Magic powers?

[abradrake]

I keep seeing discussions about how magic powers will be added to the game eventually. I'm curious, what type of magic powers? Is it going to be like Dishonored's mark powers, where you can do things like stop time and summon a swarm of rats? Or is it more stat boosters?

[SilverSet]

If something like blink gets added, the game will be ruined.

[ani444]

Nobody but the devs know. The only real conformation of magic potentially being in the game is an unused player stat that was found in the games code called "Magic". What this stat could be used for or if it will ever even be added to the game properly are both questions that are up in the air at the moment.

[Waltnut]

Hopefully something like blink gets added

[KipTheOtt]

As the person above said we have no idea, but here are my guesses:

Probably nothing too powerful/cheap, since this is supposed to be a survival horror game. Most likely things that just supplement your normal abilities, like briefly muffling footsteps or increasing speed/jump height. A teleportation ability like Blink seems unlikely unless it's either very expensive or limited in some way (like requiring a few seconds to charge up or not making you invisible like it does in Dishonored).

Offensive magic also feels unlikely to me, maybe some kind of stunning or blinding spell but probably nothing that damages an enemy.

Whatever "mana" equivalent is used will most likely be a limited resource just like everything else.

[Waltnut]

They seemingly could be very easy and cheap to amass since all you need to do is take the body parts to the lighthouse and get the abilities. That’s why I think it will probably be something very simple, like more health maybe?

[Eastersimulator]

the flare Pistol already does what magic needs to do,

[Zeth]

nah, no magic.

[sidneyc1990]

Originally posted by ani444:

Nobody but the devs know. The only real conformation of magic potentially being in the game is an unused player stat that was found in the games code called "Magic". What this stat could be used for or if it will ever even be added to the game properly are both questions that are up in the air at the moment.

Maybe it's testing ground for a different game they may develop using the Gloomwood engine after they're done with this game.

[lord_overseer7]

i think your thinking of syringe powers, which will just let you take body parts of enemys (fishdog, goatman, bat barber) and turn them into syringes, you get short boosts like night vision or a full heal

[ImaMax]

Originally posted by RubemOne:

They seemingly could be very easy and cheap to amass since all you need to do is take the body parts to the lighthouse and get the abilities. That’s why I think it will probably be something very simple, like more health maybe?

I think it would make sense to have it be something that affects the enemies you research. Something like higher damage against them? We are playing a doctor, and are seemingly supposed to find a cure for whatever the huntsmen and the monsters are afflicted with, it would feel anticlimactic to me if we did that by just shutting down some magic macguffin in the Countess' mansion.

Perhaps you could cure huntsmen to be on your side, at least temporarily? I would hope it's something along these lines, would fit the horror gameplay better than superpowers and make the game more like Pathologic.

[SilverSet]

I feel like there are going to be damage bonuses, really small passive boosts and maybe special abilities, like getting special items from killing enemies and so on.

[sidneyc1990]

If anyone has played System Shock 2 (which was made alongside Thief 2), the research mechanic would seem familiar. Very likely a passive bonus against the enemy you gibbed, be it added resistance or offense.

It also means the goatman may be a recurring miniboss enemy, seeing you could research the horns.

[Waltnut]

Originally posted by SilverSet:

I feel like there are going to be damage bonuses, really small passive boosts and maybe special abilities, like getting special items from killing enemies and so on.

Hopefully there'll be stuff for nonlethal players too. Don't use any guns aside from The Undertaker.

[SilverSet]

Originally posted by Prostitute Blues:

Hopefully there'll be stuff for nonlethal players too. Don't use any guns aside from The Undertaker.

Maybe it will be something like Bioshock. There are 5 research levels, and 1, 3, 5 are all damage bonuses, but others give you some kind of abilities. Though having too much stuff to research would be boring to grind. Then again, different body parts can get you different bonuses perhaps.

[KallevomDach]

Please no magic. I like the more grounded style. There is no need for a Dishonored clone. Keep it more like Thief.