Thoughts after playing Exanima

[Xanatos]

I have to say I'm completely addicted!
It took a few hours to really 'get it', but I'm totally hooked after finishing the Novice Arena.
A few suggestions:

Camera:
I don't have a problem with the lack of camera/target locking, however I feel something needs to be done in terms of fading out the walls. There is NOTHING I find more frustrating than the camera panning up into overhead view because my character got pushed back by an attack, it has often left defending or counter-attacking nigh impossible. In narrow corridors, fighting is difficult enough without the camera freaking out in certain spots. I think this would relieve a lot of issues people are having with a lack of targeting, and would perhaps provide a middle-of-the-road way of preventing camera frustration without breaking the current camera by locking it. Other than that I love the camera angles, combat is genuinely confusing at first when getting spun around by an enemy attack and this feels right!

Headbutting:
Kicking wouldn't be very realistic in plate armour, knights rarely if EVER used their feet in combat above knee height. Headbutting could be a nice addition though, and would make those lengthy sword-locks much more intense when you run the risk of getting nutted instead of just being pushed around a bit.

Torch dropping/off-hand hotkey:
I've seen this mentioned elsewhere in the forums, and think it would be handy.
I feel that the realistic, dramatic battles would be all the better with the ability to drop your torch at your feet and equip a shield or off-hand weapon. Not necessarily a quick thing to do and could have time consuming animations if necessary, but something easier than opening your inventory and thereby cancelling combat mode is needed I think!

Other than those few things, I'm in love and have found my new gaming obsession, can't wait for Sui Generis!
Thanks for having the courage to create such a unique and genre-defining game.

 

[Downstairs Eddie]

Madoc has talked about walls fading before, and apparently there are a lot of problems that result from it when the environments become complex. It would be nice, but it sounds like it's not a simple thing to implement.

 

[Xanatos]

That would make sense as to why they haven't done it before now then, thanks for clarifying that!

 

[Rod_Lightning]

The camera automatically panning up is also one of my biggest issues currently.

 

[ShaolinG]

100% agree about hotkeys and camera, now feels like it's more dangerous than enemies) It would be so great if BM will add hotkeys, and if you switch from torch, character will drop it. Also hope they add "vertical lock" for camera, so it will strafe left or right to show character instead panning up.

 

[Arborus]

personally i don't see why a front kick would be unrealistic. maybe unconventional but when you in a bind or something a kick comes naturally i think.

 

[Murf]

For me, I use MMB to slightly turn the camera when I see the action is heading us towards a wall and the view might be blocked.

 

[ShaolinG]

For me, I use MMB to slightly turn the camera when I see the action is heading us towards a wall and the view might be blocked.

Well, it helps in rooms, but in corridors it usually turn into mess.

 

[Murf]

Oh I just use it to turn the came slightly, it's tricky, but it has been working for me. I also try to keep my screen so i am traversing the map left to right, or right to left, little bit offset fo a 45 or 90 degree angle. For combat it works well as it allows you to access all angles for attack.

 

[Xanatos]

Arborus, I think kicking would be awesome too, but the reason I say it's unrealistic is from a heavy armour perspective...knights wouldn't be able to kick very well while wearing plate mail - it's too heavy!
Unless of course they can put it in for lightly armoured characters and take that into account, maybe give the headbutt to people wearing full helms as an alternative to kicking for the heavily armed types.

Murf, it's usually ok and I also use the MMB myself rather than the spacebar, but in corridors I often can't get an angle that lets me see everything I need to be effective in combat. Sometimes you've got no choice but to back up towards a wall, and then it all goes to hell camera-wise.

 

[Anthony Obilor]

Strangely I am very comfortable with the top down view when backing up against a wall, it isn't ideal, but I don't seem to struggle like most of you guys do. I also really enjoy fighting in corridors, but it's very possible that because I'm a sword and board fighter I have more leeway. But what I have come to realise is that I hardly watch my character movements anymore, I kind of know how he will react, so I watch my opponent more. If in a corner, I defend and maneuver out without any qualms, from any angle. Because the controls are consistent whatever the angle this should not really be a problem I think.
I'm not saying the system is perfect, but possibly because u want to see everything from the best view always, it may not be natural to most. I love isometric and strategy games even more than 3rd person rpgs, so I am absolutely in love with most of the game and even what others find frustrating I seem to enjoy.

