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booyah_boy
Head Merchant
Joined: 08 Feb 2006
Posts: 55
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Alright, this is going to be a long post, as I intend to voice my opinion on every aspect of the game I would like to see improved. This will include some reiteration of points already raised, and a great deal of elaboration as well, however, as a devoted fan of the original, I feel it best to get my voice out there, so please, bear with me.
First, and ere I get into my suggestions for "improvement" I would like to take a moment to tell all of you at Arkane Studios how greatly I enjoyed Arx Fatalis. It has duly earned a place in my personal "top ten of all time", and did so with good cause. I adored the dark and gritty atmosphere, all aspects of the vocal ambience (including voices, effects, and the minimal use of music), and the gripping storyline. Please, do not change any of these.
That much aside, and if you'll pass me over my soapbox, it's time for my commentary...
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World
Few suggestions have likely been made as often as the plea for a larger, more expansive world, particularly one that encompasses some exterior vistas. While I am unsure whether this is a prequel or sequel to the events that transpired in the original title (having read accounts that relate it as both) I will merely say that either provides countless opportunities for outside ventures. If it be the former (and Arx 2 occurs prior to the sun fading), there is nothing to stop you from creating innumerable canyons, mountains, caves, lakes, rivers, and small towns; if the latter, it would be incredible to join up with the Guild of Travellors (or what have you) amd go "above-ground". Without any sun, the cold alone could pose a dramatic force to contend with. You would be forced to bundle up, and carry a minimal amount of items; create fires to stay warm, huddle in caves to stay out of snow/rainstorms. The terrain itself could be a hazard, with treacherous precipes and crumbling ground that leads to abandoned upper level mine-shafts. Yes, it is a long-shot, but imagine how much fun it would be just trying to survive out there long enough to make it to the next town...if there is one.
The ability to swim underwater would be a nice addition, most notably if you added underwater areas, or areas that cannot be reached save it be you swim to them. This would also allow the addition of further spells, say one to enhance your swimming speed, or one which adds the ability to breathe underwater.
A "border-free" world, in which there are no loading screens. I for one would love to be chased back to the city by monsters (who could only really follow you if there were no loading screens between areas), dive into the city, and hope the guard outside saves your hide. Why, if the town happened to be protected by a wall, you could even mount some archers in the palisades.
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Character
Much higher level cap. I will not get into the fact that many finished the game at level seven or eight, or that ten levels did not allow the character enough to define any particular attribute, but merely ask that you severely extend such. Twenty-five would be better, fifty would be good, one-hundred might be too much, but then again, it might not.
The addendum of a female character would be a pleasant addition. While it need not influence the storyline, you might be able to work in certain aspects that are affected by the characters gender. For instance, the female might be able to seduce/charm certain characters into actions the male could not, wear certain items the male could not, and visit areas a male character cannot (save it be they sneak their way in, as I do not believe a well-crafted game should ever halt a character from being able to visit any area permanently).
Customizability of the characters appearance. To better define my take on the option to render the avatar as you wish, I would advise against the Oblivion approach (frankly, I do not wish to spend half-an-hour creating a face - with criteria such as brow-to-chin ratio - that looks like a futuristic mannequin, and being unable to modify the body), nor am I advocating the Fable take (the addition of tattoos and hair cuts whenever you like would seem rather out of sorts for the Arx Fatalis series). I would however like to see the option to choose between some well-crafted faces, body types, and hair styles prior to jumping into the game. Keeping it simple seems to be the best approach, although you may consider including a rendering device with the game with which players may create new skins and import them into the game; I am certain such an inclusion would go over well.
