Hopes (And Dreams) for the Expansions?

[Cyrus_Blackfeather]

Hey guys,

 

Figured I'd make a thread where people can share their hopes and dreams for the three expansions, especially given that the main game seems, at least to me, to be kind of sparse. Or perhaps spread out is the better choice of words. I get that each is going to be different, so let's focus on the first one. From Rock, Paper, Shotgun;

 

“The first downloadable-content pack (DLC), ‘Beast Of Winter’ will be available in July 2018, and will take your party to an island populated by a mysterious doomsday cult, that hides an ancient secret. Players will get to experience adventuring in ‘The Beyond,’ a mysterious dimension populated by ancient souls and filled with devilish challenges."

 

Right off the bat, it seems like this is probably going to be a self-contained story, compared to White March which had things to do outside of the new zone. It also seems really combat-heavy, though that's also said of the second DLC as well, so I hope 'challenges' includes an equal mix of combat encounters and puzzles. 

 

From what's been datamined, it looks like there's going to be a lot of Pale Elf NPCs in this expansion, and the name implies Rymrgand will make an appearance as well. There's definitely something of a thematic link between the two. Even though I haven't played a Pale Elf, their lore has always been really cool (Pun not intended) to me, so it'd be neat to learn more about them. 

 

(This would also be a great expansion to make Ydwin into a full companion. Hint, hint)

 

Granted, I've also noted that they used the term "DLC pack" instead of "Expansion", but that they promised it would be hefty. On that note, I'd love to see...

 

- More Soulbound items

- A few new areas to explore on this new island we'll be visiting

- (Maybe) some new spells/abilities and/or perhaps a Priest of Rymrgand subclass.

- Content that can't be blitzed through in a day (Or that can, but with a sense that you're missing out on something).

 

 

[Tick]

More soul - universe lore would be fantastic. I absolutely love how everything in the universe works when it comes to souls. The Eothas stuff was awesome! but not super in depth.

 

Also hoping for some existentialist nightmare fuel, if that's the word for it, from Rymrgand. Another unique element from this series, and he's always great at creating that feeling. He represents actual nothingness and entropy in a universe that at first glance seems like it's guaranteed reincarnation. And when it obvious that's not exactly how things works, he's terrifying (in a great way).

[uuuhhii]

companions interact with each other even when they are not in the team

[omgFIREBALLS]

Nemnok acknowledged as a legitimate deity.

[Ascaloth]

This may be a long shot, but I'm hoping the island is Naasitaq. And that we'll meet Sagani again, as a quest-giver if nothing else.

[Cyrus_Blackfeather]

This may be a long shot, but I'm hoping the island is Naasitaq. And that we'll meet Sagani again, as a quest-giver if nothing else.

 

That'd honestly be really cool. I picked the ending where I told her to tell Persoq about his family, so it'll be nice to see her and her husband and kids. 

[CENIC]

I wonder if the expansion will take place during the events of the main game, or afterwards?

 

For example, there is a quest in the main game where you end up in Rymrgand's domain. Will that quest change depending on whether or not you have already completed the Beast of Winter expansion? I guess what I'm hoping for is cross-reactivity between the main game and the expansions.

[Crucis]

Adding in Naasitaq sounds like a great idea, though I think that the portion of the Deadfire portray in game is a LOT closer to Eora's equator than Naasitaq is.

 

 

 

As for what I'd wish for, I'd love to see a modification to the game's rest system that caused the characters to grow fatigued of they didn't get regular rest, like any normal person.  Say, after about 16-20 hours awake, you'd need a full 8 hour rest or suffer from "first level" fatigue.  Go another 16-20 hours without rest, and you grow more fatigued, and now suffer from "second level" fatigue.  Go yet another period without rest, you gain a wound. And so on, and so on, until either you rest or you die.  And to make it a smidge realistic, the longer you go without rest, the longer you'll need to rest to be fully recovered.

 

Also, I would assume that if you're traveling by ship for a minimum amount of time (to prevent someone from jumping on their ship then jumping back off), you're getting all the rest you need.  And that when you make landfall, you will be considered fully rested.  The minimum amount of time aboard ship would be to prevent someone from gaming the system to get an insta-rest.

[Crucis]

Another hope for the DLCs.

 

1. A very specific desire:  I'd like for the Nekatakan queen's clothes to be turned into a serious magic robe.  Those clothes are just too damned great looking to be relegated to being mere clothes that no one ever wants to use, unless you want to wear no armor at all.

