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Hello all, I'm a Grounded veteran and so far I'm enjoying Grounded 2 (solo, wow difficulty, always first person view). There have been some much appreciated quality of life improvements (in particular, a clear descriptions of stats and effects, but also less spongy enemies, easier to make buildings and consumables such as bandages, moss torch not requiring grass etc.), but I think that it could still really benefit from some gameplay tweaking. Below some (actually many) suggestions (and possible bugs), which I will try to group by topic: Rapid menus [BUG] Grounded had 3 rapid menus, which could be switched with the mouse wheel. I see the option within the keyboard settings, but it does not appear to work for me, even when trying assigning it to another key. Please restore the 3 rapid menus if they were not actually meant to be in this game. Grounded allowed to assign a random item to a slot, based on its category (food, melee weapon, healing items etc.). This is still the case at the beginnig of the game, but once a specific item is assigned to a slot, it doesn't seem possible to assign a slot back to random items anymore. More specific item slot categories, possibly based on the new classes (e.g. daggers, staffs, two handed etc.), would be useful. While it is possible to cycle between random items of a category by repeatedly pressing the related hotkey number (unless it's a food/heal item, in which case it will be used), it would be more practical to let us use the mouse wheel to do so, either while holding down the number or within the wheel menu that can be opened holding the key "V", after moving the mouse towards a certain slot. It is not possible to quickly switch between mutation sets anymore, which is very useful in combat. Please allow us to assign a key to it. Throwing weapons [BUG] The spear throwing works properly only the first time. Subsequent spears in your inventory will be thrown completely out of target. Other weapons (I tested daggers and hammers) have botched trajectories also the first time. In Grounded, all weapons could be effectively thrown, not just the spear. This was a fun and effective combat strategy, which allowed to take on stronger enemies from a safer distance and also allowed to harvest grass/rocks quicker or more safely (e.g. you could throw hammers at the burning charcoal), as throwing is comparable to a charged hit. The above bug and the elimination of the pebble axe/hammer in favour of the omnitool has stripped us of these gameplay options. Please introduce back some resource cheap hammer/axe/dagger for combat and throwing. CANDY SPEARS! I'm usually wary of creating candy arrows also in Grounded as they are lost after one use, and (lots) of candies were later needed for infusions. Relatively easy to make (reasonably weak) candy spears (e.g. grass rope + candy pieces + hard grass) could add lots of variety to the early game. Rocks cannot be thrown (or used to punch) anymore. They were particarly handy to make berries fall, without the need to worry about getting your arrows or spears back. Please restore this feature. The new cheap alternative to the pebble spear (larva + ant parts) is very much appreciated, as the bone trident or sting spear were quite troublesome to make and thus quite risky to throw, given the risk of them being lost (sometimes due to clipping through the floor), so much so that I would usually skip them in favor of the rusty spear. However, I think the larva spear should be as strong as the bee sting spear in terms of damage, with the latter providing additional bonuses to make up for the more expensive ingredients (e.g. it may apply the pollen effect when thrown or in case of critical hits). It would be fun to be able to throw weapons while riding insects, maybe by pressing R while holding the right mouse button (thus having the insect parrying in the meanwhile). This could create a new playstyle and even a new mutation (e.g. named "centaurus") may be associated to it. A mutation could be associated to throwing (all) weapons in general. Parrying and bows Bows don't let you parry anymore, as the right mouse click now provides a (very appreciated) zoom function. This however makes you really vulnerable in close encounters and promotes cheesing, as rolling is not very suited for first person combat. A possible solution could be to trigger the zoom only when an arrow is being actively fired (left and right mouse button pressed at the