Preview Arcania - Of Quest Indicators & Combo Assists

[Jason]

Tags: Gothic 4: Arcania

<p><a href="http://www.arcania-game.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Arcania: Gothic 4</strong></a> was briefly <a href="http://pc.ign.com/articles/109/1090936p1.html" target="_blank">poked and prodded</a> by IGN.</p>
<blockquote>Should you decide to head into battle with a mammoth two-handed sword, the difference won't just be a damage total. Instead, you'll see your character grasp the weapon differently, holding it out and behind as if it were heavy. Swings are slower, and by turning on a combo assist the sword will glow briefly while being swung to indicate when another attack command can be inputted to keep a combo going. To avoid attacks you can roll away from enemies, and potions are swiftly quaffed, meaning you don't have to go hide behind a rock if you want to regain some health in order to let an animation play out without interruption.<br /><br />At any moment you can quickly switch between modes of combat, so if you'd rather put some distance between you and your target after a few sword slashes, you can break out a bow and start charging a shot. Once a bow shot is fully charged you can hold it and move your character around, meaning you're not rooted to a spot and vulnerable to enemy fire while trying to aim. The game does feature an auto-target assist, but if you choose to take advantage of it you'll lose some of the weapon's power that would have been available had the shots been manually lined up.</blockquote>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Spotted at: <a href="http://pc.ign.com/articles/109/1090936p1.html">IGN</a></p>

 

[Xor]

That's good. I, for one, cannot role-play a character who wields different sized weapons the same way.

 

[SerratedBiz]

The game also features an install program which will create a shortcut on your desktop. Double-clicking this shortcut will automatically start the game for you, as long as you don't turn the power off. If you want to close the game you can quit simply by pressing the quit button on the main menu or options screen.

Speaking of which, the game's options allow you to change various aspects of gameplay and graphics. You can adjust the game's resolution if your monitor can support higher sizes. There is also an option to increase or decrease the volume of sound effects and music. If you would rather not hear music at all, you can mute it.

 

[RK47]

You're joking right?

 

[entertainer]

The game also features an install program which will create a shortcut on your desktop. Double-clicking this shortcut will automatically start the game for you, as long as you don't turn the power off. If you want to close the game you can quit simply by pressing the quit button on the main menu or options screen.

Speaking of which, the game's options allow you to change various aspects of gameplay and graphics. You can adjust the game's resolution if your monitor can support higher sizes. There is also an option to increase or decrease the volume of sound effects and music. If you would rather not hear music at all, you can mute it.

 

[WhiskeyWolf]

The game also features an install program which will create a shortcut on your desktop. Double-clicking this shortcut will automatically start the game for you, as long as you don't turn the power off. If you want to close the game you can quit simply by pressing the quit button on the main menu or options screen.

Speaking of which, the game's options allow you to change various aspects of gameplay and graphics. You can adjust the game's resolution if your monitor can support higher sizes. There is also an option to increase or decrease the volume of sound effects and music. If you would rather not hear music at all, you can mute it.

The fuck what?

EDIT: Oh I get it.

 

[Angthoron]

The game also features an install program which will create a shortcut on your desktop. Double-clicking this shortcut will automatically start the game for you, as long as you don't turn the power off. If you want to close the game you can quit simply by pressing the quit button on the main menu or options screen.

Speaking of which, the game's options allow you to change various aspects of gameplay and graphics. You can adjust the game's resolution if your monitor can support higher sizes. There is also an option to increase or decrease the volume of sound effects and music. If you would rather not hear music at all, you can mute it.

:D

You forgot the part where they spoke of the revolutionary mouse support system. Now, you will be able to use the mouse not only to click through boring PowerPoint presentations and on porn links, you'll be able to play games with it! Fully customisable* mouse button support guarantees that you will get a unique experience every time you replay the game, exactly the way you want it.

*Only supporting two-button devices. Tentative mouse wheel support.

 

[Shannow]

What you guys don't seem to get, is that this isn't as obviously normal as some might imply:

To avoid attacks you can roll away from enemies, and potions are swiftly quaffed, meaning you don't have to go hide behind a rock if you want to regain some health in order to let an animation play out without interruption.

I know someone who'll not play Arcania simply because it changed the way potions work from the way they worked in Gothic. And while it certainly won't make or break the game for me it is a clear indicator of dumbing down.

