Hidden Items and Stealth made me stop playing the game...

[Lito]

Hey all.. Just registered here so I could share my feelings around something I consider to be a game breaking problem...

 

I've read somewhere someone was complaining he had to stealth 100% of the time with fast mode activated, otherwise he would miss hidden items. To my dispair, the guy was right. I didn't do it and I had missed lots of hidden items (those items contained in purple places).

 

After realizing that I started hitting my Stealth up 100% of the time too, and using fast mode. This killed the game for me. It kills immersion. My barbarian looks silly stealthing like a moron all the time. In town it looks unrealistic and silly that everyone is stealthed with their weapons combat ready all the time. Seriously. Some people may consider this a minor problem, but to me, it killed the game. I no longer have pleasure in playing after I realized I needed to stealth 100% of the time.

 

Some people may say "You don't have to." And I will answer "Yes, I have to. Im a completionist". I can't let those hidden items pass undiscovered. I just.. can't.

 

I searched for google for a spoiler-free, simple list of hidden items by map. So I could quickly check each map when I'm "done" with it, and see where I needed to stealth to get those items. But such thing doesnt exist yet. I searched for a mod to enable detecting hidden items 100% of the time without the need to stealth, but that doesn't exist either. So I stopped playing...

 

I know this may sound trivial to the most of you, but to me it isn't...

[Althernai]

In my experience, you only need to Scout 100% of the time in dungeons and that's mainly because they have traps (which somehow insta-knockout even a very high Endurance character). In the wilderness and in towns, the hidden items are usually near something out of place (e.g. a campsite in the forest), though it might still help to Scout if you are expecting enemies. Also, those items are usually nothing special -- the most common useful one is a Camp Supply and the most common expensive one is a random Fine weapon or something of the sort.

[manageri]

Yes, it's stupid. I think Obsidian knows this but were afraid to deviate too much from IE games, since they promised a spiritual successor. There's always hope in the likely to come sequel (and perhaps mods, as you said).

[Madpaddy]

I think finding hidden items etc should be based on the char skill not your stance, having a party of 6 sneaking around every place does spoil the game for me, maybe have sneaking give you a bonus to how far away you can see hidden items would be best, but still be able to find them standing up.

[Gallenger]

I didn't sneak at all and missed nothing of importance lol, ie I was still very well geared lol.  If you want to sneak and find pieces of candy, more power to you, but it's not necessary.  My main tank (a PC paladin), was so ridiculous he could typically trigger any trap we came across without any serious risk of harm - half the time they missed him :D so I didn't even bother with it - I just had him walking out well in front. 

Edited April 5, 2015 by Gallenger

[Madpaddy]

You need to sneak to miss traps as well, and some rare items can only be found sneaking.

[Caerdon]

Tough.

[DocDoomII]

Yes, it's stupid. I think Obsidian knows this but were afraid to deviate too much from IE games, since they promised a spiritual successor. There's always hope in the likely to come sequel (and perhaps mods, as you said).

It was completely different in the old IE games.

[Madpaddy]

Tough.

Im sure you think you are, but thats not what we are talking about.

[wanderon]

Yeah what an immersion breaker to have to stealth slowly in dangerous areas just to discover hidden traps and other hidden items - you should be able to sprint through gabbing with your team and texting on your cell and not miss a thing...

[Guest BugsVendor]

Am I the only one that is not bothered by this at all ?

 

a ) First of all the game is easy. Even if you miss 1 magic ring it's not a big deal.

 

b ) these hidden purple stashes are in most obvious places in the world

Edited April 5, 2015 by BugsVendor

[Cedarstripe]

Yeah what an immersion breaker to have to stealth slowly in dangerous areas just to discover hidden traps and other hidden items - you should be able to sprint through gabbing with your team and texting on your cell and not miss a thing...

 

It isn't only that. To catch all the hidden items you literally have to stealth through town as there are several hidden nodes inside Defiance Bay alone. I'd most definitely agree that the party should be able to spot hidden Loot nodes while out of stealth because it is an inconvenient and immersion breaking pain in the ass to watch your party sneak around town in the middle of the day on the off chance that you might find something cool. And I for one have this issue that I Need to find all the hidden goodies, not because I have a shortage of it, but because I'm kind of a loot whore.

[Luckmann]

Hidden Areas and the detection of such should be determined by Stealth, and should be detectable outside of Scout Mode. Traps and their disarming should be determined by Mechanics, and should require you to be in Scout Mode.

 

That's my standing suggestion, but whatever. It hasn't killed the game for me, but having to pump Mechanics and then move everywhere in Scouting Mode and Fast Mode is ridiculous, yes.

 

Yeah what an immersion breaker to have to stealth slowly in dangerous areas just to discover hidden traps and other hidden items - you should be able to sprint through gabbing with your team and texting on your cell and not miss a thing...

 

Dungeons and dangerous areas are not the issue. Try the middle of Defiance Bay, or areas you've already covered, or just about *any* residential housing.

 

Am I the only one that is not bothered by this at all ?

 

a ) First of all the game is easy. Even if you miss 1 magic ring it's not a big deal.

 

b ) these hidden purple stashes are in most obvious places in the world

Yes, of course, I always assume that there are hidden purple stashes in just that exact brick in a wall, under one of the countless road stones in the middle of Defiance Bay, and in that exact painting and only that one painting. Oh, and that one floorboard in the in. No other floorboard, just that one.

 

Really, the most obvious places in the world.

Edited April 5, 2015 by Luckmann

[Madpaddy]

I have found hidden stuff  and traps everywhere, not always in obvious places, its not sneaking thats the problem its the fact that the whole team does it, 7"2 in plate armour with weapons and shield sneaking around ??.At least a clue like in the older games...You feel a breeze from near bye....You sense danger up ahead.... Oh maybe we need to sneak and take our time here.

[iLurk]

It should be spotted by a perception check similar to IE games with spotting the hidden doors.

[Landerian]

My only problem with stealth is that the entire party enters into it.

 

Like in most of these games, my main character is a rogue type who leads the group. Since I usually have her scout ahead, being in stealth mode is second nature. Also, in this game, it's a good way from having her look silly running around all the time.

 

I'm sorry OP doesn't like, but since he used the magic word "immersion," maybe he'll get what he wants.

[Moira]

I find it weirdly satisfying whenever I find one of those hidden stashes, so I like this mechanic. I understand it feeling unnecessary or annoying to some, but I don't get the complaint about it breaking immersion. I guess I just interpret the stealth mode as "loitering around kinda suspiciously while searching" when the party scouts in full view.

[LloydBraun]

Hidden items located in the world with small visual clues reward cleverness and observation.

 

Advantages to sneaking in dungeons reward patient and careful play.

 

Trouble with giving ALL rewards to absolutely everybody is that they deny the possibility to selectively reward behaviours.

 

Some games work by handing everything to every player with minimal effort. That's fine. Some people like that. Maybe you are someone who does. I can see how a person who feels they simply cannot allow themselves to miss anything would fall into that category.

 

Many other players like selective rewards for selective behaviours in order to differentiate various playing styles. My guess is that this is the majority.

 

We should have games designed for each type of player. This game is designed for the latter type. There's nothing wrong with that.

 

Maybe try a different game if this one doesn't suit your preferences? To call it a "game breaking problem" is ignoring that this is an issue of your individual preference. I don't like MOBAs. That's my preference. Doesn't mean that every MOBA is broken. I choose different games to play.

[Wbino]

Yes hidden items should have a GIANT red arrow pointing at them.

 

Seriously.. Maybe the higher intelligence or some other passive stat would have been good.

 

But I have no problem with it the way it is.

[NathanH]

My only advice is to try to stop seeing what is represented on your screen as a faithful representation of the fictional alternative reality, but rather a collection of prompts for the story-in-your-head. Thus, if your barbarian looks foolish sneaking around everywhere, this doesn't cause any trouble for the story-in-your-head, because in that your barbarian is not sneaking around, but is just naturally eagle-eyed.

 

On a related note, a related problem is that the sneaking animations in general look fairly silly, whether you have them always activated or never.

[Emptiness]

Some people may say "You don't have to." And I will answer "Yes, I have to. Im a completionist". I can't let those hidden items pass undiscovered. I just.. can't.

 

<snip>  So I stopped playing...

 

I know this may sound trivial to the most of you, but to me it isn't...

 

It doesn't sound trivial to me, it sounds like a potentially serious mental illness.  Deflecting onto the game may make you feel better, but it won't help you deal with the real issues affecting your life.

[DocDoomII]

It doesn't sound trivial to me, it sounds like a potentially serious mental illness.  Deflecting onto the game may make you feel better, but it won't help you deal with the real issues affecting your life.

It's nothing uncommon.

It like playing pokemon and wanting to collect all the pokemons.

[CaptainMace]

It's funny how many people are really upset about this. I only find hidden items when I'm looking for traps or scouting in dungeons, I agree it'd be damn awful to go stealth mode all the time just to find a fine dagger with corrode damage :')
Why do you guys do this to yourselves ?

[Emptiness]

It's nothing uncommon.

It like playing pokemon and wanting to collect all the pokemons.

 

I didn't say it was uncommon, I said it was potentially serious.  Lots of people have untreated mental illnesses.  It's nothing to be ashamed of, but if it starts to be a problem that is affecting your ability to live and enjoy your life then it might be time to seek treatment.

[Emptiness]

Why do you guys do this to yourselves ?

 

The main advantage to sneaking all the time is that it lets you see enemies before they see you, which in turn lets you start the battle on you own terms.  Finding traps and hidden things is a side benefit of the fact that you happen to already be sneaking anyway.

 

That's how I look at it, anyway.