Chris Taylor reveals Dungeon Siege 3 News

Dungeon Siege 2 was just about one of the most boring, repetitive games I've ever played.

Before the inevitable hate-filled comments thread, let me just say: I thought Dungeon Siege 1 was AMAZING and one of the best LAN games i've ever had the fortune to play with loads of my mates in one room. Space Siege doesn't look quite as promising though, and I think cutting down on party-mechanics because its "too complicated" is a bit suspect - if there is one thing even I, a Dungeon Siege fanboy of the worst kind, will admit, it's that DS is -not- complicated. It's like the Serious Sam of the RPG world.

+1

Point, click, attack, attack, shop, upgrade, point, click, attack attack, shop, buy...

There is a Space Seige. Nice.

I hated the linearity of the first one.

You know what would be worse? If they made a sequal to the film...

This is fantastic news!

I totally love Dungeon Siege, the first one i mean. The second one kind of sucked..

Mm. I could not get into DS2 half as easily as DS1. DS1 is the sort of game that goes down really smoothly. It doesn't take any effort to play, there are very few annoyances that get in the way of enjoyment. No loading screens (which at the time was pretty amazing and still impresses) and *excellent* pathfinding that nobody seemed to comment on, and a similar addictive quality to collecting all the different things as Diablo. Killing the next guy just in case he drops something rare.

In fact, what I liked about it above Diablo 2 was that I was always moving forward. Never stuck in one area for any length of time. That's another way that it went down really smoothly. I was never in one area long enough to get bored of it.

Graphic adventures are what turned me from someone who enjoyed games to someone who is passionate about them, so I like a good story as much as anyone. But I don't need story detail in all games, and DS2 was an example of adding stuff that didn't need adding.

I'm not necessarily against a 1 player focus, because while it wasn't hard in DS, party management of any kind is something I usually consider an annoyance and like to automate as much as possible.

On a side note: There is a difference between being simple and being simplistic : the former removes barriers in the way of doing stuff, and makes an experience more enjoyable, and the latter is more like implementing/explaining a system in less detail than is necessary to implement/explain it well. For example, explaining that 'a guitar is a six-stringed instrument where one hand controls which notes are played, while the other hand plucks the notes to make the sound' is a simple explanation, while 'a guitar is like a violin that you strum' is simplistic.

We need to be careful when accusing games of dumbing down to distinguish between when they're just making it easier to use (like the simplified controls in Deus Ex 2, maybe) and when they're actually taking something quite significant away from the gameplay (like the unified ammo system in Deus Ex 2 again).

As for DS3 - jury's not even out yet. Jury hasn't even been selected, so let's wait.

I enjoyed DS1 a lot. There was something hugely appealing about twatting spiders with maces and watching their legs go flying off.

Well that is one hero more than last time.

DS2 was boring as some people have already commented. It fixed the inventory sorting and generally updated the controls but, in it's bid to add clever story telling, it lost a lot of the let's just keep moving until we encounter the source of this madness vibe. This is what kept Diablo1 moving but, was missing from Diablo2.

"Point, click, attack, attack, shop, upgrade, point, click, attack attack, shop, buy... "

like most point and click rpg games then.

personally 2 was alot better than diablo

What i really liked about Dungeon Siege was the atmosphere, it was fantastic. DS2 didn't have that atmosphere.

I really think that it's all going to be about a single hero. It's too much to manage. Too much to manage for who? The casual user? Boo.

I really enjoined the first game and especially the party aspect until Neverwinter Nights stole my heart.

I actually loved DS2 and consider it one of the top games I ever played. The story was quite interesting but I just enjoyed the whole collecting lark. If I had to level one serious complain at it was that 99% of all items collected where just not useful. I am unsure about dumbing down the party. At first it was one thing I hated but then it grew on me having to manage a party of 4 or more. Anyway I trust Chris to help deliver another great game. Fingers crossed.

Loved both games, played them both through at least twice. Another one would be most welcome, this is great news.

@subquest

What the heck was at the end of DS2. I never managed to get that far as I was too bored by then.

ds1 was a classic ds2 coudnt get into for some reason.. i hope the 1 player thing isnt a dumming down for ease of consolability :o

Dungeon Siege was great, so I was able to let slide the fact that it contained no dungeons or sieges, but 'Space Siege' is really pushing it imo. I'm sick of games called 'Attack Kill' and 'Game of Football' - it was bad enough when it was just a poorly translated japanese title, but if this is as creative as the great english-speaking designers can be bothered to get, I really don't feel good about the future.

gas powered makes some pretty decent games, can't wait for some vids + demo.

@ Phenalion: Do not read if you intend on playing DS2

You manage to get the Shield of Azunai and have to face off Valdis who wields the Sword of Zaramoth. You find out that the old man that was helping you at certain points in the game is in fact a dark Wizard called the Overmage. He planned Valdis' ascension to power and it was in fact him who pushed Valdis into starting the quest to get the sword in the first place. You find that you too have been similarly used in order to obtain the shield for him. Ultimately the shield and sword clash and a new cataclysm takes place. The expansion sees you following the archmage to deliver justice for his deceit and your character looking for redemption after the damage he unwillingly caused to Aranna.

@Avaloner

Thanks for that. I don't intend on re-visiting DS2 as I deleted my save when I uninstalled (answered yes to that blasted delete user data question).

Sounds like it was a touch longer than I wanted to play through anyway.

these guys allowed UWE BOLL to make a Dungeon Siege film...

imo they can fuck right off just for that.

DS1/2 better than Diablo1/2? Winner of the funniest comment ever :-)

Anyway, if they cut the boring storyline and limit the quantity of useless text (too bothersome to click during dialogues all the time), it could be entertaining game.

you hate dialog in a rpg? even if it is an action rpg, you hate dialog? wtf are you playing an rpg for?

I loved DS2, play was smooth and fun up until i got to the surgeon, and simply could not kill him. I was at it for weeks then gave up.

Im not sure I would take that chance with DS3 - utter frustration

As has basically already been said - i would have enjoyed ds2 more if:
1. it didnt take so long to get started (see: lengthy unskippable tutorial && decent sized quest to even be allowed in town...)
2. there was either freedom to move and take shortcuts (as in diablo2) or you could actually see where to go (as in ds1)
(side note). ive noticed that in ds2 they seem to purposefully trick you into going the way that wont give you free items using quest arrows (eg. upper kithraya caverns act1 - quest arrow points straight into goody area)
3. areas (and enemies) were more varied (read: a lot more) - this was achieved rather well in ds1

Because of ^ those ds2 is barely replayable - in which case a costly skill reset option would have been appreciated - act1 part1 is just too painful to replay - especially the tutorial

On the single hero issue -
I personally enjoyed the tactical aspects of controlling a team - moreso in ds2 with the skill trees, powers and item sets
I also think that this is largely what set dungeon siege apart from other point and click rpgs - made it unique as it were
Perhaps a single hero will make ds3 too generic

Actually now that i think about it - the leveling system is fairly unique as well

Also - i think the main thing that killed the mood from ds1 is the childish dialogue

An aside: Character dependent quests pissed me off - that at least will be remedied in ds3