Post-endgame: now what?

[blank_redge]

Post-endgame: now what?

The dilema of sandbox games. You've beaten the final "bad guy" or overcome the final obstacle. You now have impressive sums of money, all the best vehicles, all the best living situations, and all the best weapons.

Now what?

Over in the open world thread, I suggested a mechanic for a random Job / "quest" generator. With this kind of mechanic in place, you could continue to play the game with your current character.

One of the mechanics in Saints Row 2 was having to reclaim neighborhoods that rival factions were trying to take back. However, since (presumably) we're not going to be 'gangers, fighting over turf wars, the mechanic I suggested over in the safehouses thread could also keep things fresh and interesting, insomuch as you having to evict Boosters that have decided to "move in" to your swank new digs.

What else could keep the game fresh and replayable after completing the storyline missions? Suggestions?

 

[Sardukhar]

Your choices from that game are now factored into the world-setting for your next play-through. And so on and so on. Sort of like what Witcher already does, only live for the next character play, not waiting until the next game.

Edit: Good topic. You go, girl!

 

[blank_redge]

Edit: Good topic. You go, girl!

Touché. Well played, sir.

 

[blank_redge]

Your choices from that game are now factored into the world-setting for your next play-through. And so on and so on. Sort of like what Witcher already does, only live for the next character play, not waiting until the next game.

...Interesting. Presumably, each playthrough would, in the storyline of the game, run concurrently with your actions from the previous playthough. So, the prior playthrough would trip a series of "on / off" or "yes / no" switches in making certain storyline trees and speech dialogues available.

I *do* think that's a brilliant idea, but what of your current character? The one that you've spent loads of time on, having had them crawl their way out of the slums and Combat Zone?

 

[Garrison72]

Have new side missions unlock after the end game. I would have killed for something like this in Mass Effect.

 

[blank_redge]

One of the things I liked in GTA 4 were some of the side activities, like racing or package deliveries.

One of the things I would've liked to have seen in those activities were more variables.

The delivery missions you do for Jacob wind up "looping," being the same locations with the same opponent set-ups. The various racing circuits wind up being the same map-points and the same route.

I'd be down for side activities like this, if CDPR can introduce more variables, so it's not the same thing every time (random map-points for racing, random locations and "bad guys" for deliveries, etc.)

I'm not suggesting that CDPR include these activities specifically (though, I'd enjoy 'em if they did,) but I'm curious as to what would hold your interest in continuing to play your current character?

(The preceding sentence brought to you by the letter "c.")

 

[wisdom000]

I love this thread... I am having a smoke right now while watching Walking dead, but I will be back soon to post for realzies...

In the meantime, I like the idea of random evenet generators... I really dig the idea of being able to reset the game, but you keep your shit, advancements, vehicles, weapons, etc...

 

[Sardukhar]

Well, your current character at this point is probably pretty bad-ass. If you don't want to just wheel around in the end-game world you made..

Option A: New Game Plus. You keep your rep, gear , faction issues, etc and re-start the plot. You play through the world you had made, with all your stuff and skills, and replay the main plot..OR.

Option B: Or you could volunteer for Mind-Wipe, step through the glowing white door and begin the game again...only this time, people seem to know you. Everything is reset for your character's abilities and so on, but not the world...not outside the main plot anyway. You play through a world full of echoes of your earlier self.

It becomes pretty surreal. Is it the braindance? Or are you imagining that these people, who your journal tells you are completely new to you, keep referring to "the last time" or "not again." And what about thsoe billboards with what looks suspiciously like your face on them? But the Record Company Exec greets you like he's never heard of you before...

Oh, yes, it could get to be quite surreal, playing the game as the mind-wiped or cloned version of yourself. And I judge within CDPR's capabilites - they already do things like that to Geralt.

It could even be a gameplay choice: [CLONE: if killed, you restart your game, but choices you had made until your death remain in play. You will also be presented with this choice upon game completion: Was I The Clone?]

 

[PafetkBazerka]

What yout ref do. hmm

Steal your shit and give you incentive for a new mission.

I propose the game does the same.

 

[SupremeGunman.322]

If they choose a system where you have to pick your role, I'd like to see different endings based on that role, in order to add to the replay value. If you chose Corporate, your endgame is running a megacorp, but then your competitors stage a coupe, you lose everything or die. If you chose Netrunner, a rival hacker destroys your memories or brain.

If they have an open role system with no level cap, then I agree with Sardukhar's options.

 

[Sardukhar]

Hmm. A level cap. I never thought of that. Cyberpunk doesn't have levels, after all - just skills. THOSE have levels, though 0-10. 11 if you're a freak. I'd think that was the only thing approximating a level cap.

 

[blank_redge]

...IS there a hard level-cap for skills?

I vaguely recall seeing stats for the infamous Morgan Blackhand in one of the books; had a Combat Sense of 12 or 14...

 

[wisdom000]

Here is what is important to me... I don't want the game to just end when the story is over. I want to be able to continue to run around the world, I want mission replays and all that jazz.

I fucking hate not being able to complete a game, because doing so means I have to start all over again.

 

[wisdom000]

...IS there a hard level-cap for skills?

I vaguely recall seeing stats for the infamous Morgan Blackhand in one of the books; had a Combat Sense of 12 or 14...

