Mark asked those of use playing new world to give him feedback on the systems used in it as they are very similar to what will be in Em8er so this is for that.
Likes:
Pandagnome and Thorp
I'm on the fence about buying into New World. Aside from the time commitment for MMOs, New World does not seem to have, from the videos I've watched, enough variety in the fantasy world. It was an issue I had with Guild Wars 2; once you've completed one or two zones you've seen most enemy types which repeat throughout the game. When I watch New World streams I get the same vibes; I'm not amazed or surprised; seems "all" the content is bipedal and humanoid except for standard wildlife (wolves, turkeys, ECT).
In a ways I'm curious how Em8er will do in terms of enemy variety. There will be wildlife, yes, but at the main warfront level what will Em8er have the players fighting? Shape shifting tsihu will definitely mix things up however in the end the original form was bipedal. In FireFall, the Chosen we're always humanoid and brought larger humanoid armor. Titans would have mixed things up (like Kaiju) but they don't comprise of the main fodder the enemy throws at players.
It would be nice in a sci fi setting if the aggressing alien race was not always bipedal. I know tsihu will shapeshift into other forms but the original form was bipedal... Give me sentient griffons or something new...something uncommon.
In a ways I'm curious how Em8er will do in terms of enemy variety. There will be wildlife, yes, but at the main warfront level what will Em8er have the players fighting? Shape shifting tsihu will definitely mix things up however in the end the original form was bipedal. In FireFall, the Chosen we're always humanoid and brought larger humanoid armor. Titans would have mixed things up (like Kaiju) but they don't comprise of the main fodder the enemy throws at players.
It would be nice in a sci fi setting if the aggressing alien race was not always bipedal. I know tsihu will shapeshift into other forms but the original form was bipedal... Give me sentient griffons or something new...something uncommon.
Likes:
Omnires and Pandagnome
Read some reviews of New World that discouraged me from trying it. That's all I can say. And if "the systems used in it (as they) are very similar to what will be in Em8er" then I'm concerned. From what I've seen, of New World gameplay, the fighting and physics of it seem lack-luster. I looked at some more gameplay, just now, of weapons. They don't even have two-handed swords, damn it. Just axes and hammers. Ugh. The spear looks good, but, again, the animation doesn't give the impression that attacks have force behind them. Also no flare.
Enemies appear to be damage sponges. Some zombie scrub needs 5-6 heavy attacks from a big hammer? Annoying. This exactly the thing I dislike in MMOs. Even the weakest of enemies have a big pool of health so dealing with them will be tedium rather than fun. Of course, I'm not expecting realism in the way that every living thing has to die from 1-2 well-placed hits, but some middle ground, where it feels like our attacks actually have power and only enemies that actually look the part, in terms of size, attributes, gear...etc. could stand up to more than a few hits.
Our frames and their enhanced strength should compensate in this area, so when even our frames will struggle to inflict strong enough blows, we'll know the enemy is no walk in the park. But, when it's basic mobs, we shouldn't have to keep pounding away at them with our strongest attacks. EM-8ER will have to find away to make non-vertical progression still give us a sense that we have power without making us actually overpowered OR feeling like we're under-powered (by making mobs unreasonable damage-resistant).
Granted, all that is just the combat and not even an in-depth look, at that. But, it definitely fails to draw me in. Other aspects of it, the social, activities, mechanics...etc. may be done well, though. Gonna have to rely on others for that info, though.
Enemies appear to be damage sponges. Some zombie scrub needs 5-6 heavy attacks from a big hammer? Annoying. This exactly the thing I dislike in MMOs. Even the weakest of enemies have a big pool of health so dealing with them will be tedium rather than fun. Of course, I'm not expecting realism in the way that every living thing has to die from 1-2 well-placed hits, but some middle ground, where it feels like our attacks actually have power and only enemies that actually look the part, in terms of size, attributes, gear...etc. could stand up to more than a few hits.
Our frames and their enhanced strength should compensate in this area, so when even our frames will struggle to inflict strong enough blows, we'll know the enemy is no walk in the park. But, when it's basic mobs, we shouldn't have to keep pounding away at them with our strongest attacks. EM-8ER will have to find away to make non-vertical progression still give us a sense that we have power without making us actually overpowered OR feeling like we're under-powered (by making mobs unreasonable damage-resistant).
Granted, all that is just the combat and not even an in-depth look, at that. But, it definitely fails to draw me in. Other aspects of it, the social, activities, mechanics...etc. may be done well, though. Gonna have to rely on others for that info, though.
In terms of how many different enemy types there will be, that is also a question I have. But that is also because I'm aware of the different types of intelligence lifeforms can have, such the ones superorganisms can have.
For example part of the reason why insects / bugs are often used as an enemy type in some movies and games is because of the freedom in body design and behaviors they give the creators. Even more so if the lifeforms in question have things like swarm intelligence. Because in real life swim intelligence can have a group of things do really complex tasks without the need for the members of said group needing to be smart themselves. Like how one ant might only need to know 5 things to live but a swarm of ants can think of things no one ant can alone. In this sense each ant is more or less like brain cells, while the swarm itself as a whole is the brain. The larger their numbers the more complex things can do if they so choose to do it. And when looking at things like ants there are a lot of different body types for them to have based on the role they was born into it. Much like how the cells in your body have different shapes and behaviors based on what they do in your body.
Now I only used ants as an example but there are many different types of superorganisms. It is just a lot of easier for most people to think of things like insects when picturing them than other things because everyone dealt with things like ants or bees before. But how many people think of things like slim mold? Or even think that such lifeforms can have intelligence? Or how many people think about how some types of bacteria show intelligence when they "vote" on what the group should do to protect itself or to attack? And in that sense once you move away from the idea that only insects can have these type of intelligence you are free to think up any number of things you want because nature as shown you how it is done.
P.S. For the people who don't know what slim mold is.
For example part of the reason why insects / bugs are often used as an enemy type in some movies and games is because of the freedom in body design and behaviors they give the creators. Even more so if the lifeforms in question have things like swarm intelligence. Because in real life swim intelligence can have a group of things do really complex tasks without the need for the members of said group needing to be smart themselves. Like how one ant might only need to know 5 things to live but a swarm of ants can think of things no one ant can alone. In this sense each ant is more or less like brain cells, while the swarm itself as a whole is the brain. The larger their numbers the more complex things can do if they so choose to do it. And when looking at things like ants there are a lot of different body types for them to have based on the role they was born into it. Much like how the cells in your body have different shapes and behaviors based on what they do in your body.
Now I only used ants as an example but there are many different types of superorganisms. It is just a lot of easier for most people to think of things like insects when picturing them than other things because everyone dealt with things like ants or bees before. But how many people think of things like slim mold? Or even think that such lifeforms can have intelligence? Or how many people think about how some types of bacteria show intelligence when they "vote" on what the group should do to protect itself or to attack? And in that sense once you move away from the idea that only insects can have these type of intelligence you are free to think up any number of things you want because nature as shown you how it is done.
P.S. For the people who don't know what slim mold is.
Likes:
Pandagnome