Author Archives: Shane

Sword Coast Legends Twitch stream title

Sword Coast Legends: Belaphoss statue and 9/10 Twitch stream notes

Sword Coast Legends Twitch stream title

And lo, yet again the Sword Coast Legends team graced the ravening hordes with a Twitch stream today, tantalizing us with news and gameplay of the soon to be released Dungeons & Dragons 5E CRPG extravaganza!

Make sure to check out the notes below for lots of cool info and tidbits. Design Council folks will get their chance to play in a head start weekend starting Sep 11th, and all preorders can have fun in a head start weekend starting Sep 18th. The game releases to the public on September 25th.

Ash and Dan, together again for your carnage pleasure

The Twitch stream was hosted by:

Ash Sevilla: Community Manager
Dan Tudge: SCL Director

LIVE STREAM NOTES

Head Start weekend (for Design Council level this weekend) starts tomorrow (Friday, Sep 11) at some point in the evening EST but exact time not known yet.

Special stream on Saturday chatting about the game and showing n-Space created modules.

Dan doing a Q&A while playing on Hard mode. There may be a party wipe. Q&A interspersed with gameplay.

Chris (art director) shows off Belaphoss statue that is a premium preorder incentive. Looks pretty great.

I am Belaphoss! Your greater size matters not! Unhand me and I'll, oh wait, that tickles!

I am Belaphoss! Your greater size matters not! Unhand me and I’ll, oh wait, that tickles!

For a rampaging boss demon thingy, I've got a pretty great profile.

For a rampaging boss demon thingy, I’ve got a pretty great profile.

New setting: DM threat can be turned off. Players and press were both asking about this. If you play with threat completely off, more game balancing needed on front end. Players will know going in whether it is normal threat, threat off, or unlimited threat. Evidently everyone “must agree”.

Pause options: Many more pause options for players and DM in co-op. Game host decides pause options.

Team has implemented AI controlled companions for single player co-op (that sounds weird to describe it that way, my description not theirs). AI companions come in at player level.

Head Start access this weekend for Design Council players.

Ash will be streaming Head Start games, encourages players to stream.

Future road map: closer to launch there will be a roadmap for upcoming months.

Gameplay (by Dan) begins in Evermoors. Party looking for way into the Underdark.

Gameplay is part of story campaign, Ash warns of minor spoilers.

Party talks with female NPC giving quest exposition, good voice acting.

Sword Coast Legends old lady NPC screenshot

It’s an old lady in the Evermoors. Obviously trouble.

Ash reminds game is on Hard. Hard is hard. Requires tactical things. There will be death.

Items can be sorted by weight in addition to value.

Inventory has a junk tab. It doesn’t trash items, just collects them together for easier management.

On Hard your companions take 100% friendly fire damage. Dan unleashes a spell and hopes his companions don’t die.

No fudging of the rules on Hard. You can get one-shotted and die.

Combat log shown off… you can click on entries and get more info on rolls in a pop up.

Combat log screenshot

It’s a log. Of combat.

Animations and sound during combat are very nice, multi leveled stuff going on.

Companion goes down during first big fight. Dan stabilizes her.

Players cannot currently customize gear color. Dan says it is is in the backlog of features to get to.

DMs can modify gear color for NPCs.

Evermoors tileset ambiance is nice… creepy but alive.

It's the Evermoors. They want you to stay forever.

It’s the Evermoors. They want you to stay forever.

Dan finds a loot from a previous kill. I asked if this was from a previous save (i.e. is loot persistent but didn’t get a reply… not surprising, chat in the Twitch streams is heavy).

You can set camera to lock onto character. Can also use WASD camera controls.

Spiders… plus an elite giant spider.

Ash turns off cam so we can see mini map. Typical mini-map type functionality… small circle in upper right of UI. Also larger full screen map can be accessed.

Companions going down quite often. Fights are tough.

Ash says right now limit for “raised” (summoned) monsters per player character is one. So I guess max of four per party if everyone can summon?

Dan is doing a lot of pausing and tactics. Ash says it looks grim. Dan says he can handle it, uses Revivify ability which takes 2 action points.

Dan says hm, may be a wipe. Spiders run rampant on Dan in massive carnage. Wipe confirmed.

After wipe, it goes back to last save. This resets party to before they talked to old lady NPC. Dan decides to run around the Evermoors and fight stuff rather than kick off quest again. They mention this is the first time what happens on full party wipe has been shown to public.

