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[shaowebb]

Im a downloadining my demo now via steam. Lets see how the Radeon 6800 series holds up with the demo. Can't wait to wrap my hands around this.

 

[rollingstart]

Loving how much neat hidden stuff there is even right in the first area. Like right when you get out into the open, there's a bunch of hidden stuff in the water. Also, you can still sprint in the water, which is pretty much the best thing.

yeah, I like how fast the game is. Almost reminds me of how Saint's Row 3 doesn't waste your time with doors or lame things like that.

I went in the water right around and found some chests. The lock picking game seems nearly identical to the standard Bethesda one.

 

[ShdwDrake]

Downloading demo at 2.0 MB/s via steam.

 

[Stallion Free]

Demo runs flawless maxed on an NV 460 GTX for me, looks gorgeous at 1080p and seems to have almost no aliasing without me touching anything (crisp too). I also appreciated the great pad support.

I really liked the art-style and gameplay so I think I'm going to pick this one up at some point.

 

[Dartastic]

The bow in this game is beyond awful. I am not liking the whole thing to be honest.

Really? I liked the bow. -.-

The demo is not the final build, about 2-3 months old. Runs well on the PC so far(i played on a 6 core AMD at 4Ghz and 6870's). Have not tried the 360 as i don't have a gold account. (will try next week) Will test on PS3 when it hopefully hits later today.

Seriously needs to be reposted.

 

[Aeana]

The demo runs really well for me, except I get occasional full-on seizes, I guess while it loads something, I don't know. It happened to my three times in the demo, I thought it was about to crash, but after a couple of seconds it came back.

 

[Nirolak]

yeah, I like how fast the game is. Almost reminds me of how Saint's Row 3 doesn't waste your time with doors or lame things like that.

I went in the water right around and found some chests. The lock picking game seems nearly identical to the standard Bethesda one.

It's worth noting that the lead designer on this game was the lead designer on Morrowind and Oblivion, so you'll probably run into quite a few similarities.

 

[Kagari]

Downloading now.

 

[zinder]

Downloading over at Origin now, 6MB/s.



Hmm.. don't know if I should play with m+keyboard or gamepad... I usually prefer m+k with RPGs but people here seem to enjoy playing it with pad. Guess I have to try both.

 

[Nabs]

Do not disable Post Processing, you can instead enable AA through the CCC and leave post processing on to play the game with all bells and whistles.

I think I'll stick with PP off. It runs much better for me.

 

[Zomba13]

I can't find the demo on Origin. Is it up in the UK?

 

[Nirolak]

I can't find the demo on Origin. Is it up in the UK?

Hit the "Free Games" button.

It should be in the demo section there if it is up.

 

[Zomba13]

Hit the "Free Games" button.

It should be in the demo section there if it is up.

Oh wow. That's stupid. I was going to the games page on the store. Thanks.

 

[masterkajo]

nice... steam servers are busy and origin won't allow me to download until 11pm due to the german kinderschutzgesetz... and I don't even live in germany. So I guess I won't be playing the demo today then.

 

[NullPointer]

The lock picking game seems nearly identical to the standard Bethesda one.

Skyrim or Oblivion version?

I miss the Oblivion one with all the tumblers as opposed to the "hot-warm-cold" style in Skyrim. Oblivion's method is more about timing and can be mastered regardless of RPG skill level if you're patient, while the Skyrim one is mostly luck with harder locks just devouring picks easier.

 

[dragonelite]

wtf got freeze after 10 min playing restart the game and i have to start over.
What kind of demo is this? I thought just a subset of the starter area.
But it seems you have to restart over every time you start the game.

 

[Nista]

Hmm.. don't know if I should play with m+keyboard or gamepad... I usually prefer m+k with RPGs but people here seem to enjoy playing it with pad. Guess I have to try both.

The nice thing is that you can swap back and forth on the PC version. I prefer the gamepad for combat, but the M/KB for other things.

 

[EatChildren]

Random pausing, horrendous pop-in, and audio bugs. Lovely.

 

[Wallach]

wtf got freeze after 10 min playing restart the game and i have to start over.
What kind of demo is this? I thought just a subset of the starter area.
But it seems you have to restart over every time you start the game.

Actually, once you get far enough the first time (up to the point you unlock the Destinies), every time you launch the demo after that you can skip the entire tutorial section from the main menu.

 

[loganclaws]

I'm having the following problems:

- Settings won't save.
- Can't rebind movement keys.

 

[dragonelite]

Actually, once you get far enough the first time (up to the point you unlock the Destinies), every time you launch the demo after that you can skip the entire tutorial section from the main menu.