 

2. A more general desire:  I wish that there were some robes or padded armors that looked like normal clothes.  I liked the Valian outfit that Ydwin is wearing when you add her to your party, and wish that an outfit like that could be a very nice, stylish enchanted robe or padded armor.  I think that other kinds of clothes-like light armor would be nice too.    Also, another interesting idea would be for a "cape" that was actually long coat (i.e. not a robe, but a coat that uses the cape/cloak equipment slot), not unlike the coats you often see in westerns, or the long coat that Clark Kent was wearing instead of a cape in later seasons of Smallville, or the long red coat that Scarlet Witch wears in Avengers Infinity War and Cap America: Civil War.

Edited June 22, 2018 by Crucis

[house2fly]

-more unique items BUT NO SWORDS AT ALL and more soulbounds

-ending slides for the DLC events that get added to the main slideshow, like White March

-completing the DLC adds SOMETHING to Ukaizo, like the villain sends a monster after you for revenge or something. Ukaizo is so anaemic for a climactic endgame area, this is a great opportunity to give the player more stuff to do there

-maybe a new companion who is on the level of the first game- no rep gains/losses or relationships with other characters, but they have a dialogue tree, a personal quest, and an ending slide. Happy medium between full PoE2 companion and sidekick

 

With the second DLC being more combat focused, I'm also hoping for some "generic" combat areas. Like a plain grassy/sandy/rocky area(these could be reused all over the game world) populated with a random group of enemies. They could make each enemy completely random so you never knew what kind of fight you were going into, and they could respawn so if you're at endgame level you'd be guaranteed enemies to level up your soulbounds with

[Daggerknight]

- More soul bond items, alike to what we had in both White March's. I loved the Soul Bound stuff in POE 1, and was a bit sad to see there being so few of them. 

- Less Faction emphasis. Don't get me wrong, I liked how developed they were in Deadfire, BUT... they were a bit too important overall. Especially their respective fixations on their economic and imperial goals, to the point where they seemed almost oblivious to the actual story going on. I'd like to see a return to focus on the quest. 

- Additional weapon models. Please don't kill me anyone, but I wouldn't mind seeing eastern weapons (tulwars, pata's, dao, guandao, and....katanas *HIDES FROM THE HATE STORM* ). 

  (note; this is not me saying I am not a fan of the western arms focus thus far, just that now might be a good time to see some additions). 

- Long coats! I was sad to see that in this pirate/ colonial themed setting, we have no long coats.  

- Hooks for hands? :D

[Crucis]

Honestly, I don't like the soulbound concept.  Also, I hate it when a SB item is placed in the game in a location that's so late in the game that you have no chance in hell of fully upgrading it.  Meh, I just don't like soulbound items.

 

 

- More soul bond items, alike to what we had in both White March's. I loved the Soul Bound stuff in POE 1, and was a bit sad to see there being so few of them. 

- Less Faction emphasis. Don't get me wrong, I liked how developed they were in Deadfire, BUT... they were a bit too important overall. Especially their respective fixations on their economic and imperial goals, to the point where they seemed almost oblivious to the actual story going on. I'd like to see a return to focus on the quest. 

- Additional weapon models. Please don't kill me anyone, but I wouldn't mind seeing eastern weapons (tulwars, pata's, dao, guandao, and....katanas *HIDES FROM THE HATE STORM* ). 

  (note; this is not me saying I am not a fan of the western arms focus thus far, just that now might be a good time to see some additions). 

- Long coats! I was sad to see that in this pirate/ colonial themed setting, we have no long coats.  

- Hooks for hands? :D

 

Daggerknight, IMO, the main story line is very boring.  To me, it's one of the greatest flaws in this game.  Hell, I honestly don't like this extreme emphasis in both POE1 and 2 on The Gods.  I liked the focus of the BG and IWD games a LOT better (with the possible exception of the BG2 expansion) because the big bads in those main stories were not gods, just rather powerful mortal baddies.  Now, I realize that Thaos was the actual big bad of POE1, but in both POE1 and 2, the main plot was all about "the gods".  So, boring.    And heck, there really wasn't even an ultimate big bad in POE2.  The entire point of the main plot was... to talk to Eothas?  Really?

 

So, honestly, I found the faction part of the main story to be far more interesting than the main plot itself.  I will say though that I wish that you were forced to make your factional commitment a lot sooner so that the main character had to spend a lot more time dealing with the consequences of the choice. 

 

 

 

As for "eastern" weapons, I agree.  Part of me is really hoping that in PoE3 (assuming that there is one), there's a part of Eora that's undiscovered.  A "new world", as it were.  And that perhaps in that region, there are some types of weapons that are unique to that region.  Like Katanas.  (I can't say as how I recognize the weapon names you listed before katanas, however.)  And perhaps even existing weapon types have a much different look to them.  Like swords.  Perhaps they could look more like "elven longswords", i.e. something like a cross between a traditional straight sword blade and a curved saber blade.  (Of course, this sounds a bit like a katana.)

