Weekly Poll 10/31/19 - FEAR. Also Cool.

[Sardukhar]

Halloweeeeeen! Trick!

Cyberpunk 2013 used a rule where until you'd been in a few fights, you suffered negatives to actions. How many fights? Depended on your Cool.

In Tabletop, I use Cool for soooooo many things. Way more than it was probably intended for. I love the stat and the idea of it. Better than Courage or Fear or Horror - with Cool you keep your cool regardless of how scared or messed up things are, including you. I use Cool checks for fear, for social awkwardness, for emotional moments, for when you don't want show raw lust as that Tally Isham cosplayer walks past..

How much of a thing do you think fear and intimidation checks should be in 2077? Can you terrify NPCs? Can they terrify you? \

You have 5 choices...choose wisely....


Weekly Polls Here: https://forums.cdprojektred.com/index.php?threads/collected-weekly-polls-thread.10984601/

 

[Suhiira]

I'm going to minimize and select only the two (what I consider) most basic functions COOL should have.
1 & 4.

I really hate the suicidal enemies you see in 99.99% of games. That alone brakes "immersion" more then any other factor in games.

I (and this is my opinion only) think of COOL and CP2077s "Street Cred" as being complementary and contradictory. What? They can't be both. Consider the Bozos, overall their rep (Street Cred) is such that smart people fight, flee, or avoid them, you never, EVER just ignore them. Yet, assuming they follow the Clown Code each is unique ( https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/gallery-london-houses-dozens-clown-egg-portraits-180968914/ ) so certain Bozo's are more/less COOL then others thus, if you "know" the gang (Streetwise) you may be able to determine that a particular group of Bozos isn't a direct threat. You, the player, on the other hand may have such a low COOL and Street Cred you're not worth their time or such high COOL and Street Cred they actually avoid you!

 

[Draconifors]

I'm not a fan of fear mechanics in games, for NPCs or the PC. Never seen it done in a way that wouldn't have become annoying at some point.

I only picked 7 for this one.

 

[Rawls]

1, 6, 7. Almost voted 2 as well, but I'm not sure how failing a cool check in a real time aRPG would be represented in the moment. You movement controls dont do what you want for 5 seconds and you're frozen? You run away screaming "RUN AWAY!!!!"? I like the idea of 2 in concept, but think the implementation would likely be rough.

 

[kofeiiniturpa]

1, 2, 4, 5, 6.

Cool should definitely be a thing in the characters (any characters; PC, NPC) handling of a dangerous/tense situation. And it should have an effect on how the character can be controlled, a tangible effect.

I don't expect it to be, but IT SHOULD.

 

[MauricioMM]

I’d like 4 (up to some extent), 6 (ditto), 7, and 10. (1, 2, and 5 would be nice to have too, but with some caveats.)

Mmm, fear/respect/love mechanics in a game like this one, tricky Some of them could certainly make this game deeper gameplaywise but, at the same time, could end up either being a bit too unnecessarily complex or becoming too exploitative for both ends—V and the NPCs—if done without nuance.

For instance, in the case of gear, it’d be nice if some NPCs reacted to gear that represents something they significantly fear/respect/love (or ridicule/disrespect/hate*) but not to the point of extremeness or silliness. V shouldn’t suddenly become one of the most feared/respected/loved people in certain parts of town just because they equipped a +1 COOL Arasaka helmet. Get an ass whooping for being so cocky, though? Sure

Being feared/respected/loved should require some work from the player’s part, and not just on min-maxing. Plus, it’d be more meaningful if other factors, like Lifepaths, Street Cred and V’s choices, were involved in the NPC’s fear/respect/love towards V.

* Like when some maelstromers mocked V’s jacket, in some 2018 live demos.

Almost voted 2 as well, but I'm not sure how failing a cool check in a real time aRPG would be represented in the moment. You movement controls dont do what you want for 5 seconds and you're frozen? You run away screaming "RUN AWAY!!!!"? I like the idea of 2 in concept, but think the implementation would likely be rough.

What I’d do with something like 2 if I were one of the devs is:

• Have it either toggleable from the game menu or available only at higher difficulties.
• Use penalties like the ones seen in modern Fallout games when the player is crippled in combat, but applied to 2077’s mechanics. For instance, make weapon reloading slower, reduce accuracy, make vision a bit blurry, etc.

 

[Cyberway]

I'm not a fan of fear mechanics in games, for NPCs or the PC. Never seen it done in a way that wouldn't have become annoying at some point.

I only picked 7 for this one.

Somekind of combat fear sounds like interesting idea to me. You never see them in game. Normally player just shoot left and right, pick up the loot and carry on. Its difficult to make, if it becomes annoyance then players wont play the game though. Anyway, I dont think I know nay game what does combat psychological stuff.

 

[Nikola_Nesic]

I am not 100% sure, but in one Assassin's Creed i think if you fight with group of enemy and you kill few of them, rest run away.

