Osvir
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Posts posted by Osvir
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If you had a vicious (and loyal,) enough beast you could just let it hang out beyond the town walls so as not to terrorize the locals while simultaneously safeguarding your belongings. Assuming something nastier doesn't come along. And that's where the Stronghold would come in!
Arr, bringing my giant fat pack-Ogre into town might be unwise
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http://suikoden.wikia.com/wiki/Richmond
Probably one the coolest characters I know of.
I think the only Detective I spent time on (across all installments of the series).
I'd love to have a Private Detective feature in P:E.
http://suikoden.wikia.com/wiki/Lucretia_Merces
This chick scares me how awesome she is (in Suikoden V) and her insane strategic intellect.
One of the characters that made me come back to the game. Mathiu is awesome too (But I think Shu might take the price).
These Strategists are great examples and inspiration for "plotting" and "scheming" characters a la Sherlock Holmes (the more modern one by Robert Downey Jr).
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Why have LESS options?
Because contrary to what people think, more isn't always better. Give people too many options and things can clearly become obfuscated. I hope I don't need to detail why an extreme example such as 37 different speech related skills would obfuscate many of the purposes of said skills, all the while also making the game more cumbersome to build.
Some of the best guitar riffs in the world are simplistic, "Smoke on the Water". To chime in with alanschu, sometimes less is more.
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Recommending Berserk and Vagabond manga to everyone here.
Kind of at a loss as to what Berserk and Vagabond have to do with crafting. Sure Guts maintains his gear, but you don't need blacksmithing training to do that. Every marine can assemble and disassemble their rifle but they aren't gunsmiths. Salvaging items to use as upgrades is fine but I would sort of rather repair be left out entirely. It always feels tedious and mundane.
I think HellFell got it right with his first post.
It's about adventurers traveling the world, how they find gear, upgrade gear and become stronger through their trials and how they grow as people through their trials. In my opinion Berserk (Later chapters) is a great inspiration to look at for crafting and party based mechanics. We have the Wizard who brews potions, uses healing magic and summoning and great at herbalism. Guts is an outright brawler berserker fighter (and even he goes to a blacksmith to get his sword hammered on). There is the calm and flexible gallant rogue, the apprentice fighter/thief as well. Most of the series (both Vagabond and Berserk) we see them wearing the same armor, using the same weapons and same techniques but the author of the series still allows some new additions to their armors.
In Vagabond there is a sword sharpener who is renowned for sharpening swords (as if it is an art in itself and that it took him many years to become a master and now he has left it behind).
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I don't really see the New Game + mode being very applicable to the type of game I'm expecting from P:E.
An action game with RPG elements of gaining skills/stats/equipment (e.g., Batman Arkham Asylym/City) benefits from New Game +
A hybrid RPG/shooter like Mass Effect 2/3 benefits somewhat from it.
A party-based tactical RPG? Doesn't fit. It just imbalances the low levels too much, or party balance, or... just a PITA to implement in a useful way.
Oh so much could be done with New Game+ if handled properly and with care. Not merely "My end-game character was level 12 and now I can start over from the beginning and crush all opposition with it mwahaha!" but a New Game+ which kicks you straight back to level 1 and the only thing it presents you with is Items that you couldn't access the first game, areas that wasn't available, story and lore that develops into something more.
P:E has the right story and setting for it and they've explained that Souls "travel from being to being". What if at the end game your character die, and New Game+ would equal your characters soul inhabiting a new being, take you back to the beginning in the form of someone else who has to go through all trials you passed. It could be used in the story even in a way where time has passed and you are now a new character and you have different trials and adventure ahead of you.
Planescape: Torment uses this, where you wake up in the slab of the Mortuary if you die (Which in a sense is the same sort of "New Game+" I am suggesting).
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Should a city be one big city or several different districts like we see in Baldur's Gate, Planescape: Torment etc. etc.?
Should it be split up in "cakes" or could they be split up in "cakes" on your map interface but you wouldn't need to exit one area to get to another area?
