Marat
Arcane
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2017
- Messages
- 2,613
I don't think RPGs should have such a skill. I like the idea of your character's practical skills coming up in conversations, but a speech check is an automatic indicator of an optimal choice in conversation.
PC's knowledge of medicine, electronics or ancient Greek pottery should be able to give him additional insights or steer a conversation towards a desired outcome when said skills are relevant, but not present an automatic "win button". At the very least a speech check should be hidden, for even the best argument might fail when presented extremely poorly, but it should be left to the player to navigate the conversation choosing their words carefully in making their case. Much like it is up to the player to choose where to move in combat and which enemy to attack, so it should be in conversations to leave it to the player to choose a line of argumentation and how to properly support it. The first two Fallouts had something of this sort, I think, and it should be iterated upon, enhanced and developed in the same way as combat mechanics have grown in RPGs over the decades.
In it's current state navigating dialogue in RPGs is the equivalent of having a "Combat" skill. Instead of fighting you just pass a check and your enemies fall dead. To test my theory I have resolved not to put any points in Speech in New Vegas and the game seems so much better for it. Quests require me to have skills relevant to the subject matter or go for the guns blazing approach, which doesn't always lead to the optimal outcome. I am also very curious how the conversations will play out in Colony Ship with it's new dialogue system.
I realize it would require developers to sink much more time into most conversations, but when combat systems and encounters get so much attention, perhaps the other side of the coin deserves it too. What are your thoughts?
PC's knowledge of medicine, electronics or ancient Greek pottery should be able to give him additional insights or steer a conversation towards a desired outcome when said skills are relevant, but not present an automatic "win button". At the very least a speech check should be hidden, for even the best argument might fail when presented extremely poorly, but it should be left to the player to navigate the conversation choosing their words carefully in making their case. Much like it is up to the player to choose where to move in combat and which enemy to attack, so it should be in conversations to leave it to the player to choose a line of argumentation and how to properly support it. The first two Fallouts had something of this sort, I think, and it should be iterated upon, enhanced and developed in the same way as combat mechanics have grown in RPGs over the decades.
In it's current state navigating dialogue in RPGs is the equivalent of having a "Combat" skill. Instead of fighting you just pass a check and your enemies fall dead. To test my theory I have resolved not to put any points in Speech in New Vegas and the game seems so much better for it. Quests require me to have skills relevant to the subject matter or go for the guns blazing approach, which doesn't always lead to the optimal outcome. I am also very curious how the conversations will play out in Colony Ship with it's new dialogue system.
I realize it would require developers to sink much more time into most conversations, but when combat systems and encounters get so much attention, perhaps the other side of the coin deserves it too. What are your thoughts?