 

I'd also like for this "undiscovered country", this "brave new world", to have a very unique culture.  And possibly some new and unique sub-races.  And perhaps some new sub-classes.

 

Another thought on this new region.  Perhaps its level of technology isn't quite up to that of the rest of Eora.  Maybe they don't have guns yet.

 

Of course, getting the main character (if the Watcher were to be used in a PoE3) over there might be tricky, from a plot perspective.  Heck, maybe after resolving the Deadfire issue, the Watcher gets a case of Wanderlust and goes exploring (as well as perhaps trying to get Rekke home).  Definitely bring Rekke, since maybe he's from this unknown region.  Maybe 1 or 2 other sidekicks, but none of the companions.  Leave the companions behind and develop new ones, possibly including converting the sidekicks you bring along into full on companions.

 

 

Ah well, that's enough for this post.  I didn't expect to go on for this long.

[house2fly]

- More soul bond items, alike to what we had in both White March's. I loved the Soul Bound stuff in POE 1, and was a bit sad to see there being so few of them.

- Less Faction emphasis. Don't get me wrong, I liked how developed they were in Deadfire, BUT... they were a bit too important overall. Especially their respective fixations on their economic and imperial goals, to the point where they seemed almost oblivious to the actual story going on. I'd like to see a return to focus on the quest.

- Additional weapon models. Please don't kill me anyone, but I wouldn't mind seeing eastern weapons (tulwars, pata's, dao, guandao, and....katanas *HIDES FROM THE HATE STORM* ).

(note; this is not me saying I am not a fan of the western arms focus thus far, just that now might be a good time to see some additions).

- Long coats! I was sad to see that in this pirate/ colonial themed setting, we have no long coats.

- Hooks for hands? :D

There's already a ton of weapon types, but unique non-Western weapons would be cool. Katana as a unique sabre or whatever

[handsomenat]

More customization options for Wild Orlans. I don't have high hopes that it would ever happen, but one can dream hah.

[AndreaColombo]

More portraits, more spells and powers, more abilities and talents, more equipment (including a red armor with matching helmet), and high-level gameplay.

 

Wouldn’t mind Priest of Woedica and Steel Garrote Paladin as playable classes.

 

Either Rekke or Ydwin as full companions.

 

Smarter enemy A.I..

 

More orchestrated music.

Edited June 22, 2018 by AndreaColombo

[Balbanes]

The best DLCs are those that don't just give you new areas to explore, but give you a reason to replay old areas.  And that usually means new character creation options. 

 

In that vein:

• Triple class characters, because why not.
• A new class.  No idea what, though.
• New subclasses.
• New companions that are interesting enough that you want to take them to old places. 
• Berath's blessings that give you a significant (strategy-changing) advantage in exchange for a similarly significant drawback.  The beauty of the "Berath's blessing" idea is that these don't necessarily need to be balanced, so they can get wacky.  And players can take as many as they have points for.  Some ideas:
  • All armor ratings permanently set to 0, but you get +4 PEN on all attacks. 
  • All class resources are halved, but you get PL +3. 
  • Gold set at 0 (the Watcher keeps giving it away), but drops are doubled.
  • Can't rest ever (so maluses can't be cleared and four knockouts kills you), but significant attack speed boost.
  • Etc.

[Crucis]

 

The best DLCs are those that don't just give you new areas to explore, but give you a reason to replay old areas.  And that usually means new character creation options. 

 

In that vein:

• Triple class characters, because why not.
• A new class.  No idea what, though.
• New subclasses.
• New companions that are interesting enough that you want to take them to old places. 
• Berath's blessings that give you a significant (strategy-changing) advantage in exchange for a similarly significant drawback.  The beauty of the "Berath's blessing" idea is that these don't necessarily need to be balanced, so they can get wacky.  And players can take as many as they have points for.  Some ideas:
  • All armor ratings permanently set to 0, but you get +4 PEN on all attacks. 
  • All class resources are halved, but you get PL +3. 
  • Gold set at 0 (the Watcher keeps giving it away), but drops are doubled.
  • Can't rest ever (so maluses can't be cleared and four knockouts kills you), but significant attack speed boost.
  • Etc.

 

 

If they'd wanted to allow for triple classes, they'd have done it at the  start.

 

A new class?  While the idea doesn't bother me, I'm with you in that I'd have no idea what it could be.  So many bases already seem covered.  Heck, as it is, I've always felt that barbarians really should be just a subclass of Fighter.

 

New sub-classes?  ABSOLUTELY.

 

New companions?  While this sounds good, I think that it takes a LOT of effort to add new companions.  They've got to script both the character itself, but also all the interactions with other companions.  And then voice the character, and probably bring back all the other voice actors to do lines for the new interactions.  Honestly, it seems to me like it'd be a lot easier at this point to just add a small number of interesting sidekicks, since they don't require any interactions, except perhaps the initial stuff with the sidekick talking to the Watcher.

