Comes in here in Part 1Has Part 2 to himself
I think Jack gives some interesting insights here about the change from co-op RPG to MMO, the national markets for science-fiction versus fantasy, and their business model. Also hypothetically drops a hypothetical hint about hireable mercenaries hypothetically being NW's hypothetical equivalent of STO's bridge officers.
Comments
I have a question that in a round about way has to do with end game content. I know there have been events in D&D whether that be an encounter with a monster or whatever that cost experience. Why not have professions that open up different gameplay outside of the usual D&D hack slash mechanics but cost levels or experience to obtain? Just a thought.
I always liked Jacks philosophy on game design, I was able to chat with him a couple times when CoH was in production he is mind bashingly intelligent and acts more like a gamer than a game developer.
Great information here really, the business model they way they are going to use hirelings and his whole vision of the game...it looks like for the first time in a long time he is actually un-cuffed and can make the games he wants to make.
So it seems... that sucks really hopefully it will get posted again.
Aww sweet! I didn't read all of your post and just went to the link. I love the bridge officers in STO. I had hoped there would be something like a hireling / henchmen / companion character in the game. This might be what the devs have called a "pet" system.
I'm really excited about this feature--it at least has a lot of potential.
Yeah it really does; one thing I am hoping that they will allow is the ability for assigned Henchmen/Active protagonist in the UGC, that could really open up the storytelling aspect...I have a fairly complex quest already storyboarded out...but the hook is a chance encounter in a tavern which leads to the hero being lead to and through a cavern in the Neverwinter wood.
Still have a lot of unknowns of what we can and cannot do.
I hope the devs will let us tinker with the foundry a little bit soon. While some ideas are big and difficult to implement, others, unseen by the busy devs, may be simple additions that are very meaningful to the game.
Yeah I know what you mean, I have this very large persistent Neverwinter Campaign that I want to evolve into a series of quests in the foundry it's very script heavy and right now I figure I can do maybe 5% of what I would like to accomplish and until I actually get hands on time, I'm pretty much stuck in neutral.
The other tidbit that was great was watching the chemistry between Jack, Eric (ProducerGin) and John work together. They all clearly respect each other and this video was all first class.
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I do know Jack is a huge Ravenloft fan....so I have to wonder if he is planning on adding a portal to the demi-plane
If done right (and by right I mean a non static portal that happens very very rarely) it could make things interesting.
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What we need is a game from each of them! Skip Eberon and Greyhawk they're boring as hell.
What is pretty cool that CD-Project is making Cyberpunk game.
Skip Greyhawk? Blasphemy! b:angry
What is wrong with Greyhawk? I like Greyhawk. Greyhawk is awesome.
From foundary vids I have seen it looks a very robust and easy to use while having the ability to make very complex dungeon crawls, even with just the stuff already included. If people can add their own sections, looking good
Companions meh, functional pets fyeah! Just no cutesy pokemahs pls, something lore-relevant.
Difference being a pet would be always there , companions just when not full group.
Also campaigns sound awesome.
Edit
Might add item creation...hmm insert inappropriate named items... Peace Staff Of Mass Destruction! or Healing mace of pain!
answer for below, no not like ddo in that I was thinking permanent to you (like \ in TOR), 1 at a time, but maybe a few to choose from? but just summons would be nice, but there was talk in that vid about mercenaries though it does sound more like hirelings like in ddo.
You've not got a healer in the party?
Go to the Mercenary vendor, buy a contract/s
Activate contract in inventory
You have them with you as an AI partner for 2 hours.
Perhaps the AI will work better in Neverwinter and there will be more control over functionality...
Hell, if they were going all out, they might even work a little like "pawns" in Dragon's Dogma
(They are profficient in their role, will talk a little, offer advice on tactics/how to beat monsters, have profficiencies and talent trees of their own, can equip/wear weapons and armour you find)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cP4UgQCLwpw
What about cho... oh sorry. I mean how about a ostrich like fictional bird as a ride which say cute words, eat nuts and its color shows its breed? Especially, yellow being slow and common one while black being a flying one?
