Sword Coast Legends To Introduce RAGE OF DEMONS and Tile Based Editor

Dan Tudge of n-Space, makers of Sword Coast Legends, has just posted a major "State of the Game" announcement which recognizes that opinion on the game has been polarizing and that it does not meet the expectations of many, and how the company plans to address those issues. To that end, there's a whole bunch of upcoming update packs, which include more areas, control enhancements, a "cleared" outdoor area ready for placeables, new races, and the two seemingly biggest enhancements: a tile-based editor and the Rage of Demons storyline.

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As Dan Tudge says, the game has had its fair share of complaints (it's currently trending at only 20.5% here at EN World). The biggest complaints about SCL - at least as far as I can make out - have been the lack of free DM area creation, and the way the game does not really use D&D 5E rules. The latter issue isn't addressed, but the December update includes:

• Official introduction of mod support, including
• Tile based level editor
• Branching dialog editor
• Adjustable game systems, ex: round timer, loot tables, etc.
• Community facing development of these features to begin immediately
• Option to disable monster level scaling in DM campaigns

I don't know if this will mean Neverwinter Nights levels of customization, but it certainly seems to be a major step forward.

The Rage of Demons storyline was expected, and includes tile sets, objects, a tiefling race, creatures, etc., as well as an adventure.

The full list of five major update packs can be found here.

 

[Morrus]

Ok, but why does tabletop D&D seem so tied to SCL? All the APs are set on the Sword Coast and the FR source book they just released is named Sword Coast Adventurer's Handbook. In the OP of this thread N-space said it was going to put the Rage of Demon storyline in its game.

That's the multimedia branding stuff. It's the brand which spans media, not the ruleset.

 

[Kramodlog]

That's the multimedia branding stuff. It's the brand which spans media, not the ruleset.

So the brand manager wanted to make SCL appealing for the fans of the tabletop, but N-space didn't listen? With the features mentioned in the OP, it seems N-space is now extending an olive branch to the fans of the tabletop because there weren't happy.

 

[Morrus]

So the brand manager wanted to make SCL appealing for the fans of the tabletop, but N-space didn't listen?

No, that's not even slightly what I said.

 

[Kramodlog]

No, that's not even slightly what I said.

I didn't say you said that, I came to that possible explanation as something similar seem to have happened with Dungeonscape/project morningstar.

 

[darjr]

And now they are trying to beef up sales by having Chris Perkins "design" random levels for it. That looks like a play for the table top niche.

 

[Jester David]

Ok, but why does tabletop D&D seem so tied to SCL? All the APs are set on the Sword Coast and the FR source book they just released is named Sword Coast Adventurer's Handbook. In the OP of this thread N-space said it was going to put the Rage of Demon storyline in its game.

The idea is that people who want to see "the full story" will branch out into different aspects of the game. So people who play and enjoy Out of the Abyss will check out Neverwinter or Sword Coast Legends to see the rest or fans of the video games will have an easier and familiar way into the tabletop game.

 

[Kramodlog]

And now they are trying to beef up sales by having Chris Perkins "design" random levels for it. That looks like a play for the table top niche.

Exactly, but I'm not sure they didn't want to tap it right from the start. It is just seems that they thought the D&D label was enough to attract the tabletop fans.

 

[Kramodlog]

The idea is that people who want to see "the full story" will branch out into different aspects of the game. So people who play and enjoy Out of the Abyss will check out Neverwinter or Sword Coast Legends to see the rest or fans of the video games will have an easier and familiar way into the tabletop game.

I do not disagree with this statement, but that doesn't mean they didn't also want the appeal to the tabletop fans with the video game right from the start and this also explains why the RPG products are Sword Coast centrist. Now they realize that the video game doesn't appeal to tabletop fans, so they are scrambling to make it more sexy.

But enoughly, I do not see this failure as necessarely a bad thing. Maybe this means WotC won't feel obligated to print Sword Coast centrist APs and will go elsewhere in the FR. Or even better yet, go out of the FR.

 

[Jester David]

SCL is likely not going to be for me (all my effort and fun cash right now is going to Fallout 4) but it may pick it up in a few months, because if Morrus is to be believed, it's very similar in feel to NWN, and I was a sucker for that game back when it was released.

It's not really.
NWN was a game where you came to a chest and could either pick it open with a skilled rogue or smash it with a fighter. SCL is a game where everyone can somehow pick a lock regardless of their skill or ability scores and you just flail away at it until you succeed.

NWN is a game with abilities and health that recharge overnight, where you pause and can rest anywhere. SCL is a game where everything is on a cooldown and if badly hurt you just drink potions or wait for the clerics heals to recharge (since her healing is free and done automatically, you just pull up another window and check ENWorld for 2-3 minutes before continuing to play).

NWN was a tactical game where you could micromanage your character's abilities and spells on a round-by-round basis, pausing and changing tactics, and managed at-will and daily resources. SCL is a game where you use a couple choice powers and then let the party just autoattack while you watch, occasionally re-positioning if someone does something stupid or focusing fire when an enemy dies.

NWN is a game where if you come to a locked door guarded by someone, you could pick it, break it down, trick them into letting you in, or do their stupid quest. SCL is a game where you can click the "lie" or "break down the door" text options but autofail without a roll and have to do an annoying quest that runs you back across the dungeon you *just* cleared. Twice. Even if you just plan on killing everyone beyond the door anyway.

The game is really missing the polish and flexibility of NWN. You are very firmly on the tracks without deviation. It feels like playing in a campaign with a DM who really wants to tell you a story.
DM: "You find the injured man who helped kidnap your contact. He says if you heal him, he'll tell you where the safehouses are."
Player: "I kill him"
DM: "You can get the cleric to heal him for free or use a healer's kit."
Player: "No, I kill him."
Dm: "Okay... um... you find a map on his body leading to the safehouses."

Plus there's all the small gameplay annoyances. The game is just filled with small little rough edges and things that make playing it a hassle at times.

 

[Jester David]

I do not disagree with this statement, but that doesn't mean they didn't also want the appeal to the tabletop fans with the video game right from the start

In theory, the market of tabletop gamers who will buy a video game is a few thousand, maybe ten thousand or so. Compared to the market of millions of video gamers. You want to cater to the video game fans first. That's understandable. I won't criticize the decision to not lose money.

That said, there are ways of making a good D&D video game that isn't a straight rules port, is accommodating to video gamers, but has a LOT more homages and D&Disms than SCL.

and this also explains why the RPG products are Sword Coast centrist.

I think they just wanted to double-down on a single familiar region and let other people play with the rest of the world. They settled on the Sword Coast likely before SCL began development. The TTRPG is likely why SCL is focused on that region, and not the other way around.

Now they realize that the video game doesn't appeal to tabletop fans, so they are scrambling to make it more sexy.

Good luck for them with that.

But enoughly, I do not see this failure as necessarely a bad thing. Maybe this means WotC won't feel obligated to print Sword Coast centrist APs and will go elsewhere in the FR. Or even better yet, go out of the FR.

Doubtful. Again, we've been on the Sword Coast since Murder in Baldur's Gate. And before that, at GenCon 2012, they said they wanted to focus on the Heartlands of the Realms, which is not that far from the Sword Coast. So they likely shifted their plans (or scope) slightly. Likely more for the Neverwinter MMO.