Aah oke thanks for the info i think i'll give the demo a try tomorrow again.
The combat is really well done got to the long section but love the interactivity with the combat.

 

[Grisby]

Thinking about giving it a run through. So does the ME stuff unlock at the end of the demo? Do I have to log in to some ea account on my 360?

 

[spk]

I'm really not all that impressed :|

 

[DaBuddaDa]

It's worth noting that the lead designer on this game was the lead designer on Morrowind and Oblivion, so you'll probably run into quite a few similarities.

To clarify: the lead designer of Reckoning is Ian Frazier who did not previously work at Bethesda. Ken Rolston, the lead designer of Morrowind and Oblivion, is working as Executive Producer on Reckoning, even though his title at Big Huge is "Senior Designer." Confusing, I know. Hearing Ken speak recently, it sounds like he has more of producer/advisory role on this project than a hands-on design role.

 

[Morokh]

nice the demo treats my keyboard like it is qwerty and i can't change the buttons for moving in the game .....

 

[Dartastic]

I'm curious how many of you who are having these problems are playing on PC as opposed to console. I haven't really encountered any bugs yet on the 360, but I haven't really been out looking for them. Also, remember. THREE MONTH OLD BUILD. The issues I'm reading about are the kinds of issues that get fixed over that time period.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Unable to connect to EA servers at this time.

What the fuck? This is single player content you jerk-offs.

This is exactly why I don't support Ubi's always online DRM.

edit: nevermind you can cancel out of logging into EA's servers and still play the game.

 

[Darkkn]

Combat seems pretty fun. Everything else is a big 'meh'. Uninteresting fantasy setting/story, boring visuals and funnel style world design. Not good.

 

[loganclaws]

nice the demo treats my keyboard like it is qwerty and i can't change the buttons for moving in the game .....

Yah it seems the developers think that we should all use WASD or we shouldn't play their game. I tried looking for an ini file where the controls are saved but no luck.

 

[Aeana]

I'm really not all that impressed :|

There are some things I'm not at all impressed with, but others that I do think work really well. The UI design in general is not so great, particularly if you're using a mouse (i.e. skipping a cutscene is irritating, you have to move your mouse all the way down to a button in the bottom-left, also looting with the mouse is just as irritating since I didn't notice a 'take all' hotkey, I had to move the mouse pointer all the way to the text), but being able to equip right from the loot screen is pretty awesome. The combat is not boring to me, which is something I was afraid of since I find there are very few developers who can create action combat that is engaging to me. I like the timing-based aspect of melee, in particular.

There's another complaint I have that I am finding very hard to put into words. It's something to do with the character's weight compared to other games, I think, although I'm not entirely sure that's what it is. The result has me feeling like I'm playing an MMO, though... it's just a feel I've noticed a lot of MMOs have that other types of games do not. Feel free to ignore this line, because I really have no idea how to say what I mean here.

 

[rollingstart]

Skyrim or Oblivion version?

I miss the Oblivion one with all the tumblers as opposed to the "hot-warm-cold" style in Skyrim. Oblivion's method is more about timing and can be mastered regardless of RPG skill level if you're patient, while the Skyrim one is mostly luck with harder locks just devouring picks easier.

Skyrim (and Fallout 3). You angle lockpick, press a button to have it slide to the other side, and if it doesn't make it, the pick breaks meaning it wasn't in the right position.

There was also an enchanted chest that uses a part puzzle and part rhythm game mechanic. It's harder to describe.


also regarding the QTEs as some mentioned, well, they aren't Quick Time Events at all. It's a finishing move that asks you to mash a button, but it doesn't seem like it matters if you pass or fail. The effect of mashing the button is an increased experience gain for the kill. So 25% to 100% extra experience, depending on how many times you managed to mash within that window.

There are some things I'm not at all impressed with, but others that I do think work really well. The UI design in general is not so great, particularly if you're using a mouse (i.e. skipping a cutscene is irritating, you have to move your mouse all the way down to a button in the bottom-left, also looting with the mouse is just as irritating since I didn't notice a 'take all' button, I had to move the mouse pointer all the way to the text), but being able to equip right from the loot screen is pretty awesome. The combat is not boring to me, which is something I was afraid of since I find there are very few developers who can create action combat that is engaging to me.

You just need to press the space bar to skip the cutscene. It really should have mentioned that on the interface as I found out by accident.

The interface has a lot of good ideas but isn't exactly well designed. The junk option seems like it's going to be great.

 

[Easy_D]

My main issue with this is the camera. It goes wonky during fights a lot and the way your character slips into the edges of the screen when you walk diagonally is dumb too.

