I've just "finished" my first exanima play-through (if you see my thread in the gameplay forum you'll understand the double quotes 
) and I figured I'd post some thoughts and suggestions here before I'm irrevocably corrupted by the forums
I should probably start with: I've been poking around these forums for all of an hour, I'll probably be repeating a lot of stuff that's been said elsewhere, please don't kill me - I swear I'm nice! Also, you know, ***SPOILERS***
I had seen gameplay footage, I had read the BM material on the site and an RPS review, so I knew what I was getting into: rough learning curve, brutal realism, not always fair, but also deep story, innovative design and environment based storytelling. All sounded great to me, and I feel this, let's call it an early demo, delivered on everything. It was great really. Can't wait to see the finished product. In fact I'm already itching for a content update, I don't think I'd survive 'till next week if it wasn't for the arena mode. Plus, I need to know what happened to that necromancer, I just do!
The combat needs some tweaking, maybe some extra moves added (I read something about pulling hard on your already extended weapon, watch that poleaxe!) and some tweaks to the motions and reactions (which I hear should be updated soon too), but please don't *change* it. Like, nothing major. I'd hate to find out that, say, ranged weapons negate all need for this awesome system. I'd like Thaumaturgy and and ranged weaponry to be more of an opening move: A quick arrow to the leg, or maybe a quick weapon enchantment, then you pull your warhammer and go crush skulls
On ranged weapons, I don't know about SG, but in exanima it's pretty much all cramped quarters, not exactly a good place to be using anything bigger than a short bow. I was thinking throwing weapons may be more appropriate. Fight with a one handed weapon and a free hand and you can throw a knife or something to force your opponent to block that instead of your sword, more of a harassment move than a proper attack unless you have perfect aim and timing. Again, I'd like ranged weapons not to be deadly :/ Plus it would create a new combat style that would be fun to see in the arena. Crossbows would be very practical IRL, but if implemented realistically would probably become a game wrecker: quick bolt to the head, close door, reload, open door... Too cheesy
General challenge was overall great.
The early zombies are a powerful threat, despite being a bit too aggressive and generally useless in combat, because you have no armor. You're always one bad step away from some major red damage. Then you get a bit of armor, but they also start swinging 2 handed axes at your face! Then you really get the hang of this, you get some proper gear, and enemies start getting smarter. Then you get all sort of plate, think you're good to go, and then Sir happens XD Then you kill Sir, think you're invincible, and then golems O.O I still haven't managed to kill so much as one, the ones I animated are all trapped in tiny rooms :/ I guess my point is the progression is great. I thought the golems were a bit much, but clearly other people are beating them with ease I probably just need to adjust my tactics a bit.
Story is riveting. There's not much to piece together at this time, but it's hinting at a vast mythology for us to explore. It's all shrouded in mystery but there's enough to create a great narrative already if you wish to RP. Every location makes sense, and while a lot is left to speculation it's never hard to come up with logical explanations. I've personally come to suspect that the "unknown" character is the necromancer himself, who animated all the zombies, left notes everywhere, went to the underworld, escaped, lost his memory somehow and landed in the storeroom where the game starts. Granted it's not really in line with the letter you start with, but point is, there enough elements present for this sort of a narrative, but still enough left to the imagination to keep you poking around for more clues. I assume at some point the dev's narrative will conclude and we'll get some real answers, but I'm enjoying this in the meantime.
I've seen people asking for destructible environment, and I'd like that too but in a somewhat limited way: no leveling buildings, but knocking doors off their hinges would be nice. Destructible shield too: I thought it was a bit funny I could block powerful axe swings with a barrel lid.
It also occurred to me a few times that it would be really nice to be able to push and pull larger object a bit like you do with bodies. Re-arrange a storeroom to turn it into an arena that advantages your own fighting style, or give enemies the ability to open doors, and then have to barricade them properly with large objects before you can take a break and write in your journal. Dump all your excess gear into a wheeled cart and drag it behind you. Reorganize some furniture and make yourself a private storeroom for your vanity armor set and that old sword that's covered in so much zombie blood it's practically a personal artifact. You get the picture.
Reading I've done about the NPC's behaviors all sounds awesome, too awesome to be true. I'd be happy with even a rudimentary implementation of that. I'm curious to see how far they can push it. It sounds a lot like the guys making Project Zomboid are trying to do with their own NPCs. Each one with unique personality traits that dictate their behavior, and an existence beyond player interactions and some meaningless schedule. Should be real cool when it's done.
