Hello Larian,
Not sure you're going to read this or not, but I have several suggestion regarding some aspect of the game that could be improved.
First of all, my suggestions does not related to mechanics at all, I'm already all in with rules you've made, and I'm here for it.
This suggestion however stem from my own dyslexia, so all of these suggestions, if applied, may help people to enjoy the game more with added accessibility and improvement in QOL aspect of the game.
Disclaimer: Englisch is not my mother/native tongue, expect writing errors.
1. Dialogue UI.
Current implementation is basic at best. The only added features is being able to add black background to the text which made the fonts much more readable. However there are room for improvement still.
My suggestion is to look on how it was implemented in previous Larian title *and* Pillars of Eternity 2.
It would be nice to add Gold gilded border (fitting with the rest of the UI elements) which will accentuate the dialogue box more. Menu buttons that usually fill the bottom left of the screen could also be integrated *into* the dialogue box, be it on the right/left/bottom left of the dialogue box border --- similar to that of the button to pick journal/inspiration/map/Tutorial.
In fact, you can adapt Journal design (border, background and button) and make it into dialogue box. White/light gold and brown-ish dark background works better than just white on top of the black background. OR better yet: use similar design from that of left/right elements from Character Creation Screen. --- both practically looks the same but Journal UI does have better background and font contrast.
For me personally it would made the font easier to read/enjoy (I enjoy reading the journal a lot).
2. Dialogue UI 2: The Dice.
No, don't remove the skill checks, in fact *add more* for each class if possible.
However current implementation *does* made progressing through dialogue a little bit of hassle. Don't get me wrong, the majority of player does not have problem with current implementation, *however* wouldn't it be nice to make the roll much less painless that it is now?
Solution 1: Faster animation.
It will help a lot. Yes you can click it to make it faster, but that would be one extra click that could've prevented if the animation is quick enough.
(Better) Solution 2:
bring the pickpocket dice roll and integrate it to dialogue. It made the dice rolling *a lot* faster and *a lot less* intrusive to the flow of the dialogue.
Pros: It can shows you the DC of the dialogue so your fighter and whatever class you play doesn't surprised that STR checks are somehow 15 instead 10 since you expect Fighter should have an easier time to stomp a larva instead of taking Insight roll (DC10).
It can be easier to integrated into my suggestion of dialogue box UI, or if you want to keep the full screen one, it's also fine, since it's quicker to get done compared to current one.
Cons: I'm sure someone in the comment will point out how this is a terrible idea /jk.
3. Font.
Pick a different font, please. Don't get me wrong, current font is absolutely fine. There is nothing wrong with it, but it doesn't need to be the same in every game you made.
Font is important to: 1) Give your game a personality (one which does not immediately associated with Divinity Original Sin franchise), 2) Can set the "tone" of the story.
Also I would like to reiterate my previous point: Change the font color to Lighter gold, similar that of the journal pages. Easier to read.
4. Log.
a) Separate between Attacking success(es) and Damage rolls. So you can pick to hover either Attacking roll or Damage roll. It can be shown as follows:
- Attacking roll
Tav: Hits Minthara: 19 vs 16 [Hover: Roll: 15 + 2 (Strength) + 2 (proficiency) = 19]
Tav: Deals 16 Damage to Minthara [Hover: Everburn Blade: 12 (2d6) + Fire: 4 (1d4) = 16]
Minthara: Dies screaming to shadowrealm.
b) Separate between combat and dialogue log:
Ever notice that it is so annoying when you try to hover over a roll result and then somebody talks and then the log moved up a bit making the tooltip disappeared? Also it seems to me that it's a no brainer to separate both type of information and make it more accessible to see recent dialogue history rather than (click) open journal, (click) open dialogue history, (scroll) to look for the specific dialogue you want, (click) to see the dialogue history.
5. Action bar.
Almost every aspect of Action bar, I love, but there are some aspect that just a little bit annoys me:
Background for custom and normal/tabbed actions are different, custom is just hard black with no transparency/opacity. What worse is that the border for each action is just to "sharp" and inconsistent with anywhere else where actions/spells are shown.
I, personally, prefer to have skeuomorphic intruded box with clear border/edges for each placed actions/spells with golden/brown color, consistent with other aspect of the UI. (think action bar from Baldur's gate 2 or Icewind Dale 2 inventory assortment UI, it's skeuomorphism done right).
6.. UI consistency.
Although it is not a big deal, but the inconsistency of *some* UI aspect stood up like a shore thumb, for me personally.
- Dice roll UI: Dark purple/blue-ish purple.
- Dialogue UI: gradient black.
...while everything else is dark brown/light golden (with few exceptions like that huge turn based mode button, which also can be turn into dark brown btw).
Finally, Bug?
1. On Character sheet: Your Attack modifier, if not refreshed by swapping weapons, will not change upon new bonus being added (for example: from spells). Minor.
2. On Character sheet: Modifier bonus are not shown at all. It just shows you bonuses from Ability modifier and proficiency, but not from spells and additional sources of bonus (like added +2 from Loviatar's). So you're shown your Attack modifier is 7, but tooltips only shows STR +5 and proficiency +2. Whereas +2 should've also been shown.
3. Footsteps audio missing. It does appears in some terrain, but in normal terrain: nothing.
4. Audio muffled (nay, muted almost) when opening inventory. Is it intended?
