JFSOCC

While I understand where you are coming from, If the first weapon I find is an axe, I'd be more likely to invest in axe mastery when I level up. permanently setting me on the path to axe play. I will NEVER invest in another mastery any more, because that would mean I've wasted my investment in axe mastery. Meaning if loot drops are predetermined (within a degree) you'd be fairly certain how most player choices would play out, eventually. So, either allow respec, or force a player to pick more than one weapon proficiency whenever he invests in a weapon skill. As in. You pick "weapon skill" as skill improvement. then you get a list of weapons and you are forced to divide three points over various weapons, with maximum one point per weapon per skill level. This way you'll always have some specialisations other than the first bloody thing you've come across, and you still get to be fairly specific with your specialisation choices.

A sequel can be in the same setting and stillhave wildly new characters. You don't have to take in the small events from the last game or, alternatively, the devs can decide what's cannon and tough **** if you don't like it.

I don't need companions judging my every move and being divided over EVERY SINGLE ****ING ISSUE. They're supposed to be my team, after all. And I expect them to behave like one. I'm currently playing NWN2, having purchased it from GOG, I've just arrived in Neverwinter, and it took me 2 weeks to get there. of those 2 weeks most time was spent playing games I enjoy better. I've been told the game gets better in the city, we'll see.

Just because they almost caught him? No, because a "true" thief trailer you should neither be able to hear nor see, but when it is over, your valuables should be missing. that's bull****, the trailer shows of what you can do in the game. while the voice-over actually TELLS you you can ghost. Having been a fairly active member of the Thief Forums, I can tell you, there were some very vocal people on those forums. "true fans" in the fandumb sense. They were very specific on how they felt thiaf should stay true. And I'm pretty damn sure the developers listened. There was one guy, went by the name JTR7, I disagreed with him a lot, but he sure was passionate, and I believe I recall the devs actually calling him out as a source of inspiration. (unheard of, I think) he was all about what you guys were saying. So I'm pretty damn confident this game will live up to spec. That said. I'm also quite sure that as good developers, they allowed the game to be played by more than just the purists.

I miss the nineties.

reminded of this:

you know, there are more ways to visually give information than colour. thickness of the circle, shape (hexagons rather than circles) whether it pulses or stays, whether the circle is transparent or slightly opaque.

How about this: the labour is in short supply, most people don't have a strong affinity with their soul, or not a strong enough soul. TO get magicians to do what you want to, provided their services are economically exploitable, which is NOT a given, you'll probably have to pay them for the time and effort, at a price which THEY can set, considering there's only so many who can do it. it's a seller's market. Typically, if something is rare enough (like magical prowess) the labour might not even make a significant economical impact. Because you might be able to craft the finest magical swords or armour, but you will never be able to supply even the majority of demand. In such cases, it is highly unlikely that there will be any organised labour, and magical creation will be confined to artistry only.

Sloppers, Raggers and Scavengers. Big Cities create a lot of waste. There's poo, there's garbage, and there's last year's fashion. And while the wealthier parts in town are having excellent plumbing, the slums do not One man's trash is another man's treasure The Sloppers work just before dawn. They go into parts of town without sewers, and the collect the poo, for a fee, which gets sold as fertilizer outside of town. They collect the Piss, for a fee, which they sell to alchemists who get sulphur out of it. They collect the trash, for a fee, and dump it downwind, outside of town. Some of them collect fresh corpses from the shadier parts of town for a larger fee, which they sell to medical scientists and necromancers. Corpses which are to far gone to be of use are added to the compost and sold to farmers who will never know. Raggers go around town and pay small coin for any used fabric you don't want any more. They recycle the fabric into rope, canvas, new clothes, and sell the worst to papermakers, who seem to be most happy to have it. They're most willing to sell from their cart to anyone who is interested, since that money is theirs to keep. The Scavengers, are a desperate lot. They pay a coin a day to be allowed on the giant garbage heap outside of town, where they are free to keep what they find. It's like playing the lottery, but it's just enough to not starve everyday for most. The sloppers, raggers and by association the scavengers all work for Ophrey Slopp. Son of a Slopper, once part of the city's crime syndicate, decided he didn't have a taste for that work. Using his connections from both worlds he exited the crime syndicate and used their influence to unite the Sloppers and raggers and scavengers under his banner. They only reason he could leave the crime syndicate was because he helps out occasionally, offering shelter and jobs to crooks who need to be 'on the down low' for a while, disposing bodies, and paying protection money. Though for this he gets some influence as an errant cousin of the crime syndicate, and is considered a loved ally who just 'wasn't cut out for the real stuff His services to the city haven't gone unnoticed, and he's set to be elevated to a minor lordling soon, provided nothing screws it up. '''''''''''''''' The Player might encounter this faction investigating a crime; working for the crime syndicate; needing to find an object which might have been thrown away (joining the scavengers who are jealous of their turf); finding hard to get supplies. (Ophrey can find some hard to find items for you, given enough time. his people are everywhere after all, so if you need something, he'll likely be able to locate it.); protecting the new sewers built from sabotage; A player might be asked to take over the operation for a competing crime syndicate. This is bound to lead to a lot of resentment, including amongst the workers, though better working conditions might convince most of them. The player might be asked to do a background check on Slopp before he is made a lord. How the player handle's that is up to the player, but could make Slopp a lifetime ally or opponent.