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Skills and Experience
The addition of an ability-to-time measure would be great, as seen in many other recent titles, wherein the character's skill with certain items increases the more they use the item. Please note that I do not advocate the use of this type of scale for all skills, as such would require an overhaul of the complete skill system - making experience points well-neigh useless - but rather, advocate it's use only with weapons, both melee and ranged. Nor do I advise that becoming more proficient in their use make you able to cause greater damage with the weapons, but rather, they make you more accurate with them. For instance, a character who uses a sword for the first time would be very slow and possibly shaky, however, given time they would become accustomed to wielding the sword, and strike faster; the damage they induce with such would be calculated according to the weapon and the amount of skill points they have sunk into their strength and melee weapon skill attributes. Similarly, a character using a bow would find it difficult to properly aim, his focus wavering in and out, or perhaps his arm being unsteady causing him to wobble, but time would resolve these issues; again, this greater proficiency would not affect his damage, which would be calculated from the weapon and the division of his experience points amongst the pertinent attributes.
Greater tolerance for the player's chosen path is a must. I mean to infer that the limelight should be diverted from the use of magic, and evenly distributed amongst magic and combat (melee and ranged), allowing the character to complete the game irregardless of whether he desires to be an all-powerful mage, a blade-wielding berserk, or a slippery thief.
The ability to train certain attributes of your character outside of combat/quest situations. For instance, shooting arrows at a target in the local barracks yard might improve your ranged combat skill, or tousling with the guards would make you a better fighter, etcetera. You may even wish to consider the ability to pay certain NPCs to train you (perhaps even allowing you access to certain unique spells and combat manuevers, such as a special enhancement which makes a fireball fan out and a melee disarming move).
Some visible indicator of how difficult a lock is. Breaking an entire set of picks upon a lock you are unable - perhaps even not supposed - to open is frustrating. Sinking all of your next levels experience into lockpicking only to discover it is still not enough is right infuriating. Knowing that you cannot possibly open it yet and should move on would be priceless.
A larger amount of spell slots, or else, the ability to acquire more through frequent use of magic, or a division of experience points.
One last note for this category, I would like to rehash a previous suggestion which I found to be excellent:
"How about making the time move slower (ala Matrix's bullet time) when in casting mode? This could be even skill-dependant (the higher your casting skill, the slower the time). So apart the fact that casting will feel more "real" (not relaying on pre-cast), players will also have time to improvise..."
Brilliant. I fully support this suggestion in it's entirety.
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Storyline and Interaction
Dialogue trees that encompass something like an aggressive-neutral-passive approach, as in the following example:
----------- Guard: Hey, you're not allowed in here!
---- Aggressive: So what! (Guard attacks)
---- Neutral: Yeah? Why not? (Guard explains)
---- Passive: Sorry, I'm leaving... (Guard moves forward and escorts you out)
Multiple storlyine conclusions, as based upon your actions in plot-critical quests, etcetera.
An addition of some light humor. It need not be in conversation only, but in physical situations as well; imagine for instance sneaking into a troll's chieftan's cave only to find him dancing away. Silly? Yes, but it provides some nice comic relief. While it need not be anything so passe, I'm certain you understand what I am getting at.
Again I would like to conclude a category by touching upon a quotation of another well-made proposition:
It would also be cool if the NPC conversational text (non-storyline reliant) would adjust based on our chosen appearance (ie: You wear more white silver, they address you as "Lady Knight", you choose black iron armor and Shaney runs squealing in fear. Bwa-ha ha!)
While the "Lady Knight" thing was not quite what I wished to advocate, the basic idea is: characters who react differently according to your appearance. Dress as an enemy and you will be attacked. Dress as a guard and you will be treated like one (until you find you're lacking identification, or what have you). Dress in women's clothing and you will be mocked. A nice feature to consider.
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NPCs
Improved artificial intelligence, most notably insofar as pathfinding is concerned. I am not alone in voicing some annoyance as regards the many NPCs who trapped my character (occassionally in the middle of a courtyard, after having teleported directly into them), leaving me with the option of killing them, or restarting. The suggestion has been made many times before - and in a better fashion than I could - and was undoubtedly already a part of your plans, so I will not plug away at it any more.
Further races...well, actually, one in particular: DWARVES.
After witnessing the goblins and trolls I was eager to parlay with the dwarves (I imagine they are some wiry fighters when angered), and perhaps even have some of my weapons/armor enhanced...imagine my utter disappointment when I find only corpses. Yes, I admit killing that black beast was a lot of fun, but I would have loved to have discovered some refugees, or maybe just one lone dwarf child who had hidden in a closet. Please consider including dwarves in Arx Fatalis 2.
Non-omniscient guards and citizens, specifically as regards your less-than-legal activities. If they cannot see or hear you kill someone, it would be fantastic if they knew nothing about it.
NPCs who could perform certain tasks on your behalf. Some might do such for free (if you completed a quest for them, or they are simply the type of character who would), while others you may need to pay for their services. For instance, an apothecary might distill potions and poisons for you if your level is too low to allow such, while a skilled mage might enchant your weapons/armor on your behalf.
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Enemies
A greater variety of unique enemies would be appreciated, most notably if you included certain "rare" enemies that appeared only at certain times and locales.
Epic bosses. Massive beasts, powerful sorcerors, or freakishly strong warriors (well, perhaps just well armored) that require strategicly planned attacks to best.
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Inventory and Items
Item management based upon encumbrance - weight, not bulk - as opposed to a classic slot system.
The addition of further stackable items, when said items are exact in their type and appearance.
A greater variety in weapons and armor, including changes in their statistics.
On that same note, special care should be given to expanding the depth of the ranged weaponry. Whether this encompasses merely adding further bows, or adding bows and thrown weapons, I believe special arrows should be made as well. Fire, poison-tipped, barbed, and perhaps even enchantable arrows would be a great addition to the ranged combat feature (which is superb). Furthermore, the ability to retrieve your arrows would also be welcome, although not necessary.
A greater variety of enchantments for both weapons and armor, as well as stackable enchantments, allowing certain items to be enchanted multiple times (whether you are allowed to cast the same enchantment, or the same type of enchantment, time and again would be a choice you will have to make). This ability may even be limited to certain "special" items, or gained as according to the items material (i.e. - leather can be enchanted once, plate mail twice, etcetera).
Insofar as distillation of potions/poisons is concerned, further combinations ought to be created, and their formulas kept secret (apart from the basics of a healing and mana potion). This would allow for secret combinations that create new-found concoctions, and also allow the creation of what can only be called failed potions. I for one would find it utterly hilarious if, after mixing up some ingredients, the potion blew up in your face!
A notation added to "special/plot-critical/important" items would be greatly appreciated, and help save many from the problems they faced after having rid themselves of the meteorites in the original. Really it need be no more than an ambience that surrounds the item once in your inventory (say, a shimmery blue outline, or whatnot), alerting the player that the noted item has some value to a quest.
An alternate solution presents itself - although I favor the former approach - in that you might merely relegate all "critical" items, once picked up, to a special "key items" area, from whence they may not be removed until they must be used. There they would not burden your character, but merely play their part when needed. I prefer the former approach as it retains greater reality, and does not sacrifice the players ability to disregard such items, however, the choice is yours.
A balanced need to partake of food, that is, three square meals a day, would be great. While I am not an advocate of displaying the hunger meter, that too may be a good addition.
Furthermore, as regards food, further recipes would be nice. For instance, throwing some chicken and vegetables in an empty pie crust might create a chicken-pot-pie, and so on, and so on, and so on.
Also, insofar as the organic produce is concerned, I think it would be great fun if you were allowed to plant and harvest such yourself. You could set it up so that the player might purchase seeds from local vendors, plant such in tilled earth (patches of which could be laid alongside or behind homes in "rural" areas), then take off. Some time later they would be able to return, pick the fully grown food, and use it as they wish.
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Interface
A difficulty scale, that would affect both the amount of enemies and the damage they inflict, would be a valuable addition, opening the game up to gamers of varying levels of experience. While it need not affect either of the items I mentioned, the basic idea is that the player would be able to choose whether to play an easy, medium, or hard game, as suits their personal preference and ability.
A save-state sytem that organizes the saves with time and date, and according to such, with the latest save at the top, and descending. Furthermore, the addendum of a screenshot of the saved position would be nice as well, allowing the player to better realize where they left off and the challenges they face upon resuming the save.