Is there going to be a proper mini-map that I can click and drag my view around with? (Like Starcraft 1-2/Warcraft 1-3/League of Legends) Mini-Map is specially important if you are going to have this sort of control for your party (Being able to send them off to do their own tasks in cities).
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Have Stone to Flesh scrolls in your inventory, knowing that you will win the battle against some Basilisks but 2-3 of your party will turn to stone (your Main character included) and the game ends is BAD design. I could've just beaten that last Basilisk and returned my main character to Flesh.
There is also a quest which is impossible to say no to on the Coast of Baldur's Gate where this Sirine creature wants to give me a kiss, if I say no she kisses me anyways and I die. If I say yes she kisses me and I die. This is also BAD design because there is no way for me to say "No" as soon as the dialogue has begun. As soon as the Dialogue has been initiated there is a "No point of return". I know there's a story about the main character in Baldur's Gate disintegrating and turning to dust if he dies, so I forgive Baldur's Gate for the kissing, but not for the "Insta-death" Petrification which is outright stupid.
In the Final Fantasy game you get to the "Gameover" screen if your entire party is turned to stone. Please take this into consideration.
I just had an awesome idea for a quest/story regarding Petrification. Some Sci-Fi Influenced Cryo-Sleep but with Petrification? xDEDIT: There should be a possibility to "Ward" insta-death spells by quick thinking and quick pausing. There should most definitely be "Insta-Blocks" and "Insta-Barriers" that you can use rarely (high high cooldown). An enemy doing a Hammer Smash that will knock your Fighter unconscious is an example, but you activate (time it~) his block right as the hammer hits and mitigate most of the damage (high cost to Stamina?).
Likewise, my Wizard could throw up a magical barrier or shield that blocks a fireball from hitting my entire party.
Throwing a saving Howling Gale and an Eye of the Storm on your dying carry together with a Zephyr on the enemy chaser 1 and Exhaust on enemy chaser 2, followed by an Ultimate by Janna (throwing chaser 1 into my team and chaser 2 further away) and finally flashing out of danger as the entire enemy team is closing in is insanely satisfactory, to be even more annoying I might even turn around, shoot a bullet with Hextech Revolver (50% movement speed impairment) and Shurelya's to make my team catch up with the rest of the opponent team
And to be most annoying I'd activate Oracle and throw a pointless ward at them to bait and frustrate the enemy team further
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Didn't get your metaphors on level ups especially when they seemed to be mixed in with comments about finding unidentified weapons what exactly are you asking about leveling up?
Sorry, didn't see the edited part earlier in this thread. The metaphor is you "mine" (extracting Ore/Experience/Level Up Points) with a "pickaxe" (Sword, character etc.etc.) so you can "Level Up".
In Baldur's Gate there is hardly any level up resources at all (you spend 1 point every other level on a Weapon Proficiency). Some threads I read here seem to indicate more people want a more modern take on "Leveling Up" (Which gives you 1 Mastery Point, couple of Attributes Points). People want several build orders for each class (which is near-non-existent in the old IE games). So basically people seem to want to be able to build a Fighter in several different ways.
I personally want my Character Stats to be built early game (like Baldur's Gate), and it should be most Difficult to upgrade any of them. An example, for a Wizard:
(Random numbers out of the top of my head)
9 Strength
13 Dexterity
10 Constitution
18 Intelligence
14 Wisdom
12 Charisma
These stats will define my Wizard throughout the game in Baldur's Gate, and I will have to consider how I put out my stats early game rather than throw something together and then "Upgrade" all my points like every modern game does it today. The modern way doesn't only devalue the Stat system, it also devalue's your Character and he is no more than a "hack n slash" tool (looking at you "Kingdoms of Amalur", which has a great Class system though).
EDIT: I hardly look at the "Record" screen to see when my character is leveling up in Baldur's Gate, although leveling up is important, it is not the most important feature. My character should become stronger by exploring the world, by doing that quest which yields him some weapon and armor, maybe he finds a Master Swordsman who will teach you if you are persistent enough (and this makes your character stronger, not some grindfest down in a murky cave).
