States of being

[maggotheart]

So we have races (human, elf, dwarf) and classes (fighter, mage, rogue), how about also states of being (vampiric, lycanthropic, posessed, mutated, ghostly, etc)

 

I think it would be cool to have a lycanthropic dwarven thief or a vampiric elven mage. There could be racial exclusions (plane-touched cannot become infected with lycanthropy and so on), methods of becoming infected / cured, and special skill trees for the different states.

Edited September 26, 2012 by maggotheart

[Gurkog]

I don't want a flea magnet (werewolf) or glitter princess (vampire) mode. Maybe as a stretch goal I would support it. It would take a bit of effort to put in the models, animations, NPC reactions, etc...

[Leewelo]

And not to break the immersion, those states of being would need to be integrated in the dialogs and reactions of almost every NPC, so that it does not get relegated to a footnote quest. I would prefer Obsidian's energy being spent on developping their own original content.

There's so much more to fantasy than the tried (and trusted) tropes. Admittedly, some is bad. But writers have done very nice new things recently on magic, settings and worldbuilding.

Although I have to wonder how one would play a truely ghostly character (and I mean disembodied). It may not be easy to interact with the world. And what is the energy source one would need to maintain your attachment to the plane? Do you nurture your rage/resentment? or simply tie that to lingering attachments and the need to fulfill the main quest?

[maggotheart]

And not to break the immersion, those states of being would need to be integrated in the dialogs and reactions of almost every NPC, so that it does not get relegated to a footnote quest. I would prefer Obsidian's energy being spent on developping their own original content.

There's so much more to fantasy than the tried (and trusted) tropes. Admittedly, some is bad. But writers have done very nice new things recently on magic, settings and worldbuilding.

Although I have to wonder how one would play a truely ghostly character (and I mean disembodied). It may not be easy to interact with the world. And what is the energy source one would need to maintain your attachment to the plane? Do you nurture your rage/resentment? or simply tie that to lingering attachments and the need to fulfill the main quest?

 

Fair points, I'd like to see original content too, but I don't think this idea has been done well in a game before.

 

As for the ghostly thing, I was just throwing ideas out there but I was picturing something like an empty suit of armour with some shades of corporealness inside, perhaps tied to the world through some sort of curse - that's something easily solved by a little creative writing..

[Leewelo]

Sure, I would just feel cheated out of a novel experience ). Playing an embodied disembodied entity is not just as fun as what I pictured before.

Although the fun may not last long enough if the disadvantages impact too strongly on the gameplay.

[Tauron]

No for PC, maybe having a companion that is in such a state yes or quest line or having it in lore and world itself. But no vampire / were fantasy for PC just yet.(unless we talk about transmutating magics that mage posesses..yes..but no permaeffects of vampirisim or werethingies)

 

For you desperate for blood and howling...rejoice, World of Darkness is upon us! So check their forums to quench your thirst for blood. But hopefully no vampirisim yet in PE, unless we kill it.

 

[Flying Magician]

Kiddies saw in Skyrim their PC growing fangs and want to see it in every other game as well. Voted for no, of course.

[maggotheart]

Kiddies saw in Skyrim their PC growing fangs and want to see it in every other game as well. Voted for no, of course.

 

I think the vast majority of us here are adults... if you're going to post, care to explain why you think it's a bad idea?

[TEODEX]

I want to be a dragon!

 

 

Errr, I think is better if they only resort to ''changing'' the PC if there is a very good reason for that, and not just to emulate TES.

Anyway I woud like to see some sapeshifting (aka Druids).