The ability to switch between a first and third-person perspective, while not strictly necessary, would be an incredible addition, allowing you to craft battles with greater amounts of enemies, and allowing the player to better combat such.
I would very much like to see the addition of a scribes pen, or some such implement, that allows you to write notes upon the world map. I know in various games this option is of the utmost aid, and if you should include something of the expansive world so many - myself included - are clamouring for, it will be here as well.
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Quests
Further quests would be fantastic. I would love to see some/more of the following:
- Informed: Quests that you recieve from common NPCs, like the local bartender, the captain of the guards, the castle cook, and so on, and of which you are told all you need to know.
- Secret: Quests whose clues must be compiled from vague tips, bar-room gossip, leaflets/books found on a corpse, and so on, all of which lead to great rewards.
- Novelty: Quests whose end result is more a feeling of success than of any true value, that is, quests that yield a house, some fancy piece of clothing, or local renown, as opposed to money or weapons
Also, the game should be crafted to allow you to be unable to "break" quests. Whether this encompasses the creation of invulnerable/juggernaut characters, out-of-bounds areas, or what have you, great effort should be put into allowing the character both the freedom to explore, and the inability to seriously impede their future progress by inadvertently sabotaging themself.
You should also be given the option to fulfill certain quests in differing manners (plot-critical, or else, major quests would be best). For example, it would have been fascinating to be able to sneak in and kill the goblin leader, or steal his items then slip away, or pay off his guards to look the other way while you walk in the throne room, or slip some wine in his food to force him to use the restroom.
A more detailed quest book should also be created, which would not only provide a resource to look over the information you have gathered on certain quests, but also separate them into primary (plot-critical) and secondary categories. On that note, kindly do not take after Dungeon Siege 2 and display how many of each quest there are (even if it is for certain areas). That takes a great deal of the fun out of finding the next quest, robbing you of the anticipation and excitement of knowing you found another.
Furthermore, the ability to make notations in the book would be nice; while not necessary, it would aid certain individuals.
Lastly, insofar as quests are concerned, further clues should be available for those puzzles that have the capability to stump players. I make note of the temple/icon quest, and the golem quest, each of which had many (myself included) rushing to a walkthrough for aid. How these clues are given doesn't really matter, I would simply like to be able to solve the puzzle in-game, as exiting out to consult an online text-document really robs somr of the title's novelty.
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Miscellaneous
The addition of further attention-draws is a must. If you are unsure what I am referring to, allow me to elaborate with an example: the un-openable door in Arx Fatalis.
It is items like that which truly incite the imaginations...who knows, perhaps you simply forgot to program something to accompany the door, or perhaps it was an artists mistake to place on there, but whatever the cause, I was not alone in spending days attempting to break in/through it, nor in discussing what might lie behind it on numerous Arx-dedicated boards. It need not be a door again (actually, please do not make it a door again, while it was a great draw, it was also rather frustrating); a monastery on unscalable cliffs, a dilapidated fort in the sea, an old house in a tree, or even a window that looks into some fantastic cavern or gold-strewn room would be equally amazing.
The ability to sleep for a set period of time would aid in immersing the player in the reality of the world, however, if you do include such, I am begging you not to make it a mandantory feature. I cannot begin to elaborate on the fine games which have been ruined by demanding that my character sleep at certain times, often right when I began to become absorbed in some ongoing event, or reach some new level; forced sleeping periods are both jarring and annoying...however, the ability to lay your character down for a refreshing nap now and then is a bonus. Sleeping for a set period of time could even affect the character's health, healing him - to a degree - of certain wounds.
The ability to make use of your shield in blocking attacks when and where you wish to would be a great aid to melee combat.
While I am discussing a combat related feature, it would be a great addition to the game if the character was able to resolve conflict situations through some amiable means. This would be absurd if it was possible in every situation (after all, no amount of talking should/would be able to halt a rampaging troll from crushing your head into paste), however, it would be nice to be able to resolve an inadvertent conflict by talking your way out of it (say you accidently run into a guard and he becomes agitated, or something like that).
