Definitely agree with this topic.
Leveled loot is fine with me, but loot with "cannot use until level X" I'd rather not see again.
Leveled loot is fine with me, but loot with "cannot use until level X" I'd rather not see again.
I'm not even sure what some of you are trying to argue.
This isn't really a matter of "fun vs realism". Level gating equipment is both unrealistic AND harmful to the core design of a decent ruleset (so to the "fun").
As we were discussing in another thread I started which was pretty much about the same subject (this one: https://forums.cdprojektred.com/index.php?threads/a-so-far-minor-concern-about-itemization.10970975/ ) level-gated equipment and overall excessive relying on level up mechanics are also intrinsically a very poor match for any game with a pretense of non-linearity and openness.
I don't dread a scenario where I'm switching pistols at each level up because it's unrealistic. I do because it's garbage inventory busywork and something that detract from the perceived value of the weapon itself. In other words a POOR GAME MECHANIC.
This isn't really a matter of "fun vs realism". Level gating equipment is both unrealistic AND harmful to the core design of a decent ruleset (so to the "fun").
As we were discussing in another thread I started which was pretty much about the same subject (this one: https://forums.cdprojektred.com/index.php?threads/a-so-far-minor-concern-about-itemization.10970975/ ) level-gated equipment and overall excessive relying on level up mechanics are also intrinsically a very poor match for any game with a pretense of non-linearity and openness.
I don't dread a scenario where I'm switching pistols at each level up because it's unrealistic. I do because it's garbage inventory busywork and something that detract from the perceived value of the weapon itself. In other words a POOR GAME MECHANIC.
Pretty much.
Tho realism helps with regard to cohesion, it's difficult to become immersed in a world where physics don't function normally and people have random "superpowers".
And please don't confuse realisim for realistic. D&D has it's realism, yet is far from realistic.
Sleep and cyber should be the only thing that heals, drugs and maybe food should help you fight through the pain. I definitely believe wounds should have effects. Leg shots chousl create a limp, arm shots should effect climbing, carrying and fighting. Head shots should blur vision. Torso shots should have you doubled over... Drugs to overcome tis should only have temporary effect, with sleep being the only thing that actually heals.
Indeed.. the trick is how to make it meeningful from a RPG perspective besides the obvious RP angle.
That's why i would suggest it treated like a stat boosting (hp,stamina - or something similar) past-time.. like going to a bar/restaurant grabing a drink, some food then go off on missions.. a small stat boost would be welcomed i think.. of course nothing amazing or anything game changing.
I don't like food being a healer. I'd rather it was something more interesting mechanicall. Like a energizing effect and on the other hand, if you don't eat, it might make the PC tired. Not big effects the player is required to monitor all the time and worry about (so no, not a "survival" feature), but something that is helpful/harmful nonetheless.
Having food purely as buffs is preferable, only allow eating meals ( that give longer, more meaty buff, eg 10% health increase) in designated areas like bars etc to give player more incentive to return to those areas and give a feeling of belonging in the space aside from their apartment. Snacks and stuff that give more short term buffs (something more specific like slightly faster crouch walk for example) can be carried around on player so they can eat on the way to a potential assignment in case things get hairy.
I think this could be a more interesting alternative to health restoration that can feel a bit more immersive imo. Not really a big deal to me though.
Oh yeah, kinda unrelated but I think having to sleep to level up like in oblivion is a nice way to incentivize going back to apartment regularly too, adding to that sense of immersion.
I think this could be a more interesting alternative to health restoration that can feel a bit more immersive imo. Not really a big deal to me though.
Oh yeah, kinda unrelated but I think having to sleep to level up like in oblivion is a nice way to incentivize going back to apartment regularly too, adding to that sense of immersion.
Honestly? I think we all want a good, story-driven RPG, not a survival sim. Thus I'm very much against things like hunger / thirst - these would be annoyances, nothing else.