Player characters can go in and out of single player and DM campaigns. Equipment / weight carries over. Weight and buy / sell prices are based on main character.

Camera can now zoom in more during NPC interactions to show off detail on character models.

If you bring in a friend’s player into co-op, it will remove a companion and drop them in. When they leave, the companion comes back.

Ambush combat (random encounters?) while traveling on world map? Yes, absolutely. Not just combat. Encounters reflect where you are in the story.

Dungeon layouts are still randomized but you can reroll dungeons until you get a layout you like. Item placement and lighting can be customized for big changes in feel / tone. Dan said he saw stuff he thought was a new tileset but wasn’t.

Monsters are scaled to average player level. So for groups with varying levels of characters it tries to compensate. Lower level characters tend to level up to catch up quickly then it evens out.

Characters are stored on server so it is difficult to hack characters however if someone really wants to they will.

You can kick players that are obviously cheating.

DLC schedule: Rage of Demons first and only announced DLC at this point, no date firmed yet. DLC will keep coming if players keep playing.

All preorders regardless of when preordered will get Rage of Demons DLC.

Dan tries big spider fight again. He mentioned earlier he doesn’t like spiders.

There is offline mode. Character is saved and then synched up through Steam when you are online again. No support for “offline” LAN play.

Rogues have arcane trickster abilities. Rogue at PAX had some arcane trickster abilities.

Spiders are trying to kite Dan’s party. Nice AI.

Question about Drizzt being usable as NPC by DMs in Rage of Demons. Ash says they are not really talking specifics about it yet, but they did show a picture of Drizzt at PAX and that should be a hint.

Ash really likes the variety of monster abilities in SCL.

DMs will have access to a demon monster set so they can make demonic campaigns.

No multiclassing right now but players can build their characters very differently.

Vendors sell items based on character level. Different items at different times.

I think I heard Ash say you will not be able to buy amazing magical items from vendors. Follow up note from Twitter user @The_Yelle: “just a clarification: vendors sell not just common items. Some sell unique things you don’t normally find from random drops.”

Dan picks a fight and says he’ll go out in a blaze of glory. Actually, he does pretty well.

 

 

shane-plays-serpent-in-the-staglands

Let’s Play Serpent in the Staglands #15

This episode: We get into a fight (and bring the stank!) despite trying to take the peaceful way out, get shaken down by the authorities, and take the direct approach in recovering our spicer documents.

Join Shane as he plays through a hardcore computer RPG that has the mechanics and style of a 90s CRPG, and that’s just dripping with beautiful atmosphere!

Thanks for watching!

About Serpent in the Staglands:

A true role-playing adventure.

A campaign within the world of Vol, a fully realized setting inspired by the late bronze age in a Transylvanian landscape, with unique politics, races and gods steeped in history. Featuring a chosen party of five, you role-play Necholai, a minor god of a celestial body who descends to the Staglands for a moonlit festival only to find the way home blocked and immortality slipping away. Seeking answers and aid, you take on a mortal body and the guise of a traveling Spicer. This isn’t a story of good and evil, saving the world or being a hero, it’s about intrigue and your adventure of survival in a harsh land.

Buy on GOG:
https://www.gog.com/game/serpent_in_the_staglands?pp=6a3236f5f213960de5c415fd15c6d1cb5a46d04e

Buy on Steam:
http://store.steampowered.com/app/335120/

Shane Plays Shadowrun Hong Kong

Let’s Play Shadowrun Hong Kong #5

This episode: How tough is Strangler Bao? Is Auntie Cheng sweet or sour or a little bit of both? We beat up a bully. All this and more!

Thanks for watching!
Shane

Subscribe to the Shane Plays YouTube Channel! You know you want to!

About Shadowrun Hong Kong: HONG KONG. A stable and prosperous port of call in a sea of chaos, warfare, and political turmoil. The Hong Kong Free Enterprise Zone is a land of contradictions – it is one of the most successful centers of business in the Sixth World, and home to one of the world’s most dangerous sprawl sites. A land of bright lights, gleaming towers, and restless spirits where life is cheap and everything is for sale.
Shadowrun: Hong Kong is the third standalone game in Harebrained Schemes’ critically-acclaimed Shadowrun cRPG series. Experience the most impressive Shadowrun RPG yet with an all new crew, expanded magic and cyberware, a completely revamped Matrix, an upgraded release of the Shadowrun Editor, and much more!