10 is the hardline cap for any skill, and the natural cap for stats.... cyber can boost stats or provide bonuses to skills.

 

[Sardukhar]

Heh. You are soooooooo OCD. Must...finish...everything....

Whereas I like the idea of the story continuing without me, somewhere...Somehwere out there, my Fallout New Vegas guy who looks a lot like Eli is wanderinig around, helping some people, stabbing others. I still haven't finished FNV, in fact. If I complete it, why, i'ts done, then. That's my favourite thing about open-world games. They are never really done.

Redge, there are hard limits. 10 is the limit for skills. To quote the manual, "Captain Kirk had a Leadership of 11, but you never will." I don't recall what Morgan's CS was. 10 is pretty obscene.

Refs may over-ride but it's pretty rare. I saw a Ref award a Solo with Awareness 11 once, but the character survived 2 years of a campaign so brutal everyone, save the one Solo, died at least once, and many people multiple times. No, it wasn't one of my campaigns. So, yeah, 0-10 is the limit.

If I have a grip with PnP NPCs, it's that far, far too many of them have high Special Abilities. Getting beyond 5 is really unlikely in my world, because 5 is competent. To go further is a need to excel. You also have to have the supporting other skills to survive the experience. Resources 8 is pointless unless you have Human Perception, Oratory, Wardrobe and Style, Raquetball, ( or whatever 2020 corps do to bond, I dunno. Disgusting) and so on to sustain the pressures of a Resources 8 position.

 

[Dr. LaBrat]

Have new side missions unlock after the end game. I would have killed for something like this in Mass Effect.

that's what i wanted to suggest too
some sidemissions that show you how you affected the world/some characters after you made your big decisions in the last story mission

 

[Val3ri]

If I have a grip with PnP NPCs, it's that far, far too many of them have high Special Abilities. Getting beyond 5 is really unlikely in my world, because 5 is competent. To go further is a need to excel. You also have to have the supporting other skills to survive the experience. Resources 8 is pointless unless you have Human Perception, Oratory, Wardrobe and Style, Raquetball, ( or whatever 2020 corps do to bond, I dunno. Disgusting) and so on to sustain the pressures of a Resources 8 position.

Tha't a great point. There should be certain requirements to reach the higher levels of certain skills.

 

[wisdom000]

Heh. You are soooooooo OCD. Must...finish...everything....

Whereas I like the idea of the story continuing without me, somewhere...Somehwere out there, my Fallout New Vegas guy who looks a lot like Eli is wanderinig around, helping some people, stabbing others. I still haven't finished FNV, in fact. If I complete it, why, i'ts done, then. That's my favourite thing about open-world games. They are never really done.

Redge, there are hard limits. 10 is the limit for skills. To quote the manual, "Captain Kirk had a Leadership of 11, but you never will." I don't recall what Morgan's CS was. 10 is pretty obscene.

Refs may over-ride but it's pretty rare. I saw a Ref award a Solo with Awareness 11 once, but the character survived 2 years of a campaign so brutal everyone, save the one Solo, died at least once, and many people multiple times. No, it wasn't one of my campaigns. So, yeah, 0-10 is the limit.

If I have a grip with PnP NPCs, it's that far, far too many of them have high Special Abilities. Getting beyond 5 is really unlikely in my world, because 5 is competent. To go further is a need to excel. You also have to have the supporting other skills to survive the experience. Resources 8 is pointless unless you have Human Perception, Oratory, Wardrobe and Style, Raquetball, ( or whatever 2020 corps do to bond, I dunno. Disgusting) and so on to sustain the pressures of a Resources 8 position.

None of Morgans skills or special abilities ever went beyond 10 as I recall... and I am ok with him having all the tens...including in combat sense, because he is supposed to be the ultimate solo mary sue, and its no fun to kill him if he is a chump....

As for high special abilities i my games... with IU I have a starting cap of 5 points that can allow starting characters to distribute among them... But any special ability they take has to have the requisite skills at a minimum of level 4 to qualify for them... This means a starting character can have, at most, one special ability at 5 to start out with... and one must be chosen as primary, and be a point higher than all others.

So if the characters earn high special abilities, it means they have survived long enough to do so... and earned it. I tend to run really long games, so its not out of the questions for a character to end up with a ten in something eventually.... but they will only ever have the one...

 

[blank_redge]

I still haven't finished FNV, in fact. If I complete it, why, i'ts done, then.

That was my biggest grievance with F: NV, and it's a HUGE grievance. Once I completed the story arc I was on, that was it; game over. I couldn't continue playing with the character and gear I'd sunk all that time in to.

I don't know if that issue is "fixed" by getting any of the DLC; I was so put off by that, I traded in the game in short order.

 

[wisdom000]

That was my biggest grievance with F: NV, and it's a HUGE grievance. Once I completed the story arc I was on, that was it; game over. I couldn't continue playing with the character and gear I'd sunk all that time in to.

I don't know if that issue is "fixed" by getting any of the DLC; I was so put off by that, I traded in the game in short order.

No, it wasn;t fixed by any of the DLC... in fact if you bought the DLC after you finished the game, the only way to play it was an earlier save or starting all over again.... fuck that shit...