Osvir
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Posts posted by Osvir
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Divine Divinity.
It is an open world/sandbox, mostly right? I haven't played that far (trying to get into the castle). But the world portrayed there could work with a time system (and it does, does it not?).
Bandit's attack a village, the village gets attacked real time. At the same time on the other side of the world you are doing a completely different quest, unaware or nonchalant.
Living Quests, quests that complete themselves by some mean (I have tens-twenties of quest ideas for this, some include companions, villains, rebellions and so forth).
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The Witcher I/II has done it the best imo. Your choices weren't strictly black and white/good or bad and the affects of your choices could come back much later into the game instead of right after you make it.
I hope PE has some fairly decent choices (and it isn't good/bad but rather morally grey) and the affects of your choices aren't immediate or known until later.
It makes the world feel more alive and gives more meaning behind what you do.
Yeah, The Witcher series is the gold standard for difficult moral choices and far reaching/unexpected consequences. If Project Eternity tries to emulate those games in that regard to some degree I would be all for it.
What do you think about "Living Quests"? Quest's that travels from town to town, completing themselves during a time period and you can "enter" their environments at any point in them if you would come across them. From a roleplaying perspective the possibilities to "why" those quests complete themselves is an endless list created in our imagination.
A village is being taken over by bandits, if enough time passes, they will take it over and it will instead turn into a bandit fortress.
How could you, in-game, be warned about this? Messenger's, travelers, Caravan's, escapers and so forth. Would you instead have been by the village, you could have entered it full in fight, bandit vs villager. Or perhaps you have stayed in this village~ around this area for a while, and the villager's have been complaining about bandits being more aggressive and being afraid of an impending attack for something that happened in the village (Someone got insulted perhaps?). So you decide to stop them.
A Divine Divinity world is great to travel through *hint hint*
Time should have an influence on quests, that's what I am trying to say. The old man who wants you to buy food for him won't sit there waiting rotting in the sun, he'll do things. Now not saying to give -all- Quests or people these features of "Living". But some that effects your game just as you effect the course of history within the game.
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Men should get -2 Intelligence and +1 Strength. That's what they get for starting statistics threads on Male and Female haha
Okay jokes aside, I can still envision it. This is a Medieval Fantasy setting as far as I understand it. In larger cities, I have an innate feeling that there will be "slaves" for starters, both male and female. I have a distinct feeling that it might be, in Human culture, a male dominated society. Women not being of equal worth, except those few bitter old baronesses and innocent pure women, independent women and strong women. It would however be few in the "crowd" so to speak (Population-wise) for it's Era.
Someone said they are talking about "No boobplates please. It doesn't fit in a realistic fantasy", what does this mean? They want authenticity.
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We can't explain how excited we are to do that.
I can understand. If I were in your shoes I would probably be very excited. This is why I have faith in Obsidian that no matter what spawns out of this process I believe it is going to be great
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Let's use another word instead of "cooldown".
Meditating. The Mage is meditating. Meditation is active sleep and sleeping is passive meditation. So lorewise, the Mage is meditating. Filling his soul with energy, abundantly from the spiritual forces in everything.
I don't know. Resting every 2 hours for 8 hours isn't really lore-ish either. What exactly is "Resting"? The Mage's memory? "I need to memorize these spells like an old man going senile! For EIGHT hours!? I'm only Level 1 I can only cast 3 spells! I spend 2-3 hours remembering and forgetting 1 spell at a time!!!!" *shakes wand* haha
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I was about to write a novell worth's of a post. Then midway I realized "I was only going to post a video!"
By the way, I'm a dreamer
Hugs to all you people
Many of us clearly draw lines back to Baldur's Gate and the IE games generally being our influence. Let's take a different look on it, what do you want to influence? What do you wish to create, that you feel you as well as others would enjoy? Perhaps you have an idea, but you also understand that this is something you preferably enjoy. You do know that others like other things. Is it possible to combine two ideas? Why, yes, in fact it is.
