Game News Age of Decadence Combat Demo - the Remix

[Silellak]

I fail to see how a combat demo is beneficial to anything. Assuring potential sheecustomers that VD spent 4 years to make a half-assed combat demo that has more bugs than features and showing how you can fuck up Tribes 2 engine? Well yes.

Obvious troll is obvious.

Because combat and "C&C" is all that there is to RPG right?
And now count how much other stuff is present in Fallout demo besides C&C and combat. Sheesh and then you baaaaw about "mondblutians".

I do? That's fascinating. I've never mentioned him by name, or even gotten involved in the Dungeon Crawling vs. Storyfag debate, but if that's what I baaaaaw about, you must be right, since you are the Undisputed Master of Baaaawing.

Have you really gotten so lazy that you just lump every single person you disagree with into a single entity? NEW CODEXERS MAKE SKYWAY ANGRY RAAR SKYWAY SMASH.

No the arguments I've given in response is that AoD combat is very mediocre and has nothing special. You hit enemies, they hit you back. Fallout (as being the closest example) was better as most of the time the combat was ranged which was giving you a bigger freedom of movement. And of course I stated that my personal preference when it comes to TB is party combat. What else is there to argue about?

Your gross oversimplifications aside, the combat in AoD was never meant to be anything special, nor did anyone ever claim it was - just adequate enough to not be a blatant weakness when people discuss the game. Considering that goal, I think ITS succeeded admirably. If they had claimed their combat would be on-par with JA2, I'd be right up there with you on the soap box ranting about how horribly they've failed.

Honestly, I really don't think turn-based combat with a single controllable character will ever be anything special, and I'm pretty sure everyone agrees that party-based combat is preferable. That said, there are far more options and varying weapon types than Fallout, and that alone makes the combat more interesting and entertaining to me. More range of movement in Fallout? Who the fuck cares if all you do is Aimed Shot -> Eyes -> Win fight?

 

[Twinkle]

That said, there are far more options and varying weapon types than Fallout, and that alone makes the combat more interesting and entertaining to me. More range of movement in Fallout? Who the fuck cares if all you do is Aimed Shot -> Eyes -> Win fight

Not enough weapon types? http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Fallout_2_weapons
Fanboys like to defy logic. And how Aimed Shot -> Eyes -> Win differs from Aimed Shot -> Arm -> Win?

 

[Silellak]

a symptom of a braindead fucking idiotic AI

"Braindead fucking idiotic" is the sort of gross exaggeration Skyway would be proud of. "Braindead fucking idiotic" would be if every single NPC approached you with the exact same strategy regardless of their weapons, your weapons, their armor, your armor, their skills, your skills, etc. If you're going to make outrageous claims, you need to have outrageous examples to back up those claims.

So, with that in mind, let's look at your claims from the other thread:

I kept shooting Dellar from half way across the arena with piercing arrows. Because of the distance, he immediately switched to his MG42 of a crossbow, but could only hit me once. Then I kept disarming him first and normal-shooting him every turn, and every turn, he kept equipping the crossbow back, without being able to fire it at all. He died like a moron. Even a mindlessly charging drone would give a better challenge.

I believe this is a bug related to the first build, where being disarmed with a crossbow would also force you to reload it. He probably burned all of his AP each just re-equipping and reloading the crossbow, since the AI likely wasn't designed to handle a buggy situation that should never have actually occurred in the first place. I would be curious to see how the same fight plays out with the new build of the demo.

This was the only thing I found from you in that thread regarding the AI. One example from a single 1v1 fight, that is likely related to a crossbow-disarming bug from the first build. So, you will need to provide a better example if you want me to accept your premise that the AI is "braindead fucking idiotic".

The AI's always seemed pretty solid to me. For instance, when I was playing a melee character with heavy armor but no helmet vs. an archer, I noticed the archer focused on aimed shots to the head. When I reloaded and put a helmet on, the archer switched to aimed targets to the legs to slow me down. That doesn't strike me as something a "brandead fucking idiotic" AI would do.

