On kit descriptions and HLA allowances.

[Andyr]

With all the custom kits floating around these days, many have HLA choices which differ from the main base class' table.

 

What I am wondering is how people would most like to see these differences documented. Say, for example, a Blade could not use the Scribe Scrolls HLA that is available to Bards.

 

- Would it be best mentioned in the Disadvantages section of the kit description?

- Should it be in a new HLA notes section of the kit description?

- Should it not be mentioned in the kit description at all, and merely listed in the mod ReadMe file?

- Or, perhaps, should there not be any documentation about it?

 

I ask as I may have been involved with kit mods in the past, might be in the future, and they may or may not involve HLAs so hypothetically it might be a good idea to know what people think.

[Kish]

Since it's generally the removal of one HLA and the addition of another in its place, I'd go with Option 2, or at least putting it somewhere neutral. Not a pure advantage, not a pure disadvantage, and definitely shouldn't be undocumented or hard to read about.

[Caswallon]

I'd prefer a new HLA section as well. Documentation in the Readme is all nice, but having access to it in-game would be useful, as well; esp. if there are a lot of changes to the HLA system. Adding them to the Advantages/Disadvantages lists can clutter up those sections pretty fast.

[BigRob]

I agree that it should be clearly visible when selecting the kit, just in case someone's really looking forward to a specific HLA.

 

And I s'pose a HLA section is as good a place as any to put it.

[igi]

Put it in the readme - thats what it is for.

 

I feel including the information in-game would lead to power-gaming (I want this kit, as as level x it gets HLA A and B, and level y get HLA c instead of the default HLA d).

[SimDing0]

Are old HLAs documented anywhere ingame (before you get to the HLA screen)? If not, why should new ones be?

 

I'd like to see every class/kit description given an "Available High-Level Abilities" section, which would list every HLA they'd be getting, rather than just those the player wouldn't expect.

[Caswallon]

In the standard game, HLAs are only documented in the HLA selection screen. Introducing such a section into the kit description would be a good move, imho.

There is no such thing as too much documentation. *g*

@igi on "power-gaming": So you'd remove the documentation of kit abilities like "gains poison resistance at level 20", too? Putting it only in the readme only shifts the "power-gaming": are HLAs listed in the kit description, I start the game, read the descriptions and choose my kit. Aren't they listed, I open up the readme, read the kit descriptions, and choose my kit...

[jester]

Do I have to play halfway through the game only to find out that my assumptions at the creation stage were wrong? I cannot see the powergaming aspect. I agree that a HLA overview at character creation would be a big improvement which should not hinder anybody to write a detailed readme that offers the big picture on why this and that choice for that particular kit.

 

Only people who never reload and never use anything but the first stat rolled are not powergamers in the definition offered above.

[igi]

It should go in the readme, otherwise the mod (whichever mod it may be) will probably be accused of not having a detailed readme, and misleading players.

 

 

 

As for the power-gaming comment - I don't see why it's necessary to know what abilities your character will gain to enjoy the game. It's a role-playing game, you role play.

 

Think "I'll play as assassin, they I can sneak around and kill people in stealth, for money, which sounds fun. Perhaps I'll be able to pick up some contracts. I wonder if the city guard will take special exception to my profession?".

 

Dont think "I'll play as assassin, who gets poison blade at level 20, silent movement (wow + 45% to hide in shadows!, I'll be so hard to see, and when I use the Short Sword of Backstabbing I can get from kill Blokey I'll be uber", and I'll get Climb Walls at level 23, and if I dual to a mage then, I can still get enough XP to get level 8 spells, then I'll be able to cast "Bigby's Favourite Food"".

[jester]

I completely see you point, but since the game does not reward roleplaying in many aspects, giving the player something to go by might be appreciated or you end up getting questions, why you cannot use such and such and that your kit is not working properly.

 

Putting something in the readme would be a good idea and suffice for me, but it would be preferable to have it ingame.

 

Sidenote: If you chose the kit 'assassin' on the assumptions listed in the first paragraph, you are in for a big disappointment. You have to fetch some stuff, kill everybody a paladin would also kill and there are no freelance jobs for you in this game.And nobody takes notice.

[NiGHTMARE]

The kit description could hint at the HLA being disallowed, e.g. "due to his intense focus on the study of weapons, the Blade's literacy skills are somewhat lacking."

[Andyr]

I personally would tend towards mentioning the explicit mechanics of the kit somewhere, though exactly how I am unsure. Probably the second option. In which I'd probably mention all the HLAs the kit can gain.

[SimDing0]

It should go in the readme, otherwise the mod (whichever mod it may be) will probably be accused of not having a detailed readme, and misleading players.

Only if it claimed to improve HLAs and just deleted them.

[SimDing0]

I personally would tend towards mentioning the explicit mechanics of the kit somewhere, though exactly how I am unsure. Probably the second option. In which I'd probably mention all the HLAs the kit can gain.

This should be standardised across all the Remix mods, and vanilla Bioware classes and kits should be updated at some point.

[CamDawg]

HLAs implies Throne of Bhaal. Throne of Bhaal, in turn, induces severe sickness. Ergo, exlude them so I can continue to enjoy BG2 and Tutu.