The Broken Hourglass

[KIrving]

I'm not sure whether this is the right place to post this topic, so please move this if necessary.

I love the sound of this game in development and am extremely pleased that Planewalker games are offering water in the desert that I feel CRPG is becoming.  (I find myself going into computer game stores these days and walking out empty handed.) 

I've checked out the website(could someone post a link, I'd make the attempt but it could be messy.) and I find I have some additional questions that spring to mind.

Why the name, 'The Broken Hourglass'?

Will there be scripts or other automatic ways to set individual npc A.I.?

How will the inventory or equipment system work?  Will there be encumbrance issues or attribute/class restrictions for armour/weapons etc.?

Will there be relationship development/immersion with the npc companions - romance/friendship, quests etc.?

Finally, will it be accessible for purchase on physical media for overseas buyers?

[jcompton]

I've checked out the website(could someone post a link, I'd make the attempt but it could be messy.)

http://www.planewalkergames.com ? (Unless the URL has a lot of wacky symbols, the forum software will automatically format anything with the http prefix to a clickable link.)

Why the name, 'The Broken Hourglass'?

It speaks to the game's plot, which we'll gradually release more details about as the game gets closer to release.

Will there be scripts or other automatic ways to set individual npc A.I.?

Some of the details of party AI are still under development, so we'll have more details on this at a later date.

How will the inventory or equipment system work?  Will there be encumbrance issues or attribute/class restrictions for armour/weapons etc.?

Yes, there is a concept of encumbrance. Your stats determine how much you can carry before you start suffering speed and stat penalties. There is no hard numerical limit on the number of items one can carry. There is also a special pool of "party inventory" which does not encumber anyone in the party, but also isn't directly available for use unless you pull it out and give it to a character (which would cause you to drop your guard in combat, etc.)

There are no "class restrictions" as there is no pure class system. We will offer class "templates" for leveling, but investing in a spellcaster path doesn't preclude you from using pointy weapons or armor or something like that. Of course, the spellcaster putting time and energy (and points) into mana and fire magic may not be terribly good with a greatsword.

Will there be relationship development/immersion with the npc companions - romance/friendship, quests etc.?

Look who you're asking, here. Yes, the NPCs will be interactive with the PC and with each other, and yes, there will be romance and relationships.

Finally, will it be accessible for purchase on physical media for overseas buyers?

At the very least, we will offer direct worldwide shipping, yes. When we have a finished product we will take another stab at getting regional/retail distribution, but I'm not holding my breath.

[devSin]

I don't know who's responsible, but the Mac world has given you the obligatory nod.

[Meira]

Can I hope for co-operative multiplayer gaming mode for TBH? 

[jcompton]

You cannot. Single-player only.

[Bex]

You cannot. Single-player only.

I'd like to voice my opinion that this is a good call.

It seems to me that most true CRPGs shine either in SP or MP, but rarely both, with the recent focus being almost entirely on the MP experience. The games that are reasonably good in both modes (see the Diablo series) are not RP, regardless of label. IWD is a decent multiplayer game as well, but the RPG aspect of it is fairly nominal.

Point being, if I want to sit down and experience a great story and immerse myself in the characters, I probably want to play alone, so I can go at my own pace. If I want to play MP with my husband, then we're more likely to pick a game where we run around and kill things together, keeping the distractions to a minimum.

I could get into the finer points of games with lots of text, different people's reading speeds, and patience vs. clicking through dialogue to get on with things, but... I want to go play BG2.

[Meira]

Point being, if I want to sit down and experience a great story and immerse myself in the characters, I probably want to play alone, so I can go at my own pace. If I want to play MP with my husband, then we're more likely to pick a game where we run around and kill things together, keeping the distractions to a minimum.

I on the other hand do exactly the opposite. I get bored very quickly on a single player game and tend rush trough the game which rarely is beneficial for an RPG game. When I can share the game with a selected individual it holds much more long lasting appeal for me. Torment is probably the only RPG of recent years that I'd not have wanted play as a multiplayer game rather than single player. Technical limitations aside, Fallouts, Arcanum and Morrowind would have benefited greatly (in my opinion) from a BG style co-operative multiplayer mode.

However it's TBH teams decision and I fully understand that choice. 

 

[Evaine Dian]

I really liked the screenshot. Reminded me a lot of Waukeen's Promenade.

[OfficerDonNZ]

This sounds as it could very cool indeed. When I saw the screenies I thought of BGII but with updated graphics At least that's what it re minded me of  Now on the PPG main page there is a lttle pit of news about Borken hourgalss and at the side three very squashed portrates of (I'm guessing) joinable NPC's from the game. If that's the case they look very good but would look much better if they weren't so horrbaly squched up like they are. Any chance os seeing un squashed versions? 

