Overwritten.net
Games => General Gaming => Topic started by: MysterD on Thursday, November 02, 2006, 03:25:40 PM
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Sacred 2 is planned for October 2007 (http://www.rpgwatch.com/show/newsbit?newsbit=2542)
Sacred 2 is planned for October 2007
Sacred 2 - Official release date set
by Garrett, 14:35:20
Ascaron has set the official release date for Sacred 2 (http://www.gamestar.de/) to October 2007.
Source: Gamestar (http://www.gamestar.de)
Screenie:
(http://www.gamestar.de/imgserver/bdb/1493000/1493064/800x600_52D33C936121F2CD37CDA92CEDA38FEE.jpg)
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Never even heard of the first, so I checked it out on gamespot. It made me realize that the main reason I probably can't get into PC RPGs is because the art designs is so generic and boring.
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Not all of them are like that, just the shitty European ones, the group to which Sacred belongs. It was an okay game, though, fun-wise. Divine Divinity was better. It also seemed relatively uninspired until you actually started up the game and got a look at the world. Not the most beautiful, but it worked really well and I thought they pulled the whole thing off rather splendidly.
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Sacred 2 Stuff
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Sacred 2: Fallen Angel OFFICIAL Website is up and running now RIGHT HERE (http://www.sacred2.com/en.html)
You can view the Official Trailer RIGHT HERE (http://www.sacred2.com/fileadmin/sacred2/content/media/trailerwmv/Sacred2_D.wmv)
Sacred 2 Screenies
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(http://www.sacred2.com/typo3temp/pics/2a80628e75.jpg)
(http://www.sacred2.com/typo3temp/pics/a04eb4d614.jpg)
(http://www.sacred2.com/typo3temp/pics/5976120d77.jpg)
(http://www.sacred2.com/typo3temp/pics/efbc4293ab.jpg)
(http://www.sacred2.com/typo3temp/pics/dcc425963b.jpg)
(http://www.sacred2.com/typo3temp/pics/d029024d20.jpg)
(http://www.sacred2.com/typo3temp/pics/5c5c08e335.jpg)
(http://www.sacred2.com/typo3temp/pics/017fc5795f.jpg)
(http://www.sacred2.com/typo3temp/pics/e2f95f4618.jpg)
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I dunno'... I think what I dislike most about this series is the character designs. That chick just looks stupid.
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I think it is an achievement. How do you draw a semi naked chick with decent boobs and make her look totally undesirable? Well they did it.
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Pug would hit it.
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:P
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Interview w/ Sacred 2's own Creative Director at Ascaron, who is Hans Arno Wegner. (http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=40060)
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Sacred 2 preview from IGN (http://au.pc.ign.com/articles/759/759787p1.html)
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Shacknews has a preview on Sacred 2: Fallen Angel
Here's some info on the MP component for the game (http://www.shacknews.com/extras/2007/013107_sacred2_1.x)
Ascaron noted that Sacred 2's multiplayer component is a big area of focus, though only fairly basic details could be shared at this point. Online cooperative multiplayer games will be able to contain up to either 16 or 32 players--the number is not yet set in stone--with parties of up to eight characters each.
Cool.
Like other games of the sort, it will have a pre-game lobby with chat and friends management, but less typically it supports both voice and video chat out of the box.
Very nice!!! A game that actually supports voice and video chats out the box!
Usually, you have to use some other program to do voice-chats on MP or something.
Similarly to Battle.net, there will be two online options, open and closed, with the former allowing players a greater deal of freedom to set up servers and the latter featuring only Ascaron-run servers in order to limit cheating and provide reliability.
Cool.
For those who still like to play within earshot of others, Sacred 2 will feature a special LAN campaign, though it is unclear how substantial it will be relative to the main single-player/online campaign.
Okay.
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Sacred 2: Fallen Angel's coming to the X360 (http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=41191&mode=thread&order=0)
'Sacred 2: Fall Angel' Coming to Xbox 360 - Screens
Posted on Tuesday, March 06 @ 07:39:20 PST
Sacred 2 is a deep fantasy RPG where players are immersed in an epic journey through the medieval-like kingdom of Ancaria. Highly action-oriented, Ascaron's Sacred 2 features pitched battles and a wide range of enticing quests. At GDC Ascaron announced that Sacred 2 is also coming to Xbox 360, and we will have the first impressions later this week.
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This is what everybody and myself meant in the other thread about PC stuff. Not that this game is probably even worth mentioning in such an argument given that it looks like lame crap, but even lame crap games are going cross-platform now. It's a plague.
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This is what everybody and myself meant in the other thread about PC stuff. Not that this game is probably even worth mentioning in such an argument given that it looks like lame crap, but even lame crap games are going cross-platform now. It's a plague.
I was shocked to find this coming to the X360 -- namely b/c I don't know how the hell this game will work on a controller; hehe.
I wonder if it'll actually have a Special Edition for the X360 and come w/ the original game or something....Who knows....
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RPG Vault has an interview w/ Ascaron on Sacred 2 at this link -- click here! (http://rpgvault.ign.com/articles/772/772079p1.html)
Some of the differences b/t PC and X360 version of Sacred 2 are listed here -- click here! (http://www.rpgwatch.com/show/newsbit?newsbit=4189)
German print mag Gamestar summarized the new infos on Sacred 2 revealed on Giga TV last Wednesday.
* The PC version will have a typically complex interface. No dumbed down console controls.
* Ascaron will modify the interface to fit to the XBox360 controller.
* Additional MP-modes on the 360: arena fights PvP & PvC.
* The 360 version may have slightly better graphic effects due to more CPU cores.
Source: Gamestar
Newsbit options: Ad
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Preview for Sacred 2 here at RPGamer (http://www.rpgamer.com/news/Q1-2007/031707b.html)
Another game being showed at GDC was Ascaron Entertainment's Sacred 2. RPGamers should remember the first Sacred as being heavily inspired by Diablo II. This time around, Sacred's developers are hoping to take the Action RPG genre up a notch and give you an evolved experience.
Ascaron started off by showing us the Seraphim class. She was decked out in 20 pieces of armor, and was hand animated. Ascaron has chosen not to do motion capture for its animations due to their preference of the look and feel of hand animation. They also claim difficulty in finding accurate models for hellhounds and dragons.
Ok.
As the Seraphim began to journey out into the world, a few things became apparent. The first was the real physics being used to model objects in the world. The second was how enemies could completely hide in grass, making an ambush very possible if the camera was overhead. Finally, the camera was switchable between over-the-shoulder and overhead modes.
Ok.
The world of Ancaria is gigantic. It takes five hours to cross the world simply by walking. And the world is populated by NPCs who, Ascaron promises, will appear to have their own life. There are over 200 parameters set for each NPC, leading to a rather large amount of combinations in order to avoid the generic NPC problem.
