Wanting a more challenging gameplay for Skyrim?

[baloo42]

Note: go here for the latest update!

http://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/2193584-hardcore-rpg-rule-system-for-skyrim/

This is the result of an idea i have been pondering, concerning the challenges presented in Skyrim.

i have been playing around with ideas for it ever since it was discussed on one of the forums.

WHAT IT DOES:

This is an external, self-governing rule system for Skyrim,

it is meant to provide a greater challenge to the game,

and thus creating a world which is dire, and most importantly ... one which has consequences

- This is done by imposing limits on the character,

- Penalties incurred for dying (i have tried a lot of the various "No Death" mods, but they all ended up slowing down the game too much for my comfort)

- And giving the character Goals to drive you forward - achieve this by overcoming obstacles!

(after all, what is an RPG without the uphill climb to fame & glory! and this will especially be felt when you manage overcome the "Player Death" penalty! -- see below)

HOW DOES IT WORK:

Simply follow the guidelines listed below, you are welcome to use your own discretion, and make your own alterations where you see fit

i have kept everything as simple as possible, so as not to break immersion while playing the game

A FEW THINGS YOU NEED:

- 3 physical "death tokens" tokens to keep track of the number of times you die - can be a coin, or anything (i use colored dice)

- one six-sided dice ... this is only rolled after 3 consecutive times dying (the rules are mentioned in full below)

I have divided the system into different categories for ease of reference:

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COMBAT

- no quick-save during combat

- all potion and spell buffs must be done before combat

- may only use healing effects when out of range of attacking enemy

<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>

- once engaged in combat, player has 3 attempts to win the battle (ie. 3 game loads)

- you must either succeed in the combat, or manage to flee from battle in these 3 attempts

- if you die on the 3rd attempt, player must now make a dice roll with a six-sided dice

- if the result is "1-3" player must take a death token, if the roll is "4-6" player takes no token and can choose to try another "3 attempts"

- IMPORTANT: when you have collected 3 "Death Tokens", follow the steps in the "Player Death" section below

(note: as soon as the player takes a "Death Token", the player must now move on to the next wilderness area/exit dungeon)

///////////////

PLAYER INVENTORY

- max items: 3 per article (this includes alchemy ingredients)

- weapons: 5 total (eg. 2 bows, 3 blades)

- armor: 2 full suits (ie. 2 of each article of clothing)

- lock picks/throwing weapons/potions/salt piles/leather strips: 10 max each

- arrows: 40 max

- bolts: 40 max

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HIRING FOLLOWERS

player character must have reached indicated Lvl to be able to hire the follower

- hire your 1st follower - Lvl 5 (500 GP*) (total is 1000 GP)

- hire your 2nd follower - Lvl 10 (1500 GP*) (total is 2000 GP)

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LOCKPICKING

limited to 3 attempts to pick a lock

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CHARACTER CLASS

3 main types of character classes to build:

- Fighter (1 class of magic, no staffs, no alchemy) (lvl 10 to use spells)

- Ranger (2 classes of magic, no staffs, no 2-handed, no heavy armor) (lvl 5 to use spells)

- Mage (no 2-handed weapons, no longbows, no light/heavy armor, no swords)

(note: you can make your own restrictions here, these are what work for me)

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LVL UP

player must first find a place to rest before any Leveling up can take place

///////////////

PERK TREE

can never upgrade the same tree twice in succession

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PLAYER DEATH

this happens once player has collected 3 "Death Tokens"

- discard one equipped weapon/armor

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ADVANCED RULE VARIANTS:

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WEAPON AND ARMOR CLASSES

start adventuring with 1 class of weapon available

- pay for training in any kind of skill (can even be speechcraft) ... player unlocks a new class of weapon

- Weapon Classes: BLADES (swords&daggers) - AXES - TWO HANDED WEAPONS - BOWS - CROSSBOWS - THROWING WEAPONS - SHIELDS - STAFFS

(if you do not have the class required, you can carry the item, but not equip it on your character)

///////////////

SPELL USE

if playing as a non-mage character, then limited to 3 spells per day

///////////////

Note: If using mod "Jobs of Skyrim"

- limit to one job per city

///////////////

* buy item amounting to the indicated value, then discard this item

Your Feedback and Comments are welcome :wink:

Enjoy!

