Interactive Environment? Environmental Events & Effects? (Weather Effects) World Map Visuals?

[Osvir]

I remember wanting Environmental Effects a lot in Pillars of Eternity (Basically, if it's raining, it'd affect characters & monsters stats, night would give less vision, snow would give status effects etc.), so I thought I'd brainstorm the idea again.

​After reading this (Sawyer's Tumblr), which is just a tiny piece but is part of the same category:

"In our Fig trailer, you may notice a shot around the 2:40 mark where barrels of gunpowder next to Pallegina explode.  Only a Fire effect will ignite them, causing them to explode within a few seconds, but a Water effect can counter that.​"

 

​​My mind began to spin and escalate as it does.

I understand that Sawyer is talking a bit about counters here, but he's also somewhat leaving it open to interpret that "There might be more interactive objects that does stuff". Although, exploding barrels are pretty common in top-down Isometric or aRPG games though, but it still made me wonder about the next couple of steps.

​A) In Deadfire we're going to be sailing a bit from location to location, at least in the World Map Travel interface (Perhaps never fully realized in 3D). But will there be Random Encounters? (I'm thinking Heroes of Might & Magic 3 Sea Battles in concept)
​B) Does that mean there could be​ Random Environmental Events occurring as well? I.E: You Travel from A to B, Random Encounter (Pirates) and before entering the Isometric view and doing the battle, also rolling for Environmental Effect (Is it a calm sea/no effect? Storm/Lightning strikes & rain? Strong winds & big waves?)

​I'm wondering because it could be pretty epic! Fight a ship battle and have random lightning strikes hit around you, or waves battering the ship and being able to push enemies into trajectory paths and washing them over board.

​Would it also mean that you could sink an enemy ship with a couple of well placed fireballs? Or are ships enchanted with magical protection?

​There could also be simple statistical changes. If it's raining, Water spells are stronger, but your characters could also be slower (depending on what gear they were, Cloth gets soaked and heavy making characters way slower, and metal is mostly unaffected). During storms, metal would be a conduit and plate wearers would have a higher chance of getting hit by lightning.

​In cold/snow, cloth would be most unaffected, and the rest would get a slow effect (Fire aura's that give fire effect, resistance or fire weapons, would nullify cold effects).

​Furthermore, with Barrels that Explode. Would it mean we can set a patch of grass on fire? Trees? Does a forest area enhance or affect Fire spell durations or effects? Does an open sea or rainy (water) area effect the power of Water spells? Would Lightning spells deal even more damage to a character that is soaked in water? Would Fire dry a character making Earth spells more effective?

​If my ally is Entangled in vines/roots (by some spell), could I use a light Fire spell to burn the roots and free my ally without dealing damage to them?

If Weather would or could be a thing in Deadfire, could it be visualized on the World Map Interface? (Clouds/Weather visuals that move as you move, allowing the Player to see and plan their movements accordingly, to either avoid a storm or head straight into it).

Which brings me to my final question and brainstorm: Is the World Map going to be animated or have animated visuals in some sort of way? (I.E. when you move on the world map, would/could there be Caravans that move at the same time, Bandits/Monsters, Weather effects etc.). This is pretty much opposite of "Random Encounters", because you'd be able to see all potential encounters on the World Map and plan your movements accordingly. A Turn-Based Board game factor pretty much.

​Questions/TL;DR:

​- Are exploding barrels the only interactive environmental object? (Specifically, in combat. Can boats be set on fire as well? If not, there should be a Wizard NPC Ship Role/Profession that acts as some sort of "Hull Shielder", "Hull Barrier Mage", or "Hull Enchanter" dude. Like how "First Mate" is a profession~ for immersion and countering the "Why can't I blow up that boat/why doesn't it catch fire!?"-Player reaction)
​- Will there be random encounters?
​- Will there be random environmental effects? (Weather)
​- Is the World Map Interface going to be animated or have "animated" objects in any way? (I.E. Turn-Based World Map Board Game)

​EDIT: I realize I'm excited and have to read up a bit more than I have found this on the Fig page:
 

"Dynamic Weather

 

In addition to the rich and diverse environments, Pillars II will feature intense and immersive dynamic weather. Rains, fierce winds and sandstorms are among the harsher conditions that are commonplace in Deadfire. You’ll even hear the rain pounding on the roof when you go inside."

​That could mean "It'll affect your party mechanically", right? (It can also just mean "It's going to be atmospheric", I suppose)

Edited January 29, 2017 by Osvir