Let's say I have an idea, and so do you, together we could bicker and bite at each other through the idea. Or we can implement our own ideas together with someone else's idea, and work the process through it together.
Level-Scaling as far as this goes and the little I've read about it:
http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/60889-level-scaling-dont-scale-individual-enemies-scale-encounters/
This thread is great, because someone mentioned it in another thread as being great. Then I read it and it proves to be great. The developers will see this too, I'm sure. Will it be implemented? Who knows. The game will be great anyways. Why do I say that which such confidence? Obsidian really brought up many points with Project Eternity in which what kind of game it is going to be, and I am looking forward to seeing what it is (blind-folded mind you).
Cooldowns seen here:
http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/60875-how-cooldowns-can-be-used-responsibly-as-a-combat-mechanic/
I have personally not read the entire thread or every post. I'm lazy what can I say. This thread needs attention! In this thread there is much confusion, and I think some slight information to what kind of direction it might be going would be appreciated. But I think that Obsidian, at this stage, has many ideas themselves at this point. Maybe they like to work with different systems (one is easier, one is more advanced), they might prefer different systems (just like we do), and it might even be so that it isn't entirely decided which way they are going. I think there needs to be a comment on what "Stage" they are in in the different areas of the questions.
A digital diagram would be great.
Throwing out a Question into the blue. *whistles* will it be answered? (probably not xD)
At what stage are you in development? Early writing and drawing "concept stage", organizing, or in an early code writing, modelling process?
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I'll also agree, but any cooldowns where you instantly get all your best spells once a combat ends is just as bad - the issue always becomes that my mage casting fireball every single solitary fight and blowing up the entire enemy party is really overpowered, but taking the ability to display that much power away from mages is as unkind as making it so rogue's can't backstab someone in one blow, or warriors can't critical and cause fleshy bits to fly everywhere as the screen shakes. Mages thrive on being awesome, and, for balance's sake they can't be awesome EVERY fight, if cooldowns work too quickly then we can't have that :\
I agree with this too. Maybe let the Mage's have a bit more usefulness for a longer period of time before needing to rest. Let them be able to act at full capability in maybe 3 fights, instead of one, then roam a bit keeping the Mage out of 5-6 fights, about at this time your Mage might have regenerated 4/8 [insert container]/Charges and can last about 1 or 2 fights more, then resting.
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I still stay cooldowns are garbage.
The resting "spam" can easily be fixed.
Don't allow resting in some areas.
OR
Don't allow saving everywhere (hence the reload-rest mechanics ceases to work)
What if you can only save in safe areas? Make resting in unsafe areas even unsafer?
There you go.
How would the player abuse it now?
Resting isn't a stupid mechanic. Never was. It was a mechanic that makes sesne because people haev to rest...and sleep
Ya, but resting every 2 hours for 8 hours does seem quite narcoleptic (is that the right word for that sleeping sickness?).
I like the idea you are presenting of resting being much more of a risk.
I also agree that resting isn't a stupid mechanic. It could be way more developed and updated tho, Baldur's Gate resting system that is (which in modern today is quite, sorry to say it, stupid in comparison to what could be done with it).
EDIT: What people in here are basically saying is,
A: "I don't want a resting system a la Baldur's Gate! But I don't mind the cooldown from Dragon Age: origins."
or
B: "I don't want a cooldown system a la Dragon Age: Origins! But I don't mind the resting from Baldur's Gate."
Don't worry, this isn't either of those games. Instead of having A or B, how about joining them together creating a C?
C: A resting ability, once a day ability (a.k.a cooldown; 16-24 in-game hours). Spells gets replenished over time (not all at once, but 1 charge every now and again, let's say 1 charge once every in-game hour as an example. As your Mage becomes Meta-High Level God of Thunder maybe we'll allow him to replenish 2 charges once every in-game hour... maybe).
Instead of complaining, device something that is new school old school. That's way more interesting than the brown nosing.
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People like what they are used to, generally. It is called conservatism and it exists more so in every heart of man than man's self would like to accept or confess.