Anyhow, </walloftext>. Reading it over I'm not sure if it's a review, an opinion piece or a bunch of suggestions but you make whatever you want out of it XD
) and I figured I'd post some thoughts and suggestions here before I'm irrevocably corrupted by the forums I should probably start with: I've been poking around these forums for all of an hour, I'll probably be repeating a lot of stuff that's been said elsewhere, please don't kill me - I swear I'm nice! Also, you know, ***SPOILERS***
I had seen gameplay footage, I had read the BM material on the site and an RPS review, so I knew what I was getting into: rough learning curve, brutal realism, not always fair, but also deep story, innovative design and environment based storytelling. All sounded great to me, and I feel this, let's call it an early demo, delivered on everything. It was great really. Can't wait to see the finished product. In fact I'm already itching for a content update, I don't think I'd survive 'till next week if it wasn't for the arena mode. Plus, I need to know what happened to that necromancer, I just do!
The combat needs some tweaking, maybe some extra moves added (I read something about pulling hard on your already extended weapon, watch that poleaxe!) and some tweaks to the motions and reactions (which I hear should be updated soon too), but please don't *change* it. Like, nothing major. I'd hate to find out that, say, ranged weapons negate all need for this awesome system. I'd like Thaumaturgy and and ranged weaponry to be more of an opening move: A quick arrow to the leg, or maybe a quick weapon enchantment, then you pull your warhammer and go crush skulls
On ranged weapons, I don't know about SG, but in exanima it's pretty much all cramped quarters, not exactly a good place to be using anything bigger than a short bow. I was thinking throwing weapons may be more appropriate. Fight with a one handed weapon and a free hand and you can throw a knife or something to force your opponent to block that instead of your sword, more of a harassment move than a proper attack unless you have perfect aim and timing. Again, I'd like ranged weapons not to be deadly :/ Plus it would create a new combat style that would be fun to see in the arena. Crossbows would be very practical IRL, but if implemented realistically would probably become a game wrecker: quick bolt to the head, close door, reload, open door... Too cheesy
General challenge was overall great.
The early zombies are a powerful threat, despite being a bit too aggressive and generally useless in combat, because you have no armor. You're always one bad step away from some major red damage. Then you get a bit of armor, but they also start swinging 2 handed axes at your face! Then you really get the hang of this, you get some proper gear, and enemies start getting smarter. Then you get all sort of plate, think you're good to go, and then Sir happens XD Then you kill Sir, think you're invincible, and then golems O.O I still haven't managed to kill so much as one, the ones I animated are all trapped in tiny rooms :/ I guess my point is the progression is great. I thought the golems were a bit much, but clearly other people are beating them with ease I probably just need to adjust my tactics a bit.
Story is riveting. There's not much to piece together at this time, but it's hinting at a vast mythology for us to explore. It's all shrouded in mystery but there's enough to create a great narrative already if you wish to RP. Every location makes sense, and while a lot is left to speculation it's never hard to come up with logical explanations. I've personally come to suspect that the "unknown" character is the necromancer himself, who animated all the zombies, left notes everywhere, went to the underworld, escaped, lost his memory somehow and landed in the storeroom where the game starts. Granted it's not really in line with the letter you start with, but point is, there enough elements present for this sort of a narrative, but still enough left to the imagination to keep you poking around for more clues. I assume at some point the dev's narrative will conclude and we'll get some real answers, but I'm enjoying this in the meantime.
I've seen people asking for destructible environment, and I'd like that too but in a somewhat limited way: no leveling buildings, but knocking doors off their hinges would be nice. Destructible shield too: I thought it was a bit funny I could block powerful axe swings with a barrel lid.
It also occurred to me a few times that it would be really nice to be able to push and pull larger object a bit like you do with bodies. Re-arrange a storeroom to turn it into an arena that advantages your own fighting style, or give enemies the ability to open doors, and then have to barricade them properly with large objects before you can take a break and write in your journal. Dump all your excess gear into a wheeled cart and drag it behind you. Reorganize some furniture and make yourself a private storeroom for your vanity armor set and that old sword that's covered in so much zombie blood it's practically a personal artifact. You get the picture.
Reading I've done about the NPC's behaviors all sounds awesome, too awesome to be true. I'd be happy with even a rudimentary implementation of that. I'm curious to see how far they can push it. It sounds a lot like the guys making Project Zomboid are trying to do with their own NPCs. Each one with unique personality traits that dictate their behavior, and an existence beyond player interactions and some meaningless schedule. Should be real cool when it's done.
Anyhow, </walloftext>. Reading it over I'm not sure if it's a review, an opinion piece or a bunch of suggestions but you make whatever you want out of it XD