Niccccccccccce.
RPGamers need not worry about having to walk the entire world, however. Sacred 2 will have several mounts available to speed travel. These mounts include a horse, a tiger, a hellhound, and most excitingly, a dragon. The dragon was somewhat of a surprise, having been the result of three months of secret work by a developer, not shown to the presenters until just recently.
A dragon for a mount??!!?
Oh hell yeah!!!
The mounts have very detailed animations. The tiger mount was easily the most finished at this point, and two of its high points were its independent ear twitching animations and wonderfully detailed fur effects. Also, mounts have abilities that can be upgraded as you progress, and the mount's characteristics will change depending on how your character levels up.
Cool.
We got to try out combat, too. This consisted of the standard point and click until your enemy dies. Spells and special abilities weren't finished yet, beyond a couple necromancer effects. They looked pretty, but it's hard to say anything concrete about their quality or strategic usefulness yet. What was apparent was the unique animations that each enemy possessed, which again, were hand animated due to the lack of good goblin motion capture models.
Okay.
Sacred 2 will, of course, have a very strong online multiplayer element. A 200 person lobby is planned, where parties of sizes ranging up to 16 or 32 (the exact limit is unclear) can jump into an instance. These large scale runs are not the only way to play with your friends, though. If you're playing single player, and get to a point where a quest is too much for you alone, you can ask your friend for help, and he can come on over into your game and help you, and then take off to get back to his own gaming when you're done. This will be done seamlessly, not requiring you to interrupt or launch a new game at all.
16 to 32 in a party for MP....interesting....
Sacred 2's has an impressive look to it. So naturally, some RPGamers may be concerned about the technical requirements their computers must meet in order to play it. Obviously, those who plan to play the XBOX 360 version are all set. That version is looking to optimize all three of the 360's cores, devoting one 3D rendering, one to special effects, and one to AI/logic processing. The PC version, which at this point looked further along in development and much higher in resolution, is planned to be able to run on any shader 2.0 supported video card and scale up to a Quad-core system with GeForce 8800s. At this point, we only saw the PC version on a Dell XPS M1710 with 2GB of RAM, so it's hard to say how well it will look on lower end systems.
Let's hope since it is being made for both the PC and X360, the PC version doesn't have performance issues.
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Preview from GamesRadar.com (http://www.gamesradar.com/us/pc/game/previews/article.jsp?sectionId=1001&articleId=20070501151534992072&releaseId=20061222103932153050)
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Sacred 2's Dev Diary online on 1Up.
This here, it's a post from Daniel Balster of Ascaron on his involvement on the Sacred 2: Fallen Angel development team. (http://www.1up.com/do/my1Up?publicUserId=5847049)
Sacred 2 - Developer Diary - Daniel Balster
posted at 04/24/2007 09:11 AM PDT
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Hi, my name is Daniel Balster, and I'm part of the Sacred 2 - Fallen Angel team. Among other things, I'm in charge of coding the quest system. Before moving to Aachen to join Studio II, I was based in G??tersloh for seven years. I've been coding for computers and video game consoles for more than twenty years now - I think I'm getting old... :-)
Sacred 2's deep story with its many quests required a new and innovative approach, because, usually, every single mission is coded individually. So we developed a quest editor, enabling several people to work with the same database simultaneously. Thanks to the editor level designers may place characters and items on the map, enter dialogues in several languages, define mission parameters and link quests with each other. And since you just click stuff with your mouse and don't code anything, you can't make any coding errors...
To me, the best thing about my task is the fact that the quest system combines the work of all my colleagues. The level designers' great scenery, the modelers' cool 3D objects, the extremely complex game logic and, of course, the exciting story - the quest system requires all of that, and so I'm always the first to see and play Sacred 2! I add my colleagues' finished components, code some modifications here and there, remove bugs and develop missing program parts, which may be not as "popular," but have to be coded nevertheless. Algorithms, debugging, coding graphics, logic, network, web server and databases for Windows, Linux and console - a challenging mix of technologies, but, after all, that's what makes it all so special!
I'm currently working on the inventory and equipment system. After all, everything the player finds and collects in quests or loots from enemies has to be managed. Which items may players equip, and how? What about equipping two-handed weapons along with a torch? How do we handle healing potions, weapons, shields, armors etc.? And, of course, everything has to be cheat-safe and network compatible.
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So much for October 2007 release. Try Q1 2008, which is revealed in the G-Spot interview w/ Ascaron.
Link here for Interview w/ GameSpot on Sacred 2 (http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/sacred2fallenangel/news.html?sid=6172971)
GSUK: The game also features different stories based on good and bad actions. Will there be any overlap, or will players want to finish the game twice?
CG: Sacred 2 offers the player two different campaigns: "Light" and "Shadow." So, the player now has the choice of how to act during these decisive days in Ancaria. Whether to strive to bring peace and order back to Ancaria, or to follow a more sinister path of ultimate power and gain some credibility with the Inquisitors? This choice is an important decision for the player, and completely changes their outlook on the events and the world itself. Quests will vary in their style, and former allies may suddenly become your worst enemy. Both campaigns will run parallel but from a different perspective: protagonist and antagonist will be reversed. With all of this in mind, yes, there is a cross-over, and playing through both quests (perhaps also trying out a different character) will reward the player with a new game experience.
We will have hundreds of quests which will differ according to the campaign you choose, but also according to the character, your reputation, the chosen god or even decisions made in earlier quests. In some places across the world, "side storyline" quests are telling whole additional short stories.
Interesting.
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Another delay here for Sacred 2.
Now, it goes from Q1 2008 to September 2008. (http://www.sacred2.com/en/news/show/detail/Release_Date_Update.html)
Release Date Update
12-25-2007
Dear friends and fans of SACRED 2 – Fallen Angel
We would have preferred to announce the delay to the release date at an earlier stage, but there are many reasons why we could only inform you of it now.
A longer development process requires maximum performance in all areas, and a large number of people are involved in that process. In a crucial decision making phase it is impossible to communicate important news directly – we hope you understand.
An extension of the development process was necessary in order to ensure that we realize all the development plans and ship both PC and Xbox 360 versions with the best possible quality and stability.
A game as complex as SACRED 2 – Fallen Angel, with its many technical innovations, requires extensive testing and balancing in all areas. In certain areas of development we often had to make our way into uncharted territory when it came to implementing the new technologies which are required to make SACRED 2 – Fallen Angel the game that we set out to make. This inevitably led to situations where satisfactory realization of a vision took a bit longer than originally planned.
So, what to do? Scrap features? No, definitely not!
Patch with a patch as only a patch can patch? No, that's also out of the question!
