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I was thinking about this today, and was thinking this would be a great series to market towards the realms of arkainia type fans. The serious rpg gamer, but make it accessable to the common player as well.
I've seen some great ideas on here for where people would like to see the game go, for example survival clothing etc. It would be great after this game is released and enjoyed by us all;) To get forum feedback and thoughts on what worked and what did not.
Thomas you already know some of my ideas, but I'm sure alot of you have some great ideas. I think personally I would rather see more features then a whole new graphics engine for a sequal etc. As long as its not ugly and does the job nicely I say go with it. (i know I'm jumpin the gun with the sequal talk but with rpg's you really have to go with more then one game as the first is a primer and the others are where you really start to get a following.)
So lets get some thoughts out there of what people like and what they do not like etc...
The game and future
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I think the game already is very much in the area of being targeted towards the serious RPG gamer but also being accessible to the more casual gamer. It's lower-tech presentation makes it more towards the former than the latter, but it's a game anyone could pick up, I think.
If anything, I'd like to see a deeper survival aspect, be it wilderness survival or urban survival.
The former including a robust implementation of the Survival skill (better camp preparation, longer lasting supplies like food, water, torches, lamps) and a requirement for those supplies to be in place. But let the player really feel those choices matter and bring them into the world via graphical effects, sounds, descriptions (many of which are already present). Also if food and water are included, provide the means to get it in the wild via hunting and scavenging, refilling waterskins at bodies of water, that sort of thing.
Urban survival would be including skills like Speech (Persuade, Diplomacy, Bluff, whatever), Pick Pocketing and more access to things like opening windows (Arcanum did this and it was great) and access to upper floors via the outside (ropes, climbing walls/balconies, etc). Hunting plays a part here as well, finding urban "game" and such.
I think the graphics of Eschalon are great. Things can be gradually added in like more armour, clothing and weapon graphics, but the need for a complete overhaul isn't necessary.
If anything, I'd like to see a deeper survival aspect, be it wilderness survival or urban survival.
The former including a robust implementation of the Survival skill (better camp preparation, longer lasting supplies like food, water, torches, lamps) and a requirement for those supplies to be in place. But let the player really feel those choices matter and bring them into the world via graphical effects, sounds, descriptions (many of which are already present). Also if food and water are included, provide the means to get it in the wild via hunting and scavenging, refilling waterskins at bodies of water, that sort of thing.
Urban survival would be including skills like Speech (Persuade, Diplomacy, Bluff, whatever), Pick Pocketing and more access to things like opening windows (Arcanum did this and it was great) and access to upper floors via the outside (ropes, climbing walls/balconies, etc). Hunting plays a part here as well, finding urban "game" and such.
I think the graphics of Eschalon are great. Things can be gradually added in like more armour, clothing and weapon graphics, but the need for a complete overhaul isn't necessary.
There are worlds out there where the sky is burning. And the sea's asleep and the rivers dream … People made of smoke and cities made of song … Somewhere there's danger, somewhere there's injustice, somewhere else the tea's getting cold!
I was going to suggest you check out this thread in your impressions thread good to see you did on your own:)
It would be great if they could just work on story and feature implenting in the sequal. I have suggested a spell creation system sort of akin to betheseda's version but with a bit more control and spell effect animations. Which would really open up the magic system.
I have also thought of perhaps a critical hit table for areas hit and effects. And most o f you got what I said when I suggested survival furs etc.
Another are a I would like to see is perhaps a magic the gathering type game within the game....or even a simpler dice game.
It would be great if they could just work on story and feature implenting in the sequal. I have suggested a spell creation system sort of akin to betheseda's version but with a bit more control and spell effect animations. Which would really open up the magic system.
I have also thought of perhaps a critical hit table for areas hit and effects. And most o f you got what I said when I suggested survival furs etc.
Another are a I would like to see is perhaps a magic the gathering type game within the game....or even a simpler dice game.
Not at all ambitious are you?Rune_74 wrote: It would be great if they could just work on story and feature implenting in the sequal. I have suggested a spell creation system sort of akin to betheseda's version but with a bit more control and spell effect animations. Which would really open up the magic system.
While that would be neat, it sounds like a massive amount of work for an indie developer. In the game as it is, you can use Alchemy to brew potions, and spells have varying degrees of level so you do have to use some planning in regards to how much mana you're willing to burn through. While it's not spell-creating, it is rather more than a static list of spells.
Something like Fallout's targeted shot system? That would be nice. A turn-based system offers so much potential. I suggested polearms with reach beyond just the adjacent square. I loved the reach implementation in TOEE, for example.I have also thought of perhaps a critical hit table for areas hit and effects.
The Ranger and Rogue classes have abilities that can cause more damage, they're on a percentage chance of activating with each hit.
Cards and dice, yeah, good tavern or campfire games. It's something that doesn't depend on my reflexes to succeed at!Another are a I would like to see is perhaps a magic the gathering type game within the game....or even a simpler dice game.
There are worlds out there where the sky is burning. And the sea's asleep and the rivers dream … People made of smoke and cities made of song … Somewhere there's danger, somewhere there's injustice, somewhere else the tea's getting cold!
Everything making the micromanagement of the character more complex would be nice.
The possibilities are endless.
Minigames in the Pub.
Some Guilds the player could join (But you can only join 1 Guild)
Special Quests to find uniqe set-items with a rich story behind.