In another scenario, when I was playing as an bow/CS archer myself using heavy armor, I found that no matter how close I got to a thrown-weapon user using a tower shield, he would not switch to a melee weapon - most likely because the AI knew that the armor-piercing passive abilities of the thrown weapons were better than whatever melee weapon he was carrying, and that my chance to hit would remain low as long as he hid behind his giant tower shield throwing spears and darts at my defenseless self. Once again, not something a "brandead fucking idiotic" AI would do.

I've mentioned before the AI's tendancy to switch to power attacks against you when your prone and especially vulnerable - nothing special, but a nice touch.

So far the situations you've mentioned seem to be the exception, rather than the rule.

 

[Awor Szurkrarz]

From what I've seen, the AI always uses all of its thrown weapons before attacking, even when fighting against a bowman and getting outranged.

 

[Silellak]

That said, there are far more options and varying weapon types than Fallout, and that alone makes the combat more interesting and entertaining to me. More range of movement in Fallout? Who the fuck cares if all you do is Aimed Shot -> Eyes -> Win fight

Not enough weapon types? http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Fallout_2_weapons
Fanboys like to defy logic. And how Aimed Shot -> Eyes -> Win differs from Aimed Shot -> Arm -> Win?

Aimed Shot -> Arm -> Win takes you through every fight in AoD? Really? Fascinating. Most people have complained the opposite - that disarming your opponent usually isn't worth the AP cost that particular action takes.

The weapon list in FO2 is irrelevant to the point I was trying to make, because most weapons of the same type all basically play the same. A ranged weapon is a ranged weapon - unlike in AoD where a crossbow plays significantly different from a bow which plays significantly different from thrown weapons. Obviously some ranged weapons in FO2 have a burst mode, and others don't, but that's not significant difference in playstyle. Does an Energy Weapons build in FO really play any differently than a Small Guns build? What about a crowbar vs. a combat knife? Or even a melee weapon build vs. unarmed combat build? Do two-handed melee weapons allow you to attack from angles rather than just front/back/sides? I honestly don't remember this last one - it's quite possible they did and I just don't remember it.

It's all well and good to dismiss me as an "AoD fanboy" and call it a day, but I've actually provided constructive criticism on their boards regarding how dagger users are "easy mode" and currently require almost no strategy, and how dodge seems to me to be greatly preferable to block. But I know the "constructive" part of "constructive criticism" is often lost on the Codex crowd.

 

[denizsi]

a symptom of a braindead fucking idiotic AI

"Braindead fucking idiotic" is the sort of gross exaggeration Skyway would be proud of. "Braindead fucking idiotic" would be if every single NPC approached you with the exact same strategy regardless of their weapons, your weapons, their armor, your armor, their skills, your skills, etc. If you're going to make outrageous claims, you need to have outrageous examples to back up those claims.

So, with that in mind, let's look at your claims from the other thread

Sorry to crush your world, baby. They aren't just claims.

This was the only thing I found from you in that thread regarding the AI. One example from a single 1v1 fight, that is likely related to a crossbow-disarming bug from the first build.

At least you took the trouble of going there and reading it. I believe I also mentioned how ridiculously easy the game was with 2H spears and bows. I literally breezed through the game with both. I didn't have to work hard on devising a tactic and adapting to the fight either. I figure out what works in the first 5 or so turns, stick to what works and it keeps working till the death do us apart, mostly because the AI keeps doing the same mistake. The game was marginally easier than with anything else.

So, you will need to provide a better example if you want me to accept your premise that the AI is "braindead fucking idiotic".

I don't care whether you accept or not. It's as simple as that my own experiences didn't have such AI splendour out of 9 complete runs of the demo. I'm "sorry" you had better experiences and I read what you wrote. It does sound nice. I wish I experienced similar situations. I last played the game yesterday, totalling 15+ games (still only 9 of them to the end). I didn't get once hit on legs. I was never hit on the head with missiles either. Not once, in no skill combo and fighting style. I've been disarmed plenty of times though, if that will make you happy.

On the other hand, I'd care that VD accept my impressions instead of calling it trolling/misinformation, because it could point to bugs/balance issues if I'm getting exceptions at an exceptional rate to the point that my own impression of the game AI, derived from my own experiences, is that it's braindead fucking idiotic. Alas, he seems to be happier shouting "LALALALA", cherry picking quotes and ignoring real problems.

