I'm fine with stats locking dialogue options (but I don't want to see those options at all, they should appear only if I can use them), I'm absolutely fine with stats influencing the gameplay (E.g if you have 7 STR you increase your melee damage by 70%), I'm just not fine with unrealistic stats: enemy is 6 levels higher than you, he becomes a bullet-sponge who one-shots you (TW3), you level up so that you can unlock a perk that gives you 15% more damage using sniper rifles (how???) or level gates.
What I would like to see in CP2077, based on infos released so far is 5 types of stats:
1) Strenght, intelligence, cool, tech, constitution, reflexes: you choose them during charachter creation given a certain amount of points (25ish) that you can distribute where you want and cannot upgrade unless by using cyberware (mechanical arms give you +2 STR). You can respec going to some genetic engeneering clinic but it's freaking expensive (so you can do it once or maybe twice and that's it). These stats influence your abilities, like STR influences melee DMG or how easily you handle very heavy weapons, COOL is like charisma, so your ablity to influence people and bonuses in street creds obtained, reflexes infuences lenght or effects of bullet time and so on. In this way you create a charachter that is never overpower: you can install cyberware upgrading each stat (coolness is also influenced by your clothing), but not too much or you'll get cyberpsychotic. You'll never get to 10/10 in each stat or it's possible but you get punished by some maluses realted to humanity loss. These are "soft-perks" (passive bonuses which influence your abilities and possibilities), "hard perks" (active abilities) are unlocked by "items": mantis blades, mechanical legs to jump higher (double jump in the demo
), fire DMG given by a flamethrower or flammable bullets, +50% DMG is obtained modding weaponsor using better bullets and so on.
2) skills you improve while using them: crafting, weapon handling etc. This could be affected by your inital stats: if you have 7/10 in TECH you get 70% more exp. points in crafting when creating new items/weapon mods. The higher is your crafting level, the better are things you craft. Same for hacking (the higher is your stat more time or more attempts you have).
3) weapons and armor stats: those are set for each type of weapon. A shotgun is a shotgun, DPS 90, recoil 20, a pistol has less DPS but less recoil. Those stats are set but can be upgrade via mods. Special unique weapons exist and have a different look (e.g. the first boss in the demo drops a big weapon which is picked up by jackie). Your stats don't influence DMG at all (how would they in real life?) except for heavy weapons which you can handle properly only if you are strong enough (vide supra)
armor stats: pretty much the same as weapons, nothing gated by levels. The trauma team vest protects you more than a normal jacket. I would add bullet proof jackets which provide a "disposable protection", they can absorb 1000 DMG, but then you need to buy/find a new one. An insulaed vest protects you from electrical DMG, another one from fire. Classical stuff.
4) street creds: reputation, simple as that. the more you gain the more known you are. You can unlock vendors (black market weapons and ripperdocs) and missions (if you are famous enough you can speak with important fixers and corpos). Maybe discounts. E.g. before getting contacted by dexter deshawn (or however it's spelled) you need to reach street cred level 5 and you do that by completing missions (and side missions), which would justify perfectly the open world mechanics. Better if it's classified with names more than levels. e.g. mr. nobody, known, famous, VIP.
I don't see any possible realistic perk related to that (someone could open my eyes, I'd accept it gladly) which seem to be in the game (last few seconds of the demo).
5) classical DMG stats, but those are in almost every game (elemental, physical, defense). No need for further explaination.
In this scenario I don't see any use for classical character levels since perks are gated by cyberware (which is gated by money and street creds) and missions are gated by street creds.
Enemies don't need a level on their head (which also breaks immersion), but your scanner could simply indicate how dangerous the NPC is (different color or just saying it as shown in the demo).
These are my hopes based on things shown in the demo or in interviews, but are all there. How could someone say that the game has no stats?
What I would like to see in CP2077, based on infos released so far is 5 types of stats:
1) Strenght, intelligence, cool, tech, constitution, reflexes: you choose them during charachter creation given a certain amount of points (25ish) that you can distribute where you want and cannot upgrade unless by using cyberware (mechanical arms give you +2 STR). You can respec going to some genetic engeneering clinic but it's freaking expensive (so you can do it once or maybe twice and that's it). These stats influence your abilities, like STR influences melee DMG or how easily you handle very heavy weapons, COOL is like charisma, so your ablity to influence people and bonuses in street creds obtained, reflexes infuences lenght or effects of bullet time and so on. In this way you create a charachter that is never overpower: you can install cyberware upgrading each stat (coolness is also influenced by your clothing), but not too much or you'll get cyberpsychotic. You'll never get to 10/10 in each stat or it's possible but you get punished by some maluses realted to humanity loss. These are "soft-perks" (passive bonuses which influence your abilities and possibilities), "hard perks" (active abilities) are unlocked by "items": mantis blades, mechanical legs to jump higher (double jump in the demo
), fire DMG given by a flamethrower or flammable bullets, +50% DMG is obtained modding weaponsor using better bullets and so on.2) skills you improve while using them: crafting, weapon handling etc. This could be affected by your inital stats: if you have 7/10 in TECH you get 70% more exp. points in crafting when creating new items/weapon mods. The higher is your crafting level, the better are things you craft. Same for hacking (the higher is your stat more time or more attempts you have).
3) weapons and armor stats: those are set for each type of weapon. A shotgun is a shotgun, DPS 90, recoil 20, a pistol has less DPS but less recoil. Those stats are set but can be upgrade via mods. Special unique weapons exist and have a different look (e.g. the first boss in the demo drops a big weapon which is picked up by jackie). Your stats don't influence DMG at all (how would they in real life?) except for heavy weapons which you can handle properly only if you are strong enough (vide supra)
armor stats: pretty much the same as weapons, nothing gated by levels. The trauma team vest protects you more than a normal jacket. I would add bullet proof jackets which provide a "disposable protection", they can absorb 1000 DMG, but then you need to buy/find a new one. An insulaed vest protects you from electrical DMG, another one from fire. Classical stuff.
4) street creds: reputation, simple as that. the more you gain the more known you are. You can unlock vendors (black market weapons and ripperdocs) and missions (if you are famous enough you can speak with important fixers and corpos). Maybe discounts. E.g. before getting contacted by dexter deshawn (or however it's spelled) you need to reach street cred level 5 and you do that by completing missions (and side missions), which would justify perfectly the open world mechanics. Better if it's classified with names more than levels. e.g. mr. nobody, known, famous, VIP.
I don't see any possible realistic perk related to that (someone could open my eyes, I'd accept it gladly) which seem to be in the game (last few seconds of the demo).
5) classical DMG stats, but those are in almost every game (elemental, physical, defense). No need for further explaination.
In this scenario I don't see any use for classical character levels since perks are gated by cyberware (which is gated by money and street creds) and missions are gated by street creds.
Enemies don't need a level on their head (which also breaks immersion), but your scanner could simply indicate how dangerous the NPC is (different color or just saying it as shown in the demo).
These are my hopes based on things shown in the demo or in interviews, but are all there. How could someone say that the game has no stats?
