Despite the mention of romance, it is, in fact, not the main point in this feedback.Granted, starting this we only had what people expect to be “a sprinkling” of romance for early access, which had no one happy, people who like romance in their games, people who hate romance in their games, people who just plain dislike their companions because they are too distant or feel too “spechul”. I also perused a lot of topics around and saw trends among why people like or dislike certain characters, and it is as much building rapport between characters in game as engaging the player in the game. Romancing or not romancing, things could improve with the sociability aspect of the party. I wont argue for one or the other, I do in fact, like romance in games, when well written.
So, small suggestions, and they are mostly relating to camp, because let’s face it:
It doesn’t feel like a hub with the importance it should have, at least from what I see. It’s the common safe space between you and these strangers, where you get interactions with them, the dreams, and so forth. It might already be slotted for improvement once they get to Baldur’s/change areas, but it’s “bare”, currently.
- At camp, considering “time has passed” once you go to rest, the day ended (also marked by the improving appearance of it, with more tents and makeshift constructions), give us more options to do there than the few dialogues that pop up sometimes with the characters. Being able to actually sit by the fire, and have small reactions/dialogues as days go by with the other characters doesn’t seem difficult do to (I am not a developer, don’t quote me on that). It doesn’t even need to be close up dialogue, just hovering text and voice as with world NPCs.
- Adding small tasks at camp – making food, washing dishes, are both immersive and liven things up. Didn’t wash the dishes? Get a “Sick” debuff the next day, etc., since the mechanic is even there (thanks Auntie Ethel). Found ingredients around? Cooking pot by the camp! There’s so many empty containers around, try having more food around, and then we needn’t depend as much on potions and all.
This also links to the next point; - Do not leave the companions idling about or doing repetitive motions in the same spot. Add a range of things for them to do, so they always feel alive/moving around. If there are “tasks to be done”, as there should be, they can be doing them. Also doesn’t sound too far fetched inside the small space of camp (The only time something like this kinda happened Astarion was bugged laying on the mud, and I do believe it was a bug). Leave Lae'zel doing dishes too long? She gets mad. Put that damn skeleton to mend your socks, damn him.
- Risk while camping has been mentioned quite a few times as well, designing a watcher for the night to keep the safety seems just as good.
- I read the game will not have weather around the forum. Having weather in the camp alone though could provide some improvement on that area.
- Maybe, and this is on the more wild side of feedback (thus last on the list), give us an option to pick where the camp is going to be, changing a few features around it.
- On the wild possibility you are setting a sick and twisted tentacle romance with the tadpole, options to talk to "yourself". A presence int he day to day if you use the tadpole powers too much, like whispering, hearing things, might be in line too.
This, of course, ties into the "camping everywhere is not immersive" discussion I have seen around, and to which I agree to a certain extent. But yeh that's it, fix it for camp and a lot of things might go along with it, just by presenting more immersion around the NPCs. Whatever the case, my 25 cents on the matter
