Cantousent

For my sins, I'm starting this topic based on some things I've seen in other folks' threads. What I'd like to see is a living world where stuff happens that doesn't relate entirely to my character. On the other hand, I don't want to feel like I'm constantly missing content. There's a reason the PC is the mover and shaker in cRPGs.... the players want it that way. However, if you make the PC part of a larger movement, or at least an independent operator amid larger movements, then you have more leeway. What I'd like to see is other groups trying to accomplish things. We have factions, and that provides at least some of the other groups working on their own ends. Celsius had his own take on this: http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/60534-player-the-only-competent-force-in-the-universe/ What I want is for the player to either be in competition with another adventuring group or cooperating with them. If they are at odds, then both groups can vie for both items, objectives, vital information, and other things. If the groups are cooperative, I'd like to see the other group be able to borrow npcs (for either martial prowess or vital non combat skill), items, share information, and help in any other number of ways. The PC and the other group can accomplish more and perhaps have their own relationship that begins in one way, perhaps cooperative, but ends another way, enmity born of betrayal perhaps. Alternately, the groups could start at odds and then fall in together either for practical reasons or personal friendship. Here's another thing. I remember having to sacrifice stats and other goodies for my companions in both PS:T and BG2. That's going to be the typical good/evil sort of choice with which folks identify. What I'd like to see is something entirely. You can sacrifice a companion not for selfish vs selfless reasons but because you have a choice between saving thousands at the cost of one or perhaps it could serve the greater good in one way or another. I tell you what folks committed to playing a good two shoes character won't bat an eye at losing some stats to be able to show their 'golden haired savior' capacity. The same player will agonize over choosing between personal love and friendship and the community. Here's something similar: There's an NPC companion with a special skill, such as pathfinding, tracking, and hunting. The party is in a bind because the enemy is chasing them. The companion, being a noble bastard, decides to throw off the trail of the enemy. He volunteers to do so and the PC discusses the issue with him. If the companion goes, he cleans up the party's trail, creates a new trail for the enemy, and draws as many of them off as long as he can. It could be a simple skill check affected by things such as: loyalty to the PC, loyalty to the party, skill, stamina, and any other number of factors. Alternately, the companion says he's going to draw them off, but just runs away to save his own skin. That's always an option. I'd like the PC, from the very beginning, to feel like he's a part of the world rather than central to its every working and I'd like the game to reflect that fact in a variety of ways.

I'd like to have someone drop a magical mini-me who cleans up after battles for me, cleans and oils all of my blades and armor, and plays the part of my wingman at local taverns when I try to pick up wenches. NPCs are mules for me, so I say lots and lots of loot, but I agree with the folks who say monsters should drop realistic loot. Don't have the wolf who attacks you in the forest drop a sword, but that does mean that the wolf didn't kill someone with loot and the party could find that loot. Personally, I think it would be funny for the party to find a random location with evidence of some sort of battle between wild animals and a small party, finding odds and ends of loot. However, I'd like a relatively low magic world where there isn't the usual inflation of powerful magical items.

I'm with evdk on that. Folks will look up the answers. Sure. :Cant's shrug an bemused smile icon: I will say, however, I'd rather have the riddles like Fallout 2. lol Seriously, though, I think good riddles are part of the BG/IWD/PS:T tradition. Bring 'em on!

With so many days left to go, I don't think there's anything certain. If the daily numbers dwindled steadily, they're still almost certain to hit 3 million. I think 5 million isn't out of the question. They don't need to hit the highest mark. They just need to put in an excellent showing.

I like that idea, Nerd, but I wouldn't even make it adversarial. I would actually make it so that he's doing his stuff and you're doing yours but you really want him to succeed, even if it takes some glory from you, because he's doing something important. You aren't the end all be all of the cause, but only a part of it. Maybe a big part, only a part. Something else I'd like to see is the player being forced to make choices about how much to help someone else accomplish something. Either he could 'lend' one of his NPC companions to another strike force or some such or he could allocate resources such as funding, items, or influence. Maybe he lets other allied groups use his house as a headquarters for operations. Stuff like that.

I actually have something similar going on. I bought in at the tier I wanted. Then I decided to purchase a few $35 tiers as gifts, one for my brother in law, and two for close friends. I wanted to make sure that the gifts would be delivered appropriately and so I asked. Obsidian graciously answered me quickly saying that I needed to up my pledge amount but not change my tier and that, just as our blonde friend says, I would be surveyed after the campaign ends to see how I wanted it delivered. That doesn't help if you want to get to a certain point just to be included in the credits or whatnot. However, there's some sort of gamebanshee thing where they're trying to hit 10 grand. Obsidz has apparently said that they'll throw in some cool in-game thing for anyone who chips in fifty bucks or more to the Gamebanshee thing. http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/60556-for-gamebanshee-readerssympathizers/

I don't know. I've bought in at a tier that really doesn't add that much that I really need. I could take part of the money from that tier and put it into the chip in project, maybe. I don't know how that would work, although I would really hate reducing my pledge on kickstarter to chip in to Gamebanshee if it would get anything mixed up. I'm actually quite the noob when it comes to kickstarter that I don't know how I would go about it. My paypal account, which I'd only used two or three times years ago, is now defunct if I'm not mistaken. If you could explain the process to me, I might buy in to your stuff. That would be contingent that I could buy in but include someone else's name for the chip in swag since I'll probably justify it as yet another gift.

