Larian Banner: Baldur's Gate Patch 9
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3
Joined: Dec 2012
N
journeyman
OP Offline
journeyman
N
Joined: Dec 2012
Hi, I have some questions I would like to know about how large the game will be.

Both Divine Divinity and Beyond Divinity feature a large and seamless open- world, providing over 100 hours of content.

Here is the key features according to Steam:

Divine Divinity:

"An RPG of Epic Proportions
Experience an adventure that will last you over 100 hours, filled with tons of non-linear quests and offering an enormous world to explore!"

Beyond Divinity:

“If you're looking for a lengthy (as in 100+ hours) RPG that blends quick and dirty gameplay with heaping plates of detail and sophisticated character development, no one else comes close to this series”
90/100 – GameSpy

Although, the Steam key features for Beyond Divinity states over 60 hours of gameplay.

Well anyway, my questions are -

1. Will Divinity Original Sin include a massive open world like its predecessors mentioned above?

2. Will Divinity Orginal Sin offer over 100 hours of gameplay content to experience (not including the editor)?

Please and Thank you! =)

Joined: Mar 2003
Location: Canada
Support
Offline
Support
Joined: Mar 2003
Location: Canada

From the topic Some questions to devs:

Originally Posted by Lar_q
- Will the world be open and bigger than DD one?

It's pretty big, but it's very hard to compare directly. Measuring the size of the world is not just a questions of measuring the relative size, you also need to take into account how much you can do in that world and what parts are accessible, what not. I actually don't know how large the div world was.

As far as length goes, a couple years ago the tentative plan at the time was to create a 20 hour RPG, with the possibility of adding 10 hour chunks (FWIW, D2:ED started off as a 25 hour RPG); see the old topic Next title Larian works on?. Official DLC hasn't been mentioned since, so it wouldn't be surprising if the current design is a single, longer game (not counting the user made DLC with the included editor).

I don't recall seeing more recent comments on the game size or length (other than a blog post saying the E3 presentations for Dragon Commander and Original Sin were refined to "..show 40 hrs of gameplay in 15 minutes..").


Welcome to the forum. wave

Joined: Apr 2005
veteran
Offline
veteran
Joined: Apr 2005
Even IF the world of Original Sin is NOT larger than DD or BD and the total playtime is also not that long I'm still very happy with it, even without the editor in mind !

As long as the gameplay is fun fun fun and humour is in the game with ton ton tons ...
I know Original Sin is Awesome & full of passion & love ... yeah of course, it's a Larian game !

So for me not the Quantity but the Quality is most important . wink


On 7th of february 2015 : I start a new adventure in the Divinity world of Original Sin,
it's a Fantastic Freaking Fabulous Funny ... it's my All Time Favorite One !
Joined: Jul 2012
enthusiast
Offline
enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2012
Yeah as of more recent years people have become obsessed with games that have to last seemingly forever. Better make a good 10 hour long game than a shitty 100 hour long game imo.


Look it stands to reason...You can't eat 'cos you don't have a stomach!
Joined: Dec 2012
N
journeyman
OP Offline
journeyman
N
Joined: Dec 2012
Originally Posted by Raze

From the topic Some questions to devs:

Originally Posted by Lar_q
- Will the world be open and bigger than DD one?

It's pretty big, but it's very hard to compare directly. Measuring the size of the world is not just a questions of measuring the relative size, you also need to take into account how much you can do in that world and what parts are accessible, what not. I actually don't know how large the div world was.

As far as length goes, a couple years ago the tentative plan at the time was to create a 20 hour RPG, with the possibility of adding 10 hour chunks (FWIW, D2:ED started off as a 25 hour RPG); see the old topic Next title Larian works on?. Official DLC hasn't been mentioned since, so it wouldn't be surprising if the current design is a single, longer game (not counting the user made DLC with the included editor).

I don't recall seeing more recent comments on the game size or length (other than a blog post saying the E3 presentations for Dragon Commander and Original Sin were refined to "..show 40 hrs of gameplay in 15 minutes..").


Welcome to the forum. wave


Thanks for the info, I still hope to get a more direct source of answer on how large the game is. I hope that 40 hours of gameplay you were quoting is of each game separately and not both games combined. Also, if that is true, then it leads me to believe that, that 40 hours of gameplay isn't of the entire game and we can hope to see an even longer amount of game length! =)

Originally Posted by Rod Lightning
Yeah as of more recent years people have become obsessed with games that have to last seemingly forever. Better make a good 10 hour long game than a shitty 100 hour long game imo.


That may be true, but I could easily counter that with saying. It's even better to make a good game that lasts 100 hours than a good game that lasts 10 hours. wink
Look at Divine Divinity, and more recently, Skyrim as prime examples. =)

Last edited by Nightblaze1; 11/12/12 11:12 AM.
Joined: Mar 2003
Location: Canada
Support
Offline
Support
Joined: Mar 2003
Location: Canada

Well there were separate 15 minute time slots for each game, so that implies 40 hours per game.

