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As it has been from the beginning...
That the character systems, their versatility and gameplay application are left at a "token feature" level of "we threw some stats there so it's deffo an RPG", yet... it's just a largely imaginationless and ineffective perk tree(s) whose function and intrigue drowns in the flashy player based action and "we want to tell big story"-blanket that leaves little to no room for systemic roleplaying and choice in creating characteristic intrigue.
That the character systems, their versatility and gameplay application are left at a "token feature" level of "we threw some stats there so it's deffo an RPG", yet... it's just a largely imaginationless and ineffective perk tree(s) whose function and intrigue drowns in the flashy player based action and "we want to tell big story"-blanket that leaves little to no room for systemic roleplaying and choice in creating characteristic intrigue.
Would you prefer to have the number telling you from the beginning that the NPC is too strong for you? I personally don't see any difference between "??" and "lvl 23, I'm 16, no way I can make it, weird because I''ve seen a lot of other NPCs who look the same but are lower in levels". That's how it was in TW3. Did I misunderstand your post?
I hate it, I like to understand an NPC's power by its look, with a normal thug being always less powerful than a fully armored soldier (e.g. scavanger vs. trauma team or meredith's team). Don't need a number limiting me.
Oh boi oh boi, if there're still many things you would want to talk about, even after nearly 50 minutes gameplay demo...Believe me, there are so many things I would like to talk about regarding the game at this very moment, but for now, we all have to be patient. Everything will come at the right time.
This game will be HUGE.
It appears most of my biggest fears have already been confirmed. Forced first person perspective. Silly weapons. Unrealistic physics like double jump. Level based progression and increasing hitpoints. Our characters not being unique, instead being some pre created, pre named nonsense, and what appears to be minimal customization. Oh, and lack of full array of character roles as playable characters.
I can appreciate the purist perspective, but some deviation from the source material has to be expected as what is ideal for a tabletop experience may not be ideal for a video game experience. And it's important to keep in mind that these changes were made with Mike Pondsmith's approval.
While I can see the arguments in support of 3rd person and 1st person, I'm okay with CDPR's decision there. Making a 3rd person camera work in tight hallways and alleys can be problematic.
On weapons, this isn't 2020, it's 2077...and CDPR has to show a video game audience something that they haven't seen before. If the weapons hadn't moved on, the team would get accused of being unimaginative or slavishly copying 2020. So it's a no-win for them. Somebody will always be critical no matter what they do. What matters more to me is how new ideas are implemented, and they seem to be taking steps towards getting that right.
Double-Jump IS silly. But it's a time honored video game mechanic that people like. CDPR themselves have stated repeatedly that everything we've seen is subject to change. If it's fun and works, so be it. If not, ditch it.
The (level based) progression system is probably set (but untuned) at this point. HP increasing is a deviation, but I'm willing to give CDPR the benefit of the doubt on that. I trust that it will be tuned according to what playtesting determines is a good compromise between lethality and frustration. Would it be fun to spend 30 minutes building your ideal character, walk into one encounter, get shot in the face and have to either save scum or start an all new character? I'm not so sure. Just because it's different from 2020 doesn't mean that it will be easy or that choices won't have consequences. Even the playable demo illustrates that forethought is the way to go.
Why does the character have a pre-set handle ("V")? Because you have to record VO. These are important considerations that were made for a reason.
It's easy to criticize from the outside when we aren't part of the conversations going on behind the scenes. The fact that CDPR is engaged with the community is a good sign that they are listening to feedback, and will respond to the extent possible.
While I can see the arguments in support of 3rd person and 1st person, I'm okay with CDPR's decision there. Making a 3rd person camera work in tight hallways and alleys can be problematic.
On weapons, this isn't 2020, it's 2077...and CDPR has to show a video game audience something that they haven't seen before. If the weapons hadn't moved on, the team would get accused of being unimaginative or slavishly copying 2020. So it's a no-win for them. Somebody will always be critical no matter what they do. What matters more to me is how new ideas are implemented, and they seem to be taking steps towards getting that right.
Double-Jump IS silly. But it's a time honored video game mechanic that people like. CDPR themselves have stated repeatedly that everything we've seen is subject to change. If it's fun and works, so be it. If not, ditch it.
