I agree with pretty much everything mentioned here, especially armor. Armor slots, even if not visual, would give more depth to the upgrades instead of just "which gun do I use?" I got very picky about gun types and stats on them, and ended up paying attention to value more than stats when looting, unless it was an epic or legendary submachine gun. Even then I just looked to see if it had the dmg/accuracy/rate of fire spread I wanted.
I'm guessing by bogged down, they meant framerate and such due to the extra models and textures in game.Yup - that's exactly it.
IGN: Did you have to trim away things that you could equip on your character? Like were there more ideas at the start, for instance armor, or something to that effect, and it just didn't work with what you were going for?
Armstrong: In the prototype we had a paper doll system. We had gloves, boots, pants, armor and a helmet because that's what those games do. Much like the random level generation, that's what those games do, so we tried that to see how it worked. The thing is, we're a first-person shooter, and I'm equipping myself on a paper doll and eating up a lot of memory and a lot of performance and a lot of time to do something that I never see and something I never really get a strong sense of the feel of.
It's not a stat game. It's not me looking at the menus, spending all my time swapping around my armor and looking at how the stats change. It's more visceral and in the world and in-combat. People were just not interested in the armor. It was kind of neat to change what your character looked like, but then you never saw yourself anyway.
We removed that stuff as a design decision as much as a performance issue because it wasn't paying off. We simplified that down to a shield and made the shields really interesting and they do different effects and different abilities, and it was much more true to the first-person shooter game that we were making. Most the decisions that were made were for design. We're very close to what our original intent for what this game should be.
I agree with Que that it doesn't have to be your typical environments, just some variation.That'd be cool w/ me.
Hell, Pandora is a planet and apparently there are ways off and on planets (TK calls you an offworlder). So why not allow the player to hop to different planets, each with its own kind of landscape and enemy critters?I think this might be the plan w/ Borderlands 2 or Borderworlds - which is a game-title they actually have trademarked - or whatever they hell they actually decide to call the next BL game.
A couple of posters on the official Gearbox forums has started to post some details from Game Informer's feature on the just-announced sequel to Borderlands, which apparently will include more dynamic quests, improved AI and all-new weapons.
-Co-op will stick to 4 players
-Different Variety of Vehicles, one being a Bandit Technical, and the article states there will be a vehicle with 4 seats.
-Eridium, can be used to enhance weapons or are the only Currency to purchase the most powerful weapons in the world
-Bearded drawf guy is Salvador, the Gunzerker. Special ability is Dual-wielding. Any weapon can be dual-wield.
-The original Vault Hunters will be support NPC's.
-Bandits now have their own brand of weaponry.
-Each manufacturer will now have their own weapon styling/color/personality.
-Weapons can have custom decals and enhancements.
-Enemies are more responsive, and actually interact with each other better.
-The players will also have interacting dialogues, similar to those in Left 4 Dead.
(...)
1. Enemies are going to be much more varied and ai greatly improved
2. It looks like there will not be any new elements added(see below)
3. There will be a new kind of element item called eridium and while it wont do damage like a typical element it will enhance things that other elements can do and also improve guns or vehicles in general, it also will be used as a form of currency
4. Skill tree will be same traditional 3 branch system as used in first game
5. They hinted that coop would still be only 4 players but did not outright confirm it
6. Story missions will no longer be static, I.E. if you need to rescue somebody as a mission but take too long that story arc will continue and the story will change for you
7. claptrap will be back in some form
8. the 4 characters from the original will be npc's
9. Guns manufacturers will have a unique theme for their guns
10. There will be pickups that allow temporary buffs sort of like the cores from general knoxx.
11. Gearbox is getting rid of all the old weapons and starting from scratch.
12. No mention of gun customization or crafting.
13. This game is going to be Epicly epic.
I've been keeping an eye on this GameInformer page (http://www.gameinformer.com/p/borderlands.aspx) about Borderlands developments. As events happen, the grayed-out links fill in.