same time), otherwise the rigth click will allow you to parry. Is not possible to abort firing an arrow anymore (in Grounded, parrying did the trick), which is annoying as a candy arrow will be lost. A key, like "Q", may be assigned to it. RESIN ARROWS! Simple arrows, infused with resin, can be fired as it is to slow down enemies or after lighting them to apply the burning effect (they may be shown either as lit or not in the ammo selection wheel bound to the key R key or be lit singularly with another key) . Parrying without weapons or shield equipped should be possible if an upper body armor item is equipped (with certain armors providing bonuses to it). This could make the unhanded playstyle/mutation more viable. Thirst Thirst rate is annoyingly high, especially when trying to build somecomplex structure (hunger, on the other hand, is fine). With a level 2 mutation (75% rate), it takes less than 14 minutes to go from full to imminent death, and the level 3 mutation (70% rate) is really not worth investing 3 milk teeth for it. In my opinion it should take around 20 minutes with no mutation/bonuses, up to 30/35 minutes with a level 3 mutation. A water dispenser would be greatly appreciated in the omnitool/starting lab. In Grounded, with the canteen equipped, you would drink with the right mouse button, while you would punch with the left button, which was useful as it allowed to punch grass to then quickly collect the water dropping from it, but with the inconvenience that you would drink (instead of parrying) when ambushed (and oftentimes oneshotted) by a charging larva. In Grounded 2 you can punch only with an empty canteen, otherwise the left mouse click will let you drink (although now thankfully you will be able to parry if a shield is equipped). My proposal would be to assign a different key for drinking from the canteen, for instannce "R", so that punching is still possible with an half full one. Base defence Attacks are too brutal for solo players, which basically forced me to move most of my base inside the semi crushed soda can near the first lab... Spike strips do little damage even to smaller enemies, break very easily and require rope and hard grass to build. More effective and cheaper traps are necessary and would be also fun to design. Something like simple spikes requiring just a sprout and a couple rocks to build (similar to Sons of the forest). Glue (resin) traps, possibly inflammable. Tripwires to trigger falling rocks or throw arrows/spears etc. You should be able to have all you insects patrol your base. Mixed suggestions You should be able to hold your breath for a few seconds when exposed to rotting food or stinkbags. In most cases it is instadeath and it doesn't make much sense if you think about it. Berries should roll away when hit with the omnitool. They shold be crushed after the first hit like in Grounded. A debug option is needed for unreachable spears/arrows (even deleting them) as their icons will bug you (pun not intended) for the rest of your game, especially if they happen to be in areas you come by frequently. There should be the option to view icons/waypoints only when peeping, to avoid them constatly floating in your screen. Insect should contrast cheesing by trowing rocks at you (if they do not fly or have ranged attacks), if the grass you are standing cannot be cut. Bugs letal sizzling applying immediately after dismounting the soldier ant, about 20 minutes after fighting a bombardier beetle in the grill area (non sizzling while riding it, but I appered to glow red in dark environments). I'm not sure if it was due to the beetle or exposure to the charcoal. Eating mints, drinking water, staying in water, applying the red berry bandage, level 3 fresh guard mutation did not prevent me from dying almost instantly. The only think that worked was riding all the wasy to the south and dismount in the freezing area, which quicly replaced sizzing with the freezing effect. Cold protection percentages is shown as 50% with the mite hat, 50% with the level 3 spicy mutation (each let you resist 10 seconds before freezing onset). It is shown as 75% when you apply both ( you resist 20 seconds) but as 100% if you apply neither (you resist 5 seconds). I think this last case should show 0% (I assume the percentage represents the reduction from a rate of freezing of 20%/second). I hope this is helpful and clear enough (I play in Italian, so I may have mistranlated some items) and thanks for bearing with me up to this point