 

[LordSerion]

2, 4, 7 + 6. Cool should work both ways, street cred being so high they put my names on the sign but if things go out of hand, that should also affect all.

 

[DontEatMe]

1 and 3 because fear checks match the core idea of the skill, and it would be great to see NPCs, both enemies and crowds, have panic responses when things get too much for them. I don't want them to panic at every little thing, because that makes boring enemies and very one dimensional feeling crowds, but there should be a threshold somewhere. Would be cool if different people in crowds react differently to things as well, rather than an all or nothing effect. Would be cool if some of the crowd just take cover during a gunfight, but others panic and stampede, and a few might even decide to join in on the fun

Options like 2 and 4, while not against the nature of COOL, are things I can live without. I would much rather these be underdone than overdone, because nothing sucks in a videogame like losing control of your character. I can live with some stuff, mostly debuffs, but I think it's really easy to take this kind of thing too far, leaving you wrestling with the controls. I would prefer not having to always play a max COOL build to be able to have fun.

5 because if there is a fear system, I want to know instantly when it triggers on me. If nothing else, save me the trouble of trying to do anything while it's active, but ideally just something to really sell the danger and enhance the tension for the player.

7 because as much as I don't see COOL as a charisma stat, it is the kind of thing that would be intimidating in the right situation. Staying in control under pressure is a classic element of intimidation. Ranting and screaming is off putting, and it can freak people out if they can't get away from you, but it can also make you look like an idiot. Speak softly and carry a big stick and all that.

And 10 because what says fear like murder clowns?

 

[MauricioMM]

Would be cool if some of the crowd just take cover during a gunfight, but others panic and stampede, and a few might even decide to join in on the fun

That's one of the things I'd love to see featured in the game. Sure, on the one hand, it could risk making combat in the streets more chaotic and unenjoyable than necessary but, on the other, seeing some NPCs get defensive (e.g. pulling their weapons out if there's a shootout near them) instead of panicky (e.g. running and screaming) depending of their COOL level, could give more sense of life to the city, especially one as dangerous as Night City

 

[Mawnark]

1, 6, 7 I want enemies to experience fear, but it'd be annoying for my char to be scared. I like the idea of interrogation and having dialogue be affected by cool.
8 & 9 If interrogation is in the game, I'd like the ability to see their cool so I can decide what to say based on their mental state. Reminds me of Connor's interrogation in Detroit: become human.

 

[AlexiaRevan]

Honestly, I don't understand the ''COOL'' thing . I mean, its your reputation right ?

The part that irk me, is if its tied to your clothes...well wouldn't that limit you ???

what if I don't like X piece of Clothes ? But hey it give you +10 COOL . I'm forced to wear it cose of that ?? where is the balance ???

I play too much Diplomate-Paragon-Lawful Good like characters . Only time I play and use 'Intimidation' that was in Mass effect, cose Renegade was too much fun!

I like Manipulating a situation , sweet talking my way out and egg peoples on, then go all hurr durr Give me your credit stick or else! lol

 

[DontEatMe]

Honestly, I don't understand the ''COOL'' thing . I mean, its your reputation right ?

From what I understand, street cred is your reputation. According to the skill tree from the demos, COOL affects assassination, snipers, and nerve. This indicates a performance under pressure stat, rather than a charisma or reputation stat. Based on that, COOL makes more sense as the stat to resist intimidation than as the stat to be intimidating.

 

[AlexiaRevan]

From what I understand, street cred is your reputation. According to the skill tree from the demos, COOL affects assassination, snipers, and nerve. This indicates a performance under pressure stat, rather than a charisma or reputation stat. Based on that, COOL makes more sense as the stat to resist intimidation than as the stat to be intimidating.

Sound complicated and I never heard of 'reputation' used like that before lol .

Usually the 'Few' games that have a reputation system, all it does is change a few dialogues here and there (how the world see you) . And some of your companions (Ex: A Paladin wouldn't walk with a Sociopath that keep killing Quest giver and say nothing) .

 

[DontEatMe]

Sound complicated and I never heard of 'reputation' used like that before lol .

Usually the 'Few' games that have a reputation system, all it does is change a few dialogues here and there (how the world see you) . And some of your companions (Ex: A Paladin wouldn't walk with a Sociopath that keep killing Quest giver and say nothing) .

COOL probably will not have anything to do with reputation.

Street cred is supposedly a mechanical representation of how well known you are, doing things like unlocking new vendors as you build a reputation. It might also do things like impact how crowds react or changing up dialogue a bit, but I haven't seen anything to substantiate that idea.

I think CDPR said that there isn't a global alignment system like karma that will impact whether someone like a paladin would talk to you, but there is probably some under the hood system that handles that on a case by case basis.

 

[fchopin]

No option for not sure so not voting.