...I don't see the logic or point of making people buy skill books. To me it's a distraction and an annoyance and gets in the way...
That this sort of comment that lead Bioware where it was/is, and more generally where PC AAA RPG are.
Here some more example:
- Why have the complex points per level, this level up 1 to attribute, this other level up 1 to talents, this level up 1 to skills, this other level up 2 to skills? It's pointless and just get in the way.
- Why have the weapon/item damage and repair system? It's pointless and just get in the way.
- Why have to search skill books and buy them? It's pointless and just get in the way.
- And so on.
I'd highlight that a lot of caution need be applied about that sort of remarks. The point is in an RPG there's many gameplay elements that aren't relative to the core gameplay. If you look at them independently they won't survive the examination and the logic would be to remove them. and you get simplified RPG.
All those elements, level up complexity, damages and repair mechanism (streamlined a lot during Early Access), complexity about books to find and buy, identification system, some more, are building a RPG layout giving more substance to the RPG and make it less dumbed down. Each seems more or less pointless but the whole is meaning something.
