Delterius

... Who loots underwear? A character specifically made to push a specific agenda of game design, even though the chances of the game emulating/conditioning the need to loot underwear is none. Oh dear, I was beaten to it.

While I share your distaste for the jack-of-all always being the best, I think that that largely stems from The Elder Scrolls being solo affairs. The renaissance hero is ideal in an Elder Scrolls game because you need all those things to be fully effective but you can't rely on anyone but yourself for them. In a party-based game, you're probably going to get a lot more mileage out of a bunch of min/maxed characters than six magethiefwarriors. I don't have any problems with a jack of trades, or even with jack of trades being one of the best choices. My issue is when there's no point to not being a jack of all trades. The game is designed around it: Skyrim guilds do not even require competence for you to become their leader, as opposed to, say, Morrowind.

I believe people have their own morality system in their own souls, and I believe the writers should work with it: Make choices have consequences, no more no less, and do not link those to some sort of artificial karma. Let the player interprete things at his own leisure. 'Aplicability as opposed to Allegory'. Unless, the story itself is about a moral code and attempting to adhere to it. Then you may need a system.

So I can see, the poor thing looks even more negative than usual, which is good since the Codex is quality entertainment. If you ignore much of it, anyway. That should be the Mature Themes Catchphrase.

Choose Wizard class. Specialize in Divination. Cast 'True Sight'. Profit.

Dear sir, that's insulting: I was being sarcastic. I consider myself a rather vocal opposition of the way Dragon Age 2 did things. DA:O was ok, it took me an entire dialogue choice to shut off the only character that insisted on being interested on me, and people's sexuality wasn't defined by my character.

Curious. There is a excess of romance threads in the forum, but you seem to be in the wrong place.

Disclaimer: I couldn't care less about the option of Romances. If the authors decide that in their setting homossexuality is accepted, then that's ok as long as they stick with it. Fantasy can be whatever you want until the universe's internal logic is established. This nullifies all historic arguments, which never had any strenght by themselves - acceptance isn't something new and neither is the history of sexuality a global one. Everyone in the Dragon Age universe go whatever way you need because of how awesome the protagonist is. The choices you make in character creation are BioWare's Awesome Butten . Its all about choice. And no slightly inconvenient consequence because then people might be sad.

I agree, but a distinction made between 'light' and 'critical' injuries/diseases is only as valid as how traumatic the corresponding treatments are. Given that the setting is Fantasy with relatively common magic, Healing most likely translates to Alchemy, Nursing and Spellcasting - and I don't think its such a hassle to bring potions/bandages/spells/alchemical ingredients to the field. A fourth component for critical injuries, resting in a non-hostile environment, and that should require a trip to the Town Centre. And that would imply healing isn't a easy process even with magic involved, a idea that I enjoy but might not be compatible with the setting.

Yeah, Bethesda is hardly trying to balance their character creation systems, so my fear isn't all that realistic. But it is something to ponder. And I don't think I ever had any reason not to take whatever companion I wanted in the IE games. A good class system is designed with multiple roles in mind, and a good class based RPG should require most if not all of those roles. Thieves and Fighters don't (and shouldn't) do the same things, not even if you don't consider thief-specific skills.

This notion should apply both to injuries but also diseases. If there's one thing the much loved sewer levels need is some consequence for going down there and kill giant rodents and talking, swirling, giant, moving goos the color of poison. And then you must see the town medic for help. Aso, diseases should be a meaningful mechanic that approach your character(s) in a scary and mysterious way. You shouldn't just read 'diseased' of the character sheet, you should be prompted from time to time about your worsening condition. Mind you, there shouldn't be anything prohibiting the player from making his character a specialist. Or asking one to join the party. Especially if by 'medical specialist' the setting means 'spellcaster'.

Who said anything about being hard? Just being a elitist and keeping the bushwhackers out of the party.

That catchphrase matches your glorious avatar.

6 mages, no pack mules. =D I suppose six is a given, Infinity Engine and all.

You can't think of anything else that qualifies as Mature?

Problem with discussing 'realism' and healing is how often combat should happen in a game. If healing isn't easily acessible, even to Adventurers

Well, if they add a dungeon/quest/region/content where you get a magical item with interesting utility, I'd be all for it. One of the things I really liked from BG2 are the interesting equipment that don't just add to my attack rate.

Well, the tactical thinking lies in taking advantage of the moment. Sure, not being able to cast every spell you know did make for interesting situations when you had to survive a encounter without a (seemingly) vital tool, but you don't need a Vancian system (or anything as limiting to spellcasting) to have tactical thinking. Most importantly, Vancian casting force strategic thinking, that is planning ahead. I remember needing negative plane protection but memorizing healing spells instead. Healing of all things. To save on potions.

They are not discarding voice acting, they are voice acting about as much as in Baldur's Gate and PS:T, with some, more important lines being used to define a character. Full voice acting is what they are discarding and good riddance.

My greatest fear of a class-less system is when it trancends 'Be Anything' (which is awesome) and becomes 'Be Everything Because You're Awesome' like in Skyrim (which proves that game balance in single-player games is important).

Crates should be fewer in number than crates. Mind: blown.

I know this is a innocent thread, but kinda reminded me about he journalists asking Bethesda about Horse Armor DLC in Skyrim. Mind you, destructible objects might be interesting. And monsters coming out of 'cover' like that might be good too.

BioWare went further down that path and now most everyone must be a romance option, no matter what.

I was thinking about out-of-combat game mechanics. Off the top of my head, I can remember crafting, healing, dialogue and the usual Thief utility (open lock, disable device, scout ahead) as things present in past D&D games like in the old Infinity Engine goodies. I wonder if the developers plans include these, others and if they see beyond what was done before. Anyone here got a nice idea for non-combat gameplay that might enrich the whole experience?

Its not like Arcanum is remarkable for its combat. And ToEE was kinda frustrating - awesome rules, underwhelming encounter design.