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bear trap
Not bad, but probably very heavy. Also pretty inefficient against foes that aren't specifically ground-bound, but I can see it being a general means to weaken/slow down a foe.
rope
True that. Any specific applications though? I see it being a good part of a hookshot mechanism, but not much else.
torch
Definitely. That's very all-purpose, and once of the first things I considered myself. Very helpful indeed!
A shovel, because sometimes you just need to bury things.
Please explain?
You might also take some cues from the TV series 'Supernatural'. It got a bit silly and focussed on a few specific stories later on, but started off as a more serious show where the main characters travel around hunting a variety of monsters and supernatural beings.
One of the first things that comes to mind thinking about that series is that the two brothers travelled in a car, keeping a variety of weapons and equipment in the boot/trunk -- will the hunter in your game have access to something similar, or are we restricted to equipment that can be carried on his/her person?
Characters in the show typically own (and pass on) journals detailing the monsters they have hunted, making these journals invaluable sources of information on the habits, strengths, and weaknesses of any monsters that have been previously hunted successfully.
Most of these have already been mentioned, but I'll try to expand upon them with some possible uses.
Rope could be used:
Shovels might be needed:
Rather than a simple shovel however, might I recommend an entrenching tool. They're basically a smaller folding/collapsible spade/pick combination, and are therefore easier to carry than an ordinary shovel but should have more potential uses.
Mirrors can be used:
Explosives can be used:
Candles can be used:
A large/long leather coat can be used:
A magnifying glass can be used:
and, if broken can be used:
A monster hunter would want to have good, strong, practical clothing. Possibly reasonably nondescript, an with plenty of places to carry/hide their other equipment. They might have things like wrist/ankle/arm-pit holsters or sheaths, boot-knives, etc.
What sort of monsters will your game actually feature, and what weaknesses might those creatures have? Silver has been mentioned a lot because it is commonly a weakness of certain well-known monsters, but does it apply to yours? The items carried by your character should be based on known weaknesses of creatures (s)he might face.
Hope some of those ideas help! :)
ropeTrue that. Any specific applications though? I see it being a good part of a hookshot mechanism, but not much else.
A shovel, because sometimes you just need to bury things.
Please explain?
Well, jbadams proposed good uses for the rope and the shovel, and I'll add some more:
Rope
Shovel
Wai gives a good list of equipment functional categories, but most of them should be further broken down into specialist gear for monster hunters and generic adventuring gear everybody uses, because monster hunting is an additional occupation layered on standard adventuring hazards and concerns. For example, in a typical wilderness region everybody's "assault gear" should include a reliable way to hurt (but preferably not kill) a wolf or a bear, while in the appropriate environments basic camping equipment includes locust-proof tents, leech removal tools or air purification systems regardless of what you are doing there.
You might find out that sensible equipment for monster hunters are variants of regular equipment rather than overspecialized gear: for example, a sword with a silvered blade (as general purpose as it gets, and very effective against certain monsters) instead of a clumsy pistol with silver bullets (equally large and expensive, but usually ineffective).
I wouldn't worry about unexciting or unoriginal gear; hunting and meeting monsters should provide all the excitement, and players care about facing such activities with sufficiently effective and complete equipment.
Any holy symbol that is appropriate to the religion systems the game has (ineteresting might be mixing different ones - religion types and their demon types).
To a Satanist an Angel is a Demon...
Oh and if you are 'hunting them' then knowledge about them is one tool and bait to attract them is another.
A really heavy duty crossbow.
With silver arrow heads.
Possibly blessed.
If an arrow is thick enough, its technically a stake :)
You might also take some cues from the TV series 'Supernatural'
Funny, I was looking for a wikia entry to all of the tools they were using. Back in the days, I watched the first 4-5 seasons and enjoyed it (until the angels came that is) and I felt it was a good thing to go back to (that's where I got the idea of salt).
Characters in the show typically own (and pass on) journals detailing the monsters they have hunted, making these journals invaluable sources of information on the habits, strengths, and weaknesses of any monsters that have been previously hunted successfully.
Haven't given any thought to having a journal, but I did have a 'book'. I want to keep things simple, but maybe there's room for that. Turning this into a gameplay mechanic might be a bit more complex (I don't want to just have a book show up on screen with text entries...)
Rope could be used:
to tie up people -- because they're aiding or summoning monsters, or because they're somehow controlling something that wouldn't otherwise be evil -- or to tie up monsters.
to hold doors shut OR prevent them from being closed.
to gain access to difficult-to-reach areas; climbing down/up, getting across a drop, etc.
to create traps; snares, slings, swinging blades or weights, etc.
as an improvised weapon.
Feels like it could be a good crafting ingredient, assuming I want to go down that route, thanks.
Shovels might be needed:
to dig something up. Maybe you need to dig up a corpse to destroy or bind a spirit. Maybe you need to dig up some artefact.
to bury something. Maybe certain monsters need to be buried as part of the process of destroying them, or maybe just as a temporary measure whilst you find a more permanent solution.
as an improvised tool to jam a door shut or open, to break a lock, etc.
as an improvised weapon.