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EDIT:
@Jarmo: What stats and class/race did your main character have and how would you define your main character generally in placement of the story~attitude/personality? (non-spoiling)
Human, dual class started with thief-swashbuckler with longsword and dual wielding proficiency. Something like chaotic good, good intentions, looks after his friends. Had some moral issues when somebody hired me to just go and kill some wizard, but went with the flow anyway. Took 10 levels of that and then continued as a mage.
Statswise.. I had some workable beginning stats but then cheated the heck out of them with Shadowkeeper.
Made sense to me to have pretty high scores, being a son of Bhaal and all.
It makes sense and you should feel no shame for "cheating"
(I did this too, slightly in a logical roleplaying way for my Multiplayer group on BG1)I'm avoiding Shadowkeeper for my playthrough, I might change the Half-Orc race into Orc race with Shadowkeeper though (would probably mess up some dialogues as I seem to be addressed as "Half-Orc" sometimes).
How important would you say stats are for your character without Shadowkeeper? I'm fishing for what you think about "Level Up Points" to spend, and how important it is in Baldur's Gate. Modern games give you lots of level up points that you can spend on your attributes. How important is it really in Baldur's Gate? Likewise, can you think of a way how it could be important in BG2?
EDIT: I'm wondering because in another thread there was discussion about Armor, and what defines who can wear what, there's also a question of the "Speech Skill" wherein a buff character with High Str would be more intimidating and a character with High Wis might be more Truthful and Humble. I feel that Stats weigh heavily on both of these features (Speech Skill and Armor Usage) in a game like Baldur's Gate or Planescape: Torment.
I'm afraid that P:E might be a game wherein how you initially build your character has no impact at all on the game, whilst in Baldur's Gate and Planescape: Torment the initial build is the impact on the game. Sorry I should make a thread about this or post in one of the other stat based threads but I think it is important to get an opinion (regarding this) from someone who recently played Baldur's Gate with fresh eyes
As I didn't read your entire post (except the bottom of it) due to spoilers. Could you make a list of non-spoiler things (mechanics) you saw could have been improved during your gameplay?
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A mix of both would be best IMHO.
^This.
I love the dialogue in PS:T, but I also love the simplicity of it in Baldur's Gate.
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I'd like to have the option of turning Auto-Journal/Auto-Quest Notes Off (As an Option and not only Hardest of Hardest Difficulty) and be able to manually update my journal and write my own quest notes (Given that the Journal in P:E is going to be edittable like in Baldur's Gate).
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In Kingdoms of Amalur I have to fight my way in, and fight my way out (not in dungeons but in the "exploration"). There's a bandit camp early in the game and there's a quest in the heart of it (kills this "dude" and "destroy shipment"), so I had to fight my way in, then fight my way out too. I also fought and took down a mob of bandits, destroyed some of the shipments, got attacked by a respawn whilst running around there which just felt wrong too. I saw a Let's Play where the guy playing just ran past enemies because he wasn't interested in the fighting. Made battles look more like a chore that I'd rather want to avoid. Which is exactly the problem with respawning enemies.
I might've remembered the bandit guy's name, but the respawn occupied my mind more.
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Suikoden has a ton of character concepts and inspiration to be had from. 108 characters per game with re-appearances, but in total I'd guess around 450-500~ collectible characters (all with a short backstory) across all 5 Suikoden games. Which makes me start thinking about the Detective featured character you can get
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yeah
like, whenever the game takes your equipment from u for a while (jail\capture)
u can't stop thinkin'
"wheres my stuff
wheres my stuff
wheres my stuff"
unlike, 4 example, in Witcher1\2
I just recently finished Baldur's Gate (Trilogy Mod and loads more) and started off in Irenicus dungeon without anything. Imoen says "They probably sold all of our best stuff" and I was like "Awh no..?". I could still manage with the poor equipment that I found in the northwestern room from the starting point. Also found some of my old gear in various parts of the dungeon.
"Where's my stuff" wasn't necessary because the explanation from Imoen. More like "Awh no
" and "Whatever I'm roleplaying".EDIT: Effectiveness of your character should not be gear dependent, effectiveness of gear should, however, be dependent on quality of gear.
