Lady Eternity on 27/8/2000 at 18:27
Just a few questions I would like to ask, if anyone has time to answer.
1: How will the "loading" be handled?
2: How will furthering your character be handled? Will it be a skill based system that increases by use? Or and Exp based system that relies on exp acquired through combat, etc?
3: How will the engine handle lag in multiplayer sessions? Will you be able to save the game in Multiplayer games? And will an auto-save feature be added for when out-of-sync errors happen?
4:How is the loot system going to be handled? In UW 1 and 2 it was all "set". There was no random loot. So what will loot be like in Arx? And in Coop sessions will there be enough findable supplies to adaquetly arm and armor the players in game?
5: In Coop play will text from npc's be seen by "all" or just the player that initiates the conversation? And will players have freedom to control their characters movement, or will the "party" be controled by the creator of the game? IE: Bob,Mary and Iggy are playing coop. Iggy want to look at the goblin female off to the side while Bob and Mary split up to find the King.
6: Will combat be Real Time or in Turns? And will you have control over your weapon swinging like in Elder Scrolls Daggerfall. =)
I have other questions, but I will stage them out some so it doesn't sound like I am writing a book. ;P Oh and PS: If you DO answer these questions may I post them on me and my husbands website once it's built? =)
Thanks
Lady Eternity
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Daughter: "Why?" Me: "Because I bloody said so!" =)
Raf on 28/8/2000 at 20:25
Hi Lady Eternity,
1:Loadings, currently the way it works is that the entire world is fragmented into different 'loadable' areas. those areas are as big as possible, to avoid loadings. If we can, we plan to have a streaming system that will allow no loading at all: the all world into one big piece.
2:character gains Xpoints, according to the quests the player solves and the monsters he kills, then he receives Skill Points he can spend to increase his skills. beware, there are negative Xp if you do VERY bad things (remember that the game will let you do bad things if you really want to)
3:I must say that this kind of specific issue hasn't been worked out yet. But we'll keep your question in mind. Thanks
4:Multiplayer mode is very different than One-player mode, so yes, there will be loot to share, and random stuff.
5:Again, this is something that is not perfectly defined yet, sorry I can't be more precise.
6:Combat is realtime, you have control on the type of swinging (I had a chat with Digital Nightfall a few weeks ago, he actually gave us a good idea regarding swing choice), we want fighting to be as rewarding as possible, the camera will shake when you receive a hit, heart beats will accelerate, strenght is supported (you will bounce back a few feet away when a big troll punches you), there will be fun critical deaths...
That's it, sorry I can't be more precise on multiplayer, part of it is secret, part of it is still up in the air.
RePlay on 28/8/2000 at 20:41
7: About the Rune system where you draw the runes with the mouse to cast spells, will you have to have your character get the runes in the game before you can use them?
Raf on 28/8/2000 at 21:00
This is one of the questions we've been debating during the last meeting designs. One or the other doesn't require extra work for us, so it's more of pure game design choice really.
I personnally think it's fun to find them or to buy them as this provides more challenge to the player.
I'm actually pleased you ask this question, and I'd like to hear what you think.
RePlay on 28/8/2000 at 21:28
7. Learning runes. Is an interesting design decision.
1. If they can use the gestures without their ingame character learning them first:
A player has played through ARX at least once, or they download a list of rune gestures before they start playing would be able to use more spells than a player that doesn't know the spells. Would this be unfair, Or just show that they have learnt by playing ?.
b. An advanced player could use the knowledge that he had from playing before to get an advantage.
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2. If the player cannot use a rune symbol unless they have had it taught to them by a wizards, mages, druids or finding a rune symbol.
a. Then the player would have to explore dangerous places, barter with characters. Do tasks for necromancers ( or try to kill, steal or cheat them). As you say providing fun and rewarding challenges, that can be completed in several ways.
b. It would be fairer, as new players would not be "penalised" by not knowing runes that they haven't yet found in the game. Advanced players would know these before having found them.
c. It might make play balancing easier as you would know which runes a player could use.
But those are just my opinions.
Raf on 28/8/2000 at 21:41
I personnaly share these opinions, we'll leave it open for a while, as we want to make sure it is the best decision. It is important to note that the spell caster is also limited by its level... so, downloading the list of runes and spells wouldn't be the ultimate solution.
Lady Eternity on 28/8/2000 at 21:44
Hmm IMO, based on all the RPG's I ahve played..(that's alot of RPG's ;P) I'd have to say that the more "rare" Runes could be taught by very hard to find NPC's/and or "Optional" quest given by above said NPC's (the rune would be a reward) Other runes should be only found in dark recesses of the dungeon. The more common runes should be available for purchase in towns (For prices relecting the power of the rune). I have found that the collecting of "Money" is a really good incentive in any game to kill monsters and adventure...infact most "Adventures" run by me in AD&D were "Greed" driven. Players always like getting better junk ;P hehehe On a side note I feel that rune magic should also be level restricted to a degree. Meaning...if a character goes through the game..and starts a new character..knowing where certain powerful runes are, should not allow that player to use said magic until they are powerful enough to channel it. =)
Lady Eternity
RePlay on 28/8/2000 at 21:59
(I had assumed that the spells would be limited by level as in Ultima Underworld, and agree that that is a good choice. In fact it is annoying me that I cannot find the rune MANI in UU2 to cast lesser heal.)
Quote:
Originally posted by Lady Eternity:
I have found that the collecting of "Money" is a really good incentive in any game to kill monsters and adventure...infact most "Adventures" run by me in AD&D were "Greed" driven. Players always like getting better junk ;P
I prefer my RPGs to be far less kill driven, as killing things just to get "money" stops me roleplaying thieves, cowards, and pacifists as well. So although the idea that they are available for money is a good idea, there must always be other ways to get them.
Chiller on 28/8/2000 at 22:56
How will the thieving part be handled ?
In Daggerfall it was annoyingly easy and superficial, so I'd expect more. However, I don't think it will go to the complexity of Thief.
-Chiller
Damon on 28/8/2000 at 23:40
This is an interesting topic. I think that even though an advanced player would know certain higher level runes they wouldn't have the mana level to cast them early in the game. But still, there would be an imbalance as there would be many lesser runes that an advanced player would know and be able to cast. What about making this an option in multiplayer? Before a session, have the option to choose wheather known runes can be cast, or having to find them first. But again, there would still be a slight imbalance as advance players would know exactly where the runes would be. The only solution I can see here is maybe making certain high level runes exist in random spots on the map.