Rather than a simple shovel however, might I recommend an entrenching tool. They're basically a smaller folding/collapsible spade/pick combination, and are therefore easier to carry than an ordinary shovel but should have more potential uses.
Interesting. However, what concerns me here is the gameplay implications of a shovel. Unless I plan on putting visual cues (which would mitigate the need for 'exploration') it could feel as random as in Zelda: A Link to the Past where the shovel was useful only truly once and, on a first playthrough, was a pain... Any reference of a shovel tool implemented in another game?
Mirrors can be used:
to see around corners.
to verify vampires (assuming they don't reflect in your setting) or other creatures which don't reflect or may be revealed in a reflection.
as a distraction; reflecting light on a wall or the ground, or to blind someone/something be shining it in the eyes.
to reflect certain creature's special talents; a Medusa's petrifying gaze for example.
Indeed. Many games have coupled the idea of a reflective surface with another gear item however (such as a mirror shield in the Zelda series). To insure the 'tool' has as much use as possible, I might do my own 'blend' but I agree that this is an all-purpose tool every hunter should have.
Explosives can be used:
to open or close things.
to destroy artefacts, creatures or bodies.
as a distraction.
as a very brief light-source. Might even be blinding to certain monsters.
I'm trying to come up with an explosive source that feels a bit original. Dynamite, bombs and C-4 are over-used. Brandy + torch felt more akin to a molotov cocktail but it might not pack a sufficient punch (it's really just incendiary). Any idea how I might implement some form of fragmentation grenade in a low fantasy medieval setting?
Candles can be used:
as a light source.
as a distraction, either by placing it somewhere to be seen as a distraction, or to cover up or provide a new smell.
for rituals to summon or dispel things, or perhaps to strip the power from something.
as a basic defence against something with a particular fear of or weakness to fire.
to provide melted wax for sealing things, as an ingredient for a spell or ritual, to stick something in place, etc.
In what way do you feel candles would be superior to a torch specifically? I'm not aware of any properties 'wax' might have, but you seem to be hinting that it might.
A large/long leather coat can be used:
as clothing (providing warmth, covering up some of the other equipment you're carrying, etc.)
to smother a fire.
to hide things, or cover something that might be dangerous to touch.
as an improvised bag or pouch to carry something.
as a somewhat poor source of fuel to start a fire (for signalling, or just to burn things) if nothing else is available.
to plug a small gap (drainage pipes, small windows, etc.)
Could be a starting gear item that explains why the character has room for so many tools.
A magnifying glass can be used:
to read small writing.
to light a fire if sunlight is available, or to focus any other type of light; maybe you need more focussed moonlight for a particular ritual for example.
I wanted to introduce this item as well, because I feel it can be used as a 'lens of truth' in some ways, but I felt that the usage was too narrow to be worth implementing. I really want to avoid tools that are used only in a very specific kind of way because I feel that, though they're on-theme, gameplay would suffer. I realize this thread's purpose is not design but theme, yet I need to consider this nonetheless.
Maybe certain monsters even have a weakness to glass in the same way as some are vulnerable to silver.
Interesting. Are you aware of any trope where this would be applicable? I can see glass powder used as some form of shrapnel assuming it is within an explosive. It might be a bit too close to the idea that salt can force spirits to disassemble temporarily.
What sort of monsters will your game actually feature, and what weaknesses might those creatures have?
Temporary 'boss' roster includes:
Troll - Much like the myth, it would regen unless you apply fire to any wound you've made. So essentially, you need to combo up a decent attack on a body part and immediately follow up with fire to cauterize the wound and prevent regeneration. Boss would have something like 8 body parts, and how you wound them is entirely up to you, so long as you apply fire in a timely manner.
Lich - I'm very fond of the 'phylactery' concept. I think the Lich wouldn't be in a boss room, rather, it would follow the player around, and you need to escape its clutch as much as you can until you can find the phylactery and destroy it. Applications here would include something to detect the phylactery, and some way to destroy it. Then, possibly a very straightforward combat, against a very powerful foe however.
Vampire - I like the idea that vampires are masters of illusion. I think detection would play a role here as well. Some form of lens or mirror to detect which vampire is the true one (with the others being fake copies) or something akin to Ganon in ALTTP where you need to keep some form of light on to harm it.
Dragon - I'm really not sure what a dragon's weakness should be in this game. Most interesting tropes I've seen is located a weakness under their scales and fire an arrow or throw a spear at it. I don't think it would make for a much interesting 'hunt'. Thoughts?
Werewolf - This one would play out as an investigation. Basically, the player would think he's out to get a wizard. Some clues would point that he is actually a shapeshifter. All accounts, however, would point to a single shape in which he's ever shifted: a barghest or hound (I'd avoid the term wolf to make it too obvious). Thus, bringing silver would be the only way to defeat him in his lair, or else be in a fairly uneven fight. Silver would only 'turn' it back to a mortal though.
Ghost - Unsure yet, but possibly its ability to phase into immaterial form and still manipulate the environment. Salt comes to mind as a means to make it vulnerable, but I haven't given it much thought yet.
etc.
The items carried by your character should be based on known weaknesses of creatures (s)he might face.
I'm hoping for these tools to be not only combat-oriented. I like the concept of progressive mobility (the infamous double-jump in a metroidvania for example). Gearing up with a rope, a hookshot, etc, is appealing to me, and I believe a hunter may find himself in a situation where he needs these types of tool. Any thoughts on mobility-based tools? (including overwhelming obstacles altogether).
A really heavy duty crossbow.
With silver arrow heads.
Possibly blessed.
If an arrow is thick enough, its technically a stake
That's exactly my protagonist's main weapon currently. I like that it puts the player in a 'survival' feel where he needs to save the ammos for the big threats and find more efficient ways to dispatch the weaklings.
Thanks all!
BOOKS! And journals! Add some sort of research aspect... maybe give the character a situational bonus when fighting witches if they are carrying Malleus Maleficarum. Or, from another angle, let them fill a blank journal after fighting a vampire with helpful vampire tips, giving them a bonus during the next bout.
I like books. They aren't so action-packed for games, though.
BOOKS! And journals! Add some sort of research aspect... maybe give the character a situational bonus when fighting witches if they are carrying Malleus Maleficarum. Or, from another angle, let them fill a blank journal after fighting a vampire with helpful vampire tips, giving them a bonus during the next bout.
I like books. They aren't so action-packed for games, though.
I'm ok with books not being action-packed, but I'd rather have them being an active skill in some way, not just a passive 'I've got this tome equipped'.
Best book item I've seen was probably the book of Mudora in Zelda: ALTTP because it asked you to at least use it to decipher texts (although, to be honest, text could've been deciphered automatically because you had said book tbh).
My best 'take' on it is to have a Grimoire that, when held, it repels some enemies (like a bible might repel undeads so long as you read the verses).
Also, I felt the same book could be used to open gates to another world, or seal them, decipher texts and puzzles and would allow the wielder to actually cast spells (aka, you can't cast spell if the Grimoire is not equiped?) or perhaps cast them at half the mana cost or something.
Maybe that's overly complex though, but I'm really trying to implement a book in there, as a valuable item in its own right.
Ideas for a playable book:
1. A book as a magical storage device.
The magic book allows the player to store something on each page. The adventurer can use it to store over-sized equipment, a stash of candies, a heavily-wounded friend, a wandering ghost, a fireball, a spell someone else cast, etc... You could decide whether each page is single-use or reusable.
2. A book as a training manual.
When the adventurer is at a town, the adventurer buy skills and put them in the book. The number of pages used depends on the complexity of the skill and the adventurer's affinity to the skill. As the adventurer gains EXP, the EXP is assigned to the skills. When the adventurer assigned enough EXP to a skill, the adventurer becomes proficient at the skill and no longer need the corresponding pages. The main effect of this mechanism is that the player needs to choose what skills to learn before leaving town, and the character could run out of skills to spend EXP in a long expedition.
3. A book as a teleport device.
As the adventurer visits different towns and portals, the adventurer can bind it to a page.
4. A book as a portal to closed realms.
The adventurer can revisit that closed realm as many time as he wants to investigate something.
5. A book as a combat simulation device.
The adventure can use the pages to capture environments and monsters and have mock battles.
6. A book as a talking companion.
It reminds the adventurer about the strengths and weakness of the area and monsters.
7. A book as a map of quest givers and what each quest giver wants.
8. A book as a strictly monster-trapping (and releasing) device.**
** Example story about 8:
The hunter is something like an exorcist. He goes around investigating and trapping demons occupying people's bodies using a special book that is "out-of-print". There are two particularly interesting constraints about this job:
1) He cannot let people know that he has the book because the book has many powerful demons trapped inside. It cannot fall into wrong hands. He cannot let people he helps know how he got rid of the demons. To be safe, most of the time he cannot let those people know that he was the one who did it.
2) The book can get full, and he needs to find people that can actually kill the demons because he either can't kill any demons, or that he can't kill them alone. But the first constraint still applies. He cannot let the person who might help him kill a demon know that he has the book, because the legend has it that one of the demons trapped in the book was actually an angel who can resurrect dead people, and holds the key that could open the gate to "heaven" (as of now, nobody can go to heaven because the gate is locked, everyone just dies or turn into a demon). When the main character got the book, many pages already had demons trapped inside. The character does not know what exact demon is trapped in those pages, he only knows about the ones that he trapped himself.
To know what demon is trapped in one of those pages before his time, he has two choices:
a) Enter the page by himself. Once he is in the page, he could exit quite easily before he is found by the demon(s). If he is found by the demon he might get killed and the book might be found by someone else. He suspects that this might be what happened to the last owner of the book.
b) Release the demon(s) trapped in a page to the real world, and be prepared to fight it or trap it again. The risk here is that he does not know how many demons are trapped in each of those unknown pages. They could all be released at once. They could kill him and release the rest of the demons.
It is up to the player to decide which is the better method to investigate.
