Post by gazoo on Nov 7, 2016 13:05:30 GMT -5
I thought I'd post on this thread, as it seems a good collective spot to post another new player thoughts. I like the world...it's tough and you need to use some tactics/party. Nice change from the "get max AC and stand there" PW.
I mention guns a lot below, as I'm sure that's a common new-player interest. I also mention a lot of solo-type concern...yet to really get into a PW and play comfortably in an experienced party, it's nice to understand the mechanics ahead with some solo experimenting.
I'm about 10-15 game hours in, with quite a bit more in forum/wiki lurking.
1. Tutorial was fine. No issues. Died trying to kill guards with guns...but good lesson in atmosphere and mechanics.
2. I've been experimenting with mechanics to see how things are implemented. Here's some confusing things for which I tried to find more information, with not much found. I searched the forum and wiki for these:
-Healing potions: wiki needs a description of exactly what they do.
I may just be dense, but it took cheapskate-me a while to start to use potions and figure out what healing and recovery do. I didn't really get how useful recovery potions are. When I finally got to using them...I was "should have been using these from the start and not hording them!".
Also, it might be considered spoiler, but I like to see the usage effects listed for calculating during an adventure: how much tox and how much particular effect each. What exact effect does the number() have on potions?
-Healing kits have diminishing returns for cumulative damage collected over time. It's not a big deal now I understand, but it's not intuitive. (Needs a wiki note for the new player, probably in a same wiki section as the healing potions.)
-Infravision potions last forever (or until cleansed). I was worried that they were limited duration and did not try one for the longest time. Wiki note needed.
-Ranged weapons reloading wiki clarification. Reload needs noting that shell loss issues/reload failure can occur while moving or with a move/queued action. Stand still for best results (combat as well). You need to not have an equipped ranged weapon to reload magazines. Only magazine weapons can be unloaded and into empty magazines at that (well..there's that movement quirk that can be exploited, I suppose). Took me quite a while to get this figured out - it's also important for switching bullet types with the new silver mags.
-Shotgun shell types. I've been experimenting with the various types and other than a tiny bit of fire on heater, I can't see a lot of difference. Could these be mechanically qualified on the wiki? I like to see if it's just bad luck/incorrect use/ or just a very small difference in effect.
-Hybrids. Do they suffer from point-blank -4AB without iron sights; Are they typed ranged? Needs a wiki clarification. (the bashing damage is often much more effective than the shot). I suppose I'll check the log with this soon.
-hp, stamina, or metabolism. A little wiki (player experience) opinion on exactly how, mechanically, these might have an impact at level 20+: I'm still trying to decide; I haven't leveled yet, even with a few levels on the character - I'm still figuring how I want to go with this character and how dependant I am on these. It would appear that it's not that critical for my low level (I've got up to 10skill in various things) and I'm not lacking for stamina using ranged with medium armor so far (aware of the ranged penalty).
-AB question for multiple shots. Seems to use standard nwn2 AB/AB-x/AB-2x/AB-3x . Is x=4 here? Odd..my combat log seems to display that increment with the submachine gun. But it's more of a personal consideration: I'm not sure a weapon with such a large RoF will be effective with last half of the shots (which ~means many of the shots are a significant waste for ammo if counting on 20s). Would be nice to see a wiki clarification.
-There are some useful abilities (per wiki) that are gained by levels in certain armors but don't explicitly require that particular armor must be worn at the time of use. For example, heavy armor:immovable or light armor: dirty fighting. Is this correct?
-Maybe a wiki entry for dungeon ranges and possible direction hints. It's not really a spoiler - more of an introduction. I've been trying to have a good look around the PW (mountain trail, bandits, beetles, cemetary, etc). If I hadn't searched the forum, it's possible I might have only explored the cemetary and the beetles.
-How do you see a specific mob levels? Site-based dungeons list the general level range...but open dungeons are very hard to guess. I was in the sewers and ran into a Gelantinous cube that described "impossible" but was not bad...and ran away from a Swamp hydra after it's henchman "very difficult" snake almost did me in.
-Is there a way to know if someone(s) is already in an adventure area without going in and checking the player list? In order to not mess with their mobs, be polite and all that.
-I know that wiki mentions that helper Npcs are available, but I as yet have not found/talked with one of them...so I'm basically used to being solo now with exceptions. I'd suggest a wiki/intro note for the name and location of one of them to help new players get oriented/get confidence.
In fact, it could be noted that players can experiment/become comfortable with stuff around the cemetery keeper, since he essentially acts as a limited NPC guard. My first thought about this guy, after finally talking to him much later, was "that would have saved me a lot of learning/experiment time!". There's the dog on the tutorial, but it will not join you again and it's quicker to the cemetary.
-Zone refreshing: I'm not clear on how this works for chests and rests. A minimum time interval (and if so...how long) or is it based on others going in the area? Wiki entry would help clairify. I don't mind losing gains from death, but it's disappointing to not know when to again attempt this adventure with refreshed chests.
