us all, the game‘s character could be investigating old laboratories of these scientists who wanted to kill us, making its way equally on a different path to „The City“.

 

[Pifanjr]

That‘s an interesting thought! Although, I‘d say Hunger Games wouldn‘t be the right base to create a „Hogwarts-like“ openworld, storydriven RPG. The big bonus of Hogwarts is, that you‘re extremely free to explore, while in Panem, you‘d get shoot if you move one step to the wrong place… Also, (at least in my opinion) I wouldn’t be so much interested to discover the world outside those Hunger Games arenas. Still, I‘d think a Hunger Games arena battle game could be quite fun. And you say that no one has thought of such a game yet? Incredible!

I agree that it wouldn't be like the open world of Hogwarts, but the arena in the Hunger Games is quite large I believe. A quick Google shows that the 74th Hunger Games took 18 days, so it's not quite a matter of getting shot by just making one wrong step.

 

[Brian Boru]

74th Hunger Games

Whaaaat?!! I thought there were onl…

Oh ok… quick Google—phew!