The Stronghold and its features.

[cosmin haraga]

the way I see it - aside from the obvious - it has to have all that and more + a cherry on top, not to be the second big city - just a location

 

we have a major choice:

 

should the stronghold be story integrated : neverwinter 2 crossroads keep

 

should it be just a side story: baldur's gate ( there was a certain chick that asked you to help her ) or maybe even amalur/ koar

 

by the way armies don't make a party obsolete - you still have borders, logistics, diplomacy, dungeons etc.

[Katrar]

I would enjoy if hidden inside my keep was a smaller keep. Hidden inside that keep was a smaller keep. Hidden inside that keep was a yet smaller keep. Hidden inside that keep, an even smaller keep. Hidden inside that keep, a tiny keep. Hidden inside that tiny keep, a minuscule keep. And hidden inside that minuscule keep, an insane albino raccoon.

[Aoyagi]

I have few real preferences on the Stronghold, but an idea that intrigues me is that it also becomes the second major city over the course of the game.

Or it could be located outside this city. Or even better, you could choose to build it there. Building place options providing some minor differences...mmm, I'd like that

Hardly, it came out after Kickstarter ended.

That's the point. But fortuntek and I have already agreed that further discussion on this topic is pointless so I don't know why are you bringing it up again.

[JFSOCC]

As long as my stronghold can have blackjack... and hookers.

 

Some want wizard towers and temples in thier strongholds, you want Casinos and Brothels. Awesome :D

 

Honestly I want the stronghold to be strange and unique. What the game play of Crossroads Keep was better and awesome, the flavour of the Wizards Tower/Sphere in BG2 was freaking awesome. It should be more then a generic medevil keep.

 

That why I suggested Ob Nau's keep, but there are other ideas awesome ideas as well. Maybe's a mobile fortress, like a space station only for the Ocean instead of space.

 

Or maybe its made from Crystals or Living wood.

 

Or its carved into a Vulcano, with a room for Sharks with freaking laser beams.

 

I also suggest they look at a veriety of late medevil palaces and Castles for ideas it should be beautiful and magnifiant.

 

And if they're going to have a temple in the Keep it should be devoted to the Character's God, not to a bunch Lathanderites. I allows thought that made no sense, its like the Catholic church building a keep and deciding it should have a Mosque or Hindu Temple in it instead of a Christian Chapel, it makes no sense.

uhh, no, it's a reference joke.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5tZMDBXTRQ

[Kilroy_Was_Here]

I really think that we should collect 108 "friends" and have them staff our stronghold! I promise everyone that this is an original idea!

 

Good idea. We'll call them the 108 Lights of Fate.

 

 

Continue. I like where this is going!

 

Things I would like brought over from the Suikoden series:

-Stronghold increases in size (more levels) as you get more companions/as the plot progresses

-Unique scenes between certain group composisitions... although in Suikoden it was usually in the steam bath. Could get awkward.

 

Things I would not like:

-Shops that open inside the stronghold only if a certain NPC is recruited to run it. It makes sense in that series because you're mostly collecting people anyway, but in a game like PE it might be a hassle to track someone down just to get your own armor shop.

[Kane_Severance]

Actually, I like the idea that if you find a particularly skilled weaponsmith or something, you could try to convince them to take up shop at your stronghold. Maybe have an ordinary blacksmith from the start, but through quests or dialog or exploration you might find a true master craftman to employ.

[rjshae]

Actually, I like the idea that if you find a particularly skilled weaponsmith or something, you could try to convince them to take up shop at your stronghold. Maybe have an ordinary blacksmith from the start, but through quests or dialog or exploration you might find a true master craftman to employ.

These types of things have already been done in NWN2 and other games, so I'm sure they have it in mind.

[OldRPG'sAreGood]

I'd like to have a possibility to assemble a library that could help in various checks, for example the lore checks(if they're present that is). Other than that, can't really say I'm hoping for anything particular for the stronghold.

[Conconhead]

I'd like to have a possibility to assemble a library that could help in various checks, for example the lore checks(if they're present that is).

 

I would love an in-game place to find all the various lores I've collected. Once you unlock the keep, perhaps you can hire a 'scribe' who would staff a library with all the books, scrolls, or racial lores you've found during game-play. I'm terrible about keeping lore objects in my inventory simply because I like the writing or stories behind them.

[wanderon]

Actually, I like the idea that if you find a particularly skilled weaponsmith or something, you could try to convince them to take up shop at your stronghold. Maybe have an ordinary blacksmith from the start, but through quests or dialog or exploration you might find a true master craftman to employ.

These types of things have already been done in NWN2 and other games, so I'm sure they have it in mind.

 

It would be nice to take this concept a step or two further tho for PE - in NWN2 as I recall there was only a single choice for each trade person you could convince to open up shop in your keep - what if there were multiple choices perhaps related to factions with different outcomes and options based on your reputation in the world? Some of those might conflict with one another as well leading to a different set of sub-quests related to the keep.

[nikolokolus]

Honestly, I don't really care what "features" the stronghold has, I don't care if it's highly customizable or not, and I don't need it to fit my main character's class or be highly unusual. All I really want out of the experience of owning this stronghold is to have it play a meaningful role in the narrative. A) Have it sited in a strategic location, and/or B) not owning it or using it (or owning it and neglecting it) changes the nature of some conflict or the way part of the game unfolds.

 

Beyond that? I'm perfectly comfortable letting Obsidian do whatever they like, given their budget and creative whims.

[cosmin haraga]

I'm thinking: island, about crossroad level involvement / including developing village, pearl hunting for money(instead of money, and an attack like second expansion from nwn 1 - you got attacked by those you didn't defeat with your party

 

depending on fortress improvments and/or investing in a fleet ( just a picture of different level ship in a harbour + captain with +/- qualities hired

) the attackers would get more waves

 

all this could add from imposible to very easy fight.

 

we could find this island/keep/village as a short rest on the travel between the 2 big cities - be them on the same continent or not. the did could be for sale , or we could find it in the extra deep dungeon whatever... so it will not be forced on players who don't want it.

 

should we not buy and pass later by we would find the vilalage /harbour sacked, with a few monsters left and a survivor tell of the attackers.

 

how 's this for a scenario??

[Alliancewolf]

I posted about one hour ago in a different topic that also discuses the Stronghold and I think that I had some pretty interesting suggestions, though I won't copy paste the whole thing, so I'll just copy paste the "Post in a nutshell part that I wrote"

 

 

Everything in a nutshell (I'd suppose):

-Have your underlings to be able to finish quests that your own character could do by themselves (alows you to do some quest by yourself, while you have multiple squads or individuals of underlings to do other quests, that you could also have done by yourself)

-Have your territory to be expandable, lost, as well as the surroundings to be changed to your likings

-Have your influence on with the world of politics be dynamic

-Be able to be able to advance or lose it all, if you want to rule the "world"

-Be present with your character and oversee your drones in action or have a loyal, dependable overlord do it for you (Spawn more overlords!)

 

This would ofcourse be incredibly ambitious, if they'd implement this into the game and it would increase the longevitiy of the game by alot, as well as give modder's opportunities to create their own "perfectly-visioned" Ruler of a Stronghold. (or perhaps something similar that has to do with a STRONGHOLD and what ever you could POSSIBLY do with one)

 

http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/61510-whats-everyone-looking-for-in-strongholds/page__st__100#entry1266040

This is the other topic that I mentioned, if you haven't already seen it and you can look up what I suggested in more detail over there (It's in page 6, if you don't find it and happen to be on page nr.??)