Now, onwards to the cooldowns... if they would replenish spells each 8 hours... you would get a full worth of a Mage fully capable 3 times an in-game day. 4 times if resting is not involved at all (removed from the game completely). I like it.
I would like to suggest the existence of resting still, but with it's own cooldown (16 hour to 24 hour cooldown). It does give to the atmosphere.
EDIT:
Using BG2 as an example' date=' how many battles occured in 8 game hours? A lot.[/quote']So let's say you have 8/8 spells, you throw all 8 so now you are down on 0/8. One hour passes in-game time and you suddenly have 1/8.
This cooldown system, to my understanding, isn't that you replenish all 8 after 8 hours. But over time.
From a more tactical realistic view, I encounter a mob, take it down with 2 spells, I am now down to 6/8. I roam around to find another mob, I take it down with 2 spells so I am down to 4/8, but 1 in-game hour has passed since I cast the first two spells so I am really at 5/8. Progressively my Mage will last longer, til night hits where I can Rest* and replenish all 8 "fast forward".
* This is only if Rest -is- implemented. It does seem like it isn't, but I will continue to emphasize it because I think that it can be used and adopted into this cooldown-based system that has been introduced.
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A; Dynamic Events = Replay-ability
Game wouldn't be the same, it would be different each time (unless you play it exactly like you did the first time over and over again). One playthrough you manage to save the town, another you fail hard.
B; Variety; Your story
It wouldn't be the same generic story, the dynamic events would be woven into your own personal Quest Arc/Story which in turns out into the Story of your character. This would be different for every player.
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And then, as described by Osvir, the party fights all the non-beholder enemies, and the wizard does nothing during all these encounters because he's waiting for the beholder encounter. And then the beholder is dead and the party wants to go down lower in the dungeon, or further in the world, but the wizard is without any spells, or what spells he has left are pretty specific, and then the party has to rest and go back to a generic spell makeup, or something like that. In short, you got to pick something strategic, but it was only momentary and pretty much ruined the use of the wizard for anything else, and the party was forced to delay because of that particular class.
It's a bit of a misleading example, since the wizard in D&D will have low-level spells which would be wasted on the high-level monster and which they don't therefore need to conserve during the cheaper fights - and if nothing else, you can give them a sling or a stick to poke the goblins/rats in the back of the head with. They never have to be literally standing fallow, and they haven't been ruined, they're simply not bringing out the big guns every time combat occurs.
But no, I don't think I see the problem with what you're basically presenting. The cleric won't be casting healing spells every single time a party member's damaged in combat, because the spells are a precious resource. The mage is not casting Epic Apocalypse causing, like, 1 gazillion points of damage against every roomful of goblins, because his spells are limited; the fighter who tore through those same goblins may well end up 'standing in the corner' in the big battle against the dragon while everyone else deals the damage, because he has rubbish Will and he failed a check. The rogue will be less help fighting against that iron golem than disabling traps and picking locks. Is it really a cause for complaint that every party member is not equally useful in every given situation?
* Not saying big guns every encounter
* Definitely not a gazillion points of damage
I simply, personally, want to find a bigger role for the Mage. Otherwise he could simply be a Summon not unlike the Final Fantasy summon "Oh it's time for the very RARE occasion where I need my Mage. Summon the almighty Magemobile!" *1 turn boom* "I'll see you guys later mkay? I don't wish to miss the afternoon tea" "Thanks broMage, see you later" *poof*
I want a Gandalf Mage, one who takes action and is a part of the fight. Not some tree hugger on the other far-side of the map screen.
Don't get me wrong, I love the Mage in Baldur's Gate and all of the IE games. Specially Planescape: Torment <3
What I want to see, not only in the Mage, is that every character benefits every situation. Making the most out of every class role. I don't want the Mage to be a passive buff that sits around smelling flowers whilst the rest of the team is having an epic battle where they could benefit from some sorcery. Nothing overpowered crazy nuclear hazardous, something balanced.