[eimatshya]

I'm not opposed to the idea of such a feature in principle, however I'm not sure that it would fit Project Eternity. P:E sounds like it will be a story driven game with a concentrated narrative. If this is the case, then I think that having your character come down with vampirism would be a distraction that would drag the narrative away from the central conflict (unless the central conflict was about vampires or werewolves, or whatever, but this strikes me as unlikely from what little we know of the game). In a more open story like what we get in the elder scrolls games, such a feature is viable because there is no strong story driving the gameplay. The basic MO is "mess around and dabble in what little story there is when/if it suits your fancy." As such, getting randomly bitten by a werewolf won't derail an Elder Scrolls game's narrative since there isn't much of one to derail. In the kind of the kind of games that Obsidian usually makes, as well as in the old Infinity Engine games that supposedly serve as P:E's core source of inspiration, a complex narrative drives the player's actions, and unless becoming a vampire or werewolf is part of that core narrative, becoming one would just mess up the game's pacing and possibly its plot, as well.

 

I'm also concerned that it would be a labor intensive feature to implement, and there are other things I would rather have them spend their time on.

[Amentep]

So we have races (human, elf, dwarf) and classes (fighter, mage, rogue), how about also states of being (vampiric, lycanthropic, posessed, mutated, ghostly, etc)

 

I think it would be cool to have a lycanthropic dwarven thief or a vampiric elven mage. There could be racial exclusions (plane-touched cannot become infected with lycanthropy and so on), methods of becoming infected / cured, and special skill trees for the different states.

 

Hmmm, , I'd have a hard time believing - if vampire, ghosts, lycanthropes and posessed states are treated similarly to how they are historically in human culture - that you'd have anyone who'd be willing to work with you once it became "known" what you were. Yes I know that you're supposed to be able to solo the game, but I'm not sure I'd be for solo-only content (or more specifically content that forced soloing) as something that resources should go for.

 

Mutated - maybe if the game was Gamma World...

[Scryer]

No. But there could be a quest where you have to remove a curse from the PC but nothing trivial like vampirisim or lycantropy, rather something like being cursed with testes growing on the soles of your feet and along with flat feet.

[maggotheart]

I'm not opposed to the idea of such a feature in principle, however I'm not sure that it would fit Project Eternity. P:E sounds like it will be a story driven game with a concentrated narrative. If this is the case, then I think that having your character come down with vampirism would be a distraction that would drag the narrative away from the central conflict (unless the central conflict was about vampires or werewolves, or whatever, but this strikes me as unlikely from what little we know of the game). In a more open story like what we get in the elder scrolls games, such a feature is viable because there is no strong story driving the gameplay. The basic MO is "mess around and dabble in what little story there is when/if it suits your fancy." As such, getting randomly bitten by a werewolf won't derail an Elder Scrolls game's narrative since there isn't much of one to derail. In the kind of the kind of games that Obsidian usually makes, as well as in the old Infinity Engine games that supposedly serve as P:E's core source of inspiration, a complex narrative drives the player's actions, and unless becoming a vampire or werewolf is part of that core narrative, becoming one would just mess up the game's pacing and possibly its plot, as well.

 

I'm also concerned that it would be a labor intensive feature to implement, and there are other things I would rather have them spend their time on.

 

So we have races (human, elf, dwarf) and classes (fighter, mage, rogue), how about also states of being (vampiric, lycanthropic, posessed, mutated, ghostly, etc)

 

I think it would be cool to have a lycanthropic dwarven thief or a vampiric elven mage. There could be racial exclusions (plane-touched cannot become infected with lycanthropy and so on), methods of becoming infected / cured, and special skill trees for the different states.

 

Hmmm, , I'd have a hard time believing - if vampire, ghosts, lycanthropes and posessed states are treated similarly to how they are historically in human culture - that you'd have anyone who'd be willing to work with you once it became "known" what you were. Yes I know that you're supposed to be able to solo the game, but I'm not sure I'd be for solo-only content (or more specifically content that forced soloing) as something that resources should go for.

 

Mutated - maybe if the game was Gamma World...

 

I understand your points of view and don't entirely disagree - but wouldn't 'godlike or planetouched' races be just as 'out of place' as someone who was affected by one of these states? I'm not sure there is a huge distinction there and as we know godlike races are already confirmed for the game.