[Thangorodrim]

I would like some class specific elements to the stronghold ... fighting areas for developing fighting skills ... libraries for research or magic ... gardens for herb lore or healing

 

I like the idea of being able to hire specialists (blacksmith, healer, agriculture specialist to increase crops yields, etc)

 

I like the idea of some limited expansion of both size and scale (increased land holdings improve tax revenue but attract more bandits, upgrades to men at arms make bandit defense more viable, etc)

 

I would like the stronghold to help in healing perhaps (heal twice as fast in your stronghold)

 

I like the idea of some quests associate with your stronghold ... maybe it is like the Amityville Horror or The Shining and you need to cleanse it first ... maybe it is like the house with the Lich in Oblivion where there are a number of steps to gain position ... and lots of combat in the interim ... once you get it there could be minor quests like rebellions, bandit attacks, kidnapped staff or workers ... lots of possibilities there

 

I don't like the idea of armies ... turns it into a different game completely

 

That's some of my thinking

[Badmojo]

Crossroads keep was fun also divinity 2 ego draconis was good also. I would like to customize my stronghold and surrounding places with my characters tastes.

 

Good

Orphanage - for war orphans, to be taken care of and treated well

 

Temple of good deity - place where people worship a being of good (or at least neutral).

 

Neutral

Brothel - can be good, neutral, evil, can make it clean with mandatory medical/magical testing for disease and protection of the workers (of either sex, decided by the player).

School - can be open for everyone, only the noblility, military school, or a propaganda place

 

Mage Tower/lab - should have different rooms for different works, an elemental room should be very different from a necromancers room. Speaking of, I want to go all frankenstein/genius in creating new things/creatures/monsters/spells..etc. Would like to be able to research and discover new things and do weird experiments and create all sorts of monstrocities that should not exist. isn't that the whole point of having a lab and large book archive. Should also have a summoning circle.

 

Hire adventurers, both ego draconis and keep did this. Although I like the idea of upgrading adventurers so they have better equipment and training so they could go on more dangerous missions along with getting higher in rank.

 

barracks/training - used to train soldiers

 

tavern - every place needs a tavern

 

armour/weapon smiths - use them to upgrade your soldiers, even creating magical wepons/armour

 

Evil

Temple to dark deity with a sacrificial alter, you can demand the peasantry to sacrifice to your deity or send your enemies to them. Perhaps even getting a bonus/rewards from your deity when you sacrifice. Having cultists walking around worshiping the deity etc. Perhaps have a summoning pit to summon dark legions from the deity you worship.

 

Slave /prison for your captured enemies/innocents to be turned into slaves to work around the keep and/or sold.

 

Torture Room - send in people to torture to break them for important information, punishment, or just twisted amusement.

 

 

Those are off the top of my head, I am sure there is much more that could be done.

[cosmin haraga]

there two more things i liked in nwn2:

one was converting - ravel was it - in the law suit and have her working for you

second was the ability to bind a daemon

 

the first would be nice to see as either converting fallen foes or sending them to your prison/ just a trooper appearing and asking what to do with him/her/it - like when you got the dragon horde

 

the second part ... I don't know how it played since I had no mage but sounded fun - maybe if it weren't restricted to class - since everybody uses soul power

[FlintlockJazz]

Did I say Mage Tower? If I didnt..Mage Tower!

 

Well, just in case I suggest you mention it again.

[rjshae]

Did I say Mage Tower? If I didnt..Mage Tower!

Did I say Flying Fortress of Doom? If I didn't...Flying Fortress of Doom!

 

 

With a sauna.

[Tauron]

Did I say Mage Tower? If I didnt..Mage Tower!

 

Well, just in case I suggest you mention it again.

Did I say Mage Tower? If I didnt..Mage Tower!

Did I say Flying Fortress of Doom? If I didn't...Flying Fortress of Doom!

 

 

With a sauna.

 

Mage Tower!

 

Let's be sincere here, all the greats had one. Maybe it is hackneyed, passe or maybe they were compensating for something with these towers and big explosions now and than, I dont know. It is a weird world.

 

But I am tradisionalist like that, perhaps a conservative some would say. Anyway a Tower plz, for the Love of our Power Hungry Souls. There is this void within, that can only be filled by boiling our enemies from within or have them burst in flames and ice or petrify them by speaking ancient words followed by a handgesture. It is magical poetry in motion and sometimes I dream to do it from my balcony, with a view of VICTORY! Ahm..

 

PS! Who doesnt want to have a garden filled with petryfied enemies!? C'mon, their faces in agony forever preserved in stone! Now, doesnt that just make your heart feel all warm and fuzzy!? Doesnt that say awsome to you. Some prefer heads on spikes, screams of mutilated enemies from the dungeon. Yes, yes, I can understand all that, but that is for the young. Now I feel more sophisticated. To have a morning walk or afternoon tea and cookies with my friends and enjoying Art. Having some trouble expressing myself in english, but i hope you understand how i feel. Mage Tower!

[Thortxu]

In past September 24 i created a post trying to obtain from Obsidian a Fortress for the game. Then we reached $3.5kk ...., but this are the ideas i suggested:

 

1 - General ideas:

 

1.0 - The castle should be obtain in several ways:

 

* As a reward of a misión.

* Collecting the money to buy it.

* Discovering ancient ruins and rebuilding.

* Building from 0 with your own design (you`re the owner of some terrain ....)

 

1.1 - The fortress must be able to be attacked whether you're inside or not (monsters, adventurers, ...). In a changing world our decisions influences future events. Why will be our castle a place out of time? For example, if we attack a camp of ogres an some escapes, their tribe will attack our castle seeking revenge. Random attacks may also occur.

 

1.2 - If our fortress is victorius we could obtain the fallen enemies drop (arms, potions, ingredients ...), regardless the level of the objets. Not only high level drops. The we can sell, or use to equip NPCs, obtain special materials to forge hig level objets.... If the castle is defeated we could lose troops, NPCs, buildings and objets (due to looting).

 

1.3 - The Castle can be defended by the troops inside (regular troops, NPCs aren`t in the group in that moment, ...). So they can obtain experience, and drops. Should be possible to configure the defensive distribution?

 

1.4 - Would be nice to set traps around the fortress (to reduce the number of enemy attackers) and in the fortress rooms doors and chests (to prevent theft if access to the interior of the castle).

 

1.5 - Specialized storage objets. It`s not real to storage food, arms, shields and potions in a trunk.

 

* Trunk -> potions

* wardrobe -> clothes

* Dummy -> arms, armors

* Slotter support -> swords, bows, ...

 

1.6 - With so many people in the castle they must consume a lot of food. How they will feed? The food will be buyed automatically or must we produce the food inside the castle? Diferents kind of animals, vegetables, ...?

 

2 - Buildings:

 

2.1 - One different building for every class inside the castle walls. The NPCs that can`t go with us can be found there.

 

* Mage tower -> Mage

* Inn -> Bard

* Basement inside the castle tower -> Thieve

* Grove -> Druid

* Creek -> Dryad, Nymph

 

2.2 - Defensive buildings.

 

It`d be a great idea to make the castle "upgradeable". Start with a basic castle ang the upgrade it with new and stronger materials (walls, gate, towers), improvements (pit, ballista, ...). The resources to strong the castle (or manufacture certain objects) could find in mines, buying to merchants, as reward in missions ...

 

2.3 - Other buildings.

 

There are some kinf of buildings that gives a truer look of a fortress. When you see non-playeable NPCs making their daily tasks inside the castle ...

 

* Small house: were non-playeable NPCs live.

* Marketplace: (we can use too to sell/buy anything we need (or not need)

* Forge: (here we can make special objets)

* Well

* Stable: (if we obtain horses we can send them here, perhaps make cavalry units ...)

* Training camp/room: (for NPCs and/or regular troops)

* Pigeon house: (to send and recieve posts and news from distance places/people)

* Caves: access to the underdark (missions, explore, ...; Place to leave captured beasts ...

* Sea port: If there is an acces to a sea or ocean it`ll open a huge opportunities (owner of a ship, special missions, access to near/remote islands, special crew, special place ...).

* Fence: Stores farm animals to feed the people.

 

3- NPCs and regular troops.

 

3.1 - NPCs

 

* All the NPCs you can add to your group. Along the game we will find many companions. Some of them will join us an others can`t because we haven`t space.

 

3.2 - Regular troops

 

* We can train troops to defend the castle, patrol, .... They can gain experience but not else an NPC level. They must be equiped (general equipment like: poor/regular/better arms or with the drops we obtain in missions or durin sieges ti our

fortress).