I use spam resting when I play Baldur's Gate. Save>Rest>Save. It leaves a bitter taste in my mouth but it is the only way I can enjoy Baldur's Gate, because I want those spells, and I want as much use out of my Mage as possible. But it makes no sense (non at all) to go through a rather small field in what... 5-6 Days? Or when you go into the Mines (the one you can flood in Baldur's Gate), in-game time it took me several days resting INSIDE the dungeon.
Roleplaying-wise it disgusts me, but again, it was the only way for me to enjoy the Mage mechanic.
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I feel that the reaction to people saying "I will reduce my pledge" is making it waaay bigger than it actually is.
Example:
Me: "I will reduce my pledge because this doesn't fit my view"
PersonA: "OMGOSH CRYBABY!"
PersonB: "Why? Whyyyy!?"
PersonC: "Is that a threat? It is, it's a threat! People check it out it's a threat!!!!"
Me: "Wait... wtf... what?"
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Harr, this is great. The argument for this not happening is budget and time limitations though.
I am sure many of us, if not all of us, wants this or would like to see it happen. But it is a dream, and there it might (probably will) stay for a while.
We'll see what happens :D it is an amazing thought and idea.
Stretch-Goal: Dynamic Events *thumbs up*
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Pack Mule needs to happen, not only do you replenish all your spells and memorization and so forth but it also carries all of your excessive crap. Your own personal pack mule could be found in the stables in cities, and you could bring it with you and have it outside dungeons for easier access.
I can see some pretty neat and cool risks with bringing it with you to the dungeons (even leaving it out in cities too). How bandits could loot it (but instead of never returning your gear you can seek out the bandits and reclaim it). The Pack Mule could, mechanically, be a tactical friend where you choose what to bring with you into the dungeon. The Pack Mule would be the "Large Inventory", whilst the player character(s) have a rather small and limited inventory (mostly for scrolls, potions and similar).
I've been somewhat bothered (Only roleplaying wise) how my team in Baldur's Gate can carry full inventories and fight like boss's all of them. With 5 chainmail armors, weapons, scrolls, potions, heck I start to feel that swinging the backpack would do more damage than a clunky old sword (even if it were to be enchanted).
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Don't think it really fits this sort of game...
Something like the Baldurs Gate gibs is more than enough.
I am proposing exactly that. But with a more *umpf* than just simply *chunk chunk* that we Baldur's Gaters are familiar with. I agree that it is more than enough... 10 years ago. Heck even today too it is more than enough. It is still more than enough... for us conservative progress-halters. Today the technology exists to make the Baldur's Gate combat animations exactly the same mechanically but what we see is something different.
So instead of, as I said earlier, the static animations a la *chunk chunk* beating it off on each other you could now today make the same exact system but with more vivid, clarified flowing animations.
Instead of having two guys go at it on each other with their manly arms holding sword and shield, they could block, parry, clash. Mechanically it would be the same thing, visually something different, new, progressing.
you are describing a dream where combat is more than taking turns hitting each other in the face with a sword. What is this nonsense?
No really, that sounds awesome. But for a low budget game I could see that likely being more costly and/or time consuming than its worth.
Yes, I am aware of the budget and time limitations. Although as this is a speculation and discussion forum I do wish to flirt with this idea generally. I am sure there are many developers in these forums (Not only Obsidian), observing the progress and what the "people want" in RP games. I wish to put emphasize on this dream, because it is doable, revolutionary and profitable.
I hope there will be animation modding possibilities, for in that case one could possibly modify the animations to something more akin to what I am suggesting.
Also, it wouldn't be more than taking turns. It would simply look like it; more.
Example:
Turn 1: I roll my dice as I try to take a hit at you, but you roll your dice and you block it.
Turn 2: Then you roll your dice as you try to chop at me, but I roll my dice and parry it.
Turn 3: My turn! I hack, but you valiantly dodge it.
Turn 4: Your turn! You slash, and we clash.
Turn 5: Finish Him! ~Friendship!
