Fayd Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Hello everyone, especially Obsidian. I'd like to proffer a suggestion for a potential new toggle for a game mode that would be very helpful for a number of people, namely Arachnophobic Mode. When this mode is toggled on, all spiders and spiderlike enemies are replaced with statistically identical and thematically appropriate enemies, sort of how the difficulty modes work now. A large number of people are arachnophobic, including my wife, whom I would love to share Pillars of Eternity with. Some people have this so severely that depictions in games can cause panic attacks, which we can generally agree are not fun to have. While this need can be eventually filled by the modding community (see the Spiders to Bears in Skyrim or the replacement mods in Dragon Age), quite often the monsters feel out of place or do not behave properly for their new role. I feel that having the developer create this mode would be the most seamless and would be a very helpful gesture. There are VERY few fantasy RPGs without giant spiders… it’d be nice to have one. To everyone who will inevitably want to say things along the lines like "just expose yourself" or some variation of exposure therapy, there are a number of reasons that is both insensitive and not particularly helpful. If this doesn't help you, you leave it untoggled and that doesn't affect your game in any meaningful way. Thank you for your time, Sincerely, Fayd 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyCrimson Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 This has come up before (both for PoE and other games I've seen)...I can sympathize but I sort of doubt it'll be officially added. Spiders are just such a staple to fantasy monster roles and I/we have no idea if there are actually any "statistically identical" enemies (meaning, if not, they'd have to create new ones, art, etc). As you said, it's possible that at some point a modder might do something like that, assuming modding capabilities will allow for it. 1 “Things are as they are. Looking out into the universe at night, we make no comparisons between right and wrong stars, nor between well and badly arranged constellations.” – Alan Watts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevBlue Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 With all due respect, I feel like there are many many other fixes that should come before adding these custom options that only appeal to a very, very small number of people. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fayd Posted March 31, 2015 Author Share Posted March 31, 2015 (edited) RevBlue, while I dispute your claim of a "very, very small number of people", I understand what you mean! Making the game function properly should be the foremost concern. However, that does not mean that these things can't be considered, thought about, and debate before they are worked on. Edited March 31, 2015 by Fayd 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xavori Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Spiders should be replaced with clowns. Clowns with half their face missing that carry machetes. 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosveen Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 (see the Spiders to Bears in Skyrim or the replacement mods in Dragon Age) I'm mildly arachnophobic and those bears terrified me more than spiders. They moved so unnaturally, I felt like I was fighting a puppet master planning to tear me limb from limb. *shudders* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheUsernamelessOne Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 I know that fear isn't rational and I completely sympathize with people who have to deal with anxiety issues and phobias (since I'm one myself) but it does feel jarring to read a request to take out the spiders in a game where mass infanticide is a central plot point. I mean, does anyone else remember the bit where someone tells you that folks in Defiant Bay have taken to nicknaming the Hollowborn "buoys," because so many of them end up floating in the bay? I'm a pretty jaded person but that was a pretty dark moment, even for an Obsidian game. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Volourn Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 TRIGGER WARNING! 1 DWARVES IN PROJECT ETERNITY = VOLOURN HAS PLEDGED $250. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fayd Posted March 31, 2015 Author Share Posted March 31, 2015 (edited) Yeah; I can understand how it can be tonally dissonant TheUsernamelessOne, but as you said yourself this sort of thing isn't rational. A hobby should not be barred someone because of one small thing like this. Rosveen, your exact concern is why I suggested it to the developers to be done more thoroughly and purposefully. Volourn, Xavori, assuming you both had a sarcastic intent, that's not particularly helpful to the discussion at hand. To be absolutely clear, I'm advocating this as a "for the future" project, not something to drop everything now and do at this instant. Edited March 31, 2015 by Fayd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hlidskialf Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 I recall a request identical to this back on TeamBG for BG1/2. IIRC the spiders were modded to be swapped with Ettercaps, which are spider-like humanoids but possess the correct number of limbs. I'm not far enough in to know if there's anything in game that would serve to be as easily modified, but if so maybe the devs can address it. Or I'm certain it will fall to the modding community down the road. It seems to be a surprisingly regular request from gamers. The grey wolf Fenrir gapes ever at the dwellings of the gods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xavori Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Yeah; I can understand how it can be tonally dissonant TheUsernamelessOne, but as you said yourself this sort of thing isn't rational. A hobby should not be barred someone because of one small thing like this. Rosveen, your exact concern is why I suggested it to the developers to be done more thoroughly and purposefully. Volourn, Xavori, assuming you both had