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This thread puts my ageism thread to shame
Now we're going to have 20 year-old fat guys in the game, but no 70 year-old skinny guys. What's the deal?That would be awesome too
in Baldur's Gate I think they were represented mostly by being Mage's. With mods you get small "portraits" that enhance the experience of imagining that they are older and skinny (same thing with "peasant paperdoll").Also, Forton the Monk
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What if we could make Viconia good, or make Keldorn evil?
Then they would lose their abilities since Good is not allowed for Shar worshippers and Evil is not allowed for Torm worshippers. Then I would boot them from my party for being useless.
Shar worshippers becoming Torm worshippers might get a mixed ability?
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Not to burst your bubble or anything, but there's a logical reason as to why the hero is quite often not a big guy or gal.
It's because he/she is the hero!
Hugo in Lost is a hero
I didn't read any more by the way, sorry for the context.Everyone is a hero. Again we're getting into that cryptic philosophical fluff hmm
EDIT: Reading your post I can see a Friar Tuck companion, a cleric or chanter that aids the party who is larger. It would immerse me into the world so much more. In Baldur's Gate every character looks fairly similar, even if I have different armors. In an Isometric type of game it might even benefit your eyes to distinguish your character further if you have a larger-beltsize Fighter.
Gragas in League of Legends
<3 I play Janna and anyone playing Gragas is always my friend because it is such an awesome combo. -
Winthrop is awesome :D imagine him as an adventurer companion? Or even an evil aristocratic Wizard nobleman companion. Casting spells in a nonchalant manner due to his power and size of soul.
"Humanity is Humanity". But instead of cryptic philosophy back to the sense of this thread, I'd like to see "Fat Acceptance" too (I'm slim).
The Era P:E is said to be set in, historically fat people were revered as nobility and men and women with cash and money. It was looked up upon, and men and women could be fat just to climb their "stature" on the society ladder (even if they didn't have cash). I don't have a source unfortunately, but something my History teacher told me in early grad school during class.
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To the OP:
Your comments are all fair. I will say that it is best if you decide who you want your companions to be early, and stick with them. It's usually not a good idea to couple a lawful good paladin like Keldorn with an evil priestess like Viconia. You should try to stick with folks whose alignments are compatible.
I do all of my side questing in chapter 2, because yeah, once you return to Athkatla in chapter 6 doing anything other than the main plot just feels wrong.
What if we could make Viconia good, or make Keldorn evil?
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The basics of it are this: each character has a small inventory. Like, a few weapons and a few potions. Small. But then you've also got your camp inventory, which is unlimited. When a character picks an item up out of the field, it enters their inventory. If their inventory is full, they have the choice of either sending it straight to camp or putting it in their inventory and sending a different item back to camp in its place. When in camp, you have access to your entire inventory and all your characters. No massive stacks of potions for every occasion. No swords getting lost under pages of alchemy ingredients. No thousand-pound backpacks.
Like having a pack mule
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The problem with Irenicus' dungeon (and all starting dungeon's for that matter) is replayability. The dungeon is interesting the first time, but after a couple of times just becomes repetitive.
But isn't that the same to all dungeons that are linear? I mean not only the starting dungeons are linear, there are also a lot of other linear dungeons in many RPGs. Of course if you start a lot of games and never finish them the starting dungeons are played a lot more than others, that I would understand, but why would people only play the first two acts and then start over without finishing the game so often that they get sick of those starting parts?
Sometimes for Dragon Age 2. Sometimes you leave the game for so long that you forget what you did and you start in the middle of a quest and you have no real idea what you are supposed to do. You've got to re-learn everything you did right before a boss, or remember the entire story you just played.
EDIT:
@Jarmo: What stats and class/race did your main character have and how would you define your main character generally in placement of the story~attitude/personality? (non-spoiling)
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Mikaw, the vibe I'm getting from your post is that of course we can balance the armors so they're all viable but no we could never balance the weapons so they're all viable.
And I've already covered why you'd wear something other than plate even if it was best. Remember getting your first suit of power armor in Fallout 2? Can I get a "heck yeah!"?
Heck yeah!