At least he isn't lonely, what with growing number of cocksuckers who'd sooner shun any dissent and different experiences than hear any of it. Bliss, bliss and heaven.

 

[Twinkle]

because most weapons of the same type all basically play the same. A ranged weapon is a ranged weapon - unlike in AoD where a crossbow plays significantly different from a bow which plays significantly different from thrown weapons.

Well, sniper rifle is different from a minigun which is different from a flamethrower which is different from a pistol which is different from hand grenades and so on. It is true, however, that all difference between energy and firearms lies mostly in a type of damage.

Do two-handed melee weapons allow you to attack from angles rather than just front/back/sides?

Some, like spears have longer attack range.

I find it strange that you dislike FO's combat, yet enjoy AoD's one - they are both easily exploitable and on the simplistic side of things, only FO's one is somewhat more satisfying thanks to fun critical hit animations + more enemy variety at least compared to the demo.

 

[denizsi]

That said, there are far more options and varying weapon types than Fallout, and that alone makes the combat more interesting and entertaining to me. More range of movement in Fallout? Who the fuck cares if all you do is Aimed Shot -> Eyes -> Win fight

Not enough weapon types? http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Fallout_2_weapons
Fanboys like to defy logic. And how Aimed Shot -> Eyes -> Win differs from Aimed Shot -> Arm -> Win?

Aimed Shot -> Arm -> Win takes you through every fight in AoD? Really?

I for one can safely say that it took me through at least a quarter of the fights.

The weapon list in FO2 is irrelevant to the point I was trying to make, because most weapons of the same type all basically play the same. A ranged weapon is a ranged weapon - unlike in AoD where a crossbow plays significantly different from a bow which plays significantly different from thrown weapons. Obviously some ranged weapons in FO2 have a burst mode, and others don't, but that's not significant difference in playstyle.

Just what is "significant" for you anyway? I think you're putting too much emphasis on "play style", which is a very vague, subjective way to call it. I could argue Fallout allows better/more play styles because there's a greater freedom of movement without taking astronomical risks all the time. Or how does AoD have give more "play styles" when all you can do is get close, attack and retreat? I'm not arguing or suggesting that either is the case, though.

While I don't think it's completely sane to compare FO to AoD, if a comparison has to be made, I'd agree that there's enough difference of "significance" in FO to warrant enjoyment while the experience is AoD is rather dry, despite the greater number of options in combat, which is a very objective impression.

because most weapons of the same type all basically play the same. A ranged weapon is a ranged weapon - unlike in AoD where a crossbow plays significantly different from a bow which plays significantly different from thrown weapons.

Well, sniper rifle is different from a minigun which is different from a flamethrower which is different from a pistol which is different from hand grenades and so on. It is true, however, that all difference between energy and firearms lies mostly in a type of damage.

Nicely put.

 

[Silellak]

I find it strange that you dislike FO's combat, yet enjoy AoD's one - they are both easily exploitable and on the simplistic side of things, only FO's one is somewhat more satisfying thanks to fun critical hit animations + more enemy variety at least compared to the demo.

Sorry if I gave the impression I dislike FO's combat, any more than I do any turn-based single-character combat. I found AoD's slightly better than FO's, based on what I've seen in the combat demo, but keep in mind I'm comparing it to FO because FO has the best single-character turn-based system I've played - short of purposely soloing in something like JA2, I guess.

For instance, one big combat-based thing I prefer in AoD over FO is the way hitpoints work. Since HP never goes up in AoD, no matter how good you get at avoiding being hit, you're still human, so when you do get hit, it hurts just as much. I greatly prefer this to Fallout's level-based system, where by the end, you have a superhuman number of hitpoints. This hopefully means combat in AoD will always remain a dangerous choice - as I think it should.

For the record, I also don't think AoD's combat is anywhere near fantastic. It is serviceable, in the same way Fallout's was. It's not a glaring weakness, like in Arcanum, Torment, or Bloodlines - which as I said, is ITS's stated goal. My issue is only with over-the-top claims like "broken and braindead AI" or "1-handed spears and swords play the same". If someone said that AoD's combat was the best they'd seen in an RPG ever, I'd take just as much issue with that sort of exaggeration.

