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Planescape: Torment Is The Writing Good?

Min

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,072
So I'm like 10 minutes into this game, and I decided to play because of all of its accolades on the writing, but within the first 10 minutes I'm already grating against some of the dialogue between Morte, and while I assume his character is supposed to be sleazy and annoying, I just think some of the dialogue options is poorly written '90s sex fantasy. Is this what I'm going to be in for for the next 40 hours? The rest of the dialogue is fine... nothing particular to write home about at this point--it is only the opening after all--but the skull's dialogue and inclusion just seems to have set a certain mood and atmosphere so early in the game.

20A3DF14131FB9FE840FCFB4AE83F23A0F31D163
 
Turin Turambar

Turin Turambar

Member
Oct 26, 2017
2,780
It's good writing if the sleazy and annoying npc feels like sleazy and annoying. The good writing is working!
 

Deleted member 31104

User requested account closure
Banned
Nov 5, 2017
2,572
The writing is generally very good for a video game, but there's a lot of grating points Morte being one and its dated a bit now. Even Morte as his backstory evolves gets a bit less one note. The Torment in the title is not just the main characters Torment.
 
OP
OP

Min

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,072
Turin Turambar said:
It's good writing if the sleazy and annoying npc feels like sleazy and annoying. The good writing is working!
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No I don't think so. Because when I read Morte's text I don't think of a sleazy talking skull saying that, I think of some dude on the writing team writing that dialogue for a video game. It just feels sleazy and annoying in a cliche trope writing style type of way, not in a I actually want nothing to do with this character and man how did I get stuck with this character sort of way.
 
SteveWinwood

SteveWinwood

Member
Oct 25, 2017
18,681
USA USA USA
Minishdriveby said:
No I don't think so. Because when I read Morte's text I don't think of a sleazy talking skull saying that, I think of some dude on the writing team writing that dialogue for a video game. It just feels sleazy and annoying in a cliche trope writing style type of way, not in a I actually want nothing to do with this character and man how did I get stuck with this character sort of way.
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those are the lines that make you think that?

seems like a personal problem to me
 
Chivalry

Chivalry

Chicken Chaser
Banned
Nov 22, 2018
3,894
Lmao, yes. It's like dropping New Vegas just because the first dude you meet is boring.
 
OP
OP

Min

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,072
Frox said:
Are you actually serious?
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Ummm... yeah, I guess first impressions matter to me. When you come out of the gate with a lazy sex joke, it kind of plummets my expectations of the writing. Again I'm literally 10 minutes in and it's not something I'm offended about, but just something I rolled my eyes at and made me break my perception that what I was going to be playing is actually worth the accolades.
 
Mentalist

Mentalist

Member
Mar 14, 2019
17,988
It's good. Morte isn't particularly compelling, but then there's Dakkon and then The Brothel of Intellectual Delights.

The combat's pretty awful, but high Wisdom lets you deal with loads of situations without it.

Also, you need to roll as a mage, because some of the cinematics for the high-end spells are just ridiculous.
 
BebopCola

BebopCola

Member
Jul 17, 2019
2,057
Once you get out of the Mortuary and start interacting with people other than Morte and the Dustmen you're in for a wild ride
 
spam musubi

spam musubi

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,380
While the game does show its age in some aspects, Morte is an asshole who tries to talk big and sleazy as a deflection. So are a lot of the characters in the game. Everyone is broken, flawed, messed up and shitty. This isn't like modern RPGs where all the characters are supposed to be your BFF or a secret BFF. Some of your party members actively hate you, and have done some horrible shit. I would adjust your expectations.
 
Horror

Horror

Banned
Nov 3, 2017
1,997
It's a character driven story and Morte is just one character from a bunch that will contribute in fleshing out the tale. Think of him as D's hand in Vampire Hunter.
 
Daggoth

Daggoth

Member
Oct 25, 2017
661
The dialog IS the game, OP - if you perceive all of it as being written by a programmer at a desk, bail now.

Quality, though? Top notch. The writing sets an incredible tone for the game that IMO hasn't been matched in two decades.
 
