|
Vypie -> RE: =AQ3D= Design Notes September 10th, 2016: ANNOUNCEMENT! Open Beta Launch in October (9/12/2016 5:10:45)
|
When I show the game to people or they see me playing, I mostly receive two types of comments:
"Yeah it looks cool, but the combat is too basic and boring."
"Why is it that every time I look at the game its always doing the same thing." (regarding standing still vs a zombie, auto-attacking with the occasional skill over and over, for example)
The reasons are because looking at someone playing isn't very exciting.
Even when there's different things happening, it doesn't really make you change the way you play.
Rogues have it worse. Their skills are about doing a succession of moves to make a combo. They have some depth and synergy between skills, but they can't be used in any other way.
There's little you can do to adapt your skills to a different need. It gets old because its always the same, you know?
For this to become more exciting and fun, we need battles to be more about reacting to the need of each moment or the development of the battle. Not about doing the same thing vs every enemy.
___________________________________________
The game is not BAD. It just lacks things. That can be good, it means there's a room for extra features and improvement, rather than having a lot of complexity and still being a failure.
In my opinion this game has a solid base. But I don't feel its ready for launch just yet. The game needs more than extra content.
I don't want to feel like the game will head in a direction where each update is simply adding more of the same basic thing. New monsters, items, dungeons zones, quests, but leaving the game design element unimproved... :(
And its not about adding more classes or skills. That's still simply adding more on top of the same system.
I understand there's limitations and not everything will be possible. And its still just Beta! But by Open beta, you would expect the game to have a bit more flavor to it, regarding the 'playing' part.
For the first time since I've been playing this game, I'm worried. I believe in it so much, and I want it to be successful... But I'm worried. It feels like it almost reached the point of no return.
If the combat element is not addressed as soon as possible, it will be too late. (You don't activate your rocket boosters after being in mid-air. You activate them as you reach the ramp. Literal launching here!)
_____________________________________________________
If playing the game doesn't feel fun, players will feel the grinding so much more. When a game is truly fun, you don't need objectives or rewards to have a good time, right?
Right now, I'm noticing that the good feelings this game has to offer happen when:
-The item drops, finally/Yay got the armor I wanted!
-You have a good social time with other players. (although this doesn't count for the example)
-You completed the zone/quest/dungeon!
But the actual part of DOING it doesn't feel fun. If all the fun you get is from feeling accomplished and not from the actual playing, then something can be improved.
You don't want players to feel like the best part of the game is when things 'get finally over with' and you don't have to do them anymore.
|
|
|
|