The most important thing, after all, is the game. Fortunately for everyone, we are in the enviable position where all involved parties (share holders, banks and distributors) agreed to our plans for continuing to develop SACRED 2 – Fallen Angel according to our vision and create the best action RPG possible.
We would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks to our partners for their support and belief in both Ascaron and in SACRED 2 – Fallen Angel.
We'd like to ask our fans and friends for their understanding, and we hope that any potential disappointment is outweighed by looking forward to a superb SACRED 2 – Fallen Angel release in September 2008. Indeed, it is quite likely that many of you will have a chance to beta test the game.
Shortly before the release we'd like to make a demo available to the public and, who knows, maybe we will have a surprise ready for the Games Convention 2008… Watch this space.
You can rest assured that the Ascaron team is pulling out all the stops to deliver a SACRED 2 – Fallen Angel game that not only meets the high expectations, but blows those expectations clean out of the water!
Season's greetings and a happy New Year to one and all
The Ascaron Team
<- Back to: News
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GameSpot got a new preview on Sacred 2. (http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/sacred2fallenangel/news.html?sid=6192175&mode=previews)
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This is all in regards to Sacred 2's DRM, which will be protected by Securom.
This is for the German version of the game. (http://www.bluesnews.com/cgi-bin/board.pl?action=viewthread&threadid=91281)
Sacred 2 DRM - Non-Transferrable License [September 11, 2008, 12:45 pm ET] - Viewing Comments
RPGWatch has details on the copy-protection planned for Sacred 2: Fallen Angel, Ascaron Entertainment's upcoming action/RPG sequel. They have an English translation of a German FAQ revealing the game will utilize the SecuROM DRM (in Germany, at least) that has caused controversy in recent games like Mass Effect (story) and Spore (story).
Sacred 2 will allow unlimited installations and two activations, though only one of the two active installations can play online at one time.
They offer a number of methods for deactivating an installation so another can be activated, and promise that if their activation servers are decommissioned they will remove this aspect of the DRM with a patch.
An internet connection will be required for installation (which can apparently be accomplished using someone else's connection if necessary), and the game can be played without the DVD in the drive.
Perhaps most interesting in light of recent discussions of used game sales (story) is that they say a purchase represents a license to play, rather than ownership of the game itself, and that this license is non-transferrable. Thanks Strategy Informer.
Now, the Securom DRM Unlock Site for Sacred 2 is up, in 6 languages, actually. (http://www.unlock.sacred2.com/)
We do not know if the USA version will used the same Securom DRM set-up.
I think it could be likely, given the above.
We'll have to see, in due time...
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GOLD
Sacred 2 went GOLD
(http://www.sacred2.com/en/news/show/detail/WIR_SIND_GOLD.html)
Securom Protection Details
If you missed the details of this game's protection limitations and rules, see them here in details galore in the other thread (Gamer's Bill of Rights). (http://www.overwritten.net/forum/index.php?topic=4302.msg55716#msg55716)
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English demo released. (http://www.fileshack.com/file.x/13001/Sacred+2:+Fallen+Angel+Demo+-+US)
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This game is already out, overseas -- in France, Germany, UK, and Italy.
It's already been patched over there.
Currently patched up to Version 2.10 for those versions of the game. (http://update.sacred2.com/)
USA version of the game is not out yet and has obviously not been patched yet.
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People that have been trying to play Sacred 2 online (overseas) have been having issues w/ the MP's Lobby (http://www.sacred2.com/en/news/show/detail/Neue_Details_zu_den_Lobbyproblemen_bei_Sacred_2_Fallen_Angel.html)
New Details About The Lobby Problems
10-08-2008
New details about the lobby problems in Sacred 2 - Fallen Angel
As announced today by arvato systems, developers of the "Tincat" lobby software, the newly emerged problems with the multiplayer lobby for the action RPG Sacred 2 - Fallen Angel are the result of a complex interplay between the "Tincat" lobby software, the game code and the hardware.
In an extensive beta test conducted by Ascaron, the functionality of the lobbying apparatus using a TOTAL of 2000 players tested positive. The post release volume of more than 30,000 players unfortunately made some sporadic database problems with the lobby apparent. This is not something that could have been predicted from the test results we saw in the beta process.
In daily meetings between arvato systems, Ascaron and other participating companies, all problem areas have been analyzed and are now undergoing further changes and optimizations to provide a long-term stable environment for our players. The online game problems are being resolved. We will keep you updated on the progress of this via announcements on the website www.sacred2.com.
Your Sacred Team
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Sacred 2 (retail and digital version) will come with a shareable FULL game demo that'll be playable for a friend for a whole day only. (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3171179)
1UP News
Sacred 2: Fallen Angel To Include "Try Before You Buy" Option
Full game demo included with PC version allows sharing between family and friends.
By Stephany Nunneley, 11/07/2008
Looks like the world of demos is getting turned on its head by cdv Software and Ascaron Entertainment via their upcoming RPG Sacred 2: Fallen Angel. Included in the PC and digital distribution versions of the game, gamers will notice the inclusion of a "try before you buy" demo to share with family and friends. This is not the sort of demo gamers are used to seeing though -- instead it is the full game compete will all gameplay elements and features to be enjoyed by those you share with. The demo will be unlocked for one full day with all single-player and multiplayer modes, after which you have the option of purchasing the game online or uninstalling it.
Mario Kroll, director of marketing and PR for cdv Software feels that this is a great and innovative step: "Rather than showcasing only a limited character or content selection, as most traditional demos do, gamers can share and enjoy the full game experience, trying out the features that most appeal to them, and getting a true sense of the full game."
In the past many gaming companies have complained about the work that goes into creating a demo for a game, which is one of the reasons we never see a whole lot of them. This sort of approach though would require less work on the developers' part and instead give gamers the opportunity to actually get into the game before being shut out 30 minutes later.
Sacred 2: Fallen Angel for the PC is expected to arrive in retail stores on November 11 for the PC, with PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions hitting February 17, 2009. In the meantime, why don't you check out 1UP's preview of the game here, and while you are reading our thoughts on it, be sure to download the PC demo from FileFront. While it's not quite as long as the demo included with the game, this one will however allow you to reach level 10 (though the full game allows characters over level 200).
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PC Version reviews
80% from Fragland.net (http://www.fragland.net/reviews/Sacred-2-Fallen-Angel/1295/)
7.5 from IGN (http://pc.ign.com/articles/929/929352p1.html)
7.5 from Gameplayer.com.au (http://gameplayer.com.au/gp_documents/081027Sacred2.aspx)
7.0 from Darkzero.co.uk (http://darkzero.co.uk/game-reviews/sacred-2-fallen-angel-pc-2/)
5.0 from Honestgamers.com (http://www.honestgamers.com/systems/content.php?review_id=7529&platform=PC&abr=PC&gametitle=Sacred+2%3A+Fallen+Angel)
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I'm not surprised but it's a shame.
