We've yet to see Skills in any form, but shouldn't they be more than just numbers? This also ties into the same question: What makes a good quest? Special quests are far and few as most of BGS games have you run errands or go from point A to point B and back to point A again. I think unique quests built around skills would make for memorable gameplay that stands out. Dungeons designed around skills can change up the gameplay, whether you're proficient at them or not.

You the Sneaky type? Why can't a dungeon be based around stealth and put you through the test... and even if you're not the sneaky type and rather good with heavy weaponry, you could still get bested if you go guns-a-blazin'. Vice-versa, have a hideout that actually is much faster paced than normal.

I think what makes quests more meaningful is having an actual theme to them. Construct bases and forts around particular skills, most of them without actually being required to be advanced in those skills, but challenging if you aren't.

Tie that in with quests that make you figure out things on your own without pointing you in its direction (aside from hints from terminals or holotapes or the quest giver) and that would make the game for me. The detail of the world will already be good enough, now don't make it play like a chore.

Maaaybe. I like the level design to feel more like an actual ruin, rather than an obstacle course. I wouldn't mind different locations favoring different approaches, but it shouldn't be so extreme that I *have* to play a vertain way to clear a location. That sounds antithetical to open-world gameplay, if it's done too much.

True, point taken, but hideouts of raiders should have different tactics. They should be placed better and react natural accordingly should you step on the scene. Some should keep guard exclusively and scope out the area while others should patrol the hallways, have some leaning against stairs, etc. Reuse the assets, but make some places open while some like a maze and make you think. Have paths that troll you. While most locations should be played in any kind of way, I think there should be a few exclusive ones to test our merits.

I hear you OP. It reminds me of how there are multiple ways of doing the same thing in Fallout. I feel it's a waste to be able to use the computer to unlock a door that I could also pick. I feel like some things should require a little specialization. Let me feel as if the investment was worth it rather than it not really mattering one way or the other.

Definitely make hand-holding optional. Give me clues and let me figure it out. Make one quest branch into multiple areas. A good example is the quest with the prime numbers in FO3 in the Museum of Tech.

The mantra of "player freedom" will sort of disagree with you from a design perspective. That said I wouldn't mind seeing certain strategies working better for certain areas. I remember watching a friend go in guns blazing to get the G.E.C.K in FO3. He used a lot of stimpacks and other resources fighting the overlords. My stealthy demolitions expert had a much easier time. Took me longer too, just comes down to playstyle I guess.

I like it. Say we have Raider Stronghold X. It is strongly defended at the main entrance and a frontal assault is possible but at a drain on health resources and greater risk of possible failure. So in other words extremely difficult, even for someone wearing power armor. Now, a sneaky character might recon the area and discover a sewer grate that leads to a tunnel into the basemant of the structure, from which the character can by pass the gate defenses and get at whatever is in there.

I like the idea of being able to attack quests from multiple angles. I can make any area a stealth area- if that's the type of build I am playing. Likewise, a tank is gonna be a tank.

However, I also believe that you shouldn't be able to do everything in one play through. So- if some unique loot, or great story is hidden behind excelling in any particular skill, then that's cool.
I think that if there were unique quests and the like centered on a multitude of skill sets, it would be rewarding on different play throughs. To work properly though, it would need to be much harder to max out- which should be standard at any rate.