And related, what's the reset interval time for despawn/spawn? Because when a lvl 5 follows where a lvl 20 just left.....it's perhaps prudent to wait that interval....
TLDR: I am enjoying AE.
I mention guns a lot below, as I'm sure that's a common new-player interest. I also mention a lot of solo-type concern...yet to really get into a PW and play comfortably in an experienced party, it's nice to understand the mechanics ahead with some solo experimenting.
I'm about 10-15 game hours in, with quite a bit more in forum/wiki lurking.
1. Tutorial was fine. No issues. Died trying to kill guards with guns...but good lesson in atmosphere and mechanics.
2. I've been experimenting with mechanics to see how things are implemented. Here's some confusing things for which I tried to find more information, with not much found. I searched the forum and wiki for these:
-Healing potions: wiki needs a description of exactly what they do.
I may just be dense, but it took cheapskate-me a while to start to use potions and figure out what healing and recovery do. I didn't really get how useful recovery potions are. When I finally got to using them...I was "should have been using these from the start and not hording them!".
Also, it might be considered spoiler, but I like to see the usage effects listed for calculating during an adventure: how much tox and how much particular effect each. What exact effect does the number() have on potions?
-Healing kits have diminishing returns for cumulative damage collected over time. It's not a big deal now I understand, but it's not intuitive. (Needs a wiki note for the new player, probably in a same wiki section as the healing potions.)
-Infravision potions last forever (or until cleansed). I was worried that they were limited duration and did not try one for the longest time. Wiki note needed.
-Ranged weapons reloading wiki clarification. Reload needs noting that shell loss issues/reload failure can occur while moving or with a move/queued action. Stand still for best results (combat as well). You need to not have an equipped ranged weapon to reload magazines. Only magazine weapons can be unloaded and into empty magazines at that (well..there's that movement quirk that can be exploited, I suppose). Took me quite a while to get this figured out - it's also important for switching bullet types with the new silver mags.
-Shotgun shell types. I've been experimenting with the various types and other than a tiny bit of fire on heater, I can't see a lot of difference. Could these be mechanically qualified on the wiki? I like to see if it's just bad luck/incorrect use/ or just a very small difference in effect.
-Hybrids. Do they suffer from point-blank -4AB without iron sights; Are they typed ranged? Needs a wiki clarification. (the bashing damage is often much more effective than the shot). I suppose I'll check the log with this soon.
-hp, stamina, or metabolism. A little wiki (player experience) opinion on exactly how, mechanically, these might have an impact at level 20+: I'm still trying to decide; I haven't leveled yet, even with a few levels on the character - I'm still figuring how I want to go with this character and how dependant I am on these. It would appear that it's not that critical for my low level (I've got up to 10skill in various things) and I'm not lacking for stamina using ranged with medium armor so far (aware of the ranged penalty).
-AB question for multiple shots. Seems to use standard nwn2 AB/AB-x/AB-2x/AB-3x . Is x=4 here? Odd..my combat log seems to display that increment with the submachine gun. But it's more of a personal consideration: I'm not sure a weapon with such a large RoF will be effective with last half of the shots (which ~means many of the shots are a significant waste for ammo if counting on 20s). Would be nice to see a wiki clarification.
-There are some useful abilities (per wiki) that are gained by levels in certain armors but don't explicitly require that particular armor must be worn at the time of use. For example, heavy armor:immovable or light armor: dirty fighting. Is this correct?
-Maybe a wiki entry for dungeon ranges and possible direction hints. It's not really a spoiler - more of an introduction. I've been trying to have a good look around the PW (mountain trail, bandits, beetles, cemetary, etc). If I hadn't searched the forum, it's possible I might have only explored the cemetary and the beetles.
-How do you see a specific mob levels? Site-based dungeons list the general level range...but open dungeons are very hard to guess. I was in the sewers and ran into a Gelantinous cube that described "impossible" but was not bad...and ran away from a Swamp hydra after it's henchman "very difficult" snake almost did me in.
-Is there a way to know if someone(s) is already in an adventure area without going in and checking the player list? In order to not mess with their mobs, be polite and all that.
-I know that wiki mentions that helper Npcs are available, but I as yet have not found/talked with one of them...so I'm basically used to being solo now with exceptions. I'd suggest a wiki/intro note for the name and location of one of them to help new players get oriented/get confidence.
In fact, it could be noted that players can experiment/become comfortable with stuff around the cemetery keeper, since he essentially acts as a limited NPC guard. My first thought about this guy, after finally talking to him much later, was "that would have saved me a lot of learning/experiment time!". There's the dog on the tutorial, but it will not join you again and it's quicker to the cemetary.
-Zone refreshing: I'm not clear on how this works for chests and rests. A minimum time interval (and if so...how long) or is it based on others going in the area? Wiki entry would help clairify. I don't mind losing gains from death, but it's disappointing to not know when to again attempt this adventure with refreshed chests.
And related, what's the reset interval time for despawn/spawn? Because when a lvl 5 follows where a lvl 20 just left.....it's perhaps prudent to wait that interval....
TLDR: I am enjoying AE.
