Topic: Dungeon Siege III - Update: NVidia DS3 Twitter Contest during GeForce LAN 6

[MysterD]

NEWEST - 10/15/2011:
During GeForce LAN 6, NVidia been tossing up Steam game keys here and there for Dungeon Siege III on their Twitter.
First one to register one of those keys to their Steam account wins.

Info/News/Links
Dungeon Siege III PC gets its first patch on Steam.
Dungeon Siege 3 demo released on Steam for PC and has been out already on consoles.
GiantBomb -> 1 hour  hands-on video preview on DS3.
PC Gamer -> Hands-on preview.
IGN -> Reader Questions and Interview w/ Nathan Davis of Obsidian.
Joystiq -> Anjali - NEW "Second Chance" Trailer.
Joystiq -> Reinhart Manx Trailer.
Joystiq -> Katarina Trailer.
Joystiq -> Lucas and Anjali Trailer + Info/Preview on the game.
G4TV -> Dungeon Siege III Preview.
Gamebanshee -> Interview w/ Rich Taylor of Obsidian on DS3 and also its Onyx Engine.
Destructoid -> Explaining how Co-Op Works.
RockPaperShotgun -> Preview.
Eurogamer -> Hands-On Preview.
GameSpot -> Hands-On Preview.
NowGamer -> Preview.
Strategy Informer -> Preview.
VideoGamer -> Preview.
USA Today -> Six Things You Didn't Know About Dungeon Siege III.
GameTrailers -> Dungeon Siege 3 - Gameplay Trailer.
Voodoo Extreme - Screens from GC 2010.
IGN - Interview w/ Rich Taylor of Obsidian.
GamesRadar - Preview on DS3.
Dungeon Siege III - Cinematic Trailer.
IGTV - Video Interview w/ Feargus Urquhart, CEO of Obsidian.
Joystiq preview.
Obsidian says Square-Enix is now the owner of DS property.
Preview from Eurogamer.
More info on DS3 - with storyline and features.
Obsidian is working on Dungeon Siege 3 for PC, PS3, and X360.

[Pugnate]

Haha I saw this and thought about posting it, till I realized you'd get to it.

[MysterD]

I'm in shock. I never expected to see this.

Since this is (now) an Obsidian game, I expect the storytelling and characters to be great - it's their strength.

But, man...I so hope they don't have any half-baked features and NO huge amount of bugs here....

EDIT:
So, given what I've posted in the newest link I found on this game, looks like we can play this also in Co-Op MP w/ friends AND there will be decision-making involved like most Obsidian RPG's.

Interesting.

[Xessive]

looks like we can play this also in Co-Op MP w/ friends...

Wasn't that the main feature of the Dungeon Siege series? If they had taken that out there'd be no point in making the game.

[Pugnate]

You almost wonder if they'd be better off calling it something else.

There really isn't any brand recognition to take advantage of.

Dungeon Siege was a really fun hack & slash, with remarkable visuals for its time, but it was thin on storytelling.

[MysterD]

You almost wonder if they'd be better off calling it something else.

There really isn't any brand recognition to take advantage of.

PC gamers might recognize Dungeon Siege name; maybe some non-gamers saw the Uwe Boll movie; and I guess they're trying to bring the franchise even more recognizable by bringing it to the consoles.

Dungeon Siege was a really fun hack & slash, with remarkable visuals for its time, but it was thin on storytelling.

Yes, the strategy mixed w/ the hack-n-slash was what made the original DS. DS2 (Vanilla) was more Diablo-esque - even though you had a party, you could only give orders/control one character at a time; but it still worked very well. DS2: Broken World put the strategy formations back into DS2. Regardless of how the GPG DS's played - the combat was always kick-ass and hectic. Obsidian got to find a way to keep this.

If Obsidian is going to do so - and somehow manage to bring the typical Obsidian stuff to the table - i.e. awesome story; awesome characters; and decision-making - this could be something special. One thing, though - they gotta' leave the bugs and half-baked ideas AWAY from the game!!!

Thing is, w/ this going to consoles, how's this going to work and all? I mean - this game's going to be built around a gamepad, right? So, I am betting the click-and-pointing aspect might go away on the PC version? I could be wrong...or maybe it WILL play like Dragon Age PC on the controls?