I played the demo a while back and it was so-so. I can see myself getting bored of it fairly quickly.
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I honestly don't know why anyone expected the game to be good. I'm sure it's a fun, low-key Diablo thing much like the first game. Which isn't bad, but... really, what can you expect? Not all that much.
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I have the first Sacred + Underground expansion -- and yes, I like it. It's addictive, action-packed, and has tons of quests (main and side). But, the voice-acting is for the most part just passable. The story is nothing special. It was supposed to be buggy out the box, but it performs and runs fine in its final version.
It looks like Sacred 2 is more of the same, from what I'm reading. I'll wait on it -- for the game to get cheaper; more bugs and performance issues to be resolved; and hopefully the will DRM restrictions later on will be lessened.
(Side note: The DRM-check from Sacred/Sacred: Underworld was removed with the final patch).
Here's some of what IGN said about poor performance, bugs, and the game's instability.
Calling mounts also seems finicky. They'll sometimes show up as soon as you hit the appropriate button, but at other times they'll get stuck in doorways and force you to save and quit out of your game then reload to resolve the issue.
Bugs also have a definite presence in the game world. The overhead map would occasionally be rendered illegible, forcing us to restart our game. Targeting enemies can be frustratingly imprecise, particularly when bits of the environment and friendly NPCs get in the way. Companion AI members would, for some reason, float several feet above the game world, sometimes they'd disappear, sound effects would play with no corresponding action, and there was the larger issue of the game crashing. While playing on two different rigs, we experienced random crashes and from checking out the official forums it appears we're not the only ones. It's nothing that ruins the game, but it is an inconvenience that could potentially affect you. Ascaron has been releasing patches so far, so it's likely these types of issues could be resolved soon, but for now the game's in a pretty buggy state.
The game also has some performance issues, meaning it's just not all that optimized. On a machine we used to play Far Cry 2 at a smooth clip on high graphical settings, Sacred 2 was chugging on medium settings, which isn't exactly a good sign. Provided you've got a fairly powerful rig, though, you'll be able to run it alright, and be treated to shimmering, shifting water effects, nicely detailed character armor and enemy models, some interesting architecture, decent spell effects, and nice animations. The world terrain is also quite varied, with cliffs and chasms all over. While it makes for a more natural-looking world, it also creates navigation problems. Even with your mini-map, it's still possible to lose your way when tying to track a distant objective and wind up in situations requiring extensive backtracking.
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7.0 from Gamespot
Click me for the review. (http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/sacred2fallenangel/review.html)
The Good
* Solid, if mostly traditional game design
* Wide range of quests
* Good variety of enemies and monsters
* Gorgeous visuals and offbeat audio.
The Bad
* Bugs make the game unstable
* World map is massive and convoluted
* Poorly developed main plot.
Unfortunately, a few unwelcome curves are also present in the form of a fair number of bugs. Characters can fall through floors and get stuck in the scenery, or wind up jammed in apparently clear areas and then have to stagger through them like they're doing some kind of staccato mime routine.
Enemies sometimes lock into an animation and continue to go through the motions of attacking even after they've been killed and can't actually touch you.
Allied artificial intelligence is very screwy. Buddies with attacking abilities wander all over the place gooning packs of enemies best avoided. Even worse, friends without combat skills act as catnip for monsters. Whenever you're escorting some defenseless person to a quest, for instance, baddies often ignore you entirely and chase the helpless character all over the map. This forces you to in turn run them down in what plays out like an RPG take on an old Benny Hill sketch. Allies also often get mixed up with the scenery, and walk around with their lower bodies well below terra firma. Resolving most of these problems requires a save and reload, which is a pain because the game offers no save on demand.
Instead, you have to save and exit to the main menu, which can lose you some progress in the gameworld as you get knocked back to the last resurrection monument when you restart. None of the problems here is common enough to really destabilize the game, but there are so many different issues that you can never quite relax and assume that you won't encounter some quirk or crash that will set back your progress.
Even worse technical glitches also plague the game in its current state. Crashes drop the game to the desktop every so often. This typically takes place during transition loads when going from one area to another while playing solo.
Multiplayer is a little wonky online. It can be really tough to get connected, as the servers seem to fill up pretty quickly during prime hours in both Europe and North America. There are different servers for each region, although you still tend to have to wait until the wee hours of the morning to be sure you can get in a game. The game also has a tendency to reject legitimate user passwords, preventing you from logging in. These two problems might actually be related, as many posters at the official forum believe that the "password not found" error message pops up by mistake when the servers are full.
Holy crap @ all these issues.
That's quite ridiculous -- and this is a patched-up version of the game here in the NA, since this game's been out for a bit in Europe already and has those patches already behind it.
This game still sounds like it shouldn't have been released yet, in such a buggy state and all.
Although you've already seen just about everything that Sacred 2: Fallen Angel has to offer, the game is impressive enough that it seems more exciting and fresh than dull and familiar. It could use a patch to clean up some of the instability, and more efficient ways to move around the map, but this is still the best action-oriented RPG to come along since Titan Quest, and a truly addictive experience in its own right.
That's a hell of a statement, saying it's the best action-RPG since TQ -- especially despite it's huge amount of issues.
But, God -- just looking at the listed number of bugs, CTD's, graphical problems, issues, and other stuff -- I think I will wait a good while until more patches are behind it, the price drops, and when DRM is loosened-up a bit.
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1Up review
A- from 1Up.
Reviewed by Tom Chick.
He loves the game, despite its insane amount of technical issues.
I like the style he did this review in, too. It's funny b/c he cuts off the end of every paragraph. He's basically emulating the game's CTD nature, buggy-ness, and instability that PC gamers will have deal with until it gets another -- (http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3171508&p=1)
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Haha, that's a pretty brilliant little review. It sounds like a cool game, all in all... maybe in a year or two when they get a final patch out.
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Haha, that's a pretty brilliant little review.
Yeah, it had me cracking up, too. :)
It sounds like a cool game, all in all... maybe in a year or two when they get a final patch out.
That's exactly what I think.
It's also what many people said about the original Sacred, when it first came out -- wait for it to get patched. It was a buggy mess. Well, I waited for it to get cheap -- and the original Sacred's in a pretty good state, after its final patch. Let's hope Sacred 2 gets even more patches like crazy.
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Patch 2.31 released.
This patch fixes issues and also adds more new content to the game. (http://forum.sacredeng.ascaron-net.com/showthread.php?t=52104)
Content Update Patch 2.31 Now Available
The developers have been busy putting together this content update patch. As noted in our preview information thread, this should not be confused with a hotfix. This Patch, or Content Update, will do much more. It includes plenty of important fixes, but also adds new content desired by the community and developers.
This Content Update Patch must be installed to access online play!