The bandits that inhabit the world of Borderlands 2 are now split into factions, which don't seem to get along very well. One enemy called the Nomad Torturer has a massive shield with a Psycho Midget tied to the front. This Midget is not very happy about his situation, and if you can shoot him free, he will start attacking the Torturer which allows you to flank him and shoot him from the sides or from behind.
Release date: Sept 18th! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCWJUSulnro)
GET READY TO JOY-PUKE YOUR FACE OFF
Release date: Sept 18th! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCWJUSulnro)
GET READY TO JOY-PUKE YOUR FACE OFF
Art director Jeramy Cooke said the first Borderlands was too restrictive in that regard.
“We sort of backpedalled on that from the first game. We found that people really just wanted to be able to use the weapons they wanted to use,” he said.
“We tried to be a little less like ‘you really want to use this type of gun,’ because inevitably someone would just take Brick and go get a sniper rifle and they just wanted to play that way. So we’ve opened the skill trees up a lot more so that people can access weapons that they want.
“Now there may be weapons that just harmonize better with certain skills but we’re not really kind of forcing that whereas like, you know, here’s a buff to this very specific class of weapon. We typically don’t do a lot of that.”
Expected but confirmed Steamworks. (http://www.shacknews.com/article/72646/borderlands-2-pc-uses-steamworks)Based on what Gearbox was doing with the original (later patches in add Steam achievements etc.) it was, as you said, expected.
Based on what Gearbox was doing with the original (later patches in add Steam achievements etc.) it was, as you said, expected.
Honestly I don't mind. I kinda prefer it, at least from the angle of the features and improved matchmaking. On consoles the proprietary services (PSN or XBOX LIVE) take care of all that stuff but on PC each dev has to come up with their own, which is apparently a common gripe of devs bringing titles to PC, so this may be much more helpful in the long run.
So far I think Epic are the only ones to have made a game Steam-activated after release. I'm talking about Unreal Tournament III. I got the CE (non-Steam) way back, a few year's later when the game was released on Steam (around the time Epic made the huge Black Edition update) I put my retail CD code into Steam and it accepted it! A quick run through the forums revealed that it was part of Epic's surprise update to make everything work through Steam.Not odd at all for them to jump to G4WL, given the success they had w/ Gears of War X360.
Oddly enough, after that Epic moved on to GFWL.
Coming back to Borderlands 2, I'm glad it's bound to Steam and not anything worse. At least Steam has a functioning set of online features.There's a fair amount of games that had different DRM at Retail [Non-Steam Version], but can additionally as an option be also be activated on Steam.
Some of the missions also offer varying paths and endings.
Senior level designer Zack Ford said there will be times where ending a quest at one point as opposed to another will offer a different result.
The original article was misleading. They updated it with this:
"To clarify confusion regarding our original wording, while preorders will receive the Mechromancer for free, the content will release to all players at the same time. That date is not set but a Gearbox representative said it would be 60 to 90 days after the game releases."
So it will be a paid post-release DLC for non-preorder customer and a free post-release DLC for preorder customers. It will release at the same time for everyone. Odds are it will be on sale during the holiday sale as well. I know I got burned pre-ordering the original Borderlands due to that.
Authentic Marcus Kincaid bobblehead
Inside the Vault: The Art & Design of Borderlands 2 hardbound book
Collectable sticker set
Cloth map of Pandora
Digital comic download code
Bonus downloadable in-game digital content
Collectable scaled replica of the red loot chests found throughout Pandora in Borderlands 2
Steelbook case
Creatures of Pandora wide-format ID chart
Lithograph postcard set
Field notes from Sir Hammerlock
Numbered certificate of authenticity
Authentic Marcus Kincaid bobblehead
Inside the Vault: The Art & Design of Borderlands 2 hardbound book
Collectable sticker set
Map of Pandora
Digital comic download code
Bonus downloadable in-game digital content
First up, when people pre-ordered Borderlands 2 it wasn’t listed as anything other Borderlands 2, nor was there anything that implied they will be getting their own version that won’t be compatible with the rest of the world, but alas everyone in these areas will be getting Borderlands 2 – RU. It is a version that is only in Russian, allows you to only play multiplayer with people who have the RU version and it will not be compatible with the Borderlands 2 Season Pass. On top of all that there is threat of delayed DLC, something that happened with the Russian version of Borderlands 1, no pre-loading and if you live in these areas you don’t have the option of buying a digital version of the game that isn’t the Russian version.
