NWN2 XP2 Storm of Zehir Wishlist

[Kissamies]

I hope Obsidian implements the community's armor customisation mod in the expansion, if Obsidian have yet to create one of their own.

Especially when I craft something, I should have some influence on how it looks. Give me an ability to choose among the appearances for that item when I craft something, including among whatever custom stuff I have in my override folder. That'd be a nice way to have those cool elven longswords, chainmail bikini or whatever in game without having to use codes.

 

For item enchantment I'd like something that's between OC and MotB in difficulty. I liked having to distil essences from body parts in OC and I also liked the way you can combine and alter essences in MotB. I am guessing this is going to be somewhat lower level of magic and ridiculously powerful recipes won't be available, but there's going to be something, right?

 

If there's more party members than you can normally have in your party at any given time, I'd like to have a way to manage them all when I'm in my home base, or wherever I go to switch party members around. It's annoying if you have to switch party composition just to swap some equipment, for example.

[Dark_Raven]

Will rangers be able to select dinosaurs as animal companions then? That might be fun.

 

Yes, that *would* be fun...

I prefer a raven as a companion.

[Volourn]

A dark raven.

[Dark_Raven]

You know it.

[Shryke]

i wanna aardvark as mine

 

damn that'd be awesome

[Atreides]

Back on the economy angle, Obsidz could take some ideas from the remarks of some people's glee at the downsizing of a well-known coffee parlour, if the right scenario does turn up (possible consequence of overagressive expansion in the game and the global economy turns sour?).

 

On a more important angle, I'd like succubus as a playable character race so I can create like a whole party of them. Or a mixed party with aasimar & succubus NPCs for the epic romance lulz.

 

Come on Obsidz I know you can do better with the heads art design. Even though you want to stick with the WotC prescribed art direction (which I understand), that doesn't mean you have to limit yourselves.

[samm]

Come on Obsidz I know you can do better with the heads art design. Even though you want to stick with the WotC prescribed art direction (which I understand), that doesn't mean you have to limit yourselves.

Yup, they proved that with the one good looking female elven head that came with some patch (or MotB?).

Edited July 9, 2008 by samm

[Kissamies]

As there seems to be larger parties to control, there'd better be more improvements in the companion AI. There is some good third party mods and I use them, but official content will reach more people. Aside the pure AI, there could be more AI interface where you assign roles for party members, maybe Infinity Engine style formations, or commands for whole party. For example, you could order the party to take 'aggressive stance' where melee characters chase enemies further away and use more risky attacks, spellcasters tend to use more offensive spells and so on, or 'defensive stance' where they huddle together more and concentrate more on defensive buffs and healing.

 

Just don't want to pause to micro everybody all the time.

[Donnie Larko]

I guess I better be careful and sensible in what my wishes are.. as we all know what those pesky Effreti are like when your wishing for stuff.

 

1) New Spells, Feats, Classes, Races (Half Yuanti) etc.. you know, the normal content we would expect to see. With the classes, maybe more custom made ones for example a Witch class, as that has never really been cemented by a solid set of coherent rules so would be fine to make a custom class out of it.

 

2) More head models overall for both sex's of all races, with both nice looking and ugly looking faces. I'd like to strech this wish to maybe some more new and different weapons being added, eg. exotic ones such as the two-bladed sword.

 

3) Coupled with all the new content, I would love to see a huge bug fix on some remaining spells & feats, and something for us DM's to allow us to monitor players inventories more accurately. I would also love to be able to add macros to our hotbars whilst on as our DM Avatars.

[Gorgon]

I usually played with the sort of asian looking human female, cause it was the only one I could stand looking at. Theres about a handful of options if you don't want your char to have that 'violently beaten with the ugly stick' look.

 

I'm not talking about pretty versus unattractive, but about all those poorly made faces no one ever uses. A little quality control please.

Edited July 22, 2008 by Gorgon

[Monte Carlo]

Just don't want to pause to micro everybody all the time.

 

But I do.

[Tale]

Just don't want to pause to micro everybody all the time.

 

But I do.

There's only one way to settle this. Knife fight.

[Sand]

There's only one way to settle this. Knife fight.

