Human Shield
Augur
I wanted another design discussion.
In a usual RPG I end up picking up all these neat potions that claim to harden my skin, or make me stronger. These end up going to Mr. Merchant for a nice sum, because they end up being more valuable as money then a temporary effect because money sticks around. If I can win encounters without using any limited items, why do I need them?
Why spend something permanent on something temporary if I don't have to?
ToEE has a nice crafting system that gives money some value again and using XP to make items is a steep trade. Why in the hell would I use XP and money to make a scroll, wand, or potion when I can make a super-powerful weapon or armor?
Magic spells or items that you can use once-a-day or a mana system get restored over time without buying new stuff.
I'm playing through Darklands for the first time and the Alchemy system is very cool but I never end up using any weapon boosting items. Spending 100 dollars to reduce a 30 second victory to a 20 second victory isn't worth it. And the Saint system can help in combat and only requires a free visit to a church. The only important ones are the powerful death-causing ones that hurt armored foes that I can't hit. Another great element of potions in Darklands was that you could use them for many other actions like breaching walls, escaping etc... but other skills could do the same so it is always in the players best interest not to use a potion if possible.
Really the only used potions are health and mana restoring potions. These provide instant and permanent increase in important areas during combat. Even still if I survive a battle, I usually use healing spells for health and rest for magic. I really never buy potions, I usually get so much in adventuring that I end up selling them.
I play through the game thinking "I mite need it later", as if I would ever face a very hard battle that I couldn't come back later and beat easily. The only time buff potions are used are usually the end boss where they are 'use or lose'.
Useless potions factor into the useless money effect. Besides buying ammo (sometimes not even needed), money is rarely spent in games by careful players. Rest outside of town instead of an inn, wait to kill enemies and take their stuff instead of buying it, use rechargeable effects instead of one-time. Adventurers are the greatest economists in the world, nothing but profit.
I want lasting in-game effects of blowing money on ale, of staying at better inns. I want to have a reason for buying fresh items instead of ones gained from the free unlimited bandit corpse market.
In a usual RPG I end up picking up all these neat potions that claim to harden my skin, or make me stronger. These end up going to Mr. Merchant for a nice sum, because they end up being more valuable as money then a temporary effect because money sticks around. If I can win encounters without using any limited items, why do I need them?
Why spend something permanent on something temporary if I don't have to?
ToEE has a nice crafting system that gives money some value again and using XP to make items is a steep trade. Why in the hell would I use XP and money to make a scroll, wand, or potion when I can make a super-powerful weapon or armor?
Magic spells or items that you can use once-a-day or a mana system get restored over time without buying new stuff.
I'm playing through Darklands for the first time and the Alchemy system is very cool but I never end up using any weapon boosting items. Spending 100 dollars to reduce a 30 second victory to a 20 second victory isn't worth it. And the Saint system can help in combat and only requires a free visit to a church. The only important ones are the powerful death-causing ones that hurt armored foes that I can't hit. Another great element of potions in Darklands was that you could use them for many other actions like breaching walls, escaping etc... but other skills could do the same so it is always in the players best interest not to use a potion if possible.
Really the only used potions are health and mana restoring potions. These provide instant and permanent increase in important areas during combat. Even still if I survive a battle, I usually use healing spells for health and rest for magic. I really never buy potions, I usually get so much in adventuring that I end up selling them.
I play through the game thinking "I mite need it later", as if I would ever face a very hard battle that I couldn't come back later and beat easily. The only time buff potions are used are usually the end boss where they are 'use or lose'.
Useless potions factor into the useless money effect. Besides buying ammo (sometimes not even needed), money is rarely spent in games by careful players. Rest outside of town instead of an inn, wait to kill enemies and take their stuff instead of buying it, use rechargeable effects instead of one-time. Adventurers are the greatest economists in the world, nothing but profit.
I want lasting in-game effects of blowing money on ale, of staying at better inns. I want to have a reason for buying fresh items instead of ones gained from the free unlimited bandit corpse market.