In the end, I think the best ITS can hope for is to have a more-balanced, less-exploitable system than Fallout's, because in many ways they've already crippled the potential of the combat system by only giving you one controllable character.

On the other hand, I'd care that VD accept my impressions instead of calling it trolling/misinformation

Part of the problem, I believe, is that you have obvious incorrect information in your feedback - some stuff that can be immediately learned by simply checking the readme.

There is a clear distinction between how a 1-handed spear build and a 1-handed sword build or a 1-handed sword and a dagger build play out, for instance. When you claim otherwise, it immediately makes one question the rest of your feedback. If you were a developer, would you trust a tester who hadn't even bothered to double-check the software's documentation before providing feedback?

 

[Vault Dweller]

Honestly, I'm disappointed by the lack of options in combat.

Characters don't ever seem to lose turns on the ground, knocked down (possible this is in but never happened to me). That said, I'm not sure if it's possible to get knocked down without being killed at all.

There also seem to be distinction/differentiation issues between weapons. How's a short spear different than a sword? Or a sword than a dagger? Other than AP costs of course.

Why I'd expect such things? I don't know. Maybe because this demo, being indie and all that, didn't seem like something that would be much different than what you'd possibly get from a mainstream title.

Combat, at least with multiple opponents, is challenging alright, but challenge alone isn't all that interesting, especially with broken & non-adaptive AI.

Trolling? Each of these statements is false, which should be obvious to anyone who played the demo for more than 20 min.

Here we go again. Instead of asking what was wrong...

You made this post that's about you bitching [for the sake of bitching] and then you ask why I didn't inquire what's wrong and called it trolling? If you think that your post was an invitation to go over some issues, you're delusional and have forgotten what a normal conversation is a long time ago.

I'm sorry you can't handle everything being a developer.

How pathetic. When you spew bullshit and a developer asks if you're trolling, quickly say that he can't handle being a developer. I guess all the developers who used to frequent the Codex stopped visiting it for the same reason. They just can't handle all that constructive criticism, eh?

My post accurately reflects my experience with the demo.

Even more pathetic. "But... but it's my experience so it can't be false!" defense.

I'm also sorry your game code doesn't seem to operate %100 same on every configuration, otherwise there wouldn't be the initial bugs of the first demo even after months of a closed beta at all.

What has that gotta do with anything? Yes, there were bugs in the first release. What's your point? I'm sure you're well aware that the demo was very stable during "months of testing" and that's what all testers said, unless you're ready to call people like Galsiah and Dhruin liars, so it's nothing but a cheap misdirection attempt. "But the original demo was buggy! Surely that means that my bullshit claims about gameplay have a point!"

I last played the game yesterday, totalling 15+ games (still only 9 of them to the end)...

Sure you did.

I for one can safely say that it took me through at least a quarter of the fights.

Weren't you whining non-stop that you've discovered a strategy that works all the time? What, now it works only in the quarter of the fights?

On the other hand, I'd care that VD accept my impressions instead of calling it trolling/misinformation, because it could point to bugs/balance issues if I'm getting exceptions at an exceptional rate to the point that my own impression of the game AI, derived from my own experiences, is that it's braindead fucking idiotic. Alas, he seems to be happier shouting "LALALALA", cherry picking quotes and ignoring real problems.

Tip #1: if you want someone to listen to you, make sure that your, uh, "arguments" are seen as constructive criticism instead of whiny bitching.

Tip #2: make sure that you have a reputation of a reasonable guy, not of a skyway wannabe.

Tip #3: don't assume that you are the center of the fucking universe and that your experience, bias, and mood swings are what defines a game. Calling people who like the demo cocksuckers isn't nice either, especially since the group of people who like the combat system and the demo includes many well respected members of the Codex who are a lot more intelligent than you are, which means that when you say in a whiny kid voice "fuck them! change the game for me because I, the center of the fucking universe, didn't like it", it's kind of hard to take you seriously.

Are we done now?

 

[Vault Dweller]

I fail to see how a combat demo is beneficial to anything.

