Really liking the game so far! More mature storytelling, far less cartoonish than D:OS1. Design much more thoughtful in general. Magical armour/physical armour is a great addition, opens up a lot of new options. Visuals vastly improved.

I realise the subject states “what’s working” as well re: the new UI, but this has gotten pretty long already, so I’m sticking with the main negatives for me, and offering suggestions to improve each:

Allowed moves indicator in battle:

• something like xcom2, where you get a visual on how far you can move, and how much it will cost, based on coloured tiles that expand out from the current character
• currently it’s not clear what movements will soak up what AP unless you keep an eye on the AP drainage meter as you move the mouse around
Highlight items
• alt button currently only highlights items on the ground, would be nice if it also highlighted the items you can interact with, like corpses, shelves, etc

The Map:

• needs more distinctive markers
• I keep losing track of shopkeepers with useful items/abilities: blacksmith-type, scoundrel tome seller, pyro tome seller, etc.
• I realise you can make your own markers, but it seems to me like the items above are so distinctive and obviously useful that they should get their own automated marker
• Quest markers? Like the witcher 3? Doesn’t have to be as hold-you-by-the-hand, but could do with some extras, like highlighting relevant quest characters you’ve already encountered when you’ve that quest ‘active’ – sometimes you can’t find the chap you were talking to at the start and have to give up, even though you have what he needs

Health bar:

• Would be nice to have the stats constantly active, or option to toggle this (currently the stats only appear if you hover over the bar)

This game doesn't have tile-based movement. There's already a visual indicator on how far you can move and how many AP it will cost. I don't understand what you think is missing.

This game does have tile-based movement. Just because you can't see the tiles doesn't mean they don't exist (strip it back to its polygons without textures and you're moving tile by tile, right?) Whether or not 'tile' is the official jargon for this is irrelevant - you're moving from one square/tile to the next, and have a finite number of moves you can make within that grid before they're spent.

There is no visual indicator for this that I've seen. Link to a screenshot?

When you begin to cast a spell, you can see visually see the radius of its beginning and end. I'm talking about visually seeing the same thing when you're about to move. Currently, you have keep your eye on the little AP balls at the bottom of your screen while you move the mouse out. If you think this is more intuitive/intelligent than a what I've mentioned earlier, you've failed to explain why that it is.

Sadly there are already questmarkers that entered our D:OS2.
And it sucks. "Just give me your map, and I don't have to give instructions, just go to this giant blob. Don't dare think for yourself!"

When moving, at the destination there's the distance travelled, and the AP that costs. How can someone not notice that, since it's next to the pointer you move, so obviously the focus of your attention.

I’ve no idea what you’re trying to express in your second paragraph there, but you appear to be missing the point either way.

So let me clarify: I never said there isn’t already an indication of how much movement costs, I said it’s a poor implementation in its current format. Aka – I feel there’s a better alternative, and I’m suggesting that this alternative is visually revealing the distance you can travel and how much it costs via a system like xcom2.

Regarding the map suggestions – I haven’t seen anything like what you described, and we’re both playing the same version of the game.

I’m not advocating a ‘hold-you-by-the-hand’ approach to the quest/map element – I specially emphasised that. But there are segments to the questing system (like the location of the quest giver) that could be added for greater clarity, without ruining the puzzle that goes with them.

There are some yellow pins for quests that give you locations, you don't really have to explore if you know where you're going. Not all quests have it, and that's a good thing. The point is you have to look around to find things. Simply being pointed to ruins part of the charm of the game.

As for movement, what you suggest doesn't work. Yes the game functions on something like tiles, but they're not how you think. They work as a function of distance related to your movement capability (notice how some gear, especially heavier gear, has a movement debuff to it?). Every AP grants you a distance to move, centered around yourself, but without restrictions. Every step you move, the next area you move to depends on where you are now as opposed to where you were before, in a circle around you. Because of this tiles simply wouldn't work. They'd be too restrictive, especially when you have to move around hazards.

1) Regarding quests/maps: I've said multiple times that I'm against 'hold-you-by-the-hand' markers on the map. Can I stop saying that now? I do not want the 'end destination' of a quest to be revealed on the map - I am completely 100% for the mystery and the hunt. What I'm saying is, there should be quest markers for the mindless elements that you've already discovered - for example, the location of the quest giver should be given, and if I've found the quest's mystery location, I think that should be given too. Because I might decide to abandon the quest and go back to it later - finding the quest giver again is not a clever achievement - it's simply a nuisance. Dito for that 'quest location' that I already discovered, several days ago.

