Oh? You mean they replaced a hook to motivate players with... the bland start we have now, and wonder why the press doesn't get hooked?
Not saying that start specifically has to be it, but emotional hooks and generally a motivation to engage a game needs to be there, or it fails utterly as an RPG.
I do not think they replaced it
Most probably, it has just not made its way into alpha yet. At the very beginning of alpha Swen mentioned in one of the numerous videos, I think, that in the alpha build you begin right on the beach without any introduction. There should be a proper introduction in the final game.
Well this is an interesting topic altogether...
In the (real world) letter/blog post Larian says they have problems showing the good side of the game and get it noticed as not another ARPG... it looks to me, like the problem is that what is shown as start of the game is not it's good side nor does it hook most players or at least, most people who are supposed to review it... what you guys talk about there, as to what was "planned" to be the start of the game, would maybe fix 50% of that problem, but if that city came up directly after such a scene things would be even more drastically different and wall-of-text-ish to new players.
Anyway, I remain of the opinion that the beginning of the game needs to hook the player, and currently it does not. There are some ease-of-use things missing that'd make first time players entry into this game less scary, and there needs to be some introduction (And I don't mean cutscenes...) that show how the game wants to be played. That gives back-story and such, hook etc. Already said it ;p
And yeah, there needs to be a memorable moment at the beginning. Why? Because that's what people see first. That's why. Needs no other reason really .p Optimally that moment is not just 5 seconds long or a intro video.
Because let me say it, good writing does not need narrator explaining story. Ever. Unless that's the whole hook of the game (Bastion) or some other creative way to handle it is chosen. (Shadow of Colossus and many others take that path)
Either way, lots of things Larian could do to improve "first impact", but I guess we'll never know what they think about it. The letter is clear that the problem is not seen as one of the game-design, but rather as one of communication.... imo that's ignoring the obvious problem. If your games good side was shown with the current Alpha beginning, there'd not be the need for extra communication ;p
But then, I have no idea how anyone can confuse this with an ARPG either ;P
