Review of Titan Quest Modification: Grim Dawn Build 21 October 2014

[bloodbearhighking]

Review of Titan Quest Modification: Grim Dawn Build 21 October 2014

Suffice it to say I have played 147 hours of Grim Dawn and have created eight different characters, first three have died, based upon the variations of Soldier, Nightblade, and Demolition. Current character builds: Saboteur 35 female, Commando 31 female, Soldier 15 male, Nightblade 6 female, Demolitionist 6 female. I don't have any confidence in the Occult or Arcanist, for the obvious reason that those characters need time to use their skills, individually and I kill a lot of them throughout the game.

Prior to playing this offering of Grim Dawn, I played Titan Quest, Titan Quest Immortal Throne, and the modifications Underlord, Soulvizer, Lilith D2 164, Lilith Masteries, Itemus and the TQIT Defiler. I see a lot of similarities between Grim Dawn and both Titan Quest and Lilith. To say that Grim Dawn is a new game built upon the Titan Quest engine would be wrong. This is not a new stand-alone game, it is a modification of Titan Quest, and should be treated as such by the gaming public.

Everyone who has written a review of Grim Dawn, prior to this has been a glowing review geared towards making the 'Gamer' believe he or she has to run right out and get the game because it is so awesome. I did it for that reason. However, after playing for 147 hours, that is not my view point now but it could have been.

Let's look at 'awesome' first, as so much of this modification is. Start with character creation. Currently only Normal and Veteran are available for Difficultly. The only difference between the two seems to be that in Veteran there are more opponents to killed, reminiscent of 'Underlord' and you get better equipment and weapons from the 'Smuggler' with higher or better statistics. (More yellow items.)

Then we have the actual creation where you can choose to be Male or Female, with or without 'Hardcore”. Hardcore seems to mean that if you die anywhere within the game – you actually die and have to create a new character and start the game from scratch.

Male or Female, that is the question and it is a loaded question, at that. You may perceive this game “Titan Quest” as being fair to all who plays but that wouldn't be the actual truth. I suppose you understand 'stereotypical human behavior'?

A Female character will have an easier time traversing the game than a Male character. Typically a male character will reach the 'Warden's Cellar' at level 20, whereas the female character will reach the 'Cellar” at level 18, while clearing all previous map areas. If you are planning to create 'mules' to house equipment and such, always choose a female character over a male. You’ll waste less time creating them and level up sooner to open the 'Prison Gates' to get access to the Smuggler.

I read posts from female players in the forum and based upon their comments on topics created by male players. It was obvious that they didn't realize that their gaming perspective wasn't parallel to that of the male players playing a 'male character'. In particular, the strengths of the opponents for male characters is higher than that for female characters.

How many female players do you think I just frustrated to 'high heaven'? Prove me wrong. I'm up for a little criticism.

We were talking about awesomeness. Just about the whole damn modification is awesome, just about.

For all of its obvious improvements, in the script, telling the story, Titan Quest had actual speaking voices to learn from. In the Lilith modification the speaking voices are removed as they are in Grim Dawn. I prefer the speaking voices. It adds culture with sound of a person's individual accent do to location on the map. In Grim Dawn everyone sounds the same.

The level of information that is provided through the upgraded 'Character' window is unparalleled in any other game, including Titan Quest and its modifications. There are lot of statistics to be aware of while playing Grim Dawn.

The 'Storyline' window next to the 'Active Quests' window is a nice addition to this game. While the notes and various journal entries facilitate the movement of the game and gives the player an understanding of the game, it doesn't explain why your character is helping these people, who five minutes ago hanged your sorry butt. At least in Titan Quest you knew you were the hero and was going to save the world. Here in Grim Dawn? Weak story development.

The 'Fractions' window? What exactly is that for? Does anyone know for sure – 'cause I was thinking it was a waste of space. I don't see how that information makes any difference to the game? Rewards are associated to it – are they rewards you can actually use in the creation of a character or do the rewards simply move the sliders on that page? Two groups like me and three groups hate me and want to see me dead. How much work do you think went into making that window and the rewards?

The new Character Window. Physique represents Strength, Cunning represents Dexterity, and Spirit represents Intelligence, impressive. In Grim Dawn Physique does more as it represents not just Strength but Health as well. Perhaps this is why you only get one point each time you level up. I think it is not enough, Titan Quest and Lilith use at least two, but for Grim Dawn it should be 5 points per level up.