This update includes the following changes (changes for all updates can be found here):
* Implemented a new ingame options menu.
* Added ten new bosses to reward exploration.
* Added eight new portals for more convenient travelling around Ancaria.
* New “level of detail system” for better general performance.
* Better pathing.
* End bosses use more/improved special abilities.
* Opponents in dungeons are more challenging now.
* Buffs can no longer be activated when the selected combat art slot is empty.
* Improved targeting with combos.
* Improved drop reward for the completion of side quests.
* “Mastery” of the skill "Enhanced Perception" will now yield significantly better chest drops.
* Failed quests no longer count as resolved quests in the game statistics.
* PvP: It is no longer possible to attack another player during his fade-in by joining a server at the start island.
* PvP: Target circle now shows under mounted players.
* Fixed that Inquisitor’s armor and clothes were detached from body with certain graphic settings.
* Fixed that PvP was possible in some cities.
* Fixed clipping issue during praying animation.
* Fixed sound issues for the mainquest dialogs.
* Fixed several possible causes for crashes.
* Fixed one cause for random decrease of fps.
* Several minor fixes for combat arts.
* Multi-hit combat arts performed with ranged weapons now have a limit of three projectiles.
* Fixed that the Temple Guardian did not move to attack when mounted on a horse.
* Mainquest related holograms in the jungle area are now working correctly.
* Quest log no longer needs to be activated after exit/load.
* New mini-sets are now dropping
* Set-items now drop much more often and earlier
* MP-Servers can now be opened and joined at any difficulty
* In MP the difficulty of the enemies is not global for the whole server anymore. If two or more players with different levels play in different parts of the world, each player has its own enemies with their own spawn level
* MP - mode "free game" and PvP now has open ship ports between the isles
* The teleporters in cities will be activated as soon as the city is discovered
* Boni on items are now displayed in red if they don’t affect the character. This can happen for example if they apply to the wrong character-class or if they augment a skill that the player has not yet learned
* Facetteleon now has less graphical effect issues with different detail levels
* Quest items that need to be collected now stack in the log
* In the sidequest "Kobold chief" it was possible that the sound was muted, this has been fixed
* Sidequest "A strange machine" had missing texts, this is now fixed
* Traps now work correctly.
* Only five side quests involving hirelings can be accepted at the same time.
* Fixed an issue where quest hirelings were resurrected with the hero if they died before the quest had been solved.
* Fixed an issue where dead enemies sometimes stood upright after they died.
* Fixed an issue where the “Swirling Mist of Miasma” sometimes stopped spawning undead creatures and could not be killed.
* NPC and PC forging have been rebalanced. Values now depend on the difficulty level. PC forging is now less powerful.
* When the Inquisitor had throwing stars or throwing daggers equipped the animation for the combat art “Mortifying Pillory” was broken. This has been fixed.
* Several levitating objects and minor terrain issues have been fixed.
* A refresh button for the server list is now available in the MP-Lobby.
* Fixed an issue where it was not possible to trade with a mounted hero.
* It is no longer possible to equip halberds in the left hand.
* Fixed an issue where players would receive only one item back in their inventory after placing stacks of potions or trophies into the player trade window and then canceling the deal by pressing [ESC].
* Fixed an issue where the player was not properly teleported during the side quest “Ghosttown”.
* Dismounting now takes less time.
The Content Update Patch can be downloaded via the homepage http://update.sacred2.com manually or by executing the “sacred2updater.exe” located in the root-folder of the game.
We hope you enjoy your time in Ancaria.
Your Sacred 2 Team
-
Patch 2.34 released.
New content added and lots of fixes made (http://forum.sacredeng.ascaron-net.com/showthread.php?t=47516)
Since the release of Sacred 2: Fallen Angel we have implemented a number of new features and solved numerous problems to further improve gameplay.
The most important changes are:
2.31 --> 2.34 Content Update Patch
New Content:
* New area with 24 aboveground sectors and about 6 additional underground
sectors
* New textures and objects to create a snowy landscape
* Additional sounds for the snowy landscape
* 20 new creatures
* New NPCs
* New full quest chain
* Additional armor set for each character
* New armor items and weapons
Fixes:
* It was not possible to load an old save after patching, if the
character in the old save had an item in their hand (held by the mouse
pointer) at the time the save occurred.
* Characters over lvl 61 were unable to create game channels (only able
to join them).
* Sometimes after rebirth at a resurrection monolith, the character
started at an incorrect position on the map leading to a dead end.
* The fourth Guardian of the Big Machine could sometimes be killed while
it still idled. This skipped the end boss fight.
* Crystal Monster: The lightbeam adjustment didn’t rotate which led to
confusion about why the hero was stunned.
* When tabbing out of the game then going back, the position of the
mounted hero had changed.
* Temple Guardian’s “Amplifying Discharge” with Mods 1b & 2b "
Ricochet": Rebounding projectiles did not cause further damage after
the first rebound.
* Temple Guardian’s “Combat Alert” with Mod 1a "Assault": The
increase in attack value was not shown on the tooltip.
* Temple Guardian’s “Dedicated Blow”: The damage conversion for
'prone to ice' for fire elementals converted damage into poison.
* High Elf’s “Blazing Tempest” dealt too much damage.
* High Elf’s “Fire Demon” with just achieved mod "Enliven": The
increased damage was only visible after changing the CA slots. New
damage is now instantly shown.
* High Elf’s “Glacial Thorns” dealt too much damage and caused
massive frame rate fall off when used on bosses.
* The “Fire Demon” and “Moribund Animus” buffs restarted
automatically. Now you need to reactivate them again manually.
* Inquisitor‘s “Ruthless Mutilation” didn’t work properly with
ranged weapons.
* Shadow Warrior’s “Rallied Souls” with Mod 1a "Armament"
resistance values were too high.
* Seraphim’s “Archangel's Wrath” with Mod 1b "Salve": Additional
fireball was added but damage didn’t decrease.
* At the end of a combat-art move the Dryad erroneously shot another
round of shuriken/knifes.
* Dryad’s Hireling “Moribund Animus” no longer lies down every few
seconds.
* It was possible to forge high-level items into low-level weapons and
armor. This could lead to overpowered items. Now the highest level of
the forged items will be the new level of the item.
* Slot boni on forged items didn’t work properly. Now silver slots give
7 % bonus and gold slots give 15 % bonus.
* Item bonus "+x to all CA’s" didn’t work correctly.
* Monster attacks had a motionblur-effect that lasted too long.
* The audio option “Character Effects on Center” had no effect on
playback in 5.1 surround sound.
* Several sound issues fixed for boss music, deathsplatter-effect and
unique items.
* Missing sound profiles added for T-mutant Human and High Elves as well
as for new mini-bosses.
