Splitting hairs: The thread
Jason Liang
I don't think any changes, that could be made without restructuring the whole game, would help in what you perceive as lack of "actual tactics". Overhauling the AI, polishing the encounters or even making the feats a bit less op, would probably make the game slightly better, sure, but this won't magically change its style.
You obviously want a tight and structured experience - Dragonfall as an example of a single character RPG with tactical depth is the perfect proof.
The reason why you feel like you are using "actual tactics" is because the game is linear, with each mission being tailored to your current power level. Mission batches with non optional intermissions are a cool take on a linear game, but this structure is fundamentally different from Underrail's (barring Depot A).
This, plus certain level of difficulty and depth to the Dragonfall's combat, causes you to constantly feel the need to use all the tools at your disposal. Which in turn causes you to reevaluate those tools and your approach.
A fun loop, not gonna lie.
But Underrail has the systems to provide depth to combat - if you are using an Underrail encounter as an example of what you are looking for, you do agree that it is possible to dig out, right?
Sooo, it seems to me that by saying "actual tactics", you clearly mean "difficulty" instead.
AND you're saying this after already learning everything there is to learn about the ingame systems, which is important because...
You don't seem to understand that AoD or Underrail are derivatives of Fallout, a game which basically gives you the option of overriding most of the combat if you understand the system and create a character that focuses purely killing stuff.
You roll a killer, you become a combat god, you can stomp everything. You suck at non-combat stuff, but it doesn't really matter, cause you still can complete the game. Works as intended.
After a while, combat challenge comes from using non-optimal builds and trying to complete certain encounters while being underleveled.
AoD clearly responds to this approach by locking you out of content on the opposite side of build spectrum when you (over)specialize your character. Combat won't be hard if you go all in into combat skills, simple.
It's difficult if you have no idea what you are doing, or if you start experimenting with hybrid builds.
AoD's tactical systems are a lot more shallow than Underrail's, but again this is relative to your character choices - you may be forced to use all tools at your disposal, and there is enough of those tools to keep the tactical part of player's brain occupied.
It's not super deep, but it is deep enough for the experimentation<->reevaluation loop to occur, at least for the most part.
Underrail doesn't have the same content based build balance, you will be able to complete 99% of ingame content with each character. So, the variation happens in HOW you deal with the tactical problems you face. Some builds may play similarly to others, and some play in a more unique way.
You enter the experimentation<->reevaluation loop, learn one approach completely, then you move to the next one.
Some approaches will be more "interesting" (action packed or "actually tactical" or whatnot) than others = balance fags need not apply.
Similarly to Fallout, after a while combat challenge comes from using non-optimal builds and trying to complete certain encounters while being underleveled - exactly like your Lunatics Mall example.
In those games character creation is almost literally an extension of the difficulty system.
Imagine selecting the hardest difficulty in this type of game, and then choosing the most cheesy and OP build there is.
Stating that the game is too easy even on the hardest difficulty seems dumb in this scenario - you consciously selected the easiest way to play the game, which basically overrides the selected difficulty.
If it would work in the opposite way - difficulty overriding the build you selected, it wouldn't be as much of an open rpg. It would presumably make a more tight and balanced game, but who the fuck wants that in an open kind of an RPG?
And of course, as another poster said, a lot of fun in those games comes from seeing your weakling char evolve to a pro, and then maybe a god tier being. You cannot have this at the same time as having a flat power curve - the thing that could cause Underrail combat to be constantly and evenly challenging.
To summarize, those kinds of games are not made to provide you an even challenge, no matter the choices you make. On the contrary.
You're barking at the wrong tree.
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