FWIW, in the past Larian has tended to be conservative with their playtime estimates (D2:ED had an official estimate of 40 hours, but exploring everywhere and doing everything took me 75 hours in my first game; some others were faster, especially if playing on lower difficulty settings).


I'd also prefer quality over quantity, if there must be a trade-off. Within reason, longer is better, of course, if quality isn't sacrificed.

Joined: Apr 2005
veteran
Offline
veteran
Joined: Apr 2005
It also depends on your playstyle, how thoroughly you play the game :
only the main quest and a few side quests or searching every inch to make sure you find ALL that's in the game, secrets and maybe easter eggs too.

Plus:
the REPLAYability of the game is for me also important, but so far all Larian games I've played have a very good replayability. and are very addictive too grin

I'm 200% sure Original Sin will have a very good replay value !!
And the Editor in mind ... it's forever big fun ! claphands


On 7th of february 2015 : I start a new adventure in the Divinity world of Original Sin,
it's a Fantastic Freaking Fabulous Funny ... it's my All Time Favorite One !
Joined: Mar 2003
A
veteran
Offline
veteran
A
Joined: Mar 2003
How much GB ?


When you find a big kettle of crazy, it's best not to stir it.
--Dilbert cartoon

"Interplay.some zombiefied unlife thing going on there" - skavenhorde at RPGWatch
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Soviet Empire
veteran
Offline
veteran
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Soviet Empire
Originally Posted by Joram
Even IF the world of Original Sin is NOT larger than DD or BD and the total playtime is also not that long I'm still very happy with it, even without the editor in mind !

As long as the gameplay is fun fun fun and humour is in the game with ton ton tons ...
I know Original Sin is Awesome & full of passion & love ... yeah of course, it's a Larian game !

So for me not the Quantity but the Quality is most important . wink


DD and BD were action-RPG games. DoS is a tactic one which definitely increases amount of time you spent in battle. I assume even if DoS isn't so long (gameplay/story/narrative wise) as first two games - it still will be close to the same playability length.

Joined: Jul 2012
enthusiast
Offline
enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2012
Plus it'll feature the tool to make your own levels/quests and whatnot by the community.

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh


Look it stands to reason...You can't eat 'cos you don't have a stomach!
Joined: Dec 2012
N
journeyman
OP Offline
journeyman
N
Joined: Dec 2012
Originally Posted by Raze

Well there were separate 15 minute time slots for each game, so that implies 40 hours per game.

FWIW, in the past Larian has tended to be conservative with their playtime estimates (D2:ED had an official estimate of 40 hours, but exploring everywhere and doing everything took me 75 hours in my first game; some others were faster, especially if playing on lower difficulty settings).


I'd also prefer quality over quantity, if there must be a trade-off. Within reason, longer is better, of course, if quality isn't sacrificed.


Sounding very promising, thank you! =)

Could you please link me the source to where you saw that video and the comment you quoted saying that it was 40 hours cut down into 15 mins please?

Joined: Mar 2003
Location: Canada
Support
Offline
Support
Joined: Mar 2003
Location: Canada

I did post a link to the blog post containing the comment about the E3 presentations (see the picture caption), in my first reply above. As for the video itself, you can check out the Larian Studios YouTube Channel; E3 was awhile ago, though, so since that video there has been work done on the lighting and graphics in general. There are a couple more recent videos, and other blog posts about D:OS, as well.

Joined: Dec 2012
stranger
Offline
stranger
Joined: Dec 2012
Well, people are obsessed with long games because developers are so determined to keep making them shorter. Me, I'm thorough, don't like to leave areas unexplored or (assuming my character can handle them and what I'd have to do isn't thoroughly rotten) quests undone (secrets and easter eggs... depends, if they require doing weird things that don't quite make sense in the context or pixel hunting, I probably won't find them), so back in the day I generally played games for far longer than the listed duration. In recent years, however, I see listed durations that, while still shorter than what they were 10-15 years ago, are actually longer than even I take to finish, so have to wonder who comes up with those numbers and how these days.

Bottom line, if I'm paying for a game and don't get at least some 50h out of it (being thorough as I am, but straight playing, not counting reloads, so use save timer for those that have one, and strictly singleplayer and a single playthrough thank you very much), I'm not a happy camper. And if it can get towards 100 and still keep itself from getting tedious, even better. Just get a few games a year, after all, so they'd better last.

So the best thing is a great 100-hour game :p Past that, yeah, I'll go for a great 50-hour one over a modest 100-hour one, but as for the "better make a good 10-hour game" remark, nope, not unless it's freeware, that's waaay too short to warrant buying, no matter how good it is. (Though, of course, for those with the audacity to release such bite-sized games on a commericial basis, there are ways to play them as if they're freeware :p)


"We're all humans." Let's try to be more!
"The chief obstacle to the progress of the human race is the human race."
"If you're falling off a cliff you may as well try to fly, you've got nothing to lose."
Joined: Dec 2012
N
journeyman
OP Offline
journeyman
N
Joined: Dec 2012
Originally Posted by Raze

I did post a link to the blog post containing the comment about the E3 presentations (see the picture caption), in my first reply above. As for the video itself, you can check out the Larian Studios YouTube Channel; E3 was awhile ago, though, so since that video there has been work done on the lighting and graphics in general. There are a couple more recent videos, and other blog posts about D:OS, as well.


