Messages

1

Design / Re: Thoughts on this identification system idea?

« on: May 15, 2015, 06:24:01 AM »

I think the problem with pouring stuff out onto the ground/common environmental features is that there's nothing really at stake (especially if you're only using a bit of the potion) and no reason not to do it.  That means that once the player has learned a series of steps to identify a potion it's then a solved problem and they'll just need to repeat those steps every time they play.  So, it's realistic, but probably a bit dull in gameplay-terms.  You need to give the player some kind of cost to that action to make it an interesting decision.

I hear you, and that makes a certain kind of development sense. It's just a game after all and should be about fun more than realism.

But...an interesting decision to me would be one that increases my knowledge of the game. Isn't that the definition of interesting?

Seriously though, I'm still all about realism in my games. I hate artificial gameplay restrictions. The thought that I might not be able to identify a potion any other way without drinking it because this is just a "game" and every decision has to have a "cost" to it...no thank you. I'd rather not even have that "option" in the game. If you're going to make it so I can ID a potion by making the moronic decision to drink it, then you better give me a non-moronic option as well. I should be able to 1) take it somewhere to a REAL alchemist, 2) experiment with it (at LEAST by throwing it at someone), and/or 3) have some way of having/increasing alchemical knowledge myself either during character creation (e.g., Potion Master perk) or throughout the game (e.g., putting points on level into Potion Mastery or Potion Lore, etc.) Those are all interesting decisions, in order of interestingness in my opinion.

And while the original poster's idea to categorize potions so that the moronic decision to drink it identify it isn't one sided and is perhaps therefore more...interesting? I still think it's a kind of artificial construct that is being used only because the original/default idea is so moronic that it's just begging for some love.

2

Design / Re: Thoughts on this identification system idea?

« on: May 11, 2015, 04:46:44 AM »

Trying to exercise a little common sense here, but if you were delving in to a dungeon and encountered some unidentifiable vials of strange liquids...do you expect you'd actually DRINK them before finding out more about them? You'd have to be a complete idiot...or with nothing to live for.

So why wouldn't the expectation be for you to try to somehow identify them? If it was me doing the delving, I would think I would have at least half a mind to take them to someone I thought could help with the identification process. If you had a town system for your RL especially, I would imagine the player would know that someone in town would have at least a way of finding out more about unknown colored liquids with varying observable properties (foggy, glowing, bubbly, etc.)

And then of course there's the possibility that the PLAYER could have some kind of knowledge of the alchemical/apothecary. Modeled by some kind of skill system in the RL of course.

But seriously, barring some kind of game design mandate (i.e., the game REVOLVES around drinking unknown potions) why would a character EVER drink a vial of strange liquid? It just makes no sense. Even if you find yourself in the unenviable position of having nowhere to go but down to find your way out, it makes no sense. Russian roulette anyone? I can understand the throwing it at something to see what happens trope/system. Especially if the target is something trying to eat/kill you.

Meandering here a bit, but please bear with. If the trope/system is so important to the genre why do you only get two options? drink, or not drink. With a possible third being throw I suppose.

Why can't we actually do our own alchemical experimentation? Pour out a bit. On what? The ground? This wooden (organic) chair. That stone (inorganic) table. This (organic) orc corpse. That (unconscious organic) goblin body. This bone. That weapon or piece of armor. Etc.

If you're lazy make the player record the results. If you're generous store them in game for his consultation. Red fogging viscous. The ground? It hisses and evaporates. The chair? It etches it, smoking then evaporates. The table? It evaporates. The corpse? Dissolves a bit, smoking then evaporates. The body? Dissolves a bit, smoking then evaporates. Oh, and the goblin awakens, screaming in pain. Perhaps it dies. Metal? Evaporates. Leather? Etches, smoking then evaporates. Conclusion? Acidic vs. organic. Label? Warning: Do Not Drink. Suggestion: Throw at enemies.

You get the idea. Plenty of realistic ways to spice up the trope that are fun IMHO, without resorting to what seems to be artificial "gamey" constructs.

Either make identification something I can take part in, or leave it out altogether because seriously who in their right mind would quaff a fizzing green clear liquid unless they have nothing left to live for.

Interesting discussion!

3

Design / Re: Experience Point cost per level

« on: April 15, 2015, 02:00:14 AM »

I prefer an exponential xp requirement with unlimited level advancement. That way I don't have to worry about things like how much xp do high level PCs grinding out low level mobs get. If they want to take the time, fine with me, but it's going to take longer and longer to make progress doing so. All in the vein of me hating artificial restrictions.

E.g.:

lvl req worth 
1   10    1
2   20    2
3   40    3
4   80    4
5   160   5
+   x2    +1

Where req = xp required and worth = xp gained by killing a mob of that level.

4

Design / Re: Showing interest in my anatomy system.