Edited November 28, 2014 by baloo42

[KMAGames]

This would make Skyrim and or any RPG an absolute nightmare to play in. But very challenging indeed. Everything seems more realistic and would work better if you had less of an inventory. Like DayZ, what you wear, what you carry and whatever's in your backpack. But overall this would be awesome and work as a very immersive game.

[Indigoblade]

This makes the beginning of the game really difficult while making the end game similar to what skyrim already is. It almost reminds me of my sister doing that nuzlock thing for the Pokemon games. This system almost completely focuses on punishing new characters to be restricted as possible while later game players have almost as much freedom as the game currently has now. Warrior type characters will have problems with enemies since they are all up in the opponents faces without good armor and it's bad enough that they are restricted to one enchanted item or so when there are several tiers of enchanted items and visitation of one shop per town visit prevents players from properly stocking themselves up to have a decent chance against foes, especially at the lower levels. Also how will you prevent players from visiting a town, do their shopping, leave then come back to visit the shop again? In my opinion, restricting players from using everything they can get their hands are a bit detrimental to the skyrim experience, you can restrict the limits of how much the players can carry or use of certain skills but forcing players to choose a stereotypical class for such a wide world like skyrim feels fake, I feel much more immersed into the gameplay if I had a bit more choice

[baloo42]

This would make Skyrim and or any RPG an absolute nightmare to play in. But very challenging indeed. Everything seems more realistic and would work better if you had less of an inventory. Like DayZ, what you wear, what you carry and whatever's in your backpack. But overall this would be awesome and work as a very immersive game.

 

Thank you for your reply!

 

after i got your feedback, i revised the rules above, some of these did not work when testing them on a playthrough, others i completely forgot to keep track of (all thanks to the Skyrim immersion factor xD)

 

After trying this system once, the inventory limitation really makes the experience much better - as i am forced to look for other ways to try and heal myself! (because if i carried 10 Full Healing potions, nothing would really phase me) (and the great thing is, your inventory will never be cluttered again!)

 

This coupled with "Fire of Vigor" and "Dukes Combat" really makes for a rewarding experience

Fire of Vigor - disables health regen, and restore health at fire sources

Duke Combat - everything you do in combat drains stamina

 

i came up with this idea to address the issue of me dying, and simply reloading, and never caring otherwise!

i know there are "No Death" mods, but they are either not compatible, and the ones that do work, were lackluster

[baloo42]

This makes the beginning of the game really difficult while making the end game similar to what skyrim already is. It almost reminds me of my sister doing that nuzlock thing for the Pokemon games. This system almost completely focuses on punishing new characters to be restricted as possible while later game players have almost as much freedom as the game currently has now. Warrior type characters will have problems with enemies since they are all up in the opponents faces without good armor and it's bad enough that they are restricted to one enchanted item or so when there are several tiers of enchanted items and visitation of one shop per town visit prevents players from properly stocking themselves up to have a decent chance against foes, especially at the lower levels. Also how will you prevent players from visiting a town, do their shopping, leave then come back to visit the shop again? In my opinion, restricting players from using everything they can get their hands are a bit detrimental to the skyrim experience, you can restrict the limits of how much the players can carry or use of certain skills but forcing players to choose a stereotypical class for such a wide world like skyrim feels fake, I feel much more immersed into the gameplay if I had a bit more choice

omg!! i am praised! the original, one & only author of OBIS!!!!!!