Also a shame they toned the graphical settings down for the demo, like zero detail level at a short distance..but it has a lovely style. I wonder if the full game will be anywhere as awesome as Divinity 2 though (Closest WRPG I can compare it with)

 

[DaBuddaDa]

There's another complaint I have that I am finding very hard to put into words. It's something to do with the character's weight compared to other games, I think, although I'm not entirely sure that's what it is. The result has me feeling like I'm playing an MMO, though... it's just a feel I've noticed a lot of MMOs have that other types of games do not. Feel free to ignore this line, because I really have no idea how to say what I mean here.

I think it's a lack of animation frames.

 

[spk]

Combat seems pretty fun. Everything else is a big 'meh'. Uninteresting fantasy setting/story, boring visuals and funnel style world design. Not good.

This is what I'm feeling

 

[bluedeviltron]

Demo is...unimpressive. It somehow looks more generic than WoW, and I got bored half way through the first dialogue exchange.

You guys who never stop talking about FFXIII's linearity had better have a field day with this.

I'm hoping this is just a really bad representation of the game (WHY PUT OUT A DEMO). I'll wait on reviews.

 

[DaBuddaDa]

You guys who never stop talking about FFXIII's linearity had better have a field day with this.

It's a 100-hour+ open world RPG, this is just a demo area representative of about 1/20th of the entire game world. Uninspired setting and visuals no doubt though.

 

[Nista]

To clarify: the lead designer of Reckoning is Ian Frazier who did not previously work at Bethesda. Ken Rolston, the lead designer of Morrowind and Oblivion, is working as Executive Producer on Reckoning, even though his title at Big Huge is "Senior Designer." Confusing, I know. Hearing Ken speak recently, it sounds like he has more of producer/advisory role on this project than a hands-on design role.

Ian and Joe Q are the lead designers. Ken is actually the "Design Visionary" on the project, not a producer. I don't think he's touched a project schedule in his life.

But you are correct that Ken's more of a big picture guy, than a day to day designer. Ian and Joe deserve most of the respect for the quality of the gameplay.

 

[Aeana]

I actually like the visual style, but I can see why people wouldn't. As for the linearity complaints... from what I've seen from other media, I don't think it's supposed to be a linear game at all.

 

[Morokh]

for a 'create your character like you want' type of RPG the character creation possibilities in terms of how your character can look are quite limited

Camera is wonky as hell, and the lack of any graphical options doesn't make the game look really good ...

 

[Dr. Kitty Muffins]

To clarify: the lead designer of Reckoning is Ian Frazier who did not previously work at Bethesda. Ken Rolston, the lead designer of Morrowind and Oblivion, is working as Executive Producer on Reckoning, even though his title at Big Huge is "Senior Designer." Confusing, I know. Hearing Ken speak recently, it sounds like he has more of producer/advisory role on this project than a hands-on design role.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/ianfrazier


Ian Frazier's Summary

Ian is an designer and project lead currently working at Big Huge Games (38 Studios Baltimore) on the upcoming multi-platform RPG, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning.

Since entering the industry, Ian has been involved in every aspect of design from story and character development, to level and encounter design, to systems/mechanics and game balance. This broad array of skills and experience enables him to effectively prioritize and schedule a development team, and ultimately to motivate and lead that team toward a common vision.
Ian Frazier's Experience
Lead Designer
Big Huge Games

Privately Held; 51-200 employees; THQI; Computer Games industry

August 2010 – Present (1 year 6 months)

Design Lead and vision holder on Big Huge Games' upcoming multi-platform RPG, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning.
Lead Systems Designer
Big Huge Games

Privately Held; 51-200 employees; THQI; Computer Games industry

April 2008 – August 2010 (2 years 5 months)

Management and mentoring for the Systems Design team at Big Huge Games, overseeing the design and implementation of key game systems on Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning.
Producer & Lead Designer
Iron Lore Entertainment

Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Computer Games industry

February 2007 – February 2008 (1 year 1 month)

Producer & Lead Designer on Dawn of War: Soulstorm. Primary job responsibilities include communicating with the publisher and IP owners, high-level project scheduling, team management/mentoring, and creative problem solving in the magical world of design meetings.
Gameplay Designer
Iron Lore Entertainment

Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Computer Games industry

August 2005 – February 2007 (1 year 7 months)

Designing game systems from a high level, implementing at a low level, and balancing various aspects of gameplay.
Project Director
Team Lazarus

September 2000 – April 2006 (5 years 8 months)

