D&D General Play the Solasta: Crown of the Magister Demo

For a few days only you can download the demo for the 5E-powered Solasta: Crown of the Magister video game as part of the Steam Summer Festival.

The demo comes in two parts -- the character creation tool, and an adventure called Ruins of Telema. At the moment the two are separate, so you can't use the characters you make in the character creation tool in the adventure.

Roll for initiative, take attacks of opportunity, manage player location and the verticality of the battle field. Set yourself up for the finishing strike and possibly roll a natural 20 at that key moment of battle.

In Solasta, you take control of four heroes, each with unique skills that complement one another. Every hero expresses themselves in the adventure, making each action and dialog choice a dynamic part to the story. Players will create their heroes just as they would in a pen-and-paper game choosing their race, class, personality and rolling for their stats.

You make the choices, dice decide your destiny.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Your loss.

Not really. Fortunately, there are plenty of other things to do in life.

But, enjoy it yourself. I just don't want software on my laptop in order to run another piece of software on my laptop. Seems silly.

 

[Retreater]

I'll have to give this a try, even though I'm regularly a console gamer. I've just never gotten accustomed to the mouse/keyboard setup. Some games, using an Xbox controller on PC, are fine. I have a feeling that this is one that will be pretty involved for me to try to learn. But worth a free demo.

 

[BookBarbarian]

I've been pretty anti steam/valve at times. but their work on Proton has enabled a ton of games to be played on Linux. and that's pretty rad.

Anyway I think it's cool to have an OGL video game. I look forward to trying it out.

 

[Gladius Legis]

I just don't want software on my laptop in order to run another piece of software on my laptop. Seems silly.

I mean, you've literally had 17 years to get used to the concept, but OK.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I mean, you've literally had 17 years to get used to the concept, but OK.

For those first years companies still released games themselves instead of using Steam. It isn't as though it sprung up overnight and started out as what you have today. By releasing games this way, they are losing customers (even if a small minority). But, it isn't a big deal if it is more cost effective for them to lose customers instead of release games themselves without having to use a service like Steam.

Progress for progress's sake is not always good. Don't get me even started on smartphones!

As I said there are lots of way to enjoy my free time... Like playing D&D live.

 

[BookBarbarian]

I just don't want software on my laptop in order to run another piece of software on my laptop. Seems silly.

What about installing DirectX to run a game? A graphics Driver? Heck even an OS fits the description. All software runs on other software except Machine Code

However I do understand the sentiment. Every time some program asks me to install Java my instinctive response is "Why though?" but that is just my distaste for Oracle in general.

 

[Gladius Legis]

By releasing games this way, they are losing customers (even if a small minority).

And yet the Steam userbase has trended consistently upward. Looks like they're gaining a lot more customers than they supposedly lost.

 

[DND_Reborn]

And yet the Steam userbase has trended consistently upward. Looks like they're gaining a lot more customers than they supposedly lost.

LOL Did I ever say they didn't? Stop trying to imply things I am not saying. I said they are losing some customers by adopting this method for delivery, not that other people don't like it. I don't. I am not playing games that I used to be a customer for. They have lost my business. Again, that doesn't mean they aren't gaining more, just that if they did both they wouldn't lose any customers. Now, it might not be cost effective for them to do both to deliver to a minority who don't like Steam, and that is fine, just disappointing.

 

[DND_Reborn]

What about installing DirectX to run a game? A graphics Driver? Heck even an OS fits the description. All software runs on other software except Machine Code

However I do understand the sentiment. Every time some program asks me to install Java my instinctive response is "Why though?" but that is just my distaste for Oracle in general.

All those other software serve a purpose: the other programs won't run properly without them. I consider a lot of stuff out there bloatware. It is like when I update just about adobe reader, they always want to install something else with it. Needlessly. And the default is to install. How many people have so much garbage on their computers they don't need and it just slows things down?

Anyway, I've made my point and I know you understand it.

 

[Gladius Legis]

I don't. I am not playing games that I used to be a customer for. They have lost my business.

It seems like a silly reason to miss out on so many great games over the last 17 years, but whatever.

Now, it might not be cost effective for them to do both to deliver to a minority who don't like Steam, and that is fine, just disappointing.

It's disappointing that I have to relitigate this topic 17 years into Steam's existence.

I consider a lot of stuff out there bloatware. It is like when I update just about adobe reader, they always want to install something else with it. Needlessly. And the default is to install. How many people have so much garbage on their computers they don't need and it just slows things down?

A front-end program for a popular game distribution service is at all equal to obscure anti-virus program X or questionable video player Y how, exactly?

 

[DND_Reborn]

It seems like a silly reason to miss out on so many great games over the last 17 years, but whatever.

Why? When they could just host the downloads without having to install their application?

It's disappointing that I have to relitigate this topic 17 years into Steam's existence.

Then don't do it. No one forced you to comment on my comment. If you had left it alone, none of these posts would have been written. So, you don't "have to", but you "choose to". All my first post said was I would try the demo if I could download it without having to install Steam, etc. I guess you just love it so much you felt compelled to defend it (which is fine, of course), but you did so in a negative way.

A front-end program for a popular game distribution service is at all equal to obscure anti-virus program X or questionable video player Y how, exactly?

Any software that is not needed for another program to operate fully or does not service a purpose is bloatware IMO. There is a "download" link on the site, but in order to download the demo, I need Steam? WHY??? It is just a file. Why not allow me to download it without Steam? They are making you use their service to get a file, that is bloatware by my book.