This is by far my favorite mod, alongside with WIS.

i simply love all the variations that the bandits come in -- no more encounters made out of the self-same mold as the last!

i'm always checking back to your page, just to see if i maybe missed an update ... do you have any future plans for any more mods?

 

Thank you for your feedback on this

Yeah, i agree! i have since trashed the idea of Shopping, the economy from 'Unleashed' is making me pay through the roof already!

i have revised the rules above, trashed Gold and Property limitations, as they are just too much to keep track of (this is me trying to fight against Skyrim immersion - well, the immersion factor always wins xD)

 

i also trashed the idea about Enchanted items, i agree with your sentiment here

 

The class thing is something i would like to keep, as i find it makes each new playthrough unique, with new challenges, and helps define my character ... i also use alignment as a governing factor here, ie. if i play Nord Warrior, i am generally a virtuous man, and will not steal, no matter how tempting ... but he will bend the law, if he sees good coming from it

(i come from the oldschool D&D pen&paper era, so i always fall back to this domain to govern all my RPG experiences)

 

i have slightly tweaked the 'Death Token' rules, making it so that you can actually avoid getting a Death Token, that is if i successfully manage to flee

... on the other hand, i have increased the consequence of collecting 3 tokens, now forcing me to discard an equipped weapon/armor!

(but it's really okay imo, just think of all the hundreds of things you will still be getting on your adventures through Skyrim ... if you survive ^-^)

Edited December 24, 2013 by baloo42

[KanesGhost]

Hmmm...this looks interesting. The limitation on Bolts/Arrows and Potions (Poisons) and the rules on Perk Tree upgrades would be a HUGE challenge for me.... :ohdear: ...am wondering if I am game enough to give it a whirl.... :blink: ...I like the idea.... :happy:

[baloo42]

Thank you Kanesghost, so glad to have found you here :happy:

This is my attempt at finding a sense of realism without using mods xD

(i would make it into a mod if only i knew how)

 

PS. i think the mod you mentioned in another post, "Living of the land", would go great with this

Edited December 24, 2013 by baloo42

[baloo42]

Check out this very interesting and in-depth article for some great ideas on how to roleplay your character

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/User:PsijicOrder/Skyrim_Roleplaying_Ideas/Wilderness_Dweller

 

Here is one by another author

http://skyrimroleplayguide.blogspot.com/

[KanesGhost]

Thank you Kanesghost, so glad to have found you here :happy:

This is my attempt at finding a sense of realism without using mods xD

(i would make it into a mod if only i knew how)

 

PS. i think the mod you mentioned in another post, "Living of the land", would go great with this

I was thinking more so the Jarrin Sprig Mod I use.... :tongue: ....put them down hard and fast if I can't carry many Poisons....cheating perhaps?... :blush:

 

Yep, I much prefer realism also and wish I could Script Mod...have got a lot of real life interest in Animal Behavior and their tells and Survivalist Techniques and would love to make Mods to reflect these, but alas I consider it a wonder I know where the 'On' Button is on a Computer, let alone Script something.... :ohdear:

[KanesGhost]

Check out this very interesting and in-depth article for some great ideas on how to roleplay your character

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/User:PsijicOrder/Skyrim_Roleplaying_Ideas/Wilderness_Dweller

 

Here is one by another author

http://skyrimroleplayguide.blogspot.com/

These are good....thank you for posting them.... :happy: ...the first one, I would say my dude fits closest to the Woodsman and Hunter, though as a Born Werewolf (an Apex Predator) he is a Hunter of Humanoids and other Predators, is what he eats also, it's his diet (eats nothing else but), raw humanoid/predator flesh and water in both his Human and Wolf form...He is also quite the Hermit and doesn't like mixing with others, much prefers to be left alone....Morally neutral....Has a very detailed back story and personality.

 

The second link, I hadn't thought of all those 'Anatomy of Character' questions...many of them, but missed a few, am going back to revise him a little and add further detail.... :happy: