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What I'd like to see from "Animal Husbandry"
clone63
Member
Any game that has a form of taming or pet system has always been really disappointing and bland to me. Having put thought into it a bit more, I figured I'd at least post it for discussion. I'd only expect 1 or 2 of my actual concepts to be considered for sake of scope and balance but .... Aren't we all just dreamers?
More than a mount: From what I understand, the big thing is getting different mounts with a few different stats or abilities which is neat compared to what I've seen from other games, but that still feels mostly cosmetic.. It feels weird to be able to tame a wide variety of things in an animal kingdom just to ride them around. I'd want more of a companion(s) based on their personality and functionality. I'd want them to do things other than be leashed to my side or sat on. If there will be combat pets that can be sold by the tamer, it would be logical that the tamer has better control/options of what the pet does and its abilities (is only one who can revive it?). I expect crafters get access to equipment mods/buffs for themselves only so it would suit that tamers can get a bit more out of their profession.
Diverse options: Most games with tamable combat pets are 1 and run style- always limited to just one which has similar stats, relatively speaking, to other options with a unique ability or 2 and is chosen by role (pvp etc). If you can tame WILD animals in low tech setting, it would make a bit more sense that you have an affinity for them and keep a variety of them around you. Especially ones that pertain to your character. A necromancer might have a swarm of larva/beetles, but a knight may have a single steed or a couple falcons. Maybe a druid type character has a few various animals with them- a loyal lynx, a small turtle and .. something else. you get the idea... So I would love to see a system where multiple pets could be with you (but not always best), within limitations of what will socialize together, what you can tame, etc. A lot of skill variation should affect what you can group and tame. Bug master/ lizard lord/ diverse as possible (gets diversity, but not potency/unqiues across species).
Early skill pets should be kinda pedestrian, some just vanity (iguana, cat, deer), or gear carriers (ox), or mild support (bird, spritely thing).. Best combat pet might be just a dog/game version of.
Reaching the top of the skill tree, selecting a creature specialty would be interesting.. lizards, cats, elementals, etc.. Which would allow some of the more unusual creatures to be tamed of that type. It would add a bit of diversity in the end game.
Behavioural Traits: Definitely hoping for some animal behaviour variance to give them flavour and distinction. With odds appropriate to animal type too (like it would be hard to find an 'aggressive' grazing herbivore). Perhaps no AI options at all (aggressive, passive etc) and what it does is determined by it's traits - It is an animal... A few examples could be 'cowardly' - runs away with less damage taken.. 'protector'- will not flee and always defends tamer. 'flighty'- Wanders further from the player randomly. Many traits that give the animal characteristic idle/interactive behaviour (noisy- makes calls often, lazy- sits down alot, energetic- bucks/jumps around a lot, rebellious- harder to teach skills) would really add uniqueness and character to the pet and make it feel like YOURS, especially if appearances can be dynamic.
Going with the Diversity idea, there should be traits that control which animals can team together. Swarm (needs at least one other same pet), Alpha (will only team with a Beta), Solitary, Matriarch, Domestic (non combat utility pet, not OP to have with others) etc etc... These would have to be very controlled so large/powerful pets can't be in any multiple.
Not a punching bag: I never liked managing my pet's abilities and behaviour on top of my own, so it would be nice for casual situations (or when it's best to keep pets near you) to have one that just hangs around you and provides buffs or conditional triggered actions. I'm thinking a more magical creature that isn't really physically combative, something more fairy/bird or elemental or a gnarly snail that sits on your shoulder and just boosts nature spell damage or something.. (we favour unreasonably huge subsidies to the brain slug planet).
Purposeful Non-combat Pets: Some with abilities or support for other game activities like sniffing out herbs or minerals you need; an earth elemental that can be useful manipulating the environment; a "spy's moth" that allows you to use it as a visual scout of sorts.. Too many of these would give tamers a real edge in all areas of the game, so they'd have to be quite limited.
Many animals aren't really fighters so it would be nice to see a lot options beyond just another melee/tanking/shooting pylon. BUT... it's hard to think of many options without knowing a lot about the game's finer mechanics. Maybe those flashy, magma rippling turtle mounts can actually be used as a forge!
Death should be a possibility if you aren't able to revive it within a set time, or lack the resources required to do so. If crafters require mats to make and repair, tamers should need new animals too. I'd even be in favour of them requiring appropriate foods at certain intervals or they can't be summoned/leave stable /perform well. Perhaps a battle fatigue system where only so many revivals can occur before it needs to be sent to pasture. A trait of 'hardy' or such might give a couple extra revives.
