While I think that this is actually a very valid and probably important topic to bring up, a big problem (which I've seen mentioned in other topics, if I recall correctly) is the uncertainty regarding the direction of the game. That will probably reflected in the answers you get here, too. For example:
Direction of the game, hmm. Seems like a matter of opinion, what's important is to look at the greater good. Now that is something we could try to evaluate, more precisely, what type of game play would suit the common player better. That is why I asked the question, whether such a change holds possibility and value to improve the game play at all, maybe it's too extreme and needs a gold middle way, and that is why I asked whether some sort of middle way exists, "magic number."
Imagine some point, where the common player out there have enough space to variate and explore, search and experience the game while he isn't all to restricted, but players who like to have a challenge, surviving on their own their own, fulfilling their desires without being all to much at a disadvantage. Currently now a player witch likes to have that special something, that challenge. The sense of survival, you most probably know what I mean. Point is, those players are at a massive disadvantage. It's cool to make "the best build ever" and carry on as how you can at the best of your own capabilities and wits, but once it comes to interaction, competing your always below the average, no matter what you do some sort of alt will be better than you. You mentioned liking "to suck at something", but what if you suck at pretty much everything? That is how I see it, any of my alts will do anything you can and better. No trade, no choices, no consequences.
Now my idea, what if the alt amount was purely decreased and limited, but not just 1? Okay, maybe 2 alts per player. Now there is still limited choices between the both characters, they both can't do everything, the amount of alts isn't infinitive, wouldn't that improve the situation? You can still be special(compete and not be below the average) and players don't feel all too restricted, restrained.
Is there a gold middle way for this?
Is it the skillsets that force alting or may it be the entitlement of the playerbase and the reluctance to accept that one's character may actually be mediocre at what he sets out to do? That's an honest question, personally I enjoy the limitations, but maybe there are people who absolutely cannot enjoy the game at all, if they don't have access to a 300 lockpick build. Which sounds like someone to me, who doesn't enjoy RPGs in the first place, but to each his own.
Mediocre, is something I see as a standard based on the total amount of ability to variate, to make choices. Once the player is limited to one character, he might feel all too restrained. The standard can be raised, like giving another tag skill, raising the total amount of skill points gained per level, as an example. Each character, player would still have the same standard just on a different scale, they all still would be mediocre based on everyone else.
But then again, we could allow an alt more or less.
... While I personally would like that change, I am the first to admit that it would break down in no time without the player numbers to support it ...
I'm thinking ahead a little bit, this is what i was afraid would going to happen, players too "boxed."
No sense of independence?
Another thing to keep in mind here is that while I may argue that skillsets are not necessarilly what forces people to alt, some of the gameplay mechanics definitely may do. Take companions for instance (just because it's one of the things I've witnessed a lot firsthand). You regularly run into players who have alts just for checking bars via fast relog. I've actually gotten to talk to some of them, all upstanding individuals, I don't have any problem with them personally, for the record. But I believe it brings up a problem with the way the game works (which has been brought up in several other topics, as well), when players decide to go that route, because it is by far the most efficient one to achieve a personal goal. Again, there is an argument to be made for the situation changing radically with a one character rule.
Yes, acknowledged. Like Repair, for example, who couldn't live without some sort of way to maintain your own equipment, at least just a little bit, with low amount of Repair it is impossible and having to interact each time for that would be too time consuming and frustrating for some, like you mentioned before "who gets in with friends of the best crafting or the most". So, attacking features is definitely a viable option, for example, purely raising the amount of Repair skill gained from tools used to Repair something, anything, but make them break down more often and maybe a little bit more common than usually.
Most importantly, though:Personally I'm a sucker for the idea of trying to survive with whatever limited skillset you happen to have. Quite obviously I cannot speak for everyone else and as much as I'd like to get rid of alts alltogether, my personal boundry for that is exactly what you stated here and I'd hate to see this option taken away from players who enjoy a variety of gameplay systems, at the very least under the current set of gameplay mechanics.
Yes, yes getting rid of alts, that is interesting. I once thought just like you, getting rid of alts all together, but when I thought this far, I snapped and started to think, what about the consequences if any.
one source of the problem are the skill mechanics of the original F1/F2.
Point being: maybe that particular game design fossil needs a few serious overhauls, before we actually can achieve balanced diversity and realistically get rid of alts (if that would turn out to be the desire of the playerbase).
I'm not a fan of merging skills, I really am not, but sometimes it really does feel like the right thing to do, merging just an example of the modern style. Yeah, serious overhauls, never ending question of what everyone else would think about them (too far from cannon, this is not fallout anymore etc. etc.)
Well, nice dreaming
Not anymore. Let's say Skycast blew my mind. He also likes rumors.
It wouldn't end up that way with Skycast's idea. People would still make alts but they'd have to wait for the cd timer.
No, there are more clever ways how to change that in a game with more than one alt. What you are saying is your own idea.
