The Future of UnderRail and it's main storyline

[Dieusama]

Just stumble upon this

http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?threads/underrail-the-incline-awakens.105387/page-268#post-5315210

Ok, so the main storyline will be expanded on in a sequel that will come in a relatively distant future.

That's fine with me, but please Styg I beg thee, tell me that it doesn't mean we will start from scratch at level 1 with a new character, or worse, with the same character, the Southgater but send back to level 1, in a Pillard-Of-Eternity-2-backstab fashion

I want to track Tanner with my level 25 - 30 Southgater, the one I built with care and grew fond off. With the stuff I sooooooooooo patiently took time to craft/find.

Thanks for any answers you can give.

[STEN]

Yep, will need save export system. Would be great.

[Sanger]

I would also like to play my protagonist from Underrail in a sequel. But from a game development standpoint I don't know how they could make it interesting to play if they let you keep your levels and equipment. Will every mugger and jerk in North Underrail be level 20+? Every rathound an ancient? North Underrail is supposed to be LESS dangerous than South Underrail.

[MirddinEmris]

I just don't see it. What, now every guy who wants to buy Underrail 2 would need a character of level 25 to play? Game already is hard enough on casuals, if they need to figure out whole build before playing, most of them would just drop it. Any separate title should be able to be played separately, so any guy who picks up a second part could play it witout needing to have a high level character ready.

Of course, there is always an option of just "importing" character from previous game, but that would mean playing 25 lvl character in game that would be designed to be played from lvl 1. No challenge.


What i WOULD like is to have an option of giving a save with finished game so that my choices in first game would affect world in second. The deeper it affects, the better.

[Tygrende]

I think it's too early to talk about Underrail 2 since it's not going to be made anytime soon, but there are basically 3 options:

1. We play with our PC from the first game starting at level 25-30
2. We play with our PC from the first game starting at level 1 again, probably with an in-game explanation
3. We play with a completly new protagonist starting at level 1

The first option is not very feasible for multiple reasons- the first issue would be that starting at such a high level would require new players to come up with an entire build before even starting the game. A standalone game is not an expansion, it should be approachable even for players that didn't play the first one.

The second issue is scaling and progression. Level 25 builds and endgame gear are already very well-defined and powerful, even more so when the cap is raised to 30. I just can't see how to make meaningful and long progression possible past that point. I also can't see how to scale the game's content to such high levels without nonsensical/immersion-breaking decisions like making enemies such as Ancient Rathounds or Inustrial Bots the lowest level trash enemies.

Personally I think the second option would be the best if the explanation for why this happened is plausible. This will both allow continuity between the two games and keep things immersive.

I wouldn't mind the third option either, it's certainly the easiest one to pull off without breaking the immersion. Meeting NPCs from the previous game or even our old protagonist from a different perspective would have a certain charm.

[Dieusama]

I think it's too early to talk about Underrail 2 since it's not going to be made anytime soon, but there are basically 3 options:

1. We play with our PC from the first game starting at level 25-30
2. We play with our PC from the first game starting at level 1 again, probably with an in-game explanation
3. We play with a completly new protagonist starting at level 1

The first option is not very feasible for multiple reasons- the first issue would be that starting at such a high level would require new players to come up with an entire build before even starting the game. A standalone game is not an expansion, it should be approachable even for players that didn't play the first one.

The second issue is scaling and progression. Level 25 builds and endgame gear are already very well-defined and powerful, even more so when the cap is raised to 30. I just can't see how to make meaningful and long progression possible past that point. I also can't see how to scale the game's content to such high levels without nonsensical/immersion-breaking decisions like making enemies such as Ancient Rathounds or Inustrial Bots the lowest level trash enemies.

Personally I think the second option would be the best if the explanation for why this happened is plausible. This will both allow continuity between the two games and keep things immersive.

I wouldn't mind the third option either, it's certainly the easiest one to pull off without breaking the immersion. Meeting NPCs from the previous game or even our old protagonist from a different perspective would have a certain charm.

The second option is the worst imho.

It's like the Obsidian's PoE 2 stab on the back : "Ok, so in PoE 2, you'll play the same character as PoE 1, but since the game needs to be playable by the new customers, we're gonna give the finger at the investment your put into that character, and send him back to square one with some idiotics justifications (oops a god was hungry with thy soul so back to level 1, and thy precious artifacts were destroyed with thy keep, so you'll also start the game with a wooden staff/rusty iron sword,  like a good level 1 boy)"

Is it so difficult to do Baldur's Gate 2 : ToB or Divinity II : Flames of Vengeance ?

[Tygrende]

Is it so difficult to do Baldur's Gate 2 : ToB or Divinity II : Flames of Vengeance ?

ToB was an expansion, not a standalone game. That's pretty much what Expedition will be to Underrail.

Importing characters to Baldur's Gate 2 was only feasible because the first Baldur's Gate was low level D&D with a low level cap. Even then, you started without gear.

[Dizzy]

Always hated the weird disconnect sequels bring to these style of RPG's.

Personally, would have much preferred the story either be expanded on in a DLC, or no Sequel at all.

T_T  PS: I hate sequels.

[destroyor]

Well you got to remember there's a financial aspect to this as well. Expansion and DLC sales are usually determine by the sale number of the base game. A sequel can possibly draw in a new player base + existing fan base of the original. Like I said before if you like something please support the shit out of it or it'll die and disappear. If sale numbers are good I'm pretty sure we'll get more Underrail and/or other IP by Styg & Co.

[Dizzy]

Well you got to remember there's a financial aspect to this as well. Expansion and DLC sales are usually determine by the sale number of the base game. A sequel can possibly draw in a new player base + existing fan base of the original. Like I said before if you like something please support the shit out of it or it'll die and disappear. If sale numbers are good I'm pretty sure we'll get more Underrail and/or other IP by Styg & Co.

Yeah I understand,

It just pains me, the age-old "Original vs. Sequel" disconnect, and the tremendous inconsistencies that plague them (Even when devs try to eliminate inconsistencies, many will prevail).

I truly would hate to have a sequel to underrail, where it could have just been expanded. Perhaps they could make a different IP though. A cool story expansion taking us to North Underrail to a final confrontation would be amazing.

[Sanger]

Is it so difficult to do Baldur's Gate 2 : ToB or Divinity II : Flames of Vengeance ?

In an expansion? No. In a standalone game? Yes, virtually impossible.

[Dieusama]

Divinity II : Flames of Vengeance is a stand alone

[Sanger]

Huh? Is it not an expansion pack for Ego Draconis?

[Dieusama]

My bad, it's indeed an expansion.

[Sanger]

They could always do an expansion to Underrail 2 that used the protagonist from the first game rather than from the second. Similar things have been done in some other expansions, like for NWN/2. But I think it more likely that they might get around this problem by using Underrail's underpinning theme of temporal weirdness.