Circling back around, still very excited to be getting a true turn-based coop game. Not sure that I can think of the last one made. Has their been one? (Not counting some semi-crappy mmo one's)

1. A couple of things from playing some of those pause based coop games, NeverWinter Nights that I didn't feel was right was you needed or had a fighter and a mage, common sense. Someone suffered boredom being the fighter, with having next to no fun options from turn to turn. The wizard was a true joy to play, as you could meticulously choose a wide range of options every play. Fighter, swing, block, cleave, swing. Wizard about 25 options.

Even the Wizard was a lot more fun than a sorcerer and their limited spell-book in the DnD world when you play it out turn based.

I would prefer the characters to be Battle-Mages of sorts (aka well rounded). Where they have the full gambit of options. So all players playing coop can have a lot of choices at hand and not just the guy who's the wizard. And even trump DnD by allowing your character first not be a total squishy spell caster but also allowing the bonding ritual of sharing pointed steel face to face.

2. Other things with turned based that is problematic is Resources and Sleep. I would suggest that your characters are fully replenished automatically after every battle. That way you can balance encounters knowing the players will be fully balanced and alas also give us maximum choices each time. Games like Knight of the Chalice (DnD) or TOEE had issues with this, they couldn't make a lot of balls out scenarios, because they wouldn't know if you were rested or depleted as you are 5 battles deep from rest and low on resources.

I say give us full restores after a battle and give us epic battles knowing we are fully capable each time.

3. I also find in turn based games, which led to why they sort of got lost in the mix the past 10 years is the interface never made it elegant enough to make a quick choice each turn. I love turn base and if I need a lot of time to think what to do, I want that and have that. But a lot of times you have a plan and just need to play it out. So the UI being ready for you in a clean one click manner would imo redefine the genre and open it back up to a wider audience.

Wizardy 8 for example and again a Mage, someone with a lot of options turn to turn. The interface in that game would stay the same if it was the fighters turn or the mages turn. The fighter, click one icon, attack. Next turn. The mage, I want to do magic, click once open up magic, click school, click spell, click amount of power and finally it fired off. Playing coop this is timely. It's tiring enough single player for the 1000'th time. The genre seemed to peter out before the UI's (resolution) became advanced and high enough to really find it's panacea. More advancement from this genre is needed, I think there is breakthrough potential here.

Using the Wiz 8 example above, when it becomes the mages turn or anyone's turn for that matter, a part of the screen should be adapting and showing all options for a quick one click execution, less obvious tactical moves on the screen. Something like a drop down list of all possible options, sexy/elegant in looks and functionality, if you had something like power, those would be displayed with a gradient and click to the left is low power consumption and output, while far right being the most resources used and most damage done. So 4 clicks now becomes one for a mage, like it was one for the fighter.

Now I have no idea what Original Sin is planning, but please keep in mind to see if you can create an adaptive UI that can still get to almost all combat options per turn in one click. That will make coop that much smoother and make people reconsider that turn based while strategic, doesn't have to be tedious as well.

I also dream of a coop Wiz 8 with an improved UI.

Also want to shout out, I loved Divinty 2 DKS, I hope you also go back some day to that style of game as well. I loved the action combat in it. As good an action first/3rd person RPG that I've played and imo the next installment will do well, it took a lot of us RPG'ers and Steam Sale searchers a while to find that gem. I don't think I'm alone here and wouldn't need to wait for a sale for the follow up.

Last edited by Horrorscope; 05/07/12 10:31 PM.