News Comments on RPGCodex In general, Larian Studios do not have the habit of talking too much or exposing their cards unless they are sure that it is an advertising point. This particular RPG developer is distinguishably intelligent enough to listen to the feedback of their powerful fan-base. Adding a Multiplayer feature may be implemented in the “Age of Empires” style if and only if the game was designed with a powerful and extensive parallel-story-lines-feature to allow choosing a race-gender combination and end up playing a totally different game. However, there is another style of multiplayer implementation, which is based on one major plot played by a heroic party from which the player picks one to be elected as the party leader inside the game by democratic votes. The characteristics of such a leader should alter the path taken by the party to achieve the goals of the game that could be called Victory.
That is why; saying that L. S. shall add Multiplayer features to Divinity II does not say much because they did not tell us how they shall implement that feature.
As for Riftrunner, it is basically, yet hidden, a Divinity core. However, changing the combat formulas, the skill feature, the user interface, and adding a permanent companion (with opposite alignment) while allowing for “summoning dolls” extra party then creating a new feature called the random battlefields to give the player an infinite method of increasing experience/ level, independent of the story line, one should expect a serious turning point in RPG standards to a fabulous quality of entertainment. There shall be a minimal hack & slash requirement in the linear storyline of the major path, while those who love to kill and gain experience and levels may access the BF-Portals as many times as they wish and enjoy. What really comes new in Riftrunner is the runtime-3D-characters-feature that reflects the true image of the avatar and his/ her equipment for enhanced identification. Intelligently, the developers realised the potential of the T3D engine and decided to use it for random generation of foes in the random battlefields. This should increase re-playability exceedingly.
Given that Larian Studios listen to their insanely powerful fan-base, it is too premature to speculate on Divinity II while Riftrunner is not out yet, but more than probable it would never be disappointing.
Kind regards.