Well, if *you* fail to see it, then we definitely did something wrong there. After all, you're a critically acclaimed expert known for your deep understanding of pretty much everything and thoughtful analysis.

 

[denizsi]

Honestly, I'm disappointed by the lack of options in combat.

Characters don't ever seem to lose turns on the ground, knocked down (possible this is in but never happened to me). That said, I'm not sure if it's possible to get knocked down without being killed at all.

There also seem to be distinction/differentiation issues between weapons. How's a short spear different than a sword? Or a sword than a dagger? Other than AP costs of course.

Why I'd expect such things? I don't know. Maybe because this demo, being indie and all that, didn't seem like something that would be much different than what you'd possibly get from a mainstream title.

Combat, at least with multiple opponents, is challenging alright, but challenge alone isn't all that interesting, especially with broken & non-adaptive AI.

Trolling? Each of these statements is false, which should be obvious to anyone who played the demo for more than 20 min.

Here we go again. Instead of asking what was wrong...

You made this post that's about you bitching [for the sake of bitching]

And you replied with a post that's about you bitching about somebody else's bitching [for sake of bitching], so I guess that makes us even.

Even more pathetic. "But... but it's my experience so it can't be false!" defense.

You truly can't handle this, can you? An experience is an experience. Oh no, someone had a different experience than the majority, he must be a trolling/lying!! Unless you can point to a post of mine where I declare everything I post to be the absolute and universal truth and nothing else, just please, shut your bitching mouth up. It only makes you look sad like this insecure start-updeveloper who's already so jaded that he can't handle people having negative things to say with your fruit of love.

Sure you did.

...

What the fuck is this now?

You want save games? If I send you save games, will you admit that you've been a butthurt emofaggot all along?

What, you think AoD combat demo is so impossibly hard? Go fucking ask people how many times they finished it, if it isn't too much of a trouble for you. I'm sure Many people did better than I.

Weren't you whining non-stop that you've discovered a strategy that works all the time? What, now it works only in the quarter of the fights?

No. I never said that I discovered "one single strategy to rule them all" to apply to every single skill combo and opponent. I even mentioned it a few times in this thread alone, that it takes me a few turns to find a working strategy "in each fight" and after that, it's rinse & repeat because AI keeps responding in the same way in that particular fight. GO. BACK. READ. AGAIN. And fuck you again, you do this shit all the time, cherry pick a quote out of context and insult someone with that repeatedly.

Tip #1: if you want someone to listen to you, make sure that your, uh, "arguments" are seen as constructive criticism instead of whiny bitching.

Tip #0: If you don't want to sound like a butthurt emofaggot that can't handle *any* kind of criticism, make sure that your first reply to people's posts don't start with bullshit like "you're troll / you're lying", which has become something of a habit for you.

Tip #2: make sure that you have a reputation of a reasonable guy, not of a skyway wannabe.

Tip#-1: Make sure that you don't build a reputation for being a whiny weak faggot who can't take criticism.

Tip #3: don't assume that you are the center of the fucking universe and that your experience, bias, and mood swings are what defines a game.

Tip#-2: Don't assume just because somebody thinks/perceives differently than majority or has had particular experiences impressions different than majority due to any number of reason outside his/her control that he must be full of shit lying and trolling son of a bitch out to get you.

Calling people who like the demo cocksuckers isn't nice either

But calling people who didn't like the demo troll or liar is? R00FLESS!!

especially since the group of people who like the combat system and the demo includes many well respected members of the Codex who are a lot more intelligent than you are

Sometimes I wonder if you even realize how much like an average silly ESFer you sound like.

which means that when you say in a whiny kid voice "fuck them! change the game for me because I, the center of the fucking universe, didn't like it", it's kind of hard to take you seriously.

After you show me where I told to change the game even once (oh wait, you can't, because I never did, apart from some basic interface suggestions that has nothing to do with game mechanics unless you take every single opinion to be an ultimatum, a demand), answer this: do you ever stop to think that, if that's what I sound like in your insecure fantasy world, how you would possibly sound?