[jcompton]

If that's the case they look very good but would look much better if they weren't so horrbaly squched up like they are. Any chance os seeing un squashed versions? 

Yes, they're some of the joinable NPCs, and yes, eventually there will be fuller images of them. Since the game's release isn't just around the corner or anything, we have to ration out goodies like that.

[berelinde]

I wish I'd followed that SP interview link sooner.

Wow. I cannot wait to play this game. I don't know if I'm ever going to be so bored with BG that I don't want to play it, but Wow. It looks like Broken Hourglass will bring a whole lot to the CRPG experience.

[devSin]

Ah, yes, but which one is the number, and which number will it be?

My guess is Three Hundred Thousand Eighty Two.

[OfficerDonNZ]

If that's the case they look very good but would look much better if they weren't so horrbaly squched up like they are. Any chance os seeing un squashed versions? 

Yes, they're some of the joinable NPCs, and yes, eventually there will be fuller images of them. Since the game's release isn't just around the corner or anything, we have to ration out goodies like that.

Fair enough So long as we do get to see better pics that's all good

[malthaussen]

I wonder if the devs intend to start up a forum for the game anytime soon so we can all nag them with our wish lists and the inevitable "when will this game be done" questions.  It would probably be a good idea to wait on that, though -- since they're holding down real jobs at the same time they're trying to pull off this madness.

Regardless, I do have a suggestion.  The interviews so far have stated that there will be a "single generated protagonist."  The rest of the party will be made up from the nine NPCs.  I'd prefer an option to generate multiple "protagonists," so that I would not be limited to the same nine chars every time I replayed the thing.  And I expect this is a game I will replay many times.  This is not a minor point, in my mind:  I look forward to enjoying and playing with all the NPCs the devs will be sweating blood over, but I also have a bunch of my own characters who have been adventuring with me since the 1970s, and I don't like to be artificially prevented from using them.    From what I know of programming, this should not be difficult to implement.

Anyway, I wish 'em luck.  It's a great idea, and if they really think they can pull it off, I'm all for it.

  -- Mal

[jcompton]

Regardless, I do have a suggestion.  The interviews so far have stated that there will be a "single generated protagonist."  The rest of the party will be made up from the nine NPCs.  I'd prefer an option to generate multiple "protagonists," so that I would not be limited to the same nine chars every time I replayed the thing.  And I expect this is a game I will replay many times.  This is not a minor point, in my mind:  I look forward to enjoying and playing with all the NPCs the devs will be sweating blood over, but I also have a bunch of my own characters who have been adventuring with me since the 1970s, and I don't like to be artificially prevented from using them.    From what I know of programming, this should not be difficult to implement.

Correct, it's not a programming issue, it's a storytelling issue.

It is unlikely that TBH will officially and directly support you starting the game with a party > 1. However, it would be a single-line mod in an XML file in order to change that behavior, providing you don't mind the story bit. Perhaps it'll be the first released mod for the game.

[jcompton]

For those of you who aren't closely following things at Planewalker Games, we have started a weekly campaign of regular site updates. Every Monday we will post new content relating to The Broken Hourglass and/or the Tolmiran game setting.

This week we debut a new serial written by our very own Bons, entitled On the Fly. Check it out at http://www.planewalkergames.com/stories , and stay for the pie.

[Silk]

Nice story, Bons.  Now I can't wait to see what happens next!

JC, the link to the interview with RPG Codex just opens up another Homepage of PPG.  Broken link or my browser?


PS - Keep it up. guys, we're behind you all the way.

[jcompton]

JC, the link to the interview with RPG Codex just opens up another Homepage of PPG.  Broken link or my browser?

Oops. Fixed.

[jcompton]

This week's PWG site update features an overview of the engine's data files, and explains why you won't need to juggle the WeiNGINE equivalent of WeiDU, DLTCEP, NI, etc. etc. in order to create mods.

Check it out, won't you.

[jcompton]

Shame on me for not updating this thread more often.

There have been lots of goodies over the past few months, but the latest newsmaker is the release of gameplay screenshots:

http://www.planewalkergames.com/content/view/62/1/

(and since it seems to be causing widespread confusion--those large circles in two of the shots are weapon range indicators. You don't have to use them. We thought it was a neat feature to include.)

[Joe]

You know, I had no idea you guys had up and started your own company. Way to go, guys.

 

[Meira]

I don't know if you already noticed, but The Broken Hourglass is featured in the current poll (Which RPG are you most looking forward to this year?) on the http://www.gamebanshee.com/.

[jcompton]

Yeah, but we're losing badly.

[berelinde]

Hardly! None of them has more than 19%, TBH is around 4%, and there are some down around 2%.

[Miloch]

Not to crash the party, but that means three votes in a poll of ~74.