Larian Studios Forums Divinity 2 - Ego Draconis (English) Divinity 2 - Ego Draconis Wishlist

My only demands are these:
I dont want a The Elder Scrolls clone,
I dont want a Diablo clone too.
Please,i dont want to download a bisillion patches just like in <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/div.gif" alt="" />
Thanks.

thanks for taking the time to post that info. a good groundwork. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" /> would it be best to start another thread for that? i can tabulate that into some kind of chart maybe..? anyway it will be useful for my own programming efforts. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

[color:"orange"] I thought you were promoting pre-generated characters with your comments on party AI (...) [/color]
i seem to have gotten lost here..
for a single player game, (which i think this Larian game is going to be) i would like the inclusion of NPC's that 'hang around' or join the player (making the single player game STILL a single player game, but these NPC's follow the player) and this is what makes the 'team' (or party)

so these NPC's that follow will need AI's. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

there was an old RPG construction kit called Endless Adventures, and that allowed for these NPC's to comment on things, react to game areas, trade [or not] with the player, etc..

so more involvement with NPC's in general is what i'm after.. and since i've seen picking up cheese in the BD/DD games, i hope they do the NPC's (if any) as detailed.

if the game allows the player character to use personality traits, then they could be used for NPC's also.. either pre-generated (if the NPC's are pre-gen) or use a script to generate random ones (within certain parameters: no conflicting traits like happy/sad etc) romances & individual objectives could be dealt with the same way, if they used them..

roger that on leveling up regardless (just if the player has no control over how they develop, i hope they develop in an intelligent way.. the game Arcanum had NPC's use level-up scripts as they developed, which was kinda cool)

i knew that RTS comment would come back on me <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/silly.gif" alt="" />

Yes, any discussion that starts getting involved should be moved to its own topic (perhaps reposting the relevant info from here), so it is easier to follow, find or refer to at a later time.


Larian's next game will have a multi-player component, but there has been no information revealed about how it will be implemented. They have not said if it will be single character or party based (or single character with henchmen / summoning dolls).

Multi-character, non-turn based games do need to have some form of AI for characters not being directly controlled by the player.
My preference would be to retain complete control over all the characters (stats, skills, equipment, etc) and have an AI system in combat good enough so I don't need to frequently switch between character to adjust what they are doing (except maybe for the toughest battles). I would like battles to require some strategy, so that pretty much rules out an AI complex enough to allow autonomous party members. If I know in advance enough to set up an IA script to handle any fight, then the fights are not challenging enough.

The issue of pre-generated vs custom characters is separate from AI, except that there may be AI restrictions for certain characters (a pre-built warrior may refuse to learn magic, or a coward merchant may refuse to use a melee weapon).
It is certainly easier to create background stories, individual side quests and character interactions with pre-generated party members, but these elements can be designed (with some limitations) to fit certain classes or genders, etc, which could then be assigned to custom created characters.

All I want is a game which if I buy it I will not have to buy a new pc to play it. And no first person please! It makes me dizzy. I also don't like using the keyboard for moving. Just hate it.

Oh, these are 3 wishes from me:

a) I hope we can get to meet some of the cast from BD again like the DK.

It'd be very funny if the DK was forcefully binded to you for a few minutes.

DK: "No, not again, no! Why is that I always end up soul-forged to a stinking human and a paladin to boot?"

Mistress: "Oops, my mistake."

DK: "Haha, very funny. I want OUT of this now."

b) I hope maybe the player can get to hit on others just for fun or just for your own motives. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

c) Finally, I'd enjoy it if we could exchange insults with the Black Ring and even have to work along with them. Just 'cos the characters are all arch enemies, doesn't mean they should freely skirmish.

After all, if the occasion is unsuitable for combat(maybe we're all trapped in an area with barriers which render magical attacks useless and which also drain you physically), then please don't make us fight.

Besides, there're often many times in real life where you're forced to co-operate with the enemy and find a way out. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

d) Able to select a list of backgrounds for your character. Like: were you the daughter of a diplomat? Did you suffer a horrendous tragedy thus making you more understanding and tolerant towards others?

Just this last thing and this is a pretty controversial post(don't read if you don't want to):

IF for example, the game has children or people being abused or has some very heavy moral situations, please... let us ask or find out why! I don't like it if a game designer shoves a situation down my throat and forces me to accept everything as it is. First impressions are never final and never always right. I prefer being able to make amends than slicing everything that's in my path. It doesn't have to employ threatening but also true persuasion.

Therefore, I�d like such situations to be framed around �having good judgement� if you�re looking for a positive outcome. And also, for the game to include some hints� like talking to the right people will let you know what�s going on, while talking to the wrong people might alert certain parties. And depending on your investigating style and skills, you could look at the rooms for signs of violence or if you've medical skills, offer to do a check-up on the person like using a doll so a child can point at the place where it hurts.

Also, abuse is usually a very touchy situation: a relationship of the play of power so it's often two or even more parties involved.

For example: a man might be beaten up daily by his wife 'cos she suffers from mental and other forms of frustrations at work. After some time, to get back at her, he might use something which is important to her, to retaliate like money, her children from previous relationship, jewellery which was inherited from her parents, etc.

And even though he hates the humiliation, he starts to enjoy and look forward to the violence and then perhaps he becomes a thug or starts inflicting injuries upon himself. (I've heard that research has determined that 'cos the brain areas which release chemicals for violence and sexual pleasure are really close, so the brain sometimes confuses the �chemicals� if the violence is too brutal �cos it can�t deal with the brutality.)

Therefore, the question isn't "who's right or wrong" but rather, how can I resolve this situation? How can I attain understanding of this situation? And also, given how the gravity of such scenarios, I'd like the player to be punished severely if they choose options that'd likely make the situation worse.

For example: if you threaten a person who's already mentally unstable, she might snap and actually attack you or the people around her. Or even go on a massacre which even though you might be RPing as a baddie, it could have severe repercussions for you. Like what if she murders an important merchant you rely on for business? But either way, there should be some hints from the learning curves so the player can't complain about that they were hit by the consequences.

Or if you make a pass at someone who just suffered a rape ordeal or make fun of him/her sexually, she could try to kill herself later or just isolate herself in her house for months to years.

And note: if a person has just been at the ordeal of a rape/attempted rape, he/she would be unlikely to offer to sleep with you. I don�t buy any of this �every woman/man wants to throw themselves at hero� crap.

Such situations have long-lasting repercussions but bear in mind severe psychological effects are unlikely to manifest themselves overnight. It usually takes weeks to months to even years for such things to occur. For example: there's Annabelle Cheong who turned into a hardcore porno star after she was raped years ago. And there�s this person I know who was raped by an uncle and turned into a sex-maniac. And there're those who turn into torturers and executioners 'cos they were badly beaten/raped as a kid and also grew up in really violent circumstances where they watched people die by the minute and people selling drugs.

Then there�re those who get addicted to porn after a rape while some might become a priest or something. And this is horrible but some people just keep returning to the rapist and it becomes a horrifying cycle of abuse and violence �cos in a really �sick� way, the brain can�t break free from reliving the experience.

Just thought of another feature that'd make things more fun:

when you die, instead of kicking you to the main screen, why not return you back to the battle and let the player try again? I find that might make things more immersive.

Or how about a narrative message when you die, like the old games used to display? It could be something funny, ironic, sombre or even sarcastic? I find that adds some of value to games and makes a battle less frustrating if you failed.

I like either dead = dead so you have to reload, or there being a really good reason why death has no hold over you, as in Torment or SpellForce. Take away death and you take away challenge in most games.

No... I meant: when you die, the game reloads from where you were last at: a battle or something else.

Bah... I wasn't being too clear. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Auto-reload of last save? I have no problem with that idea <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Yeah... Prince of Persia: Sands of Time did just that. I found that made the gameplay a lot smoother instead of kicking said player back to the main screen.

I would like firstly NO starforce or other such nasty hassle.

I would love a pocket plane/separate universe realm/personal space to escape to via an item say. It could be customisable with items you find throughout the game and/or purchaseable items. I like the idea of getting a mirror to decorate it and going to other universes through it. Having assistants there to help me and generally being able to customise a LOT. Somewhere more interesting than a house.

I would love the game to work on linux especially.

I like a lot of varied and interesting customisable items and clothing/armor. I love shopping. I like to have pets in game also.

Great storyline is good too as is voice acting. If you can get Stephen Russell who did a lot of voices in the Thief series you'd have the best - he is awesome.
Atmosphere is very important and probably hard to create in a game but it has to have a strong vibe to it that defines it as separate and distinct from all the mindless rpg fodder out there. I think a strong creative vision led by just a few people who have strong and distinct ideas works best as long as they know what they are doing.

I like to have NPC interaction a lot and relationships of various types. Guilds are good. I tend to like sneaky characters and to me a thief should be a thief if there is such a class. Only the thief/rogue should be allowed to pick open certain things. Not every container/lock should be smashable or the thief is just a weak fighter which is pointless. In this respect I was mortified with Neverwinter Nights (though I certainly love the game in many other respects).
I like secrets and hidden areas and easter eggs. I love in Divine Divinity that there are things hidden all over the place. It made me explore every last nook and cranny and is very enjoyable.

I don't care what developers/publishers say I like long games and this might not be do-able, (I don't know) but knowing I have 60 hours of fun ahead of me which will bond me to my character is a plus.

Thanks for all you have done so far

Previous suggestions and discussion on owning property (house, castle, etc), elicited a response from Lar (earlier in this topic, IIRC) stating there would be something along those lines in the game, but he did not reveal any details.

The game is being developed for Windows and XBox (so DirectX 9). Linux hasn't been mentioned.

I also like long RPGs, as long as the plot remains engaging. I'll play short games (like adventure games) but if I know they are short before hand I will not buy them soon after release.


Welcome to the forum. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wave.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for the welcome. I just saw the thread on property and it is definitely sounding good.

Welcome to the forum, Catelee <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Welcome catalee. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Btw, maybe Larian could consider simulating "dialogue interactions between npcs" via pop-up icons like Sims?

I doubt that this would fit into the screenshots we saw so far.

I'd rather prefer spoken dialogue like in Gothic 1.

Eh, you got a good point that they wouldn't really fit in.

Spoken dialogue like in Gothic 1? Hmmm... I haven't played that game before. How does dialogue in that game work?

When you go past a chatting group of NPCs, you hear a general murmuring and quiet chattering.

Dialogue is generally spoken, with optional captions/subtitles.

That's kinda cool, something like what PS:T did, right? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

P.S. I know this is really offtopic but... don't mind me. I've just got the urge to tickle and honk your avatar's nose. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/badsmile2.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devil.gif" alt="" />