Or maybe it'll play more direct-like w/ how you deal w/ a party - like say the controls found in the Mass Effect series (WSAD/Cursors or gamepad) and allow the player a strategy-pause, but all of this set in a medieval-setting (like say Gothic or Fable)?

Gonna have to wait and see. Need more info...

[MysterD]

About Dungeon Siege 3, in this preview...

Multiple Viewpoints in DS3

The perspective, which has gone from the zoomed out view the series is most associated with, to a more traditional third-person action perspective right over the shoulder.

The classic view is still available with just a button press, but most of the demo I saw zooms in tight on the lead character.

[MysterD]

From the GamesRadar preview.

Vantage Points Replacing Mini-Maps

Perhaps the most striking new feature was the one that showcased the game’s stunning graphics. You’ll be able to survey your surroundings more effectively by using vistas – vantage points in areas that let you see far out into the distance, giving a better glimpse of the areas and goals that lie in wait. This has allowed the developers at Obsidian to remove the unsightly mini-map that mucks up the view in most Action RPGs from Dungeon Siege 3’s HUD. It might seem like a terrible design choice at first, but once you see the beautiful landscapes stretching before you from a vista point, we doubt you’ll miss that ugly thing.

[MysterD]

USA Today -> Six Things You Didn't Know About Dungeon Siege III.

[Pugnate]

I ran out of all my love for Obsidian after the Alpha Protocol fiasco.

[Xessive]

I ran out of all my love for Obsidian after the Alpha Protocol fiasco.

Soundtrack #I'm all out of love... hehe

[MysterD]

Destructoid -> Explaining how Co-Op Works.

Dedicated Co-Op Character Level-Up Only

Recently, our minds were boggled by the news that Dungeon Siege III wouldn't offer experience points to co-op players, removing a pretty significant incentive one might have for joining another character's game. We recently chatted with Obsidian about it, and found out you do get XP ... for a dedicated co-op character.

Rewards

"Co-op players can absolutely expect to have the loot and experience they gain in multiplayer games to be saved to their multiplayer characters ... Achievements and Trophies earned in multiplayer are still saved to your profile as normal and there are additional awards that you can only receive from playing in a multiplayer co-operative game."

Only ONE Of Certain Characters Can Run Around In MP Together

"There’s no question that the ability to carry entirely persistent character data around can be fun, but it also presents a number of unique challenges including those from a balance and storytelling perspective," he added. "When you join a multiplayer game in Dungeon Siege III, if someone is already playing Lucas or Anjali, you will not be able to play as that same character simply because it does not make any sense from a storytelling perspective. Having 3-4 Anjali’s running around turning monsters into giblets sounds fun, and it’s something you could do in other titles, but it completely breaks the story immersion we’ve worked so hard to create. And, of course, our heroes have numerous combat-related synergies that you would never see with a party of the same characters.

"Overall, for our first foray into the Dungeon Siege universe we really wanted to nail an easy and fun cooperative experience that allows you to jump into games with friends and family, but that still has enough depth for the hardcore, loot-piñata-exploding, item-hoovering gamers among us. And, I think we’ve done just that."

So there you go. If you decide to dabble in Dungeon Siege III's multiplayer, you'll actually be juggling two characters. Reality Pump did something similar with Two Worlds II, although that game had a robust multiplayer element including unique quests, Player vs. Player, and even a town management game. Does Dungeon Siege III offer enough for players to manage two characters? That remains to be seen.

What do you think? Has the co-op honey pot been sweetened by this news, or are you still skeptical?

[MysterD]

Gamersgate -> DS3 lists it requires 3rd party account and download.
My guess - it probably requires Steam.

[idolminds]

Its a Steamworks game, so yeah.

[MysterD]

Its a Steamworks game, so yeah.

When did I miss that memo? 

[MysterD]

GiantBomb -> 1 hour  hands-on video preview on DS3.

[MysterD]

Dungeon Siege 3 demo released on Steam for PC and has been out already on consoles

EDIT:
OMG. WTH happened here w/ this demo? :0
It's not the game, I don't think.
It's the bloody controls. These are some of the worst controls I've seen on KB/mouse since Res Evil 4 PC. The camera is horrible and all over the place, as well.
Though, this seems to play well w/ 360 gamepad, from few mins I played w/ the gamepad. I'll have to really give it a chance w/ the 360 controls tomorrow.
Even though the game doesn't look that great, though runs 60 FPS all maxed-out flawlessly on my rig at 1980x1020.