In the individual Character Skill windows the slider still works as normally but the distance has been increased. In Titan Quest the slider went to 32 and in Lilith it went to 40, in Grim Dawn the slider goes to 50. You should get at 5 points per level up on the sliders, so you can build up your character faster and just play the game. Using the Defiler in Titan Quest Immortal Throne, it is normally set to 10 points. I thought this was suppose to be the newer, more advance version of the Titan Quest game franchise. Cough baby cough.

Player level cap is currently at Level 35 however my opponents have capped out at Level 42. Finished level for Titan Quest was player Level 75, in Lilith the player cap was set to Level 85, Grim Dawn's level cap is refuted to be Level 75, needs to be one hundred.

Char I where it list the number of skills in 'All Skills' that your character has assigned to them – that section of information isn't provided or doesn't work.

So I mentioned that I thought the game was a modification and not a stand-alone game. I base that on the size of the Grim Dawn game map, from what can be seen of it. Titan Quest had a map for each Act, totaling three. Immortal Throne added a fourth Act and a new map.

Lilith in comparison has only one map and one Act and it is a modification of Titan Quest Immortal Throne. This question I posted earlier is in reference to Lilith: “Where can you farm the individual uniforms of the Amazon, Assassin, Barbarian, Necromancer, Paladin, and the Sorceress. How many variances are there for each level of Normal, Grim, and Hell? Expertise, Divination, Augury, or Foresight?”

The answer is this: Hel-con Manor throne room, Sirian Mines 2 exit, Mel-Kaan secret room, the key is three relics. Number of variances: one for Normal for each character type, one for Grim for each character type called 'Rugged', four for Hell per character type.

Grim Dawn is no different. There are weapons, and equipment buried so deep into these games that you may never see everything the game has to offer, unless you play the game constantly and hoping for something fabulous will drop in front of your eyes.

I've only found or got nine different blue or Epic items in the 147 hours I've been playing, three from complete sets – not good – that isn't random, that is a drought. Most of the time the Yellow items were stronger than the Blue items, making the Epic items practically worthless when they revealed themselves to the character during the course of the game. Four of those items did light up in some manner, I even found a sword that drips blood and a shield that resembles a law enforcement badge, it lights up too.

Just like in Titan Quest it seems that the wrong character finds great items it can't use. A Nightblade found the shield, a Soldier found a couple of Epic swords at the same time.

If there is anything that really frustrates me in this game it would be the Caravan Driver/Smuggler individual. That entity hasn't changed since it was created for Titan Quest Immortal Throne. Do you have any idea how many years ago that was? For a game with four outstanding modifications, it is a lifetime and in my opinion and a affront to the fans and players of Titan Quest.

No review is complete without a meaningful solution to the review. I want the developers to build a new character from an existing character. The Trader/Dealer has a five compartment window that could be used for storage that could be placed anywhere within the game. Better would be a character with two 5 compartment windows, to either side of the main window for housing the purple-border items.

What is the best build for a character in Grim Dawn? It depends on two things. Game reality and Player reality. Females think differently than males. Females want to be attractive in their outfits and quick and males want to be tanks and destroy everything in their paths, without exception. I found an Epic item called a Doomforge Armor at 166 for Armor, that is blue and silver and lights up for my female Saboteur at Level 35.

In Titan Quest Immortal Throne the dominant character build was Soldier/Earth. Soldier gave you dual weapons and fighting tactics. Earth provides destruction in the form of Earth Enchantment, Ring of Fire, Heat Shield, and Combustion. Toggle all four, one on top of the other. In Lilith the dominant build is Barbarian/Paladin with Holy Fire.

In Grim Dawn the dominant build is Nightblade/Demolition. Nightblade gives you dual weapons and fighting tactics. Demolition provides destruction in the form of Fire Strike, Vindictive Flame, Flame Touched, and Blast Shield. Toggle all three, one on top of the other. Flame Strike can be associated to the primary weapon button.

Unlike the Soldier, the Nightblade has new abilities previous versions of the game did not allow. Consider having two weapons, place a component on each of them that provides an aura. You can now activate each component individually of the other and stack the benefit of both components on the character. I found that beneficial.

There seems to be a lack of resources within the game restricting the movement of players to a set pattern of movements by limiting the number of Smugglers, Inventors, Spirit Guides, Forges and Rift Gates.