 

3.3 - Other

 

* It`d be great to send to the castle characters you meet during the game and you turn them into friends, or people who have lost their homes and have no where to go. Then you could train to become warriors, farmers, ...

 

* Castle Butler/steward: to receive the information of the time we`ve been traveling.

 

* Innkeeper: could ask him to obtain aditional information of travelers and extra missions.

 

* Blacksmith: could make special war equipment.

[SophosTheWise]

I want to have an illegal whisky distillery in the cellar. Like in D&D. Good times.

[FlintlockJazz]

Did I say Mage Tower? If I didnt..Mage Tower!

 

Well, just in case I suggest you mention it again.

Did I say Mage Tower? If I didnt..Mage Tower!

Did I say Flying Fortress of Doom? If I didn't...Flying Fortress of Doom!

 

 

With a sauna.

 

Mage Tower!

 

Let's be sincere here, all the greats had one. Maybe it is hackneyed, passe or maybe they were compensating for something with these towers and big explosions now and than, I dont know. It is a weird world.

 

But I am tradisionalist like that, perhaps a conservative some would say. Anyway a Tower plz, for the Love of our Power Hungry Souls. There is this void within, that can only be filled by boiling our enemies from within or have them burst in flames and ice or petrify them by speaking ancient words followed by a handgesture. It is magical poetry in motion and sometimes I dream to do it from my balcony, with a view of VICTORY! Ahm..

 

PS! Who doesnt want to have a garden filled with petryfied enemies!? C'mon, their faces in agony forever preserved in stone! Now, doesnt that just make your heart feel all warm and fuzzy!? Doesnt that say awsome to you. Some prefer heads on spikes, screams of mutilated enemies from the dungeon. Yes, yes, I can understand all that, but that is for the young. Now I feel more sophisticated. To have a morning walk or afternoon tea and cookies with my friends and enjoying Art. Having some trouble expressing myself in english, but i hope you understand how i feel. Mage Tower!

 

I would like to subscribe to your noble goal...

[Tauron]

In past September 24 i created a post trying to obtain from Obsidian a Fortress for the game. Then we reached $3.5kk ...., but this are the ideas i suggested:

 

1 - General ideas:

 

1.0 - The castle should be obtain in several ways:

 

* As a reward of a misión.

* Collecting the money to buy it.

* Discovering ancient ruins and rebuilding.

* Building from 0 with your own design (you`re the owner of some terrain ....)

 

1.1 - The fortress must be able to be attacked whether you're inside or not (monsters, adventurers, ...). In a changing world our decisions influences future events. Why will be our castle a place out of time? For example, if we attack a camp of ogres an some escapes, their tribe will attack our castle seeking revenge. Random attacks may also occur.

 

1.2 - If our fortress is victorius we could obtain the fallen enemies drop (arms, potions, ingredients ...), regardless the level of the objets. Not only high level drops. The we can sell, or use to equip NPCs, obtain special materials to forge hig level objets.... If the castle is defeated we could lose troops, NPCs, buildings and objets (due to looting).

 

1.3 - The Castle can be defended by the troops inside (regular troops, NPCs aren`t in the group in that moment, ...). So they can obtain experience, and drops. Should be possible to configure the defensive distribution?

 

1.4 - Would be nice to set traps around the fortress (to reduce the number of enemy attackers) and in the fortress rooms doors and chests (to prevent theft if access to the interior of the castle).

 

1.5 - Specialized storage objets. It`s not real to storage food, arms, shields and potions in a trunk.

 

* Trunk -> potions

* wardrobe -> clothes

* Dummy -> arms, armors

* Slotter support -> swords, bows, ...

 

1.6 - With so many people in the castle they must consume a lot of food. How they will feed? The food will be buyed automatically or must we produce the food inside the castle? Diferents kind of animals, vegetables, ...?

 

2 - Buildings:

 

2.1 - One different building for every class inside the castle walls. The NPCs that can`t go with us can be found there.

 

* Mage tower -> Mage

* Inn -> Bard

* Basement inside the castle tower -> Thieve

* Grove -> Druid

* Creek -> Dryad, Nymph

 

2.2 - Defensive buildings.

 

It`d be a great idea to make the castle "upgradeable". Start with a basic castle ang the upgrade it with new and stronger materials (walls, gate, towers), improvements (pit, ballista, ...). The resources to strong the castle (or manufacture certain objects) could find in mines, buying to merchants, as reward in missions ...

 

2.3 - Other buildings.

 

There are some kinf of buildings that gives a truer look of a fortress. When you see non-playeable NPCs making their daily tasks inside the castle ...

 

* Small house: were non-playeable NPCs live.

* Marketplace: (we can use too to sell/buy anything we need (or not need)

* Forge: (here we can make special objets)

* Well

* Stable: (if we obtain horses we can send them here, perhaps make cavalry units ...)

* Training camp/room: (for NPCs and/or regular troops)

* Pigeon house: (to send and recieve posts and news from distance places/people)

* Caves: access to the underdark (missions, explore, ...; Place to leave captured beasts ...

* Sea port: If there is an acces to a sea or ocean it`ll open a huge opportunities (owner of a ship, special missions, access to near/remote islands, special crew, special place ...).

* Fence: Stores farm animals to feed the people.

 

3- NPCs and regular troops.

 

3.1 - NPCs

 

* All the NPCs you can add to your group. Along the game we will find many companions. Some of them will join us an others can`t because we haven`t space.

 

3.2 - Regular troops

 

* We can train troops to defend the castle, patrol, .... They can gain experience but not else an NPC level. They must be equiped (general equipment like: poor/regular/better arms or with the drops we obtain in missions or durin sieges ti our

fortress).

 

3.3 - Other

 

* It`d be great to send to the castle characters you meet during the game and you turn them into friends, or people who have lost their homes and have no where to go. Then you could train to become warriors, farmers, ...

 

* Castle Butler/steward: to receive the information of the time we`ve been traveling.

 

* Innkeeper: could ask him to obtain aditional information of travelers and extra missions.

 

* Blacksmith: could make special war equipment.

 

Many great Ideas! But mostly becouse you have addition to have Mage Tower

I hope that we can build or rebuild Stronghold around our perferd gameplay style. That can also visually reflect on person living in it and his choices as Stronghold is rebuildt. To visualise what I mean, think of Isengard if you are a Mage play type. Or if you are more pure military warrior, than Helms Deep comes to mind. Maybe this is asking too much of the devs, I dont know. Anyway I am glad stronghold is in. You propose good things. Let us hope that some Visuals will be moddable.

[Brannart]

Is it asking too much to request my stronghold be a Ship? Like a warship complete with 20 cannons? With my stronghold I could raid the coastal towns of my enemies.

 

Ok maybe not that far but still...what about a ship as a stronghold? That could be cool.

Edited November 1, 2012 by Brannart

[Drak]

I think it would be really cool and very different from other games if there would be a plot line that included going to war.

The quest should include:

• Training your army. Where do you get your soldiers from, do you buy mercenaries, hire orcs and trolls or draft your peasants. All of these choices should have consequences. Mercenaries cost upkeep. Orcs and trolls might kill some of your population and be hard to control and drafting the peasants will give you less food resources for your county.
  
• Going to war or not to. Either solve the issue through diplomacy or through invasion
  
• If invasion choosing between hard choices. Do you attack civilians in order to provoke the enemy lord leave his castle and face you or do you lay siege to his castle and risk that a majority of your soldiers die. Do you let one of your own cities fall in order to go directly for the enemy lord and end the war – at the cost of inncocets who trusted that you would protect them. Do you order your soldiers to escort civilians away from the fight, thereby losing a significant part of your forces or do you let the enemy slaughter your civilians in order to be able to later slaughter him.
  
• Consequences of your actions. It would add an increadible deapth if you would be able to walk through on of your own settlements who you abandoned – having to face the horrors your enemy unleashed on your people, and which you could have stopped if had chosen differently. It could also be something much smaller if resources do not permit the above idea. Simply having a few scripted encounter later in game where you meet npc’s who either hate or live you becaue of your actions.
  

 

That i would like to se