[Dianjabla]

If the game is all about souls, how're you gonna go as a souless vampire?

 

Eh, I blame Twighlight for my complete lack of enthusiasm with the idea. You know, aside from the whole undead abomination that thinks of people as food and is unable to walk around during the day putting a crimp in questing. Or the werewolf that transforms one night & starts ripping into your party... And well, being possessed kinda takes away some player agency, no?

[nikolokolus]

I voted "don't care" mostly because we have no idea what the lore and ecology of the game world is like ... also, I think vampires have been pretty much done to death in recent years so I kind of hate them now.

 

Whatever, if the developers have a good reason to include vampirism/werebeasts then so be it.

[Bos_hybrid]

If it sparkles, you kill it.

[generic.hybridity]

Maybe something to do with the type of soul state your PC has. Though I think its been stated that you are a strong soul.

[Amentep]

Hmmm, , I'd have a hard time believing - if vampire, ghosts, lycanthropes and posessed states are treated similarly to how they are historically in human culture - that you'd have anyone who'd be willing to work with you once it became "known" what you were. Yes I know that you're supposed to be able to solo the game, but I'm not sure I'd be for solo-only content (or more specifically content that forced soloing) as something that resources should go for.

 

Mutated - maybe if the game was Gamma World...

 

I understand your points of view and don't entirely disagree - but wouldn't 'godlike or planetouched' races be just as 'out of place' as someone who was affected by one of these states? I'm not sure there is a huge distinction there and as we know godlike races are already confirmed for the game.

 

Vampires and lycanthropes and in some stories, ghosts, are predators of humans. Possession is totally based on another entity sublimating a person and taking over its body which is generally seen as bad if permanent (if not permanent, like someone being possessed by a spirit guide temporarily and the spirit guide is a permanent partner then I'll take back my objection; I was thinking more along the lines of "Exorcist"-style demonic possession).

 

I think that's why Vampires and lycanthropes show up as monsters in video games (along with other predatory creatures, like Lamias or Harpies). This doesn't mean a good game couldn't be created around them though! But I think for me I'd want that game to start out with the goal of playing in the specific world of vampires and werewolves.

 

Godlike/planetouched typically aren't necessarily seen as beings who eat people. They could very easily be like the demigod heroes (Heracles, CuChulain, Ansel) as well as, presumably, demigod villains so would be more open to varied opinions in the world.

[maggotheart]

A lot of great arguments posted here.

 

I voted "don't care" mostly because we have no idea what the lore and ecology of the game world is like ... also, I think vampires have been pretty much done to death in recent years so I kind of hate them now.

 

Whatever, if the developers have a good reason to include vampirism/werebeasts then so be it.

 

The fact that we don't know the lore and ecology - and that it could be something we can't imagine - is exactly why I think this idea can fit. Do vampires have to be soulless monsters? Do Werewolves have to change into beasts only on the full moon? Do these states of being have to automatically make the PCs out of control or predators of humans? Not at all... These arechetypes could easily be appropriated and modified as needed (tied into the soul idea?) to make the idea of a 'lycanthropic PC' work in PO.

 

I'd also like to note that, I was only throwing Vampires and Werewolves out there because they are the most well known examples, the states of being don't have to be traditional or monstrous, they could be literally anything; like (off the top of my head) partially elemental, ethereal, infested, mutant shapeshifting DNA, cherubic, cursed, and so on and so forth.

 

I just think that this would add a 3rd dimension to the traditional race/class paradigm allowing for a greater number of combinations and thus more replay value, as well as all the story and sidequest implications which I believe would be very interesting as well.

[Pangur]

I don't mind encountering vampires/werewolves or other similar beings in the game (would be interesting to meet them as allies, not enemies), but I wouldn't want the PC to be one of them.

 

Anyway, need to know more about the setting. Right now I'm not sure they'll fit in.

Edited September 27, 2012 by Pangur