[Cloaks and Capes]

Hmmm well they do write isometric on the kickstarter page. However, does that in fact mean a 2D experience? I would consider Neverwinter Nights to be an isometric game as well, but there it was in 3D and you could rotate the camera. Regardless even if the world is in 2D, i still believe that it would be a layered experience, meaning some 3D objects at least on top of the 2D to create depth. I feel games with only 2D can feel a bit flat, like Planescape, but pretty nevertheless.

 

No matter what the characters themselves will most likely be in 3D, as it will simply be the easiest way of doing it currently, creating 2D characters would be insane considering the level of customization expected from games today. Nothing is confirmed on this, but i am willing to bet my hat on it.

 

This means that cloaks and capes would have to function in coherence with 3D models, meaning the same old problems: Making it look real.

[Cloaks and Capes]

Keeping it as an accessory seems to diminish the effect for me. A warrior can easily have a cape or a cloak, just look at Aragon from LOTR, he wears a cloak, and it does not hinder him in combat (realistically though i see what you mean).

 

It could even be incorporated into the game somehow, imagine your warrior actually detaching his cape before battle and then draw his weapons, only to collect the discarded cape after combat (perhaps automatically?).

 

Give it stats, and i like how it could be used in a stealth fashion, i always hated how IE did stealth, i mean the character is usually right in front of them. If the cloak did something like invisibility or blended with environment just like LOTR when Frodo and Sam hides from the evil men. Imagine how cool that would be, instead of it being an actual skill every class could use it effectively. A warrior being invisible to attack with full force from behind, or a mage always switching positions and staying hidden while moving, confusing the enemy. Would create whole new combat strategies.

[Community wishlist, an organized list of the players desires for the game]

Anyway... I don't think that it should be for backers only. It all depends on how the wishlist is regarded. It will always be suggestions, we cannot decide anything, backing the project does not give us that privilege.

 

Basically the wishlist needs to be managed by a moderator, eliminating non-serious proposals. However, keep in mind that if it is nonsense it will not be voted upwards, thus no trend will occur. I would happily volunteer to moderate, but i am sure Obsidian already have qualified people for something like that.

 

I strongly disagree that the forum is the best way to expose ideas and suggestions. A list like this will make it easy to see what the players want, and it is much easier to just click to vote, rather than starting to debate in the forums. Every item on the list should be accompanied by a small description, which would be done by the creator, the suggestions could be made that the creator would have to moderate, kinda like a wiki.

[Community wishlist, an organized list of the players desires for the game]

I'm not sure there should be a down voting, or at if there should be any rules at all to when a proposal is picked. However, it will provide a very clear picture of what the players want, and thus a very useful tool for creating a good game.

 

I feel this feature is crucial, so i hope you guys will continue to discuss and support it. It would be ideal if a topic like this could be stickied, to keep people's attention.

[Community wishlist, an organized list of the players desires for the game]

Dear Obsidian and future players of Project Eternity

 

Here is a suggestion: Make a community wishlist, a separate website/webpage that holds a list of features that players would like in the game. New entries can be made by users, and every entry can be voted upon by users, the most voted will then trend among the top, giving you as designers and developers a clear indication of what the players really desire.

 

As opposed to crawl through this forum in an attempt to get an overview of the various features that players would like to see in the game. An obvious example of a community wishlist is present at GOG:

 

http://www.gog.com/wishlist

 

An absolutely phenomenal system, that is easy to view and gives a clear indication of what the users would like.

 

What do you think?

[Cloaks and Capes]

I agree, if not done properly, don't bother at all. However, it would be nice to somehow know if Obsidian has read this and considers it... I mean they say that we are their bosses, and we are a part of the design. An interesting concept, but this is like a brainstorm with a 1000 people, how can we make sure this point is heard and considered?

[Passage of time]

I really like the ideas you propose. However being a game designer myself, i can see some obvious problems with them.