One of the biggest problems with all of this is that the Russian version is being forced upon areas that aren’t Russian, like the CIS, where many people speak English or other languages. They are being given only the option of the Borderlands 2 – RU version, regardless of whether or not they speak Russian. It wouldn’t be so bad if people could play the game in English and have subtitles for whatever their language is, but many people are reporting that this RU version does not have that option.
They need to iron out the kinks, but I think region locking is understandable in a multiplayer style game like this. If people buy copies that cost 80% less from such countries to play a game there needs to be some protection.Then they should restrict the retailers not the game's built-in access.
Then they should restrict the retailers not the game's built-in access.
How do they restrict people from buying from retailers and selling online undercutting themselves? The other option is to sell the game at the same price in poor countries as it is in the rest of the world, but then those people miss out completely..The same way all online retailers currently do it. For example, I can't buy Max Payne 3 anywhere online or retail for that matter. To get my hands on it I had to resort to the old tactic of having a friend pick up a copy for me when he was in the US. Now imagine how infuriating it would have been if the game wouldn't run or had some pointless localization issue built right into it!
Destructoid -> Details on how they included Michael John Mamaril into the game (a big-time Borderlands fan who passed away from cancer at only 22 last year). (http://www.destructoid.com/gearbox-details-late-fan-s-inclusion-in-borderlands-2-235110.phtml?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Destructoid+%28Destructoid%29)And that's how it's done! Bravo Gearbox, I hope other companies follow suit in the level of respect you show your fans!
There’s an extremely limited four-player cooperative mode, and if you have an Xbox Live Gold account, you can team up that way, but this isn’t the type of deeply engrossing FPS game the headset-wearing COD crowds gather to play months and months after release. In comparison, I read on several sites that COD: Black Ops 2 will feature up to six teams, for a total of 18 simultaneous players, in multiplayer mode.That's the friggin' point - Borderlands is the Anti-COD and Anti-Halo.
Borderlands 2 DLC being developed Sorcery dev
by Andrew Yoon, Sep 19, 2012 4:00pm PDT
Related Topics – Borderlands 2, xbox 360, DLC, PlayStation 3, 2K Games, Gearbox Software, PC, Borderlands Series, The Workshop
Like the original Borderlands before it, Borderlands 2 will have a number of lengthy DLC expansions. The first may be coming from The Workshop, developers of the recently-released PlayStation Move game, Sorcery.
Resumes from current and former employees of the developer indicate they are working on an expansion, currently named "Torgue"--the same name as one of the weapons manufacturers of Pandora.
Little is known about the expansion, but as Superannation notes on Kotaku, this "unannounced expansion" promises to have over ten hours of gameplay. As previously announced, each expansion pack will cost $10 but you can also pick up a season pass if you like what you're playing so far.
I received this from Amazon today! And the preorder code came in an email. I just installed it and downloaded the "Premier Club" with the code. I'm looking at the nifty menu screen and listening to the ambient music while sipping some tea. I love moments like this. Few games bring on the anticipation like this anymore. I'm sure I'll be posting more after I dive into it.
Forbes -> Dark Souls easter egg hidden in BL2. (http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2012/09/22/dark-souls-easter-egg-spotted-in-borderlands-2-time-to-engage-in-some-jolly-cooperation/)
Edit:LOL! Here ya go.
Heheh! There's also a nod to Skyrim. "I used to be a Vault hunter like you. Then I took a [something] to the knee." Dammit. I heard it, and now I can't remember it exactly.