Ah sorry, I didn't see that you already posted it, my bad. Thanks again! =)

And again, since so much would have been done to the game since then, my hope is that the gameplay has increased dramatically! But I would still doubt it will reach 100 hours, but I can hope can't I? hehe wink


Originally Posted by Cavalary
Well, people are obsessed with long games because developers are so determined to keep making them shorter. Me, I'm thorough, don't like to leave areas unexplored or (assuming my character can handle them and what I'd have to do isn't thoroughly rotten) quests undone (secrets and easter eggs... depends, if they require doing weird things that don't quite make sense in the context or pixel hunting, I probably won't find them), so back in the day I generally played games for far longer than the listed duration. In recent years, however, I see listed durations that, while still shorter than what they were 10-15 years ago, are actually longer than even I take to finish, so have to wonder who comes up with those numbers and how these days.

Bottom line, if I'm paying for a game and don't get at least some 50h out of it (being thorough as I am, but straight playing, not counting reloads, so use save timer for those that have one, and strictly singleplayer and a single playthrough thank you very much), I'm not a happy camper. And if it can get towards 100 and still keep itself from getting tedious, even better. Just get a few games a year, after all, so they'd better last.

So the best thing is a great 100-hour game :p Past that, yeah, I'll go for a great 50-hour one over a modest 100-hour one, but as for the "better make a good 10-hour game" remark, nope, not unless it's freeware, that's waaay too short to warrant buying, no matter how good it is. (Though, of course, for those with the audacity to release such bite-sized games on a commericial basis, there are ways to play them as if they're freeware :p)


Exactly my thoughts mate!

Last edited by Nightblaze1; 13/12/12 12:16 AM.
Joined: Mar 2003
Location: Canada
Support
Offline
Support
Joined: Mar 2003
Location: Canada

I don't have a problem with short games, as long as they are priced accordingly. Point and click adventure games tend to be much shorter than RPGs, for example, so the odd one I buy is a while after release, on sale and/or in a bundle. A few years ago I was getting my brother and his wife a few adventure games each year for Christmas, and for myself if they were very good, but the last couple years I didn't start early enough to allow time for shipping (and I don't think there have been a lot of recent Syberia / Longest Journey class games released).

Joined: Apr 2005
veteran
Offline
veteran
Joined: Apr 2005
100 hour long playtime for a rpg game ?
That's really very long !
Don't forget a rpg has "replayability value and can be addictive" too !! wink
So counting all the replays ... like for Divine Divinity I've already 100 and 100 of hours of funny playtime !

Sometimes I even hope DD is not so long as it is now and forever :hihi:



On 7th of february 2015 : I start a new adventure in the Divinity world of Original Sin,
it's a Fantastic Freaking Fabulous Funny ... it's my All Time Favorite One !
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Soviet Empire
veteran
Offline
veteran
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Soviet Empire
I see no issue and problem when the length is provided not by massive world (see TES for example - lost of script-generated space and caves,dungeons, lost of c&p quests that bore you after few hours) but rather the way it world packed with content (good examples: Gothic 1-2). Dragon Age was something in-beetwen TES and Gothic in this aspect.

Joined: Dec 2012
N
journeyman
OP Offline
journeyman
N
Joined: Dec 2012
So, we can't acquire a definite on how long the game will be at this point in time. All we know, is it will be roughly 40 hours or so long, which is pretty good, and I'm satisfied with that.

Now, what I would like to discuss, is how large will the world of Divinity Original Sin be? Is it going to be an expansive open world (if so, offering 100 hours of gameplay on its own)? Is it going to be split up into smaller instanced zones? Or is it going to be a more direct/linear map?

Joined: Jan 2009
veteran
Offline
veteran
Joined: Jan 2009
Frankly, I'm not really expecting a huge world map. It would be great if the game world was huge, on the scale of Divine Divinity, but we can't really expect an AAA-studio size world from Larian, they're just not that big a studio, so I'm going to keep my expectations low.

Joined: Jan 2009
veteran
Offline
veteran
Joined: Jan 2009
Rich content is better than raw size.

I'll compare three Elder Scrolls games: Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim.

Oblivion had a really large world, but a lot of it felt rather bland and samey - all the dungeons started to blur together after a while. Skyrim's world is the same size of smaller, but the dungeons have a lot of detail, each one is unique, which is really important because dungeon crawling is a big part of Elder Scrolls games.

Morrowind was bigger in raw size, and it had a lot of content, but a lot of the world was empty wastelands and a lot of the people were unimportant information kiosks.

Page 1 of 3 1 2 3

Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5