 

[Gladius Legis]

Why? When they could just host the downloads without having to install their application?

Sure, they could, if piracy wasn't a concern. I'm not the biggest fan of anti-piracy measures myself, Steam included. But that doesn't mean it isn't a silly and childish attitude to disavow an entire hobby and an entire modern catalogue of games solely because of that.

All my first post said was I would try the demo if I could download it without having to install Steam, etc. I guess you just love it so much you felt compelled to defend it (which is fine, of course), but you did so in a negative way.

Well, to me, it comes across as a weird statement to make when Steam has been in existence for 17 years. At this point, the normal human inclination would've been to get over it. If you don't download it because it's attached to Steam or whatever, then fine, but you clearly decided to make a statement about it, long after the debate had been litigated the most.

Any software that is not needed for another program to operate fully or does not service a purpose is bloatware IMO. There is a "download" link on the site, but in order to download the demo, I need Steam? WHY??? It is just a file. Why not allow me to download it without Steam? They are making you use their service to get a file, that is bloatware by my book.

With Steam or any front-end, I can launch games without cluttering up my Start menu or my desktop with shortcuts. I can have a universal controller layout. My games update to the latest version automatically. Whatever you may think of Steam, positive or negative, to say it "doesn't serve a purpose" is inaccurate.

 

[BookBarbarian]

All those other software serve a purpose: the other programs won't run properly without them.

Except Java. I don't have to download c# to run programs built on it. Lousy Java.

I consider a lot of stuff out there bloatware. It is like when I update just about adobe reader, they always want to install something else with it. Needlessly. And the default is to install. How many people have so much garbage on their computers they don't need and it just slows things down?

All true. It's one of the things I like about Linux gaming. It cuts down on a lot of bloat. It takes a lot of tweaking though, but Steam's Proton has opened up a lot of games that otherwise would be harder to make work or even inaccessible. It's become extremely useful in that regard.

Still GOG is a great alternative for getting digital games IMHO. Epic less so. And EA Origin is the worst.

Anyway, I've made my point and I know you understand it.

I do. And I apologize because my initial questions look more antagonizing than I meant them to be. Just talking about nerd stuff.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Sure, they could, if piracy wasn't a concern. I'm not the biggest fan of anti-piracy measures myself, Steam included. But that doesn't mean it isn't a silly and childish attitude to disavow an entire hobby and an entire modern catalogue of games solely because of that.

I am talking about a demo, so piracy really isn't an issue. And if I came off as implying PC gaming (or gaming in general) is childish, I apologize for THAT! I love games in all forms, and still replay some of my old PC games once in a great while (I've thought about replaying the SW:KotOR for a while now with the virus going on.

Well, to me, it comes across as a weird statement to make when Steam has been in existence for 17 years. At this point, the normal human inclination would've been to get over it. If you don't download it because it's attached to Steam or whatever, then fine, but you clearly decided to make a statement about it, long after the debate had been litigated the most.

While it might have been in existence that long, it wasn't popular all that time, and for myself, who was thinking to get back into PC gaming, my first exposure to it was less than 5 years ago. And it annoyed me and frustrated me that it was there keeping me from an old hobby. It is like smartphones nowadays. It seems everyone assumes everyone has a smartphone (or even a cell phone for that matter), and they simply don't. Technology can be a great thing, but I've seen too many times when people are the worse for it to embrace things I feel I don't really want or need. Steam being one of them.

With Steam or any front-end, I can launch games without cluttering up my Start menu or my desktop with shortcuts. I can have a universal controller layout. My games update to the latest version automatically. Whatever you may think of Steam, positive or negative, to say it "doesn't serve a purpose" is inaccurate.

When all I want to do it download a demo, it doesn't serve a purpose. I never said it can't be valuable to people who want it, such as yourself, but for people who don't it is stopping them from trying out a new game, and thus denying the company of potential customers. A lot of people only play a few PC games and don't need all the functionality Steam can provide.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Except Java. I don't have to download c# to run programs built on it. Lousy Java.

All true. It's one of the things I like about Linux gaming. It cuts down on a lot of bloat. It takes a lot of tweaking though, but Steam's Proton has opened up a lot of games that otherwise would be harder to make work or even inaccessible. It's become extremely useful in that regard.

Still GOG is a great alternative for getting digital games IMHO. Epic less so. And EA Origin is the worst.


I do. And I apologize because my initial questions look more antagonizing than I meant them to be. Just talking about nerd stuff.

No worries. Yeah, the EA thing is a mess and it caused me to stop what little PC gaming I was doing a few years ago. As I said in my other posts, there is nothing wrong with Steam for people who want it, but when it stops me from downloading a demo, it is "stupid Steam."

 

[trs31]

Please don't be offended but this argument reminds me of this...... Mitchell and Webb

 

[DND_Reborn]

Please don't be offended but this argument reminds me of this...... Mitchell and Webb

Dude, that is AWESOME! They totally get me!

Seriously though, that is the way I feel about many things. I do have a digital camera, a very nice Nikon which I do use when I want to take photos. I don't own a smartphone and only have a cell phone (on a prepaid plan, for like $3 a month) for emergencies when driving.

But, your point misses the mark slightly. There is nothing wrong with one thing serving multiple purposes (most of that bit), but when you need to sign up for Steam just to download a demo through it, it is unnecessary.

Anyway, great clip! Thanks for sharing it.

 

[Seramus]

Just a reminder. This game comes out tomorrow, and has come a long way since it was first revealed.
They've even made the faces look prettier.