SWORD COAST LEGENDS: Xbox and PS4!

Sword Coast Legends will be released for Windows on September 8th, 2015. In new news, there will be versions for the XBox One and Playstation 4 later in the year, also! "We're excited to announce that Sword Coast Legends will now officially release on September 8, 2015, while today's newly announced Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions of the game will become available late 2015."
The full press release reads as follows:

"We've had a clear goal since day one to evoke the classic D&D experience between four players and a Dungeon Master, and to bring back memories of the great D&D games of the past," said Dan Tudge, President of n-Space and Director for Sword Coast Legends. "After we announced and demonstrated Sword Coast Legends to overwhelmingly positive response at GDC, the press, partners, and fans all requested more. They wanted Mac, so we're doing it. They wanted Linux, so we're doing it. They clamored for console... so we circled back and figured out how to do it without compromising our vision for PC gamers. This addition to our existing PC, Mac and Linux versions ensures gamers will be able to have that classic D&D experience whenever, wherever and however they want."

"We love that Sword Coast Legends delivers the authentic D&D experience by letting friends tell great fantasy stories together", said Nathan Stewart, brand director of Dungeons & Dragons. "With Sword Coast Legends being available on so many platforms, it doesn't matter if you game on a couch, at the kitchen table or your desk -- you'll be able to join your party for some glorious D&D dungeon delves."

Sword Coast Legends presents the most true-to-form representation of classic tabletop adventuring ever realized in a cooperative multiplayer video game. The game's highly innovative Dungeon Master Mode introduces players to an entirely new way to play Dungeons & Dragons with a real-time, active and reactive Dungeon Master in cooperative multiplayer sessions and campaigns.

Here are some of Sword Coast Legends features:

• Massive story campaign
• Complex storyline weaving throughout the exotic Forgotten Realms' Sword Coast
• Deep character customization, engrossing party-based gameplay and NPC interaction
• Highly customizable combat and challenging monster encounters
• Campaign creation tools for extended multiplayer adventures
• The latest streamlined fifth edition D&D rules
• Robust post-launch module expansion program
• Epic orchestral soundtrack from composer Inon Zur

Sword Coast Legends is currently available for pre-order from Steam and the PlayStation Store at a limited and discounted price of $34.99. PlayStation 4 pre-orders also include a bonus $10 worth of Warframe™ Platinum in-game currency. Digital Deluxe and Collector's Editions, which include a tome of knowledge, cloth map of the Sword Coast, the official soundtrack, numerous in-game bonuses, starter items and DM abilities, as well as a statue of the powerful demon Belaphoss (Collector's Edition) are also available for pre-order for $59.99 and $239.99, respectively, from SwordCoast.Com.

 

[Parmandur]

I am curious if it will be playable (or rather enjoyable) as single player. I get my social urges more than covered with TRPG, so I don't need more interactions with other people if I can avoid it

Reading past the hype, it looks like Neverwinter Nights; they have said there is a solo storyline mode, in addition to the DM mode they are pushing in marketing.

 

[pming]

Hiya!

...snip... Which suggests microtransactions.

They haven't said.

They haven't said.

They haven't said.

They haven't said, but very likely (see above).


We know it will use Steam. That everyone playing will need a copy of the game. We know the platforms and the system requirements.
Actually, all in all we know surprisingly little about the game itself beyond that it will encourage non-adversarial DMing.

That was my point. It is what they are *not* saying that has me concerned. These things matter to me with regards to if I'll buy a video game. Right now, the video game market is, IMHO, in a big change-over. The "big games" model, like Halo, Oblivion/Skyrim, and Destiny (...which, btw cost $500 million to make... O_O ) are going to die-off or mutate into something else... and the Indi video game sector is pumping out a bajillion games every week. And I'd say a GOOD percentage of those indi games are rather good if not outright excellent. I play a lot of 'alpha/beta-build' indi games; many of them are fun as is, and will only get better. Like "The Forest" or "Cities:Skyline" (both available on Steam). Lots of other cool games I just don't have the cash for right now (Stranded Deep, ARC, Salt, Blockscape, Medieval Engineers, Besieged, Kerbal Space Program, Kholat, the list goes on and on...!)

Anyway, before I get into a big diatribe about video game creation (I do that as a 'serious' hobby; I'm a 3D artist by trade, and have been making maps and assets for various video games since the day I installed DEU and WadAuthor for making DOOM maps back in 1994 and 1995), I'd just like to say that when a "big video game launch" deliberately hides things that a fair number of it's targeted audience would be interested in, it's always a bad sign.

