Topics

1

General / Stealth Question

« on: May 17, 2013, 09:33:19 pm »

Scenario:
The player is has a sneaking skill over 100 points, is currently sneaking and a cloak is activated. There is a neutral NPC with his back to the player, walking away about 25 tiles away, but he's also "guarding" the door next to the player. When the player attempts to pick the lock the NPC goes hostile. Yet that same NPC will let the player pickpocket him and take weapons and ammo.

Question:
Would it make sense to have some kind of "suspicion meter" attached to each door that's being guarded? Is it possible to get through that door without this guy going hostile? How the hell can he even see me, does his vision cone cover a full 180 degrees? If I want to go through this door, do I have to kill everyone in town?

Thanks in advance for any helpful comments.

2

Suggestions / Dialogue Choices that Matter

« on: May 10, 2013, 04:46:22 pm »

Request:

Styg: Please make sure dialogue in Underrail has consequences.

Explanation:

Based on the classic RPGs of the past, I strongly believe that dialogue should not simply be an exercise in exhausting every option until the player finally gets the next quest, but also a challenge to win. A dialogue encounter should be a role-playing exercise in which the player has to make the right choices. If you horribly insult an NPC, that NPC should refuse to help you (because you made a bad choice) or there should be an appropriate consequence (such as a smaller reward). This will cause players to take dialogue seriously and attempt to make the correct choice to get the best outcomes. Choices should matter. When the player realizes there are consequences to picking bad dialogue, they will take dialogue more seriously and therefore become more immersed in your game. Plus, it increases replay value.

Summary:

Dialogue should be a challenge that you can win or lose, because choices that don't matter are arbitrary.

Example:

In Planescape: Torment, the player could actually fail dialogue encounters.



The same can be said for Fallout 1, both of which are considered two of the best RPGs ever.

Further Reading:

Planescape: Turnment Review

Choice and Consequence Review

3

General / Getting the word out about Underrail

« on: May 04, 2013, 10:34:26 pm »

There is a growing demand for classic isometric western RPGs. So how can we create buzz for this game?

Obvious choices are Youtube, Twitter, Facebook and Gaming Forums (if allowed).

Is there anything we can do to help this great game be successful? Thanks for your ideas.

4

Suggestions / Non-leathal Weapons and Subdue

« on: May 02, 2013, 08:36:05 pm »

The stealth mechanic in Underrail is a lot of fun and the game already features one non-lethal weapon, the tranquillizer dart. I'd like to suggestion expanding these ideas, including three new non-lethal weapons and a new ability called "subdue" which doesn't turn NPCs hostile automatically (only if you are caught).

New items:
- Chloroform soaked Rags
- Sleeping Gas Grenades
- "Knock-out" Tasers gun

For example, I just want to be able to sneak up behind a guard without being detected, put them to sleep, open whatever door they are guarding and move on without engaging in combat and turning the entire population hostile. Maybe it's an action that could have it's own suspicion meter, similar to the pickpocket mechanic.

If anything like this is possible, I think it would enhance the stealthy character experience greatly.

5

Discussions / RPG Discussion Thread

« on: April 30, 2013, 10:07:46 pm »

Does anyone here watch the Tasteful Understated Nerdrage series on YouTube? When TUN did a review on the new Torment: Tides of Numenera game, InXile liked it so much they actually mentioned it in their latest update. So I think this review is a good example to frame a RPG discussion on.

In his analysis of Choice and Consequence he essentially states all the reasons why I play RPGs like Underrail. The setting has sufficient depth that the artificial world reacts as if it's a hypothetical real world. In other words, the options available to me, as a player, cause me to role-play as if the consequences of my choices mattered. I really like that in Underrail you can choose to help criminals and doing so has it's own risks and rewards. I know these concepts will be expanded as the project moves forward. Eventually, I'd like to be given choices that are more or less ambiguous, requiring the players to use common sense to predict the long-term ramifications.

While it's true that C&C is not necessarily what makes a RPG great, I do think it's among the important ingredients. If your game makes me paranoid about the possible results of my actions, then I'm immersed in the game and my experience is enhanced. The game setting would react realistically. NPCs would react in some way to the major decisions I make.

A good discussion can be a way to learn and share ideas, so let everyone know what's on your mind.

6

General / Controls - Keybinding Question

« on: April 28, 2013, 10:51:26 pm »

Are there plans to allow the player to assign controls in the Options menu?

Note: I want to move the camera with AWSD instead of the Arrow Keys. Is there a config file I can hack?

Thanks in advance.

7

Suggestions / Blackmoor's Money Suggestions

« on: April 28, 2013, 10:17:13 pm »

Would it be possible to implement any of these suggestions?

- Completing quests for merchants cause them to give you better deals--OR--if you save the town merchants like you more.

- When you pickpocket a merchant, you can steal the amount of cash they have in their barter window (the amount dynamically updates).

- Characters with skilled bartering or intimidation can use dialogue challenges to win discounts with merchants.

- Major story quests grant you more money, plus bonus items if you do a really good job (note: 500 is not enough to restock on supplies).

- Locked chests contain money (currently none of them have cash in them).


Note: I really like the difficulty in the game (it's a big part of the appeal), but I think the economy could be improved.

8

Bugs / Minor Cliff Quest Bug

« on: April 28, 2013, 09:19:10 pm »

(Possible Spoilers)

I used up all the antidotes Cliff gave me fighting the Burrowers to get to his wife. When I realized this I decided to go back and buy more before opening the room his wife was hiding in. When I climb out of the trapdoor Cliff dies, but I figure I can at least save his wife. So I buy more antidote and go back and save his wife. When I give her the antidote, I'm transported to the surface where Cliff's dead-body is talking to his wife. Not even in death will his wife cut him a break. Poor guy.

Note: But at least I got the EXP and it didn't break the game.