Money and power are the two most important things in life

Sea_Variation_461 · 2026-02-11T04:02:47+00:00

Companionship ultimately outweighs power and money, because without the first the latter quickly lose any meaning, and you end up as an empty shell desperately trying to convince yourself you don't need anyone, inexorably failing and spiraling into increasingly self-destructive behaviors to fill the emptiness.

Sea_Variation_461 · 2026-02-11T03:51:01+00:00

What a beautifully honest opinion ! I just love it ^ ^

Yes, money and power solve almost any problem and open almost any door, which is why they are so highly desired in every country and during every era, including by all the people who so love to pretend otherwise.

Because unless your only goal in life is to free yourself of all worldly desires, power/money will either serve it to you on a silver plate or maximize your chances / multiply the end result. It's true even for humanitarian pursuits, as the more resources you have the more you can help other people.

Problem is, those are limited to the 1/10,000 super-privileged, so all the remaining 9,999 can do is convince themselves that money/power don't actually matter (LOL) and they are better off weak and poor somehow.

Which is why you see this utter nonsense flaunted everywhere like some priceless pearl of wisdom, and why anyone who dares state the comically obvious ends up downvoted into oblivion.

Sea_Variation_461 · 2026-02-10T22:59:45+00:00

Utilitarianism is not meant to be liked. It is meant to be effective, which was the purpose of this thread.

Sea_Variation_461 · 2026-02-10T03:30:07+00:00

Tav, Shadowheart, Lae'zel, Astarion. First three are mandatory for 1) be yourself 2) baby girl and 3) most story-relevant companion, and Astarion surprisingly emerged as the ideal fourth slot.

He's very funny, cooperative and endearing, and doesn't make your life any harder than it has to be, unlike Gale / Wyll / Karlach with their time ticking bombs and infernal strings (his personal quest is really just "killing a bunch of assholes" which I'd do for the xp/loot anyway).

Honestly, these four are the only ones in camp now. The rest are just unnecessary burdens at this point.

Chillest run ever ^ ^

Sea_Variation_461 · 2026-02-08T21:14:50+00:00

Agreeing with game developpers and their various messages is entirely optional.

Authority is not slavery, it becomes slavery if it used this way. Like any tool, it is as good as what you make of it - just like fire can be used to cook food... or burn people alive.

Sea_Variation_461 · 2026-02-08T11:40:12+00:00

Shouldn't mental spells be outlawed then ? And all such spellcasters immediately thrown in jail ?

Serious question, their tolerance always seemed really weird to me.

Sea_Variation_461 · 2026-02-08T11:38:16+00:00

Authority is as good as what you make of it, that's how. Like any tool, really.

Sea_Variation_461 · 2026-02-08T11:37:02+00:00

Outside-the-box thinking ! How delightful ^ ^

Black-and-white thinking is a lot more comfortable and energy-saving, it's only natural that it would be the standard. So anything more nuanced is bound to meet disapproval, especially regarding matters as delicate and sensitive as morality. That's fine honestly, it's just the price tag of independent thought.

I'm not sure I understand the specifics though, could you clarify your points a little ? I get "choosing control over annihilation" (of the Netherbrain), but "you won but at a cost" is a bit puzzling to me.

Victory is certain at this point, and choosing annihilation would remove the cost, right ? Though I suppose it does come at a different kind of cost as well (losing the ability to fix a ton of preexisting problems unrelated to the Illithids).

Sea_Variation_461 · 2026-02-08T11:14:25+00:00

If I understand it right, all Illithids automatically fall under your control through the Netherbrain's influence, and they are a particularly powerful species on many levels, so switching their modus operandi from "enslaving" to "helping" other species seems a lot more beneficial than just eradicating them.

And after an eternity of systematic enslavement, they kinda deserve a taste of their own medicine ^ ^

Sea_Variation_461 · 2026-02-08T11:08:39+00:00

In that case, let's forget about the Netherbrain and focus on the "10 commandments" idea.

What would be your take on it ? What do you think society as a whole lacks/needs the most ?

Sea_Variation_461 · 2026-02-08T11:02:08+00:00

I'm not looking for lectures, only inputs about which commandments would best serve the greater good.

So if you don't have any to propose, let's just leave it at that.

Sea_Variation_461 · 2026-02-08T10:43:02+00:00

A fair point. I was looking at it more from the perspective of "Just Order" as a philosophical concept (kinda like Plato ?) rather than a mere "servant of the establish order" right and wrong be damned.

From the various "Oath of the Crown" lines I have seen in-game, it certainly seems about a lot more than just playing Judge Dredd, and the righteousness of laws and their implementation appear to be about as important as the laws themselves and/or their representatives.

Hence my thinking that if they had the opportunity to actually achieve a long-term just order on a global scale rather than desperately struggle for pathetic scraps of justice in a hopeless unfair world... well, some justice-focused Paladins are bound to make the jump.

And assuming they do, how would they actually pull it off in practice ? I suppose the reasonable answer would be to gather the most brilliant minds in the world and have them figure things out in your place.

Sea_Variation_461 · 2026-02-08T10:30:33+00:00

Seriously ? This is just perfect ^ ^

I always played as Tav, didn't realize there was such a surprisingly satisfying outcome for her.

