Creature Suggestions

[the0thMonkey]

So, I thought it would be a good idea to get a thread started where people could post about creatures they would like to see in the game. As we saw, porky (the ogre) was featured in many of the videos so I'm assuming fantastical but plausible creatures are key in this game. There has also been discussion of demons (archons?) and videos of skeletons and ghosts.

A problem I noticed with porky is that he moves too quickly. I know combat is supposed to be relatively short-lived, so porky should not be nerfed to extend combat time, but realistically, his strength should come at the price of speed. This would also promote believable combat strategies such as circling around him and dodging his hits rather than not moving and absorbing damage at an unsustainable rate.

I'm also curious how about how demons will be done. What properties will they have? Will they be unaffected by certain powers/attacks?

 

[Octo]

I'm interested how fantasy they'll go...as I'm worried it'll be too bland.
I mean, I'd love to go to the manticore lair and slay it, to claim the fancy weapon that lies next to the bones of a fallen hero, that sort of thing.

 

[Rob]

For sure, it'll be low fantasy, not high fantasy.

I don't remember it being explicitly stated, but certainly it has been implied that overly "dangerous" encounters will be relatively sparse. The world won't be flooded with ogres... or manticores for that matter. But who know what might lurk in some desolate location! I think that the possibilities are endless... it's down to the Bare Mettle team to decide what fits in with the land, the setting, the story... and we're waiting with keen anticipation!!!

 

[the0thMonkey]

I'm interested how fantasy they'll go...as I'm worried it'll be too bland.
I mean, I'd love to go to the manticore lair and slay it, to claim the fancy weapon that lies next to the bones of a fallen hero, that sort of thing.

The game is supposed to be low fantasy so I think that will limit the creatures somewhat. However, there are still lots of possibilities that conform to that, such as ogres and other megafauna.

 

[Stephen]

I wouldn't mind seeing things that could have been dreamt up during medieval times, like folk lore or superstitious monsters that where found in stories children where told, obviously some research would have to be done and I have no knowledge at all in this field.

Also vampirism, and dont jump to the gun and hang me already, you could introduce vampires without introducing them directly. Count Dracula was loosely based on Vlad the Impaler, he basically killed thousands in a really gruesome fashion, same with Elizabeth Bathory. There was alot of superstition 600 years ago or so about vampires, we dont have to directly see vampires in SG but hints of the idea would be really nice.

 

[martino]

Hay just hold up there, do not pick on Maximus ‘Toug (AKA Max) who so rudely called porky. Someone is running a muck campaign against his kind.

Max is a gentle sole who was employed by the village as one of the local Clydesdales (referring to the work once done by draught horses). Max’s duties included but were not limited to:
ploughing the fields
thrashing wheat
moving supplies between the village and the nearest town
cleaning leaves out of the second floor gutters
and helping with the construction on village building (which was a communal affair anyway)

In his free time he enjoys to take Sally to the park and push her on the swing.
He also enjoys pick poison nettles down by the creek and making flower arrangements.
On Ladies night at “Drunks Tavern” he would supplement his income by acting as a bounce.

He and his partner (Ctus Butts) had just saved up a deposit to buy a living camber in the local mine and are expecting their first litter any time now.

About a month ago a drunken adventure picked a fight with Max. Max did his best to get away, however when he was finally cornered and felt his personal safety was at stake he defended himself with a Wheat Thrasher and knocked the adventure out.

A week later the adventure along with his friend found Max in town and picked another fight with him. This time the two unknown individuals struck Max down (on their second attempt).

The two “Adventures” are at large and considered dangerous.
They are wanted on charges of Murder, Speciesm of Max
And for questioning in the disappearance of his partner Ctus

--------------

Back on topic, I am hoping we don't have the generic Dwarf, Troll, Orc, Goblin species. Unless there are Hobgolbins I feel they have always been under utilized.

 

[unwoundpath]

D: Poor Max...

 

[Necoo]

How about slimes, seriously, gargantuan cubes. Classic monster that no one has ever gotten right. See slimes are supposed to try to consume their foes, not bash them, not spit at them, but envelope them with their acidic bodies. And I always thought it a little bit strange that in almost every game they appear in that they are always one of the absolute weakest enemies, but if you think about it, slimes would be a pain to fight. Bashing them, and hitting them would be pointless, you can cut them up but they would only reform back into the main body. They would grab you and surround you and consume you, good luck getting it all off of you. These things are extremely strong. And the nice thing about all of this is with the physics engine and particle engine that this game runs on it would be a perfect match. This game could finally get these underrated, underpowered creatures right and it would fit right in the game world with little consequences... well... cept... you know, that you would now have to fight slimes.

 

[Sean]

I hope they have lots of animals unique to the world, I mean Morrowind was so interesting because of that. I'd love to see bears, deer, wolves and a shit ton of human character models.

