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[ExMachina]

I've been enjoying the backer portraits shared on Twitter quite a bit, so I sat down and made a custom portrait of my own. Funnily enough, I played Asians in SRR and DF but will be running a Latino for HK.

 

[cj_iwakura]

I'm kinda against there being a summary of DMS and Dragonfall in the OP. The games are stand alone, and people who play HK might not have played those. Instead of summarizing the games (which won't matter to the HK plot), we should encourage those people to try the games out too if they like HK. Just my two cents.

At very least some info would help, because I'm sure there will be the inevitable 'do I need to play DMS/Dragonfall' posts in the thread. Didn't plan on spoiling them or anything, just a vague breakdown of the world.

 

[Stone Ocean]

I'm kinda against there being a summary of DMS and Dragonfall in the OP. The games are stand alone, and people who play HK might not have played those. Instead of summarizing the games (which won't matter to the HK plot), we should encourage those people to try the games out too if they like HK. Just my two cents.

I would die a little inside whenever I saw someone pondering skipping DMS and going straight into Dragonfall, doing the same for HK would tear my soul.

 

[cj_iwakura]

I would die a little inside whenever I saw someone pondering skipping DMS and going straight into Dragonfall, doing the same for HK would tear my soul.

No joke, especially when most say that DMS isn't worth playing. It's inferior to Dragonfall, but fantastic on its own merits.

 

[MichaelFassbender]

No joke, especially when most say that DMS isn't worth playing. It's inferior to Dragonfall, but fantastic on its own merits.

It can also be completed in a single afternoon if you know what you're doing.

 

[duckroll]

Not a fan of DMS... sorry DMS-fans! That game almost killed all my interest in SRR. Lol. Dragonfall saved it.

 

[RK9039]

I liked DMS, but DF was a lot better.

 

[LurkerPrime]

No joke, especially when most say that DMS isn't worth playing. It's inferior to Dragonfall, but fantastic on its own merits.

OG Shadowrun Returns is fantastic in no way. The writing/atmosphere is the only thing that makes playing it bearable.

Talking it up like it's some hidden gem will just lead to folk getting burned. Either play it first, before any other SRR game, or skip it entirely because then the campaign just won't be worth it. Suffering through the primitive, phone-bound engine and gameplay quirks for the few moments of cool writing just isn't something I can recommend.

 

[cj_iwakura]

OG Shadowrun Returns is fantastic in no way. The writing/atmosphere is the only thing that makes playing it bearable.

Talking it up like it's some hidden gem will just lead to folk getting burned. Either play it first, before any other SRR game, or skip it entirely because then the campaign just won't be worth it. Suffering through the primitive, phone-bound engine and gameplay quirks for the few moments of cool writing just isn't something I can recommend.

I don't think the gameplay is much different at all, Dragonfall just has more fleshed out runners and quests, as well as being less linear.

 

[cj_iwakura]

Encounters are hugely improved. You have to use your brain at least a little. Decking is actually useful, too.

Oh yeah, there's improvements, but it's not like they wildly changed the core gameplay anything. Some levels in Dragonfall drove me insane(the massive escape from that one floor which had like seven waves of backup).

 

[exmachina64]

I've listened to the entire soundtrack several times now since last night; definitely in the running for soundtrack of the year.

 

[duckroll]

I don't think the gameplay is much different at all, Dragonfall just has more fleshed out runners and quests, as well as being less linear.

Completely disagree. Gameplay is more than just the battle system, it is how everything is designed to allow the player to engage in the experience in a comfortable and rewarding way. Where DMS failed is that it is so linear and streamlined that it felt no different from playing the simplest sort of point and click adventure there is, rather than a RPG. For a story built around investigative work, this is extremely disappointing. The game hardly ever rewards the player for how they built a character by giving good options which make the choices feel like a unique experience. So when we add that to an underwhelming battle system, the lack of a proper save system, and a poor party system, there's very little there.

 

[cj_iwakura]

Completely disagree. Gameplay is more than just the battle system, it is how everything is designed to allow the player to engage in the experience in a comfortable and rewarding way. Where DMS failed is that it is so linear and streamlined that it felt no different from playing the simplest sort of point and click adventure there is, rather than a RPG. For a story built around investigative work, this is extremely disappointing. The game hardly ever rewards the player for how they built a character by giving good options which make the choices feel like a unique experience. So when we add that to an underwhelming battle system, the lack of a proper save system, and a poor party system, there's very little there.

