Kickstarter Drive Update #11

[Brother None]

The 11th update of Wasteland 2 talks about the party based system, adding T-shirts as backer rewards, and features a 10-minute video with Brian Fargo talking about the combat, camera, story and more.

I did want to give some detail on what the definition of a party based game was since there seems to be some confusion. In specific terms you will be creating and customizing four Rangers at the start of the game and typically you would give each of them different skills to create experts in certain fields. Skills in Wasteland range from lock-picking to bomb disarming to even toaster repair. This creates the dynamic of having players taking very different approaches to exploring the world. In addition there will be three slots for non-player characters to join the party. They will be similar in most respects to a player created member except you will not have 100% control over them. They will have quirks that could range from momentary indecision with them not firing their weapons at an opportune time, to being trigger happy and wasting ammo or even stealing from your characters. This opens up a wide range of possibilities on which NPCs you decide to have join your ranks.

And while we have brought Obsidian into the mix, I think it is important to note that this is my baby, and I will be producing it and managing the programming here at inXile. There seemed to be some confusion on whether it will be a joint production, but the main facets of our involvement are with the use of their tools for asset integration and the design talents of Chris Avellone. Part of the charm and variety of Wasteland 1 came from the way different designers would approach their areas, and I wanted the same dynamic again. Only this time we have added the brains of Chris into the mix, and I am betting he will add ideas to Wasteland 2 that would have never been in the game otherwise.

Update confirms: 4 ranger party, 3 followers. Top-down exploration with isometric town map and combat envisioned. Turn-based combat mostly taking inspiration from Jagged Alliance and the like. Story set right after Wasteland, starts you out as Ranger recruits playing in the area of the first game, later has you going into California to establish a new base.

[undecaf]

Good info. Once again.

Combat seems to be shaping up nicely, the perspectives are used almost just the way I imagined, and the premise of the storyline sounds quite intriguing.

[stonetoes]

"later has you going into California to establish a new base."

When he said this in the video my heart leapt. I hope they've been listening to Blackgauntlet and I's suggestions for base management...

I'm now wondering if you'll be able to travel back and forth from California. It would be frustrating to have game areas become unavailable, but the sense of isolation and vulnerability from being cut off completely could be amazing. Hopefully they'll have a period of isolation before you return and see what's changed in your absence.

The comments about being more zoomed out than fallout worried me, then I realised that when I think of Fallout I think of the high-resolution fan made patch.

Edit: Also Chris avellone doesn't blink much. I felt like he was looking into my very soul.

[SniperHF]

Update confirms: 4 ranger party, 3 followers. Top-down exploration with isometric town map and combat envisioned. Turn-based combat mostly taking inspiration from Jagged Alliance and the like. Story set right after Wasteland, starts you out as Ranger recruits playing in the area of the first game, later has you going into California to establish a new base.

Still concerned about the game being overly focused on being "tactical". At a certain point you de-emphasize the importance of character creation.

Love the retention of the top down map though. Iso combat makes sense.

[Noble]

I finally pledged, I may upgrade to the $75 for the early beta though; nice update with the Q&A.

[Brother None]

Still concerned about the game being overly focused on being "tactical". At a certain point you de-emphasize the importance of character creation.

Fargo's talked about avoiding to make combat too drawn-out and too much of a focus, for example here.

[Anarkopsykotik]

Great news, interesting replies. Can't wait to see a recruited NPC awesome for combats saying bullshit during dangerous negotiations with local warlords. Can't wait for those tactical combat. Can't wait for these awesome quests, locations, music. Can't wait for this fucking game!

[SniperHF]

I finally pledged, I may upgrade to the $75 for the early beta though; nice update with the Q&A.

If beta is your main concern you could always go for the new Digital tier. I wouldn't give up my boxed copy though

Still concerned about the game being overly focused on being "tactical". At a certain point you de-emphasize the importance of character creation.

Fargo's talked about avoiding to make combat too drawn-out and too much of a focus, for example here.

Yeah I know, it's probably just my internal alarm going off knee jerk reaction like. I doubt the focus of the game changes too much given the nature of KS and the history involved. But even in a situation like this feature creep is very real.

[rebet]

I pretty much liked everything I heard in this update. This is looking better and better.

[Jean-Luc]

Everything sounds good, bring on WL2.

And let's hope California hasn't been overrun with geriatric mutants from all the post apocalyptic retirement homes.

[otsego]

Good stuff.

It's a shame that the T-shirt is in a separate $150 category (I'm signed up for the poster/etc one). Would love to get a shirt but don't want to have to choose between the two at the same level.


