What types of player characters are available ?
There are three major ways in which the player can develop his character. These are: the way of the survivor, the way of the warrior and the way of the wizard. When starting the game the player needs to select the initial way in which he wants to specialize, as well as the gender of the character he’ll be playing with. These options decide what the in-game representation of the player will look like. There are six different representations for the player character, three male and three females. The appearance and the animations of the player character change depending on what he or she is wearing. Additionally, depending on the initial way the player selected, he gains an extra special move which he can also develop. On a sidenote, there are almost one million frames which have been rendered for the player characters alone. (the actual number is 6 times 165000)
Can I select a different portrait for my player character and can I include my own picture ?
Yes. Each player character representation has different portraits associated with it. We are looking at the possibility of allowing you to import your own player character picture.
How does the skill system work ?
The player is capable of developing his character by researching a number of skills. There are 96 skills available to the player. These are divided in three groups of 32 skills which correspond with the three ways. Each way is then subdivided in 4 paths. Paths group skills which are closely related to each other. To learn a skill, the player must research it. Each skill has a cost associated with it expressed in experience points. Some skills also have a number of prerequisites which are required if the player wants to research the skill. To research a skill the player must first select the skill, and then earn a number of experience points which equals the cost of the skill. If required, the player must also satisfy the prerequisites of the skill. The available skills are balanced in such a way that there are different ways of playing the game, going from pure hack and slash to the more traditional approach of pen & paper rpgs.
How does the player develop his character ?
The player can develop his character throughout the game by means of boosting his primary stats and researching skills. The primary stats consist of strength, intelligence, constitution and agility. In order to increase one of these stats, the player needs to increase his level. To do this, he needs to acquire experience points. In addition to the primary stats, there are several secondary stats which are either derived from the primary stats, or influenced by other aspects of the game (like the items he is wearing). The secondary stats include various resistances as well as offense/defense modifiers and hitpoints/mana levels.
How does conversation with other characters work ?
Whenever another character says something, the player can select from a list of answers. While talking to a character, the player can at all times interrupt the conversation or enter trade mode with that character. Additionally, the player can at all times review past conversations. A lot of conversations are also worked out in speech, but not all.
Why don’t all the characters have speech ?
The surprisingly simple answer is that there’s too much that they can say. The dialogs are very dynamic, and adapt to the circumstances. It would be impossible to fit all the variations on a few CD-ROMS.
Are there a lot of conversations in the game ?
Yes. There are currently more than 300 different npcs in the game with whom you can talk.
I don’t like to read. Do I have to go through all those conversations ?
No. Divinity features an “exit dialog” button that you can almost always use to get rid of conversations.
If I don’t read the conversations, how will I be able to go through the story ?
A large part of the main plot gets told through in-game scripted scenes. Additionally, when a conversation is crucial to the main plot, or if you have to make a choice, you will not be able to exit the conversation immediately.
Will I gain benefits from reading all the conversations ?
Yes. You will undoubtedly pick up more quests and information, but the game is perfectly playable without going through all of them. It’s really up to you.
How does trade mode work ?
Trade in Divinity is done through bartering. Both characters involved in a trade show the wares they are willing to trade. The player then selects what he wants, and shows what he is willing to offer in return. Characters will accept or reject a deal depending on a number of factors such as the player’s actions in the past, their relation with the player, current inflation etc...
Are there special items the player can use to boost his character ?
Yes, plenty of them. There are eleven slots in which the player can put items he wishes to wear. All items that fit in those slots can boost the stats and skills of the player. There are a lot of items that have been predefined, but the game engine also generates special and rare items so in theory the amount of special items the player can find is unlimited.
How does the player find special items ?
That depends. A lot of items can be found by searching the bodies of slain enemies (or allies !), by stealing it from someone’s house, or by just exploring. Additionally, some really special items can be found by performing quests.
Can I enchant weapons and armour ?
Yes, you can charm items with a variety of charms. Some items can contain more than one charm, making them rather powerful.
What’s this about a special move ?
Depending on the initial way the player selects, he gains access to a special move which fits to the way.
What are the special moves ?
The warrior’s special move is extending his weapon and rapidly rotating his body, doing significant damage to the enemies around him. The wizard’s special move is swapping places with his target. The survivor’s special move is sneaking.
How smooth are the animations of the player characters ?
Very smooth. Each player character has for every action at least 24 frames of animation per direction, and there are 20 directions per action.
What magic spells are available ?
The magic spells fall under the skill system. The way of the wizard contains 32 spells, split up in powers over matter, elemental powers, spiritual powers and powers of summoning.
In addition to what the player character can wear, does he have a backpack, and if so, is it limited in size ?
Yes to the backpack, no to the size limit. There’s no artificial limit to what the player can carry with him, the only restraint is his strength which decides on how much he can carry.
Can the player character run ?
Yes, he can.
Do the actions of the player character affect the way other characters react to him ?
Yes. Each character has an opinion of the player, and that opinion plays an important role in the interaction between that character and the player.
Can you give some examples of this ?
Bartering with somebody who adores you is much cheaper than bartering with someone who’s grown to dislike you. If you managed to turn someone against you, it’s even possible that they refuse to speak with you. Luckily you can always bribe them if you really need them to do you a favor. Also, somebody having a good opinion about you can be helpful when you are caught stealing.
What happens if I steal something ?
That depends on the situation. If nobody saw you doing the deed, you’ll probably get away with it, but don’t go around flaunting your stolen wares, or you might still get caught. If the opinion of the character who spots you stealing is high enough, you might get off with a warning, but if his opinion of you wasn’t that good to start with, he might attack you or call for help. If you are really unlucky, he might even call the guards.
What happens if the guards get called ?
They’ll try to arrest you and throw you in jail. It’s up to you to deal with that situation.
What happens if I buy Divinity in a shop and then put it on a warez site ?
The internet blows up and you’ll feel really guilty.
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