Divinity Sin 2 is an RPG utilizing squad, turn-based combat and robust cooperative multiplayer. Larian Studios did an amazing job polishing their game, especially given its size and the countless ways to play through the game. Great interfaces provide the best opportunities for identifying those small tweaks that really put products in a league of their own. There’s always a line between perfection and timeliness. You can continue to iterate and improve upon an interface forever, but if you take too long the underlying technology will be obsolete, the momentum for the product will have died, or any other number of negative outcomes could occur. Highlighted below are the top four areas in my opinion that could use improvement.
Clear Button Indicators
Throughout the game there are instances where the buttons aren’t clear to the users. The text is also counter-intuitive. The user must click “not ready” in order to become ready. The kick button clearly looks like a button, but the others could use the same treatment and text updates.
Inventory Sorting Improvements
The inventory sorting needs a sort by Level feature. This would primarily be used when interacting with merchants, but currently their inventory becomes far too cluttered with lower level items. The sort by Last Picked Up feature should also put the newest item on the top. It works counter-intuitively currently.
Gear Comparison
Gear comparison can be very difficult. If an item gives you +1 constitution, but the other item provides an additional 40hp, which is better? Diablo 3 did an excellent job with their comparisons by providing clear indicators to the players. Something simliar could be implemented here. For the hardcore players that are very particular about their stats, this improvement wouldn’t hinder them.
Clear Skill Indicators
This game can have very challenging combat. There are a couple of skills that require improved user feedback. Richochet and Shield Toss are two examples where the indication is missing whether it will hit additional enemies. In theory, you can use these skills to bounce off of items in order to hit a target out of range, but it is very difficult to determine the actual range. Here is a modified version of what richochet could look like to help alleviate this issue.
UX Improvements
Decided there were a few user experience issues to hit as long as I was at it. Here are four areas for improvement.
Abundance of Necrofire
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Necrofire seems to overshadow all the other elements. It’s rare to have a fight that has any other element last through the encounter.
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Necrofire is also difficult to change or put out, whereas anything can be changed to necrofire.
- Ideally the elements would feel like they play an equal role and could transition between the different ones. A rock, paper, scissors setup would be better. Currently it feels like rock, paper, scissors, dynamite.
Combat Improvements
- There are some moves, like The Pawn, left over movement, or polymorph shape changes that you can perform even after running out of AP. An option you could toggle on, requiring you to end the round, would fix that.
- When you use a polymorph skill that gives you an additional skill, such as Flight, the icon will often be placed on a different skill bar. Keeping a space open for the new skill or having it replace the polymorph skill and providing a second counter for when the polymorph skill comes back would be much more user friendly.
Inventory Micromanaging
- When you sell wares, you should be able to sell all characters wares rather than having to constantly dump them to one character.
- When getting a reward, you need to be able to switch characters to see who needs what gear.
- Already touched upon, but it feels like you need to manage the vendors inventories as well. Things that you sold them should be in their own tab to help clear out the clutter.
- Being able to multi-select items would be a huge plus. Ironic that this was implemented on the console version, but is not available on PC.
Crafting Modifications
- Currently the crafting feels very lopsided. There are a few amazing recipes such as upgrading your boots so you wont slip, making lock picks, and health potions. Others, feel like they will have great potential like crafting armor and clothes but fall short.
- Early the player doesn’t have the materials to craft these things, and once they’ve hit level four or five, they’re often better off with whatever magical gear they’ve gotten rather than getting basic gear of an appropriate level. Currently it sounds great in theory but feels underwhelming in practice.