At any moment you can quickly switch between modes of combat, so if you'd rather put some distance between you and your target after a few sword slashes, you can break out a bow and start charging a shot. Once a bow shot is fully charged you can hold it and move your character around, meaning you're not rooted to a spot and vulnerable to enemy fire while trying to aim. The game does feature an auto-target assist, but if you choose to take advantage of it you'll lose some of the weapon's power that would have been available had the shots been manually lined up.

Now this sound just stupid.
And only this has been standard so long that its not funny being hyped anymore.

All in all: meh.

 

[Darth Roxor]

You're joking right?

Continue your LP, faggot.

 

[Angthoron]

But Shannow, this is how real warriors always fought their battles. They rolled around in chain and plate armour to avoid the blows, then whipped out their bows and shot the enemy in the eye. Like Legolas, only less gay! It's even in Sun Tzu, since it was the common tactic of the Roman legions for whom the book was originally written in the 15th century BC. And it's written with human blood used as ink so it must be true.

Man the hell up. The RPG world has been the wusses of the gaming world too long. Why quaff mana potions when you should really be an unstoppable death machine? The up-and-coming, true next-gen RPGs do away with the stupid arbitrarity of rules and limitations - the story is about you, the hero, the kind of hero described in the Mayan epic Das Nibelungen Laid, a manly man that has his ways with virgins and isn't stopped by death or shit or anything. Do you read books or watch movies where the hero has to reload every five minutes? Don't think so.

 

[Pseudofool]

What you guys don't seem to get, is that this isn't as obviously normal as some might imply:

To avoid attacks you can roll away from enemies, and potions are swiftly quaffed, meaning you don't have to go hide behind a rock if you want to regain some health in order to let an animation play out without interruption.

I know someone who'll not play Arcania simply because it changed the way potions work from the way they worked in Gothic. And while it certainly won't make or break the game for me it is a clear indicator of dumbing down.

I'd normally agree with you, but the absurdly slow potion-drinking-animations of the gothic series (while adding a layer of difficult) stunted immersion for me. And I certainly don't need sheath my weapon to drink a damn potion. There's probably a better middle ground, but this is fastidious point to complain about, considering they are certainly not dumbing it down by including how the weight of swords affects gameplay.

 

[Shannow]

I'd normally agree with you, but the absurdly slow potion-drinking-animations of the gothic series (while adding a layer of difficult) stunted immersion for me. And I certainly don't need sheath my weapon to drink a damn potion. There's probably a better middle ground, but this is fastidious point to complain about, considering they are certainly not dumbing it down by including how the weight of swords affects gameplay.

The fuck? They simply stated that the player character holds a two handed sword differently from a one handed one and swing animation is slower. Big fucking deal. That's always been part of the Gothic games. Not dumbing down one part of a game certainly doesn't absolve from dumbing down other parts.
On potions: Absurdly slow? Quaffing 300+ ml of fluid while meleeing? The only absurd thing is that it is possible at all
But I agree, a middle ground where you don't sheathe your weapon wouldn't be bad. And a fun balancing for shields because you wouldn't be able to drink potions while in combat and equipped with a shield.

 

[forgotmypasswordagain]

Well, what nobody has stopped to consider is that, if potions really could heal physical injuries, it would make the most sense to just keep your mouth full-up of potion constantly as you're fighting, and then swallow it down once you get hurt; so then you wouldn't have to fuck around with corks and bottles and shit like that. or heck, just keep some in your mouth all the time even when not fighting, just in case a tree falls on you or your trip into a ditch

that's totally how i'd do it if i were a level 12 paladin battling hordes of little dark-skinned men who are called "goblins" or "trogs" or something. <:/
Or maybe I'd keep a big bladder full of potion inside of my BREAST plate and have a little straw coming out into my mouth (maybe even a crazystraw lol) and i would just suck on that straw as i do valiant battle in the name of my sovereign lord

how much will rpgcodex pay me to write articles full of great ideas like this for them?

 

[FeelTheRads]

This man should design games.

Although to be honest, the "keep it in your mouth" part is already practically in use with the regenerating health.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Simply replace the cans / cups with potion bottles

I'm surprised no alchemist comes up with that in a game.