 

But will it be real time, turn base, or pause and play?

[Jaesun]

FPS view. That is Next Gen.

[Monte Carlo]

There's only one way to settle this. Knife fight.

 

But will it be real time, turn base, or pause and play?

 

None of the above. Small cardboard counters on a hexagonally-gridded map, rolling six-sided dice. Yes, it's Squad Leader to the death, baby!

[spacekungfuman]

Here is my list of suggestions (Codex approved)

 

1. A small number of tactical fights is vastly better than tons of trash fights.

 

2. Please disable resting anywhere but in safe places.

 

3. Please add BG style autopause options.

 

4. Please make enemy spell casters smarter, including removing your party's buffs.

 

5. Introduce spell duels like in BG2. Ironically this requires making some buffs stronger so that a fighter can't just pummel the mage like in the NWN2 OC and MotB.

 

6. Replace the general stance of the character being very powerful with one where the party at its best is just strong enough to overcome the fights they face. This will make character development more meaningful, and fights more memorable.

 

From a design standpoint I think that combat is just too fast paced and easy for tactics to really matter in most encounters, and I'd like to see this rectified. The reason this is an "issue" is that if they don't make the encounters like this in SoZ, then the encounters in SoZ will NEVER be tactical, because the design of the module is not something up for fan base modification.

 

As far as the actual combat engine goes, I'll list the problems.

 

1. The aurora engine auto follow needs to be eliminated. Even with MotB's improvements, your characters still all drop whatever they're doing to run over to the active character. This should replaced with an IE like system where each character is controlled totally individually. I should not have to order everyone to stand still during combat to select another character.

 

2. Mages need more effective protection. Using the currently available protection spells, wizard duels are impossible unless you make the choice not to physically attack the enemy wizard, since a decent melee character will destroy the spell caster before 1 or 2 spells can even be cast.

 

3. Enchantment and crafting need to be changed. They were both so overpowered in the OC and MotB that your characters became extremely powerful, to an unreasonable degree. The dragons were not even challenges.

 

4. The death mechanic NEEDS to be changed. Right now there is no penalty for a suicide rush, as long as one character survives.

 

5. Immunities and reflex saves need to be made less overpowered. As it stands, it is MUCH to easy to make a character than can effectively stand in the middle of a group of enemies while the mages cast burst spells that the tank is immune to via resistances of reflex saves. This tactic should not be viable, or at least it should be much harder to pull off.

 

If suggestions like these are incorporated into the game, then SoZ will have the best gameplay of any NWN2 game yet. We already know from MotB that Obsidian can craft an awesome story with this engine, and all that is left is for the combat to be as enjoyable as the story.

[Volourn]

"1. A small number of tactical fights is vastly better than tons of trash fights."

 

Agreed.

 

 

"2. Please disable resting anywhere but in safe places."

 

Agred witha caveate. You should be allowed to TRY to rest in some unsafe places but with major consequcnes of enemies attacking, and poor rest due to having to be at a higher level of watch. ie. You get negatives to abilities the bext day due to lack of full sleep, and make interuppting foes be tough. Not just a couple of random orcs; but actually encounters that cna threaten your party's well being.

 

 

"3. Please add BG style autopause options."

 

Not needed; but won't hurt naybody so go ahead and add them.

 

 

"4. Please make enemy spell casters smarter, including removing your party's buffs."

 

Enemies already do this in both NWN games.

 

 

"5. Introduce spell duels like in BG2. Ironically this requires making some buffs stronger so that a fighter can't just pummel the mage like in the NWN2 OC and MotB."

 

Umm.. I can have a mage laugh at fighters in NWN2/MOTB (as well as NWN1) with the already existing spells. Not hard, actually. Awesome spell battles already exist.

 

 

"6. Replace the general stance of the character being very powerful with one where the party at its best is just strong enough to overcome the fights they face. This will make character development more meaningful, and fights more memorable."

 

To a point yes, as long as there isn't a need to rest after every battle so you have to be amax strength to face the next encounter. That's not D&D or real adventuring. You should be able to deal with multiple encounters each day within reason.