This is kind of my thought (Sands of the Coliseum Flash Game), but if the armor breaks it breaks (though I think in this slightly addictive Flash game). I think that armor regenerates after each battle (which it obviously wouldn't in P:E if this is the case). Armor and weapon could break in the middle of combat in Baldur's Gate. I'm just asking for more of that, with an option to repair it.
http://www.free-onli...e-coliseum.html
There's a ton of bandits in Baldur's Gate, I'm sure that my Thief could use some of that padding to repair her own armor. Maybe looting should be "salvaging" instead?
EDIT: And if Plate Mail is expensive for you and specially fitted for you, shouldn't it be for everyone else too? So even having a Plate Mail gets harder to repair (because there's less plate around). Also something to consider.
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I think it is hard to balance out the urgency of a main plot and the feeling of exploring. For example in morrowind I found myself not knowing what to do other than just exploring and getting bored of that and stopped playing. I think there needs to be *some* urgency of a plot or you will have no reason to go on at all and just get bored. Of course the exploration feeling is very nice too, but I personally get that everytime if the main story brings me somewhere or if I have to go through an area to get to the next main plot area anyway.
Had nothing against the dungeon. It is linear, but has lots of different ideas in them, stuff you can find, story-lines you can pick up and you get to travel with your "best friend" until she gets taken, what adds a lot to the motivation to go and search for her, if you don't know her from BG1. I think it is well done and can't give a lot of examples that made a better job. Every starting/tutorial level is linear, because you have to build up knowledge of the game.
Damn you guys, now I want to play that game again.
I'm having a feeling Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition will be nice in a couple of weeks
But I do feel that Baldur's Gate with lots of mods will still hold much much more content than EE will (unless you can directly mod EE with the same tools/ways like you do with vanilla BG).
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In Baldur's Gate, the city not the game, I feel I would have wanted to send all my members out on personal quest and/or at my command. I could've had them all scattered about, get quests, my thief could perhaps infiltrate some houses with the Thieving Guild (which she has to do anyways).
Basically doing a "search party" for information. I tried putting this into my friends head when we got to Nashkel, that he should head to the tavern and talk to some folk to get information. The problem that rose up in that Multiplayer session was that whenever I talked to someone my friends game paused and vice versa.
There's been talk about letting your companions act as fronts persons.
Maybe some quests requires your entire party to be gathered (which would be indicated by the quest giver saying "Come back when you've gathered your party, there's coin to be had").
I'd be able to explore a city faster too (just as my imagination would be able to craft a story why they walk off), and likewise be in more trouble if my single Wizard gets attacked by an ambush when he's solo, so I could send him with someone. So the pro is that you explore the city faster, and you get more material to deciding "Why" Aloth walks with Cadegund in a direction (he is a Wizard, she is in an Order?). Cons would be missing out on in-party banter. Walking with certain people with you could also effect friendship/romance.
Haha there could be a romance option that just wants your loving but is a great fighter. You could send her off in a corner in one direction when you are in cities, then you won't need to worry about it so much
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I just had an awesome idea for a quest/story regarding Petrification. Some Sci-Fi Influenced Cryo-Sleep but with Petrification? xD
(I did this too, slightly in a logical roleplaying way for my Multiplayer group on BG1)
" and "Whatever I'm roleplaying".
pack animals or beasts of burden
in Pillars of Eternity: Stories (Spoiler Warning!)
Posted · Edited by Osvir
I really like DA:O's traveling camp, but it could be simplified I believe. Perhaps indicated by a camp fire (or stone rubble if day), a bedroll and the pack ogre (which pops up wherever you are on the map and you are eligable to "camp"). I suggest that you should be able to camp between every 12th-16th hour in-game (or at an inn at most twice in a row with a downtime of 6 in-game hours).
At the pack ogre you would be able to access crafting tools, manage your inventory (rest if you even want to rest). Party banter and such~ perhaps get random encounters in the camp phase. At rarest it should be an extra companion with its own AI that you can't control (except Fallout style where you tell Munchy, kudos to OP, how to behave in battle).
Also, pack ogre: