I would like for the commitment to physical media to be lasting, but realistically this might be one of the last games I ever get to purchase on some kind of Disc.
My little rig doesn't even have an optical drive anymore, so swooping whatever Deluxe or Definitive thing is more of a symbolic act than a rational purchasing decision, but that said, I think whatever lives on the Disc needs to basically function as version 1.0 of this game. The baseline for whatever modding support follows. In other words don't add content once that thing ships, but leave it be so their can be an version that lives in an actual library for historical provenance and future reference/curiosity. The thing as it was, in the moment. Once that exists we should be able to launch that version among the defaults, and have it be totally cross compatible with anyone else doing the same. This way it can live on the various platforms and in MP, without a bunch of version/mod checks or whatever. Whatever is added later for a second point of sale should be an actual expansion and it should not override that 1.0 but be a separate launch, if that makes sense. Otherwise modders don't have a place to call home where everyone is on the same page, or with fear of rogue updates that change something major. I think Deluxe is already branded, since it's the thing they are selling right now if you go to the page via the launcher. Definitive seems to be some kind of assumed follow up, since DOS2 has that Definitive Edition, but honestly I still don't like the term Definitive, cause that suggests something that will supplant whatever the Deluxe ends up being. You know what I mean right. Instead of that, just do an Expansion campaign with a hamlet hub and big ass dungeon crawler for the anti-climax. Pretty much Durlag's but a BG3 version, and I better see some Dwarves with that gravel in the voice! heheh
Other than that, what I want mainly could be summarized as more Character customization for the Tavs, and then things within the game to help support the idea of a unique characterization from Tav to Tav, or Durge to Durge, Origin to Origin etc.
Here are a couple random ideas... An Idol of Silvanus called "The Candle Keeper." This is not a PC but an Animal companion that can be customized at the mirror. Doesn't need spoken lines, instead barks! But the idea is that they might have names, ability points, skills, a level progression and safety colors. Proof of concept might come in the form of a Withers zombie. Half the reason I enjoy this game is the attention they paid to the animals. I think at least some would agree, given how many pets Scratch has received, so this just extends that concept to its logical conclusion. Recruit NPCs into the party. For novelty and replay this could be an unlock after completing the game at least once. The idea is to give certain NPCs already present in the game a recruitment path into the party. Each gets a couple one liners abridged from the current voices lines to form their basic barks. Maybe a guidebook for the recently deceased. Recruits fallen NPCs into the party via the Withers zombie mechanic? Durge could be haunted in this way or it could just be a general thing. Perhaps different barks or with some echo added in for the right sound there. For a nod to the past, Custom Hireling might be called "Charname" by default, and be fully customizable. This would allow a mechanism to say, dust off Kivan or Faldorn or whoever, for one last chance at making history lol, and try to recreate just any D&D character concepts one might dream up using the building blocks provided. In effect a sort of toolset, but that caters more to player than the DM if that makes sense. More players Handbook than DMG MM, which might have a different sort of screen.
For that one, maybe when running the game as a DM or dungeon designer, instead of seeing the regular loadscreens, we just see a bunch of that cool concept art from the big art blast with different sorts of tips that key off the Toolset rather than the boxed campaign. That would feel pretty cool!
Also Glama Llama and the pack animals, the Black Goat and an Owl, there are a bunch of animals I'd like to see.
Then just give us the Goblins! They're all so great. If ever there was a game were I wanted to play as a Goblin this is probably it hehe.
But who knows, guess we'll have to wait and see what happens...
Last edited by Black_Elk; 19/02/24 11:36 PM.