Turn 6: Make it happen please :D <3 *rolls dice impatiently for the result*
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Without reading the comments I chose:
Option A:
Mostly based on player skill, with influence from character skills
Now, reading the comments I am leaning more towards the opposite of it.
Option B:
More based on character skill, with influence from player skills
Just clarifying, my vote goes to option B and not option A.
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Don't think it really fits this sort of game...
Something like the Baldurs Gate gibs is more than enough.
I am proposing exactly that. But with a more *umpf* than just simply *chunk chunk* that we Baldur's Gaters are familiar with. I agree that it is more than enough... 10 years ago. Heck even today too it is more than enough. It is still more than enough... for us conservative progress-halters. Today the technology exists to make the Baldur's Gate combat animations exactly the same mechanically but what we see is something different.
So instead of, as I said earlier, the static animations a la *chunk chunk* beating it off on each other you could now today make the same exact system but with more vivid, clarified flowing animations.
Instead of having two guys go at it on each other with their manly arms holding sword and shield, they could block, parry, clash. Mechanically it would be the same thing, visually something different, new, progressing.
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I don't know which threads and topics you read (by the way I read about the 4-5 first posts of this topic), but the threads I enter and tackle as well as talk about in them aren't "Booo!!!!".
It is creative people with creative ideas, constructing them together and discussing them together. Making them better post by post. The nature of feedback is "YAY THAT IS AWESOME!!" (positive) or "NAY LET'S THINK OF SOMETHING ELSE!!" (negative-positive). From my observant 3rd Party eye I simply see it as it is, not if it is "negative" or "positive". If you are overly optimistic OP, then everything should be positive, a progress and process that spawns forward new ideas and cool ideas, bad ideas and morbid ideas. Stupid ideas, intelligent ideas.
I feel that this discussion forum isn't only about Project Eternity, but it stretches out further to what we would like to see in a game like this. Even if 99/100 of all of these threads go into the trashcan I trust this company to make a great game and I am sure they will anyways <3 :D
That's what she said:
"Project Eternity Speculation & Discussion"
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Maybe we are looking at this in the wrong way, Magic Cooldown? I say Resting Cooldown. I know what kind of headaches I get if I sleep too long or too much.
Make resting more of a hassle, add in some RTS elements wherein you need to place a campfire, tent and a night guard. You can only place 2 tents, and resting is on an IN-GAME 12H-24H COOLDOWN (which is the answer to all of our problems, you can not simply Nuke Resting). There could be several different tents, making the decision to which ones you should use more of a tactical element. One specific tent would be the Mage's Tent (for memorization), however, if you use it you only have 1 slot left to place and you're entire party wouldn't be rested.
EDIT: If the Resting is on cooldown and your mage is depleted of all the memorized spells well... go figure, you didn't plan ahead properly. Or perhaps have some areas (Libraries/Temples/Personal House Haven) or powerful End-Game Wizards that can replenish your "memorize".
If the area is safe enough you won't need a guard (you could still get a random encounter, but in a safe area that would be pointless). The night watch/guard would also suffer from lack of sleep, but it would lower the random encounter rate (it can still happen, you just don't get it as often. Maybe from 50% to 25% or something).
EDIT: This would give the Resting the "Day-to-Day" Tactical Strategic elements that so many seem to want: I.E. You would plan your day ahead, "What spells should I bring out? Oh he already has full stock, well then I can rest my entire party in this lion tent which has most comfort and boosts morale, making the party feel more mountain barbaric*stronger).
If there is going to be any Steampunk this would be a heck of a lot easier with the Tents. "Shower Tent", "Transport Tent", "Stove Tent". Although I can think of several ways to implement Magical Tents that boosts Strength, Dexterity, Health, and so on. Some tents only heal 1 or 2 HP but also gives some sort of statistical benefit, whilst another gives 10 HP for resting but no statistical benefit. I can think of hundreds of different tents and ideas for this... you get the point I think.
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@AlexAB, great pointers!
