SUGGESTIONS:
New & Undecided Suggestions
UNDECIDED:
CARRY WEIGHT:
By default, every 10 units of weight carried penalises Dexterity by 1. The Pack Mule perk increases that limit to 15/ 20 / 25.
Once the player reaches the maximum carry limit, he or she will be unable to take on additional load. A Strength-based perk allows the player to carry up to double maximum carry weight at walking speed.
Weapons & Armour:
The weight of gear directly impacts the player's physical attributes and Stealth skill. For every 5 units of weight equipped, the player's Stamina, Dexterity and Stealth are penalised by 1; reduced Dexterity means reduced speed. For every 10 units of weight carried, these attributes are reduced by 1. A player clad in full 'super' heavy armour with weaponry should expect these attributes to decrease to the tune of around 20, not including additional items carried.
The decision then between heavy or light armour is important. The protection Heavy Armour provides in combat is markedly better than that of Light Armour, but sneaking and athleticism are almost completely negated. An unfit NPC may not live to rue the day he chose to wear heavy armour to battle. Light Armour is not meant for stand-up brawls, but does allow for dexterousness and flight if needed.
One who specialises in Light Armour, but seeks more protection, can invest in a 'borderline' piece of plated light armour, while a heavy armour warrior who wants more flexibility can invest in a 'borderline' piece of heavy armour. It is up to the player to decide how many Stealth, Stamina and Dexterity points they can afford to sacrifice.
DISPOSITION:
The relationship between the player and an NPC is more nuanced than in Skyrim, in which it seemed only three states of relationship existed (Neutral, like, dislike). Relationships are built subtly with a silver tongue and by favourable deeds. The same works in reverse. It is not possible to repair a relationship with an NPC if you performed an unspeakable act, like murdering one of their kin.
INTERROGATION:
Interrogation can be initiated when the target is in a downed or otherwise physically defeated condition. This can be achieved by beating an opponent to zero HP with a non-lethal mode of combat (unarmed, Dwemer prod, cosh). The target will will struggle on the ground, presenting you with a window of time to either kill, interact or grapple (pressing both attack buttons while unarmed).
Interacting with a downed target will open the dialogue menu. The dialogue options available are relevant to the situation the player is in. If infiltrating a bandit camp for instance, the player can demand the location of nearby bandits (which will become visible on the map if successful), or cut a deal, allowing the bandit to flee if he gives up valuable information.
By initiating a grapple, the player is clearly taking a more intimidatory approach to his line of questioning. This can be more successful than merely interacting with a target, depending on whom you are interrogating. From this position, the player can strike the target or break limbs to attain information, or finish the target by breaking his neck, or running him through.
Targets who have been detained prior to your arrival can also be interrogated in the same way. It is possible to tell targets who you were tasked to kill to leave this province and never come back.
MARRIAGE & ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS:
Romantic relationships are more along the lines of the Mass Effect series in that the player will need to foster a relationship over a large period of their play through. The player can only ask to marry those with whom he or she has an extremely high disposition. This is achieved by fostering good relations in dialogue and deeds over time. Such rapport can only be realistically achieved with recurrent NPCs, as they are the ones with whom you will share long-lasting relationships and dialogue. The NPCs with whom you share multiple quests (see QUESTS) are likely candidates.
REST:
The player is rewarded or penalised for their choice of venue to sleep. For example: You tuck into your warm, cozy bed and awaken with a well-rested bonus. Sleeping in the chilly wilds on wet grass, you awaken with a cold. There exists an optional penalty to experience for going too long without rest. The 'Tired' status limits your experience gain to 75%, while 'Exhausted' limits it to 50% and halves stamina regeneration. A week without rest inflicts your character with the 'Jaded' status, which limits experience to only 25% and your character does not regenerate stamina at all.