 

[MrIdontKnow]

I hope they have generic not violent animals like the stray dog, or wolves (depending if in a big pack, they would attack you)

 

[Halvidore]

They already have orgres down, why not goblins? They are said to follow bigger 'creatures' (like an orgre) as minions or have their own little tribes. Also going with the skeleton, 'undead' theme. What about zombies or mummies? They would work well in underground crypts or graveyards. Poping up from the ground or coming out of tombs.

Don't get me started on the countryside... animals like dire wolves or other creatures like that would be great to see. What does everyone else think about those ideas?

 

[Rob]

Back on topic, I am hoping we don't have the generic Dwarf, Troll, Orc, Goblin species. Unless there are Hobgolbins I feel they have always been under utilized.

It's already been said that it's not going to by high fantasy. The odd fantastical creatures, but the world isn't going to be full of Tolkienesque races.

 

[Psychomorph]

As a low-fanatsy game civilization will be human and their everyday life likely similar to how they were in the European middle ages, but there's also magic in the world (and lots of it in the past) and you will likely visit strange places with strange creatures. I think there will be many ancient forgotten places where you can slain your ancient demons and clam whatever ancient and mystical things they guard. You'll have a fair share of fantasy adventures, but never anything over the top like World Of Warcraft or Korean MMO's.

 

[Zodeak]

Well low-fantasy is a world like Vance's "Lyonesse". If you haven't read it and are a fan of fantasy, just buy it. The average peasant believes in spirits etc etc but they almost never come across them. 90% would live their whole life without seeing a fairy flutter by or a spell cast. Magic is a very very rare thing to see. The only problem with conveying that in a game is that the Player characters are exceptional, so are far more likely to encounter magic. And obviously it gets harder to maintain the low-fantasy setting if the PCs are gifted inherently with magic. Its definitely doable though*Quotes Lyonesse again*.

The monsters are clearly key to the setting. Tolkien's races (dwarves, elves blah-blah) were drawn heavily from Norse mythology, where a dwarf or elf was essentially a human+++. Trolls in Norse mythology were often indistinguishable from people. I think this sort of monster could be done very, very well in a game like Sui Generis. It would also strengthen the idea of polite and happy NPCs possibly having an alterior motive for helping the NPC and the NPCs shouldn't be taken at face value.

I think that steering clear of particular species(?) of creature isn't a good idea. Instead, I think that simply limiting the number heavily of them in the game world is a more robust idea.

 

[Synalon]

Both high and low fantasy appeal to me in different ways, and I enjoy work of both genres. The impression I got from the Kickstarter is that most enemies will be fairly mundane, with the odd fireball-hurling demon or necromantic lich in the far reaches and darkest depths of the world. These encounters would be special (or, if combat in general is to be special, moreso) and extremely challenging compared to ordinary encounters.

This is the impression I got and what I hope for.

 

[MNONE]

I kind of like the idea of some older interpretations of by-now-standard fantasy tropes making their way in. Perhaps goblins as they appear in a variety of folk mythologies, or indeed in Tolkein, at least where they were odd, twisted troglodytic creatures. It'd be cool to see some lesser known creatures, although sticking to low-fantasy (not daemons and stuff popping up everywhere). Maybe ghouls, in their guise of the living who have turned to eating dead flesh and become tainted - perhaps through thaumaturgy somehow in this setting; or maybe a tribe of harpy-like creatures living somewhere on a cliff.
Thinking about it, I think it'd be interesting to see something like those witches who appear in the Greek epics (don't remember the name(s), but the ones that had to share a single eye, tooth, and I think ear, between the three of them). Decrepid old creatures, possibly human but now so old through the abuse of their power that it's impossible to tell. I'm not sure what role they would play - quest-point; quest-givers; hostile monsters; or any one of the three depending on context?
Also, for more 'generic' creatures out in the wild, what are we likely to see? Wolves are kind of overdone, and always make me wonder just how messed up the local ecology is if they're constantly attacking humans. Not that that's a deal breaker because it's a tiny point, but something different from the usual would be cool.

[Edit: played a hunch, turned out correct: the 'witches' I was thinking of were the 'Gray Sisters' or 'Graeae'. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graeae]

 

[Cooper Holt]

I think that goblins, ghouls, necromancers (but not so over-done like in most RPGs), neutral, rare wolves, neutral, rare bears, etc.
I think the reason why the animals should be mostly non-hostile (unless provoked) is because so many games over-do them.

 

[Rob]

For some reason, this got me thinking about Sinbad (the films), rise of the argonauts, titan's quest and also Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor - some of the enemies from those might find a home in Sui Generis...

Imagine fighting a huge intelligent snake/naga in some underground lair! One that was three times as long as a human! A snake/naga that was fast, could strike, or could attempt to circle around you in an attempt to go for the constriction... and a naga could also slash you with swords...

That would be really quick, fast-paced, dangerous, risky, high-level combat...

 

[cosmo bozo]

I'd like the physics to be put to good use by adding a tentacled swamp monster thing that grabs you and flails you about like a ragdoll trying to pull you in..like the lake monster outside moria in LOTR

 

[cosmo bozo]

and I'd like to see predator type monsters either eating their kills or dragging them off rather than wandering off or attacking something else like they do in every RPG ever