Visually see your characters gain in power.

[Failion]

When players play a rpg game. They like to see how their characters gained in power from the start of the journey. Usually they are rewarded with a cooler set of armor. But I think the more you can expand that feel your character has gained power the more satisfying it is. Add cooler combat animations, more attacks per turn, make their voice set sound more confident when dealing with weaker foes. Give then spectacular abilities that show "ya im badass mofo now". etc.

[Hypevosa]

Sounds good to me - a kind of automatic intimidation check based on level relative to enemy level and including players' power stat for that class (so a very intelligent mage could intimidate through spell display as much as a strong fighter flexes his muscles or a thief plays with a dagger, etc.)

[Ieo]

When players play a rpg game. They like to see how their characters gained in power from the start of the journey. Usually they are rewarded with a cooler set of armor. But I think the more you can expand that feel your character has gained power the more satisfying it is. Add cooler combat animations, more attacks per turn, make their voice set sound more confident when dealing with weaker foes. Give then spectacular abilities that show "ya im badass mofo now". etc.

 

Curious, exactly what CRPGs have you played?

 

Since you decided to just project your own opinion on ALL players who play RPGs, let me set you straight as the outlier--I, as a player of RPG games, do not care for flashy badass mofo crap. I'll have more hit points, I'll hit harder, and I'll have access to high-level spells, but in the end--I and my party will be the last ones standing on a battlefield against impressive odds. Even better--as a rogue I'll have shown my power without the enemy even realizing what hit them.

 

It's not necessarily about the finishing moves or pauldron size.

[agewisdom]

I think the OP wants something along the lines of action RPGs like Diablo 2/3 where you can see the difference in terms of abilities and/or equipment. Might not be too realistic though.

 

I would however, like to see the representation of the PC change if he changes into different sets of armors or dual wields weapons.

[TrashMan]

NO.

Ego-stroking is not on my list "good things for a RPG".

 

The only thing you mentioned that migth be good is more combat animations/move...but not of hte "rule of cool" variety.

[Oerwinde]

Nwn2 did that with comat animation. Dual wielding was lame until higher levels when you would go all nuts on people.

[Labadal]

I'm happy as long as I can press "A" for "Awesome!!!"

[el pinko grande]

I think this can be accomplished reasonably with flashier combat animations for higher-level abilities and spells. Especially since they mentioned that even melee characters are going to have mystical, soul-fueled attacks that let them do superhuman stuff. Seems like a pretty obvious road for them to go down.

 

And also, yeah, higher level armor should be fancier-looking than lower-level armor. I don't think anyone wants the sillier WoW-style of armor, with smoke-spewing skulls stuck to your pauldrons and so on. But you can still make things look awesome without falling into the WoW trap.

[Failion]

What I'm simply suggesting characters carry themselves differently when higher level then when they where they are lower. Not just through gear and new abilities.

[Archmage Silver]

I think this can be accomplished reasonably with flashier combat animations for higher-level abilities and spells. Especially since they mentioned that even melee characters are going to have mystical, soul-fueled attacks that let them do superhuman stuff. Seems like a pretty obvious road for them to go down.

 

And also, yeah, higher level armor should be fancier-looking than lower-level armor. I don't think anyone wants the sillier WoW-style of armor, with smoke-spewing skulls stuck to your pauldrons and so on. But you can still make things look awesome without falling into the WoW trap.

I agree about the higher level skills and feats being enough on their own, no need for any physical alterations like glowing eyes for a monk or something.

 

Higher grade armors should look stylish and ornate opposed to the lower end stuff, but that should be reflected in their availability as well (read: much harder to get).

[Ninjamestari]

The only way to make that without going over the top is to start of with a beggar dressed in rags whose flimsy grip of the club he wields is more that of a child than a seasoned warrior. As the game progresses those rags slowly change first into leather, then into chain. That club might change into short sword, then into a long sword, and the combat animations could turn from flimsy hacking and poking into competent swinging.

 

But absolutely no "turbo epic super action" - kinda moves or equipment, that crap makes me sick.

[jivex5k]

I'd like to see character progression reflected in equipment, but I figure that would happen naturally right?

I mean, your gonna have better gear as you progress, and unless they don't render your equipment your gonna see the difference.

Confidence in the voice, that's a cool concept but I don't think VOs will be much of this game at all.

 

Cooler animations?

Animations are never that impressive in isometric games IMHO. The coolest animations are from spells really, and powerful spells should naturally look...well more powerful, so that's another inherent visual upgrade. New combat abilities could have new animations as well.

 

I don't see a point in changing how a character swings his sword for a basic attack as he levels though, it won't look that cool regardless of what you try to do with it.

 

TLDR: Visual feedback on character progression will happen naturally, no need to worry about it.

[Amentep]

Changing Voice set work seems like it'd be expensive.

 

Also starting off in an "unconfident" voice would probably not be welcomed by most players who probably want their PC to be a confident character.

 

I'd say the same with cooler combat animations; to make it happen this would probably required the initial combat animations "uncool" which again I think wouldn't be supported by most players who'd like to feel confident with their character (it might even turn people off combat builds).