Buy on GOG:
http://www.gog.com/game/shadowrun_hong_kong?pp=6a3236f5f213960de5c415fd15c6d1cb5a46d04e

Buy on Steam:
http://store.steampowered.com/app/346940/?snr=1_5_9__205

Shane Plays Adam Dayton Fragments of Silicon

Radio Show / Podcast Episode 15: Fragments of Silicon!

Shane Plays Radio Podcast Title 9-5-2015Podcast for the Shane Plays radio show from 9/5/2015:
Fragments of Silicon!

Highlights: Numenera Into the Night Kickstarter with Shanna Germain of Monte Cook Games; Adam Dayton and the Fragments of Silicon crew.

Shane Plays airs on Saturdays at 1 PM Central on 96.5 FM The Answer in Little Rock. It can also be heard online at http://965fmtheanswer.com and on the Tune In Radio app and iHeart Radio apps.

Like what you hear?
Support Shane Plays Radio on Patreon!
https://www.patreon.com/shaneplays

KryptonRadio1Shane Plays is carried on Krypton Radio!
Krypton Radio is SciFi for your Wifi.
http://kryptonradio.com/

Shane Plays Radio is on iTunes!
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/shane-plays/id1000406569

Podcast Episode Direct Download
http://traffic.libsyn.com/shaneplays/Shane_Plays_9-5-15_podcast.mp3

Listen Now:

SHOW NOTES

NEWS ITEMS

The Doctor and River Song to reunite for Doctor Who Christmas special
http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2015-09-02/the-doctor-and-river-song-to-reunite-for-doctor-who-christmas-special

Star Wars Canon Resets Beginning With New Star Wars Book: Aftermath
http://www.polygon.com/2015/9/2/9248395/star-wars-force-awakens-aftermath-book

Friday was Force Friday! Star Wars: The Force Awakens Toys
http://www.starwars.com/news/force-friday-event-guide

Wes Craven, man behind ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ and ‘Scream,’ dies at 76
http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/30/entertainment/wes-craven-horror-movie-director-death/

INTERVIEW: NUMENERA INTO THE NIGHT KICKSTARTER WITH SHANNA GERMAIN

Numenera Into the Ninth World Kickstarter Image

Numenera Into the Ninth World Kickstarter:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/montecookgames/numenera-into-the-ninth-world

Monte Cook Games:
http://www.montecookgames.com/

Shanna Germain on Twitter: 
@ShannaGermain

INTERVIEW: FRAGMENTS OF SILICON

Shane Plays Adam Dayton Fragments of Silicon

The Fragments of Silicon podcast is your your weekly vertical slice of gaming goodness and geek culture.

Fragments of Silicon:
http://msp.starshipmoonhawk.com/

Fragments of Silicon on Talkshoe:
http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=130336&cmd=tc

Adam Dayton on Twitter:
@ShardShinjuku

NEXT WEEK

KryptonRadio

Gene Turnbow, founder and program director of science fiction radio channel Krypton Radio.

http://kryptonradio.com

shane-plays-serpent-in-the-staglands

Let’s Play Serpent in the Staglands #14

This episode: We meet a couple of unhappy campers, finally venture into the world map, encounter a lizard that gets us into trouble with the Arbiters, and get pick pocketed by an urchin.

Join Shane as he plays through a hardcore computer RPG that has the mechanics and style of a 90s CRPG, and that’s just dripping with beautiful atmosphere!

Thanks for watching!

About Serpent in the Staglands:

A true role-playing adventure.

A campaign within the world of Vol, a fully realized setting inspired by the late bronze age in a Transylvanian landscape, with unique politics, races and gods steeped in history. Featuring a chosen party of five, you role-play Necholai, a minor god of a celestial body who descends to the Staglands for a moonlit festival only to find the way home blocked and immortality slipping away. Seeking answers and aid, you take on a mortal body and the guise of a traveling Spicer. This isn’t a story of good and evil, saving the world or being a hero, it’s about intrigue and your adventure of survival in a harsh land.

Buy on GOG:
https://www.gog.com/game/serpent_in_the_staglands?pp=6a3236f5f213960de5c415fd15c6d1cb5a46d04e

Buy on Steam:
http://store.steampowered.com/app/335120/

Shane Plays Radio/Podcast Episode 14: River City Comic Expo!

