KotC2 Preliminary Analysis & Suggested Mechanics Revamp

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KotC2 Preliminary Analysis & Suggested Mechanics Revamp

Postby Endarire » Sun Dec 23, 2018 9:54 am

Foreward
Greetings, all, and merry Christmas 2018!

Over approximately the past 2 months of tens or hundreds of hours of work, my friend and I who played KotC together analyzed KotC2's mechanics as presented on the website and assembled a preliminary analysis and suggested mechanics revamp for KotC2. (She provided certain ideas, but I did most of this, including typing.) We did this for the sake of improving KotC2's mechanics to the highest degree (which also translates to more sales) as much as possible without having played a digital (pre)release of the game.

Note that this revamp is still a work in progress as mentioned in the Future Developments section, though a significant portion has already been done. We released what we have so far as a Christmas gift to Sal and the community and seek feedback on this revamp, including how to improve this revamp further. (We also know that opinions on this matter may differ greatly.)

While this likely won't be a problem, we list it here just in case: Before offering feedback in this thread about this revamp, we assume you've read and understood the relevant sections. For example, if you think the Bard should change because of certain feats, or that the Wizard and Paladin are just better Bards, provide relevant feedback and make your case for this.

We encourage everyone to read the parts that seem most interesting to them and make theoretical builds based on the material so far. Our doing so on our end has helped us tweak certain mechanics for balance.

Sal, if implementing these is out of scope for KotC2, seriously consider them for another game, like a sequel, spin-off, or expansion.

Revamp Index
-Intro & System-Level Stuff
-Future Developments
-Races, Subraces, Point Buys, and Game Difficulty
-Classes
-Feats
-Psionic Powers, New & Revised

Version History
1.01: Added Theurge.

1: Initial release.
Last edited by Endarire on Thu Jan 03, 2019 10:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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KotC2 Preliminary Analysis & Suggested Mechanics Revamp

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Re: KotC2 Preliminary Analysis & Suggested Mechanics Revamp

Postby BlueSalamander » Mon Dec 24, 2018 1:53 pm

Hello Endarire,

Thank you for this extraordinary in-depth design document, or set of documents.

I have just gone through it, but I really don't have the time to provide a more detailed answer.

The most important thing that I have to say is the following: the presented design of KotC 2 classes and feats is no longer a proposed design. It is the game's implemented design. So, it would be impossible for me to transform KotC 2 into the game that you envision in your design documents.

Your design document is the outcome of pure thinking about game design and what would be fun; which is great, don't get me wrong. But the KotC 2 implemented design is a hybrid outcome, in equal parts, of what I think is fun, plus all the thinking about what is possible to implement.

As an example, if a particular psionic power or spell is not in the game, there is a good chance that it was a conscious decision to reject that spell or power based on the fact that it would be too complicated to implement it.

While I have worked more than 10 years to get KotC 2 to the point where it's at now, with an implemented design and a game that's almost ready to ship, turning your design into the reality of a game would probably take at least five more years. So, again, it's completely impossible.

A power or ability that looks very interesting, and seems simple on paper, might very well turn out to be hellishly complicated to implement.

Still, I appreciate the effort, and a number of the ideas and suggestions may become reality at some point. Such as the suggestion for a non-random Hit Point bonus at level up (average or maximum HP bonus, as in KotC 1). Some suggestions may also become reality in the form of new feats or new abilities for a class.

On the issue of non-casters being too ineffective compared to casters, I will say this: in my KotC 2 playthrough, my Half-Giant Samurai is the party's most important death dealer bar none, and also the go-to character when a really tough monster comes up. A lot of the time, my Wizard is more effective casting Enlarge and Haste on the Samurai than casting any other spell. As far as I'm concerned, this is exactly the kind of gameplay I was looking for. Once you get to play the game, I'm sure that you will review some of your opinions on this matter.

Thanks again and Merry Christmas to you!
'Say there is a chunk of meat. Pirates will have a banquet and eat it! But heroes will share it with other people. I want all the meat!!' - Luffy in One Piece
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Re: KotC2 Preliminary Analysis & Suggested Mechanics Revamp

Postby Endarire » Tue Dec 25, 2018 9:43 am

Thankee!

I realized that what I proposed was significantly involved to implement and specifically mentioned this proposal was meant, if not for KotC2, then for another game, as well as that there was no fair way to test the game as it was until playing it. Perhaps KotC3 (or 2.5, or somesuch) will use more of this.

Regardless, if you use this material, I ask you cite me (Greg Campbell) in the credits in the relevant sections (most likely design in this case).

Merry Christmas!
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Re: KotC2 Preliminary Analysis & Suggested Mechanics Revamp

Postby itsdat » Tue Dec 25, 2018 2:01 pm

Whoa, good job with the analysis. It was quite an interesting read. 8-)
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Re: KotC2 Preliminary Analysis & Suggested Mechanics Revamp

Postby Endarire » Tue Dec 25, 2018 11:12 pm

itsdat: Thankee for your positive feedback! What did you especially like about it? What characters and parties did you most anticipate playing with or/and against?
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Re: KotC2 Preliminary Analysis & Suggested Mechanics Revamp

Postby itsdat » Sat Dec 29, 2018 2:15 pm

Endarire wrote:itsdat: Thankee for your positive feedback! What did you especially like about it? What characters and parties did you most anticipate playing with or/and against?


Your ideas about Feats, Races & Subraces are quite good im, but the whole writing is decent. As for the parties [6], I usually go with the [Fighter] - [Tank] - [Healer] - [Caster] - [Caster] - [X] setup. X = Some random class. :)
In KotC 2. my first part will be: Champion - Samurai - Cleric - Wizard - Warlock and the random 6th [the X :D] will be a Psychic Healer.
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Re: KotC2 Preliminary Analysis & Suggested Mechanics Revamp

Postby Endarire » Tue Jan 08, 2019 9:15 am

Regarding the party build, I meant, "What builds and parties seem most appealing using only the revamped rules?" I apologize for not clarifying that the first time.
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