Some feedback

Cpt Dave · Apr 3, 2015

I have been trying to follow the development as closely as I can, but I was torn on buying the game. The first night after the NDA was lifted, I watched someone on twitch trying to beat novice arena for 5 hours. Eventually I got to play the game on a friends PC, and I've decided to contribute.

Two things I noticed. The AI is very competent, in combat, but the first undead I met just stood there and we stared at each other for a good 10 seconds. (About 2:50 in this video, it is not my footage)

The other thing is, sometimes hits to the head feel like they are not doing enough damage. Then again, maybe I was doing something wrong.

Anyway, keep up the good work, and please release the game soon!

Cheers.

ZaratanCho · Apr 4, 2015

Why do so many people expect things to just mindlessly charge you on sight ? You should expect better..
Zombies are individually different, they may fear you, avoid you or wait for a good chance to attack. Your behavior and actions also play a role in having them attack you or not. Some are pretty aggressive. AI will only get more complex in the future.
You can avoid most fights or avoid provoking fights or run away and close a door behind you.

Head strikes are actually very deadly(1 hit can easily remove 80% of your health) unless they are just weak swings though even weak swings are very dangerous if you are using a sword against a unprotected face. Rusty and low quality weapons are obviously a bit weaker.

Cpt Dave · Apr 4, 2015

Why do so many people get so aggressive when they read anything slightly negative about a game?

ZaratanCho · Apr 4, 2015

Didn't know i was being aggressive, forgot i have to really be careful on the internet because people are easily offended or find things aggressive. ;d

And i didn't read anything negative about the game i don't think ;d

If being aggressive is all you got out of my post, well sorry.

Cpt Dave · Apr 4, 2015

I'm sorry, it was just a misunderstanding.

I guess there were some hints about

high-functioning undead

in the game, but that one was the only one that seemed to disregard me, it felt inconsistent with the others, as they mostly just tried to kill me.
As for head damage, I think it's subjective. I was using the two-handed axe for most of the dungeon, relying on overhead attacks, since they rarely if ever block, which is to be expected from a zombie, but I don't think I managed to one-shot anyone.

Murf · Apr 4, 2015

Cpt Dave said:
As for head damage, I think it's subjective. I was using the two-handed axe for most of the dungeon, relying on overhead attacks, since they rarely if ever block, which is to be expected from a zombie, but I don't think I managed to one-shot anyone.

You won't with that first 2h Axe, need to get the 2nd one, then you can one shot em.

Madoc · Apr 4, 2015

It's fairly rare that the undead attack you on sight. They're all different and will attack you for different reasons but most won't attack you at all if you give them time to get used to you before you get too close. Things like looking at them, getting too close, making sudden movements, touching them and various others may cause them to attack. They will form an opinion of you and remember it and first impressions are particularly important. Also some are cowardly and may attack when they see a good opportunity such as you exposing your back to them, falling over or being preoccupied with another attacker.

It is quite possible to kill someone with one blow to the head but this requires a decent weapon and a good blow. With the axe you actually need to land a clean hit with the head of it to do decent damage, hitting with the handle does virtually nothing and hitting with only a part of the blade won't do as much.

Things in Exanima/SG do not have variable "health", you are always on a level playing field with other humans and play by the same exact rules. Anything that will kill a human in one hit will do the same to any human including a player. You do not level up and gain more health, no one does. Armour offers protection and weapons are more or less effective for a number of reasons. If the bluntest, lightest, rustiest axe in the game could already kill in one hit then there wouldn't be much room for progression and as a player you would be very frequently dying to even the most ill equipped opponent.

Cpt Dave · Apr 4, 2015

Thank you for your answer. That clears it up about the AI. Uncoventional (undead), but good nontheless.

When it comes to axes, if you score a good, strong hit to the uncovered top of the skull or neck, with the center of the blade, which is really not easy to do (sometimes you are out of reach, or you are too close and only the shaft connects, you might just hit the shoulders, or you could get whacked before you finish your strike), some of the satisfaction is lost if the enemy dies to a weak hit to the arm/leg afterwards.

My point was not the rusty axe doesn't do enough damage, but that hitting a critical part of the enemy did not feel rewarding enough in general. Of course, that is only my opinion.

Elaxter · Apr 5, 2015

Two shots are possible with the dull sword. I was fighting the axe-chick in the novice arena and managed a two shot kill without getting a scratch. Wish I was recording. A slice to the neck and a slice to the head and she fell forward like a tree.

The combat is very subtle and clean, despite it's clunky appearance. Once you get used to it, you will notice smoother movements. You can go through fights without a scratch I've managed to do it up to the 2-h sword-guy in the novice arena.

Pilluminati · Apr 5, 2015

Elaxter said:
Two shots are possible with the dull sword. I was fighting the axe-chick in the novice arena and managed a two shot kill without getting a scratch. Wish I was recording. A slice to the neck and a slice to the head and she fell forward like a tree.

The combat is very subtle and clean, despite it's clunky appearance. Once you get used to it, you will notice smoother movements. You can go through fights without a scratch I've managed to do it up to the 2-h sword-guy in the novice arena.

It's even possible to one-shot with the novice short sword, I've done it a couple of times. But this was due to the weapon bouncing slightly (so slightly it looks like 1 hit) and cutting the throat twice.