Small suggestions. Easily implemented ideas, quickfire thoughts.

[Lephys]

A "step EXACTLY where I step" pathing/formation option, to move your party through dangerous traps and other hazards, and/or for some sneaking purposes. A la Phone Snake. If your main character runs into your snakey companion body, YOU LOSE!!! O_O

[JFSOCC]

A list of Dramatis Personae you've met and where you can find them placed in a section of your journal.

[TRX850]

Variation in character walking/running animations. Maybe some PC/NPCs have their own gait or stride. Maybe some have long-term injuries (don't say it), or physical impediments. Maybe some shuffle or hunch or limp. It'd be good to have a range so they don't all look the same. It would all add to their character.

[IndiraLightfoot]

Secret doors is a classic in RPGs, and I'll hope there will be lots of them, especially in the slightly more modern PE setting. But in the same vein, something that I've sorely missed is secret drawers, you know those hidden compartments in clever furniture, etc. I'd love to sneak around and look for those.

 

Also, TRX850's idea of scrolls that remain rolled up until they are read is very neat. I'll add to it the thread "Great Ideas Not to Be Forgotten". 

[TRX850]

Allow spellcasters to move and reposition themselves while casting spells that deal damage over time, like Aganazzar's Scorcher for example. In IE games, you can cast this spell but not move until the spell ends. I'm not sure how many other spells are like this, but it's mainly a concern for damage type spells with a non-instantaneous duration.
 

[JFSOCC]

As long as you need to stay in range of the spell, otherwise something so powerful becomes fire and forget.

[Tsuga C]

Allow spellcasters to move and reposition themselves while casting spells that deal damage over time,...

I'm not sure that I'd want the wizard to be able to run around after casting that one, but for Wall of Fire or Cloudkill, sure.

[TRX850]

^ Maybe with spells like that, you get to choose an endpoint, so that when you move, it keeps the line of fire between the caster and the endpoint, like a hand on a clock.

 

It was always a little frustrating getting enemies to line up for that one.  Sometimes just a small amount of repositioning from the caster would've been useful.

[Chippy]

Not massively important to me - but any thoughts on the disguise skill?  I was thinking of scenario's like using social skills or just bribe some adventuring newbies to look like me or my party, send them into harms way (let's say I'm sure I'm walking into an ambush) and then while they're being peppered with arrows/spells, get my party into a better position.  Or maybe charm/simulcrum/clone spells that could be put to similiar use.

[JFSOCC]

Yes! I hate not being able to avoid traps which I am so certain I'm walking into. It's like, it's a trap... what shall we do? trigger it.

that's nonsense.

[TRX850]

If P:E has guns, that means it also has gunpowder. And what else can gunpowder be used for? Crafting traps and explosives.     Maybe a thrown glass phial containing gunpowder and an oxygen-reactive agent that explodes like a skull trap.  And similar ingredients for setting floor area traps.  Usual skill checks for crafting and setting apply, and a world of pain for critical failures.

[Lephys]

Friendly-fire warnings on AOE abilities.

 

Very much like the military callouts for grenades, so that allies know they have approximately 4 seconds to get the hell away from an enemy cluster, and/or not to charge into one if they're already at a safe distance.

 

Maybe if you're a Wizard casting Meteor Storm or something (in a circular area), you shout some sort of warning, and the AI of melee allies in-or-near that area can be set to have them use things like Kick and other debilitating skills to temporarily keep enemies within the blast radius of the spell.

 

Obviously, such tactics would be subject to many, many combat factors. For example, your allies COULD get knocked down or stunned immediately after you shout the warning, but before they are able to debilitate the enemies. OR, the foes could be resistant/immune to debilitating effects (rock golems probably wouldn't be very affected by a kick, and maybe not even be able to be stunned or knocked back at all).

 

Just as another (non-magic) example, a melee-heavy character fighting in close proximity to other party members could shout a warning before executing a cleaving attack, and the allies could duck or drop to prone. If he misses any, of course, they get the advantage of attacking a prone character who's climbing back to his feet.

 

I'm just kind of sick of having to go so far out of my way simply to avoid friendly fire in 100% of situations. Maybe this is where traps would come in handy, too (for controlling enemy positioning). There should definitely be times when you simply can't avoid friendly fire, and have to weigh the benefits against the consequences of using that AOE ability. But it shouldn't be quite so difficult ALL the time. You know... "Well, just hope really hard that you encounter a cluster of archers, or a group of melee foes all attack the same person, and he's able to run JUST outside the radius of your spell or attack by the time you actually cast it." Like the characters are incapable of cooperation unless forced by the player at all times. 8P

 

(Sorry, that was long...)

