Community chat with Grummz - May 17 2020 - Notes

Maven

Kaiju Slayer
Max Kahuna
Philanthropist
Jul 26, 2016
262
1,197
93
#1
We had an impromptu chat with Grummz on discord yesterday, the 17th of May, on the eve of the release of the May subscription skin. He spent a bit of time taking community opinion regarding aspects of Em-8ER. The discussions of note are detailed below:

1. New Male Skin (May) for monthly subscribers revealed:

May 2020 Subscription Skin.png

2. Community Opinion: What is your opinion of Anthem Power Armor design
37382200-1551658957.jpg

3. Community Opinion: Did Anthem suit design feel Firefall-ish? Why, Why not.

4, Community opinion of Light frame: Would the community prefer the current exosuit style; more of a power armor style from Anthem or Firefall-esque armor

5. Community opinion on favorite mech design thus far: THMPR/Medium Omniframe/Light Omnifame

THMPR Scale 4.jpg

Medium Omniframe MkII Render.jpg

Light Omniframe MKII concept.jpg

6. Community opinion: Grummz is thinking about having all players start with a light omniframe and build/craft their way up to medium or heavy omniframes. No option to choose between the three frames at the outset. No frame will be classified as 'better' or an 'upgrade' over the other. Each frame can be independently built to suit individual playstyles.

7. Community opinion: What is your opinion of the new Male skin for May?

8. No plans for an overheating mechanic a la Anthem.

9. Kaiju may have special weapons

9. Em-8ER is mostly fantasy Sci-fi with a bit of hard sci-fi

10. Jiggle physics implemented in character creator (!!)

11. Latest Sub count: 984. 16 subs away from Modelling the Heavy Omniframe

12. Neko race in Em-8ER: proposed name change to Feli
 
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PartTimeJedi

Em8ER Adjudicator
Staff member
Archon
Ember Moderator
Nov 13, 2018
1,315
2,929
113
Holy Terra
#2
2. Community Opinion: What is your opinion of Anthem Power Armor design-
The Anthem power armor did nothing for me. it was ..meh..

3. Community Opinion: Did Anthem suit design feel Firefall-ish? Why, Why not.-
ABSOLUTLEY 100% NO ! FireFall power armor was more like wearing a nuclear back pack with jet boots. It was more quasi-exoskeleton without all the components attached... ie more skin showing.. I only played FireFall Beta but the movement and combat in Anthem was nothing like FireFall. I was thoroughly disappointed.

4, Community opinion of Light frame: Would the community prefer the current exosuit style; more of a power armor style from Anthem or Firefall-esque armor-
Heres the problem with this.. If we make the light frame look like FireFall then it'll be at huge odds stylistically with the Med/Large Omniframes. Em8er is a MECH vs Kaiju game.. I really dont consider FireFall suits a MECH.. Its different. More like power boots.. power backpack etc..

5. Community opinion on favorite mech design thus far: THMPR/Medium Omniframe/Light Omnifame-
I LOVE WHAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY FOR THE DESIGN OF ALL 3! THIS STYLE IS UNIQUE TO EM8ER.
Now For size-- Out of the Original 3 pictures of sizes Grummz posted I preferred the one with the THMPR size medium. But... I did like the 4th picture which Grummz dropped a couple days later withe the HUGE THMPR.. I can see how something that large could help fight giant kaiju.

6. Community opinion: Grummz is thinking about having all players start with a light omniframe and build/craft their way up to medium or heavy omniframes. No option to choose between the three frames at the outset. No frame will be classified as 'better' or an 'upgrade' over the other. Each frame can be independently built to suit individual playstyles.-
Im kinda confused with this... If there is No frame "BETTER" or an "UPGRADE" from each other why start with the light? That only gives the player one type of option for a second frame, either a larger frame, or an even larger frame.. I thought starting with the Medium was PERFECT because it gives you two distinctly different visual style directions to choose from for your second frame- Lighter or Heavier.. I see no reason to start with either the light or heavy, if the new player can only start with one it defenitly should be the Medium.

7. Community opinion: What is your opinion of the new Male skin for May? -
Liked it. The more skins we have from different artists the better, especially if skins will be the bread and butter of the finished game.
 
