Starting Equipment

[Stalwart Pikeman]

So I was wondering what you all think about how we should get our initial equipment at the start of the game....

[Sensuki]

We don't really know where we're being dropped into the game. But I do believe they mentioned that we will get starting gear.

 

I think a gold value and then you just select what you want off a list is fine, and keep the remaining gold.

[Druon Grawal]

Personally I like it when you can do a little multiple choice story along with the character creation process that detemines your starting gear. The options availiable would fit your choosen class while still giving you a bit room to be different from just any other player. Sometimes these selections can really provide some more background story for your protagonist, too.

[Frisk]

It depends on a number of factors. For example, will we always have the same starting location, or will that depend on class and/or race? If the character starts with a substantial backstory, it makes sense if that determines the equipment - at least to a degree. Also, what about weapon skills and such? If the character creation allows you to select which weapons you are skilled with, it makes sense that you should have some of those weapons in your inventory at the start.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

I think that there should be a "store" at character creation, where we "buy" all of the PC's equipment at the base price. That way, we can have whatever equipment and supplies we feel like our PC should have. All leftover currency ends up in the PC's pocket.

[rjshae]

Assuming that this type of poll even matters to the developers, I'm of the opinion that the fewer constraints we try to put on their story for the main protagonist, the better. That includes starting equipment. But even with that, I'm sure they will give us enough equipment to be able to make progress through the start of the game. Even if we have to improvise a little.

[Sensuki]

I think they mentioned they were going to make the character generation a bit more interactive.

[Labadal]

It would make most sense that you have some gear that has to do with your class. It can be really crappy gear for all I care, but let us start with something.

[eselle28]

I'm kind of a masochist. I actually like the early stages of a game when I have no or very close to no equipment and need to scrounge around in some barrels or kill a couple of guards with a pocketknife.

[Larkaloke]

They can all work, and I don't have a strong preference on any one of them. I think that which one works best is determined entirely by the circumstances surrounding the very beginning of the game (buying things in a shop just before exiting a prison would be a bit odd, and so would having nothing but rags when just leaving your home).

[Michael_Galt]

I like the "preset with class" base, along with "immediate access to a merchant".

 

Basically, if you pick a paladin, you start off with base level medium armor and 1-2 weapons, based off your proficiency. I say 1-2, because I account for 1 melee and 1 ranged weapon, though 2 melee would be acceptable if you didn't select proficiency in a ranged weapon. If you pick a class that is less "gear" dependent, then perhaps you end up with more money/potions/scrolls/etc, as a way to balance that out, so you aren't economically "disadvantaged" because of the potential value of the "base" gear load.

 

Then, following the "initial issue", you "go to" a merchant screen, like in Arcanum. You select whatever additional things you would like to purchase before the game even begins. If you don't want to buy anything, you just have more money saved up for when you actually get in the game.

[Hassat Hunter]

Yeah, just start with crappy, basic gear tuned to your class.

 

How you advance then is entirely up to the plot. Gaining gold and buying it like BG1 makes sense, but so does scrounching it together trying to escape the starting dungeon (KOTOR2, BG2).

[.Leif.]

I voted for your character to start off without proper adventure gear. I prefer being able to chose what weapon I specialize in as I play rather than decide at level 1 I'm going to be a Claymore user.

 

A way to generate your gear at character generation could be alright so long as it was well balenced.

[Jarmo]

First give starting equipment and cash according to your class and background, acces to a shop.

Then the event, toss us naked in a bush because that's how the plot goes.

 

Nah, can't say, it completely depends on the kind of start they've envisioned.

I'd assume it'll be start with nothing, get access to something right away, work from that.

[Karkarov]

You should have preset equipment but it should be based on a number of factors. First off class, if they go with "multiple question" backstory stuff that should factor in, and lastly as others have said if there are weapon specific skills that should matter too. That said that doesn't mean you should just "have" it all. Take NWN2 for example where the game technically started with a tutorial, or Dark Souls where you started with your armor but you found your weapon and shield as you progressed through the Undead Asylum. You don't have to hand it all to us outright in other words and some gameplay or story segment could explain how we get it.

[AgentOrange]

Depends how the game opens really. I tend to like in-story character set-ups, like in KotOR 2 you go through the Paragus Station finding a bunch of equipment and decide what you want to use - as opposed to ToEE where you start in a kind of armory and can decide what gear to equip your party with before venturing on. Age of Decadence has a neat combination, whereby you get an opening vignette dependent on your character class, you end up with suitable gear through that.

[HereticSaint]

I like the option of having a list of equipment to choose from. I don't as much like the idea of having specific equipment shoved onto me because I'm a certain class.

 

If I want to start off with a dagger instead of a short sword as a Warrior why should I be forced into the short sword? Sure, it may only be a little while before I can change it up, but I still dislike it.

 

Honestly I rather be given gold and the option of going to a store over getting forced into having specific gear.

[Metabot]

Starting gear according to class makes the most sense, but maybe you can choose to get one item a la dark souls that might have significance later on or a consumable. Also, maybe a ring or other equippable item that defines your character's past or makes them more individualized.

Edited October 23, 2012 by Metabot

[JOG]

Both, class dependend starting gear and then a shop where you can trade for other equipment.

 

If I can choose only one, then the shop. Of course it can be used for metagaming purposes (i.e. buy that axe you know you'll need for a quest), but it also can be a pain to have a certain outfit or combat style in mind and then have to spend several hours to search for the proper equipment. I prefer my characters to have had a life before the game started.

[Metabot]

I like the option of having a list of equipment to choose from. I don't as much like the idea of having specific equipment shoved onto me because I'm a certain class.

 

If I want to start off with a dagger instead of a short sword as a Warrior why should I be forced into the short sword? Sure, it may only be a little while before I can change it up, but I still dislike it.

 

Honestly I rather be given gold and the option of going to a store over getting forced into having specific gear.

 

If you want a dagger, be a rogue. God people are so entitled with their constant talk of being "forced" to do things.

[Sensuki]

In Your Name

[HereticSaint]

I like the option of having a list of equipment to choose from. I don't as much like the idea of having specific equipment shoved onto me because I'm a certain class.

 

If I want to start off with a dagger instead of a short sword as a Warrior why should I be forced into the short sword? Sure, it may only be a little while before I can change it up, but I still dislike it.

 

Honestly I rather be given gold and the option of going to a store over getting forced into having specific gear.

 

If you want a dagger, be a rogue. God people are so entitled with their constant talk of being "forced" to do things.

 

Or the game could not be pointlessly restrictive when a feature that let you pick equipment wouldn't be all that difficult or time consuming to create, you know, there's always that too, right?

 

In Your Name

 

<3

Edited October 23, 2012 by HereticSaint

[Metabot]

Or certain classes specialize in certain things.

[veryblackraven]

I'd like it to be something like a pre-game store, like it was in Arcanum.

[Rabain]

I think expecting a store prior to the game start is a bit much, wasted development time. Regardless of what race or class you pick the general idea will be you are a nobody who witnesses something and goes on an adventure. You can RP you were an awesome mercenary but you will still start at level 1 so just giving out some basic gear on race/subrace/class basis seems easiest.

 

Most likely it will be like BG1 and we start with only a single weapon and I'm fine with that. I really don't want to start the game with basic armor and weapons from some character creation store and then play for 2 hours before finding a single upgrade. It was neat in BG1 that you could get armor and sword and shield and ranged etc slowly through Candlekeep after only having a staff on creation. It is an introduction to the game and works for both experienced and new players.