AoD combat screens - updated

[callehe]

why not have one choice for how hard you want to hit: fast, normal, power. and another one for aiming: leg, torso, head, etc

combine these two to get: powerstrike against the head, or a fast jab for the legs, etc.

gives more strategy i think.

 

[Vault Dweller]

For Melee combat, don't make targetted/special attacks have a lower TH ratio. Instead make it that they're more risky. If you try to hit somebody's head in real life, it isn't that difficult. The trade-off is that it leaves you open to attack.

Sounds interesting, but it's too late for that.

I'm guessing you'd have to modify the AI (do the enemies use the Targetted/Power/etc options?).

Yes. We have different "combat styles" that are assigned to NPCs.

Are there any fights in the game where you have companions? Can you give them orders like F2's Combat Control?

Yes; No. For example, in that "save the kidnapped noble" quest, if you are a member of the thieves guild you can convince the guildmaster that the raiders are bad for the guild's business and he will send some people to handle this problem for you. You can fight with them or you can wait until it's over. You neither control nor command them.

Here are some screens - bring back the memories:

http://img153.imageshack.us/my.php?imag ... ot19sn.jpg
http://img153.imageshack.us/my.php?imag ... ot19sn.jpg
http://img153.imageshack.us/my.php?imag ... ot19sn.jpg
http://img189.imageshack.us/my.php?imag ... ot19sn.jpg

 

[John Yossarian]

If you guys are not sure about getting rid of the current grid, I'd suggest removing the lines around the squares, so it'd just look like big color patches. It might be less distracting, and hopefully not to time consuming to try out. I think that's how it was in PtD.
About the textures, it's not the quality that is the issue in my case. I just have to continually avoid looking at the stretched ground ones ( not the rock blocks though, dunno why) or I have to look away from the screen. Maybe it's not as bad while playing.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Updated my journal :torment:
(see the first post)

 

[Rohit_N]

Nice death description. Does it change?

 

[EliotW]

Your death is quick, but painful. By the time you realize that your life is about to end, the darkness is already washing away the pain.

Too melodramatic for my taste. I would break it in half and use either the first or second sentence but not the two together. One of the problems is the the contradiction you set out.

Dying quickly but painfully.

In dying the pain dissipates suggesting that your were feeling pretty rotten before this.

The first sentences twines the two together, that death has provoked the pain. The second suggests that death is relieving the pain. I understand what your getting at but it doesn't work as worded (at least to me.)

 

[galsiah]

I prefer the original. My only significant issue with it is the use of "By the time..." and "...already...", which both seem to do the same job. I'd just cut "already".


I can't see much wrong with the screens in general. There are various small issues of course - e.g. those GBG mentioned. I wouldn't consider them important though. The GUI looks good.

I still have philosophical objections to diagonal movement costing 2AP, but playtesting trumps philosophy. So long as you've tried some alternatives, that's fine.

 

[Claw]

I don't see anything wrong with the death description.

 

[Jasede]

Not this shit again. It's fine.

 

[galsiah]

Not this shit again. It's fine.

Perhaps you should cut the "It's fine". Wouldn't simply "Not this shit again." be punchier? Alternatively you could try "Not this fucking shit again." - or throw in a touch more cynicism.
You might even consider using a colon after "...shit again".

 

[Hümmelgümpf]

How many times must this fool die?

 

[GhanBuriGhan]

Not this shit again. It's fine.

Perhaps you should cut the "It's fine". Wouldn't simply "Not this shit again." be punchier? Alternatively you could try "Not this fucking shit again." - or throw in a touch more cynicism.
You might even consider using a colon after "...shit again".

 

[GhanBuriGhan]

Are the taunts to be universal or can the be conditional (e.g. dependent on player skill and attributes, faction, etc.)

Well, some info would be helpful if you really want input on that. Writing taunts is something I can easily do during work, I am always motivated...

 

[jeansberg]

If you guys are not sure about getting rid of the current grid, I'd suggest removing the lines around the squares, so it'd just look like big color patches. It might be less distracting, and hopefully not to time consuming to try out. I think that's how it was in PtD.
About the textures, it's not the quality that is the issue in my case. I just have to continually avoid looking at the stretched ground ones ( not the rock blocks though, dunno why) or I have to look away from the screen. Maybe it's not as bad while playing.

Funny. I would actually suggest getting rid of the patches and just keeping the gridlines.

 

[John Yossarian]

Funny. I would actually suggest getting rid of the patches and just keeping the gridlines.

They can try that too, although I think the lines would be a little hard to see.

The death description of the ninja guy as two ands (before collapse).

 

[Kingston]

Could you add a little blood texture on the clothes? The thief lying in a pool of blood but with no wounds on his front is slightly distracting.

 

[Fryjar]

Looks fine to me except for the ground texture. But if the problem is also engine based, then we probably have to live with it.

 

[Sisay]

How do the to-hit calculations work for aimed attacks? Let's use the earlier example of 10% chance to hit in the head with the crossbow. Does that translate to something like 1-3 critical hit in the head, 4-10 a hit in the head, 11-15 critical failure, 16-100 miss on a d100? Or is there a chance to hit other body parts or other people as well?

 

[M0RBUS]

There's still one thing... Assassin hits you for 1 points of damage. It should be 1 POINT, singular

 

[Vault Dweller]

Are the taunts to be universal or can the be conditional (e.g. dependent on player skill and attributes, faction, etc.)

Well, some info would be helpful if you really want input on that. Writing taunts is something I can easily do during work, I am always motivated...

Thanks for the offer to help. As for your question, it's up to you. We can certainly do both.

How do the to-hit calculations work for aimed attacks?

First, we run the hit/miss check, then we check if you managed to score a critical. Standard helmet can absorb 1 point of damage and reduce your overall chance to score a critical by 50%. Upgraded helmets can do much better, of course. Aimed attacks use regular damage ranges. If you also rolled a critical hit, whatever extra damage it may have caused (some critical hits do, some don't) modifies the regular damage.

So, let's say you are using a weapon with a 3-12 damage range. You aim at the head and roll 8 points of damage, but failed to score a critical hit. The helmet reduces the damage by 1 point, so only 7 points get through.

No, same example, but you scored a critical, causing massive damage. We take the 8 points and multiply it by a number matching your Critical Strike skill (from 1.5 to 5), then subtract that lousy 1 (helmet's DR) and that's pretty much how it works.

There's still one thing... Assassin hits you for 1 points of damage. It should be 1 POINT, singular

We use the "<profession> hits you for <amount> points of damage..." template. It's possible, of course, to add some conditions to it and replace points with point if amount=1, but why bother?

 

[Jasede]

Because it sucks and breaks immersion. Unless you make the minimum possible damage cause 2 at all times.

 

[galsiah]

As for your question, it's up to you. We can certainly do both.

How simple is it to add relatively complex queries?
For example, taunts that rely on:
Enemy faction AND PC faction (if any).
Number of enemies.
Times PC has been knocked down in this fight.
Number of hits on PC vs number of hits on enemies.
Consecutive 0 damage hits on an enemy.
PC with melee weapon retreating.
Previously used taunts (allowing taunt "chains").

If possible, it'd be nice to put in as many situational taunts as possible - particularly for events that negatively affect the PC. Winning is its own reward, while losing could use spicing up. It will be less frustrating to get knocked down three times with an occasional "Hey fellas - he seems to like it down there.", or with a "Ooh - that tickles." for doing no damage.

Ideally, it'd be nice to be able to change the odds of taunts based on factors/events - that way it'll be less transparently mechanical to the player. For example, taunts for zero damage could become more likely after each zero-damage hit, and less likely after each damaging hit. It'd also be nice for identical taunts to be immediately repeated rarely, if ever, and for taunts of a given type to be less likely once one taunt of that type has been used.

We use the "<profession> hits you for <amount> points of damage..." template. It's possible, of course, to add some conditions to it and replace points with point if amount=1, but why bother?

If it's simple + easy to do, I'd slightly prefer it. I don't think it's important though: every player is going to have consciously realised it's a template - it's considerably less important than dialogue spelling errors.

 

[Mr Happy]

Could you add a little blood texture on the clothes? The thief lying in a pool of blood but with no wounds on his front is slightly distracting.

That would be nice. No idea how much work that is, but easier than adding all sorts of gore/multilation, I guess.

 

[GhanBuriGhan]

As for your question, it's up to you. We can certainly do both.

How simple is it to add relatively complex queries?
For example, taunts that rely on:
Enemy faction AND PC faction (if any).
Number of enemies.
Times PC has been knocked down in this fight.
Number of hits on PC vs number of hits on enemies.
Consecutive 0 damage hits on an enemy.
PC with melee weapon retreating.
Previously used taunts (allowing taunt "chains").

If possible, it'd be nice to put in as many situational taunts as possible - particularly for events that negatively affect the PC. Winning is its own reward, while losing could use spicing up. It will be less frustrating to get knocked down three times with an occasional "Hey fellas - he seems to like it down there.", or with a "Ooh - that tickles." for doing no damage.

Ideally, it'd be nice to be able to change the odds of taunts based on factors/events - that way it'll be less transparently mechanical to the player. For example, taunts for zero damage could become more likely after each zero-damage hit, and less likely after each damaging hit. It'd also be nice for identical taunts to be immediately repeated rarely, if ever, and for taunts of a given type to be less likely once one taunt of that type has been used.

We use the "<profession> hits you for <amount> points of damage..." template. It's possible, of course, to add some conditions to it and replace points with point if amount=1, but why bother?

If it's simple + easy to do, I'd slightly prefer it. I don't think it's important though: every player is going to have consciously realised it's a template - it's considerably less important than dialogue spelling errors.

Thats exactly where I wanted to go with my question. I'll just assume he can do it and start writing some.

 

[Nick]

Could you add a little blood texture on the clothes? The thief lying in a pool of blood but with no wounds on his front is slightly distracting.

That would be nice. No idea how much work that is...

Pretty much, as Torque doesn't support multitexturing for objects. There is a workaround, though, so it's possible to implement it. This would be a nice feature, indeed, I'm adding it to TODO list.