Thank you as well! *wittingly sarcastic
* now I want to see area of environmental effect spells! Cast a fireball inside a wooden house proved to not be a good idea anymore, now the house burned down, although you did manage to scare the burglar away, the owner of the previously glorious house is less than satisfied. -
Turn-Based Cooldown's. I am not talking about a quick "2 turn-Cast" spam and nuke.
I'd love to see 10 turn Cooldowns. Maybe the battle is done in 2 turns anyways, but your mage only managed to throw 1 or 2 spells anyways.
What I am thinking here is that every spell has it's -own- cooldown:
1st Turn: Magic Missiles (Turn CD: 5)
2nd Turn: Fireball (Turn CD: 10) - MM: 4 turns
3rd Turn: Warrior kills the beast - MM: 3 turns left, Fireball: 9 turns left
This way I don't need to rest but I'll get what I want from my mage each and every battle. Sometimes more, sometimes less.
In fact, in Baldur's Gate, 9 out of 10 battle's my Mage was always sitting it out in some corner while my 5 other Heroes slaughtered the mobs of foes. Because either I could do some quick burst damage that wouldn't last even ONE fight, or I could save it for a boss fight. I am quite against the Resting -> Nuking procedure.
EDIT: However! Something I forgot to include "Magic Points"/MP, or something similar, Fatigue. Your Mage needs to rest sometime, just like everyone else needs to at some points. It would be beneficial if it would be somewhere around the time when the entire party needs to rest~
For the Mage his spells are his Sword and Shield. Either that or projectile Wands/Staff's (DA:O and many, many other games).
Why shouldn't he be able to fight with it every battle, like the Fighter?
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As for AoE and cone and such...I would like to see if we for exampel cast a firewall, that we are acually able to make the shape of the "wall". Pause if you will ingame, make shape than cast. I can even see some nice animations with hand movement as mage channels the energies.
Remeber whn lvling higher in BG, and got several magic missiles and firearrows, dont you wish we could choose several targets instead just one?
Oh oh! Like Fable 3! Where you can choose to direct it or build it up around you, giving it different effects.
In a cRPG, like Project Eternity, it could be elaborated even further! :D I can totally see how it could be done, different shapes would give it different pro's and con's. Like choosing a Class, either you go with the generic Warrior or you can choose one of the Kits for added pros/cons (just a parallel).
A Fireball if shot straight forward, a Firewall if placed as a line, Fire Cross/Eruption if placed in a cross. Each and every one of the "geometry" could also have sub-"divisions" where you can make them larger (but weaker) or concentrated/stronger (but smaller AoE).
EDIT: * Fire Ring/Meteor/Rain if placed in a ring~
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Oh it could so work:
Alistair: "You listen to me now! You are a recruit I am taking command and you will follow it, understand!?"
PC: "Yes, lead on Master"
Alistair: "Yes.. yes... right... party leader... uhm..."
PC: "Should I show the way?"
Alistair: "Err.. yes! Yes! You show the way minion! Bwahaa, party leader!!!!" (but only in theory
)EDIT: I forgot the point. I love this idea, but more inter-personal companion party banter thing. In theory, history and lore someone else could be the leader. Practically you are still in control, and could fight for the position of leader story-wise only.
* now I want to see area of environmental effect spells! Cast a fireball inside a wooden house proved to not be a good idea anymore, now the house burned down, although you did manage to scare the burglar away, the owner of the previously glorious house is less than satisfied.
Finishing Moves
in Pillars of Eternity: General Discussion (NO SPOILERS)
Posted · Edited by Osvir
Totally, revolutionary is a bit far-stretched. I like "improvement" better anyways
I do not mean anything flashy or too showy. Authentic to body build and physique, physical statistics. So no magical whirlwind spam attacks or super fast attack speed. Just eye candy really and I could do without as well as with.
Another example: Like watching two fierce Gladiators fight and struggle against each other, instead of the *chunk chunk* static animation.
Well, who knows :D I'm sure that the modelers are eager to tackle this project, and I'm sure they will give us something great. I think that graphical technology, programming, has improved a lot too since Baldur's Gate