Does the terrain have bonuses?

[ItinerantNomad]

Are you guys planning on implementing any terrain bonuses? Like elevation improving accuracy or range or high grass improving stealth, water decreasing movement speed, fire decreasing health, etc etc?

 

It woud be nice, especially since you're trying to make your maps dynamic.

 

I guess implementing this might or might not be easy, though I guess you culd script it into certain parts of the map.

 

(if standing in area X, give bonus to [y]) where you've cordoned off section x to mean X.

[AlsoNoBody]

Yea I would like to see true terrain influence (not just elevation for range weapons but impact of snow, heat, rain, ... on spells and mobility). If it doesn't make it into this game maybe the next...

[Azmodan]

I hope that PE includes some of the features you describe.

On the other hand, I can't remember Josh including much detailed info about this sort of thing. Might be because the topic had not come (because of all the other updates). So could already be worked on. I guess like with the rock-paper-scissors of damage types vs armour types, it is all down to play testing.

It might end up being that some aspects of too much realism, might slow the pacing of the action sequences, which can be detrimental.

 

Definitely hope that your question gets answered by a dev.

[Abel]

I'm pretty sure there will not be such a feature in Project Eternity, which is not a AAA game with 50M as a budget.

[rjshae]

I seem to recall they are including elevation data for the area maps, so it seems like implementing height advantages should be possible--particularly for ranged attacks. I have managed to implement D&D-style scripted terrain effect triggers in another game system (NWN2), so it's definitely do-able given the availability of a suitable function library. Not sure how useful those would be though unless combat occurs in wilderness areas with lots of vegetation or swampy ground.

 

The main one I'd like to see implemented is lighting effects on targeting.

[Mr. Magniloquent]

A NWN persistent world I played on had environmental effects, and they were terrific. Heavy snow required a strength check to keep from being slowed. Blizzarding required a fortitude check to keep from being slowed. Walking across a stream of water beyond a certain size required a reflex check or you would fall prone and take a tiny bit of damage. That last one sure made walking to little bridges more practicle when your little wizard only has 8 HP. There were more, but those were the most promiment examples.

[Abel]

A NWN persistent world I played on had environmental effects, and they were terrific. Heavy snow required a strength check to keep from being slowed. Blizzarding required a fortitude check to keep from being slowed. Walking across a stream of water beyond a certain size required a reflex check or you would fall prone and take a tiny bit of damage. That last one sure made walking to little bridges more practicle when your little wizard only has 8 HP. There were more, but those were the most promiment examples.

 

Sounds great. I'm not sure of the usefullness in a game such as PoE, but the idea is really interesting in a nwn persistant world. Anyway, i would be surprised if such a feature is integrated to the game. That would mean Obs is going much further than i expected.

[rjshae]

Hindered vision is great for generating suspense. Darkness, thick fog, rain, and heavy snow all make you a little more wary of what lies ahead. Throwing in environmental penalties just contributes to the fear factor because you're less able to deal with the potential hazards.

[spin_doctor]

I'd love to see terrain bonuses implemented, especially elevation. It could add a really nice tactical positioning element to battles...

[Lephys]

I'd definitely like to see area-property bonuses, like elevation bonuses for ranged weapons and sight/perception distance. Maybe something like mild stamina-only drain if you're standing too close to a lava pool or something. Accuracy penalties if you're in some windy valley, with no penalty if you're in an alcove or behind a large boulder/outcropping and the big wind tunnel effect isn't really hitting you.

 

No super specific cover mechanics or anything, though. I dunno... I wouldn't mind an archer crouching in some brush getting a defense (as in attack resolution/chance-to-be-hit, not damage reduction) bonus to ranged attacks made against him or something. But no "you're standing beside a boulder, so you get half-cover" stuff, as that would get really messy in a real-time game without grid-space occupancy and such.

 

I'd also like to see terrain interactivity. Using some wind ability in a sandy/dusty area to make a little sand-devil tornado or something and temporarily blind targets within its "cloud." Or a concussive stomp/blow near/at a snow-covered tree dropping all the snow into a temporary cloud. Etc.

 

I realize that last one would be pretty tricky, what with the 2D state of the environment. But, I'm more interested in the functional nature of such things than the specifics of the example (a tree doesn't need to have something happen to it -- in the sand"storm" example, you could just have a 3D sand cloud be "kicked up" on top of the terrain without changing the actual terrain, for example).

 

But, yeah, area stuff, more so than specific location stuff. Elevation is a very good example of the type of factor that would work well in real-time.

[rjshae]

Do we know if they are going to implement cover? I'd heard a rumor that they weren't...

[Lephys]

Do we know if they are going to implement cover? I'd heard a rumor that they weren't...

 

I dunno how it'd work. Aside from, like I said, "visibility" cover with ranged things. *shrug*

[malolis]

This feature would be great if they had the time to put it in.

[Pipyui]

Do we know if they are going to implement cover? I'd heard a rumor that they weren't...

 

Maybe someone else remembers better, but I think Sawyer said that cover wasn't gonna work like it did in D&D.  I can't remember if he said he was nerfing it, or removing it entirely, however.

 

I think I've said this before, but as far as terrain bonuses go:

• stealth modifiers (stealthier in shrubbery, copse of trees, city shadows (we know environment shadows are fixed), than open land)

         -- stealth modifiers - whether or not you're sneaking, and independant of stealth skills - like shadows and cover, might increase defense

• elevation ( [ranged] attack bonus if attacking from higher ground)
• water (lower defense when slogging through; not likely to occur often, but could provide for interesting encounters / ambushes)

Edited December 22, 2013 by Pipyui