Unified Vidya Games thread

[altered]

The thing is, when people say "Obsidian" they actually just mean "Josh Sawyer" anyway, who will probably end up with a freelance consulting gig on the game, much like he did for Pathfinder: Kingmaker.

Okay, fair point. I have the kind of background that focuses on the companies more than the people, outside of a very few unusual individuals. I wasn’t even thinking about Sawyer, my bad there.

[Cain]

The thought only just occured to me as well, but he is basically the person there that you would want to talk to. 

I don't think he actually worked on Baldur's Gate itself, he was more focused on Icewind Dale, but from what I've read, there was a lot of crossover and collaboration between the two teams.

Owlcat Studios could have also been a contender, with a few more years of experience and a slightly stronger staff writing team. The major problems with Pathfinder: Kingmaker were technical in nature, and it was very true to Pathfinder with some solid gameplay.

[Cain]

This is what happens when you set up a lightning spell trap in your heavily populated and close-quarters base of operations.



Be smart. Don't be like the Iron Throne. Implement OHSA regulations in your illegal, off the books iron mine/slave camp today.

[Junkenstein]

The cloakwood mines were a h&s shitshow. If there's a door that can flood your entire mine and ruin a large intricate plan, don't keep the sole key in the same complex. Or don't keep the key all as it can only hurt you and help your foes.

And the nashkel mines are the best argument for a  trade union in the game.

[Cain]

On the plus side, it has made my soloing even easier. Soloing Baldur's Gate, once you remember all the tricks, is one of the easiest things in the world.  Like, almost bizzarely so. This Fighter/Thief run is kicking ass, and I didn't even remember to go Half-Orc for the easy regen and insane strength bonuses.

[Cain]

The public test server version of Dragonhold has been released on PC.

I've not seen any gameplay yet, and I'm not really concerned about the balance changes, as crazy as they seem to be ("DoT all the things" to "nerf all the DoTs" in the space of 3 months), but some of the lore has leaked out and it's a pretty interesting take on how the Khajiit view the Daedric princes:

Alkosh. The Dragon King. The Highmane. He was granted rule over the myriad kingdoms of Akha along the Many Paths. In time, the children of Akha overthrew him and scattered his body on the West Wind. It is said that when Khenarthi learned this, she flew across the Many Paths and put Alkosh back together. In doing so, she saw all the things Akha had wrought, including those that should not be. Now, Alkosh and Khenarthi safeguard the Many Paths from the wayward children of Akha. Pray to Alkosh not for his strength or his mighty roar, but for his sense of duty and purpose.
 
Alkhan. The Scaled Prince. Firstborn of Akha, who bred with a demon of fire and shadow. He can devour the souls of those he kills to grow to an immense size. The songs tell us Alkhan was slain by Lorkhaj and his companions, but as an immortal Son of Akha he will return from the Many Paths in time. He is the enemy of Alkosh, Khenarthi, and Lorkhaj, and ever hungers for his crown.
 
Boethra. The Warrior of the East and West. She is the mate of Mafala, who did not forget her love for Boethra after Ahnurr sent her into exile for her rebellious nature. Boethra walked the Many Paths in exile, and she returned. It was she who pried the eye from Magrus, and this is why Khajiit value swords as well as claws. There is no need for a True Cat to pray to Boethra, as you honor this spirit merely by walking the Path, and only hiding in order to pounce. It is forbidden to say her name on nights of the Ghost Moon, as during these phases Boethra dons the death-shroud of Lorkhaj and wages war beyond the Lattice.
 
Mafala. The Teaching Mother. Elder Spirit and the Keeper of the Ancient Secrets of Fadomai. These were the secrets her children only needed in the beginning, and it was Mafala that carried them down. She watches over Eight of the Many Paths, each of which a Khajiit must walk in time. Mafala aids the Clan Mothers in guiding the Khajiiti people along the Path and protecting our secrets from Others. She is an ally of Azurah, Boethra, and Lorkhaj. Her numbers are Eight and Sixteen, and these are two of her keys.
 
Lorkhaj. The Moon Beast. Born of the dark heart of Lorkhaj, which overcame him after he suffered a great betrayal. In his wisdom, Lorkhaj sought his sister Azurah, who tore the darkness from him before it consumed him and cast it into the Void. We know this shade of Lorkhaj as the first of the Dro-m'Athra, who serve the Ur-Dra Namiira, our enemy. The Moon Beast prowls the edges of the Lattice and pounces on Khajiit who stray too far off the Path. Know that on nights of the Ghost Moon, Azurah has opened the Void Gate and the Moon Beast will challenge mortals until banished. We accept this burden as part of the Path, and for the sake of our Lost Kin.

I think most people knew about Khajiit and Azura who knew the lore in any depth, but I have to admit having a similar level of respect for Boethiah and Mephala was a little more surprising.

Khajiit secret Chimer confirmed. Also, Boethiah cosplays as Lorkhan confirmed.

[Cain]

So, having played Dragonhold, I have to revise my theory. Khajiit are secret Akaviri confirmed. At one point in the main questline, a (somewhat) friendly dragon refers to a historical Khajiit warrior with Alkosh's blessing as a toshrahka.

Tosh Raka is the emperor of Ka Po' Tun Akaviri in the Third Era, who planned to become a dragon and conquer the rest of Akavir and then Tamriel.

Also worth noting that the main enemy of the whole Year of the Dragon plotline, Kaalgrontid, intended to overthrow Akatosh through infusing aetherial energy in crystals in order to ascend. How does Tosh Raka intend to become a dragon? No idea, but the Nu-Manti intercept refers to "dracochrysalis" which involves "keeping elder magic bound before it could change into something lesser".

