So, I am thinking of returning to work on my Vampirism Mod-- but I came to a query: if you're familiar with The Vampire Experience/Darkness Everlasting (Version 6.0+), you'll know the Mods have been very-much about allowing you, the Player, to shape your Vampire experience;this obviously limits certain options on my part (for example, how do I know a particular challenge is actually a challenge), and opens up lots of possibilities for the Player-- my motto has heavily been "Your Vampirism, Your Way". Such freedom, of course, has some issues-- specifically configuration (see, for example, the vast .ini file used in TVE just to control your Vampire Attributes/Weaknesses) which can be a little overwhelming if you're new.

So, with that in mind, I was wondering: which do people prefer?
- Near Total Choice, where you can edit and influence almost every aspect of your Experience,
- A pre-determined Vampirism where you have no out-of-game control over how your character exists/develops?


Thanks for your time

CDM, your mods are always fabulous, actually get released, and more to the point - they work! The one thing that I would love to see in a new vampirism mod is more visual effects of being a vampire - like blood on face after feeding, combat feeding animations etc. That would be perfect.

Thanks for great mods!

SS

Hybrid. Not that I would mind playing a pre-determined system it is just that I see some kind of tweakability as positive.
An other important aspect is the interactions between player and NPC, whether they are vampires or living. Many V.mods just give you powers but not a place in the world as it were. Other V. still attack you; but why, you are dead? Stuff like that.

Cheers!

Thanks, everyone for your votes so far-- I'll leave this open a bit longer, just to get a few more responses.

Right now, it looks like I'll probably be moving back towards the original DE settings-- i.e., Vampire Bonuses/Attributes/Sun Damage predetermined, but giving the Player a choice in the other little bits. Esp. since apparently no-one voted for complete freedom... :S

I voted Near Total Choice as I really appreciate to be able to customize stuff, but at the same time I think it should be preset for a functioning/balanced system. That is, players should be able to just get it up an running w/o worrying about ini settings - but then be able to customize it as much as possible if delving into it. Perhaps it even could have a couple of already presetted ini's, much as for example Progress. So I guess I should have voted Hybrid System, perhaps.

Seconded!

(Seconded? Surely, that's not a word... is it?)

third

Well I personally liked quite a few of the options in TVE... mostly because It allowed me to play a a vampire a la Bram Stocker. Also I often find the predetermined stats others do to be a little ridiculous, I mean a 100 bonus to anything is just over the top, and frankly I have no problem with you remaining a fledgling for the entire game since even the characters who i played a lot haven't had more than a year and half of game time pass.

however I would like some feed animations for the conversation and combat feeding.

I chose pre-determined Vampirism because I don't want to be overpowered
I always liked your vampires mod but It wasn't fit in my game other mods that alter vampires drive me crazy
Also I always had to reduce most of the bonuses because I considered them to be OP

Good luck with the project!

Options are always good whenever they don't bring down efforts in other areas of a mod. Sometimes the narrow road gives the modder greater leverage into giving their mod "atmosphere." Usually it's harder to implement atmosphere when everything is open ended.

I vote for hybrid. Narrowness has atmospheric advantages, open is good when choice isn't a big deal to implement.