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Jul 31, 2016
75
176
33
New Jersey
www.deviantart.com
#3
Maybe instead of building our way to the other suits and starting with light, we could start with a choice of either. But then add progression and different types of that suit. Firefall had a progression system for each class that allowed you to get different types of say the sniper class. More and more powerful as you go.

We could have a warframe style begining where we choose from the og 3 suits and then we unlock and build through the progression of the on ewe chose along with being able to find parts for the others to unlock along the way.
 
Jul 31, 2016
75
176
33
New Jersey
www.deviantart.com
#4
For the question: "Did the anthem suit feel firefallish?"

No it did not. It felt wavy and flowy, obviously a bit more refinwd when everything worked, but it wasnt even close to what firefall did. Not in a bad way its just it was a very different movement syatem. They look fuckin sweet though and I wish the game did so much better than it had because I love the armor art style. Maybe something similar could be used as a skin someday.
239ab7750bf9f58b2f27daaae5244716.jpg
 
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Pandagnome

Kaiju Slayer
Fart Siege
Welcome Wagon
Happy Kaiju
Jul 27, 2016
7,730
10,079
113
Island of Tofu
#6
We had an impromptu chat with Grummz on discord yesterday, the 17th of May, on the eve of the release of the May subscription skin. He spent a bit of time taking community opinion regarding aspects of Em-8ER. The discussions of note are detailed below:

1. New Male Skin (May) for monthly subscribers revealed:


2. Community Opinion: What is your opinion of Anthem Power Armor design

3. Community Opinion: Did Anthem suit design feel Firefall-ish? Why, Why not.

4, Community opinion of Light frame: Would the community prefer the current exosuit style; more of a power armor style from Anthem or Firefall-esque armor

5. Community opinion on favorite mech design thus far: THMPR/Medium Omniframe/Light Omnifame

6. Community opinion: Grummz is thinking about having all players start with a light omniframe and build/craft their way up to medium or heavy omniframes. No option to choose between the three frames at the outset. No frame will be classified as 'better' or an 'upgrade' over the other. Each frame can be independently built to suit individual playstyles.

7. Community opinion: What is your opinion of the new Male skin for May?

8. No plans for an overheating mechanic a la Anthem.

9. Kaiju may have special weapons

9. Em-8ER is mostly fantasy Sci-fi with a bit of hard sci-fi

10. Jiggle physics implemented in character creator (!!)

11. Latest Sub count: 984. 16 subs away from Modelling the Heavy Omniframe

12. Neko race in Em-8ER: proposed name change to Feli

1) A neat skin hope to see some armored one's too

2) The interceptor is the one i like most, they do look like iron-mans not a bad thing but i like em8er style.

3) An example the storm jav is like an electron from firefall and a volt from warframe mix
Also the jumpjets are like firefall apart from they can fly, hover.

4) This is an interesting one i love both styles and wondered what if we had our original 3 ominframes
and 3 alternative power suits the power suit variations.

E.g

A) G-suit = standard (basic outfit to survive in the stations to the near perimeters)
Imagine they are like star trek uniforms worn various styles too and to wonder in the safety and lower threats seeing ourselves as indviduals and how we begin.

B) Power suits = Advanced (More tactical uses and to go further beyond the perimeters and parts of the world) Imagine we have now started to figure out improved ways to move to other biomes with better survival. Certain areas we can get into with power suits or g-suits but not meks since they may be too big.

C) Meks = Ultra (Equipped with cutting edge tech and able to survive further against larger targets)
Imagine now we are getting into way way more hostile territories and this is where the big meks feel suited.

I think the power suits have a nice place in the world because as an example you could have an engineer in a power suit zooming across fixing things or in a mek

The option is just that the mek will be alot tougher but the power suit will be faster at the expense of reduce toughness. So if some prefer a challenge and movement the power suit could be an option.

5) I have to agree with parttimejedi


6) I think that's a good idea to work up towards unlocking and getting things. I imagine we start off in our G-suits we wonder around encourages us to explore and unlock and find things for power suits then can eventually unlock and find the bp and stuff for meks.

7) He looks like a hitman younger solid snake and he has 1 armor on one shin but where is the other armor on the other shin hmm i think he would look great with some shades like Adam jensen in deus ex.

8) phew i hate overheating makes me sweat

9) fantasy Sci-fi with a bit of hard sci-fi :cool:

10) bouncy things why not!