 

 

Honestly, I'd love to see a major reworking to the subclasses.  I find the existing ones boring as hell.  This is a topic on which I could go on and on and on, and write a multi-page post, but I don't feel like doing it at this point.

[aksrasjel]

As a story person first and a gameplay person second (busy life schedules might do that for you) I would love to see the lore about Pale Elves and White that Wends finally expanded in Beast of Winter. There is a mystery to them and I really want to see how those guys work on a daily basis. As a big fan of Lovecraft and cosmic horror stories I already have some ideas of how the White that Wends might look like (imagine a postapocalyptic frozen wasteland of a lost elven civilization, where eldritch horrors roam, laws of nature stop working and entropy-worshipping elves are fighing for survival - something similar to At the Mountains of Madness mixed with Roadside Picnic by Strugacki brothers). But I suspect it'll probably end up just a boring fantasy Antarctica with Pale Elves being a blatant rip-off of Norse people given how this franchise rolls - still I can always hope.

Also - finally a Pale Elf companion. I (and apparently a lot of people out there) wanted one since Pillars 1. I also really wanted an animancer companion for PoE 2 by the way, so I definately wouldn't despair if they upgraded Ydwin to a full companion. 

As for "companions are a lot of work" argument - I used to think the same thing. but after seeing the companion content/relationship system in Deadfire I take this argument with a grain of salt. They might be time-consuming depending on level of content and relationship system can be *very* wonky, but it's far from impossible. As for the voice acting being expensive issue - Obsidian essentially assured everyone that they knew what they were doing when they went full VO. I expect that they can afford it now going forward. On the edge of sounding entitled - I for one won't accept the excuse "we had to reduce content from DLC, cause full voice acting".

Also - for the love of God - no more sidekicks. I know they are easy to make, but I don't think people took too kindly to them. I personally consider them a half-measure and failed experiment at best and a complete waste of good characters and a constant source of blueballing at worst. They were a flawed idea from the start. 

 

I also wouldn't mind seeing the relationship system being reworked into something less arbitrary. Although, that may be in fact a lot of work.

[Sabri]

I feel like a lot of Deadfire seems to be setting up a potential final game in a trilogy, resolving the stuff about the wheel and the broader relationship between kith and gods. While I'm sure all the DLC will be set before the end of the game, I'd love to see some pointers/hints as to:

 

a) How reincarnation worked prior to the Engwithans creating the wheel. It seems like reincarnation now depends on the wheel, but occurred independently beforehand? This could also provide some interesting hints as to how the wheel could be fixed or replaced in the future.

 

b) Where the (fingers crossed) next game may take us/what sort of conflicts might form the core of it? Most endings result in the storms dissipating revealing new, previously unexplored areas (where Rekke is from), which could make sense as a setting for a new game? But the ending slides suggest you sail 'home' to, I assume, Caed Nua?

 

I'd also love to see some ship-crew-interaction style (that is, non-voiced picture book style) interactions added for companions and sidekicks, where they could come and chat with you on your ship, hopefully allowing for companions to react after the fact to DLC quests as well as flesh out the sidekicks a bit without requiring additional VA expenses. Should work, as companion comments in these picture book sequences aren't currently voiced, so it wouldn't be too jarring, and it'd be nice to feel like they'd drop by to chat while sailing around! It'd be fun to, like, sit up and drink with Eder while reminiscing about events from Pillars of Eternity 1 or something.

Edited June 23, 2018 by Sabri

[handsomenat]

Another aesthetic improvement would be more portraits for both kinds of aumauas. Currently female Coastal aumauas have only one portrait, men have three. Female island aumauas have two (one being color-swapped version of the only coastal protrait) and men only one. It's a little jarring in a setting where this race seems to be majority (and then it looks like my Watcher and her crew from Sayuka are triplets). I know from experience that portraits are rather time-consuming and theoretically I could paint some myself (I tried) and that it's not top priority or even the most important thing in the game but still it would be nice.

[uuuhhii]

Another aesthetic improvement would be more portraits for both kinds of aumauas. Currently female Coastal aumauas have only one portrait, men have three. Female island aumauas have two (one being color-swapped version of the only coastal protrait) and men only one. It's a little jarring in a setting where this race seems to be majority (and then it looks like my Watcher and her crew from Sayuka are triplets). I know from experience that portraits are rather time-consuming and theoretically I could paint some myself (I tried) and that it's not top priority or even the most important thing in the game but still it would be nice.

yes

there are more than hundred of special portrait of aumaua in deadfire

just make some of them available for player will solve the problem