* All sounds were initiated with a short snapping sound.
* Singleplayer CoOp: When you started an SP game and opened the game as
MP, the server started without a name. Now the name is
CharacternameXXXX where XXXX stands for a random 4 digit number.
* Rivers had dust clouds instead of water splashes.
* Inventory picture for “Celdrahil's Gloves” was missing.
-
Free Digital Artbook for Sacred 2 released in PDF Format.
44 MB download. (http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/news/44142/Sacred-2-Fallen-Angel-Art-Book-Available-For-Download)
-
Patch 2.40 released for this game -- Retail Versions ONLY.
It adds some new features the fans wanted -- such as full control over minions, able to pause combat in Single Player Mode, improved user interface, new Achievement system, new quests, and new monsters.
Also adds support for NVidia PhysX, too. (http://www.sacred2.com/en/news/show/detail/Sacred_2_Content_Update_240_online.html)
So, Here's more info: (http://forum.sacredeng.ascaron-net.com/showthread.php?t=58223)
Content Update Patch 2.40 Now Available
Dear Community,
The current version of Sacred 2 - Fallen Angel contains several bugfixes as well as these newly implemented features:
nVidia®-PhysX TM Technology Implemented:
The display of two combats arts for each respective hero has been
enhanced with physical effects. Executing a combat art will now have
direct impact on the immediate environment (small stones, leaves, twigs).
The enhanced combat arts are:
* High Elf: Glacial Thorns and Incandescent Skin
* Temple Guardian: T-Energy Shroud and Untouchable Force
* Seraphim: Flaring Nova and Radiant Pillar
* Shadow Warrior: Nether Allegiance and Augmenting Guidon
* Inquisitor: Mortifying Pillory and Frenetic Fervor
* Dryad: Dust Devil and Edaphic Lances
Certain particle effects as well as different wind speeds are also vailable now. Leaves and stones may be moved by wind or by walking across them.
Pause Functionality:
In single player mode you may now pause the game any time by pressing [P].
The camera can still be moved around freely when the game is paused -
which is ideal for taking screenshots from various angles.
Control Your Minions:
This new functionality enables you to use your minions strategically. Order them to attack enemies as a group or individually ([-]) and determine how close they will stay to you (- ). You can also order them to attack directly ([Shift] + [Left Mouse Button] on an opponent). Pressing [.] will display your minions' current order status.
The Achievement System:
Open your logbook [L] and click on the trophy to display the achievements that you have accomplished in game. If you are playing in Closed Net these results will also be published in the community network on www.sacred2.net
Character Display:
You are now able to turn your characters around for 360° in the selection screen.
Individualized Character Inventory Screen:
Each hero now has a different and individualized layout for equipped items.
Additional Features:
* The Crystal Planes now feature a new quest series as well as new
opponents
* New items may drop
* Three new mini bosses. All mini bosses now have their own quests.
* The logbook now features a new graphical appearance.
* New options under „Audio Settings“ to adjust the frequency of battle
chat
* New death screams for all creatures even if battle chat has been set
to „Never“ under „Audio Settings“
* Added a tool tip display for the duration of purple and blue potions
* Incoming messages will now open the chat window. After seven seconds
the window will close automatically
* New option under „Audio Settings“ to switch acoustic notifications
for chat messages on or off.
Bug Fixes:
* Several causes for crashes have been fixed.
* The Dryads' shrunken heads now work as intended, boosting the
effectiveness of the combat arts Malicious Totem, Black Curse and
Viperish Disease.
* The bonus Deadly Wounds does no longer stack. In extreme cases
the overall hitpoints were reduced to 1 due to that issue.
* The bonus Deep Wound does no longer stack. In extreme cases
the overall hitpoints were reduced to 1 due to that issue.
* Fixed an issue that dead horses could be mounted in certain
situations.
* Fixed an issue that mounted heroes did not sustain damage when
they touched a T-Energy pool.
* Heroes will now sustain the correct amount of damage when touching a
T-Energy pool.
* Heroes will now sustain damage when they walk through the boss monster
"Swirling Mist of Miasma" ("Fog Monster").
* The boss monster "Swirling Mist of Miasma" ("Fog Monster") now fires
projectiles.
* The skill Alchemy now increases the amount of health replenished
by healing potions.
* The modification Evade of the Inquisitor's combat art Reverse
Polarity will now be displayed correctly in all parts of the interface.
* Damage over time did work properly for Elite Boar Riders. This has
been fixed.
* The Divine Gift Kuan's Breath also effected opponents who were above
the defined maximum opponent level. This has been fixed.
* Various fixes concerning Pierce.
* "Power leveling" using the the combat art Expulse Magic on the
"Swirling Mist of Miasma" ("Fog Monster") is no longer possible.
* Fixed the faulty damage display of the boss monster "Facetteleon".
* When several boosts were active, the fist boost to terminate also
ended all other boost graphics effects even if the remaining boosts
were still active. This has been fixed.
* The faulty damage of the modification Self Repair of the Temple
Guardian's combat art Jolting Touch has been fixed.
* The faulty damage of the Seraphim's combat art Pelting Strikes has
been fixed.
* Corrected several translation errors in English and French.
* Fixed wrongly saved values of the explored map.
* Amulets and rings have become distinctly different now. This will apply
to all amulets including already existing ones.
* Pressing [Del] when the cursor is positioned at the start of a
text field in the menu does no longer cause crashes.
* Fixed an issue that Blacksmith Arts could not be removed from forge
slots if they had been placed there temporarily.
* The Closed Net player chest accessible for all characters was deleted
when players logged in to the Open Net lobby for the first time. This
has been fixed.
* Sometimes, items that we rearranged in the inventory were lost due to
server lag. This has been fixed.
* Fixed an issue that made it impossible to open a server for
diffculty levels gold or higher even if the character met the
requirements.
* Fixed an issue that made it possible to switch from a hardcore
game to a default game and vice versa via the Buddy list.
* The skill Toughness will no longer yield strange results in higher
levels. Warning: Toughness did block high amounts of damage even while being broken. Since the fix, Toughness works more predictable, but might therefore be less effective in some situations.
* The mini boss Forest Guardian will now scale to the player's
level who is close to him rather than that of the first player who
entered the server.
* The unique spear Gronkor's Downfall does no longer carry a bonus
for ranged weapons.
* All mounted opponents now fight and die as intended.
* The acoustic signal of the heartbeat sometimes did not end. Now, the
heartbeat sound will play no longer than twelve seconds.
* The survival bonus will increase at a slower rate.
* The Dryad's combat art Malicious Totem will now have a stronger effect
when the proper shrunken head is being used.
* The Temple Guardian's combat art Furious Emblazer is now more
powerful.
* The Seraphim combat's art Divine Protection now has a slightly
reduced duration per level.