2) What I suggested works perfectly. Think for a second. You've read what I said incorrectly. You've said movement is based on several formulas. Great! What I'm suggesting is that those formulas be revealed visually - like xcom2. I'm not saying to restrict anything - I really don't understand how you're confusing this point. I'm saying, the game does the formulas (how much can I move) and shows how much I can move, VISUALLY, like the spell radius visual.

Do you see what I'm saying here? When you try to cast a spell, it does the math and reveals to you via highlighted 'tiles' (call them what you want) how far you can cast that spell. I'm saying they should do the same for movement - same visual mechanic, no restrictions, no adjustments to how it's currently worked out, just a visual display that's far superior to the blind way it's currently done.

Hope that makes things clear!

I just want a clearer map. Now looks like a Matisse painting. Clear land features and access ways.

+1 for this. Completely agree with you mate.

PS: I also want the other stuff...

Smokey, I'm with you on map markers for the stuff you already found, locations, quest givers and secrets you've uncovered!

I don't mind searching for the hidden secrets my self, that's a part of the game. But when I've found them, I'd love a marker to show for it. Imagine, after a couple of play throughs, the hassle ("did I find that guy or didn't I?") of remembering everything. Where you're supposed to go, who's where, which quest giver is where, what stores you've found...

Thank you! You completely got it. That's exactly what I've been trying to say. Obviously we've lives to live, work to do, etc - you may abandon the game for several weeks, then come back to it. You're playing for fun - the challenge of finding the quest locations etc is part of the enjoyment, but once you've found them, they should be marked on the map automatically, so that when you come back to it later, you're not lost as to what you've already won, and what you've yet to win.

Summary being:

1) give us 'quest giver locations' on the map - I've activated a side quest, talked to some guy, he's now highlighted on the map
2) I've found an important location relevant to the quest, it's been revealed to me that it's relevant to the quest, so instead of me having to manually mark it, the game does it for me
3) Where I should be going to complete the quest should never be marked initially on the map - it's only marked when I've found it

Maybe add a checkbox for those who want it, to disable map markers completely

I mean, how difficult could that be?

Well, they need to update their text then, since as I said some are literally "I just mark it on your map, whatever" descriptions. They need to write actual directions then.

I'd really like a link/unlink all characters button, as well as the initiate trade, and close trade buttons to be in better locations, as well as the massive dead space when continuing dialogue to be closed up so you don't have to scroll all the time.

Also, there really needs to be some alternative method of targeting. It's better than in the first game, but still so frustrating to misclick slightly and end up wasting AP to move without being able to revert it.

- Mouse wheel scroll speed of the inventory and chat, and the speed of the camera turning via keyboard could also use improvement.

I definitely agree with the first paragraph of the above post. Though these seem like very obvious issues - I'm guessing they know about them already, and they've been put on the backlog of things to fix while they work on 'bigger stuff'. Well-spotted, though - you're very correct in what you're saying.

Overall, the game looks and plays great to me. I really think the storytelling has improved vastly over the original - far less daft/eccentric, more dark/mature. Details in the visuals are great. And the new AP meter system is a brilliant idea - so much better than the old one: simple, clever, clear. Adds a lot to the strategy, I think. This is a crisper idea, more akin to chess, where you know what your pieces can and can't do per round.

I also like the lack of summons so far (they were too overpowered in the first game, almost a necessity) and the fact that you can seemingly move further now for less of an AP penalty. In the first game, it cost far too much to move in battle, and you could generally whittle down your foes with ranged characters because of this rule - it's more intense now, enemies can close the distance far quicker, and this really good for gameplay IMO.

I agree with your suggestions

Concentric blobs the look similar to the cast range blob with the ap cost indicated on each one would be pretty swell at least as an option. It is a little finicky to have to drag the mouse around to find exactly where I can move to maximize my ap and get where I want.

This is a useful thread.

When an Elf picks up body parts for corpse eating, they should go straight to the action bar. It's annoying to have to open the inventory, drag them to the bar, close the inventory and eat them. If you eat them directly from the inventory, you have to close it quickly anyway to avoid missing the text.