I would like to wish building elements/parts/components that can be used to build machines (The Incredible Machine) that are completely free in terms of function. This makes it possible to build sophisticated traps, defense systems or automate workflows, etc. There are no limits to the creativity of the players. You could integrate these the whole thing into your base, in combination or as a stand-alone object/machine/outpost. What do you think?!

Hi I've accidentally commanded 2 party members to disarm trap and this caused both of them starting to disarm it simultaneously, both disarmed it successfully and for both actions I received the trap item in the inventory. When I tried this intentionally with all 5 party members standing around a trap this also worked like a charm - got 5 trap items from a single trap.

Hi, I just went to the Sandswept Ruins (southwest island of the world map) and entered the room with the altar that's sourrounded by flames. Because I'm wearing Rekvu's Scorched Cloak plus an injury (which turns all burn damage into healing and makes you basically immune) I thought I'd try and just step on the flames. I injured although I received 0 damage. I suspect that all traps will show that behaviour: causing injuries even though they can't deal any damage?

The thread title pretty much describes the bug. I'll trigger a particular trap (a trapped sarcophagi at around the midpoint of the room) in the Copperlane Catacombs and the visual and audio effects will just endlessly trigger, causing a drastic drop in FPS. The trap itself seems to have no effect, sometimes I'll get a combat log notice that the character was interrupted but otherwise no attack is made/rolled and no damage is ever dealt. The bug happens every time this trap is triggered even after shutting the entire game off and loading a save. I haven't looked to see if other traps in the area do the same thing, although I know there have been other traps I've triggered on this playthrough that weren't bugged like this. Here's a video of the bug in action:

Hey guys, Would anyone else like the ability to make discovered traps incorporate into the path finding, so that your characters can't accidentally set off traps they've already been discovered? (Or make this a setting we could turn on at least?) This seems like it shouldn't be too hard to implement, and it would be quite helpful imo.

So my female Wizard says "Can't move now!" after disarming traps successfully. Of course she can move. This is a wrongly triggered statement.

I am doing my second playthrough and though I usually disarm traps the pathing sometimes causes me to run over one beforehand. I have noticed traps I activate do significantly more, like 180 damage from a sunlance trap that read ~50 damage(combat log doesn't even say it crits). When I have tried to use traps the generally hit for their described amount. Is this some mechanic I am not aware of to make them more threatening to the PC or is there some reason I am getting destroyed by them?

This seems to get progressively worse until it takes about a minute to disarm traps. The game stutters more and more when disarming traps until eventually it freezes for 10-20 seconds. This only happens when disarming traps, and the only issue I'm experiencing. The rest of my computer seems to continue normally (ie: a video, or audio continues playing while this stalling happens).

I'm going to keep the story limited so i'll just not give any background or where i was but i activated a trap on accident and it crit me for 503 damage and maimed me instantly

Hello people. I would like the community's help on a matter. I want to pick a class and i just can't decide which.I'm torn between a few because they each have some of my prefered playstyles. I like to use tactics and outwit my opponents. I liked the Shadow class from Dragon Age Origins.It has stealth,illusions,bombs and different poisons,basicly loads of fun. I tend to like summoning classes that are more active.Think WoW's warlock and Titan Quest's Spirit. I just want a fun,active and skillfull playstyle.So,that being said,i've reduced my classes to the following: 1.Rogue = in this game it feels too passive with no neat tricks and a few active abilities.You position and auto-attack. 2.Chanter = would've liked more dark and gritty summons but it's ok.It feels passive and it takes long to get them out.Most fights are finished by then. 3.Cipher = I play him melee with focus on illusions and deception.Almost no nukes.But it feels like i'm on the cipher band wagon with everybody and their grandma already there. Please help this poor wretched soul finally pick a class and finish the game(rerolled like 10-15 times)...

When going though Cilant Lis, the traps you disarm on the glyph grid do not produce a trap in inventory. With a rouge of 3 mechanics I was able to disarm all the traps on the glyph grid, they did produce experience.

I started a game with my PC as a fighter. I have picked up the companions who are a chanter, priest, fighter, ranger, and wizard. I'm running into problems of being unable to open locks. I'd rather avoid wasting gold on custom characters if I can help it. I checked the wiki and there isn't a rogue companion. I just reached Defiance Bay but I still have some quests at Gillded Vale. Who is the best companion to train as a lock picker and trap dectector?

