Visually see your characters gain in power.

[Osvir]

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.

 

Highlight for inspiration.

[steelshark]

I think gear should remain "unobtrusive" (not sure if this is the right word to use > native german speaker, i mean "dezent").

Nothing throws me out of the game more than shoulderplates that belong to spacemarines rather then fantasy fighters, and swords or daggers that have som many spikes on them, that you could stick half a cities population on them... I' looking at you WoW!

 

There should be decoration, changes in coloring and hue, but Steel armor should look and feel like steel. Same with the weapons. They should look "manageble", with a believable optical balance to it.

 

Otherwise:

Please no flaming hair, glownig eyes, chainmail bikinis, bikini-plate armor, boob-armor, oversized horns, and other impossible gear.

A sorceress in a slinky dress that shows legs and cleavage... ok.... but do not state that it is plate armor

 

edit:

Oh and HELMETS...

There should be helmets, and Characters should wear them in combat

Edited November 6, 2012 by steelshark

[BetrayTheWorld]

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

 

You win.

[Falkon Swiftblade]

My current project is using more of a visual cue to character growth. However it's not in a blingy type of way, but it does change game play mechanics. I'm sure similar methods have been used in other games, but my hope is it feels like a reward and like a real sense of accomplishment. The challenge I'm currently facing is progression, because If someone rushes through in 1/4th the time I'm aiming for in the design, will it still have the same impact as if it was a gradual change over a long time? I also hope to have visual cue's for systems such as if I were to use a dexterity mechanic for example. If someone had a low dexterity I'd like to have additional animations showing how clumsy they are, in contrast, a high dexterity may show smoother animation and graceful movements. My voice actors I want to have different ways of delivering their lines too, maybe they stutter a little bit, maybe they're a little ****y or confidant depending on how the stats are. Similarly, a person with low strength may look like Rockem Sockem Robots, but someone with high strength would have much more follow through and enemy's would react more.

[BetrayTheWorld]

Fable had a cool alignment visual cue

 

I missed this on my first read-through of the thread. I was actually looking for it so that I could say,

 

Aww, hell no.

 

Simply doesn't fit with the RPG core, in my opinion. Something like this might work for a particular race if you explained it as, say...a race that had both divine and fiendish heritage. Basically, their choices in life led them closer to one side of their heritage than the other. But, for all characters, no way.

[ReyVagabond]

Perosaly i hate when Mages and the like Get all the Cool looking stuff and Warriors and Rogues only progress trough Gear. i HATE IT!

 

I want my seasoned Warrior / Rogue to have animations that reflects he is the best in the world doing some Crazy animations that reflecs that.

Something like the old games is not what i want for this game in this state of the Tecnology and what not.

 

Warriors and Rogues need to be as Cool ,not just functional, as Mages.

 

But thast just my opinion.

[ReyVagabond]

Fable had a cool alignment visual cue

 

I missed this on my first read-through of the thread. I was actually looking for it so that I could say,

 

Aww, hell no.

 

Simply doesn't fit with the RPG core, in my opinion. Something like this might work for a particular race if you explained it as, say...a race that had both divine and fiendish heritage. Basically, their choices in life led them closer to one side of their heritage than the other. But, for all characters, no way.

 

Remember that the consept of the game is all The Souls Stuff.

 

Your soul is not just your own, the soul you body has has expirience beond the life you currently has, with that in mind if you can tap on that power and that acumulated expirience , who knows what you can do and what powers can you unlock.

[FlintlockJazz]

I'm going to say no. As much as I like to see the muscles on my fighter grow and my wizards grow more wizened it is implemented too much like a case of ego stroking these days that I'd rather they didn't bother.

[Atreides]

Who knows what the soul evolves/looks like after so many incarnations? Dorian Gray moment here.

[Odd Hermit]

I just don't want excessively flashy armor to be all I can find at high levels. I often like the low level gear appearance in games better than the high level.

 

It'd be nice if the items themselves didn't have to determine the appearance though, they could just have basic types (plate, scale, leater, robes, etc) and you get to choose from a selection of models and colors for each. IIRC NWN had a system where you could use different skills to adjust appearance of weapons/armor, in Project Eternity maybe that could be an option, or you could pay a craftsman.

[Aldereth]

Perosaly i hate when Mages and the like Get all the Cool looking stuff and Warriors and Rogues only progress trough Gear. i HATE IT!

 

I want my seasoned Warrior / Rogue to have animations that reflects he is the best in the world doing some Crazy animations that reflecs that.

Something like the old games is not what i want for this game in this state of the Tecnology and what not.

 

Warriors and Rogues need to be as Cool ,not just functional, as Mages.

 

But thast just my opinion.

 

If resource allow and all, change their stance and movement too. Warrior will have a more prepared looking stance and move more confidently at higher level. Rogue the same except, when the move around, make their movement more graceful or something.

[Osvir]

I have no idea how it's spelled:

 

Deyd?

Dying?

Dye?

 

Anyways, Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale allows you to customize colors at any given point (Which I enjoyed very much). I do not like it as a resource based thing that you have to buy with gold or you have to go to a smithy to get another color and so on and so on. Simplicity is King.

[Tsuga C]

Ieo has the right of this one. There's simply no need for pushing "teh kewl" via over-the-top, "badass mofo" silliness. Let our party strike more often and with greater power and precision as we advance, but we can do without turning our avatars into splashy, comicbook superheros.

[pzp11]

I think the increasing dmg output from your characters and the greater array of spells/skills already show enough progress on the character? If you wish for 'ego-stroking' there are always late-game moments when you find yourself killing mobs with relative ease than before when they posed serious challenge in early game. Like a 'mini-boss' back then is now just one of the critters you can just tank up and 1v5.

[Kalderas]

I would take slight spell effect change for mage type and combat animation for melee (Maybe stance could change too) over character models difference (Becoming Hulk or having lightning come out of my body).

[Amentep]

I have no idea how it's spelled:

 

Deyd?

Dying?

Dye?

 

Anyways, Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale allows you to customize colors at any given point (Which I enjoyed very much). I do not like it as a resource based thing that you have to buy with gold or you have to go to a smithy to get another color and so on and so on. Simplicity is King.

 

Dye, Dyed, Dyeing.

 

I hope they don't do something silly like charging for cool color dyes; it'd be a pointless money sink in a sp game. I also hope that being 3D character models there's a little more control/consistency in how the colors are displayed.

[Failion]

The game has characters that use their souls to attack and cast spells. No reason why it should NOT be flashy. The setting is more fantasy then games like Witcher 2. Having the game be mundane given its setting would be silly.

[morrow1nd]

A small difference might be adequate. For example spells from higher level casters may be visiualized more '' deep '' And higher level melee classess could have more attack animations.. Sounds good to me!!