You have become a terrible joke, VD. A terrible and a sad joke. I hope your game will turn out good despite yourself. One can not even think loudly or voice a conflicting opinion with you around without getting insulted or harassed by you. In your little fantast world, it's "us against them".

 

[GarfunkeL]

Of course the AI reacts in the same way if you do not change any of the variables! If you change your characters behaviour, the AI reacts to it. I'll take the Triarii fight as an example:

First time my axe+block guy rushed the scimitar-guy, got surrounded, his shield was broken by the ax-guy, the hammer-guy knocked him down and the scimitar-guy cleaved him two. I think I died in two turns.

Second time I rushed to the left side of the arena, towards the ax-guy. Got him and the scimitar-guy into melee, while hammer-guy was content with throwing daggers at me. Again, thanks to shield breaking, I died pretty quickly.

Third time I advanced more slowly on the same left side and managed to entice the ax-guy apart from the scimitar-guy, who kept throwing shit at me along with the hammer-guy. Great job, except they rushed in as soon as they ran out of things to throw, while I had lost precious time equipping new shields as the ax-guy busted them. Death ensued.

Fourth time I switched to the right side and managed to get the hammer-guy and the scimitar-guy into melee while the ax-guy kept throwing daggers. With good blocking skill I managed to parry most of their strikes while busting their shields and whittling them down before the ax-men joined the fray.

Now, naturally it was stupid for the ax-guy to keep throwing daggers but at least the AI reacted on my movements. It didn't follow a script.

And yes, drop your helmet and many enemies start doing aimed attack: head against you. Compare AI reaction if at the start of battle you take 1 step towards him versus taking 3 steps.

And denizsi, your crusade against VD is really tiresome. Many of your claims were either outright lies or heavily inflated, stop trying to weasel your way out of the bag by splitting hairs and arguing semantics.

 

[denizsi]

I'm not following you. How exactly AI not changing tactics upon repeated failure is good, again?

Now, "braindead fucking idiotic" was a gross exaggeration to drive home a point. They sure change tactics but I haven't witnessed to them start doing anything differently when they start taking damage on a predictable frequency without dealing any and that I'm not sure how "AI reacts the same way if you don't change variables" is a viable, acceptable explanation for this.

About aimed attacks: I almost never wore a helmet but I always took either block or dodge and kept them high and was hit on the head only a few times in all my games, so I must have dodged or blocked 95% of the attempts.

 

[PorkaMorka]

Honestly, I really don't think turn-based combat with a single controllable character will ever be anything special...

The better roguelikes manage to make turn based combat with a single controllable character pretty darn awesome

DC:SS with a caster/hybrid at mid to high levels for example

of course... by then you have as many tactical options at your disposal as a full party in most games... and you need em all.

 

[mondblut]

I run it on default openGL mode and it was slow as fuck. I then switched to D3D, and it run fine for a while, then crashed after 3 battles (when I tried to scroll the screen left from the default outside position for a while), locking the final frame on screen so I couldn't do anything but reboot my PC.

Combat could be fun with a party of at least 4, with one character it's a waste of opportunity. Try to play Fallout with melee weapons alone, see the yawning chasms of boredom.

 

[Elhoim]

Now, "braindead fucking idiotic" was a gross exaggeration to drive home a point. They sure change tactics but I haven't witnessed to them start doing anything differently when they start taking damage on a predictable frequency without dealing any and that I'm not sure how "AI reacts the same way if you don't change variables" is a viable, acceptable explanation for this.

From the top of my head, this happens with the "disarm and back off" tactic, and the one you experienced with Dellar re-equipping his crossbow all the time. We are working on a counter-tactic for the first one, and the second one was due to a bug where his crossbow got unloaded every time he was disarmed. Can you point me any other situations where the AI suffers from lack of response and give some suggestion on how should it react? Thanks.

BTW, if you want to drive home a point please make a specific description of the situation, not a gross exaggeration. How are we supposed to fix the issues if the feedback we get is "braindead fucking idiotic"? There is no way we could know what to fix with that description.

 

[denizsi]

I just can't get over this, because I don't understand how this is even possible. Can anyone tell me what the breaking point is:

Honestly, I'm disappointed by the lack of options in combat.
sip

Trolling? Each of these statements is false, which should be obvious to anyone who played the demo for more than 20 min.