The (level based) progression system is probably set (but untuned) at this point. HP increasing is a deviation, but I'm willing to give CDPR the benefit of the doubt on that. I trust that it will be tuned according to what playtesting determines is a good compromise between lethality and frustration. Would it be fun to spend 30 minutes building your ideal character, walk into one encounter, get shot in the face and have to either save scum or start an all new character? I'm not so sure. Just because it's different from 2020 doesn't mean that it will be easy or that choices won't have consequences. Even the playable demo illustrates that forethought is the way to go.
Why does the character have a pre-set handle ("V")? Because you have to record VO. These are important considerations that were made for a reason.
It's easy to criticize from the outside when we aren't part of the conversations going on behind the scenes. The fact that CDPR is engaged with the community is a good sign that they are listening to feedback, and will respond to the extent possible.
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Believe me, there are so many things I would like to talk about regarding the game at this very moment, but for now, we all have to be patient. Everything will come at the right time.
Also as far as I understood the double jump comes with the agile Solo build they used for the character in the demo. So if you don't want it just don't skill it.
Take another look at the character creation screen in the demo. 5+ presets which can be further customized with 5 sliders hair styles/hair colors/tattoos etc. and it doesn't seem to be final either.
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I think we're on the same page. My original concern was having character and weapon levels be in the game at all. I just don't want encounters to be "how high is this guy's level? Do I stand a chance against him in combat? If he's 10 levels above me, I should just go for the peaceful option."
That's not role-playing. It's not even fun. It's just making decisions based on arbitrary numbers. I really hope CDPR goes the Deus Ex route and makes an RPG Lite. I can't stress how much I fucking hate character and weapon levels.
And there are going to be some people who agree with you there... But I doubt it will be the majority of video gamers. It would be great if there was some degree of flexibility in the difficulty so that players could have more control.
Yeah totally. Maybe a "hard-core" mode or some such. Then people would expect something interesting. Would make for very interesting Let's plays I think.
I totally agree, and you know wht is even worse with this? That you don't even get to the point of having the chance to speak with such a character since you'll be forced to follow a mission that matches your level with a level system like in TW3.
I mean, I'm fine with encountering meredith stout and her team and deciding to go for the peaceful option because they're corpo agents with high-end weapons, armours and augments so I know that if I try to shoot, maybe I'll kill one but it'll be nearly impossibile to kill all of them and survive. The problem with the levels is that I won't be able to hurt them at all because they are bullet-sponges for a lvl 3 character who does 100 DPS (because DPS scales with character's or weapons' level) and one-shoot me because they deal 1000 DPS and I have 120 HP. So even if during dialogue I draw a gun and head-shot the guy from 10cm, I will only deal a small percentage of damage because of his huge HP pool. Absolutely immersion-breaking and not role-playing.
V's analysis before the meeting was great, it already told me that they are extremely powerful enemies (the armored SUV, the scanner saying it couldn't predict their weak point because too advanced), I don't need a small number on their head to understand it and to affect my chances in combat.
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Now that you mention it... Same here. Everything I had hoped not to see has become a reality (up until the demo and the info that followed... since nothing new has come out since).
Predefined character. Roles limited to fit character predefinition and skilltrees/-progression apparently copied from Witcher and repainted to fit the new setting. Boring deterministic skilltests that lack any and all systemic and mechanical intrigue. Stats gating skill progression. Full blown FPS combat with leveled enemies and gun skills affecting damage, plus slow-mo bullet dodger drugs to pick your headshots. Scripted "platformer"-like boss battles. Forced unkillable companions (like Witcher), and forced progression checks via forced cyberware. Silly weapons like that horrible forcefield katana. And I'm probably missing out on a few.
It's all gameplay related. And I think it's a huge shame, because otherwise the game looks very good. A nice world with a nice story just isn't enough, if the gameplay has to be suffered through to get those good parts.
My biggest fear is that the game will end up censored to one degree or another.
That the story, character and scenery will be neglected to make this a perfect shooter. I want a game I can lose myself in, actually live the role/character in the game. It doesn't have to be the best shooter ever or the "newest thing" in shooters.
My biggest fear is I have to wait more than another year to play this game.
This, i can't put much emphasis on this enough. It seems weird to me companies like troika and obsidian and black isles can have entirely different ways playing the game just based on low intellect or a different clan like in bloodlines, yet in cyberpunk 2077 you can't be anything more than a predfined mercenary that is forced to use cyberware in quest in order to progress. Huge disappointment, it feels like a themepark you visit from a distance rather than an active participant.
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