* The amount of experience points per killed opponent will no longer
be as drastically reduced on very high levels as before.
* The safe area (spawn protection) around resurrection monoliths has been
extended; monsters will not attack players immediately anymore.
* Several side quests have been fixed
* Throwing daggers will now rely on dexterity rather than strength
* The skill Magic Staffs didn’t apply to two-handed mage staffs, this has been fixed
* Temple Guard combat art Battle Extension did not work correctly in combos, this has been fixed
* Seraphim combat art BeeEffGee is now capped at level 200; the tooltip has been fixed accordingly
* Shadow Warrior combat art Reflective Emanation reflected conditions such as blindness and stun and not just the damage, this has been fixed
* Several combos did not work correctly when combat arts with different targeting systems were combined, e.g. area spells first and direct damage such as flash second. This has been fixed
* Some descriptions for combat art modifications were misleading or wrong. They have been corrected.
* Bossmonster "Carnach" teleported one last time while dying, this has been removed.
* Unforging items at the blacksmith broke the forge slots in rare occasions, this has been fixed.
* Fixed an issue where OpenAL caused noisy sounds in the main menu after
leaving a game session.
* Pressing [print] did not save screenshots when a dialog window was open. This window will only be seen in the screenshot when both [ctrl] and [print] are being pressed.
* Typing [% n] into the chat crashed the game, this has been fixed.
* The tooltip of special mounts had value discrepancies at a trader and in the inventory.
* Framerate drop caused by certain graphical effects has been lessened.
* Added more pictures for quest targets in the quest log.
* Fixed an issue in the MP server list that could cause players to join a different server than the one that had been selected
* The mastery of the skill Riding now unlocks the correct bonuses.
* Lore-skills increased the casting speed more efficiently than stated in the tool tip.
* Skill Spell resistance did not work in some cases, this has been fixed.
EDIT, April 7th, 2009:
Steam Version owners of Sacred 2, expect your version of Patch 2.40 sometime next week. (http://www.bluesnews.com/cgi-bin/board.pl?action=viewstory&threadid=97229)
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Sacred 2 will expand
Sacred 2 will indeed expand.
Ascaron expects to have the expansion pack done by end of July. (http://www.rpgwatch.com/show/newsbit?newsbit=11828)
According to Ascaron a Sacred 2 addon is in the works.
Update: Ascaron's managing director Heiko tom Felde says in a short interview with PC Games (which is NOT in English) (http://www.pcgames.de/aid,681935/Ascaron-im-Exklusiv-Interview-Sacred-2-Add-on-koennte-Ende-Juli-fertig-sein/PC/News/) that the addon "could be finished at the end of July".
Sacred 3 is planned
Also, that link above which isn't in English (http://www.pcgames.de/aid,681935/Ascaron-im-Exklusiv-Interview-Sacred-2-Add-on-koennte-Ende-Juli-fertig-sein/PC/News/) -- it also states they are already working on a Sacred 3.
Ascaron files for Insolvency.
Yup, they are looking to be bought-out.
It might be Ubisoft or Koch buying them out. (http://www.rpgwatch.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7027)
According to their own homepage, Ascaron has filed for insolvency! This step was necessary due to delays during Sacred 2's four year development cycle.
Sacred 2 sold more than 100k in Germany and more than 400k units worldwide so far.
Work on the Sacred 2 console versions has been successfully finished. Both Sony and Microsoft have given their approval. Now Ascaron is working on a Sacred 2 addon and the successor Sacred 3.
Ascaron confirmed they are in take-over negotiations with well-known parties. The talks will continue in close cooperation with their preliminary insolvency administrator.
This doesn't necessarily spell the end for the developer and publisher. It simply means that the company, at the time of the filing, didn't have enough cash on the bank to pay all bills. Now the preliminary insolvency administrator will assess Ascaron's business modell and every asset they have, try to find solutions with all creditors, modify the business so that it can be pursued successfully, and try to save as many of the 90 jobs as possible.
Ascaron had to file for bankruptcy once before, back in 2001. They survived after painful cuts.
The most probable candidates for taking over Ascaron are Ubisoft and Koch Media. Ubi has already successfully integrated two other experienced German studios, Blue Byte (The Settlers) and Sunflowers (Anno / nnnn A.D.). Koch Media's premium label Deep Silver publishes Sacred 2 in several European Countries. Both companies are big enough to stem such an acquisition.
EDIT - April 20, 2009:
Sacred 2: Fallen Angel for X360 = GOLDEN
Sacred 2: Fallen Angel for the X360 has gone GOLD.
Expect it out on May 12th. (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/sacred-2--fallen-angel-xbox-360-version-arrives-in-north-america-on-may-12th)
-
PC Reviews
84% from GamePyre (http://gamepyre.com/reviews/games/pc/1101_1.html)
X360 Reviews
7.0 from GameSpot (http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/sacred2fallenangel/review.html)
6.5 from IGN (http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/979/979857p1.html)
6.0 from GameZone (http://xbox360.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r27793.htm)
Console patches coming
Console versions (X360 and PS3) should get their patch "soon". (http://kotaku.com/5254610/console-sacred-2-could-use-a-little-fixing)
-
I really wish there was a console demo. I'd like to try it out, but I'm willing to even spend money on a rent. Maybe later?
-
Kalypso Media buys out Ascaron.
Kalpyso starts up a brand new studio, as well. (http://www.rpgwatch.com/show/newsbit?newsbit=12201)
Sacred 2 developer / co-publisher Ascaron will be split into separate business units.
Kalypso Media confirms acquistion of Ascaron assets and the foundation of a new development studio!
E3- Los Angeles, June 3rd 2009
Kalypso Media can today confirm that an agreement for the acquisition of most brands, intangible assets and exploitation rights of insolvent Ascaron Entertainment GmbH- has been signed with the German administrators, Pielemeyer & Welsch.
Kalypso will take over the full rights of the famous Ascaron brands, such as “DarkStar One”, “Patrician” or “Port Royale”, though a few existing license agreements held by Ascaron UK will stay with the Ascaron until expiration.
Moreover, the German publisher will hold a majority of share of a new studio which will be established mutually with former Ascaron lead designers Kay Struve and Daniel Dumont. The 12 ex-employees of Ascaron will be employed at the new studio to continue the high-quality development of console and PC products.
Simon Hellwig, Managing Director of Kalypso explains: “We are very proud of this deal, which allows us to continue the development of well-known brands, to create a high potential of further growth and to secure some of the teams jobs as well.”
More details and information about the new studio and the products to be developed will be announced soon.