 

In regards to food/rest and potions. I agree that potions in these kind of games is quite unrealistic, the sheer volume of them is baffling. However they are a necessity in terms of game accessibility. Players need a way of healing quickly at all times, magic and potions is the solution. If forcing the player to make camp, resting and eating to stay alive it can become a chore, something that most contemporary players would reject. Even stopping to rest in order to level up or re-remember spells has been abolished from most RPG's, precisely because they are an annoyance. However, it would be cool to have the option available, some kind of survivor mode like Fallout: New Vegas. Also having rare potions would be nice, the problem with this 1-use items is that the player never really knows when to use them, and will more often than not just save them throughout the whole game.

 

In regards to time in the world. Yes it would be really cool with seasons, and various events spread out across a year. However practically doing this would require a tremendous amount of work. And again game accessibility becomes a problem. If there was a tournament once a year, the player is then forced to wait for a very long time to witness this, thus requiring a great amount of dedication, something most players today wont give a game. However the point about time is solid, and could still be utilized, a more sophisticated day/night cycle would be cool, and having different scenarios depending on the time of day. The Witcher does this to great effect. Also seasons would be really cool, winter/summer etc. but again this would require an enormous amount of work development wise, think of all the environments, snow covered buildings, leafless trees, shifting color of foliage etc. It would be really cool, but i doubt that it will be possible for this game.

 

The idea about questing is really cool, it is kinda like Guild Wars 2. But again it becomes a problem on the development side. It is necessary for the players to experience the content the developers make. If you were to skip a quest, it represents potentially hours and hours of development that you will never see. If having limited resources, a system like this is not beneficial. However, if having lots of time and resources this could be done. Remember that the developers would have to create twice or triple the regular content if most quests would just solve themselves. It does remind me a bit about Dead Rising, where time is a big factor, and quests do "run out" if you do not solve them in time. Thus i feel that time should be part of quests, if an NPC says hurry, the player should feel the need to hurry. Also to do this, there needs to be some type of AI that even surpasses the radiant AI of Skyrim, the world should really be completely alive, in order for it to solve its own problems. Again very difficult from a developer stand point.

 

Very very cool ideas however. In 10 years maybe, we can experience worlds like this. Completely alive and immersive! I can't wait.

[Cloaks and Capes]

Good to see there is support for this. I agree that Batman AA and AC actually do provide a rather realistic cape feel. However there are still clipping issues, and that can potentially break the experience a bit.

 

It would be great to have both cloaks, capes and tabbards, and i feel like it would be even cooler if they had a purpose as well. Of course they should have stats, but they could perhaps grant the player special abilities as well, like invisibility (for a short time), damped sound when moving, faster moving, perhaps a bigger light radius... stuff like that.

 

Also the cloak/cape should have unique designs, and have a dedicated slot in the character screen, just like boots, pants etc.

 

It would also be cool if some cloaks would represent the factions in the game, with emblems on them, or perhaps the player could design them themselves, and give all members of the party the same symbol. Walking into a town with gang marks would be kinda cool.

[Cloaks and Capes]

Yes i would agree, a toggle would be nice. I played Temple a bit, but did not really notice the cloaks.

[Cloaks and Capes]

Dear Obsidian

 

I have already backed Project Eternity on Kickstarter, with a $35 pledge, as i really want the soundtrack as well (here is hoping for Jeremy Soule like quality).

 

Anyways, i have a small request for the game. Please include cloaks and capes. I feel that almost every RPG in recent memory have gotten this aspect completely wrong or not even tried. In Dragon Age for instance when wearing a cloak (or whatever they call it) you feel like you are walking around in a women's dress!

 

As a mage/magic user i feel it is imperative to be able to have a proper cloak, and it needs to look real. Meaning something like real cloth physics, or fake, as long as it looks real. Separate the cloak from the legs and the upper body, and make sure it is only connected at the shoulders. Swords and armor should not stick through the cloak, and preferably the cloak should have a hood, covering up the face of the mage. Think Raistlin Majere from the DragonLance series, he is always hooded and wrapped in his cloak, which gives that character an ominous feel. Here is a good example, concept art from Thief:

 

 

Cloaks or capes should also be available for all classes, think Lord of the Rings, adventurers usually have those elven cloaks on, which protects them from weather and they can wrap themselves when cold, or hide them in certain situations. I don't feel like they should have such functionality, but the look of them needs to be right.

 

This is an argument towards increasing immersion, please consider it! )