Madoc
Project Lead
Here's a cumulative log of recently added features, most of the very specific improvements and fixes have been omitted. Some more detailed changelogs can be found in the forums.
Exanima Beta 0.6.1.6
THRUSTS
To perform a thrust hold Alternate Attack (default ALT) and then LMB as usual. Once you are thrusting you can target different points on your opponent with precision, your aim is adjusted continuously throughout the thrust.
Allowing you to intuitively choose the height at which you aim your thrusts was quite a difficult problem. The game has to understand that aiming near someone head should in fact aim near their head, not at the floor behind them. In the end we came up with a system that tries to mimic how a human would perceive their opponent on screen. We're using a sort of simplified blurry stickman with depth, on to which we project the mouse cursor. This image should explain roughly how it works:
The bright red line represent different cursor positions. When the cursor is nearest a point on the body it will aim at that height, as it moves away it resumes the normal elevation used for controlling the direction of your character. This makes it easy and intuitive to both aim at very specific locations on your opponent's body or simply attack in a direction as usual.
Well placed thrusts do primarily piercing damage, represented by the thrust value on weapons. They do also deliver impact damage, which is very dependent on the force of the thrust, bladed weapons can do some slashing damage too.
HIRELING FIGHTERS
In the arena mode you can now hire NPCs that will fight for you or with you in team battles.
From the roster click the "Hire" button to view currently available hirelings. Currently all hirelings start at inept rank, but with varying skill training. You will pay an initial fee of 4 silver Talins, the upkeep cost is to be paid every few matches, but has not yet been implemented.
You can enter hirelings into fights and spectate them. There are also team battles in which you can enter multiple of your fighters at once.
You have full control over your hirelings' equipment and training. The AI skill level (how well they fight) is determined by the number of trained skill techniques. Be sure to equip them well to give them an advantage in battle.
Team battles allow you to earn money faster and train multiple figthers at once.
Account page link
Exanima Beta 0.6.1.6
- Improved footwork and movement
- NPC Hirelings in arena mode
- Arena team battles (Doubles, Skirmish)
- Numerous new items
- More hair models updated
- Counter shield skill technique
- Thrusting
- Strikes now preserve some momentum when the character perfoming them is hit
- Various animation improvements
- Improved parrying with polearms
- Improved hair rendering
- Added instruction screens in new arena mode
- Reintroduced legacy arena as a "practice" mode
- Facial hair is optional and follows hair colour (more styles are coming)
- New items
- Locational blood on characters
- Sprint dash control option added
THRUSTS
To perform a thrust hold Alternate Attack (default ALT) and then LMB as usual. Once you are thrusting you can target different points on your opponent with precision, your aim is adjusted continuously throughout the thrust.
Allowing you to intuitively choose the height at which you aim your thrusts was quite a difficult problem. The game has to understand that aiming near someone head should in fact aim near their head, not at the floor behind them. In the end we came up with a system that tries to mimic how a human would perceive their opponent on screen. We're using a sort of simplified blurry stickman with depth, on to which we project the mouse cursor. This image should explain roughly how it works:
The bright red line represent different cursor positions. When the cursor is nearest a point on the body it will aim at that height, as it moves away it resumes the normal elevation used for controlling the direction of your character. This makes it easy and intuitive to both aim at very specific locations on your opponent's body or simply attack in a direction as usual.
Well placed thrusts do primarily piercing damage, represented by the thrust value on weapons. They do also deliver impact damage, which is very dependent on the force of the thrust, bladed weapons can do some slashing damage too.
HIRELING FIGHTERS
In the arena mode you can now hire NPCs that will fight for you or with you in team battles.
From the roster click the "Hire" button to view currently available hirelings. Currently all hirelings start at inept rank, but with varying skill training. You will pay an initial fee of 4 silver Talins, the upkeep cost is to be paid every few matches, but has not yet been implemented.
You can enter hirelings into fights and spectate them. There are also team battles in which you can enter multiple of your fighters at once.
You have full control over your hirelings' equipment and training. The AI skill level (how well they fight) is determined by the number of trained skill techniques. Be sure to equip them well to give them an advantage in battle.
Team battles allow you to earn money faster and train multiple figthers at once.
Account page link