By the time you finish this portion of the game at level 35 you will have dealt with two Salvage Dealers and two Roving Dealers. Anywhere within this game where commerce is transacted you need one of each: Smuggler, Inventor, Spirit Guide, Forge, and a Rift Gate, so you can access the Dealers and have the opportunity to create, as you perceive it, a better character development. Options. This game needs more options.

I did find the Map window easy to work with. I generally found my self using the Local and World maps more than I did in the other Titan Quest variances. Using the World map to teleport myself around in the game, without first opening a Personnal Rift, was a nice change. Just open the map and pick on any rift gate, excluding personnal, and go. The personnal rift gate will be open as you automatically leave in case you want to return to that exact spot.

My closing arguments: For any game to be successful it has to have a large dose of longevity injected into it at regular intervals, this game hasn't got it. At 147 hours, I am now bored with it. Every human being on this planet, regardless of who they may be, all like to do one thing: collect things. To achieve the required level of longevity Grim Dawn it has to allow the player to collect things and organize those items to their hearts content for them to remain interested in this game.

Upon reflection, given the overall product provided here on Steam, Grim Dawn is worth about 125 hours of game play, anything more is work. Grim Dawn is one half-finished map for one level, encompassing a First Act and a quarter of a Second Act. I really thought there would be more...for five years of work. I won't live long enough to see them finish it. That saddens me.

What is a gamer to do? Download a different game that is finished.


King David The Beloved
High King British Common Wealth Empire
I Am Responsible

[DorkDiva]

Too many words. After reading the upper half, I am under the impression you are butthurt and need to go to the games website to get your information correct.

[ROCKET47]

Originally posted by bloodbearhighking:

Review of Titan Quest Modification: Grim Dawn Build 21 October 2014

At 147 hours, I am now bored with it.







147 hrs in 2 weeks... thats why you're bored LOL take a break

[The_Mess]

Modification? Lolwat?

Oh right, can't go expecting people to read these days, even when the dev's provide developer logs and answer questions about Grim Dawn that show how it is a new game, rather than a modification...

So, what's changed? The render has been given an overhaul, physics have been completely rewritten, new graphical effects added through shader code additions, water's been redone and the multiplayer code is brand new, oh and completely new art, rather than reusing stuff from TQ.

These things are usually far beyond the capability and resources of your standard mod makers, unless they have access to the source code and a very big and well managed team. Something that's pretty forking rare even with today's colaboration and management tools. Heck, it's more the domain of game developers, who do actually reuse engines and often some art when it comes to sequels, while making changes where it's economically sound or needed to.

So yeah, methinks you really have no idea what goes into making a mod vs developing a game and the differences this entails therein.

And ffs, Act 2 is pretty much complete, the end is actually when you defeat Cronley and get the food quest, with the first map of smuggler's pass being the start of Act 3. But like Act 1, some content and quests will not be included until 1.0, i.e. in Act 1 there's a side area to the west of Burrwitch village filled full of cultists that are currently inaccessible and will remain so according to the dev's until 1.0.

(fork, late for work, damn thee people wrong on the internet!)

[DeMasked]

"I am responsible"

Then do your bloody homework lol.

Grim Dawn is NOT a modification of Titan Quest. If it was the developers would be sued for selling a mod using Titan Quest assets. The only thing GD uses is the game system which the devs bought and now own.

A ton of your information is incorrect and laughable. Nightblade doesn't have "Fighting Tactics" which is probably Squad Tactics from the Soldier mastery. Blast shield is actually quite lousy as it is only useful against fire damage.

And Female characters reaching the warden's cellar at 18 vs 20 for male characters? Really?!?!
You don't think that randomization of enemy layouts, hero spawns, and different paths that a character might take would account for that difference in experience? Grim Dawn's level design is made so you can go right to the next objective or explore a bit and gain more experience and perhaps find some useful gear.

Terrible review and the fact that you played 125+ hours in an EARLY ACCESS GAME goes against this review in the end.

If anything you say that a game that isn't finished can have you sink 100+ hours which is in my opinion good and the reason why a lot of good reviews are done for Grim Dawn is for that exact reason.

For an early access game Grim Dawn is amazing. It isn't even finished and yet it's getting excellent reviews.

Next time you try to write a review be sure to get your facts right - otherwise that will simply discredit your ability to create a decent review of a game that you clearly have no idea about.

[Rhis]

0/10, would not mod again.

[Leaders]

Originally posted by Rhis:

0/10, would not mod again.

Rhis... I laughed and I cried. I would buy you a beer for that comment.