This PR can be found everywhere, for example on GameBanshee. (http://www.gamebanshee.com/forums/gamebanshee-news-73/kalypso-media-acquires-ascaron-entertainment-109381.html) According to local daily newspaper Neue Westfälische (http://www.nw-news.de/lokale_news/guetersloh/guetersloh/2970882_Investor_sichert_Jobs_bei_Ascaron.html), refering to Ascaron managing director Heiko tom Felde, Kalypso (Tropico 3) agreed to invest a 7-digit sum into the new studio in Gütersloh.
A solution for Studio 2 (Sacred) is being worked on. (same source)
The Ascaron Entertainment GmbH will become a company without employees. It will collect the revenues for the games Ascaron developed. The money will be used to pay debt. (same source)
Due to Sacred 2's so far excellent sales on consoles Mr tom Felde expects the company will be able to pay all creditors in full. (same source)
A few question remain. It seems the new studio will secure ca. 15 jobs and the upcoming Studio 2 deal ca. 30 jobs. Ascaron's own homepage talks about 90 employees though. What about the other half of the workforce? And what about Ascaron's QA branch?
-
Kalpyso might've bought a lot of Ascaron IP's, but they did not buy Sacred IP.
Studio 2 still owns the Sacred IP and is still at work on Sacred 2 Expansion Pack. (http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/59218)
-
Damn, I really wish there was a demo of this for the 360. I kinda want a good hack/slash, gear/grind game. I can't seem to find it anywhere to rent. And, I'm completely unwilling to drop $60 on it.
-
Patch 2.43 released for Sacred 2: Fallen Angel (for the PC Version). (http://forum.sacredeng.ascaron-net.com/showthread.php?t=63691)
The Patch 2.43 for the PC version will be available today after an extended lobby downtime. All the lobbies should be online again around 15:00 (CET).
The Steam version may come a bit later.
New Features:
* It is now possible to disable the camera shaking via an entry in the optionscustom.txt. The entry is: camera.cameraShake = 0
Bugfixes:
* The heroes do not point out insufficient armor against the wrong damage types anymore.
* Reflection damage from NPCs has been reduced.
* The Sakkara demon on the "Start Island" no longer attacks the player unless he has been attacked first.
* Gold and XP amounts will now be displayed using periods as the thousands separator. (For example 123.456.789.000)
* When fight music is disabled, the region music will continue to play during combat.
* The bonus "Chance to dismount opponent" has been removed.
* Blowpipes are now able to hit mounted creatures.
* Achievements will only be shown ingame and commented by the hero the first they are accomplished.
* The achievement "Group Hug" is now possible to accomplish.
* Other heroes in multiplayer game sessions are now less chatty.
The patchnotes are not showing all the changes. One of the undocumented changes is the savegames compatibility preparation for the addon.
This update is mandatory to play online!
-
Intro
I've been playing this game quite a bit these past few days. More or less, I'm some 5 hours into it. So, here's my impressions on Sacred 2: Fallen Angel - Collector's Edition, so far. I'm running Version 2.43 here -- which took was around 850 MB itself.
Collector's Edition - The Goodies
No matter what Edition of the game that you buy, the game comes on 2 DVD's -- which takes up 12 GB, more or less. Collector's Ed owners get an extra 3rd DVD disc, which has the special "Elite" Texture setting on it; that takes up an additional 6 GB. The Collector's Ed comes with an additional map that doubles as a poster; a 4-song music CD; and a code for an extra special in-game character Imp that will help lug around equipment for you ONLY when you play the game ONLINE. Nothing really too stellar about the Collector's Ed here.
I don't know, but before Studio 2 (of Ascaron) closed, they were planning to release that "Elite" Texture (disc) online for free for non-Collector's Ed owners to download -- a big 6 GB download. I don't know if they put it up before they shut down or if Koch Media put it up since they now own the rights to Sacred IP. I'll have to check.
Securom Internet Edition - Protected
Unfortunately, the game is protected by Securom Internet Edition (SIE) and you have limited installs. At least, it didn't take forever to get the game activated. It was actually, for once w/ SIE, quite painless to activate as it actually worked on the first try for me for once -- but still annoying that I have to activate the game.
For their rules and restrictions, look here. (http://www.overwritten.net/forum/index.php?topic=4302.msg55716#msg55716)
You can get the De-Auth Tool here, if needed. (http://unlock.sacred2.com/)
Light Vs. Shadow Campaign
Besides the options of picking what class you are (there's six in total, BTW) and what God you want to align yourself with (there's a handful), to start the game off you're also given the option to pick b/t which campaign you want to do. You have to pick b/t The Light or The Shadow for your Main Campaign -- some classes and some Deities, depending on what you pick, have restrictions that you can only do Light Campaign or only do Shadow. Whatever you pick, that will determine if you do have to do either The Light Quests (Good) or Shadow Quests (Evil) for your main quest.
Skills, Action & Loot Galore
Like any good Action-RPG, Sacred 2 is loaded w/ tons of action, tons of skills, and tons of loot -- like Diablo, Titan Quest, and of course Sacred 2. Seems to be no shortage of this, as I'm constantly selling and swapping equipment like there's no tomorrow.
Game World
The game world's huge -- and by no means have I explored the entire map. According to the game box, supposed to be 22 sq. miles of it. You are free to explore the world as you see fit. You can chose to follow the main quest or not. Up to you. I've basically been focusing on doing side quests galore, for now.
Quests
Can there ever be enough quests in this game? Like the original Sacred, Sacred 2 throws at you the kitchen sink in giving what always feel like there's always "one more quest to do". Pretty much, it seems like a good deal you talk to have some sort of quest for you to do. They vary from the usual Action-RPG stuff -- kill X enemies; kill enemy X and retrieve item X; visit X person; escort character X to location X; etc etc. Some quests have more than one part to them. I've even ran into one quest, where you were actually given a choice to kill the evil character or help the evil character out.
Performance
I tried Elite Textures; Very High settings; 2x's AA -- and the game stuttered now and then, a little bit. Game looked great, at those settings -- I should note. I have the game on 1024x768; Elite Textures; High Settings across the rest of the board, w/ 2x's AA on. Game looks really good and performs smooth as can be.
Full 3D
Sacred 2 looks great, now that it's in full 3D (unlike Sacred + Sacred: Underworld) -- and we have free reign over the camera in any way we want. There's multiple cam modes, where you can have a cam follow your character entirely or you can have it unlocked completely to manipulate it freely like in NWN.
Conclusion, So Far...
With the amount of quests, skills, action, loot, and the huge open gameworld, the game's addictive. Very addictive. Diablo 2 kind of addictive. It can be very hard for me to take a break from and actually put down. So far, very impressed w/ this one.
MyD Screens
Link to some screens. (http://www.xfire.com/screenshots/mysterd/)
MyD Videos
Skeleton Mob vs. My Sword (http://www.xfire.com/video/11696e/)
Skeleton Mob vs. My Wand (http://www.xfire.com/video/1198a9/)