Adjusting the Skill Tree

[YellowCheerio]

I think the skill tree could use a change in the sequel. Mainly so that players can’t max out everything. Players should have to decide what they want to put their skills into. One thought I had was to adjust the skill tree to have everything under 5 categories.

|Strength|Sword|Axe|Mace|Unarmed||
|Agility|Defense|Bow|Horsemanship|||
|Vitality|Endurance|Drinking|Gambling|First Aid||
|Stealth|Hunting|Locksmith|Pickpocketing|||
|Intelligence|Alchemy|Herbalism|Maintenance|Reading|Speech|

The main categories would be like most RPGs where you put points from leveling up into a category. So if you have a point, you may put it into strength. From there, you can use the system in place now where you can level up sword based on experience, but the max that you can level it up is to the current amount of points you have in strength. So if you have 10 points in strength, then you can max out at 10. Points would be limited based on your level, let’s say up to 60.

Another thing is that leveling up sword should give you unlocks for sword and make you more efficient at using your sword. This would mean less stamina requirements or more accurate/harder to block swings. Experience should make you better at it, not necessarily more powerful. Strength should be the only factor of how powerful your hits are.

Agility would make maybe allow your attacks to occur more quickly, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you would want to max out agility + strength and neglect the other categories. It would bring some balance.

Another example for agility would be the bow. Leveling up your bow should make it more easy to aim and have the ability to fire shots off more quickly. A bow shouldn’t magically become more powerful just because you’ve leveled up.

It can work similarly for other items. Intelligence is another interesting one. Higher or lower intelligence should be seen in conversation. I hated that in this game you could have a high reading skill, hence you’re supposed to be fairly well learned and yet you sound like a moron at times when talking to some people. Also, give the ability to maybe learn other languages (like Latin) and things of that nature.

I should also then be able to solve any and all quests by either brute, diplomacy, stealth. Quests could branch off depending on how I decide tackle them, but then ultimately lead to a similar conclusion… or maybe not? if you want cause & effect type stuff.

[glansky]

I am not dismissing your recommendation, but if the purpose is to emulate “real life” then you progress as you grow and learn. To be able to select your improvements and max out a skill is unrealistic… (IMHO).

[Hratgard]

Totally disagree. First off, as the other reply pointed out. Puting points where you want breaks the immersion. And if I wanna put the work in to be a master of all, then let me. I hate it when you top out a game at max level and cant unlock all.

[Chessqueen]

The skill tree should be completely removed from the game and instead Warhorse should add an immersive and organic skill system where Henry can learn new skills from other NPCs in the game by training. Not simply open a menu and clicking on a boring skill tree to spent skill points for learning new skills. That’s generic and no great game design. For example if Henry learns faster riding there should be a dialog where an NPC say to Henry how he have to sit and to hold on the horse to become faster. Not just learning this by a click! This would make the game much more immersive and believable. And this is not only a minor thing to improve. This is one of the most important quality aspects where almost all games fail except Gothic 1 & 2. Warhorse needs to play Gothic 1 & 2 first, learn how game design is done right and then make their game.

[Logist]

The skill tree should be completely removed from the game and instead Warhorse should add an immersive and organic skill system where Henry can learn new skills from other NPCs in the game by training. Not simply open a menu and clicking on a boring skill tree to spent skill points for learning new skills. That’s generic and no great game design. For example if Henry learns faster riding there should be a dialog where an NPC say to Henry how he have to sit and to hold on the horse to become faster. Not just learning this by a click! This would make the game much more immersive and believable. And this is not only a minor thing to improve. This is one of the most important quality aspects where almost all games fail except Gothic 1 & 2. Warhorse needs to play Gothic 1 & 2 first, learn how game design is done right and then make their game.

Fully agree here. Game mechanics allow this, and there are LOTS of NPCs, who could in theory become a teacher for protagonist.

if only we had this and less OP high level weapons (while it is understandable for bows - they depend on the strength of pull, high level swords don’t become jedi lightsabers, they are just a bit sharper and durable, thanks to materials) which were progressing less fast in their damage…