First IA experience, Thoughts from a new player, and some (hopefully) constructive criticis Options

[Zarion]

I just found this mod a few weeks ago, and I've been playing this mod for about a week. In my current game I've just left the Underdark with my Evil Party (m/f, Korgan, Edwin, Viconia and Valen(without her lvldrain)) everyone have at least 4-5 high-level abilities and so far I've enjoyed the mod. The scripts are well done and make most battles more challenging. The upgrades are really cool, and the components from “harder” enemies makes them seem deserved.

But even though I like the mod I won't be using it after I'm done with this run-through. This is mainly due to the way you have made the enemies more challenging. You seem to have taken the use of resistances to the hearth, and that is ofcause one way of making the game harder, but I must admit I dislike it. At the moment the only spells Edwin and Viconia gets to cast are “pre-battle-buffs” and dispel effects since almost every (challenging) enemy I'm meeting are very resistant, not only to magic, but to most elemental and magical damage as well. For me that drastically cuts down on the “fun”, since it takes away the “group feel” where every class is needed to win a battle and have something to do during the battle... other then standing in a corner hiding so they won't die.

My suggestions to improve the feeling of the mod is to cut down on some of the 100% resistances this mod adds especially on “none-boss-fights” (ie insane dwarf, Firkraag-party ect.) and give them 75% resistances if you still want them to be “hard” or perhaps 50% with one or two 100% so the player have to try a bit before finding the right type of magic. Another way to do it could be to build up the resistances though the use of “forcecast” scripts on certain hp percentages. Ie; the opponent starts with 25% resistances to none melee damage, and then builds up to 50% at 75% hp and so forth.

The constant use of regeneration also bugs me a bit, especially in groupbattles where you it foceres you to focus on one target at a time, but it keeps the pressure on the player, since it means no more running out of combat to get healed, and that is a good thing .

Well, I think that is about all I have to say, unless I find anything to add at a later time , thanks for the mod, and all the hard work put into it.

[luan]

Really enjoying my first experience with IA so far, love the challenge! I've recruited all the NPC's that never really saw use in my previous games so I can experience their storyline and character. Kinda amazing how much of a fresh experience it can be with a new cast!

Decided to go with:
Swashbuckler PC
Keldorn
Jan
Aerie (looking to swap out with Valygar when I meet him)
Anomen (jeezus christ, so annoying...)
Edwin

One point of criticism though is that there seems to be a lot of dissonance between the unmodified and modified encounters. Unmodified is.... so easy it throws you off for the wonderfully scripted IA encounters. It almost makes you paranoid as to which quests you should or shouldn't partake in initially. But this is probably how it should be, dangerous quests *should* be dangerous after all.

However, it just feels that the gap is detractively large at times. Perhaps down the road after Sikret's IA major milestones are accomplished, the earlier unmodified quests could see a moderate boost in difficulty.

The Copper Coronet was awesome; the Beastmaster was really exciting. Unfortunately, I found out really quickly that the Slaver Ship as an immediate successive quest was too much for my party. I liked how Sikret blocks off the exits so that you HAVE to finish "boss areas" in 1 go. Masochistic, but realistic and rewarding.

Random notes:
The sewer party raped me something fierce lol. I'm just wondering what a powerful party is doing tramping through the sewers. They'd be better off storming the government district.
The Raksasha was an epic battle, especially when half my party can only stand around and buff! That was probably the most difficult cloak of the sewers I've ever earned.

Edit: Finally managed to kill the sewer party. Wondering why Gaius (or perhaps all of them rather) seem to have troll-like regeneration. I'm relatively sure that I stripped their protections before I could even dent them, and the fast regeneration made it extraordinarily more difficult. Is this an anti-cheese measure? It also seemed that Gaius had perma-haste?

Edit2: The Mencar Pebblecrushers party also has troll-like regeneration. I spent about 30 minutes watching my PC + Keldorn swing on Sorcerous Amon finally slaying him. All the while paranoid that he will contingency: chain lightning me. I'll just pretend everyone has potions of regeneration... lots of em!

This post has been edited by luan: May 10 2007, 02:19 AM

[Sikret]

Decided to go with:
Swashbuckler PC

Don't you want to play any of the two expanded strongholds?

[luan]

Don't you want to play any of the two expanded strongholds?

Yes I do! But first I just wanted to try a class I've never had any experience with. I'll most likely make a branching savegame after I hit around level 14 and SK my main into the appropriate classes to experience the new content. After which I'll continue on with my original game.

This post has been edited by luan: May 10 2007, 05:47 PM