Few questions out of curiosity

[Azar]

1. We have seen discipline use in combat on multiple videos by now. But I am interested can disciplines be used in dialogue or non-combat situations like social feeding?

Phyre can have presence and dominate which both are very social disciplines in the tabletop, and they were a thing back in Bloodlines 1.. Of course, especially on an elder, they might make certain dilemmas completely trivial.. But that's how vampires are among kine. "Show me your neck." "Ok." *slurp* "Forget this happened".
Then again, if that doesn't happen, VtM fans will ask 'why not'? Why wouldn't Phyre use these abilities if they are an option. Its would be just common sense.

2. Can Phyre have a haven?
Its somewhat important for a vampire in World of darkness to have a place to sleep during the day, even if the place itself doesn't see much action.. But its something very thematic. It could also be a place where you check messages or meet people in secret..

Keep up the good work!

 

[Necromass]

I think the use of disciplines in dialogue would have been covered if it was going to be included as it would score brownie points with fans of the first game much like they have shown a lot of telekinesis gunplay in response to the complaints on no weapons crowd.

In bloodlines 1 we needed to invest points into these options which came at a cost of more practical talents and abilities there is no such downside in this game as the only handicap on power is how much time you are prepared to farm blood currency from the wandering npcs in Seattle to buy abilties.

There is also the UI limitations any discipline permitted dialogue option would have to fit within the four choice option cap. and then we have to think about all the extra writing to make a system be impactful.

On housing who knows hard suit made some might be reused might not, it would make sense for the sheriff to have a place for people to contract them so we might get something mbh a room in the camarilla stronghold.

 

[Azar]

Well I have one of these questions answered in the latest dev diary. Phyre does indeed have a haven, its marked on the map.



In the community talks video it was revealed that "Pioneer neighborhood" is just outside of it, which tells me that the haven might be this building with the red text in these images.. Is that "Pacific Steam co"? I bet that's the haven building. Seems suitable for an old relic like Phyre..

The existence of the haven and the map itself, plus everything else I've seen further confirms to me how similar to Bloodlines 1 the devs wanted to make the game. Same, but different. And better of course.

 

[RagnarokCzD]

I certainly start to see some simmilarities aswell ...

Simmilarly awfully small map for example. :-/
I really, really, really, really ... hope it would be compensated by several layers or floors ...
(Kinda liked how high did the protagonist climbed in the recently released video ... but that would have zero impact if the building is just empty box.)

But since this is topic for questions i do have question related to this:

Did we get any indication so far that we would ever LEAVE the city?

Since i really dont think so ... and while Bloodlines had quite small maps (hubs?) it was somehow compensated by having at least four of them.

 

[Azar]

Its not small. I know this will be a continuous topic with people who don't actually delve into the dev diaries so here goes.

1. The 2-dimensional map omits the vertical element, which is important in BL2. Devs have already confirmed theres a lot going on at the rooftops, and there is the transitive area between street level and rooftops. Check this image. See all the platforms you can probably use to move up? Additionally theres been a lot of concept art about sewers, so we can probably go below street level as well.

2. Since we move on foot, it would get real boring to move from one end of the map to the other repeatedly while chasing missions if the map was really large and had a lot of nothing in it. The devs tried to find a sweet spot where it feels city-like but doesnt bore us with a lot of nothing.

Additionally the buildings and environments are handcrafted with their own themes, atmospheres and vibes. I find it a better option to have a smaller map with more interaction with it. So devs went for the same approach as CDPR did with Night City.


3. Its not small. Someone did this overlay of BL1 maps on top of BL2. I don't know how accurate it is since we dont really know the exact measurements, but its something. I compared the buildings in the map to those of gameplay videos and Im confident that it will feel large enough. Especially considering that BL1 had no vertical movement at all.

 

[Necromass]

3. Its not small. Someone did this overlay of BL1 maps on top of BL2. I don't know how accurate it is since we dont really know the exact measurements, but its something. I compared the buildings in the map to those of gameplay videos and Im confident that it will feel large enough. Especially considering that BL1 had no vertical movement at all.

View attachment 1253858

This overlay is a bad example of size comparison as many people brought up in that reddit thread, the creator just scaled down the bloodlines 1 maps some to an insane degree like santa monica to fit inside the neighbourhoods of BL2 rather than try to work out the actual 1-1 scale of game space ignoring that bloodlines 1 environments were exaggerated for style and limitations so you cant really do a 1-1 neighbourhood comparison we will need to wait for the game to be out before we can say for certain how much larger BL2 will be.

From the development diary 13 gives us a good idea of the general size and scope of the project in comparison to phyre so its fair to say it is bigger but we also see most buildings not outlined in red on the new map are inaccessible beyond climbing. Note that only the space with bounds boxes are confirmed playable the backdrop like the ferris wheel is not within the bounds of the new map.

 

[RagnarokCzD]

Its not small.

I sure do want to hope so ...
But until i see some gameplay where protagonist would run from one side of map to aother, there is no way to tell for me.

Remember, in HSL version it took like how many, minute to get from "the club" to "the Jungle" ?
On this map, i can locate Atrium (duh) ... but cant really say where should i look for entrance to "the Jungle" ... as the matter of fact, in this map i cant really even find the Parade, wich was right across the street ... but then again, so was our Haven, wich is right now half town away ...

So in conclusion ... i do see the map, but with no legend, it tells me nothing about hub size. :-/

The 2-dimensional map omits the vertical element

That is indeed a neat trick, but still just a trick ...

If your building have 7 floors with enviroments, NPCs, sidequests, secrets, and content ... its a 7 layers of map ... no question about that.
BUT and this is important ...
If all your inacessible building have is just a roof, then it adds nothing. The map is just as dull and empty as if said building was not there, especialy in game, where you can easily scale it, so that building dont even work as an obstacle. Those are just scenery decorations, nothing more.

Devs have already confirmed theres a lot going on at the rooftops

Oh i dont doubt that ...
Its "in between" what troubles me.

See when you imagine that you play a game, where bunch of hunters fights you in the street ...
And second game where bunch of hunters fights you on the roof ...

Is that any different? :-/

Check this image. See all the platforms you can probably use to move up?

I checked it ... and i even liked it ...
As long as there would be at least few (lets say 4) floors with some goons, or other kind of content ... i would withdraw my complaint ...

But so far, im just not sure. :-/

Additionally theres been a lot of concept art about sewers, so we can probably go below street level as well.

That is to be expected honestly.

Since we move on foot, it would get real boring to move from one end of the map to the other repeatedly while chasing missions if the map was really large and had a lot of nothing in it.

Oh please ...
Is that why you think people created Mod for Fallout 4 that disabled fast travel?
Bcs "walking trough huge (and i mean F****G HUGE, like at least 10 maybe even 100 times biger) amount of nothing" is boring? xD

I find it a better option to have a smaller map with more interaction with it.

I agree ...
Its those interactions that im not so sure about. :-/

Its not small. Someone did this overlay of BL1 maps on top of BL2.

I wonder ...
Where from did this person get the date to make a comparsion?

Bcs you know ... making picture smaller in MS Paint is matter of quite litterally few seconds.
I can just as easily make it that whole BL2 map is just as big as Vetrue Tower from BL1 ... but would that be true? I dont think so either.

I don't know how accurate it is since we dont really know the exact measurements

I do ... not at all, exactly for the reason you said.

but its something.

Indeed ...
It starts with B ... and moderators dont like people saying it loud. xD

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we also see most buildings not outlined in red on the new map are inaccessible beyond climbing

Exactly!
Thank you.