Skill check requirements / lack of respec is bogging down any enjoyment

[B.carmine1]

the skill checks in the game are so high and diverse, with level ups and points being so limited and far apart that I feel like I’m missing half the game. I’m about halfway through now and I’m struggling to care about anything because I can barely get half the information and due to skill checks. At least with being able to respec I could tediously go to the ship every 5 minutes and back to slot things into the categories I need, but not being able to and the checks being so high is just ruining the story and gameplay for me

[Rollo1789]

Concur. Poor design.

[Proficiency]

I agree but I also recognize what the Dev is trying to do here. 

The 2 DLCs will likely increase the level caps to either 40 or 50, so that either 20 or 40 extra points for you to spread. 

I think the better implementation is party assist like Deadfire has. Certain companion increase certain combat and non-combat skill by 3-5 points to assist you to pass the check. 

[Sven_]

Dunno about TOW2 yet, but the original game was rather light on this. Like baby's first Fallout-Like. Even if you didn't specialize or cared much, you wouldn't face that many a hurdle. The same would apply to the game in general, like ressources being plenty and all over the place, also completely contradicting the game's lore and fiction of a struggling economy. They've announced they wanted to go a bit deeper with part 2. Which naturally may alienate those introduced fresh with the original.



That said, respec remains the single most bizarre "mandatory" feature ever introduced into single-player RPGs.

Still waiting for the racing game that lets you change car, gear and tires on the fly.
That Life Is Strange-Like that simply lets you reset all your choices, all the way to the start of Episode 1.
And of course the first Command&Conquer that lets you switch sides in the final battle -- Brotherhood of NOD has been cooler than boring GDI all along!  

If a game makes you think it'd NEED respec, it's poorly designed, not because of the missing respec. FOMO doesn't apply though -- the entire point of character choice and specialization is offering a unique path that (in theory) only your character could experience this way. Whilst another player may have a completely different road to the ending credits. The three traditional archetypes targeted have been Combat, Evasion/Stealth and Diplomacy (see OG Fallout, Deus Ex. etc.). Naturally, with more nuances comes more options... Seeing this as a case of "missing out" is completely missing the point. The endgame is offering your specific character build his/her unique adventure.

I once build a New Vegas character that was basically all brains, sweet talk and luck. He had to "sneak" his way into Vegas, but in there, he broke the bank.  

Edited 6 hours ago by Sven_

[Proficiency]

5 hours ago, Sven_ said:

If a game makes you think it'd NEED respec, it's poorly designed, not because of the missing respec

Respec is needed mostly for accessibility. A lot of people might not familiar with the game, it takes time to gain the game knowledge, first playthrough would likely need at least a capability to respec once, because there are many factors, apart from mentioned lacking of game knowledge, for player to wanting to respec their characters. 

Also party assist, need that party assist. 

[Sven_]

36 minutes ago, Proficiency said:

Respec is needed mostly for accessibility. A lot of people might not familiar with the game, it takes time to gain the game knowledge

That's the point.

If a game requires META knowledge of the game / campaign, it's on the game's design. Considering that Obsidian have listed Deus Ex as one of the influences (and knowing their prior games), I doubt you could ever could get seriously "stuck". No less as The Outer Worlds in parts was conceived to be an "accessible / casual" Fallout. There's always supposed to be a way.

Think about my New Vegas character breaking the banks of Vegas: Sure, he's having a harder time surviving out in the wastelands of the Mojave Desert due to being lacking in combat and physical skills -- which is actually part of that character's experience drawing it unique. But how cheap would it be if he could switch from gambler to say, master sniper at will? It renders the entire experience pointless. 
 

 

Edited 1 hour ago by Sven_