What choc.. no I did not say that word. I am talking about any general ostrich like pet. Similarities are purely coincidental
imo, that will be a substandard system, even compared to the old NWN.
You should at least be able to equip them, meet them, talk to mercenaries themselves before recruiting. They should be able to lvl up with you.
Though letting go of control over their skill tree etc. controlling them would be understandably be let go, but mercenaries like DDO in NW would really kill the game for many NWN fans. There is no emotional bond possible with mercenaries using DDO like system.
Also another point to note was that mercenaaries were never integrated to DDO but launched because of demand of layers, of having to wait for 2 hours for healer or rogue. That system was just a sort of afterthought.
That would be cool, though it's almost the same as a "functional pet" system :P Except that rather than a doggy or a bear you have a healbot b:laugh
You must mean Moa? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTQA8pFHmHM :P
Link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB4o6-EUJX0&feature=player_detailpage#t=1280s
"If you can't build your character, can't create your character, that is a really bad DnD experience."
AND
"We like to encourage team play as much as possible. Head-to-head experience is awesome, if you want to do that you can grab yourself any kind of shooter."
Time will tell though.
Does that mean I can have a halfling and dress it in a bunny suit? I'll feed it Mom, honest! b:pleased
What if...
There was a Mercenary guild hall
One AI character of each class or role to choose from, each with their own look, personality and fighting style.
Your version of them would be instanced to you: They would level up with you, you could choose their specialisation (though probably simplified like in Diablo 3).
They would have things to say in certain situations that reflected their character (like a hireling in Skyrim, or a companion in Diablo 3)
Through dialogue, you could tell them to stay, follow, defend, protect, attack, activate and find out more about them (perhaps they have a quest chain of thier own).
That'd make them more characterful and personal, rather than a robotic slave.
I'm not sure you should be able to choose their equipment, or if they should just increase in power as they level.
On the one hand it'd be a major money sink (equipping perhaps 10+ different characters), and would reduce their character identity/sillouette.
On the other hand, you might have a bunch of the same characters running around as followers looking exactly the same.
Edit- Yeah shop for follower items is good idea, would reduce problem of them all looking the same, and they could be like a walking trophy cabinet
Really? Do you think it will be safe? It may end up destroying Toril and bring an end to FR.
remember there are no hand grenades in FR.
Then can keep, add others or part ways for better suited companion. Or just a pergen that you could then rename/different look.
though I suppose startrek BO do that so it could be like them I suppose.
Certianly a companion shop and pregen ones you could chose from and then rename and change look off be good, diffenately give then equipement! Gotto be plenty spares from dungeons:)
edit: could be cash shop for special races/look? I should be employed by them with these ideas!:)
DDO system is pretty bad. You had to pay plat (even though trivial) but they worked it to where people would use the store for folders if they wanted to alliviate the inventory burden and gold seal classes or how only certain classes were in the store.
Now GW had the perfect (well at least a much better system) where you had an array of henchmen that you can fill your part with in the social area. There is also heroes that one could unlock who you could also customize skills and gear with. Some heroes even had a story background and quests dealing with them. This is a much better system than DDO's by leaps and bounds. The major con with GW was an over reliance on henchmen though, pretty much you had to use em extensively. However one concept I really like was their mercenary system which is a paid service but allows you to have a henchmen that is one of your characters in your account.
Or Cryptic will simply mimic NWN system of companions which might be the best I think if they put quality into the character and not some nobody that filled a party role.
There was a comment how you can have Drizzit as a companion, not keen on that ugh.
But one question/concern I have with the companion system is what will be the limit to it? While I have any kind of companion system at all but I certainly don't want them being allowed in a dungeon delve which should be a challenging adventure requiring the entire party being players with a balanced party.