11) we are getting closer come to us Heavy frame

12) neko race and Feli sounds good read in wkik means good luck :cool::cool: now i am waiting for the doggo race and panda race etc etc etc
 
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Likes: PartTimeJedi

EvilKitten

Well-Known Member
Ark Liege
Jul 26, 2016
777
1,557
93
#7
4, Community opinion of Light frame: Would the community prefer the current exosuit style; more of a power armor style from Anthem or Firefall-esque armor
Stop going back and changing stuff! Seriously the light frame concept we have right now is just fine (even if I'm not excited over the massive hamfists)

5. Community opinion on favorite mech design thus far: THMPR/Medium Omniframe/Light Omnifame
Apples and oranges?

6. Community opinion: Grummz is thinking about having all players start with a light omniframe and build/craft their way up to medium or heavy omniframes. No option to choose between the three frames at the outset. No frame will be classified as 'better' or an 'upgrade' over the other. Each frame can be independently built to suit individual playstyles.
Seems a bit odd to restrict players in a game touting "play how you want" playstyle.

10. Jiggle physics implemented in character creator (!!)
Why...

12. Neko race in Em-8ER: proposed name change to Feli
Ok? I don't remember what it was originally. I would expect a racial name to point back to their planet of origin? Currently (from my understanding) there are 3 major racial categories here on Planet Earth, Mongoloid, Negroid, Caucasoid. They are designated based on skeletal structure. Feli just sounds like a shortened Feline, I suppose if you want to make it mesh with the others it should be Feloid.
 
Likes: PartTimeJedi
May 9, 2020
31
81
18
#9
2. Community Opinion: What is your opinion of Anthem Power Armor design

I was a fan of the Colossus style armor, I love that big bulky style that makes me feel like I'm this big powerful piece of metal about to bring the hurt to someone

3. Community Opinion: Did Anthem suit design feel Firefall-ish? Why, Why not.


No I don't think they were similar at all : Anthems suit design felt more like Iron Man while Firefall was closer to Edge of Tomorrow

4, Community opinion of Light frame: Would the community prefer the current exosuit style; more of a power armor style from Anthem or Firefall-esque armor


Between these 3 options I would pick the current design , followed by power armor Anthem style, with Firefall-esque last.

I personally like the style of Warhammer 40K 's Tau faction , a few factions have mech like units , but I love the Tau's designs over the rest of them

Stitch16.jpg




5. Community opinion on favorite mech design thus far: THMPR/Medium Omniframe/Light Omnifame

I prefer the Medium Omniframe, followed by the THMPR and finally the Light.

6. Community opinion: Grummz is thinking about having all players start with a light omniframe and build/craft their way up to medium or heavy omniframes. No option to choose between the three frames at the outset. No frame will be classified as 'better' or an 'upgrade' over the other. Each frame can be independently built to suit individual playstyles.


Personally I'm going to aim for heavy frame with long range artillery/missile boat playstyle. For me the prospect of having to first unlock my frame of choice, as opposed to someone who wants to build a light frame being able to start right from the start, before I can begin playing my style is a little annoying.

I like both the ideas of either A) 3 "base" frames for all 3 size , you pick one and if you want another type you have to go build it yourself or B) starting with a medium frame , I feel a medium frame would still be closer to my ideal playstyle then a light frame would be

"No frame will be classified as 'better' or an 'upgrade' over the other" does that mean there wont be a "Heavy is better then medium which is better then light" and you upgrade from light to medium then heavy? In that I agree , if there has be advantages it should be in certain tasks but make it so they all have an advantage other the others in one of those categories

7. Community opinion: What is your opinion of the new Male skin for May?

Hella handsome : mix between cyber and gunslinger , it's my #1 skin atm that I'd want to wear
 
Likes: PartTimeJedi

Thorp

Omni Ace
Jul 27, 2016
193
518
93
California, CA
#10
4. Community opinion of Light frame: Would the community prefer the current exosuit style; more of a power armor style from Anthem or Firefall-esque armor
I would rather keep the Em8er exosuite for the light frame. As much as I liked Firefall's art direction I think the Em8er suites should cover the pilots in a more mech style.