The ability to return stolen items when caught by said items owner would be a grand addition. The idea would be to avoid an absolute fallout without the town if caught stealing, although all of this would have to be within limits; for instance, you might be able to return a snitched letter with minimal consequences, but robbbing the local guard captain of his coin-purse would call for different consequences. Such consequences might vary from an apology, jail time, a ban from the village, or monetary recompense.
A means of transport across land, other than your feet, while not necessary, would be entertaining. In fact, it need not even be the prototypical horse (although it certainly has appeal), but could in fact be any sort of creature, or something else entirely, such as a cart pulled along by a troll (a sort of medieval taxi, for which you would also have to pay), or a dwarven mine cart on tracks...really, the possibilities are only constrained by your designers imagination.
Larger chests for the shopkeepers, allowing you to sell them a greater amount of items, would be of great aid. Better yet, I would love to see a storeroom set up for the shopkeepers, in which they would keep excess inventory, emptying out certain goods from their chests when they become nearly full.
One idea of which I am truly fond - as a gamer who enjoys playing as a thief - is that of including deliverymen. These deliveries would be to the local shopkeepers, and made by the farmers (or what have you) who would cart or carry their items to be sold to the merchant, which he would then resell (keeping the excess in his storeroom...nice of me to hint at that one again, isn't it?). You could be given the option of "waylaying" these deliverymen and purloining their goods. The idea could also be expanded to include deliveries from and to other areas as well; for instance, the local bank might make a shipment of gold elsewhere - which could be intercepted, although it would probably be heavily protected - or you might chance across a dawrf carting his days haul back to the smelter. The idea remains the same despite each change, and that is this: to allow thieves more with which to work.
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I'll conclude with one critical statement - voiced in only one post prior to my own - that cannot be overemphasized:
Use your own judgement. You are creating Arx Fatalis 2, a game which ought to be held up as a true successor to the original. I love the game because it posesses it's own unique world and style of play. This is not The Elder Scrolls, Divinity, Gothic, or Wizardry, this is Arx Fatalis. The game succeeded due to the world you created, stay true to it's roots. |
Sun May 07, 2006 8:11 pm |
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JDR13
Magister of the Light
Joined: 16 Apr 2002
Posts: 376
Location: Michigan, United States |
Wow, that was a hell of a post booyah_boy. I'm also a big fan of Arx Fatalis.
I thought it had a very unique and special atmosphere. My only hope for Arx Fatalis 2 is that they actually finish the game completely this time and don't rush it out the door with unfinished quest like the first one.
I also hope that, if indeed a sequel is made, that it is made by the same team who made the first one. |
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Wed May 10, 2006 4:05 am |
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booyah_boy
Head Merchant
Joined: 08 Feb 2006
Posts: 55
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quote:
Wow, that was a hell of a post booyah_boy.
Thanks mate. I was somewhat worried that I might annoy people with an overlong post, so it's nice to have some reassurance from fellow Arx fans that I did not.
Also, as far as the development team goes, everything I have heard thus far places the exact same people in the exact same positions (with some new inclusions) in crafting Arx 2. |
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Sat May 13, 2006 12:29 am |
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JDR13
Magister of the Light
Joined: 16 Apr 2002
Posts: 376
Location: Michigan, United States |
I didn't even know that Arx 2 was officially in development. That's great news. Was there a press release? |
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Sat May 13, 2006 2:49 am |
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booyah_boy
Head Merchant
Joined: 08 Feb 2006
Posts: 55
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No, nothing official yet (pardon me if I somehow implied that what I "read" was such), however, you can pick up a lot of rumours - and even the occassional staff-dropped hint - on the official Arx Fatalis board at JoWood: http://forum.jowood.com/forumdisplay.php?f=79
You might also be interested in stopping by the "Arx & Underworld" board at Through the Looking Glass - http://www.ttlg.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=23dffd5ae0866686ff41c4a99541e516&f=76 - where Arkane Studios members are also known to drop by...
Of course, they stop by here as well, so what on earth am I prattling on about? |
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Sat May 13, 2006 10:24 am |
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