At first I was somewhat ticked about reading about the changes that were happening. I was so use to being able to check numbers to verify that my performance got better or that my character had improved somehow. I got use to seeing what buffs I had on me in a little window with little icons. I got use to seeing debuffs under enemy names to let me know that my debuff is still there and I don't need to worry about casting/using it again.
Then.....I took a step back and looked at everything all at once. The game itself is playing towards the most realistic way it can with the technology we have available. No spammable abilities, limitations due to animations, digging in bags, looking at actual maps, more realistic style of combat. Everything I have seen is trying to get us to immerse ourselves as much as possible. To make us feel like we are truly there.
Ya gotta look at it like if you were able to throw a fireball at someone in real life, you wouldn't get numbers to tell you that you hit them, you would see a burst and maybe lingering fire/smoldering burning their clothes. You wouldn't know if someone is still disabled by your debuff unless they had a shadow swirling around them or if they were limping. Half the time I feel like I'm playing some calculator game with graphics because all that counts are the numbers. Lack of the 'hand-holding', no matter how little it may be can be frustrating, especially since everyone is so use to it by now. I want my games like this to be realistic, to make me forget I'm actually playing a game. I don't want anymore games that constantly remind me that I'm playing a game.
To be honest, I think that would be amazing to have numbers removed completely and have things described some other way. Shining sword > Sharp Sword > Sword > Dull Sword > Rusty sword. Mithril armor > steel armor > bronze armor. Numbers would be in the background and we would have to figure out what is better by testing ourselves, just like we would have to first cut something with a blade to figure out how sharp it is.
PS So many people were b*tching about the game being too easy. Now it's probably those same people bitching about not knowing when to cast a debuff or heal on someone. There will be visual ques to pay attention to, but take it for what it is. A challenge to overcome, and a much more rewarding experience when it's accomplished.