Customs cartel. There are many currency exchanges in the world. After all, there are many currencies. A Guilder here and a Thaler there. Pounds elsewhere, and if you wish to trade, you must be able to pay. There have been attempts to unify coinage across the world. But the Customs cartels wouldn't have it. It's their stock in trade, and it has made them rich, and powerful enough to oppose any legislation. They will simply refuse their services. Since most of the known world's funds are stuck in the many reserves the customs exchange houses have, they can effectively stop trade and paralyse cities dependent on it. Officially the customs cartel doesn't exist, they are all independent business, and to be honest, some smaller ones are. In reality the moneychangers are too smart not to unite and ask the jackpot for their services. Since they are found in locations which are well travelled, it was fairly easy for the more enterprising businesses to communicate and start co-operating. The Customs Cartel has determined exchange rates (within set margins) which ensures that anyone doing business will help fill the coffers of the cartel evermore. Being wealthy they ensure competition either joins or doesn't last long. And have a decent amount of influence should they wish to exert it, which usually is not needed. Most trade-hubs will have one, maybe two customs houses where currencies can be exchanged at a steep rate. But it is not the only service the exchangers deliver. They have started experimenting with a new concept they call banking. Where businessmen can deposit an amount of money for whenever they revisit the city. useful if trade contact if frequent and you don't want to keep changing the same money over and over again. This service costs a small amount, and owners get a writ which they can also exchange at any other business part of this alliance, which ends up pretty much being the entire Customs Cartel. Each "bank" office has their own seal and signature, so at the end of the year they can settle accounts with each other. delivery of a writ at another bank incurs an extra fee, of course. Furthermore, Customs houses offer secure storage of items and in some cases goods, for retrieval later, again at a fee. Some designated customs houses also offer pawn services and lend money. These are probably the best guarded buildings closest to the centre of a city. It's only a matter of time really before someone comes up with the bright idea of lending deposited money at interest, and carrying over a small amount of that interest over to whomever deposited it. Someone who could help bring that about might find him or herself incredibly wealthy and powerful within the customs cartel. Player interaction with this faction could involve security, investigating theft, exchanging currencies between regions, delivering messages, forging writs (letters of credit) or a daring caper emptying the vault of one such business. working for the cartel could involve 'enforcing' IE destroying competition not part of the cartel. It could be investing in a customs house on a new location devoid of one, entering the guild and protecting your business/expanding it. This could help influence the city's elite, possibly elevate the player to city elite. Interaction might consist of investigating the cartel and it's ridiculous rates and sabotaging them for one of the many factions tired of having to deal with their cr@p. A player might use the business to pawn or get out of pawn interesting items. You could reinforce bonds between the business making it official (with you as leader, should you go that far) And you would shape the future of the world by introducing banks as we know them today. (being part of the renaissance! who wouldn't want that!) Working for the faction in lower ranks earns you better exchange rates, lower fees, free storage, and first pick on unclaimed pawned items. Working against the faction can allow you to break their hold over the business, freeing up competition, and drastically lowering exchange rates that way. Working against the faction for yourself can ruin entire economies while you walk away with the cash.

I think the benefits of different currencies are meant for gameplay. Being Wealthy in one currency but not another, and only being able to convert at stiff costs makes the wealth you garner throughout an area be significant throughout the game (whenever you return to that area) while you might still have to start from scratch in a new area. (unless you must absolutely have that one sword, in which case it's a weighed decision how much you convert at such stiff prices. Might be interesting to see if different areas will pay different amounts for that "ancient treasure" you found, since those coins might be out of use.

Isn't that ultimately semantics? I imagine you'll be able to play your ranger how you want him(or her) as a forest dwelling protector, or as a duty/honour bound killer of a specific threat. Or another way.

So ever since Prison Architect made it on steam greenlight, the introversion forums have flooded. So, mixed blessing methinks.

I won't cancel my pledge, but I feel the same way. I'm willing to see it through and maybe be surprised. The dark brooding settings I can only stand for so long. Definitely a game I should play during summer.

skyfall?

content. First and foremost, you must have something to do.

I'd like to think that "it's all there" for the devs to read." though there is no doubt that not all of it will get seen. If you've ever been on reddit you can see how easily downvoting is used by those who disagree, rather than by those who think it doesn't contribute to the discussion. It's a forum with a lot of negativity and cynicism, and I don't think that's a very good environment to discuss and post ideas in.

Something like this?

I don't feel bad about letting others join the party

I'd say repel is a better translation.

That sounds familiar Which, cool, maybe they're the same people in different stages of the game? that'd be awesome. I really like the Army of Keller, something which starts out as a beneficial agreement corrupting to the point that it becomes burdensome. It really gives lots of options to the player as well. There are so many ways to deal with that. And yeah, a Dutch guy like me, I must at least have been inspired a little by the VOC (East Indies Company)

and a remix of many musical pieces from Beyond Good and Evil:

A lot can be implied, it's called subtlety

Well, lookout points which clear up part of the FOW which you can't clear up otherwise (because you might not be able to reach) would be nice. Though if I recall someone posted that idea somewhere earlier in this thread.