5. Community opinion on favorite mech design thus far: THMPR/Medium Omniframe/Light Omnifame
I prefer the medium frame but am open minded about the light frame. I like the tiered obstruction of the pilot. Light frames will have the pilots more exposed while the heavy will be fully enclosed (unless skin customization exposes the heavy pilot). I very much liked the down scaling of the medium frame to more closely match the size of the pilot. I however don't see Firefall-esque frames being usable in Em8er; since the skins are going to be "mech styled" I don't see any Firefall skin matching the direction of a "mech style"

6. [...] all players start with a light omniframe and build/craft their way up to medium or heavy omniframes. [...]
I'm okay with starting as a light frame then crafting Medium or Heavy. I am not okay with being required to build a Medium before Heavy; being forced to build something I know I won't appreciate would be annoying. Starting as a light frame would give players something to aspire to and experience the game and other frames before making the investment to craft the other frames. Perhaps a "rental" token can offer players pre-built temporary frames?

7. Community opinion: What is your opinion of the new Male skin for May?
I'm not much of an anime person. I don't find much happiness or energy around the character. The Husbando skin, and much of the Firefall cast, was lively and fun. This May skin is rather serious and comes across as a lone wolf type that I wouldn't see myself hanging around.

8. No plans for an overheating mechanic a la Anthem.
That's fine. I did enjoy the Firefall jetpack resource management because of how it imposed decision making without being too cumbersome. If I had to manage more than one resource to use abilities such as Heat AND Fuel then the gameplay could feel too restrictive in the sense that I'd have to follow a rotating pattern rather than an "open free-form /do what I want/ within fuel availability" style.

12. Neko race in Em-8ER: proposed name change to Feli
If I had to be definitive, I don't particularly like either of them. I prefer Neko however I suspect it's mostly because I'm familiar with . Certainly the names are easy to remember and they also describe the race in the name but, perhaps I'm being brash, the names aren't all that creative. (But who am I kidding, I can't even think of a better name for Overthrust or name the kaiju that was "revealed too early" and we were told to be shushed about.)
 

zdoofop

Firstclaimer
Jul 26, 2016
531
766
93
Noneofyourbeeswaxistan
#11
1. looks really good
2. Never played Anthem.
6. I think the starting frames are a bit of a complex issue because each frame can serve multiple roles. So for instance if you have just a choice of li/med/hev but one person prefers medic and the other sniper, one lite frame does not suit all. Perhaps what needs to happen is you start out in a light frame doing a series of tutorial missions, culminating in crafting your first real omniframe that suits your playstyle.
 

Mahdi

Firstclaimer
Jul 26, 2016
1,079
2,330
113
44
South Carolina, US
#12
1. New Male Skin (May) for monthly subscribers revealed:

I see Trigum, Gungrave and a flashy side of Bleach inspiration here.

2. Community Opinion: What is your opinion of Anthem Power Armor design

Late bloomer to the world when Firefall was what it was.

3. Community Opinion: Did Anthem suit design feel Firefall-ish? Why, Why not.

Didn't play so I don't have an accurate opinion.

4, Community opinion of Light frame: Would the community prefer the current exosuit style; more of a power armor style from Anthem or Firefall-esque armor

It is great as is. I agree with Kitten about the scaling down the fists. Maybe 15%?

5. Community opinion on favorite mech design thus far: THMPR/Medium Omniframe/Light Omnifame

Thmpr is king at this point.

6. Community opinion: Grummz is thinking about having all players start with a light omniframe and build/craft their way up to medium or heavy omniframes. No option to choose between the three frames at the outset. No frame will be classified as 'better' or an 'upgrade' over the other. Each frame can be independently built to suit individual playstyles.

Please no! Base gear in Tier 1 tech is the best balance to start. I could only agree to this if it is a development thing with launching one complete omniframe.

7. Community opinion: What is your opinion of the new Male skin for May?

Excessive in my opinion. Doesn't bother me though because I'm all for the skins in this game. Keep the dream alive and rolling forward.

8. No plans for an overheating mechanic a la Anthem.

Firefall had it all done just right.

9. Kaiju may have special weapons

HELLLLLL YAAAAA!!

9. Em-8ER is mostly fantasy Sci-fi with a bit of hard sci-fi

Perfect place to be. I honestly think this is a topic like to debate because it is easily debatable. Not because they are truly bent out of shape one way or another.

10. Jiggle physics implemented in character creator (!!)

Indifferent.

11. Latest Sub count: 984. 16 subs away from Modelling the Heavy Omniframe

Whoa! Nice! Come on guys!

12. Neko race in Em-8ER: proposed name change to Feli

Neko please.