 

More attacks per round really depends on the system they're making.

 

Ultimately though, none of these things - nor other visual cues like the glowy or cracky faced KotOR character figure or things like that - are things that I particularly value in games so if they're there or not there will probably make little difference to me.

Edited November 5, 2012 by Amentep

[Osvir]

In Breathe of Fire 3 your character begins by fighting physically holding his hand over his eyes, looking away, and I think there's some emoticon over his head whilst he his wailing his sword. Through in-game story you'll see your character getting better and better with the sword, and it's pretty badass

 

I think that's out of the scope for P:E but it is hilarious and also a visual development ^^

 

Otherwise I'm fine with something like this:

without the oversized shoulder pads, ofc

Edited November 5, 2012 by Osvir

[Heresiarch]

without the oversized shoulder pads, ofc

 

By the look of things if a character progresses any further, he will become a solid block of metal with two slits for glaring eyes.

 

I really like flashy abilities much like epic feats in NWN or special abilities and 10th level spells in ToB. Character-specific abilities also felt cool, like Slayer transformation or Sarevok's Deathbringer's Assault.

[Aldereth]

Don't mind a bit of ego stroking as long as it does not become a resource sink. A combination of combat animation and gears would probably be the most straight forward way. Reputation tracking would help if one does not over do it like how Fallout 3 would have half the town complementing you and giving you craps, CONSTANTLY.

 

If one really want to go the extra mile (IMHO, overboard) and resource allow, perhaps a little bit of heroic / villainous lighting on the character model. Kind of a tone down version of the Jedi/Sith back/spot lighting when when you see yourself in the character page in KOTOR 1 & 2. And this has to be an option that can be turned off since I am pretty sure some people will find this a bit too much

[Osvir]

Don't mind a bit of ego stroking as long as it does not become a resource sink. A combination of combat animation and gears would probably be the most straight forward way. Reputation tracking would help if one does not over do it like how Fallout 3 would have half the town complementing you and giving you craps, CONSTANTLY.

 

If one really want to go the extra mile (IMHO, overboard) and resource allow, perhaps a little bit of heroic / villainous lighting on the character model. Kind of a tone down version of the Jedi/Sith back/spot lighting when when you see yourself in the character page in KOTOR 1 & 2. And this has to be an option that can be turned off since I am pretty sure some people will find this a bit too much

 

I'm sold on this quote. And a little bit of visual to contemplate:

[Aldereth]

 

I'm sold on this quote. And a little bit of visual to contemplate:

 

 

I can almost hear the people who would prefer to have something more subtle scream bloody murder now. Myself, perhaps a little bit more tone down without the Lightling but yes, something along that line.

[Osvir]

I'm sold on this quote. And a little bit of visual to contemplate:

 

 

I can almost hear the people who would prefer to have something more subtle scream bloody murder now. Myself, perhaps a little bit more tone down without the Lightling but yes, something along that line.

 

And perhaps I can calm them down to say that I'm on the same page

[Malkaven]

In older crpg's spells, like magic missile, were more powerful and added extra visuals/missles based on level.

[jivex5k]

Fable had a cool alignment visual cue, but I wouldn't want something that ostentatious in PE.

[Sacred_Path]

I wouldn't want any innate "flashiness" to conflict with the cool visible effects you get from gear. I was quite happy with how my characters got ever more sparkly in IE games due to enchanted items.

[Hassat Hunter]

I don't see it being worthy of dev resources, and agree with the rest higher level gear, spells and abilities will probably already visually represent it without adding the extra effort.

[Alexjh]

I do like the idea of adding extra combat animations into the mix as you advance level, particularly if they were going for more realistic movement style than in Infinity engine (perhaps in line with ToEE?) and I think the more attacks per turn/new abilities probably go without saying, but the voice is probably a little impractical as it'd require more recording to do, and as people have mentioned people don't want to have a non-confident character to begin the game.

 

A vague idea I've had before, (and not really suited to this game as such, vaguely done in Fable but thats just based on general levelling but not specific scores) would be to tie attributes to physique sliders / animations so a character with a high strength score would be more muscular or a character with low intelligence has a dopey expresssion, high charisma has confident posture etc. As I said, wouldn't suit this game given this is an isometric game, but would be fun to see in an RPG someday.

[Tamerlane]

In Breathe of Fire 3 your character begins by fighting physically holding his hand over his eyes, looking away, and I think there's some emoticon over his head whilst he his wailing his sword. Through in-game story you'll see your character getting better and better with the sword, and it's pretty badass

 

I think that's out of the scope for P:E but it is hilarious and also a visual development ^^

 

Otherwise I'm fine with something like this:

without the oversized shoulder pads, ofc

God dammit, beaten to the Breath of Fire 3 reference.

 

If my memory serves, I think Ryu starts learning how to handle his sword right around the time he meets Nina, which I thought was kinda cute. He's gone from being the kid that everyone has to look after to being the kid trying to look after someone else.