So expect a game to be released that has many features that many people would assume would have been in it (re: modability, primarily; it is an RPG with direct player and DM input). Then, after some decent negative press/reviews, they announce that "Modability was always planned, but we just wanted to get it into all our fans hands, so we had to delay it for a bit. A patch will be forthcoming in the following weeks/months that will address this". It won't be a hard date. They will hem and haw about "soon" and "it's almost ready" for weeks if not months...trying to get as many people to buy into it before they release it. When they do, it will either (A) work flawlessly and be more than what was asked for [very unlikely), (B) it will work, but only barely meet the promised criteria [re: you, as a modder, have to jump through 19 hoops in order to get your new magic-item into the game....in stead of just a one or two click "import"], or (C) it will be released in two patches; one is for players and lets them access stuff uploaded by a DM, and the second one is for DMs...which will be basic [but don't worry, for the "serious DM" there is always the monthly subscription "Master Dungeon Tools" option which lets the DM add/change stuff he wants and store it all 'online' ala Obsidian Portal campaign's, but with SCL].

I'm hoping for A, but expecting C.

^_^

Paul L. Ming

 

[Jester David]

Reading past the hype, it looks like Neverwinter Nights; they have said there is a solo storyline mode, in addition to the DM mode they are pushing in marketing.

It could be like Neverwinter Nights, with lots of content and options for the DM, including lots of monsters not in the main campaign.
Or it could be like NWN2, which had almost no monsters that weren't in the campaign.
Or it could be different than both, with fewer monsters than the main campaign but requiring microtransactions to unlock.

 

[Jester David]

As to the question of microtransactions:

OF COURSE they will use microtransactions as their revenue model. This is 2015; love it or hate it, that's the market. Myself, I have had positive experiences with Crusader Kings 2 model, allowing me to get the parts of expansions I want, when I want, as impulse buys. Expecting a non-Indie game to not use microtransactions is a losing proposition these days.

The fact that it's 2015 is exactly why there shouldn't be microtransactions. In paid games those are so 2010.

I expect microtransactions in F2P online games and fremium mobile games. I dislike them in paid games, especially if basic options are behind a pay wall.
Little perks and bonuses are fine. Cosmetic stuff like more armour and such. Or time saving stuff like maps or NPCs. Or actual bonus content after release. But if it comes at the cost of modded content or basic stuff then I have no interest in playing. Day 1 DLC sucks plain and simple.

Much like how I played the eff out of Sims and Sims 2 but didn't touch Sims 3 for it's focus on microtransactions over fan content. If you need to lay extra to actually use the DM options for more than basic adventures I'm skipping the game.

 

[Shasarak]

It looks very nice so I am hoping that it turns out to be good.

Otherwise there is always Torment 2 coming soon.

 

[PnPgamer]

It looks very nice so I am hoping that it turns out to be good.

Otherwise there is always Torment 2 coming soon.

Yeah i am anticipating this game but will buy it the soonest on 2016 summer sales.

Wait what? -> TORMENT 2 <- !!!!???!!??!!??!!1
View attachment 68802

 

[PnPgamer]

Double post

 

[Kramodlog]

4 media, 4 audiences, 4 products. There is obviously quite a bit of crossover, but those who are in more than one of those audiences have time and money to burn.

Indeed, but Thirdwizard said fans will have to buy them all and that was a good strategy. I find it conflicts with saying that making too many RPG books is bad because people will have to buy them all.

Seems, more like it is important to say that whatever WotC does, it is good, rather than have a coherent explanation for what WotC is doing.

 

[Kramodlog]

In their current model there one RPG book to buy, one CRPG to buy, one MMORPG to "buy", and one novel to buy.

But this is not what you said originally. You said people will have to buy them all and that was a good idea. Now your changing your tune and saying they will buy just one. People say it is bad that they have to buy stuff WotC makes (RPG books). Suddenly they have to buy stuff that isn't RPG and that is good? Yeah, not coherent.

Either too many products hurt D&D or it doesn't. Judging from Pathfinder's release calendar it doesn't. So, WotC's slim release schedule isn't because they are afraid to hurt D&D, but because there is no will to produce RPG content. Even if there are people willing to buy it. The RPG is now ancillary to the D&D brand.

Ashame.

 

[Queer Venger]

definitely excited for the PS4 option!