Also -- can anyone clarify that the original $150 pledge includes one large Collector's box, one regular box, and a digital copy (ie. two physical copies plus one digital)?

[RangerBen]

Ace better be piloting that helicopter or else I quit!

(Not really.)

Also, responding to Brian in his VG247 interview:

And we don’t want the tactics SO deep that you feel disconnected from the world by being in long battles all the time. The last thing we want is someone groaning every time combat pops up. The game is going to take place shortly after Wasteland 1 ends. And by the way for everyone who remembers little Bobby – he is pissed off having been shot by Rangers and left for dead.

I don't think you could shoot Bobby in the original game. You could kill his mutt, but he just runs away once you're done talking to him (assuming you stole his dog's collar), never to be seen again. I guess he's had time to stew about those mean Rangers. I wonder what he'll try to do for revenge? (Perhaps you can recruit him, finally!)

[Brother None]

Also -- can anyone clarify that the original $150 pledge includes one large Collector's box, one regular box, and a digital copy (ie. two physical copies plus one digital)?

It contains only one box, the Collector's one.

You could kill his mutt, but he just runs away once you're done talking to him (assuming you stole his dog's collar), never to be seen again.

I ain't gonna correct you, you played the game more often than I did, but I could've sworn Bobby would attack (or at least obstruct until you kill him) you if you killed his dog, and then you had to put him down too.

[Roger Wilco]

You could kill his mutt, but he just runs away once you're done talking to him (assuming you stole his dog's collar), never to be seen again.

I ain't gonna correct you, you played the game more often than I did, but I could've sworn Bobby would attack (or at least obstruct until you kill him) you if you killed his dog, and then you had to put him down too.

Yep, you had to kill him, or run away from him.

I always chose to kill him, rather than having to keep running each combat round.

When you come back to talk to him he runs away. Then when you try to leave town he says "You killed my dog!" and you have to fight him (or run away)

[CaptainPatch]

I just upped my donation from $15 to $100, even though I really can't afford it. I really wanted the T-shirt, but there's no way I could swing $150 for a game that I could have gotten for $15. But I'd also really, really like to see them hit the $3 mil benchmark so the game can be that much better.

And, to be honest, I couldn't care less about the soundtrack, the concept art book, other downloadable versions other than PC, Wasteland miniature, faction badge, or my name in the credits mixed in with the names of 10,000 other people. Now, the T-shirt, that I could get some utility from!

[krellen]

You could kill his mutt, but he just runs away once you're done talking to him (assuming you stole his dog's collar), never to be seen again.

I ain't gonna correct you, you played the game more often than I did, but I could've sworn Bobby would attack (or at least obstruct until you kill him) you if you killed his dog, and then you had to put him down too.

Yep, you had to kill him, or run away from him.

I always chose to kill him, rather than having to keep running each combat round.

When you come back to talk to him he runs away. Then when you try to leave town he says "You killed my dog!" and you have to fight him (or run away)

I always just went around him. The stream is shallow on its north side, so you can wade across without embarrassment.

[Kide]

It is good that these thing are confirmed this way before the KS ends.

Brother none by the way I have to ask if the 150 dollars tier does not include both a regular copy and a collector's box copy (as I would have understood from the writing in the page) then does the 250 dollars level include both version's of boxes or only the collector's edition? This is kind of important as one would be for myself and the other for my boyfriend to have as his own, but then he has to pretty mutch make his own pledge still too if it does not belong to the deal.

[abdiel420]

Great info in the video. Got really excited for the game and realized it is more than a year away

[Brother None]

Brother none by the way I have to ask if the 150 dollars tier does not include both a regular copy and a collector's box copy (as I would have understood from the writing in the page) then does the 250 dollars level include both version's of boxes or only the collector's edition?

The previous way it was formulated seemed to indicate two boxes. I pinged Fargo to clarify the writing and it does now only mention the CE, so I believe that the CE for all the upper tiers replaces the big box. I would suggest asking Fargo directly on twitter for an official response, though.

[Greenpee]

Can't wait to see a recruited NPC awesome for combats saying bullshit during dangerous negotiations with local warlords.

The party's on the move. Suddenly you hear a squeak from the shadows! Combat starts. Screaming like a wildman, Sonuvagun Jerry (NPC member) steals an Uzi from the party and empties it in one short burst. Combat ends. The opponent, a cricket, died of horror. [...silence...] Combat starts. The party shot Sonuvagun Jerry in the eyebrow killing him dead. Combat ends. ><