I Want More Out of Lifepaths

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Let me begin by saying that I love this game and after more than 400 hours I'm STILL finding stuff that I haven't seen before. That sort of depth makes me very happy.

However, I was disappointed in the Lifepath choices when I discovered how they were implemented. I think that the game would be greatly improved even now after more than a year after launch if the Lifepaths could be changed. It would likely mean DLC-sized changes (because they're going to cost more to make) but I for one think they would be worth it.

Firstly, make the Lifepath choices actually MEAN something. As they stand now, the Lifepath choices give you some dialog options and (in one case IIRC) a possible new ending for one mission. This is a failure to use Lifepaths to their fullest degree.

What I would like to see is more stuff going on before the Heist. As a Nomad, I'd like to see V with the Bakkers, doing missions and making connections with the people. After ten or twelve missions, the Bakkers get attacked by the Wraiths or some other group and all but wiped out. THIS is what prompts V to go to Night City. Instead of making him quit his Clan, something that Nomads seldom do, his clan is killed all around him. Going to NC isn't done by choice but more as a matter of survival. Then you could tack the end of this onto the current Nomad start where V meets Jackie and the rest is already done.

As a Street Kid, the game is pretty much solid as it is...it just needs a bit more time before the Heist. Stretch the time after V and Jackie meet so that repeat players who want to rush through the Heist can do so but those of us who like the story more can loiter a bit. If coding more missions with Jackie would be too expensive, have V do more stuff for the Padre before he gets the mission from Kirk and meets Jackie.

The Corpo Lifepath was the biggest disappointment for me as you get to experience Corpo life for about half an hour before your real Lifepath becomes 'former Corpo kicked to the curb, have a nice day.' I want MORE than that. I want to be able to have input in clandestine meetings, give orders to terrified underlings, fly around in an AV once or twice. Think of the line from Johnny Mnemonic when he's describing the life he's built for himself: I want the club sandwich! I want the cold Mexican beer! I want the ten-thousand dollar-a-night hooker! I want my shorts laundered like they do at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo!' Even if we're going to have it all taken away soon, I WANT that stuff for just a little while.

Most of this could be dropped in as DLC content without wrecking the game as it stands now. A few more Lifepath-related dialog options or mission paths would be nice along the way as well. Sure, more dialog means getting the voice actors back into the booth but if I'm buying a DLC then I'm willing to pay for it.

I also have a minor beef with the fact that part of your first big mission, the meeting with Maelstrom, has a possible ending that is locked to only one Lifepath. According to what I've read, if you read the various computer files as a Nomad, you can figure out how the convoy got grabbed and work out that the weasel in Stout's trunk really is the mole. The other two Lifepaths don't offer this. WTF? I can't think of any other missions in the game where one Lifepath gives a better ending than the others. It would be easy for Corpos and Street Kids to get to the same ending if they're willing to read all of the files. As it stands now, reading the files is only rewarded if you're a Nomad and that feels unfair to me.

I love this game and despite all the issues I want to keep playing it and suggesting it to others but I strongly feel that Lifepaths have been poorly used.
 
Yes they are limited a lot but at the end would you like 5 hours of separate paths and 5h shorter main storyline? Because thats what ultimately would happen as production is limited in many ways by time and money.

I would definitely enjoy more dialogue options for different paths - they come up not that often from my point of view and even as something optional, it certainly gives more ways to roleplay your V. Some background information to pick would also be great - if V is lesbian she still talks with River about her ex boyfriends. I know its technically possible but ... Well, I suppose its not big deal.

So as much as everything you ask for sounds great, it is what it is and we have to understand that lifepaths are just an intro to the story rather than actual story itself. Also I dont believe in any single updates of those as 90% of people dont play one game 3 times. Its just waste of resources for developers.
 
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