Tyrsell

That's mostly my feelings about it too, but maybe there's someone out there with better ideas.

There are now more and more people using computers with multiple monitors, especially because of the proven benefits to productivity and to ease of use to the user. However, the gaming industry often treats multiple monitor support as an afterthought, if they even support it at all. This is of course understandable, especially when multiple monitors were first starting to become popular. Why waste developmental resources to design and create something that most users could (or would) never use? However, those gamers that did have multiple monitors didn't want to waste the extra screen they had, which lead to demanding (or using workarounds) to play games in windowed mode, so they they could easily switch to an internet browser or another program in the middle of their game to do something else and multitask. They could be chatting with friends on an IM program, or have the other screen open to an FAQ of they game they are currently playing. However, there are some genre of games that have used multiple monitors to great effect. Flight simulators, racing games, even some FPS that use extra monitors to increase the field of view of the player. RTS games like Supreme Commander or World in Conflict use the secondary monitor as an additional and larger mini-map to help the player keep track of their units on the map. So here's the question. Do you have any ideas for how role playing games, isometric, full 3d or otherwise could incorporate multiple monitor support in a way that could benefit the player? Or are RPGs as a genre a type of game that doesn't really benefit from multiple monitors in any way?

As someone who has never had fewer than two monitors on his desk (and generally three) for the past 15 years, I have to say, this just makes no sense, to me. No kinaesthetic sense. I don't see how turning my head to look at another monitor (keeping in mind, most people have rather large - and horizontally large - monitors at this point in history) is more efficient or immersive than pressing an inventory hotkey. Multimonitor gaming is something we forward-thinking gamers have always been interested in. But so far as I know, functional aspects of the interface have never been implemented in a multi-monitor interface for a game of this kind in such a way that functionality is actually improved. Multi-monitor interfaces can sometimes improve immersion in 3D first person games, by sticking something in our peripheral vision to give us a better surround experience. They can be good for driving games and FPSs, for this reason. But that's not at all what you're suggesting, and that's not at all this game. And so I reject outright, for now, the idea that sticking functional aspects of the interface on a series of separate monitors would actually improve the game experience at all. Particularly in the age of ultra-widescreen monitors, which are so much wider than earlier monitors already. I understand where you're coming from, but it's just an idea I'm throwing out there on how to use what is now just wasted space. Right now the only use for any monitor you have in addition to the main monitor your game is playing on is either: a) A blank screen or b) Open to another program (oftentimes an FAQ in an internet browser while you play the game in windowed mode) Surely that other monitor being used as part of the game can only add to the experience.

There's one thing I've been wondering with the rise in the amount of people with multiple monitors, how difficult it would be to program in an option to transfer all the pop-up screens (inventory, character sheets etc.) to the second monitor so they they can be open all the time. I mean, a lot of people with two monitors that happen to be playing a game that only uses one monitor on full screen just have a blank screen with their other monitor. Why not just use that wasted space for all the UI stuff that normally pops up in the middle of the screen and obstructs your view?

Don't confuse my passion for the success of this project for trolling. I want the best for P:E. I want Planescape Torment. I want Icewind Dale. I want Baldurs Gate. NWN2 was not successful. It barely even launched, never mind on time. To say that it was a hit because it had expansions is a fallacy. I can name any number of movies and games that got undeserved sequels or expansions despite having a lackluster reception. Again, not successful: LOTRO. You know what MMORPG's do when they start failing miserably? They go free to play where they slowly become forgotten and irrelevant. Do you want me to entertain you with some examples? Speaking of not launching, anyone who does a moderate amount of digging can find why Ziets left Obsidian. We might as well have Michael Bay direct the movie and Nickleback do the score if Ziets is joining the team. They're successful right? They must be great! I don't know why you keep ignoring Mask of the Betrayer when you talk about George Ziets. Actually wait, I do, because it completely undermines your argument. There is a reason why everyone that likes Ziets points to that game as an example of why they like him as a video game designer. MOTB is one of, if not the most elegant stories ever written in a video game. The overarching themes, the coherency, the brevity, is unmatched to this day. I could write a whole bunch of words here explaining why, but this guy here has done a much better job than I ever could of explaining.

I think the feature that would most influence me to increase my pledge would be a player stronghold a la Crossroad Keep in NWN2. A player house is all well and good, but something that ties in nicely into the storyline with plot significance makes it mean so much more. It doesn't have to be a castle, but something that is important instead of just a side fluff hangout.