Inspiration

This is an informal document to sort of inform you plainly and clearly what I’m trying to go for.

Character Building

The Witcher 3, The Elder Scrolls

Classless systems in which you can truly build your character however you want.

Roguelikes

Your options are based on what you discover, not a predetermined set of abilities based on a progression chart or whatever.

Setting & Worldbuilding

The Witcher 3

Specifically the White Orchard and Velen areas.

ASOIAF

Looking at a map of Westeros inspired me to truly try to emulate how real kingdoms operated in medieval times, with hundreds or even thousands of lesser lords controlling their own land, instead of the classic fantasy united singular kingdom (Hyrule, The Empire from TES).

Vermintide

Specifically Kruber, the fighter, informed the setting the most—an era of plate armor, black powder.

Although the real-world popularization of firearms led to the phasing out of traditional arms and armor, that is because plate armor isn’t effective when your enemies are expected to have firearms. However, orcs and goblins and stuff don’t have firearms, so plate armor is still really protective.

Also, real historical combat didn’t really take place in cramped, tight corridors like in dungeons. Shooting a primitive firearm in a stone hallway will probably deafen you.

Sometimes other humans will have firearms, and firearms don’t care about your plate. But even then firearms are still really rare and expensive. Bandits don’t really have firearms. Pirates might. Armies will.

The Banner Saga

Unmatched vibes, the world is forlorn and has an air of apocalypse-fueled despair. The sun stands still in the sky, no one knows why. An army of ancient unresting evil marches closer and ever closer.

The world-building speaks for itself and is subtle and rich.