 

 

"From a design standpoint I think that combat is just too fast paced and easy for tactics to really matter in most encounters, and I'd like to see this rectified. The reason this is an "issue" is that if they don't make the encounters like this in SoZ, then the encounters in SoZ will NEVER be tactical, because the design of the module is not something up for fan base modification."

 

It's not afst paced. Combat rounds are 6 seconds just like the IE, and you cna take your time. plus, there is the pause button. Use it. It's your friend.

 

 

"As far as the actual combat engine goes, I'll list the problems."

 

K.

 

 

"1. The aurora engine auto follow needs to be eliminated. Even with MotB's improvements, your characters still all drop whatever they're doing to run over to the active character. This should replaced with an IE like system where each character is controlled totally individually. I should not have to order everyone to stand still during combat to select another character."

 

Agreed. Best way to do this is for there to be line up orders/stances. That said, NWN2 does the other part youa re asking fine. You can control your characetrs as you see fit wither you use the AI or full control. That's why you can have multiple orders ready to fire.

 

 

"2. Mages need more effective protection. Using the currently available protection spells, wizard duels are impossible unless you make the choice not to physically attack the enemy wizard, since a decent melee character will destroy the spell caster before 1 or 2 spells can even be cast."

 

That's nonsense. NWN franchise has TONS of defensive spells. TONS. I cna have my mage laugh at your mage's most pwoerful spells without blinking an eye. And, i cna do it with 1 spell.

 

 

 

"3. Enchantment and crafting need to be changed. They were both so overpowered in the OC and MotB that your characters became extremely powerful, to an unreasonable degree. The dragons were not even challenges."

 

Has very little with item creation.

 

 

"4. The death mechanic NEEDS to be changed. Right now there is no penalty for a suicide rush, as long as one character survives."

 

Agreed. I think bleeding rules + death should be used. This is alreayd possible too by virtual of one little option in the toolset.

 

 

"5. Immunities and reflex saves need to be made less overpowered. As it stands, it is MUCH to easy to make a character than can effectively stand in the middle of a group of enemies while the mages cast burst spells that the tank is immune to via resistances of reflex saves. This tactic should not be viable, or at least it should be much harder to pull off."

 

Agreed. Less immunity items for sure. And, not as many save bonus items, too. It isn't too infeasibly cureently for characters to have +30 saving throws even on their 'weakest' stat now.

 

 

"If suggestions like these are incorporated into the game, then SoZ will have the best gameplay of any NWN2 game yet. We already know from MotB that Obsidian can craft an awesome story with this engine, and all that is left is for the combat to be as enjoyable as the story."

 

Definitely will be improved...

[spacekungfuman]

"2. Please disable resting anywhere but in safe places."

 

Agred witha caveate. You should be allowed to TRY to rest in some unsafe places but with major consequcnes of enemies attacking, and poor rest due to having to be at a higher level of watch. ie. You get negatives to abilities the bext day due to lack of full sleep, and make interuppting foes be tough. Not just a couple of random orcs; but actually encounters that cna threaten your party's well being.

 

I agree that random challenging encounters is a better way to go. They really need to be dangerous though.

 

 

"4. Please make enemy spell casters smarter, including removing your party's buffs."

 

Enemies already do this in both NWN games.

 

In all the time I played NWN, HotU, NWN2, and MotB, I never had my buffs stripped. . .

 

"5. Introduce spell duels like in BG2. Ironically this requires making some buffs stronger so that a fighter can't just pummel the mage like in the NWN2 OC and MotB."

 

Umm.. I can have a mage laugh at fighters in NWN2/MOTB (as well as NWN1) with the already existing spells. Not hard, actually. Awesome spell battles already exist.

 

Its not about the player's mage. Its the enemy mages that need protection.

 

"6. Replace the general stance of the character being very powerful with one where the party at its best is just strong enough to overcome the fights they face. This will make character development more meaningful, and fights more memorable."

 

To a point yes, as long as there isn't a need to rest after every battle so you have to be amax strength to face the next encounter. That's not D&D or real adventuring. You should be able to deal with multiple encounters each day within reason.

 

Agreed 100% I like the idea of semi challenging fights weakening you up for a big fight, so you need to win efficiently in the first ones.

