Shadenuat

Maybe somewhere near a forest, to complement "mystical event" with a Wild Hunt references.

It's really just a matter of taste. Obsidian writing is good. I would ask for middle-aged and old companions though, because they seem to be rare in games. A battle-hardened landknecht in his 40ies, an old hag of magical powers, something alike. Anyone thinks we will see blind old lady who would give mystique advice on our party's future again? :3

Eh, we're adventurers, we should't join anything unless it is as cool as Red Mages of Thay. Free as wind and such, and, well, just 6 random people in a large world, so I don't think it should be possible to place local politics from it's toes to head. How factions feel about our group should be important though. I know people feel strongly about Obsidian letting player change the world as Soul-eater, Courier or like, but a realistic story where you are not the center of the world can be fun too once in a while.

http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/60296-your-ideas-on-mapping-journal-and-codex-features/

Good dialogue screen. At first I thought that concidering them playing "oldschool" card that would be a given, but games like F:NV which had to be fixed by mods or second type of NWN2 dialogue window which barely could hold four-five replies made me think otherwise. I don't want to imply Obsidian's UI designer's incompetence but then why does that feature always seem to suffer even if there is no console>PC resolution issue (NWN2)? With cutscenes and cinematics everywhere, the art of dialogue screens suffered a lot. Not dead maybe, but sure needs some reanimating done. We've seen very bad things happen to it: dialogue wheel which can't hold enough replies without additional clicking, short lines which make you feel like your characters says someting you did't actually meant, emoticons to make it "clearer" which downgraded choice into clicking the same one other and other, small and incomprehensible windows, colored replies for good and evil options, and so on. It was a long time something like Fallout's vault-boy was done. So, I would like dialogue screen make a turn and go back from "I want to be a dragon" to you all know what. I want large enough screen for many lines and actions. I want to use number keys to pick lines. I want readable font. And I don't want replies colored for good/bad options or emoticons. And for f-sake, no dialogue wheel.

The reason why spells are almost always chanted is because magic itself has its roots in priesthood, including very ancient ones stretching thousands of years back into time - it was praying to forces (Gods), thus for them to hear and understand, you have to talk with them. People called on forces beyond material realm using speech. And that was "mature" and "complex", at least more than just throwing fire arrows for 50 damage.

Repeating myself: chanting for spells please.

At least use bold or italic for dev responses.

Fair enough, voted 1.

Where's "Yes, but there should be consequences" ("You killed Dynaheir? Mins unlesh his BERZERKER STENGHH ON UU--")?

Yes, some would definitly improve setting. Also would be cool to see thief's blabble/language (BG1). And all the shakesperian speech too.

Don't care even if there would be only transparent "doll" with weapon slots and only weapon, armor, shield and helmet would matter (like Diablo). I would like to see some cool drawn items, not just icons of the same size though.

Okay. Would be fun if developer actually said that right? I'd prefer fewer types of weapons but being actually different in what they do.

Yeah it allowed to overrun enemies by better steel weapons and armour. However, at a cost of heavy metagaming.

Not bad.

Truth is I don't know. Aside from Arcanum, no crafting system was really fun or balanced. And Arcanum actually was't balanced either, just very fun. It seems like every time crafting is implemented in the game, something goes wrong, like: - Crafting is useless because rare artifacts are still more powerful. - Crafting is on par with other items, but if so, why bother? - It's imba (-% of spell cost in Skyrim as a recent example). - It ruins economy. - It requers too much skill points which could be spend elsewhere. Though as we have party of characters, that one is probably solved. - There is plenty of money to buy stuff without actually crafting them. When crafting really worked, it usually meant it added some items to the game which could never ever be acquired other way (Baldur's Gate 2, Wizardry 8, Arcanum...).

You did't figure out that only other thing you need to kill any creature in the game is enchanted mace? I mean, you get like hundred of fire or acid arrows every time you meet a troll, and same amount of basic weapons and Elminster's books for magical elementals. BG2 basically holded your hand there.

So what? What does some crappy MMO has to do with anything? Immunities are there in the system to make battle more tactical, preparation more interesting, and let DM reward players for planning ahead or punish for acting stupid. Single-player game can have decent encounters carefuly made for player's party compostion in mind. You are making a statement on a basis of things which do no exist yet. Also, Obsidian making their own system, even if using D&D as inspiration.

Sure. ...what?

Let's trust in player's intelligence at least a bit.

She is hot. No, I mean, literally. Annah weared that cause her tiefling blood made her skin feel hot. Ah, MCA, what a sneaky writer he is

Let's instead repeat the BG idea of that, if you miss ranged weapons in several encounters, you're dead meat, because life is tough, screw you. And to make things fair, give melee and ranged weapons equal amount of love by creating meaningful encounters for them.

That's kinda the point? Read lore, ask around, keep magical weapons, use spells?... Tactics, you know. I agree that BG had *some* problems with that, cause not every player read D&D Monster Manual, but that is easely solveable with a few design decisions like rumours/lore(mythology)/books ect.

Party based game => you have up to six characters to prepare for solving any possible situation.

I believe that was in NWN. Character without Spellcraft would read from bar "...casts unknown spell", while someone with it read spell's name. I agree. Throwing dozen of guards into fantasy name generator is just overdoing it.