maggotheart

What I'm trying to get at is, if you have "Equipment Degradation", but then you say but wait! the effects are minor, you never have to pay to repair it and it just disappears at the end of a fight, you simply aren't talking about equipment degradation anymore. There has to be some permanence to it if you're going to call it that. And if there is permanence to it, I think it's a bad idea for the reasons I and others have stated. I think the concept has been mutated through discussion into a different animal entirely as people try to figure out an equipment degradation system that isn't annoying, and I think the reason for that is it's just a bad concept. The more problems with it you fix, the further away it drifts from being an actual equipment degradation mechanic.

OK, but that really has nothing much to do with equipment degradation, except that you are creating a class of combat debuffs that fighters can 'cast' and referring to them as 'equipment degradation'. You could say that the Ogre bashed you and caused 20% slower movement speed because you are stunned, or you could say the same thing was caused by armour damage (he dented my greaves). If the effect disappears after combat, we're just playing with labels.

Ah, I somehow misunderstood, sorry about that. Although, I still don't like it I don't like the idea of my equipment values changing during the course of a battle, it will either be trivial (in which case why bother) or non-trivial which would only increase the reliance on luck.

I don't like weapon/armor degradation. It might be realistic but I feel that it's no fun - I don't find maintaining my equipment enjoyable, and I don't like being punished for forgetting to do it when I'm adventuring in the bowels of some dungeon. My solution to this question would be to reverse it: allow me to gain a slight bonus to my equipment if I take the time to maintain it. The Witcher did this, where you could use a whetstone item on your sword and gain +10% damage for a duration, then it wears off. There were several different kinds of these items that had different effects. This way, people who enjoy item maintenance are rewarded and people who don't enjoy it are not punished.

Unless it's going to be a part of the storyline I think committing crimes should just affect your faction reputation. Crimes: 1. Mayhem is a catchall term to describe destruction of faction owned property and disruption of their normal operations (like say having a big fight in the town square) 2. Stealing from a residence or container belonging to a faction 3. Assault covers everything from a mugging to a beating 4. Murder is regarded as the most terrible crime and carries the heaviest reputation penalty 5. Treason can be defined as any of the other crimes that are committed directly against the faction itself (stealingthe kings crown, assaulting the police, murdering an official) and carries an enhanced penalty for the criminal action Consequences of low faction reputation: (low) faction shops increase prices (lower) faction shops will not sell to the party (lowest) faction shops will bar their doors and attack the party if they draw near (low) mercenaries will charge more for their services (lower) mercenaries will not serve the party (lowest) mercenaries will attack the party on sight (low) sidequest givers will reduce their rewards (lower) sidequest givers will shun the party (lowest) sidequest givers will flee the party (low) town guards will hassle the party by following them and demanding bribes (lower) town guards will also bar access to some areas (lowest) town guards will attack on sight (low) patrols will intercept the party and demand bribes (lower) patrols will intercept the party and demand they leave the area (lowest) patrols will intercept the party and destroy them And the other side of the coin would be helping a faction and improving your reputation with them, we could call it favors: Favors: 1. Civility is a catchall term to describe restoring faction owned property and improving their normal operations (like say preventing a big fight in the town square) 2. Donating cash or other material possessions to a faction member 3. Defending the faction covers everything from verbal altercations to physical ones 4. Rescuing or saving the life of a faction member is regarded as the greatest favour and carries the highest reputation gain 5. Loyalty can be defined as any of the other favors that are committed directly for the faction itself (returning the family jewels, defending the police, rescuing an official) and carries an enhanced bonus for the favorable action. Consequences of high faction reputation: (high) faction shops lower prices (higher) faction shops provide a wider variety of items (highest) faction shops provide premium items (high) mercenaries will charge less for their services (higher) mercenaries will work on credit (highest) mercenaries will join the party just for the glory (high) sidequest givers will increase their rewards (higher) sidequest givers will seek the party out (highest) sidequest givers that are unique will appear (high) town guards will give the party no problems whatsoever (higher) town guards will also allow access to some restricted areas (highest) town guards will defend the party from attackers (high) patrols will ignore the party (higher) patrols will be friendly to the party (highest) patrols will intercept the party and support them in battle

How about a cursed sword that you can talk to, and the only way to get rid of it is to convince it through conversation to leave. The only problem is, the sword is really lonely and it makes you feel like a jerk to tell him to get lost. If you succeed in abandoning him he gets upset with you, and later falls into the hands of a mercenary. The mercenary listens to his story and decides the party is ripe for the pickings. The other option would be to find the sword a loving home, perhaps a nice family of blacksmiths could take him in and look after him?

