Now, where did I put that Elixir?
A bit of a gameplay question here. During the toughest dungeon in Cloud Castle 2, one of our Beta-testers had to use 3 very strong healing potions, 2 Steelskin Potions, a Berserk Potion and a party members Heal ability.
The question is, how important should potions be to a game? Or other expendable items? These could be one shot weapons, healing potions/scrolls, or whatever.
Should you need them to get through dungeons? Any dungeon? Or just the toughest of the tough?
Or should they just be safeguards for if you get sloppy? If you take a few too many hits from a bonca before a boss, and need something to boost your chances?
And furthermore, how many potions do you all buy? I don't usually invest in many, but do any of you really tool yourself up before venturing out into the wilderness?
Discuss.
The question is, how important should potions be to a game? Or other expendable items? These could be one shot weapons, healing potions/scrolls, or whatever.
Should you need them to get through dungeons? Any dungeon? Or just the toughest of the tough?
Or should they just be safeguards for if you get sloppy? If you take a few too many hits from a bonca before a boss, and need something to boost your chances?
And furthermore, how many potions do you all buy? I don't usually invest in many, but do any of you really tool yourself up before venturing out into the wilderness?
Discuss.
I'd say that potions isn't really the issue, though gameplay would be.
Basically I'd expect a game to be balanced so that I'd be able to beat the "normal" monsters wherever I am - whether it's a dungeon or elsewhere - with the experience I've gained getting there.
The average experience for a user at a certain point in the game should (IMHO) be based on beating all possible monsters on the way *once* + finding 100% of obviously placed level ups and about 50% of hidden level ups.
So roaming the country side would be expected, doing this two or three times to level up should not be necessary.
Furthermore I always consider having a savebot + a large heart on the screen before the "boss" a good idea. This way you:
1) know you've reached the boss and know to arm whichever weapon you feel most comfortable with fighting a boss (which may be different from the weapons you use fighting normal monsters)
and
2) have a fair chance health-wise
The boss should be of a strength that if you start with full health, you could beat him and have about 10-20% of health left at the end.
This again based on the expected health line of the average player (as described above).
I normally don't buy many health potions, though I do buy level ups if they are available.
I do like to be able to get a "heal" spell at some point in the game and don't consider this an unfair advantage as while you have the heal spell armed, you can't use any of the other magic spells, so that sort of balances the advantage out.
Hope this helps,
Matrice
Basically I'd expect a game to be balanced so that I'd be able to beat the "normal" monsters wherever I am - whether it's a dungeon or elsewhere - with the experience I've gained getting there.
The average experience for a user at a certain point in the game should (IMHO) be based on beating all possible monsters on the way *once* + finding 100% of obviously placed level ups and about 50% of hidden level ups.
So roaming the country side would be expected, doing this two or three times to level up should not be necessary.
Furthermore I always consider having a savebot + a large heart on the screen before the "boss" a good idea. This way you:
1) know you've reached the boss and know to arm whichever weapon you feel most comfortable with fighting a boss (which may be different from the weapons you use fighting normal monsters)
and
2) have a fair chance health-wise
The boss should be of a strength that if you start with full health, you could beat him and have about 10-20% of health left at the end.
This again based on the expected health line of the average player (as described above).
I normally don't buy many health potions, though I do buy level ups if they are available.
I do like to be able to get a "heal" spell at some point in the game and don't consider this an unfair advantage as while you have the heal spell armed, you can't use any of the other magic spells, so that sort of balances the advantage out.
Hope this helps,
Matrice
I personally try to imagine it realistically. I always carry at least one healing item if not two though I know under normal circumstances I wont need them. Yet the in game character doesnt understand he can load if he dies so he wouldnt be so risky...for realism then I always carry some.
Who remembers D&D? You had to use stuff like that constantly.
Sincerely,
The Vault Dweller
Who remembers D&D? You had to use stuff like that constantly.
Sincerely,
The Vault Dweller
