Creating an RPG... Input is appreciated (BGII as standard)

[Dog of War]

I have posted something similar before, but why not relook at it since it is so much fun.

Building the story: Well let's build the story from childbirth and the decisions you make form there create who you are today.

Game Progression: I know certain things like eating get annoying, but I think they could add to realism, water and food, if your in the desert you run out of water, you die. Now shaving and haricuts my go too far.

Age is good. Younger may be stronger and more dexterious, but as you age you gain wisdom and intelligence. Injuries and attitude can effect charisma.

Skills: I think you could leanr skills through experience and using them. If you spend all game running around with a club in your hand, but have a mastery in sword? I think your club skill would go up and sword woudl go down. Have training centers and limits.. And using a certain weapon (Drizzt with his scimitars) you could become quite familar with them.

Injuries and death. How about this actually effects you in the game. Certain things efffect constituion, like hitting armour, ouch it hurts but really you don't lose blood or limbs.. But if you get your arm cut off, your ability to swing a two handed sword is effected. Maybe you have to move to rock throwing..

Party Size: Why can't I have an Army. (yes I know game limitations) But heck, I get attacked by 40 spiders, or 20 vamps, how about I unleash my 20 Adventurers! And I can sit back and command them... Fireball... Fireball. Web... Chaos.. arrows from the back... Barbarians up front! ARGH!! here we come..

Companions: like pets... A loyal Dog, or maybe a carrion up my sleeve. and Eagle for scouting...

Building stuff: I like the idea that stuff can be made with what you find. I woudl like the abilty to build different weapons and call it what I want, in the one person game. Such as I find a stick and make a bow, get it enchanted, find silver wolf hairs, make the string, have the blood of an ogres 3rd child on the string, I call it Silver Ogre Shredder, and it sucks, but it has a cool name. No really it is smooth and cuts though the Elk I need to eat.

More skills, like gambling, how about earning money by sitting at a table in a casino.. and yes you actually have to play, not random dice rolls.

What do you think. I am sure I will write more later. Your thoughts are appreciated.

[Strahd Von Zarovich]

Basicly then should take what they did right in previous Rpgs.

Best for age and diying + youth and experiance:

Well there is an old game called Darklands! (I wish they would make a new one, But even today it compares to BG) where your Caracter start off as nothing and you give him his history. each choice you make adds 5 years to his life and gives him more experiance. But the caracter can die of old age...

Best For eating and skills:

Ultima Online (Boy did it get old fast...), But skil would go up an down depending on what you did and food was essential to the developement of your Caracter. Sure he woudn't die from hunger but his skills would suffer.

Best for the drinking part:

Drinking, Ravenloft's Stone Prophet Your caracters had to carry around water pouches or have the priest ablity to create water.

For the army part I am not sure maybe a cut sceen like FF7 where your caracters have to manage an army for a major battle or more like Final Fantasy Tactics (Hey I am FF fan I still have No1 on my old nessy, but did ff Thactics blow!)

---------Personaly------------------------------
Personaly I would rather have a multi generation epic where your choices will give birth to a son or dauther (or adopted in race marriges that can't bear children). that would carry on the original quest like in Phantasy Star III

A low Magical world where skills are more important thant magic Like Ravenloft. But where there are multiples issues that can be taken and there should be a aliment tab to follow your carracter aliment. (Let's say If your Lawful Neutral but you refuse too many times to side with the Law, then your caracter would become Neutral Good or Chaotic neutral)

well that's my two cents

[Sir Markus]

My take, if it doesn't make the game more fun, it doesn't go in, period.

I don't have a problem with using food to heal wounds in a game, a little abstract, but at least there is a direct correlation between food and health in real life. But I can tell you people won't like it if their characters are nagging for food every five minutes. Characters should have to each have a full waterskin when entering the desert. It would empty when they leave, so they have to refill before going back. That's as far as I'd take that.

Pets would be cool, the problem is the games that have them, like MUD's, you just end up babysitting all the time. If you could find a good way to implement it, I think it could work.

The most important things to a good game are a nice intuitive interface, good automapping, good autonotes, etc. Also, music isn't that big a deal, but good atmospheric sound effects are rare in any game. Sound is almost always neglected and adds to a CRPG more than 3d effects, IMHO. That being said, if the music is very very good like Icewind and most Black Isle games, put it in.

I always thought a 'Listen Door' skill would be good. Where you have a character try to figure out what's on the other side of the door, and bonuses are awarded upon entering if they get it right. Get the monster type right? Get a one round suprise bonus. Get the number AND type of monsters correct? How about a two round bonus.

I think skills in a CRPG are awesome, and BG 2 kind of neglected this. Even though the last three have been trashed for poor graphics, I thought Might and Magic 6-8 were incredible games (especially 7) for their skills system and playability.

[dragonslayer]

You should send your ideas to AD&D instead, I don't think Interplay or Bioware could use these things since they have decided to use D&D rules.