Chanters could have an ability they can turn on that continuously drains stamina but disrupts enemy abilities. So they chant loudly and it causes enemy spellcasters to have a chance to fumble their spells, warriors mess up their power attacks and so on.

The class description makes it seem like Ciphers will have the ability to affect others minds so charm seems like an obvious one. It could be used in combat to enslave a monster or like a 'jedi mind trick' in conversation.

How about a set of cursed items that are tied to a quest - You find a cursed helmet, and while wearing it you get a sidequest to search for a sword, which is also cursed, and so forth, until you are wearing the entire cursed set which had been broken up when its previous owner was slain. Once the set is together you gain powers that more than offset the negatives of the curse. The quest then has you running off to get revenge on the descendants of those who killed the previous owner.

I think the problem with cursed items is that they're basically no fun (or annoying) and mostly everyone tries to avoid them and reloads if they can when they get one. How about having cursed items behave like the cursed shield in FF3/6: You choose to use a cursed item in order to eventually uncurse it and turn it into a good item. Unlock requirements could be a time limit or killing enough of a certain monster or whatever. This way it hands control of the experience to the player and rewards them for using the mechanic.

I loved the death animations in Fallout 2, especially the one where you hit them with automatic fire from point blank range - RATATATKERSPLODE! Good times. Satisfying, memorable. I don't remember much about how varied spear thrusts were though. I didn't care as much about that. My vote is for better death animations.

I wouldn't advocate being able to dig for treasure anywhere, but there are some scenarios that could allow for 'digging', but just make it a part of the quest or plotline. For example, there could be treasure maps, and when you get to the X marked spot, your party 'digs' and finds the treasure. For a plot based one, have someone hiding something that you need, so you have to force him to show you where the item is buried. You follow him to the location and dig it up. (There was a quest in Fallout 2 where a guy had some caps hidden in one of the graves, you get him to take you there and you can even make him dig the hole himself).

I hope not, I don't want to have to hold back all the time in fear that I'll miss out on loot.

Agreed; In my view this is something that needs to be fixed whether or not they change how archery works and If they're going to increase the complexity of the mechanic beyond what was in BG this should be mandatory. I'd actually like a few options to set on my archer, sort of how gambits worked in the FF games, where I can set some basic behaviours (if monster is weaker, if monster is stronger, if im wounded, etc) to free me up during battles for other tasks, rather than always micromanaging my archer.

In addition to arrow supply being limited, there could be different types of arrows for different situations, forcing the archer to decide which arrows he wants to have at the ready: - longer range - armour piercing - riphooked for extra damage - explosive tipped - flammable - magical (frost, acid, heat seeking, etc.) The majority of the arrows would be kept bundled in the archers backpack for longer term storage, with a bunch more in a quiver on his back for quick access when fighting, and an option to hold a few specialized arrows in the belt. There could be different sized quivers and specialized archery belts (possibly even a skill) to help the archer increase the number of available arrows during individual fights. How about bows vs crossbows vs revolvers? Bows can be fired the fastest and have the greatest range, but the least damage. Crossbows have moderate range and damage, could load 4-5 quarrels to fire off rapidly, but then it takes longer to reload it than it does to reload a flintlock. Flintlocks would get the shortest range and average reload time, with the greatest damage.

Archers could have options to shoot aimed shots (more likely to hit, longer reload time), snap shots (faster rate of fire but less chance to hit) or rapid fire (sprays many arrows in an area like AOE). Since the ammo during the fight would be limited he would have to decide how to expend his limited ammo in the most effective way.

Alternate zombie idea: A Zombie Curse is a magical disease that affects humans and other animals. Once contracted, the animal eventually dies and rises as one of the walking dead. Each limb (arms, legs, head and torso) is capable of operating independently, detaching from the others and propelling itself through the air through some means of magical levitation. In physical combat, attacks against a zombie can cause it to split into several pieces that will each attack individually. The peices will re-attach themselves when the danger has passed. If even one peice of a zombie remains, it will reattach to other peices (even if they were destroyed) and eventually regenerate fully. These creatures are very dangerous as they can last for years in total isolation and can spread the disease to other animals it encounters. Animals under the zombie curse become very vulnerable to fire, which is the only method of permanently destroying a limb so that it can no longer regenerate.

