Traditional CRPG Maps vs. Deadfire Island Maps

[Jayngo]

Thought I'd start a topic about what people prefer. The traditional big map in most CRPG's (Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, PoE1) vs how the maps in Deadfire work.

 

I'm roughly 8 hours in so far. Finished the starter island and then proceeded north in my ship, stopping at every island I hit on my way to Neketaka. I appreciate the idea of open exploration on the sea and finding multiple islands, but so far, it seems most islands only have maybe one decent sized map and a bunch of items you can loot and pick up in other areas on the island. I was able to name an island, which was really cool and it shows up on the map of the island. So far, I've only come across one large map that was 4 levels deep. Everything else has felt rather empty for the most part.

 

I know I'm early in the game and as I eventually open more of the World map I'm sure the amount of areas/maps to explore and fight on will be the same or greater than the amount of maps that were in PoE1. So far, the way things are laid out, it just feels like the game is smaller, including most maps.

 

The question is, do you like how traditional CRPG maps are laid out, on one big World map, or are you liking the idea Deadfire has, where you explore individual islands that may or may not have a lot of locations?

[Wormerine]

What Obsidian does here is kinda a traditional cRPG thing - Fallouts were quoted as direct inspirations when pitching the system during crowdfunding.

I love it, one of my favourite additions to Deadfire. It keeps the exploration aspect of PoE1 or BG, while alowing the actual rendered spaces to be meaningful, rightly designed spaces. A better use of resources I would say. Discovering new places and avoiding/raiding ships is lots of fun, constant drain of resources (though for now seems like a less significant drain that I thought during beta) gives the feel of expedition and traveling.

Whever it would be a ship or land, I loved how Fallouts did world map, I liked how ADOM did world map, I liked how Wasteland2 did world map, and I am digging very much how Deadfire did the world map.

[Jayngo]

What Obsidian does here is kinda a traditional cRPG thing - Fallouts were quoted as direct inspirations when pitching the system during crowdfunding.

 

I love it, one of my favourite additions to Deadfire. It keeps the exploration aspect of PoE1 or BG, while alowing the actual rendered spaces to be meaningful, rightly designed spaces. A better use of resources I would say. Discovering new places and avoiding/raiding ships is lots of fun, constant drain of resources (though for now seems like a less significant drain that I thought during beta) gives the feel of expedition and traveling.

 

Whever it would be a ship or land, I loved how Fallouts did world map, I liked how ADOM did world map, I liked how Wasteland2 did world map, and I am digging very much how Deadfire did the world map.

One mechanic I'm not sure if I like yet is the "survival" aspect to feeding the crew. It seems when I explore these islands they go through the resources pretty quickly and morale drops. I'm ok with that mechanic, but to me, it feels like it's more of a micro-manage at the time. Wish that "timer" would take a little bit longer to go off before it is feeding time.

 

With regard to the map, I think it will grow on me. I think my biggest concern is that so far, the maps feel small. Hopefully this changes as I get into the game further. Just arrived at Neketaka last night when I stopped playing. From what I've heard, that city rivals Baldur's Gate in size. If that's the case, I'll be most impressed.

[Enoch]

What Obsidian does here is kinda a traditional cRPG thing - Fallouts were quoted as direct inspirations when pitching the system during crowdfunding.

 

I love it, one of my favourite additions to Deadfire. It keeps the exploration aspect of PoE1 or BG, while alowing the actual rendered spaces to be meaningful, rightly designed spaces. A better use of resources I would say. Discovering new places and avoiding/raiding ships is lots of fun, constant drain of resources (though for now seems like a less significant drain that I thought during beta) gives the feel of expedition and traveling.

 

Whever it would be a ship or land, I loved how Fallouts did world map, I liked how ADOM did world map, I liked how Wasteland2 did world map, and I am digging very much how Deadfire did the world map.

Goes back further than Fallout.  Among others, the original Pool of Radiance had an overland-travel map like this. 

[Wormerine]

One mechanic I'm not sure if I like yet is the "survival" aspect to feeding the crew. It seems when I explore these islands they go through the resources pretty quickly and morale drops. I'm ok with that mechanic, but to me, it feels like it's more of a micro-manage at the time. Wish that "timer" would take a little bit longer to go off before it is feeding time.

When the feeding time is up and you are on land, crew doesn't consume food - only gets paid. So far I didn't have to buy any additional food since I got some rice and wine during the tutorial (first port). That said I have been exploring only island on the way to my destinations, and I have hunted a ship or two. 

 

Geez, new ships are expensive. 

[Jayngo]

 

One mechanic I'm not sure if I like yet is the "survival" aspect to feeding the crew. It seems when I explore these islands they go through the resources pretty quickly and morale drops. I'm ok with that mechanic, but to me, it feels like it's more of a micro-manage at the time. Wish that "timer" would take a little bit longer to go off before it is feeding time.

