Not horrible, just uninterresting at all.
Thats exactly how i see random encounters. :-/
The fact that there's nothing to think about when having to rest is a problem as BG3 has proven.
This is where our opinions differ ...
I dont see any problem in it, and cant quite understand (im not even sure if anyone at least tryed to explain the reason honestly) that you do. :-/
Mechanic that, in the end does not really satisfy anyone (some are still complaining that it's still not restrictive, others are complaning that it's too much restrictive).
Lets be honest with each other for a second ...
"Not really satisfy anyone" was Larian
only choice, unless they didnt want to completely satisfy one group, and compeltely piss off the other one.
![laugh laugh](/images/graemlins/default_dark/laugh.gif)
neither force you to rest "more often"
This isnt true ...
Right now, when you finish any fight you can continue in the story ... some of your resources were deplenished, but nothing happens really.
Since once you reach some other combat, you usualy get echo before that happened ... the only other situations i can think about are Bulette (where you indeed are ambushed, but you can quite easily avoid the fight unless one of your characters get knock prone), Bernard (where basicaly you started the fight, even tho it was hidden behind small riddle), Duergar Slavers (where you CAN talk out of the situation) ... i hope i didnt forgot any other.
In all other cases you see your potential enemies much sooner than they attack, so you can allways simply say to yourself "nah, i dont feel for this encounter, i rather rest before that".
No force, no pressure, all in your own hands.
But once random encounters are implemented, you never know when, where, or what will attack you ...
So again, once you finish any fight ... you *know* that you can be attacked again.
There is no "chill exploration, nobdy cares that you dont have spellslosts left" phase ... you either are combat ready, or you risk dying ... nothing in between.
![laugh laugh](/images/graemlins/default_dark/laugh.gif)
Sure, it dont "force" players in some way as if there would be sign saying "you NEED to Long Rest now, to continue playing this game" ...
But i dare to presume we are talking seriously and dont quibble.
![wink wink](/images/graemlins/default_dark/wink.gif)
They're cheating with us to make us beleive that our choices matter.
I dont need article to know this ... i played BioWare games.
![laugh laugh](/images/graemlins/default_dark/laugh.gif)
In a way, random encounters are some kind of devs cheat that makes the player believe that he should be cautious with his ressources and the resting button.
This is where you are wrong ...
You are describing effect of those mechanics on you specificaly, and the reason you are wrong is that your own perception of that mechanic is ... lets say alterned by your tabletop experience.
While random encounters means for you:
I can be attacked, i should carefully decide wich resources i save for later, and wich i shall use ...
But for other player it can easily mean:
I can be attacked, so after i use everything i have in this fight, i should travel those few dozen seconds back to the last safe spot and rest there to replenish them.
And for yet another player it can easily mean:
I can be attacked ... well, if i do, i simply run away. :P
And there would probably be another approaches i didnt think about.
The point is, that you cant apply *your* approach to whole playerbase ...
![wink wink](/images/graemlins/default_dark/wink.gif)
(As I already said, just as mechanical limitations can be boring, random encounters can be too. It has to be well done).
And as Icelyn said (much more politely
![laugh laugh](/images/graemlins/default_dark/laugh.gif)
) ... part of "well done" in my eyes would be turning that shit off in settings. :P
![laugh laugh](/images/graemlins/default_dark/laugh.gif)
Auto save is also a solution so that's not at all an issue.
Actualy Auto Save is an issue ... but that is topic for itself.
![laugh laugh](/images/graemlins/default_dark/laugh.gif)
As far as i know, *right now* we still have only check points, nothing else.
They should also be limited by location. These are probably the easiest implementations that they could do with minimal work involved.
And zero effect ...
Take Hag's Lair, the only "danger zone" in EA as far as i know ...
Player A:
Managed his resources equally ... spend just some on first encoutner, save the rest for Hag herself ...
Player B:
Didnt managed them at all ... nuke masked party, spend an hour killing Hag ...
Player C:
Saved resources for Hag ... spend an hour killing masked party, nuke Hag ...
Player D:
Screwed any manage ... nuked masked party, run out, rest, nuked Hag ...
Surprise, surprise ...
All 4 players was me.
![laugh laugh](/images/graemlins/default_dark/laugh.gif)
Result is allways the same, even tho some versions was a little more challenging than others (especialy trying to kill Masks without spending any resources, that challenge can be BRUTAL if Vengeance mask gets close to you) ... and yes, some cost me a few more potions after the fight.
![laugh laugh](/images/graemlins/default_dark/laugh.gif)
But the only pracital effect you get, if you create "danger zone" where you cant rest ...
Is that people who will NEED (feel free to read it as WANT) to rest, shall simply invest few seconds to run out of it ... so, basicaly all you created is anoyance for people who dont play your way.
![laugh laugh](/images/graemlins/default_dark/laugh.gif)
//Edit:
Just for the record ... i know you people hate self-moderation ...
But did you know that if you so desperately want to have "danger zones" all you need to do is simply not rest there yourself?
I mean the result is exactly the same ... minus that anoyance for people who dont really care.
![laugh laugh](/images/graemlins/default_dark/laugh.gif)
So ... you dont rest there > you happy ... i can rest there > me happy.
That sounds like thousand times better scenario.
![laugh laugh](/images/graemlins/default_dark/laugh.gif)