Quote from J.E.Sawyer (full post), emphasis added: That part in italics seems misguided, for a very simple reason: Disarming traps and picking locks is a Mechanics skill check. Therefore, reaping all XP rewards will require a Mechanics-focused character in your party. None of the other sources of XP require specific skill focus. Between bestiary, exploration, and quest/objective rewards, together with carefully-designed levels, progression should be plenty frequent without forcing players (or at least "power players") to max Mechanics. That skill's plenty desirable without binding it to an XP pool. What do you guys think? Sign the poll and speak your mind. (I realize there is another thread that touches in this issue, but its survey is broader and its discussion has mostly devolved into yet another combat XP debate. So please, focus discussion on Trap and Lockpick XP, and whether it's good for the game. Thanks!) Edit: To clarify (thank you, wanderon) the problem isn't so much that Trap/XP is bound to Mechanics, it's that the other skills are NOT bound to XP pools. Even Bestiary unlocks are not strictly Lore-gated; low-Lore parties can unlock entries, they just need to fight more of a given beast. Even if each skill had an associated "XP activity", though, we'd have to make the usual-suspects group of rogue, wizard, fighter, etc., or else lose out. You may as well pick a skill for your character on creation and have it auto-level. Why provide multiple skill points per level if you're going to max one?

With Mr Sawyer abolishing pre battle buffing, as it had got a touch out of hand especially at high level, one is forced to wonder whether we'll still have the opportunity to actively prepare for combat. Traps, positioning, item enhancements, use of consumables etcetera. In short will we be able to try and win the battle before it occurs, as Tsun Tzu advises? Personally i'm a great fan of this, and believe in taking advantage of everything one can do to diminish risk. Indeed in AD&D this was one of the strengths of the system, manipulating random dice rolls in ones favour through clever use of the tools at one disposal. What are your opinions?

Right, load up your rucksacks with iron rations, spikes, rope, flasks of oil and holy water. Oi, you at the back? Have you got a 10' pole. No? Oh, you've been eaten by a giant spider. If you don't get this then don't worry. There is always time. Getting to the point, folks have discussed the influence of Planescape (or 'Wordscape' as we call it here at The Schloss Monte) and BG2. Not so much about the shimmering palantir of win that is Icewind Dale. The influence of this game should be obvious: Dungeons. Can we please have a massive, just-for-the-sake-of-it mega-dungeon? One that makes Durlag's Tower look like a 10x10 room with an orc in it. And a pie. Like romances, the role-plaeyers that hate such things can ignore it (ha! see what I did there?). Icewind Dale showed how dungeon-crawling can go hand-in-hand with great atmosphere and story-telling. I'm also getting a sort of Conquistador vibe from this game, a party ship-wrecked and confronted by a terrifying maze on an island or something. Like the Maztican dungeon in IWD2 but with MOAR STUFF in it. I want slimes, rust monsters, traps, caves, underground rivers and demon statues with hobbit-sized rubies for eyes I think a stretch-goal that includes a special mega-dungeon, referencing Durlag's, almost EVERYTHING in IWD (and maybe Watcher's Keep, which doesn't get much loving) might get more old-skoolers out of their basements. I also think the majority of folks would dig it, what's not to love? Many thanks for reading. MC

(When I was playing Fallout 2 I remember thinking: "cool, I'm going to get a car sometime. Will I see it move?" I knew the answer would be negative, but I enjoyed wondering. In BG1 I was very glad whenever I saw any animation, as small as it was, but watching a video of a flying Wyvern only to find out it had go around the lake to attack my party. PS:T had some few but awesome animations. IWD had a few animations at the ending, and the fact nothing in Nature moved because all was frozen served as an acceptable excuse. In BG2 there were some improvements, but most of it was static too. Then IWD2 showed a lot more things moving and more big size puzzles, and I wondered if the Infinite Engined could be tweaked so we could get more from it. But then there was Lionheart and nothing more.) I'm very glad this game will be isometric and use pre-rendered art, and I am aware it's not easy to blend 3D animated elements and physics into static "paintings", but come on, almost 10 years have passed... I believe the stillness of pre-rendered graphics was a technical limitation and not an aesthetic option. Pre-rendered isometric games are great because they have a closer relationship with old book and board games but, other than that, I think designers and programmers should be completely free to develop a more interactive experience. I find this very important for the immersion factor. Black Isle games have always had a great atmosphere, the lighting and weather was fantastic and I hope Obsidian's attitude won't be "going back to the RPGs we loved" but "pushing the RPGs we loved to the possibilities of 2012 technology". There's a lot to learn about this on games like Commandos 1, 2 & 3, Robin Hood: the Legend of Sherwood (impressive physical engine!) and Desperados.