Terrain effects?

[Osvir]

Why not have things that affect stealth? Stealth has always been, rather ugly in the IE games. But with modern tech having stealth be affected by the amount of lighting falling on the character is easy. As is line of sight (2d Line of Sight is VERY easy). Adding to that you could just have things like undergrowth or etc that help characters stealth through.

 

This. I keep pushing this I know, but I really really hate that my rogue can sneak through a darn prairie like it's nothing. Forest? Sure, don't even have to calculate LOS, just imply (modifier) that rogue can hide more effectively in a forest. Flat barren wasteland? Better be one heck of a good rogue.

 

Camouflage gear, invisibility dust, smoke bomb's to escape/close gap in combat, invisibility cloak or as rumors have told: Magic would be included in the Stealth mechanic.

[PsychoBlonde]

 

Another aspect that occurs to me is that terrain effects from vegetation features like brush and swamp growths would make Rangers and Druids more valuable during combat in the wilds. A sniping enemy ranger using hit and run tactics through thick brush could be a real headache for the party.

 

I'd like to see movement abilities like "jump" or "teleport" or "tree stride" that let you move quickly around the terrain. I'd like to be able to lay down walls of force or fire or wind that deflects missiles. I'd like to see enemies use barricades to block choke points. Traps should have no faction awareness, triggered by anyone and hit anyone.

 

Yeah, I love terrain effects like these.

[Pshaw]

In this regard I don't think I'd want to see much. If it was turn based I'd say bring it on but in a RTWP system I just think it's a bit too clunky to handle those sorts of terrain advantages/disadvantages. I think that tactically worrying about party positioning in relation to each other and enemies will be more than enough.

[Osvir]

Another aspect that occurs to me is that terrain effects from vegetation features like brush and swamp growths would make Rangers and Druids more valuable during combat in the wilds. A sniping enemy ranger using hit and run tactics through thick brush could be a real headache for the party.

 

I'd like to see movement abilities like "jump" or "teleport" or "tree stride" that let you move quickly around the terrain. I'd like to be able to lay down walls of force or fire or wind that deflects missiles. I'd like to see enemies use barricades to block choke points. Traps should have no faction awareness, triggered by anyone and hit anyone.

 

Yeah, I love terrain effects like these.

 

Enemies should use the tactical advantages of barricades as well, if I'm on the advance they should throw bookcases down in front of the door. They should be jumping through the windows of a house to get at me, maybe an enemy Wizard could even teleport through walls, land an explosive spell and teleport out (just to be mean).

 

If I can jump the enemy needs to be able to jump. Can I take cover I want the enemy to be able to take cover, if I can kite then I want the enemy to kite.. etc. etc.

[wanderon]

Why not have things that affect stealth? Stealth has always been, rather ugly in the IE games. But with modern tech having stealth be affected by the amount of lighting falling on the character is easy. As is line of sight (2d Line of Sight is VERY easy). Adding to that you could just have things like undergrowth or etc that help characters stealth through.

 

This. I keep pushing this I know, but I really really hate that my rogue can sneak through a darn prairie like it's nothing. Forest? Sure, don't even have to calculate LOS, just imply (modifier) that rogue can hide more effectively in a forest. Flat barren wasteland? Better be one heck of a good rogue.

 

Ever heard of Apaches (American Indians)? They were incredible guerilla fighters that would seem to rise out of the ground itself when it appeared there could be no one for miles in any direction - often times on a HORSE that they had kept lying on its side shrouded with bare desert shrubs little more than a foot tall camo'ed with desert dust and ready to rumble.

 

IMO the stealthy rogue would be even more likely to stay unseen in rural plains than on city streets in daylight but then I'm a rural sort of guy not an urban cowboy LOL.

[jivex5k]

...- often times on a HORSE that they had kept lying on its side shrouded with bare desert shrubs little more than a foot tall camo'ed with desert dust...

Please cite the resource where this information is from.

Sounds...well wrong to be blunt.

[wanderon]

...- often times on a HORSE that they had kept lying on its side shrouded with bare desert shrubs little more than a foot tall camo'ed with desert dust...

Please cite the resource where this information is from.

Sounds...well wrong to be blunt.

 

It came directly from my head - sadly at 65 my brain is no longer completely cross referenced to the materials which were responsible for the information found within - I can say with some certainty that I either read about, heard about, or saw such a thing take place and a quick check of any search engine will certainly show that there is little question that the Apaches are noted as some of the best guerilla fighters and light calvary the world has ever seen.

[Hassat Hunter]

I'd agree with most... good for TBS, not so great here.

 

The height advantage could be good, I don't really see the rest. Especially as one cannot handle where one is. If on a forest map, it would suck if all your rangers instantly became useless since "trees = no ranged combat", wouldn't you say? It's not like you can park them out the forest if the map is forest.

 

Fine with druids having certain bonus to certain terrain (perhaps chosen on creation, so you can pick forest or water or something else, instead of having all)

[Osvir]

I'd agree with most... good for TBS, not so great here.

 

The height advantage could be good, I don't really see the rest. Especially as one cannot handle where one is. If on a forest map, it would suck if all your rangers instantly became useless since "trees = no ranged combat", wouldn't you say? It's not like you can park them out the forest if the map is forest.

 

Fine with druids having certain bonus to certain terrain (perhaps chosen on creation, so you can pick forest or water or something else, instead of having all)

 

Well, if Trees are props of sorts in P:E, then if I'm behind a tree the arrow (as a projectile) should have a chance of hitting the tree instead of hitting me. IF the tree is a placeable prop. And pulling down a couple of trees with my Druid to create Ents (or move the trees to the sides like Moses would) and shoot a Power Arrow to the face of my opponents would be sweet too.

 

But I see where you're going at. Trees = perhaps not no ranged combat but it sure does give more of that "guerilla" feeling, and it gets much harder to hit too (Paintball in a forest with lots of trees, doable, but you're mostly going to hit trees).

Edited November 14, 2012 by Osvir

[rjshae]

The height advantage could be good, I don't really see the rest. Especially as one cannot handle where one is. If on a forest map, it would suck if all your rangers instantly became useless since "trees = no ranged combat", wouldn't you say? It's not like you can park them out the forest if the map is forest.

It would be an interesting advantage for Rangers to be able to partially bypass enemy terrain concealment advantages. Rangers are likely to be more used to firing bows in dense foliage, or around terrain obstacles, so that advantage would make a certain amount of sense.

[Hassat Hunter]

I doubt each individual tree will be a 3D rendering... I suspect it will be more akin to the BG2 end sequence forests.

Even if not, there isn't actual "depth" for characters to move, so they can't shoot past the side of a tree (since these sides don't exist), they would have to move past the tree to fire. Leaving them full open and exposed.

 

So yeah, I don't see it working in an environment like PE's