Oh also apparently Azura, Boethiah and Mephala are holding Ebonarm hostage. And Ebonarm might also be the HoonDing.

[Cain]

Oh, and Nahfahlaar is totally Nafaalilargus.

[Junkenstien]

Despite most things Bethseda being a shitshow, the lore is consistently decently.

I dread the day you have to open a lootbox to learn more.

[LMNO]

So, having played Dragonhold, I have to revise my theory. Khajiit are secret Akaviri confirmed. At one point in the main questline, a (somewhat) friendly dragon refers to a historical Khajiit warrior with Alkosh's blessing as a toshrahka.

Tosh Raka is the emperor of Ka Po' Tun Akaviri in the Third Era, who planned to become a dragon and conquer the rest of Akavir and then Tamriel.

Also worth noting that the main enemy of the whole Year of the Dragon plotline, Kaalgrontid, intended to overthrow Akatosh through infusing aetherial energy in crystals in order to ascend. How does Tosh Raka intend to become a dragon? No idea, but the Nu-Manti intercept refers to "dracochrysalis" which involves "keeping elder magic bound before it could change into something lesser".

Oh also apparently Azura, Boethiah and Mephala are holding Ebonarm hostage. And Ebonarm might also be the HoonDing.

I sometimes have to gauge the probability that you're completely making this shit up and seeing if anyone pays attention. 

Honestly, the "HoonDing"?

[Cain]

Despite most things Bethseda being a shitshow, the lore is consistently decently.

I dread the day you have to open a lootbox to learn more.

The lootboxes for the recent Kill Dragons Save Cats charity event were literally called "Nafaalilargus' coffer". 

I sometimes have to gauge the probability that you're completely making this shit up and seeing if anyone pays attention. 

Honestly, the "HoonDing"?

Totally a real thing, he's the Yokudan god of "perseverance over infidels". Frandar Hunding, who is basically the Redguard answer to both Sun Tzu and Miyamoto Musashi (I'll let you consider for a moment how badass that is, given he's also essentially a black samurai) was said to be an aspect of him.

He's also apparently Ebonarm, a god that got rectconned out before Morrowind was released, but keeps sneaking back in. The Ebony Warrior who challenges you in Skyrim? Ebonarm. And now Dragonhold mentions:

A spirit of vengeance. It has no will of its own, as it was born from Azurah's grief after the death of Fadomai and Lorkhaj. None can summon this spirit save Azurah, Boethra, and Mafala, for only they know its true name. It sometimes appears in songs as a black panther, a warrior in ebony armor, or as a hidden sword.

A hidden sword is definitely a reference to the HoonDing, while the warrior in ebony armour is Ebonarm. The only other possibility would be Boethiah, but that's covered by Boethra, the Khajiiti version of the name.

[altered]

Redguard lore is underrated for sheer batshit insanity.



They come from a continent that was also the distant past/future, where their psychic god-samurai soldiers got pissed at a decadent king and literally nuked the continent with their mind-swords. The remaining Redguards crossed the ocean and also through time to Tamriel, genocided elves because they were menaced by legit evil elves in their former land and also because they have an actual god of murdering Orcs and driving elves out (Diagna), and lost the ability to literally make a sword with their souls due to (THEY say) “weak decadent elf magic” polluting their spirits.

One of the few Redguards of serious importance that we see in any Elder Scrolls game is Cyrus, who (in about 50% canon writings by the main pre-ESO lore master of TES) invaded the moon-palace of a god-emperor (literally Talos) to steal his fucking voice after causing an exoplanetary international incident between the Aldmeri Dominion and the Empire.

This happens after he fights the imperial forces to a fucking standstill and forces a fucking treaty between Cyrodiil and Hammerfell so he can save his sister. Literally that was his fucking goal, the international treaty and winning a war against Tiber Fucking Septim were accidental byproducts. Oh and unlike the prior and following tales, this one is actually the plot of an actual Elder Scrolls game.

He also bluffed a completely different living god (one who fucked up the King of Rape (a super powered demon-god) so bad the dude never came back to bother him again and also this god learned the secrets of reality to become all-powerful and exist beyond time) into thinking he would fucking die if he tried to touch Cyrus.

And why do I bring up Cyrus? General consensus in universe among Redguards is the dude is the fucking HoonDing returned, IIRC.



Also if Khajiit are secret Akaviri I take back all the bad shit I said about the Khajiiti portrayal of Namira. Given Akavir is Elder Scrolls’ Crazy Japan, Tron cats of evil from space led by a goddess of cannibalism and filth actually fits (due to the Japanese concept of kegare and the Japanese pop culture manifestations of that concept). Also it turns Khajiiti culture from “Furry Pakistan/India” to something much more interesting and worthy of exploration.

[Cain]

And when you consider what a metaphysical clusterfuck motherfucking Tiber Septim is, (Dragonborn, Talos, mantled Lorkhan, drive to conquest that gives Molag Bal envy, CHIM, Numidium etc) that gives you an idea of just how off the chart the HoonDing must be.

Another interesting thing is how Khajiit culture seems to mirror Imperial culture, with Anequina having a lot of similarities with the Colovian Estates and Pellentine being more like the Nibenese areas. I wonder if that's because Elsweyr seems to be one of the few places where the Empire has actually held on during the Three Banners War and not been a complete clusterfuck, Euraxia Tharn aside. In both plot-lines, legitimate Imperial authorities have come to the aid of the Khajiit, while the Dominion has been noticeably absent.

[selfcontrol]

Is anyone here playing Dwarf Fortress, Underrail, or State of Decay 2? I'm seeking some games like them for my phone. I've looked around on some big websites like Apknite, AppGrooves,... but I don't have time to try playing every game one by one.

[Cain]

The dankest of lore