I like the idea of a wizards soul captured in a sword (Like in an addon of Neverwinternights) Very cool.
The possibilities are endless.
Minigames in the Pub.
Some Guilds the player could join (But you can only join 1 Guild)
Special Quests to find uniqe set-items with a rich story behind.
I like the idea of a wizards soul captured in a sword (Like in an addon of Neverwinternights) Very cool.
"FUL IR"
For the spell system...nah not being so ambitous the hardest part would be making the database of abilities and effects....then having a variable for each effect when the spell is cast....then their is the point cost attributed for each ability/level of the spell....so maybe not as robust as bathesda but really not so bad to make it unworkable...
ie: a screen which allows you to add abilities to a spell you are creating. It automatically adds up the values of the spell and gives a point cost and monetary cost for creation of spell (could even have it require certain items before that spell could be made.) You then name the spell and its saved to your character with different variables for each spell depending on what spell you make...you could even make it easier with limiting th enumber of abilities per spell...or even another skill that increases the number of abilities you can add to the spell ie Complex Spellcasting.
ie: a screen which allows you to add abilities to a spell you are creating. It automatically adds up the values of the spell and gives a point cost and monetary cost for creation of spell (could even have it require certain items before that spell could be made.) You then name the spell and its saved to your character with different variables for each spell depending on what spell you make...you could even make it easier with limiting th enumber of abilities per spell...or even another skill that increases the number of abilities you can add to the spell ie Complex Spellcasting.
In regards to your proposed spell system, it looks like the Planewalker Games folks are doing just that with their Broken Hourglass.
There are worlds out there where the sky is burning. And the sea's asleep and the rivers dream … People made of smoke and cities made of song … Somewhere there's danger, somewhere there's injustice, somewhere else the tea's getting cold!
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BasiliskWrangler
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One of the most entertaining spell systems I ever played was in Dungeon Master. I loved that you had to discover rune combinations in order to cast spells, with each rune adding a different element to spell's design. (I think Gothmog knows what I am talking about: "FUL IR")
We actually have a fully realized rune-casting system like this for Eschalon (fully documented system, all rune symbols are designed, all spell combinations are designed), but it needed so much more time to implement into the game that it was tossed out in favor of a more traditional spell system. However, I'd like to perhaps see it make it into Book II.
We actually have a fully realized rune-casting system like this for Eschalon (fully documented system, all rune symbols are designed, all spell combinations are designed), but it needed so much more time to implement into the game that it was tossed out in favor of a more traditional spell system. However, I'd like to perhaps see it make it into Book II.
Something I'd like to have is the ability to make my character of either gender or of something other than the Human race. Now, I'm not sure if that will fit in with the Eschalon story arc over the games, but I'm a sucker for that sort of thing. I get a lot of enjoyment out of making "against type" characters (eg going against what my chosen race's "specialty" is) or tweaking that build to modify the archetype into something a bit different.
Humans are kinda dull, I play one every day in real life! If you've got a fantasy game, being able to take advantage of all the genre offers is a good thing.
Humans are kinda dull, I play one every day in real life! If you've got a fantasy game, being able to take advantage of all the genre offers is a good thing.
There are worlds out there where the sky is burning. And the sea's asleep and the rivers dream … People made of smoke and cities made of song … Somewhere there's danger, somewhere there's injustice, somewhere else the tea's getting cold!
Did you ever play the JoWood Ultima Underworld clone 'Arx Fatalis'? Although =casting= the spells (haing found the runes) required some slick mouse moves which were a bit too life-like (easy to flub when something large is coming at you with a big knife!).BasiliskWrangler wrote:One of the most entertaining spell systems I ever played was in Dungeon Master. I loved that you had to discover rune combinations in order to cast spells, with each rune adding a different element to spell's design.
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BasiliskWrangler
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[Gallifrey] Multiple races will be playable in the next game, as will gender selection.
[GSV3MiaC] Yes, I liked Arx Fatalis quite a bit, but I lost interest about 60% through when the game began to feel very linear and I couldn't progress because I couldn't figure out how to open new sections of the dungeon.
[GSV3MiaC] Yes, I liked Arx Fatalis quite a bit, but I lost interest about 60% through when the game began to feel very linear and I couldn't progress because I couldn't figure out how to open new sections of the dungeon.
The possibilities with a rune-system a la Dungeon-Master are almost endless.
You could try any combinations and look what they are doing....(well...a fireball is well regocnized...but the lock-opening spell....). Or you have to wait to find a scroll to find out what that spell can do or what they are there for.
You are always on the lookout for a scroll or some scribblings on the wall for a yet mor powerfull spell-combination. A very rewarding spell-system. Not so static like the usual spell-book things found everywhere.
In Dungeon-Master you had to write down or memorize the right combinations for the different spells. Imagine that today! I can hear the crying and mourning....
You could try any combinations and look what they are doing....(well...a fireball is well regocnized...but the lock-opening spell....). Or you have to wait to find a scroll to find out what that spell can do or what they are there for.
You are always on the lookout for a scroll or some scribblings on the wall for a yet mor powerfull spell-combination. A very rewarding spell-system. Not so static like the usual spell-book things found everywhere.
In Dungeon-Master you had to write down or memorize the right combinations for the different spells. Imagine that today! I can hear the crying and mourning....
"FUL IR"