Reddit user kilod3lta (http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/10bab1/kid_asked_for_borderlands_2_for_his_birthday_this/) posted a few photos of what has to be the best way to receive Borderlands 2 as a gift.
The gift givers made a custom Claptrap wrapping complete with a Fyrestone tire. You can see the finished product above and you can head here to see the whole creation process. (http://imgur.com/a/ANtEP)
Borderlands 2 is getting four confirmed slices of DLC as part of the Season Pass, but it has even more planned, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford tells Kotaku. We already know about one piece of additional non-Season Pass content, the Mechromancer.
"We will have other, non-season pass related DLC," Pitchford says. "The additional character (Mechromancer) is one kind of example."
We've heard rumblings of themes for future Borderlands 2 DLC: One may be an expansion on the weapons manufacturer Torgue, and another might involve Sand Skiff-like transportation. Pitchford reiterates a vehicle-focused DLC approach.
"Since we finished the game, we've started with some new ideas that we expect will show up in DLC," Pitchford says. "Some new vehicle types are on-deck – awesome stuff."
All of the Season Pass DLC packs will be "big," similar to the third expansion for the original Borderlands, The Secret Armory of General Knoxx. Knoxx raised the level cap, added 30 new enemy types, new weapons, new vehicles and improved the AI.
"The stuff we're planning and working on for the Campaign DLC Season Pass is big DLC stuff – more like Knoxx," Pitchford says. "We're extremely far along with the first campaign DLC. The second DLC is also in amazing shape. The third DLC is a little farther out and the fourth DLC is just in the pre-concept stages."
The good news is that the release of Mechromancer and today's update are not connected to the occurrences of Badass Rank being reset -- while the timing may appear coincidental, it's a separate issue that we are continuing to investigate. We ask that players who have experienced this issue to email us at profiles@gearboxsoftware.com with as many details as possible to help us gather additional information on the matter.
Hmmm, maybe I'm just not far enough in the game to see how it's super dark? Or maybe my perspective has me perceiving it differently. Yea, you murder a lot of people, and it's fun, and sometimes it's funny. I just finished a quest where scooter writes a poem. If you've done it, that should ring a bell. At the end I laughed my ass off. Also, I love Handsome Jack. The way he's so cheery and nice sounding while he's threatening to murder you or torturing people is hilarious."... moral of the story is you're a bitch!" haha Handsome Jack is pretty hilarious!
Hmmm, maybe I'm just not far enough in the game to see how it's super dark? Or maybe my perspective has me perceiving it differently. Yea, you murder a lot of people, and it's fun, and sometimes it's funny. I just finished a quest where scooter writes a poem. If you've done it, that should ring a bell. At the end I laughed my ass off. Also, I love Handsome Jack. The way he's so cheery and nice sounding while he's threatening to murder you or torturing people is hilarious.
There's also a communication from Jack where he's laughing so much as he tells youthat he's having trouble finishing the tale. " I guess you had to be there."(click to show/hide)
It looks like the title for DLC2 is Mr. Torgue's Campaign of Carnage.
There are three PS3 Trophies connected to it and they're all pretty similar to the Achievement/Trophy rewards attached to Captain Scarlett. One Trophy unlocks for completing the "Long Way to the Top" mission (presumably the last in the add-on pack's story), one is awarded for completing all Campaign of Carnage side missions, and one goes to players who manage to find 10 collectible pictures of Moxxi in the DLC.
None of this is officially confirmed of course, but the info certainly suggests that it's possible we'll see a second Borderlands 2 expansion before the end of 2012.
Fujiwara no Mokou @PhoenixNoMokou
@DuvalMagic Are there actually any plans whatsoever for more character classes to be added through DLC?
Randy Pitchford @DuvalMagic
@PhoenixNoMokou yes - we're working on it.
8:36 PM - 22 Oct 12
I warn you that the game is even more skewed toward coop than the first. True vault-hunter mode (late game) and MMO-like raid bosses in the DLC are way unbalanced solo. It's not a question of difficulty, but of cheapness.Yep. I love the game but I F*CKING HATE monster generators!!