I don't think headbutt shud be in the game, but a move to push back your enemy should definitely be implemented. It can work based on what u have equipped, shield-shieldbash, 1hd weapon no shield-kick, 2 handed- kick or shove, full armor, shove, there should be tradeoffs and not just advantages to everything.i agree u shouldn't be able to kick with heavy armor on legs.

 

[Tony]

Arborus, I think kicking would be awesome too, but the reason I say it's unrealistic is from a heavy armour perspective...knights wouldn't be able to kick very well while wearing plate mail - it's too heavy!
Unless of course they can put it in for lightly armoured characters and take that into account, maybe give the headbutt to people wearing full helms as an alternative to kicking for the heavily armed types.

Kicking was quite possible while wearing armor and it is often used in tournaments and what not during fights, like this one for example:

 

[Xanatos]

Anthony it's not the top down view that bothers me so much as my view being totally obscured by walls.
I don't mind having a top-down view while I circle around, but when I can't even see my character while under attack it's frustrating at best, fatal at worst. I'd love to see any suggested alternatives! And yes, perhaps a shove styled move that adapts to your equipped items would be better...could even be a headbutt in certain circumstances, like if your hands are preoccupied and you're wearing a helm.

Tony, how effective was that kick?
That's a classic example of two people PLAY fighting in armour, if your life was on the line I can't imagine you'd attempt such a risky manoeuvre in close quarters combat!

 

[Parco]

well, he start stumbling back after the kick and the one who kicked only attacked once after he kicked, if he had continued attacking he would have gotten in more clean hits, potentially precise and fatal ones, while the other one was unable to defend himself. he could also have continued pressuring his upper body making him loose balance and fall, which in a fight to death could put one at a fatal disadvantage.

 

[Madoc]

The camera is quite awkward, especially in tight spaces. I can't say we're particularly happy with how it's working but we haven't really found a better solution yet. Fading walls is unfortunately very problematic for a number of reasons, it's also not something that can be easily done with complex 3D renderings. The current solution has the advantage of working under many completely different conditions, something that is more useful when dealing with other types of environments. At the very least we hope to improve it, suggestions are welcome.

 

[Tony]

Tony, how effective was that kick?
That's a classic example of two people PLAY fighting in armour, if your life was on the line I can't imagine you'd attempt such a risky manoeuvre in close quarters combat!

I would agree with Parco, that kick seemed very effective. The opponent was thrown off balance and the one who kicked was able to follow it up with strikes that the opponent could not defend due to trying to regain his balance. Any time you can knock your opponent off balance in a fight is a huge advantage, regardless if the fight is for practice or a fight to the death.

 

[ShaolinG]

The camera is quite awkward, especially in tight spaces. I can't say we're particularly happy with how it's working but we haven't really found a better solution yet. Fading walls is unfortunately very problematic for a number of reasons, it's also not something that can be easily done with complex 3D renderings. The current solution has the advantage of working under many completely different conditions, something that is more useful when dealing with other types of environments. At the very least we hope to improve it, suggestions are welcome.

As I said before, how about if camera will not lifts up, but when it comes to wall it will just smoothly strafe left or right and show character, so he will not be obstructed by the wall. And if it's a small room, like those toilets, camera will show it from enter's perspective. It may will be enabled with some new "toggle automatic camera" button, so if it's "off", player will be able to rotate it vertically as he likes. I think it will definitely frustrate less than "gta2-view")

 

[Zotis]

I think the camera is pretty good all things considered. I don't really see a better alternative. If the camera rotated then it could cause a crucial flaw in movement if I was pressing a or d at that time. Another alternative to pressing MMB (wich I find works fairly well) is just aiming the cursor about 45 degrees to one side and pressing space bar to give enough of an angle to see without risking turning your character too much and being exposed to attack.

I do get a bit flustered sometimes when I'm walking towards the camera and passing under arches and the camera goes to a top down view and doesn't readjust, but stays up there. Then I have to manually lower the camera with MMB, and that ticks me off a little sometimes because it's tedious. But I admit that I would rather adapt myself and focus on not letting it bother me than tell the developers to change it. They get asked so many things every day to change. Like everyone thinks the game should be catered to them, but they can't please everyone and I hope they just focus on making the game the best they can and not on popular demand. That being said I don't want you Xanatos, or anyone else to get the impression I'm accusing you of doing that. I'm just generalising about some people's attitudes.