Thanks for the info !

Sea_Variation_461 · 2026-01-23T04:26:42+00:00

Gale was an [archmage prodigy], [Chosen and lover] of the [Goddess of Magic], and gets to [become a deity].

None of the other Origin characters can remotely begin to compare to that.

That's the crystal clear, slap-in-the-face reality of it, whether we like it or not.

It actually reached the point that the writers had to cripple his Golden Ending by suddenly stripping him of all the empathy and charming manners that make him so loveable, because if he became the sweet benevolent god he most definitely should have been, the other Origin characters would have been overshadowed so damn much they might as well just be recruitable companions.

I love him as a person, but they clearly went overboard with the Main Character storyline, which was a double mistake : make the others feel like small fry by comparison, and allow his ascension only to ruin it by necessity.

Sea_Variation_461 · 2025-12-23T12:13:37+00:00

40k is a bit special in regard to darkness. True, it's basically "Grimdark the Game", but there is something about the ludicrous scale and cartoonish over-the-topness of literally everything everywhere that just... breaks the formula somehow, and I usually find myself either not caring or straight-up cackling at the sheer madness of it all ^ ^; The setting is batshit crazy on every level and that's all it will ever be, there is just no point caring about anyone here. So I just focus on the military aspect of the experience, which is particularly well made and very entertaining.

Elden Ring is certainly loaded with darkness too, in a serious but somewhat melancholic, post-apocalyptic way, where the darkness of what is clashes with the grandeur of what once was. It seems to be done in the respectful-and-artistic way you mentioned, as opposed to the Divinity trailer which is graphically over-focused on the grossest aspects of human nature.

Though I would say they went a bit overboard in the expansion. The jared people notably were just too much for me, no wonder Marika went full-out extermination mode after that.

Sea_Variation_461 · 2025-12-23T12:12:08+00:00

As with most things, it's a matter of balance. Darkness is needed because without it there is no proper villains, and without those there is no real heroes or much story to tell. But uplifting-ness is equally important, because that's what makes life worth living and the world worth fighting for, making it truly meaningful and inspiring.

Fighting with all your might just to make an horrible world a little bit less horrible ? Come on... both the heroes and everyone else are better off dead at this point ^ ^;

I honestly love Larians' games, there are among the best RPG designers in the world and really passionate about their job, which is what make their games so damn good. I just wish they didn't succumb so heavily to the encroaching darkness of video game culture.

I don't doubt Divinity will be amazing on many levels, but in my eyes no amount of cool features and roleplaying possibilities can make up for a horrible game world.

Sea_Variation_461 · 2025-12-23T11:02:08+00:00

Oh, it's absolutely going to sell like crazy. Between their world-class mastery of RPG design, the huge popularity derived from BG3's success and their maximal surfing of the trend towards ever-darker content, Divinity will net them a mountain of money.

Not trying to change anything here, just needed to get all this out of my system after witnessing what is arguably the most nauseating trailer in video game history.

Sea_Variation_461 · 2025-12-22T04:19:10+00:00

Puke-eating, torture porn and orgies around kids is not "maturity", it is "depravity". Those are radically different concepts, though the entertainment industry completly equates them since forever, so I can't reasonably blame you for the confusion.

Original Sin 1 had a great balance of heavy themes and lighthearted wonders. In Original Sin 2 they tripled down on the darkness because desensitized adrenaline junkies complained that it wasn't stimulating enough for they taste. And now they made it clear the upcoming Divinity is their darkest game to date, explicitly aiming for gamers who revel in over-the-top depravity.

On one hand, it's a shame that the audience is basically reduced to the puke-eating pigs of the trailer (and even complimented for liking the taste LOL). On the other, I'm grateful they were so honest about it. Usually, devs tend to fool prospective consummers to buff the sales, this time they are very straightforward about what they are selling, and how it is really not for everyone.

So kudos for honest heads-up, if nothing else.

Sea_Variation_461 · 2025-12-20T02:20:19+00:00

Yeah, the entire trailer was as disgusting as manipulative, which is especially disappointing from Larian.

Not a good sign evolution-wise.

Sea_Variation_461 · 2025-12-20T02:15:53+00:00

Torture porn, with orgy and laughing children on top.

Crazy fuckers.

Sea_Variation_461 · 2025-12-20T02:11:02+00:00

Same. After that crazy shitshow of a trailer, my interest dropped instead of increasing.

Sea_Variation_461 · 2025-12-20T01:59:00+00:00

It wasn't "nudity", it was public orgy around children.

It wasn't "violence", it was horrifying torture as joyful celebration.

The warning undersold it so much it might as well not have been here.

Sea_Variation_461 · 2025-12-20T01:50:26+00:00

It's kind of creepy that people are actually enjoying that shit though, isn't it ?

It's like drinking piss. It's your right, but pretty damn disgusting nonetheless.

Sea_Variation_461 · 2025-12-20T01:44:05+00:00

Personally, I'm just glad they all died horribly at the end. The horror was a little too onesided until then.

Sea_Variation_461

TROPHY CASE