Fair enough, but the writing and world building was great. It's a solid introduction to the SR world. You also get Cherry Bomb and Armitage as part of the deal. Sad that only Algernon gets to recur in Dragonfall.

 

[daammyy]

Hey, I've got a question. How do you know what stats to invest in and how much? I never got the hang of building your character, I play a lot of souls game and there its a lot easier to not screw yourself over compared to these games.

Edit: now that I think about it, do characters even have to be perfect?

 

[duckroll]

Fair enough, but the writing and world building was great. It's a solid introduction to the SR world. You also get Cherry Bomb and Armitage as part of the deal. Sad that only Algernon gets to recur in Dragonfall.

I think the writing and world building being good actually adds to my disappointment of the overall package. If everything was bad, I could have just wrote it off as forgettable garbage, but as it was, there was clearly something special there but the execution fell flat for me. That sort of experience hurts the most.

Luckily for everyone, Dragonfall showed that they're more than capable of learning from their mistakes and improving every aspect of the game. Lol.

 

[exmachina64]

Hey, I've got a question. How do you know what stats to invest in and how much? I never got the hang of building your character, I play a lot of souls game and there its a lot easier to not screw yourself over compared to these games.

Edit: now that I think about it, do characters even have to be perfect?

Not really.

The UI guides you through character creation and leveling up, i.e. descriptions of what every stat is useful for.

 

[Durante]

I'm in the camp of those who think that people oversell the difference between DMS and Dragonfall. It's incremental, not fundamental.

 

[HK-47]

Creeping ever closer to release.

 

[kiyoaki]

For those among you who like the OST - the composer is releasing a limited, signed CD version of the soundtrack, with some bonus tracks not used in the game.
https://joneverist.bandcamp.com/releases

 

[Purkake4]

My cybertorso is ready.

 

[Dr.Acula]

I'm in the camp of those who think that people oversell the difference between DMS and Dragonfall. It's incremental, not fundamental.

DMS feels more like a proof-of-concept or advanced demo, DF feels like an honest-to-goodness game.

I expect HK to be even more polished now that HBS isn't limited by the tablet platform.

 

[RK9039]

DMS has Harlequin, that alone makes it a great game.

 

[mrpeabody]

Hey, I've got a question. How do you know what stats to invest in and how much? I never got the hang of building your character, I play a lot of souls game and there its a lot easier to not screw yourself over compared to these games.

Edit: now that I think about it, do characters even have to be perfect?

Invest based on your class. Samurais need strength and quickness. Mages need willpower, Shamans need charisma, Deckers and Riggers need intelligence. Melee characters need more hp. Ranged characters should specialize in one or two weapon classes, not try to do everything.

Don't be afraid to lower the difficulty if you're getting destroyed in combat. The story is the best part of the game anyway.

You can't screw yourself over too badly, because your companions will pick sensible builds.

 

[StereoVsn]

I'm in the camp of those who think that people oversell the difference between DMS and Dragonfall. It's incremental, not fundamental.

I disagree. The difference while not seeming large is quite big. DMS was an OK and linear short game that was somewhat boring with gameplay hampering storytelling.

The changes for Dragonfall in the writing / story made that best RPG I played in couple of years. Scope, Maps, updated ruleset, improved storytelling all combined to make Dragonfall DC an excellent game.

 

[Kvik]

Just got a backer email telling me the key and rewards are downloadable at Backerkit.

Not long to go, now.

Who's doing the OT?

 

[cj_iwakura]

Just got a backer email telling me the key and rewards are downloadable at Backerkit.

Not long to go, now.

Who's doing the OT?

I'll start it whenever keys go live.

 

[Kvik]

Cool.

I'll probably roll a shaman with a shotgun this time.

 

[jrcbandit]

I disagree. The difference while not seeming large is quite big. DMS was an OK and linear short game that was somewhat boring with gameplay hampering storytelling.

The changes for Dragonfall in the writing / story made that best RPG I played in couple of years. Scope, Maps, updated ruleset, improved storytelling all combined to make Dragonfall DC an excellent game.

I agree, Dragonfall was a significant improvement but I did initially skip DMS. Afterwards I played DMS in the Dragonfall director's cut engine and still enjoyed it, just not at the same level. I never did figure out how to give myself shurikens as part of the updated throwing skill set, though.