Well, I missed my chance. Also, I'm kinda glad now that I didn't make the impulse purchase.
This is why we can't have nice things. (http://kotaku.com/5981171/players-accuse-tiny-tina-from-borderlands-2-of-verbal-blackface-gearbox-writer-says-hell-change-her-if-racist)I love how it's often white guys who find something racially offensive to other peoples' ethnicity.
Fucking retards.Seriously. Ok, I was a bit miffed when I first read it, now I'm actually getting angry about it. Ok, "angry" might be a bit strong but it's somewhere between miffed and angry about it.
@patriciaxh That's not actually feasible within the technical constraints of the game, but I'd alter her dialog in any future BL stuff.
— Anthony Burch (@reverendanthony) February 3, 2013
Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode Details
Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode is unlocked for a character once they have completed the main story missions in True Vault Hunter Mode and reached level 50.
Unlike other playthroughs, Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode can be replayed multiple times with players able to reset their overall mission progress at any time from the Main Menu.
No more tutorial missions -- characters in Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode begin in Southern Shelf with the "Cleaning Up the Berg" mission.
While playing in Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode, enemies and bosses will scale according to the player's current level or, if playing with others, the highest-level player in that party.
Gameplay changes in UVHM:
Enemy health generally increased 4x.
Enemies now have a moderate amount of health regeneration.
Increased duration of slag damage multiplier effect.
Upped the damage that slagged enemies take from 2x to 3x.
Weapon swap speed increased to better facilitate slag use.
Enemies now more likely to drop ammo.
Loot Midgets are now "Legendary Loot Midgets" that can drop Legendary and other top-tier gear.
Changes in 4/2 Software Update (Free)
Adds new items to the Black Market:
One additional ammo upgrade for each ammo type, at 50 Eridium each.
Two more backpack storage space upgrades, at 50 and 100 Eridium respectively.
Two more bank storage space upgrades, at 50 and 100 Eridium respectively.
Increases the maximum amount of Eridium players can hold from 99 to 500.
Adds a new playthrough balanced for top-tier play: Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode.
Various bug fixes.
Though, again - I just wish the end....(click to show/hide)
the fantasy theme of this new DLC has really pointd out to me that Borderlands is structured just like an MMO. You go to town, talk to NPCs and get quests, go out into a zone and do some quests, come back to town and turn it in for a reward.That sounds like most ARPG's, actually - whether SP, MP, or MMO.
It’s easy to imagine Borderlands 2’s trail of DLC ending with an adventure in Tiny Tina’s schizophrenic mind, but CEO and President of Gearbox Software Randy Pitchford has different plans.
Speaking on the Nerdist podcast, Pitchford said people had assumed there would only be four pieces of DLC as that’s what’s included in the season pass, but assumptions aren’t always correct.
“Everyone has this expectation that those would be the four DLCs and then that’s it,” Pitchford said. “We’re going to do more. We’re going to do some other things. We don’t have details yet about it exactly.
“We’ve got more stuff in the hopper that we’re planning and that we’re getting pretty excited about. So if you are a Borderlands fan, you don’t have to be afraid that that’s the end of it.”
The podcast ended on a mysterious note when Pitchford teased that Gearbox is working on a new IP for next-gen consoles (and PC?).
“We are building an original IP for the next generation that we’ll announce sometime later,” Pitchford said.
Pitchford didn’t give a time table for when we might hear more about this mysterious new IP, though it likely won’t be any time this year, considering we’re just hearing about it now rather than at E3.
Bumping this, just in case it wasn't obvious I was editing in the codes for the heads.
Also, I don't know if you actually have to have the DLC for these heads to work. I was able to redeem the Gaige head and unlock it on PC, even though I don't own her for PC.
Borderlands 2 Hot Fixes
August 13, 2013
(Tiny Tina DLC) Dragon Keep-themed character heads added to the Dice Chest item pool as rare loot.