As for food being a healing item? Meh. It probably won't be useful in combat anyway and I'm willing to bet any dedicated healing item (whatever it might be) will be superior to food. And if this is the case, I'm fine with food granting minor over-time healing effects because at this point the player needs to CHOSE to use a deliberately inferior item for lacklustre healing... On the other hand, outside of combat, if food regenerates a bit of HP then it's a little nod to the player which I don't mind at all.
As for food being a healing item? Meh. It probably won't be useful in combat anyway and I'm willing to bet any dedicated healing item (whatever it might be) will be superior to food. And if this is the case, I'm fine with food granting minor over-time healing effects because at this point the player needs to CHOSE to use a deliberately inferior item for lacklustre healing... On the other hand, outside of combat, if food regenerates a bit of HP then it's a little nod to the player which I don't mind at all.
They should add a hunger mechanic like in Kingdom Comes Deliverance. Could also add supermarkets where you can buy the food.
I'd rather have them as some kind of small buff or something. Not necessarily as healing items.
And definitelly not as survival items. Most if not all survival games do a really shitty job with making food/water feel like anything more than an annoying gameplay element and not something you have to worry about (you find too much food to ever have to worry about it). If the game is immersive enough though it can be a nice touch (see KCD).
And definitelly not as survival items. Most if not all survival games do a really shitty job with making food/water feel like anything more than an annoying gameplay element and not something you have to worry about (you find too much food to ever have to worry about it). If the game is immersive enough though it can be a nice touch (see KCD).
They are not. They are character management and a way to balance the in game economy.
If we have a story-driven RPG, why do we need bars with purchasable meal? It's like bargaining option in The Witcher. You can roleplay that crap, but it's entirely worthless. Survival elements can increase belonging and interaction with environment. Sure, you can just buy food as cheap substitution for drugs, and there's no need to make it more complex than that.
memories of shoveling down 100 cabbages to regain health
I'd rather not have food regain HP, especially if it can be spammed.
Food giving buffs wouldn't be a bad mechanic IMO, because it would make sense. As long as said buffs aren't crazy powerful.
I'd rather not have food regain HP, especially if it can be spammed.
Food giving buffs wouldn't be a bad mechanic IMO, because it would make sense. As long as said buffs aren't crazy powerful.
When I eat a chip butty I go from near death to full health in the space of a minute so this would not be immersion killing for me.
Food buffs would be cool, I know in Elder Scrolls Online using the correct food can make a massive difference in your build, would be funny if in Cyberpunk you're all set to kill a bad guy and then realise you haven't eaten any pizza in the last 4 hours and you gotta head back to Dominos so you can eat a veggie volcano pizza to give you the stats you need to beat the bad guy.
As I mentioned earlier I think it would be a good idea to make players identify some of the better items they find before they could use them and the better the item would be it would also take more time and resources to identify it. Weapons could be organized by grades from 1 to 7 or whatever, if you find yourself high tier weapon early in the game it could require inspecting it by a certain NPC that you would meet only after you pass a certain mission in the main story, and the explanation for not being able to use it and still feel believable is the simplest thing - some high tier weapons wouldn't work if your chip software is not updated - want to use grade 4 weapons? - you need to update your chip that would (among other things) allow you to use it, otherwise the weapon simply wont work - that I think, would easily solve the problem. The identification system can also be exciting, for example the more you use a certain type of weapon the more familiar the character is with it and earns "weapon handling experience" in lets say shotgun weapon class (using grade 1 weapons would earn experience towards grade 2 weapons of that class), looting non rare weapons from enemies and then inspecting a certain weapon model for the first type could also earn you some exp, same as dismantling it for the first few times each time giving less and less exp until salvaging same weapon would no longer increase the experience. The processs could be longer or shorter depending on your main story progression, character stats could also impact the how much experience you gain. What do you think?
when you pick up a cool item and see that you can't use it for another 20 levels........... ok then
No thanks! If I struggled really hard to get something I'd prefer to be able to use it right away.
No thanks! If I struggled really hard to get something I'd prefer to be able to use it right away.