Make the X button in the inventory close the character window and vice versa, I don't know why I'd ever want just one of those open.

Is there a way to let you target with a spell precisely, without being snapped to an enemy or object? If not, there really should be.

I don't know about you, but here's how I eat body parts:
* Open inventory with I
* Remove the character part.
* Move items to the side.
* Eat.
* Probably eat some more.
* MEEEEAT.

Winning:

• - multiple inventories in one screen
• - new items are automatically put in the hotbar in case they can be used in combat
• - large hotbar at the bottom (yippie!)
• - different skill-"decks" (although not yet implemented the idea sounds great)

Losing:

• - visual character doll in the inventory is very small and cannot be spinned or zoomed
• - no sort function in the inventory so far (essential feature!!!)
• - uninspired quest markers (really, Larian?)
• - lacking journal entries ("short" is almost an understatement...)
• - journal structure (why are complete quests in the same tab with open quests?)
• - no manual waypoint system during combat (very bad if you want to avoid surface effects around you while moving)
• - no button to quickly chain and unchain characters

regarding journal you can choose to archive (completed or not) them yourself
which I like since, considering you can kill anyone you want, could result in blocked quests hogging the quest log

How do you do that? I tried everything but I couldn't manage to archive anything in the journal. Maybe a bug.

Interesting that there was argument about the viability movement range indication based on being gridless, since what you're suggesting is the extention of a system they already added - that skills now show highlight your range on the ground. A version of that for movement makes perfect sense. Maybe a toggle on that since it would essentiall be on during your whole turn when you're not aiming a skill. On that note, I love the range highlights we get now. It was so frustrating, I only now realize how much, to waggle your cursor around trying to figure out what the limits of your line of sight was for Battering Ram and range skills. Now we're told. Though... What are the green +'s on the edge?

However, AoEs don't seem to hold true to the edges of their targeting. A few times I've highlighted a couple enemies with an AoE, carefully aiming it so my ally wasn't highlighted as being in range... And they still get hit. On which note, skills probably shouldn't say they hit "all *enemies* in an area, as that implies it doesn't do friendly fire.

In a similar vein, there are times - and I've noticed this in DOS1 - when you're in Oppertunity Attack range, and you're trying to circle the opponent or just move a little bit. You carefully move your mouse around, finding a spot that doesn't show the OA warning icon - and they get one anyway! This really needs to be accurate, I feel quite betrayed by the UI when this happens.

Furthermore, the fact that there is no record of an Elf's corpse memory - even in the world chatlog - is awkward. Unless I just don't have something toggled on. Still, it'd be nice to have it recorded somewhere? I had a play partner not even realize the ability worked and had to tell them what was said because they weren't making sure to look at their character's head - or more their inventory screen was in the way. Because, you know, they were eating something.

Speaking of inventory, I like that you can see your party's inventory on one screen. That said, I kepy getting messed up because I kept assuming that my stuff was at the top. *Your own stuff should always be at the top*.

It might still be possible as it is based on x AP per y meters travelled in combat.

Just getting back to this and reading the comments. Seems most people are in agreement over the visual thing for movement (even if it's toggle on/off) - in other words, the spell visual for 'how far can I cast' is a vast improvement over the guessing game that D:OS1 forced on people. The same thing for movement would be a brilliant addition (IMO) - and since they already have the spell range covered in this vein, it shouldn't be hard to extend it to movement too.

I read the other winning/losing elements about the UI (lordcash) and agree with all.

The sort thing was on the first game, and basically essential, so I assume it'll be on this game too at some stage.

The journal and map are weak, very weak.

Some random points:

Map:

* Should be able to open it open and click on the area I want to go to, and have the characters automatically go there (closing the map and figuring out where the same location is via the standard overview is frustrating to say the least)
* Should most definitely have more markers - quests I've undertaken and completed to x%, but abandoned - the main areas I discovered, and main characters involved, should be marked on the map

Journel:

* Better than D:OS1, but still needs some love
* Frankly, I think the witcher 3 did a great job of taking care of this essential feature in rpgs, and the completed versus ongoing quests really kept things organised - currently, they're all just lumped together...

Good discussion so far anyway. Enjoyed reading the comments.

[quote=smokey]Should be able to open it open and click on the area I want to go to, and have the characters automatically go there (closing the map and figuring out where the same location is via the standard overview is frustrating to say the least)[/quote]

Upvoted.