Got my steam key Friday for Hong Kong, can't wait.

 

[Poodlestrike]

The wait is excruciatiiiiiiing. These last few days are gonna be tuff.

 

[Lime]

I'll start it whenever keys go live.

Lol perfect image response

 

[Soyongdori]

Time to finish the last few missions of Dragon Fall, I suppose.

 

[cj_iwakura]

Also, if you have any subtitle suggestions, now's the time.

 

[E_Darkness]

I'm near the end of my hard decker playthrough. I think I might play Hong Kong on hard for my first run, I've enjoyed the challenge.

I'm feeling pretty excited. I still haven't played DMS, though I do own Returns.

 

[MichaelFassbender]

Also, if you have any subtitle suggestions, now's the time.

Uhhhhhhhhhhhh

SR: HK: OT - Kowloon Walled Deckers

 

[cj_iwakura]

Right now I'm thinking "Where The Triads Are Run By Real Dragons".

 

[QFNS]

Shadowrun: Hong Kong: OT - Dragons Fall, Triads Rise

 

[cj_iwakura]

Shadowrun: Hong Kong: OT - Dragons Fall, Triads Rise

I like it.

 

[Poodlestrike]

Shadowrun Hong Kong |OT| Not Enough Characters

 

[cj_iwakura]

Looking up Triad info in Shadowrun, I happened upon this:

http://shadowrun.wikia.com/wiki/Lung

Lung is a Male Great Eastern Dragon whose primary interest is in China and the Pacific Ring of Fire. He is described as ruby red with gold highlights. He typically takes a metahuman form of a Chinese human dressed in Mandarin robes or business attire. While he does not have one official translator, he has a whole "family" of metahumans that act as his spokespeople. His primary lair is the T'ai Shan Mountain, Shandong, China. It is rumored that he is the leader of several Triads, most notably the Red Dragon Triad. He is described as a reclusive and patient dragon who tends to plan and manipulate things in the shadows, slowly spreading his domain rather than taking aggressive actions.

I bet his involvement's a given. I wonder if the Saeder-Krupp stuff at the end of Dragonfall wil tie in at all.

 

[LurkerPrime]

Shadowrun: Hong Kong |OT| Harbor your face

OT subtitles need a double entrendre. Always.

 

[Poodlestrike]

Looking up Triad info in Shadowrun, I happened upon this:

http://shadowrun.wikia.com/wiki/Lung


I bet his involvement's a given. I wonder if the Saeder-Krupp stuff at the end of Dragonfall wil tie in at all.

Eh, I doubt it. I mean, he may show up in the peripherals, but we just GOT a plot centered around a dragon, my money's on this one mixing things up.

 

[KyanMehwulfe]

Do Triads even play much a role in the story? Apparently there's a 'Face' system (basically faction reputation, I guess), but it sounds like it's more focused around a megacorp. In SR lore, the main triad war is like... a decade after this game takes place I think. One of the two main triads (red dragon and yellow lotus) will probably be in it but it may be a lot more about Wuxing Inc or whatever megacorp the marketing is referring to.

 

[Shard]

Right, so I got an interview slated with Harebrained Schemes in a couple of days and it seemed like a good idea to ask this thread if they had questions they wished to pass along?

 

[Browny]

Shadowrun: Hong Kong |OT| Everyone Was Decker
(Dolan portrait required - limited humour value though)

Shadowrun: Hong Kong |OT| It's Time To Start Running (Again)
(Arnie portrait required - again not really that great)

It's early here...

I may book Friday off work to play this all day though...

 

[Lime]

Right, so I got an interview slated with Harebrained Schemes in a couple of days and it seemed like a good idea to ask this thread if they had questions they wished to pass along?

Ask them as much as possible about their upcoming Kickstarter for Battletech.

 

[Shard]

Ask them as much as possible about their upcoming Kickstarter for Battletech.

That interview is in October actually, this one is for Hong Kong only.

 

[duckroll]

Ask them how much they enjoyed the bagels.

 

[Shard]

Ask them how much they enjoyed the bagels.

I may just do that.

 

[kami_sama]

Right, so I got an interview slated with Harebrained Schemes in a couple of days and it seemed like a good idea to ask this thread if they had questions they wished to pass along?

• What did you thought when the kickstarter ended with twelve times the initial amount?
• How much has the engine changed in relation to DMS?

 

[Shard]

Good questions, added to the list.