How can this statement possibly be "false"? Or what can possibly suggest that it's trolling? Rest of my quote, which VD for some reason (maybe he didn't correlate the two?) disregarded, clearly mentions what kind of things NOT present in the demo makes me disappointed due to them NOT being present in the demo:

Not much to spice things up. No shield bashing, no pommelling, no grappling. No hand-to-hand options while equipped with a weapon. Not even blocking/deflecting with a weapon. No "fake/surprise" attacks (for the lack of a better term). No "I'll charge on my opponent and hope he won't strike me before I hit him to ground" (in before "too complicated"). Characters don't ever seem to lose turns on the ground, knocked down (possible this is in but never happened to me).

So ok, I'm delusional or whatever you would like to call me or believe I am, to have had such "silly" expectations even though none was promised (which I never claimed was promised anyway) and to have feel disappointed in the end. Now, how does that make a "false statement", how can an expression such as "this is a false statement" be even applicable to a wishful ranting, and why could this be called trolling? From my perspective, this feels like "A: I want to have ice cream! I wish we had ice cream in the fridge! B: That is a false statement or you're trolling!", so I'll appreciate it if anyone can tell what this is about.

 

[denizsi]

Now, "braindead fucking idiotic" was a gross exaggeration to drive home a point. They sure change tactics but I haven't witnessed to them start doing anything differently when they start taking damage on a predictable frequency without dealing any and that I'm not sure how "AI reacts the same way if you don't change variables" is a viable, acceptable explanation for this.

From the top of my head, this happens with the "disarm and back off" tactic, and the one you experienced with Dellar re-equipping his crossbow all the time. We are working on a counter-tactic for the first one, and the second one was due to a bug where his crossbow got unloaded every time he was disarmed. Can you point me any other situations where the AI suffers from lack of response and give some suggestion on how should it react? Thanks.

Thank you. I'll play the game some more and come up detailed situations on how AI ends up "castrated", so to speak. The most recent example, when I last played earlier yesterday, I was picking on the Triari one by one with just a sword by luring them side ways, breaking their formation, hitting and retreating, ie. guerilla tactics. It was tedious but this went on until they all dropped dead and they did absolutely nothing to break the monotony of their dead-man-walking routine and to preserve their lives. Maybe they should start retreating at some point, reform, flank etc. I don't know. As it is, they were simply waiting to die.

BTW, if you want to drive home a point please make a specific description of the situation, not a gross exaggeration. How are we supposed to fix the issues if the feedback we get is "braindead fucking idiotic"? There is no way we could know what to fix with that description.

I gave examples before. It's tedious to repeat yourself every time the subject comes up. Gross exaggerations spice things up! Not to mention I didn't make any the first couple of times.

 

[Elhoim]

Thank you. I'll play the game some more and come up detailed situations on how AI ends up "castrated", so to speak. The most recent example, when I last played earlier yesterday, I was picking on the Triari one by one with just a sword by luring them side ways, breaking their formation, hitting and retreating, ie. guerilla tactics. It was tedious but this went on until they all dropped dead and they did absolutely nothing to break the monotony of their dead-man-walking routine and to preserve their lives. Maybe they should start retreating at some point, reform, flank etc. I don't know.

Oh, yes, that one too. Right now the whole unit charges when you are within the weapon range of one of the members of the group, which can lead to this issue. We decided to change it so that when they outnumber you, they should charge regardless of weapon range, to prevent these situations. We were supposed to implement it a long time ago, but well, shit piled up and got lost in the pile of to-do things.

I think this would prevent the issue, do you agree? Or perhaps you have a better suggestion I'm unable to see.

 

[Jim Cojones]

I run it on default openGL mode and it was slow as fuck. I then switched to D3D, and it run fine for a while, then crashed after 3 battles (when I tried to scroll the screen left from the default outside position for a while), locking the final frame on screen so I couldn't do anything but reboot my PC.

Combat could be fun with a party of at least 4, with one character it's a waste of opportunity. Try to play Fallout with melee weapons alone, see the yawning chasms of boredom.