a sarcastic intent, that's not particularly helpful to the discussion at hand. To be absolutely clear, I'm advocating this as a "for the future" project, not something to drop everything now and do at this instant. It wasn't sarcasm, but admittedly, wasn't trying to be helpful either. I wasn't mocking the suggestion. I get the irrationality of phobias and suspect some modder out there actually will take your suggestion and make it happen. I was just going for teh lulz. I do that a lot. It's a character flaw of mine. One that I bear with such great shame that even seppuku could not restore my family's honor nor the respect due my ancestors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingNee Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 I suggest a much safer game, something like "Limbo" should be right up your alley. (I kid, you should probably stay away from that one.) 1 - How can I live my life if I can't even tell good from evil? - Eh, they're both fine choices. Whatever floats your boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fayd Posted March 31, 2015 Author Share Posted March 31, 2015 Oh, I'm familiar with LIMBO... it was an Experience. Xavoli, I can understand doing things for the lulz. I've just .... come to expect a lot of hostility on this topic, so I may have started out a bit too guarded. A flaw of mine, I suppose. TBH, I don't know if ettercaps (or their equivalent) would be better (honestly, my preferences would lean towards cave reptiles), but it's at least something to consider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baleros Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 I'd just like to say, I would also like a gay spider option. I think its absurd in 2015 that all the spiders in game are straight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosveen Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 I'd just like to say, I would also like a gay spider option. I think its absurd in 2015 that all the spiders in game are straight.I'm tempted to ask how you discovered that all spiders are straight, but maybe it's better not to know... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosveen Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 (edited) double post Edited March 31, 2015 by Rosveen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baleros Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 I'd just like to say, I would also like a gay spider option. I think its absurd in 2015 that all the spiders in game are straight.I'm tempted to ask how you discovered that all spiders are straight, but maybe it's better not to know... So far the male spiders only tried to web my female party members, and the female spiders only tried to web the male party members. Also, none of the spiders are rainbow colored. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G2Revelation Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Not something I've ever struggled with, so I am afraid I can't really relate. However, I know that struggling with phobias of any kind can be crippling and the fact that they are irrational makes them even more difficult to contend with because you cannot reason your way through or around them. While i suspect your request may be overlooked by the developers, I will hope that (assuming modding capabilities allow for it), an acceptable mod for the situation will be created soon. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nukenin Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Wear peril-sensitive (sun)glasses while playing the game and you will never see anything that triggers a phobia. --/\/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylania Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 I would love this! I'm tired of every game having spiders as adversaries. There's so many other things that we could use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geobio Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Just let modder comunity handle this, thanks. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tylaris Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Really? I'm not pulling any judgement here, but how are people scared of even animated images? They are only spiders... adorable and cuddly, eight legged things that just crawl up your leg and...ehh... I'll probably end up banned for this. Now if they had placed sharks in this game, that would be a different story. And no, like someone mentioned, especially not clowns... i hate all of them, ever since seeing that crazy one from a horror movie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fayd Posted April 1, 2015 Author Share Posted April 1, 2015 Geobio, the modding community can handle this, and I assume at some point they will (are mods possible yet, by the way?) but part of my reasoning here is to keep the same intended atmosphere and to keep Obsidian's intended XP curve in place. Still, it will get solved that way, more likely than not, but it would be nice to get something a bit more thorough and intended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RottenBrain Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 TBH, I don't know if ettercaps (or their equivalent) would be better (honestly, my preferences would lean towards cave reptiles), but it's at least something to consider. I don't have arachnophobia and video game spiders generally don't freak me out (the ones in System Shock 2 though...) but I find Ettercaps a lot more unsettling than spiders XD Waiter! Fresh underwear, seven blankets and a bucket of moist towelettes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhantomEidolon Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 While i can sympathize with this as someone that has a phobia of snakes, i would honestly just let the modding community handle that. Spiders should be replaced with clowns. Clowns with half their face missing that carry machetes. You can't make an omelette without ruthlessly crushing dozens of eggs beneath your steel boot and then publicly disemboweling the chickens that laid them as a warning to others. ~Tarquin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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