Thanks for reading, lol
More than a mount: From what I understand, the big thing is getting different mounts with a few different stats or abilities which is neat compared to what I've seen from other games, but that still feels mostly cosmetic.. It feels weird to be able to tame a wide variety of things in an animal kingdom just to ride them around. I'd want more of a companion(s) based on their personality and functionality. I'd want them to do things other than be leashed to my side or sat on. If there will be combat pets that can be sold by the tamer, it would be logical that the tamer has better control/options of what the pet does and its abilities (is only one who can revive it?). I expect crafters get access to equipment mods/buffs for themselves only so it would suit that tamers can get a bit more out of their profession.
Diverse options: Most games with tamable combat pets are 1 and run style- always limited to just one which has similar stats, relatively speaking, to other options with a unique ability or 2 and is chosen by role (pvp etc). If you can tame WILD animals in low tech setting, it would make a bit more sense that you have an affinity for them and keep a variety of them around you. Especially ones that pertain to your character. A necromancer might have a swarm of larva/beetles, but a knight may have a single steed or a couple falcons. Maybe a druid type character has a few various animals with them- a loyal lynx, a small turtle and .. something else. you get the idea... So I would love to see a system where multiple pets could be with you (but not always best), within limitations of what will socialize together, what you can tame, etc. A lot of skill variation should affect what you can group and tame. Bug master/ lizard lord/ diverse as possible (gets diversity, but not potency/unqiues across species).
Early skill pets should be kinda pedestrian, some just vanity (iguana, cat, deer), or gear carriers (ox), or mild support (bird, spritely thing).. Best combat pet might be just a dog/game version of.
Reaching the top of the skill tree, selecting a creature specialty would be interesting.. lizards, cats, elementals, etc.. Which would allow some of the more unusual creatures to be tamed of that type. It would add a bit of diversity in the end game.
Behavioural Traits: Definitely hoping for some animal behaviour variance to give them flavour and distinction. With odds appropriate to animal type too (like it would be hard to find an 'aggressive' grazing herbivore). Perhaps no AI options at all (aggressive, passive etc) and what it does is determined by it's traits - It is an animal... A few examples could be 'cowardly' - runs away with less damage taken.. 'protector'- will not flee and always defends tamer. 'flighty'- Wanders further from the player randomly. Many traits that give the animal characteristic idle/interactive behaviour (noisy- makes calls often, lazy- sits down alot, energetic- bucks/jumps around a lot, rebellious- harder to teach skills) would really add uniqueness and character to the pet and make it feel like YOURS, especially if appearances can be dynamic.
Going with the Diversity idea, there should be traits that control which animals can team together. Swarm (needs at least one other same pet), Alpha (will only team with a Beta), Solitary, Matriarch, Domestic (non combat utility pet, not OP to have with others) etc etc... These would have to be very controlled so large/powerful pets can't be in any multiple.
Not a punching bag: I never liked managing my pet's abilities and behaviour on top of my own, so it would be nice for casual situations (or when it's best to keep pets near you) to have one that just hangs around you and provides buffs or conditional triggered actions. I'm thinking a more magical creature that isn't really physically combative, something more fairy/bird or elemental or a gnarly snail that sits on your shoulder and just boosts nature spell damage or something.. (we favour unreasonably huge subsidies to the brain slug planet).
Purposeful Non-combat Pets: Some with abilities or support for other game activities like sniffing out herbs or minerals you need; an earth elemental that can be useful manipulating the environment; a "spy's moth" that allows you to use it as a visual scout of sorts.. Too many of these would give tamers a real edge in all areas of the game, so they'd have to be quite limited.
Many animals aren't really fighters so it would be nice to see a lot options beyond just another melee/tanking/shooting pylon. BUT... it's hard to think of many options without knowing a lot about the game's finer mechanics. Maybe those flashy, magma rippling turtle mounts can actually be used as a forge!
Death should be a possibility if you aren't able to revive it within a set time, or lack the resources required to do so. If crafters require mats to make and repair, tamers should need new animals too. I'd even be in favour of them requiring appropriate foods at certain intervals or they can't be summoned/leave stable /perform well. Perhaps a battle fatigue system where only so many revivals can occur before it needs to be sent to pasture. A trait of 'hardy' or such might give a couple extra revives.
Thanks for reading, lol
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