When the feeding time is up and you are on land, crew doesn't consume food - only gets paid. So far I didn't have to buy any additional food since I got some rice and wine during the tutorial (first port). That said I have been exploring only island on the way to my destinations, and I have hunted a ship or two. 

 

Geez, new ships are expensive. 

 

When I got to Neketaka and checked the Supplies i was blown away by the options available up front. All the ship options available to buy and ships themselves. Think I had a measly $5k on me. I think one ship was like 60k!

[Starwars]

I can like both just fine I think. For what Deadfire does and the themes it has, I think the overland map works beautifully. The ship management isn't complex or anything but I love that it gives time some meaning. With the removal of per rest stuff, I am glad to see another "long-term" strategy mechanic. It's not something that impacts the game a whole lot but I think it does wonders in that it's a mechanic that exists outside the encounters and works on a level that is separate from the encounters. It makes the world feel slightly more alive and slightly less than a "walk from encounter to encounter" simulator..

 

But yeah, I had similar concerns that we would be getting a bunch of small, kinda empty-feeling map but it's really not been my experience so far. There is a *lot* of content to be had in this game. Neketaka for sure has a much higher content density than I thought it would and I *love* that.

[Wormerine]

But yeah, I had similar concerns that we would be getting a bunch of small, kinda empty-feeling map but it's really not been my experience so far. There is a *lot* of content to be had in this game. Neketaka for sure has a much higher content density than I thought it would and I *love* that.

Yeah, I am intentionally leaving Neketaka with most of it untouch as I have enough stuff to do already. It looks like a sprawling hub we will be returning to over and over again. Feels like a city.

[Arsene Lupin]

I prefer Deadfire's general approach in theory, but in practice, yeah, it feels a bit lacking. Feels like it could've benefited from a small inventory of generic map bits that could be stitched together to create larger "random" areas for the scripted sequences that end in combat. You know, so it's not *just* an arena, but also an opportunity for some exploration and maybe the chance to find a cool item, a new quest, or maybe another monster.

 

To work, there'd probably have to be an extra option in the scripted sequences for when you successfully avoid a combat encounter to w/ something like, "keep exploring the area," or " keeping going."

 

A more dynamic world map might help, too. Something like Shogun 2: Total War's map where a hand-drawn parchment map overlays the fog-of-war, slowly being revealed as you explore, coupled with the tried-and-true technique of new areas "exploding" into the map when you discover them. Maybe tie area/item discovery with a perception stat to give exploration a bit more depth.

[illathid]

Speaking of maps, I'm loving the major port map style. I kinda wish the whole world map looked like that.

[PangaeaACDC]

Geez, new ships are expensive.

They sure are, and it will take a while until I can afford one. Makes sense they are expensive after all. However, I'm thinking that when I have a ship from the start that can jibe and such in one turn, and these expensive boats take twice or thrice as long -- why would I want it?

 

 

But yeah, I had similar concerns that we would be getting a bunch of small, kinda empty-feeling map but it's really not been my experience so far. There is a *lot* of content to be had in this game. Neketaka for sure has a much higher content density than I thought it would and I *love* that.

Yeah, I am intentionally leaving Neketaka with most of it untouch as I have enough stuff to do already. It looks like a sprawling hub we will be returning to over and over again. Feels like a city.

 

Same here really. Spent a lot of time in Neketaka yesterday, and it's big with lots of content. But then I 'had' to leave because it was getting kind of stale and I wanted some more action -- plus saving some areas there for later.

 

 

I know I'm early in the game and as I eventually open more of the World map I'm sure the amount of areas/maps to explore and fight on will be the same or greater than the amount of maps that were in PoE1. So far, the way things are laid out, it just feels like the game is smaller, including most maps.

 

The question is, do you like how traditional CRPG maps are laid out, on one big World map, or are you liking the idea Deadfire has, where you explore individual islands that may or may not have a lot of locations?

Not been to a great deal of islands so far, however some of them have been fun while others seem to be pretty small and maybe not possible to land on and walk around on. Think it can prove to be a good mix though. Spend time in Neketaka talking to people and such, travel to some islands to get supplies (will they respawn?) and travel the high seas and smack up some ships here and there, while ticking off a bounty here and there.

 

I loved the maps in BG, especially the first and that exploration and discovery feeling is currently present in poe2. My experience with the game more generally has been more mixed lately than the first 10 hours though, with an increasing amount of bugs and crashes. I think one mission didn't go into the journal for instance.

 

This is the first time I've played a game on day 1 for a very long time, and I'm not sure it was a good idea.