[JFSOCC]

But... if you control all party members, wouldn't you know you're doing an AOE spell?

Unless using the 'call out grenade' key provokes some automatic dodge reaction from your party.

[Lephys]

But... if you control all party members, wouldn't you know you're doing an AOE spell?

Unless using the 'call out grenade' key provokes some automatic dodge reaction from your party.

You would, but the player-controlled characters essentially "don't know" unless you "pass the knowledge onto them" by moving them manually. I just think it would be great if something supported the player in the coordination of extremely simple AOE ability usages.

 

I've seen several RPGs with behavior settings such as "try to get out of the way of spells," or something along those lines, but it's always pretty iffy.

 

What I was specifically suggesting is an actual slight delay for the spell or ability, for the purposes of the callout, and to give people who are able the time necessary to stun-and-move. You could still cast the spell or ability "instantly" (without the added delay) if you so chose.

 

And, to clarify, I'm not suggesting how easy it be to pull this off, or how often such opportunities come up. I just always play these games as a Mage/Wizard, and, while I don't mind the friendly-fire (I rather like it, as it adds challenge and immersion), it's usually simply FAR too difficult to make proper use of AOE abilities.

 

Look at Dragon Age (not that it's a shining gem of all things perfect in RPGs or anything): You got those huge Earthquake and Lightning Storm spells that hit like, a 30-foot radius, and yet it was pretty much impossible to hit more than 1 or 2 enemies with them without hitting also your entire group, no matter what you did and how awesomely tactical you were.

[ddillon]

...snip...I just always play these games as a Mage/Wizard, and, while I don't mind the friendly-fire (I rather like it, as it adds challenge and immersion), it's usually simply FAR too difficult to make proper use of AOE abilities.

 

Look at Dragon Age (not that it's a shining gem of all things perfect in RPGs or anything): You got those huge Earthquake and Lightning Storm spells that hit like, a 30-foot radius, and yet it was pretty much impossible to hit more than 1 or 2 enemies with them without hitting also your entire group, no matter what you did and how awesomely tactical you were.

1. Tank gathers threat (Threaten, Taunt, etc), enemies swarm tank.

2. Mage casts Force Field on tank.

3. Mage casts AoE spell.

(If any hostiles alive, proceed to 4.)

4. Mage casts Crushing Prison on tank protected by Force Field to generate Shockwave.

5. Party slaughters survivors (if any).

 

--- OR

 

1. Mage casts Glyph of Repulsion on choke point, enemies gather attempting to force way past.

2. Mage casts Glyph of Paralysis on same spot to generate Paralysis Explosion, enemies paralyzed.

3. Mage casts AoE spell.

 

--- OR

 

1. Archer uses Scattershot, enemies stunned & damaged.

2. Mage casts AoE spell.

 

--- OR

 

1. As scout comes running back towards party, leading enemies down hallway/corridor/etc, mage casts AoE spell.

 

--- OR

 

Any of a large number of possible combinations... plenty of crowd control plus threat mechanics... Try not sucking, maybe? (Just playfully messing w/ya...)

 

---

 

Seriously, I hope PE combat is as fun as DA:O combat. Playing NWN2 now, & the combat is mostly awful.

Edited February 25, 2013 by ddillon

[Lephys]

^ All I know is, the party shouldn't go "Ahh, drat... we didn't get to set up an ambush ahead of time, and/or the enemy isn't conveniently standing around in a glob, so we're pretty much just going to have to use our AOE abilities on each other."

 

It shouldn't be quite so much trouble just to be capable of luring several enemies into a bundle to set up for an AOE attack. OR, if they're in a bundle but currently engaging allies, it shouldn't be completely out-of-the-question for the allies to intentionally duck out of the way of an AOE spell or something (unless the Wizard isn't even trying, and literally just casts it centered on the allied group, with the enemies at the edge.)

 

Hell, not even AOE... if an archer is going to fire a flaming arrow at something, but an ally is in the way, he should be able to shout "Landreth, DOWN!", then fire, and Landreth should be able to kick or pommel strike the enemy, duck the arrow, then simply raise back up and continue mercilessly killing the thing to death. You shouldn't have to primitively jiggle your people around the battlefield with movement commands to try to indirectly get line of sight or a clear AOE target whilst keeping the enemies there. *shrug*

 

I guess I'm just asking for better positional tactical ability, really? *Shrug*

[ddillon]

^ That type of AoE spells damages or affects multiple enemy targets at the cost of the possibility of friendly fire. That's the tactical tradeoff inherent in the concept.

 

Try using other spells and abilities when enemies are close instead of AoE?

