Putting the 'role' back in role-playing games since 2002.
Donate to Codex
Good Old Games
  • Welcome to rpgcodex.net, a site dedicated to discussing computer based role-playing games in a free and open fashion. We're less strict than other forums, but please refer to the rules.

    "This message is awaiting moderator approval": All new users must pass through our moderation queue before they will be able to post normally. Until your account has "passed" your posts will only be visible to yourself (and moderators) until they are approved. Give us a week to get around to approving / deleting / ignoring your mundane opinion on crap before hassling us about it. Once you have passed the moderation period (think of it as a test), you will be able to post normally, just like all the other retards.

So... Mechanics?

Self-Ejected

vivec

Self-Ejected
Joined
Oct 20, 2014
Messages
1,149
Is time a resource in the game? Will there be quests that will depend on how much time you spent on getting to them?

Is the economic system from the original game back? Like food etc? That was a charming aspect of the game, actually making the game seem like 'expeditions'.
 

Avonaeon

Arcane
Developer
Joined
Sep 20, 2010
Messages
593
Location
Denmark
The original resources are back, plus a few more, such as salvage (used for crafting) and slaves/thralls (used for putting to work on upgrading your homestead). We have 9 tradeable resources now. Time is a resource when you're on the world map, as your followers will get fatigued if you don't stop to camp. You'll also have to make some decisions between choosing campsite with shitty security over travelling a little further to camp at a campsite with good security.
If you reach a place at night, it'll be night in the scene (And have darkness penalties to ranged attacks) and if you reach it at day, the sun will be out, for example. However, time doesn't matter once you're in a scene and exploring, talking, fighting etc, unless you make choices where time skips happen (Waiting until nightfall, for example). These are clearly explained as time skips.
 
Self-Ejected

vivec

Self-Ejected
Joined
Oct 20, 2014
Messages
1,149
Are there some quests that are timed?

I like the 'security' and day/night cycle aspect a lot! It gives depth to the game. Exactly, what does that influence in the game, though? Does it affect the chances of random encounters? Does this affect the overall story at some vital point?
 

Avonaeon

Arcane
Developer
Joined
Sep 20, 2010
Messages
593
Location
Denmark
As we're still writing quests, I can't really say whether any quests will be timed in the future, but so far I don't think we have any that are.

It's mostly the darkness penalty for ranged, during combat. There's a few quests that check whether it's day or night, and it might be something we check for in the future, but we mostly use it for barks and overheards and that sort of thing.
 

Jaedar

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Aug 5, 2009
Messages
9,838
Project: Eternity Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 Pathfinder: Kingmaker
Timed quests would be really cool. Although I'm sure the majority of gamers and reviewers would hate them. Just look at Fallout 1.
 
Self-Ejected

vivec

Self-Ejected
Joined
Oct 20, 2014
Messages
1,149
That's true. Any limited resource element brings out the differently abled from under the rocks. Spirit meter, times quests, limited use items are all somehow considered bad design.
 

Mark Richard

Arcane
Joined
Mar 14, 2016
Messages
1,192
Lovin' the feedback!

Timed quests would be really cool. Although I'm sure the majority of gamers and reviewers would hate them. Just look at Fallout 1.
I object to the way it was handled, since finding sensible ways to extend the timer only shortened a second unknown timer that was much more important.
 
Self-Ejected

vivec

Self-Ejected
Joined
Oct 20, 2014
Messages
1,149
I take that as a good design element actually. This is choice and consequence in action. In computer games, I expect DRAMATIC consequences because I am playing the game to be entertained. A hard choice sounds dramatic to me. Don't get me wrong; I think that it could be handled better but there is nothing bad about this at the base.
 

Jaedar

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Aug 5, 2009
Messages
9,838
Project: Eternity Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 Pathfinder: Kingmaker
Lovin' the feedback!


I object to the way it was handled, since finding sensible ways to extend the timer only shortened a second unknown timer that was much more important.
I want to say that it being potentially dangerous to bring water to the vault was foreshadowed. Which makes it fair.
 

Mark Richard

Arcane
Joined
Mar 14, 2016
Messages
1,192
I object to the way it was handled, since finding sensible ways to extend the timer only shortened a second unknown timer that was much more important.
I want to say that it being potentially dangerous to bring water to the vault was foreshadowed. Which makes it fair.
Saying it’s potentially dangerous does not convey the extreme consequences of an instant game over in a massive campaign. In fact the second timer isn't specifically mentioned at all (that I could find), meaning it’s easily possible for first-time players to be hit by the unexplained game over cinematic and have no idea what went wrong. If they spoke to the water merchant in an optional 20 second conversation some 30 hours of ago, then they might be able to connect the dots. If not, good luck in 1997 without the Internet. They’d probably just assume the game was broken.

I think some games are too afraid to limit the player in any way and could use more urgency, but Fallout is a prime example of bullshit.
 

Avonaeon

Arcane
Developer
Joined
Sep 20, 2010
Messages
593
Location
Denmark
Will this game have any RTS elements?

I'm not sure exactly what you had in mind, but we'll have a fair bit of strategy in choosing your path through the world, as different camps have different stats, and your followers get fatigued as you move around on the world map. The camping system is also a bit more important as you now use that to craft weapons and armour, repair equipment, etc. On top of that there are the old mechanics, such as converting meat to rations and herbs to medicine.

Hopefully that answered your question?

I agree with the urgency timed quests can supply, but more often than not, the majority of players end up frustrated, as you said Jaedar. We did have a somewhat infamous timed quest in conquistador, that most players failed due to being unable to find it. That might be an example of a bad implementation. Generally, I'd say we try to avoid it. If it makes a shitload of sense from a narrative standpoint though, we'd probably use it though.
 

InD_ImaginE

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Aug 23, 2015
Messages
5,366
Pathfinder: Wrath
A bit (a lot) of lateness, but:

1. How do you balance the existing skills? My biggest gripes about E:C is that you really2 have no reason to use the native characters because the spaniards kits are really powerful. From the existing weapons will weapon like dagger be useful instead of just secondary weapon for ranged character?

2. What is the normal squad size? From screenshoots I could see the ones having 5 people. Will there be bigger scale battle? Will there be battles that involves more than two sides? Or perhaps allied squad controlled by AI?

EDIT:
3. How do you handle itemization? Will item progression of given weapon type be linear or will the be variance of the same weapon type?
 

Avonaeon

Arcane
Developer
Joined
Sep 20, 2010
Messages
593
Location
Denmark
1. How do you balance the existing skills? My biggest gripes about E:C is that you really2 have no reason to use the native characters because the spaniards kits are really powerful. From the existing weapons will weapon like dagger be useful instead of just secondary weapon for ranged character?
We look at their cost, but also their abilities and general usefulness. Combat skills are generally more expensive, and the more powerful abilities only unlock on the higher skill ranks. Weapons are also tied with a character stat, so some weapons, like swords, get "bonuses" if you have high strength, whereas daggers get "bonuses" if you have high finesse. Each weapon skill also has several unique abilities.

2. What is the normal squad size? From screenshoots I could see the ones having 5 people. Will there be bigger scale battle? Will there be battles that involves more than two sides? Or perhaps allied squad controlled by AI?
Normal squad size is still 6, and it'll be scene specific, so some scenes allow you to bring 3 followers for example, but usually it's 5 (5 + yourself). There's no upper limit any more, and we do plan to have bigger battles with more units, but it'll be unique to certain encounters. There won't be more than 2 sides to a fight as of right now. In certain parts, you'll have allies join you for a short amount of time, which then leave again, but they're controlled by you during combat.

3. How do you handle itemization? Will item progression of given weapon type be linear or will the be variance of the same weapon type?
If you mean if it's like conquistador, where more equipment meant a different weapon, then no. Each weapon now has some stats that determine the look of them basically, so there's a lot of variation there (for most weapons it's 125 possible variations). There will also be a few unique weapons and items here and there, with unique models.
 

As an Amazon Associate, rpgcodex.net earns from qualifying purchases.
Back
Top Bottom