OP
OP

Min

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,072
spam musubi said:
While the game does show its age in some aspects, Morte is an asshole who tries to talk big and sleazy as a deflection. So are a lot of the characters in the game. Everyone is broken, flawed, messed up and shitty. This isn't like modern RPGs where all the characters are supposed to be your BFF or a secret BFF. Some of your party members actively hate you, and have done some horrible shit. I would adjust your expectations.
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I'm fine with morally ambiguous characters, propositioning, and smut in dialogue between characters. Reading a few works by Delany earlier this year just set an expectation.
 
Asbsand

Asbsand

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
9,901
Denmark
Minishdriveby said:
I mean yeah... that's literally what I'm saying. I think it's trite eye-rolling dialogue.
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Exactly. So don't keep playing it. I concede that the game probably has good writing but the tone of dialogue, the style of presentation and such wasn't something I liked so I chalked it up to the game's age and direction and stopped playing it. There's no shame in it.
 

Deleted member 56580

User requested account closure
Banned
May 8, 2019
1,881
Minishdriveby said:
Well yeah it's my personal problem with video game dialogue.
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You're playing a game where nobody got any redeeming quality and some of your squad mates will also actively hate you

it's called torment for a reason. When you'll get out and start speaking to other people than him and the dusk you won't believe the shit you'll read
 
Hektor

Hektor

Community Resettler
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
9,884
Deutschland
Vulgar expressions of sexuality are a fairly consistent trait among some of the most acclaimed writers in the world, this is almost tame in that regard
 
OP
OP

Min

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,072
Hektor said:
Vulgar expressions of sexuality are a fairly consistent trait among some of the most acclaimed writers in the world, this is almost tame in that regard
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Stabbie said:
You're playing a game where nobody got any redeeming quality and some of your squad mates will also actively hate you

it's called torment for a reason. When you'll get out and start speaking to other people than him and the dusk you won't believe the shit you'll read
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Again my problem isn't with offensive content, it's the writing itself. The *nudge* *nudge* *wink* *wink* Eh? Eh? of it all is just dumb.
 
OP
OP

Min

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,072
Asbsand said:
Exactly. So don't keep playing it. I concede that the game probably has good writing but the tone of dialogue, the style of presentation and such wasn't something I liked so I chalked it up to the game's age and direction and stopped playing it. There's no shame in it.
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I think I'll play for a bit more. Get into the town. Talk to a few people. See if the dialogue is something I vibe with more.
 
Dest

Dest

Has seen more 10s than EA ever will
Coward
Jun 4, 2018
14,049
Work
The writing in this game is incredible stuff. Not sure if it has been beat yet, but Disco Elysium is on par so far as well if Planescape happens to not be your tempo.
 
OP
OP

Min

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,072
Stabbie said:
Its as if you have to spend time with characters in order to truly get to know them

Seriously. Try being judgmental maybe 10 hours down the road
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Sure. I say as much. Just an odd dialogue tree choice to pop open the game with, especially it being so heavy handed.
 
Failburger

Failburger

Banned
Dec 3, 2018
2,455
Easily one of the best written game. Sadly you'll miss out on a lot if you don't roll a specific build.

You want to see bad writing? Read the novelization of this game.
 

Deleted member 56580

User requested account closure
Banned
May 8, 2019
1,881
Minishdriveby said:
Sure. I say as much. Just an odd dialogue tree choice to pop open the game with, especially it being so heavy handed.
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Have you played games like Witcher 1 when it started with dialogue involving child sexual abuse ? (granted its the start of chapter 1, not in the very beginning)

Between other things. Could dig a volumetric amount of rpgs that are actually just bad taste, Torment is not one of these
 
OP
OP

Min

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,072
Stabbie said:
Have you played games like Witcher 1 when it started with dialogue involving child sexual abuse ? (granted its the start of chapter 1, not in the very beginning)

Between other things. Could dig a volumetric amount of rpgs that are actually just bad taste, Torment is not one of these
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I've played The Witcher 1, but either didn't see that dialogue or forgot about it. Do you have a link? Again it's not the content I found dumb or eye-rolling; it was the way it was written and being one of the first thing the character says within 5 minutes of play time.
 
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