 

Edit: Remembered that this is the "quickfire" thread, snipped post to avoid further clutter.

Edited February 25, 2013 by ddillon

[Sacred_Path]

Maybe if you're a Wizard casting Meteor Storm or something (in a circular area), you shout some sort of warning, and the AI of melee allies in-or-near that area can be set to have them use things like Kick and other debilitating skills to temporarily keep enemies within the blast radius of the spell.

I would expect most intelligent enemies to scatter in all directions at the signal of "AoE incoming!". That would be great. Abusing the shout button to confuse enemies, then just flee

[Lephys]

I would expect most intelligent enemies to scatter in all directions at the signal of "AoE incoming!". That would be great. Abusing the shout button to confuse enemies, then just flee

Haha. Touche. But, maybe they use code words/phrases? "Blue thunder! BLUE THUNDER!"

 

-- EDIT --

 

Moved to a new thread.

Edited February 26, 2013 by Lephys

[Sacred_Path]

Haha. Touche. But, maybe they use code words/phrases? "Blue thunder! BLUE THUNDER!"

I'd just expect it to be common knowledge that small guys in red bathrobes hiding behind big guys in iron suits mean trouble, and that trouble multiplies when they start shouting orders. I'd just get the hell out of there.

But hey, there's realism and there's gameplay.

 

As for positional control over the enemy flock, evading AoE's sounds like the domain of the rogue. So rogues could make the perfect "shepherds"

Edited February 26, 2013 by Sacred_Path

[Chippy]

The odd quest here and there where you retireve something valuable from the quest giver, keep it, and suffer the consequences - like maybe they send out another party to get you.

[Aqaba]

Please, a "show all what's on the ground" button after a fight. Not always only after a fight and in the range of the characters.

[rjshae]

More thoughts:

 

Enemy forces that are magically gated in to deal with the PC interloper.

A talking guard door that you can convince to come and guard your stronghold's treasure room.

Rare potions that can cure magic-resistant diseases.

An ancient network of portals connected together by an extra-dimensional road.

A diplomacy pen that translates your words into another language.

A mage that has teleported himself part way into a wall and is begging for help.

A magical fountain that causes intense thirst, and a victim who can't stop drinking from it.

Wizard's underground lair where the tunnels are longer in one direction than the other.

Magical henge crackling with mysterious forces.

The site of an ancient magical battle that has left the ground tortured and the surroundings distorted.

Levitation rings that allow an archer to fire down from above, reducing the concealment advantage provided by cover.

A magical tail that you can equip with a small weapon for an extra attack.[1]

Seemingly weak predatory creatures that can magically change their size, becoming more powerful and dangerous.

 

1) In fact, just having an extra slot that you can equip with an oddball item would be nice: toe ring, extra eyeball, a tail, nipple ring, ... you name it.

Edited March 4, 2013 by rjshae

[rjshae]

Because I'm in the mood...

• Hammer of Gravitas -- Induces the struck opponent to focus all of their combat energy on the wielder, preventing a switch in engagement slots to other characters for one or more rounds. Makes a deep booming sound on contact, possibly alerting other nearby enemies.
• Robe of Recoil -- If an opponent strikes you with a melee weapon, a potent magical force hurls them back out of engagement range. Has been known to malfunction from time to time, knocking somebody away for no apparent reason.
• Circlet of Lucidity -- Protects against any magical effects that would reduce mental acuity, whether intelligence, perception, or social skills. Wearer may find themselves exceedingly bored during even the briefest lecture.
• Helm of Te Deum -- Your ears are filled with mind-numbingly positive words of encouragement. This wards against effects that would lower your morale, but also reduces your listening score. Has been known to drive some to madness.

[JFSOCC]

Because I'm in the mood...

• Hammer of Gravitas -- Induces the struck opponent to focus all of their combat energy on the wielder, preventing a switch in engagement slots to other characters for one or more rounds. Makes a deep booming sound on contact, possibly alerting other nearby enemies.
• Robe of Recoil -- If an opponent strikes you with a melee weapon, a potent magical force hurls them back out of engagement range. Has been known to malfunction from time to time, knocking somebody away for no apparent reason.
• Circlet of Lucidity -- Protects against any magical effects that would reduce mental acuity, whether intelligence, perception, or social skills. Wearer may find themselves exceedingly bored during even the briefest lecture.
• Helm of Te Deum -- Your ears are filled with mind-numbingly positive words of encouragement. This wards against effects that would lower your morale, but also reduces your listening score. Has been known to drive some to madness.

 

 

that's fantastic, but, maybe put these in the wondrous items topic?