Alternate skeleton idea: Skeletons are not reanimated from corpses, but must be carefully constructed from individual bones to create whatever shape the creator desires. For this reason, skeletons often have several arms and heads, long teeth and talons, extra bone plating to protect them and so on. When the spell is cast to animate the bones together, a 'core' of magical energy is created and bound within that provides the newly minted skeleton with energy to perform all its life functions, as well as the ability to regenerate any damage done to its bony exterior. This core of energy hovers in the center of the skeletons body and is volatile, producing a large explosion of magical energy if destroyed. The explosion shatters the skeleton into thousands of tiny, deadly bone shards that damages anyone in range. For this reason, cores are often protected by scraps of armour. Skeletons are expensive to create and maintain as their energy cores do not last forever. They are also vulnerable to magic and skilled ranged attackers who can peirce their cores while out of range of the resulting explosion. Some skeletons can have additional powers if they are created with enchanted gems fitted into their eyesockets. These gems are able to draw energy from the core and produce effects such as fire blasts from their eyesockets. This process is even more time consuming and expensive, and the special abilities drain the core much faster, so these types are generally only found safeguarding the private estates of wealthy mages.

Active Respawning that happens while the party is present: (could all be tied to monster generators) - monsters are spawned that are neutral to the party as an environmental hazard that can be avoided - monsters are spawned that the party must fight and continue periodically until the party leaves the area. - monsters are spawned in a horde that cannot be overcome and continue until the party escapes the area. Passive Respawning that happens while the party is away: - an area gets repopulated with the same monsters, no matter how many you destroy they just keep coming back - an area gets resettled with different monsters and may eventually become deserted if you keep clearing it out - an area gets resettled with increasingly difficult monsters that only stops once a condition is met

Respawns could work just like the example the OP cited - party raids a crypt, when they open a sarcophagus it causes hordes of undead to start spawning and the party has to run for their lives while fighting a running battle without getting mobbed. The respawn should just take place in an optional area the party isnt likely to have to travel across multiple times, and used sparingly and intelligently.

Patrols would be nice and I think they should work as intended: if they see an enemy, they alert their base camp. Imagine a cave complex inhabited by goblins. If they are caught unawares they have thier pants down: the gate stands open, only a couple of bored guards are on duty, booby traps are not armed, guard animals or other beasts are still in their pens, doors are unlocked, no organization, etc. However if they are alerted by a patrol, an alarm is sounded, the gate is locked, more guards show up and are more alert, beasts are brought out of their pens and made ready for battle, traps are primed, treasure is hidden, armed squads are gathered for a pre-emptive strike and so on. It shouldnt just be a matter of how many enemies there are, what their location is and whether or not they are aware of the party.

There was a level in Bastion where the player gets 'drugged' and the music/visuals/voiceovers goes all funky, which was quite fun and a nice diversion from the standard. I wonder how it could be reasonably implemented with an isometric viewpoint, no time limitations and 6 party members though?

P:E is also leveraging the Torment name so that it can get more funding, which no one has a problem with... I think the problem is the perceived dishonesty in using the word sequel, because the game clearly will not be a sequel. I took a second look at the interview and Fargo doesn't actually use the word, the interviewer/article did. I checked a few other sources and they actually use the terms 'spiritual successor' and so forth as they properly should. Maybe too much is being made of this, it's not Fargos fault the article used the wrong word to describe what he is doing.

I want to encounter interesting monsters that are new and different or have a different take on an established type. For example, someone mentioned zombies and skeletons - if they're going to be in the game please do something new with them. Look at some of the zombie monsters in Left for Dead, they're vomiting acid on you, grappling you with their tongues and doing other unexpected things. Skeletons could have skulls that can detach and attack, bones that magically knit together if they break, non-humanoid appearances, etc. I just dont want to run into a monster and immediately know everything about it because I've seen it so many times before.

I really tried to give it a shot and played for about 4-5 hours before I just couldn't take it anymore. Your analysis is accurate. Pretty much everything but the voice acting / dialogue is crap, and the game just can't stand on that alone. It's nice that they wanted to do something like that for the backers, but it sure didn't inspire any confidence in Inxile. Now they're playing around with one of the most beloved RPGs of all time, it's a lot to live up to without demonstrating that they can make awesome games first. Are they biting off more than they can chew?