[Xessive]

The mouse+KB controls and camera are wonky. I find myself having to hold down the middle mouse button to move my character the traditional way (point camera, move). Why did they eliminate the Diablo-style point+click moving of the previous games? I mean even X-Men Legends had it and that game was fully setup for mouse+KB and gamepad, players' choice.

I'm gonna give the gamepad a shot and see how that runs.

UPDATE:
HOLY CRAP ON A STICK!! The game is completely different with the X360 pad! It's simple, straightforward, plays like it's supposed to! What the Hell did they do to the Mouse+KB controls?!

[Cobra951]

They tacked them on to the lead console version (then ported it to PC)?

[Xessive]

They tacked them on to the lead console version (then ported it to PC)?

Shamefully, that may well be the truth. My question is how the Heck they expected to just let it slip through when they don't even come close to the controls of its predecessors!

EDIT:
I also noticed one other thing.. It's minor but it kinda breaks the immersion a bit.. The main characters don't move their mouths at all during dialogue. The camera angle during dialogue usually shows the player character's back, with a slight angle, I noticed that the jaw is not moving at all. Later I had a moment when the camera showed my character's face and it was completely static. No lip sync whatsoever. It's a game-killer but it makes it seem like Obsidian cut corners.

14 June 2011 UPDATE:
I got the chance to play the final game and practically no change from the demo. So if you didn't like it, expect more of the same.

Regarding the story, Obsidian definitely gave the Dungeon Siege universe a little bit of life but that's only compared to the previous DS games. On a grand scale the story and plot elements are pretty standard, not spectacular. In terms of the dialogue I think this is where Obsidian did a great job, though Odo's obsessive uttering of the full name "Jeyne Kassynder" can get a little irritating especially since it starts to sound almost sarcastic after a while.

As I mentioned before, the game was clearly made for the controller brazenly neglecting the PC crowd that's been waiting for it. So, I decided to check it out as it was "meant" to be played and hooked my PC up to my 40" LED TV, got my wireless X360 pad hooked, and loaded it up. It's a console experience alright! The bulky, controller-friendly menus are the first bit of interface evidence that this game is a serious victim of "consolitis." DS3 feels and functions like many of the hack'n'slash console conversions namely the X-Men Legends and Marvel Ultimate Alliance series. If you're looking for a modern isometric-camera coop experience I'd recommend the much more affordable Lara Croft and The Guardian of Light.

Ultimately I'd only consider buying DS3 if it were under $20 and after some significant changes to the KB+mouse control scheme though I am impartial to the gamepad controls.

[MysterD]

REVIEWS

VG Revolution -> ALL Platforms - 8.4 [of 10].
Eurogamer -> ALL Platforms - 8 [of 10].
Destructoid -> X360 - 7.5 [of 10].

CVG -> X360 - 7.9 [of 10].
ActionTrip -> X360 - 7.9 [of 10].

PC Gamer -> PC - 78% [of 100].

Joystiq -> 3 1/2 stars [of 5].

[MysterD]

GameSpot -> 6.0 for PC; 6.5 for consoles (out of 10).
Written review.
Video review.

[MysterD]

Dungeon Siege III PC gets its first patch on Steam.

Updates to Dungeon Siege III have been released. The updates will be applied automatically when your Steam client is restarted. The major changes include:

Dungeon Siege III

Keybinding has now been implemented into Dungeon Siege III
Added two new controls that will allow the players to move left or right. This is included on the keybinding screen.
Fixes an issue where the gamepad would default to on, even if you have no gamepad plugged in.
Fixed an issue in Multiplayer where if either the host or the client is using a gamepad and are playing with someone who is using the mouse/keyboard, the host hangs when switching to the ending cutscene.
Fixed an issue with certain graphic cards where it would occasionally display large black pixels in the middle of the screen.
Fixed a potential crash when players try to reconnect after disconnecting during a conversation.
We've implemented a fix that will revert the A/D reversed issue for people that are still reporting this issue.
Fixed a potential crash when players would join a Multiplayer game in a certain order.

[MysterD]

Alienware Arena - Get a FREE Medallion DLC code for DS3 PC here.

[MysterD]

During GeForce LAN 6, NVidia been tossing up Steam game keys here and there for Dungeon Siege III on their Twitter.
First one to register one of those keys to their Steam account wins.

I just happened to win one, a little bit ago!