 

"From a design standpoint I think that combat is just too fast paced and easy for tactics to really matter in most encounters, and I'd like to see this rectified. The reason this is an "issue" is that if they don't make the encounters like this in SoZ, then the encounters in SoZ will NEVER be tactical, because the design of the module is not something up for fan base modification."

 

It's not afst paced. Combat rounds are 6 seconds just like the IE, and you cna take your time. plus, there is the pause button. Use it. It's your friend.

 

Fights just seem to end VERY fast for me on this engine, especially in NWN2 with full party. Maybe its just my characters being so much stronger than the enemies.

 

"1. The aurora engine auto follow needs to be eliminated. Even with MotB's improvements, your characters still all drop whatever they're doing to run over to the active character. This should replaced with an IE like system where each character is controlled totally individually. I should not have to order everyone to stand still during combat to select another character."

 

Agreed. Best way to do this is for there to be line up orders/stances. That said, NWN2 does the other part youa re asking fine. You can control your characetrs as you see fit wither you use the AI or full control. That's why you can have multiple orders ready to fire.

 

I find that a whole queue of orders gets ignored if I click on another character, as everyone runs over to the active char. It only happens sometimes, but god is it annoying when it does.

 

"2. Mages need more effective protection. Using the currently available protection spells, wizard duels are impossible unless you make the choice not to physically attack the enemy wizard, since a decent melee character will destroy the spell caster before 1 or 2 spells can even be cast."

 

That's nonsense. NWN franchise has TONS of defensive spells. TONS. I cna have my mage laugh at your mage's most pwoerful spells without blinking an eye. And, i cna do it with 1 spell.

 

Again, its the enemy mages that need protection, or better AI to use what they have. They need better AC too.

 

"4. The death mechanic NEEDS to be changed. Right now there is no penalty for a suicide rush, as long as one character survives."

 

Agreed. I think bleeding rules + death should be used. This is alreayd possible too by virtual of one little option in the toolset.

 

Yes, bleeding or status effects are probably the best way to go, because they avoid a reload.

[samm]

I find that a whole queue of orders gets ignored if I click on another character, as everyone runs over to the active char. It only happens sometimes, but god is it annoying when it does.

Disable AI, or set all members to puppet mode.

[Tigranes]

From a design standpoint I think that combat is just too fast paced and easy for tactics to really matter in most encounters, and I'd like to see this rectified. The reason this is an "issue" is that if they don't make the encounters like this in SoZ, then the encounters in SoZ will NEVER be tactical, because the design of the module is not something up for fan base modification.

 

Really? I didn't know it couldn't be modified. I was wondering why the NWN series featured so few modifications to the official campaigns themselves.

 

Definitely agree with more tactical, considered battles than a lot of drudgery, I thought MOTB did improve on NWN2OC slightly on that account so I'm hopeful.

[Volourn]

"Really? I didn't know it couldn't be modified. I was wondering why the NWN series featured so few modifications to the official campaigns themselves."

 

Actually, it has more than enough mods for it. Not a smuch as the IE games but why would one bother when youy can just make your own mod? The reeaosn why original mods for IE games are rare is because IE isn't really good for fan modding of that sort.

 

P.S. I dunno how anyone cna claim NWN series combat is 'fast paced' and then claim that the IE combat isn't when the combat works the same way in terms of 6 second rounds. It's illogical.

 

Perhaps, youa re getting old, and your reaction time is dropping so it seems faster.

 

 

R00fles!

Edited July 25, 2008 by Volourn

[spacekungfuman]

I find that a whole queue of orders gets ignored if I click on another character, as everyone runs over to the active char. It only happens sometimes, but god is it annoying when it does.

Disable AI, or set all members to puppet mode.

I always play no ai, puppet mode and still have that happen sometimes. I know of a lot of people who have this problem, and its pretty serious.

[Volourn]

I know a lot of people who don't have that problem, and they've enjoyed Aurora combat for years. *shrug*

Edited July 25, 2008 by Volourn

[Morgoth]

Combat in NWN was so bland I could mostly ignore it, and when a fight initiated, I just wanted to "get over with it" quickly. Same with Kotor.

[Volourn]

KOTOR combat is foolish. NWN combat is awesome.