I think they should do whatever else they want and spit on Richard Garriot also. Rat Bastard. I do think Obsidz might be a little iffy on that option, though, in an 'inudstry colleagues' sort of way.

When will you have some samples of Project Eternity music? I've become more interested in music since I noticed that we'll get ringtones. Some of PS:T's music is simply beautiful, and I really liked BG and IWD music also. I'll check out your webpage, but I'm jonesin' for some an example of Eternity music.

Fionavar is da bomb. Okay, we have too many people stuck on brewmastering and no-one interested in being a vintner or distiller.

I think multi-player can adversely impact single-player when the devs committ a substantial amount of time balancing things from a multi-player perspective. If they do it with the single player in focus and add the ability for more than one player to join in the game, I'm fine. PvP tends to really throw a wrench in things. Balancing for PvP takes a lot of time and effort and I firmly believe it comes at the cost of PvE/single-player.

Yeah, I think the kindness of your donation more than makes up for any deficiencies in your English. My first girlfriend was a friend foreign exchange student in high school. ...About thirty years ago. lol

I agree with this. I loved the tattoos in PS:T, and I would like something that follows in that tradition, but I think something as specific as tattoos will be a rehash of the past.

Hehe I say you reassure them that they all will. Then you could screw them over and take all the glory! That, my friend, is an example of an 'evil option' dialogue exchange. Seriously, though, I'm surprised more folks haven't pooled to buy some stuff, such as designing items and evil opponents and the like.

I think the order was a great idea and I think the 8 buck was perfectly reasonable. I think the idea can be pushed too far and eventually splinter the community here. I could be wrong and I'm sure Obsidz would rather have the 88 buck 'Lord' idea put in place. I'm not slamming you, Red, just sayin'.

Balance + Single Player = Null Program Dump even the concept of "balance" as being desirable and let's have interesting and deep systems instead. Don't kill the messenger, lady! :Cant's guffawing icon: Seriously, every game needs balance. After all, they're not going to create a class that performs one action and all enemies are automatically dead in every battle. You have to balance the game to challenge a single player as much as you do multiple players. You don't have to balance PvP, but you still have to balance. ...And Sawyer is more of a balance hound than I am to be sure. Of course, his games have teh awesome and I buy them so he must know something I don't. :Cant's shrug and grin icon: EDIT: I see Merin beat me to the punch. Yeah, what he said!

I think folks like you really make these communities worth it. In fact, el Jefe was thinking about scrapping the forums back in the day and decided to keep them. Kickstarter makes the community forums astronomically more relevant. Fionavar has done an excellent job of keeping the torch burning in this joint. EDIT: Although I do admit I notice my title hasn't changed. Maybe I should just be titled super noob and forget it. :Cant's rueful grin icon:

I usually don't go for the title thing, but I really do love wine, so I wouldn't mind having the name. Hasn't happened here yet, but I do use it on the kcistarter page.

I think you might find more Americans responding to this poll if they see it later in the evening, especially on the west coast.

Here's what I can say about pledging. There are three people, at this time, who will receive a card in which I explain that I've pledged in their name to the Obsidian project and they'll get the game and the digital swag attending the tier when Obsidian ships it. lol Obsidian... my one stop Christmas shopping location.

Tile-based backgrounds make me think of NWN, which I always thought looked ugly, from the very first day. Of course, they were held captive to a tool-set, which made me resent tool-sets for a long time. I don't mind 3D, but I don't think it's the end all be all. The one thing I can say about it is that it is nice to be able to rotate the camera, but if the new area you see isn't any better looking than the area you were already viewing, why should that matter? I dunno, but beauty seems to trump the rotate feature as long as you can see every relevant thing and there's nothing to be missed.

I thik Mote's pictures are quite stunning. The art direction for Jefferson is certainly more appropriate, but Jefferson was a while back and I think they can take the art direction and do more with the graphics. I, for one, would be happy with the beautifully crafted CG work of mote's examples with the understanding that it will be used for more genre appropriate settings. Of course, for all we know, there might be a place or two in PE that looks just like the area in mote's pics. You never know.

Fionavar bought in, so he'll have to change his name along with ours, Sister.

You should see Monte's thread from yesterday, nik. We all got into it for a long time, although I was a bit lubricated and mixed up White Plume with Barrier Peaks.

Now, just 'cause I'm a wino doesn't mean I won't take a frosty mug o' brew with ya every now and then if you've got one to spare. :Cant's hopeful grin icon: