I do not mind that you can lower the bridge by Stealth and escape without being seen that way.
Thats not the problem.
The problem is lowering the bridge without anyone noticing that the main bridge of the Fort is lowered. The main entrance into the whole Fort practically besieged or at least surrounded by monsters and enemies.
Despite there being guards around just next to it. And one guard patrolling just almost right up to the entrance itself.
The bridge being raised back up is okay if you left some magisters alive in the fort.There's one who patrols near the bridge who could and should raise it up. But it probably should happen sooner than it does.
Of course its ok for the bridge to be raised up again. Its not only "ok" but it is
mandatory.
What is NOT OK, as i said, is that nobody notices it and it is raised back up only much later, when i reach some point deep enough into the forest. (or just step outside of the fort for a few seconds, whatever triggers the flag)
It should happen immediately and raise alarms as soon as it is lowered. So that you as a player get a sense of actually doing something significant.
Thats the main bloody entrance into the Fort.
You do not lower the bridges into forts and castles as if you just opened any ordinary door. Especially not forts or castles in such a situation.
There is plenty of very easy escape routes already so this one should not be so easy or so empty of any reaction or consequences - even if they would only be cosmetic.
But Magisters magically being able to tell if you have stepped outside the prison despite never witnessing it is dumb and has to go. It's not that if you get two far away, it's literally a "has left the prison at some point" flag. You can send one person outside to activate the waypoint, and have someone in the prison who uses a waypoint to leave, then immediately return. Total time outside: 3 seconds. That person is instantly attacked by all guards on sight forever even though they have no possible way to know you left the prison. It's dumb and MUST be removed. It's pointless having that flag at all.
Ive seen that thread of yours and i completely agree.
I meant to add this post of mine to it but decided to make a separate thread since it is about plot and narrative inconsistencies more then just about that "feature" you and others criticize in depth and very correctly.
About the Orivund trial - procedure:
Looks like there is some more coding work needed. It would probably be best if the prisoner just cowered in place if you teleported them. Them going back and being transformed even though everyone else is occupied and can't cast the transformation spell should not happen.
I think that having an NPC follow you around and escape is exactly the kind of huge headache which Larian does NOT want to deal with though. I think cowering in fear and refusing to move would be the best way to solve that NPC who you teleport away.
No, the huge headache is leaving the situation play out as it does now.
If she just covers in fear while you solve the fight... what happens with her then?
One NPC following you around for a very short time is no problem at all to make. (the bloody black cat does it) You either lead her into the judge room and she escapes through that exit or you make a mistake of returning to the prison where she is killed by guards specifically aiming at her - just like they kill the black cat if you come close to the gate of the Fort with her. I would guess that most of the players would be able to figure out going back to the prison with her in tow, being unable to sneak, would be a bad idea. But if anyone does it the easy solution of guards killing her would be very logical and appropriate for the plot and story of the game.
Additionally if she escapes into the forest you can just find her body near some traps or near some encounter, or even find her alive and get a small reward for helping her.
Its all very easy to script.
This is basic kind of gameplay behavior you must have if you want to have a really good game of this kind. And from what i see of the game scripted events and features this would be an easy one to make.
The other solution is not to allow this to happen at all by changing the situation in a few obvious ways, but since this is a game which wants to be remarkable for its options and reactivity and praises itself on how players invented different approaches to things - i dont think thats the right way to go about it.
Especially for this case which would be easy to script to allow and recognize the player inventiveness and agency.
Nebora getting the collar off.
I agree that it does not make much sense for you to fight with a team, win as a team, win a whopping ONE (1) round and be proclaimed "The One", and only the created character matters at all and only they get their collar off.
In fact actual dialogue says that you can't become the one from just winning one round.
The issue here is that it is a Multiplayer-Only quest which has been shoehorned into single-player very badly.
Its not only that you get your collar off for such an easy single fight. They can easily adjust that so you need to win more fights.
The even bigger problem is that there is someone who can easily break the unbreakable magic collars on which the whole intro into the story and a lot of its main plot is based on!
And that she doesnt take off her own collar or collars from other prisoners and those fighters underground!
Which are in the prison itself!
Now, if they were actually planning some sort of revolt or escape so they are waiting for the right moment i could accept that... but there is no such thing even hinted at.
But that would require such revolt to be scripted which is a huge amount of work.
So - the best way to solve all these issues is to move that underground arena somewhere outside of the prison and into the other part of the island. Plenty of old ruins to do so and it would make sense in the plot as it is that only those who prove to be capable enough to reach that part of the island are even allowed to fight in such a contest.
Additionally that would open the possibility for the player to get rid of the collars without forcing him to side with the Seekers.
Traders inside the fort
This is still a videogame. At some point, "realism" is going to have to give way for the sake of fun. "Ultimate Realism" is not the be-all and end-all goal which all videogames must prioritize at all costs.
Thats basically a false equivalence fallacy and a strawman argument since i dont argue for any kind of "ultimate realism" simulator.
Whats worse, that kind of fallacious argument can be leveled against any feature in the game, including the problem of guards being telepathic about your escape.
What i argue for is internal consistency and internal logic which would improve the narrative and the gameplay of the game.
You just cant have a prison which is supposed to be an actual concentration camp cut off from the world - where trading is no different then in an ordinary city - and think it sill make any sense at all.
The things as they are now make this "prison":
1.
A place that has as many holes for escape as a swiss cheese. (pun intended)2.
A place where high level items are traded freely as if there is some kind of supply of those and its not an island cut off from the world.3.
Place where guards actually dont have any problem with prisoners who are supposed to be dangerous Source wizards running around in high level and even epic gear, and in possession of high level weapons.4.
A place and where the collar which is supposed to be a "Very Bad Thing" that suppresses magic abilities - does no such thing AND can be removed in five minutes.And we are supposed to buy this is some kind of evil dangerous prison/concentration camp place?
Is that a joke?
Your idea of moving the undead trader is especially poor given that there are a bunch of other difficult encounters all over.
The first encounters you run into are not difficult at all.
You can easily get to level 4 in the prison itself and it would make sense that you get better gear as you progress through the forest.
The undead trader would be much better places somewhere after the first group of undead you meet.
On the far left you have that "witch" escapee who is a trader too, you have several dead magisters, one hidden treasure and that tower with a few good items, just before you find the ship. Then you have Gareth and the fight in the ruins. - Lots of loot.
Why not put the undead trader outside of those ruins, to the left, on the ruined road where the old entrance to the ruin is?
So you encounter him after you went through some fights and so got some loot to trade? It would still be a convenient placement just before the ambush in the area with the burning piggies but it wouldnt be so bloody lousy as it is now.
On the far right you have various traps and some treasures too. Encounter with voidwoken and the Seekers camp.
There is absolutely no reason or any kind of internal logic sense to have an undead trader right in front of the fort full of magisters who consider all such beings abominations that must be destroyed.
It does not make any internal sense, and it makes lousy convenient gameplay handholding.
Just like those traders inside the prison.