[Crystal]

troll school finals essay 6/10
try to not think about your paragraph endings while you type.
you get a little incoherent at times.

points lost for making me not want to wait for release to purchase.

[midori]

did anyone actually read that ♥♥♥♥? damn

[beren666]

I <3 lamp.

[Cream Cheese Mustard King]

I tried to read this.. but a lot of the opinions are expressed towards a unfinished product.. Please feel free to write this again after the full game is finished... A lot of these things could change. And btw.. 25 bucks for 125 hour game is a steal in the first place. Im glad I paid 50 to start the alpha because its shaping up to be one hell of a game.

[bloodbearhighking]

Great comments, every last one of them.

[bun]

Originally posted by bloodbearhighking:

Females think differently than males. Females want to be attractive in their outfits and quick and males want to be tanks and destroy everything in their paths, without exception.

i have female friends who wants to be tanks. I have male friend who wants to be attractive.
Anyway i shall not point out any out of topic stuff.

All i can say is , Yr reviews information is lacking, but i wont blame u for voicing yr thoughts.

Some will like the game and some will not. good read.

[Fendelphi]

This is not a review. A Review clarifies a product, showcasing different features and aspects, and provide answers.

Your "review" is full of wrong/bad info, assumptions based on a different franchise and more questions directed to the viewer, instead of answers.

If people were to read this "review", they might think that this game requires the original TQ to play(since you claim it is not a stand alone and is a modification only).

I credit you for the time you took in writing all this text, but you need to condense your message so that it comes across clearly(espcially if you want to provide the public with info, which was one of your first statements). And for that, you need solid facts and answers, and less expositions.

Edit:
With a bit of rewriting, this could be a great base for either a Review(facts about gameplay and features, not questions or assumptions) or as feedback to help improve the game(you comparisons to other games, your questions etc).

[powbam]

Well, all I really needed to read about was the title and 147 hours to know I would laugh, then punch him directly in the eye if he ever crossed by me. That pretty much summarizes my review of his "review".

[bloodbearhighking]

However, you have commented on the wrong aspects of the game. It should have been what you like about this game and what you don't like about this game. Why as a gamer you would support this game, over other games that you have played. Then you should have thrown point after point at my review to defend your position.

You didn't do that.

Your opinion is one of the most important aspects of your being. You have to use it in an educated response to a provided debate.

Which I provided to you in the form of a review.

I don't mind being wrong. Educate me. These little comments suggest that they come little minds and don't mean diddly squat in the context of the debate.

Just remember that I win no matter what.

To comment in response, everyone of these people had to read what I had wrote. My opinion of the pros and cons of this game are now inside their minds. When they go back into the game they are going to remember what I wrote in the review and then they will decide whether I was right or wrong.

I have changed them.

I said many times in the review that the game is awesome -- how come you seemed to miss that? An educated opinion is as sharp as any sword, when you bring it to the battle with you.

I have another discussion going on this topic with an experienced player here on Steam. Who was explaining to me the beneifits of Build 22 and a final 1.0. No, I'm not going to tell you about it. I can keep a secret. See the finger?

You failed to ask the most important question in your comments. Who was the review written for? How'd you miss that one? I thought you knew everything about this game.

Just remember that I win no matter what. If anything, I am cruel.

The review wasn't written for the people who have commented on it. The review wasn't written for the developers who really need feedback about all aspects of the game, I've heard. This review was written for future investors of this game and future games these developers might create in the future.

This is not a game. This is work.

They want to know whether or not it is worth the effort. A really large infusion of funds are needed at this stage of the game's development. New investors want to know what the gaming public thinks about this game. Pros and Cons. Can the game produce longevity.

We're talking extremely long-term investment and that requires a lot of research. Lucky for me that I played all the other variations of this game before I got here, isn't it? Didn't I mention that I like farming? I thought I did.

Right now, I suspect that any future investors think a bunch of morons play this game. Great comments, every last one of them. Do yourself a favor and don't post to my topics, if you can't bring your very best, you're just wasting your time. Developers of this game haven't got the time for you and niether have I.

Just remember that I win no matter what.

I have one question: Have you beaten Gutworm the Maneater in Smuggler's Cove?

For those people who read the review but didn't post, I have been instrumental in changing your view point of this game as well and I changed your future in the way you think about this game. It is what happens when you write things in complete sentences. What a novel idea.


King David The Beloved
High King British Common Wealth Empire
I Am Cruel