The first advice is supposed only to remove visual artifacts but it was reported sometimes it helps with performance:

1) ATI videocard users - attention!
If you're seeing strange visual artifacts, related to in-game 3D models, here is a solution that was confirmed as working and fixing this issue:

a) Open your %INSTALLDIR%\AoD\client\prefs.cs file;
b) Find the next string:
$pref::OpenGL::disableEXTCompiledVertexArray = "0";
c) Set the value to 1:
$pref::OpenGL::disableEXTCompiledVertexArray = "1";
d) Save, close, restart AoD.


2) If your performance is very low, and switching to a different video rendering mode (OpenGL/D3D), resolution, color depth and shadow quality doesn't help, you may try the next trick:

a) Open your %INSTALLDIR%\AoD\client\prefs.cs file;
b) Find the next string:
$pref::TS::UseTriangles = "0";
c) Set the value to 1:
$pref::TS::UseTriangles = "1";
d) Save, close, restart AoD.

This will most likely decrease the quality of shadows drastically, but improve your performance.

 

[denizsi]

Oh, yes, that one too. Right now the whole unit charges when you are within the weapon range of one of the members of the group, which can lead to this issue. We decided to change it so that when they outnumber you, they should charge regardless of weapon range, to prevent these situations. We were supposed to implement it a long time ago, but well, shit piled up and got lost in the pile of to-do things.

I think this would prevent the issue, do you agree? Or perhaps you have a better suggestion I'm unable to see.

Thanks for asking but I don't think I should make any particular suggestions lest I give the impression that I believe I'm the center of the fucking universe and I want the game changed due to this and also based on my experience, bias, mood swings and "false statements" all served "with a whiny voice" while there are obviously many well respected members of the Codex to answer that, who are a lot more intelligent than I am so perhaps I should simply be glad that somebody asked me a direct question without insults and I answered likewise Cheers.

 

[Vault Dweller]

I just can't get over this, because I don't understand how this is even possible. Can anyone tell me what the breaking point is:

Honestly, I'm disappointed by the lack of options in combat.
sip

Trolling? Each of these statements is false, which should be obvious to anyone who played the demo for more than 20 min.

How can this statement possibly be "false"? Or what can possibly suggest that it's trolling?

Our combat system offers you 3 basic attack types: fast, normal, power, 4 aimed attacks with different effects, specials attacks (only 2 are in the demo), nets and a few other items that aren't in the demo. Different weapon types per class fit into this system well and provide additional options and strategies.

While our system doesn't have every option imaginable, it certainly has a lot of options. A lot more than Fallout, for example, with its identical Swing and Thrust (same damage, same AP), mostly useless aimed attacks, and many useless weapons.

So, while you're free to criticize and offer suggestions, claims that the game lacks options are false and it's not a matter of opinion.

Rest of my quote, which VD for some reason (maybe he didn't correlate the two?) disregarded, clearly mentions what kind of things NOT present in the demo makes me disappointed due to them NOT being present in the demo:

Just because feature X isn't in the game doesn't mean that the game lacks features, does it?

 

[Elhoim]

Oh, yes, that one too. Right now the whole unit charges when you are within the weapon range of one of the members of the group, which can lead to this issue. We decided to change it so that when they outnumber you, they should charge regardless of weapon range, to prevent these situations. We were supposed to implement it a long time ago, but well, shit piled up and got lost in the pile of to-do things.

I think this would prevent the issue, do you agree? Or perhaps you have a better suggestion I'm unable to see.

Thanks for asking but I don't think I should make any particular suggestions lest I give the impression that I believe I'm the center of the fucking universe and I want the game changed due to this and also based on my experience, bias, mood swings and "false statements" all served "with a whiny voice" while there are obviously many well respected members of the Codex to answer that, who are a lot more intelligent than I am so perhaps I should simply be glad that somebody asked me a direct question without insults and I answered likewise Cheers.

I'll take that as our solution is fine, then

 

[denizsi]

nets

Are they fixed (I didn't see mention of nets in fixes, though)? Or were they broken in the first demo release to begin with? I used them a several times and couldn't observe any effect. This was asked in another thread as well but wasn't answered unless I missed the answer. I didn't try again in the fixed demo.