25 replies to this topic

[Nerik]

Ok, another idea taken from PnP (mostly).

The idea is that some of the classes have pieces of equipment that are either necessary or helpful to perform certain of the class abilities.

By class these are:

Thieves
Thives don't require a properly made set of lockpicks & other accrutiments, but they do help when picking locks, disarming traps, or even setting snares.

How I'd implement this would be to reduce the thief abilities of open locks, disarm traps, and set snares by a certain amount (say 25%) - the new base scores represent the thief's skills when they are having to improvise without proper tools.
I'd then create a new equipment item (called 'lockpicks' or 'thieves' tools') that gives a 25% bonus (or whatever) to these skills (but it might have to be a 'while equipped' effect - eating up an equipment slot).

In BG 1 (and IWD 1) thief characters and NPCs would start with a set.
In BG 2 thief characters and Imoen could find a set (or several) on the many dead shadow thieves lying around. (On a tangental note, some of the equipment in the jailkeep golem room could also be moved to dead shadow thieves).

As a refinement, thief NPCs could get customised sets, Jan could have the extra thieves' tools built into his gauntlets of gadgeteering, while Yoshimo could have the effects built into his katana (representing lockpic

Clerics and Paladins
A 'standard issue' holy symbol (unlike those available late in BG 2) - lack of this symbol disables spell-casting and turn undead - I'm not sure how to do this - probably needs scripting.
Every cleric or shaman gets an appropriate holy symbol.

Druids and Rangers
As clerics, but the 'essential item' is either a sprig of mistletoe (consumed?) or a golden sickle.

Mages and Bards
A spellbook, ideally, the lack of a spellbook would blank the in-game spellbook, or at least prevent the memorisation of spells, but I have no idea if this is even possible. As a compromise, have the lack of a spellbook disable spell casting. IIRC the DLTC is using a similar concept.
Each mage or bard NPC gets their own spellbook, as does <CHARNAME>.

Charles

[Mongoose87]

And perhaps, since the PC begins with no items, you would have to purchase or find them at the begginin of the game?

Oh and you forgot the bard's instrument.

[fallen_demon]

While from a plot perspective these work out, in practice it would only work out to a "waist an inventory slot" mod, not something I would see myself using.

[Gothic Rose]

Gonna have to agree with FD here - I'd never use the mod because I wouldn't want to waste one of my sweet, sweet precious inventory spaces...

Yessss....precious...My Precious....

[Atlasia]

I agree that it'd be an interesting idea but I have enough trouble with managing my inventory as it is. The only thing keeping me from over-loading all my inventory space is the EoU's infinite bag of holding. I have a tendency to never sell any magical weapons below +3 enchantment until I have no more space.

[igi]

I actually *like* this idea.
It would add depth to each class.

[Echon]

I have always assumed that they all had these items somewhere.

-Echon

[Gothic Rose]

Same with me - that's what the spellbook tabs are, imo. It's also what the thieving button is, so on so forth.

[fallen_demon]

Yes, not to mention the tent and bedrolls. I somehow question how a mage pc and imoen could have their spellbooks at the beggining of SOA among the other supplies, but I wouldn't download anything more than small dialogue to fix it.

[Mongoose87]

In PnP do these items not occupy space? I mean weight, as there is no actual space...

[Gothic Rose]

In PnP do these items not occupy space?  I mean weight, as there is no actual space...

They do. And in PnP, you don't have to spend an hour re-organizing your inventory so that everything fits perfectly.

You have to in BG2.

The items add nothing - they won't help immerse me in my environment, they add nothing to play value - all they would be is a hassle. This is of course, how I see it. If ya like the idea, that's fine.

But I don't. All it would do is take up weight and inventory slots for no reason. You cannot say "It will add realism!" because it won't. Not unless you also make the environment completely interactable.

[Mongoose87]

What does a completely interactable environment have to do with class equipment?

[Blitz]

What does a completely interactable environment have to do with class equipment?

This: If you want to make it completly uber-realistic and have every bit of equipment on you, then what about food? Camping supplies? Yada yada? There's your completly interactive enviroment. What about foraging for food? Chopping trees to repair damaged weapons? There's a reason these aggravating, annoying, mundane tasks are not present in BG2.

I would hate this mod...it would take up a bajillion inventory slots, add no replay
value, and just get on people's nerves.

Somewhere, a tabby weeps at the mere idea of such a mod. Somewhere, a tabby weeps.

Edited by Blitz, 18 December 2004 - 08:43 PM.

[Atlasia]

Somewhere, a tabby weeps at the mere idea of such a mod. Somewhere, a tabby weeps.

And we all know making a tabby weep is bad.

But seriously, adding such things to BG is pointless. A lot of people have trouble managing their inventories as it is and I for one am always finding the 3 quick item slots lacking, so why occupy an already limited space with more items? I can just imagine the horror of being a FMT, having not only to drag around tons of equipment but also a mage's spell book and a thieves' equipment? Not to mention the traps that he/she'd be setting, as they'd have to be carried around too. Or at least their parts.

[igi]

If you dont want to bother with making things more immersive, you could always go and play Diablo 2.

[Blitz]

If you dont want to bother with making things more immersive, you could always go and play Diablo 2.

Filling up inventory slots is not immersive. It is annoying and pointless, and doesn't add any gameplay value beyond the first time you pick up the items.

[igi]

In that case:
The dialog isnt immersive, as you only read it once.
The battles arent immersive, as you only fight them once (or, if you die and need to re-do a battle, then it's just annoying).
The spells and items arent immersive, as they are static, unchanging, and dont reflect the varying density of ambiet starlight wihch alters throughout the night.
Actually.. none of the game is immersive, or worth playing, at all.

[Blitz]

"If you dont want to bother with making things more immersive, you could always go and play Diablo 2."

You're the one that wanted it to be more immersive by supporting "Essential Items"...I was just saying that filling inventory slots isn't immersive. I don't care either way, I'm just answering your question regarding:

"What does a completely interactable environment have to do with class equipment?"

You said: "If you dont want to bother with making things more immersive, you could always go and play Diablo 2."

I simply said (go and make me paraphrase, why don't you?):
Filling up inventory slots is not immersive. It is annoying and pointless, and doesn't add any gameplay value beyond the first time you pick up the items."

I said nothing else. I didn't say the game wasn't immersive, I didn't say it was. I don't care either way, I'm just saying this mod idea...bites. Like a weasel.

Please read carefully next time, I don't want to have to re-explain myself again. And I hate paraphrasing. Deeeaath to paaaaaraphrasing.

[igi]

If you dont like paraphrasing, then dont.

Beyond that, I have nothing to add, I have already made my point.

I'd suggest you read carefully next time, I dont want to have to re-explain myself.