Radio Show / Podcast Episode 14: River City Comic Expo!

Shane Plays Radio/Podcast Episode 14: River City Comic Expo!Podcast for Episode 14 of the Shane Plays radio show from 8/29/2015:
River City Comic Expo!

Highlights: Live from the River City Comic Expo in Little Rock! Comic book news and trivia, plus appearances with expo guests and industry professionals!

Shane Plays airs on Saturdays at 1 PM Central on 96.5 FM The Answer in Little Rock. It can also be heard online at http://965fmtheanswer.com and on the Tune In Radio app and iHeart Radio apps.

Like what you hear?
Support Shane Plays Radio on Patreon!
https://www.patreon.com/shaneplays

KryptonRadio1Shane Plays can now be heard on Krypton Radio! Krypton Radio is SciFi for your Wifi.
http://kryptonradio.com/

Shane Plays Radio is on iTunes!
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/shane-plays/id1000406569

Podcast Episode Direct Download
http://traffic.libsyn.com/shaneplays/SHANE_PLAYS_8-29-15_podcast.mp3

Listen Now:

SHOW NOTES

NEWS

DC Comics down over $2 million on planned revenue/expenditure for 2014/2015.
DC Tells Editors, Stop Batgirling, Go Back To Meat And Potatoes
http://www.bleedingcool.com/2015/08/25/dc-tells-editors-stop-batgirling-go-back-to-meat-and-potatoes/

Captain America and Iron Man’s Civil War Teams Revealed
http://io9.com/captain-america-and-iron-mans-civil-war-teams-revealed-1726914569

COMIC INDUSTRY TRIVIA

Various trivia & statistics from the comic book industry via http://comichron.com/ discussed during the show.

For example: The total sales for U.S. comics in 2014 was $935 million, including $100 million in digital sales!

SHOW GUESTS 

From the River City Comic Expo, Arkansas’ Biggest Comic and Entertainment Convention.

Website: http://rivercitycomicexpo.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/459959804155316/

Michael Tierney, writer and publisher of the long-running Wild Stars series.

http://thewildstars.com/

Randy Duncan, professor and author of The Power of Comics.

http://www.powerofcomics.com/

Stuart Berryhill, comic artist on series such as Man of God and Winter War.

https://www.comixology.com/Stuart-Berryhill/comics-creator/9592

Tracy Wilson of the Diamond Garrison of the 501st Legion, an international Star Wars costuming organization that does good in addition to having fun.

http://www.501st.com/

Renee Witterstaetter, writer, colorist and editor. Renee also acts as an artist rep via Eva Ink.

Twitter: @RWitterstaetter
Blog: http://witterstaetterwrites.blogspot.com/
Eva Ink: http://evaink.com
Renee on the Comic Book Database: http://comicbookdb.com/creator.php?ID=408
Renee on Comic Vine: http://www.comicvine.com/renee-witterstaetter/4040-2085/

NEXT WEEK

Fragments of Silicon logo

Adam Dayton of Fragments of Silicon

http://msp.starshipmoonhawk.com/

TalkShoe: http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=130336&cmd=tc 

 

Shane Plays Shadowrun Hong Kong

Let’s Play Shadowrun Hong Kong #4

This episode: Aunty Cheng, the Walled City, and feng shui. No really, feng shui.

Thanks for watching!
Shane

Subscribe to the Shane Plays YouTube Channel! You know you want to!

About Shadowrun Hong Kong: HONG KONG. A stable and prosperous port of call in a sea of chaos, warfare, and political turmoil. The Hong Kong Free Enterprise Zone is a land of contradictions – it is one of the most successful centers of business in the Sixth World, and home to one of the world’s most dangerous sprawl sites. A land of bright lights, gleaming towers, and restless spirits where life is cheap and everything is for sale.
Shadowrun: Hong Kong is the third standalone game in Harebrained Schemes’ critically-acclaimed Shadowrun cRPG series. Experience the most impressive Shadowrun RPG yet with an all new crew, expanded magic and cyberware, a completely revamped Matrix, an upgraded release of the Shadowrun Editor, and much more!

Buy on GOG:
http://www.gog.com/game/shadowrun_hong_kong?pp=6a3236f5f213960de5c415fd15c6d1cb5a46d04e

Buy on Steam:
http://store.steampowered.com/app/346940/?snr=1_5_9__205