« on: May 19, 2014, 01:29:21 AM »

There you go, Endorya. Another has shown interest (Joonas).

That settles it. "Waste" away I tell you!

5

Design / Re: Showing interest in my anatomy system.

« on: May 17, 2014, 04:48:25 AM »

If it's not too selfish of us to want you to "waste" your time showing, then please do so!

I'm always interested in things like this, how other developers are doing things, etc.

Waste away!

6

Design / Re: Class restrictions

« on: May 01, 2014, 03:23:00 AM »

Aukustus, I'm not really fond of stat requirements on items. Immersion breaker, fo' sho'. I mean, even if I'm a 100 pound shrimp I should be able to pick up a 20 pound greatsword and swing it around. Just like I'm 185 pounds, can only bench 150 but I can pick up a 40 pound dumbell and knock the crap out of you with it. Heh. Can I "knock the crap out of you with it" as easily as someone my weight who can bench 400?

Of course not. But imposing artificial limits like only certain classes can use certain weapons/armor, or you can only use certain weapons/armor when your physical abilities reach a certain level? I don't think it has any business in an RPG, where the very nature of the game is supposed to encourage diversity of action(s).

You know what DOES make sense though? Imposing spell restrictions based on intelligence. Mental abilities (or lack thereof) would realistically restrict acquiring certain knowledge, or levels of knowledge. You're just not intelligent enough to comprehend the required methodology. Well, it makes more sense than restrictions based on physical stats at least.

I'd recommend going with an open approach. A wizard with 0 points in strength can strap himself into a suit of full plate if he wants, but he's going to move as slow as a snail and/or exhaust himself doing it. Likewise, a warrior with 0 points in intelligence could learn any spell he wants but it's going to take him 10x as long as someone with 10 intelligence and/or way more time/mana to cast. Same with dexterity. Anybody can stick a bolt in a bow/crossbow and pull/wind back the string, but those with high dexterity can reload/shoot faster and/or with more accuracy.

Take care!

7

Design / Re: A piece-wise Magic System

« on: March 31, 2014, 01:04:18 AM »

Reminds me of a discussion back in 2011 over on GameDev.net.

My post was here.

So many cool possibilities by combining a relatively few modifiers. Allowing mana to be dumped into each modifier provides both flexibility and limits overpowered spells because low level casters have little mana to work with (assumedly).

Interesting discussion!

8

Design / Re: My two cents about Permadeath

« on: March 20, 2014, 04:05:10 AM »

I've always wanted to do a game with permanent death BUT...more. For example, if your character dies and you either:

1) have the ability/skill/power to resurrect it then you can do so and lead the character back to town, or leave it and chance the AI getting to it before you log back in on it

or

2) carry the body back to town and have a healer resurrect it

or

3) re-animate it as some form of undead inheriting some/all of the character's abilities/skills

You could add more stuff to make it more interesting...for example, the longer you left the body the more "deteriorated" it would be. If you ended up taking a long time before you resurrected it then the character could take a temp/permanent hit to various stats and/or abilities.

There could be a Soul Departure stat which places a hard cap on the amount of time you could wait before rezzing the character. Various races could last longer than others before their souls departed.

It would be really interesting to have an entirely new game once a character "died". They could then go on to adventure/game in the "after-life". It could be possible to gain enough favor with your patron deity (kill enough angels/demons) to actually get a second chance at life.

The list goes on. My motto is the more gameplay options the more longevity the game has. And we're not talking complicated gameplay. Tons of simple options synergize to produce near inifinitely varied gameplay!

My two cents!

Take care.

9

Design / Re: Class restrictions

« on: February 22, 2014, 07:09:46 AM »

Jo, OMG that is an awesome idea!

Everybody can use everything, but only certain classes can REALLY take advantage of certain items. Brilliant! The simplicity of class based systems with the freedom of skill based. Definitely adding this to my list of Things That Make the Perfect CRPG.

And not to go off-topic, but earlier some people were railing against "trash loot". That there had to be some kind of "penalty" if you will for having it. Well isn't it obvious that the main penalty to cashing in trash loot is the time involved? If people REALLY want to spend the time hauling all that crap back to town and taking the time to sell it, shouldn't they be rewarded for it?

I'm completely against, in fact I despise systems where if you're for example a Wizard you don't even SEE sword drops. Or the game actually turns all drops into something usable by your class. Bleh! Talk about dumbing down the gameplay. It's like every drop has to be a lollipop, or a rainbow filled balloon to brighten your day. I don't want every group of monsters in a dungeon to have catered items. That so breaks immersion for me, the Fantasy Hero invading enemy territory to cleanse the evil therein.

But yeah, classes are awesome if you can still use every item. Which is why Jo's suggestion so appeals to me!

Great thread. Interesting discussion!

Take care.