Team Lazarus was a non-profit group for computer game development which I founded in September 2000. The primary purpose of this group was to learn about game development through experienc, using the Dungeon Siege engine to recreate the 1987 RPG classic Ultima V with modern technology. The end result was a 60+ hour RPG, completed in December 2005.
Content Designer
Iron Lore Entertainment

Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Computer Games industry

February 2005 – August 2005 (7 months)

Designing and constructing game levels: cities, islands, mountains, dungeons, you name it.
QA Manager
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. - Logistics Division

Public Company; 10,001+ employees; WMT; Retail industry

July 2004 – February 2005 (8 months)
Ian Frazier's Education
Purdue University
BS, Computer Graphics Technology

August 2000 – December 2003

Activities and Societies: SIGGRAPH (Special Interest Group, GRAPHphics), Purdue Christian Campus House.

 

[thetrin]

You guys who never stop talking about FFXIII's linearity had better have a field day with this.

Because...it's not linear? I don't understand what you're trying to say.

for a 'create your character like you want' type of RPG the character creation possibilities in terms of how your character can look are quite limited

Camera is wonky as hell, and the lack of any graphical options doesn't make the game look really good ...

Hmm, the game looks gorgeous to me and runs buttery smooth. Maybe my eyes are broken.

The result has me feeling like I'm playing an MMO, though... it's just a feel I've noticed a lot of MMOs have that other types of games do not. Feel free to ignore this line, because I really have no idea how to say what I mean here.

I think that's what they were trying to go for. Single player MMO is pretty much the best type of game ever to me.

 

[Khezu]

There's another complaint I have that I am finding very hard to put into words. It's something to do with the character's weight compared to other games, I think, although I'm not entirely sure that's what it is. The result has me feeling like I'm playing an MMO, though... it's just a feel I've noticed a lot of MMOs have that other types of games do not. Feel free to ignore this line, because I really have no idea how to say what I mean here.

I have a similar issues with MMO's that I can never explain, because of it WoW is the only MMO I have ever liked, in WoW I feel like I am controlling a video game character, and in everything else I feel like I'm controlling a MMO character. I have had a lot of arguments with friends over this when I quit a game they were all enjoying because it doesn't feel right.

Also had a similar problem with fable 2 to a lesser extent. Hope it doesn't bother me much here.

 

[Wallach]

Man, their anisotropic filtering is totally fucked on AMD. It will revert to zero AF during transitions (or if you alt-tab out and back), and actually having AF at max causes a hit of like 12 FPS.

Also, post-processing needs to be broken up into individual options badly. The bloom is a fuckin' joke, but I wouldn't mind keeping the motion blur.

 

[WanderingWind]

Because...it's not linear? I don't understand what you're trying to say.



Hmm, the game looks gorgeous to me and runs buttery smooth. Maybe my eyes are broken.

I've been trying to puzzle this out, as well. I'm guessing he didn't get out of the intro dungeon.

 

[Dr. Kitty Muffins]

Ian and Joe Q are the lead designers. Ken is actually the "Design Visionary" on the project, not a producer. I don't think he's touched a project schedule in his life.

But you are correct that Ken's more of a big picture guy, than a day to day designer. Ian and Joe deserve most of the respect for the quality of the gameplay.

http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,53732/


Joe Quadara

Games Credited

Tomb Raider: Underworld (2008), Eidos Interactive Ltd.
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary (2007), Eidos Interactive Ltd.
Project: Snowblind (2005), Eidos Interactive Ltd.
Hitman: Contracts (2004), Eidos, Inc.
Legacy of Kain: Defiance (2003), Eidos, Inc.
Whiplash (2003), Eidos, Inc.
The Legacy of Kain Series: Blood Omen 2 (2002), Eidos Interactive, Inc.
Anachronox (2001), Eidos Interactive Ltd.
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2 (2001), Eidos Interactive, Inc.

 

[thetrin]

I've been trying to puzzle this out, as well. I'm guessing he didn't get out of the intro dungeon.

He said he stopped at the first conversation, which is about 1% into the demo.

 

[chifanpoe]

I've been trying to puzzle this out, as well. I'm guessing he didn't get out of the intro dungeon.

That would be my guess too.

 

[Aeana]

I think that's what they were trying to go for. Single player MMO is pretty much the best type of game ever to me.

I don't think that this is one of the positive traits of MMOs, though.

 

[Dogfacedgod]

Does anyone else find it strange that the shield disappears when not actively holding the block button?

 

[JohngPR]

I tried turning on AA with post processing on and the picture is no longer black, but I get this weird ass outlining around people's faces: