Development Info Age of Decadence: a new combat video

[thesheeep]

And it is a video. It might not depict an ingame situation the way a player would experience the same situation.

Quoted from VD (IT Forums)

Glad you liked it. The mechanics aren't perfect, but now they are much, much closer to what we want them to be. Nothing more tweaking won't fix. And just for the record, the "say hello to my little friend" thing at the end was a joke and is not in the game.

 

[Vault Dweller]

So is there some kind of penalty for switching weapons like that in mid-combat?

4 AP

Looked impressive enough. The highlights in the choose-your-attack-menu could be a bit more visible.

We'll tweak it. Thanks for the suggestion.

Vault Dweller first time in my whole life I am speechless. Combat in AoD is fun, tactical and absorbing. Graphics are very nice. Music is fantastic.

Thanks.

1. During combat player character have many attack options. We will have to learn them or they will be accessible to the player from beginning of the game ? Or maybe attack options would be stats / skill base ?

Some attacks have skill requirements, some attacks need to be taught by someone.

2.AoD will be party based or single players ?

Single.

You'll be able to get some manpower from your factions every now and then though. The "manpower" would fight independently and you'll not be able to control them.

So, will the game feature "unguessable" random instant deaths to the player, like in the end of the video? That would be annoying to die, for something I couldn't predict or don't have any fault or choice. That would be cheap: save/loading mandatory to solve the quests. Trial and error.

Nick's character was running low on HPs at this point and we bumped up that noble's critical strike skill.

 

[Kingston]

The bolt trail could be a little less visible, currently its looking like rocket smoke. Trivial details ofcourse.

 

[Nick]

The bolt trail could be a little less visible, currently its looking like rocket smoke. Trivial details ofcourse.

Quake2 FTW!

Sure, I'll make it more transparent.

 

[Kingston]

Sure, I'll make it more transparent.

It's not to do with the transparency, but rather the size of it. The size of the bolt is small yet it leaves a very bulky trail. I'd more enjoy a simple line, GWtB-like:

 

[Hory]

Putting a two-handed hammer back in your pack, taking another weapon out, taking and equipping a tower shield too, and still attacking the enemy before he can attack you is way over the top.

TB tactical games are not about combat realism but having good rules and a nice challenge like a board game. This is something we usually accept in these games.

You're right in that realism shouldn't necessarily come first, but I don't think that making action points irrelevant for inventory-based actions, like in Fallout, is the most tactical or fun solution.

 

[Lord Chambers]

This may not be an issue considering the quantity and difficulty of combat in Age of Decadence, but the speed of combat could be a little slow if they qualify as "frequent" or "routine." The animations look good and I enjoyed watching them, but a second viewing of the game made me realize that I probably wouldn't want to sit through each animation after a few hours of the game. I might hope for a speed slider, because at some point the novelty of the animations will wear off and make combat more tedious.

After that suggestion grates on people, I'll also suggest that small damage popup's on screen might be helpful, because the amount appears at varying locations in the text box due to other messages.

 

[Vault Dweller]

I might hope for a speed slider, because at some point the novelty of the animations will wear off and make combat more tedious.

We have it and it works great. In the video, it's on medium, but you can speed it up significantly.

After that suggestion grates on people, I'll also suggest that small damage popup's on screen...

Not sure about that (too actiony), but if there is a strong demand, it won't be difficult to add.

PS. Don't forget, there is a huge difference between playing a game and watching a video. When you play, you pay attention to each strike and line.

 

[bezimek]

Thanks for answers VD and good luck.

 

[Hümmelgümpf]

Not sure about that (too actiony)

I don't think there is anything "actiony" about this feature, unless you have something like this mind:

Keep it simple and it will be a welcome addition.

Doesn't look too bad, does it?

 

[Mr.Rocco]

It's really annoying to see that every time you switch your weapon, you have to go to inventory menu. I know it's a homage to FO and so on, but can't you make the switch as same as changing attack mode?

 

[fastpunk]

Awesome! AoD is turning out nice. The combat is really interesting but you got to do something about the sounds.

 

[Elhoim]

@Lestat: Actually I like the first most. It´s a wordy game, you know? The second feels like Final Fantasy.

Joking aside, it might be a good switchable option.

 

[bezimek]

Lestat - second (numbers only) is more transparent. Simple and nice looking. Combat descriptions should be put in left - down text window.

 

[elander_]

You're right in that realism shouldn't necessarily come first, but I don't think that making action points irrelevant for inventory-based actions, like in Fallout, is the most tactical or fun solution.

Accessing inventory in Fallout requires action points. You don't do it for free. There are some abuses like being able to use as many stimpaks as we want but i don't see how this applies to AoD.

 

[covr]

Graphix is just stunning. Everything looks so "not-indy" and professional. I like it very much, so please don't mess it.
Combat seems to be good, reminds me combat in forgotten polish rpg "Odium" ( "Gorky 17" in Poland).

Similar, isnt't it?

 

[The Vanished One]

I want this game.
Combat is awesome as it is, but it would be even better with sound effects. Would it be possible to add them with a patch if AoD sells enough?

 

[Elhoim]

You're right in that realism shouldn't necessarily come first, but I don't think that making action points irrelevant for inventory-based actions, like in Fallout, is the most tactical or fun solution.

Accessing inventory in Fallout requires action points. You don't do it for free. There are some abuses like being able to use as many stimpaks as we want but i don't see how this applies to AoD.

Well, that abuse won´t be possible in AoD. We have no magical healing potions. We have healing salve, but it doesn't heal you instantly and it can't be applied in combat.

 

[Elhoim]

I want this game.
Combat is awesome as it is, but it would be even better with sound effects. Would it be possible to add them with a patch if AoD sells enough?

The finished game will have sound effects.

 

[Vival]

I'm very disappointed by the apparent lack of motion capturing, bloom, hdri lightning, ultra hi-res textures, over the top gore, ragdoll physics and bombastic Dolby surround sound effects. This video just couldn't capture my refined attention. I yawned several times.

 

[Kingston]

They don't even have parallax mapping. Sheesh, talk about unprofessional. If this baby runs at over 25fps I'll be disappointed.

 

[denizsi]

Here is another suggestion: Instead of choosing an attack style by clicking on weapon slot, to bring up the context menu, can't we rather click on an enemy to bring up the context menu there to choose an attack?

It would be faster as well: Right now, you click on weapon slot, choose an attack and click on a target, whereas you could click on a target and choose the attack. Sounds much more efficient to me.

Combat seems to be good, reminds me combat in forgotten polish rpg "Odium" ( "Gorky 17" in Poland).

Similar, isnt't it?

NO. Odium sucked. Thought the combat had a certain amount of tactical approach, it was only because of the retarded weapon attack ranges. I wouldn't call it an RPG by any standards either.

 

[Paranoid Jack]

Love the video and the ending was a great. Looking better all the time.

As far as Odium I bought it cheap and loved the couple dozen hours I spent playing. Though I never finished it like most games I buy. I lost interest.

 

[Nick]

Gorky 17 rocked, good TB-combat game. It's not more RPG than JA2, though.

 

[elander_]

Well, that abuse won´t be possible in AoD. We have no magical healing potions. We have healing salve, but it doesn't heal you instantly and it can't be applied in combat.

Thats the way to do it. I hope theres a way to flee combat if things get too rough.