 

[forgotmypasswordagain]

Simply replace the cans / cups with potion bottles

I'm surprised no alchemist comes up with that in a game.

perfect preorder-exclusive DLC item idea

greater helm of sucking
+1

 

[Morkar Left]

What you guys don't seem to get, is that this isn't as obviously normal as some might imply:

To avoid attacks you can roll away from enemies, and potions are swiftly quaffed, meaning you don't have to go hide behind a rock if you want to regain some health in order to let an animation play out without interruption.

I know someone who'll not play Arcania simply because it changed the way potions work from the way they worked in Gothic. And while it certainly won't make or break the game for me it is a clear indicator of dumbing down.

At any moment you can quickly switch between modes of combat, so if you'd rather put some distance between you and your target after a few sword slashes, you can break out a bow and start charging a shot. Once a bow shot is fully charged you can hold it and move your character around, meaning you're not rooted to a spot and vulnerable to enemy fire while trying to aim. The game does feature an auto-target assist, but if you choose to take advantage of it you'll lose some of the weapon's power that would have been available had the shots been manually lined up.

Now this sound just stupid.
And only this has been standard so long that its not funny being hyped anymore.

All in all: meh.

This. Lost sale. I hoped they would keep that optional. But I hadn´t high expectations anyway...

 

[Morkar Left]

Simply replace the cans / cups with potion bottles

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__C0zeuMrITI/S ... er-Hat.jpg

I'm surprised no alchemist comes up with that in a game.

There was such an item for Pen&Paper D&D.

 

[forgotmypasswordagain]

I don't have a problem with a game allowing one to aim a ranged weapon whilst running, provided that the ability is unlocked through specialized character development, i.e. selecting archer feats/abilities/whatever, and so long as there's still at least a slight bonus to accuracy. If it's standard, then, yeah, that's whack dude. <:\

but obviously they are talking about doing something stupid so don't get me wrong i agree with you, lost sale

 

[Murk]

Shooting while walking is fine - if you incur a penalty and can only walk slowly like say... in gothic 3 (make the reticle a bit shakier tho I guess).

Risen had very slow movement for the character as soon as you began to draw your arrow on your bow, and slow movement when you aimed with your crossbow - but full on running while reloading your crossbow which... kind of makes sense, I guess.

Likewise, potions should somewhat slow you down a bit I suppose and maybe require that you have at least 1 hand free but the complete stop + glug is ridiculous. Gothic 3 even took it more in if you had your weapons out and hit the potion hotkey then you came to a full stop, put your weapons away, drank the potion, took your weapons out, then could run again.

that's like... retarded. you'd have to put your weapons away/draw them manually to save time, which is fine, but holy shit there's no reason to stand still for 5 seconds while people are chasing you.

 

[Gerrard]

And while it certainly won't make or break the game for me it is a clear indicator of dumbing down.

Oh, so the character not being a DUMBFUCK is a sign of dumbing down now?

Quaffing 300+ ml of fluid

What kind of a retard would invent healing potions that need to be 300+ml?
It's unrealistic that you could drink any number of them in a row.
DERP

Watch the fucking Drunken Master or something.

 

[Norfleet]

Well, who knows what the requirements for healing potions are? They aren't real. What would be REALLY funny, however, is if characters could become ADDICTED to healing potions. Because you have to imagine if healing potions could really do that, the effect would be addictive.

 

[Shannow]

And while it certainly won't make or break the game for me it is a clear indicator of dumbing down.

Oh, so the character not being a DUMBFUCK is a sign of dumbing down now?

Making gameplay mechanics easier for consoletards like you who whine about not being able to exploit potions Oblivion-style and thus aren't able to pwn everything at level 1 is dumbing down, yes. Glad we understand each other.

Quaffing 300+ ml of fluid

What kind of a retard would invent healing potions that need to be 300+ml?
It's unrealistic that you could drink any number of them in a row.
DERP

Watch the fucking Drunken Master or something.

*facepalm*

 

[Wyrmlord]

You're joking right?

Of course he is joking.

 

[Gerrard]

Making gameplay mechanics easier for consoletards like you who whine about not being able to exploit potions Oblivion-style and thus aren't able to pwn everything at level 1 is dumbing down, yes.

Making gameplay mechanics not retarded, isn't.