The combat mechanics in AoC is actually one of the strongest I've encountered in any MMO, I like the immersive and visceral feel of it.
But in the end, it's all about preferences, some like their combat as they find it in WoW, some as it is in CoH or CO, and some as it is in AoC. Just differences in taste.
The combat system is a refreshing take in a world of clones, and some of what makes AoC appealing to me.
I just play the trial for the last 2-3 days and i am having a blast. The combat system is really great, if there is something i don't like it's that they didn't made all classes use the directional/combo system... for example ranger has ranged combos... in the same way couldn't they had made demos, necros, PoM and ToS cast directional/combo spells? (with casting times if needed) Who knows, maybe they didn't do it so people like the OP could play the game, but i see he is still not pleased? Anyway i keep away from them, my favorites are Dark Templar and Bear Shaman.
Also great impression so far from some other things:
1. "Destiny" quest: It's really epic so far. I find myself paying 100% attention to all the details, examining all dialog options and watching the cutscenes to their full length.
2. Subquests: They are very well written too, at least the ones that i had done so far. And the ones i intentionally skipped were written very well. You may be wondering why i skipped some quests if they are all that good: I found myself so immersed by the story that i deleted all my characters on the PVE server i used to play and rerolled on the PVE-RP one and now i am skipping some quests that don't fit that well into the "freedom fighter" theme.
3. No instanced content so far (besides Destiny quest ok) - it's really great when i enter a dungeon and there are players in there. No need to LFG, i just enter a dungeon and team up with whoever is in there. Reminds me my first days in MMOs when i was playing a similar non-instanced game.
It's really a long time i remember myself getting so much immersed in an RPG. I almost always mute in game music and listen radio instead, don't pay attention to the dialogs, skipping cutscenes and follow quest markers and arrows like a headless chicken, especially in MMOs but on single player RPGs too. AoC seems to turned things around for me - the way it was supposed to be. I think it deserves a 10/10 for being RPG, and another 10/10 for being MMO.
"Traditionally, massively multiplier online games have been about three basic gameplay pillars combat, exploration and character progression. In Alganon, in addition to these we've added the fourth pillar to the equation: Copy & Paste."
I've got a PoM, a ToS, a Necro and a Demo at LvL 80 and every single one allmost completely T2-equipped with some Khitai-stuff mixed in, but I've never played a melee beyond the first 20 levels, as the melee-combat totally sucks imho.
To move and activate your combos simultaneously you'd need atleast 8 fingers on your left hand and sorry, but I'm no mutant.
As nobody has this much fingers the melee-combat boils down to standing still, CCing the sh** out of your opponents and smashing combos instead of playing with evasive manouvers etc And getting behind a NPC to evade damage isn't working at all, as NPCs don't care about their facing, they hit you regardless of that.
Oh, and then there's the little tools and macros for the combos ofc, which makes it even worse and FC isn't doing anything about it.
If you're just "button mashing" the combos, you're not paying attention to your opponent's combos and playing badly. There's reasons why they have directions and what makes the gameplay more challenging.
The combo system is broken. People tend to get caught up in fatalities and associate that with the combo system as a whole. Since the final step in many combo's can be aborted and still produce the full on damage this means the system is broken. Also, being able to execute the final step and actually hit an opponent who may be 100m away is nothing short of ridiculous.
The combo system has also been dumbed down horribly. Look how many players have their bars filled with the multitude of "new" 1-step combos. Many of who's effects stack with each other. Crush Armour being the prime example. Shamen and sins are killing people using 1-step combos that do massive damage and debuffs.
I guess that is why I sucked at pvp in the game cuz I really wasn't using my 1-step combos as much as others. But if the OP used his 1-step combos, then he shouldn't be complaining about having so many buttons to mash. :P
If you're just "button mashing" the combos, you're not paying attention to your opponent's combos and playing badly. There's reasons why they have directions and what makes the gameplay more challenging.
The combo system is broken. People tend to get caught up in fatalities and associate that with the combo system as a whole. Since the final step in many combo's can be aborted and still produce the full on damage this means the system is broken. Also, being able to execute the final step and actually hit an opponent who may be 100m away is nothing short of ridiculous.
The combo system has also been dumbed down horribly. Look how many players have their bars filled with the multitude of "new" 1-step combos. Many of who's effects stack with each other. Crush Armour being the prime example. Shamen and sins are killing people using 1-step combos that do massive damage and debuffs.
I guess that is why I sucked at pvp in the game cuz I really wasn't using my 1-step combos as much as others. But if the OP used his 1-step combos, then he shouldn't be complaining about having so many buttons to mash. :P
This is the same advice I received from several veterans on the Cimmeria server. In PvP situations, it can be more worthwhile to stick to the lower level 1-step combos and have them connect, then try to land the higher level multi-step combo.
I just play the trial for the last 2-3 days and i am having a blast. The combat system is really great, if there is something i don't like it's that they didn't made all classes use the directional/combo system... for example ranger has ranged combos... in the same way couldn't they had made demos, necros, PoM and ToS cast directional/combo spells? (with casting times if needed) Who knows, maybe they didn't do it so people like the OP could play the game, but i see he is still not pleased? Anyway i keep away from them, my favorites are Dark Templar and Bear Shaman.
Also great impression so far from some other things:
1. "Destiny" quest: It's really epic so far. I find myself paying 100% attention to all the details, examining all dialog options and watching the cutscenes to their full length.
2. Subquests: They are very well written too, at least the ones that i had done so far. And the ones i intentionally skipped were written very well. You may be wondering why i skipped some quests if they are all that good: I found myself so immersed by the story that i deleted all my characters on the PVE server i used to play and rerolled on the PVE-RP one and now i am skipping some quests that don't fit that well into the "freedom fighter" theme.
3. No instanced content so far (besides Destiny quest ok) - it's really great when i enter a dungeon and there are players in there. No need to LFG, i just enter a dungeon and team up with whoever is in there. Reminds me my first days in MMOs when i was playing a similar non-instanced game.
It's really a long time i remember myself getting so much immersed in an RPG. I almost always mute in game music and listen radio instead, don't pay attention to the dialogs, skipping cutscenes and follow quest markers and arrows like a headless chicken, especially in MMOs but on single player RPGs too. AoC seems to turned things around for me - the way it was supposed to be. I think it deserves a 10/10 for being RPG, and another 10/10 for being MMO.
Well, the destine quests will be fewer after level 20. AoC have some really good parts, including some great dungeons but it is still somewhat thin on content, particularly at some levels. You also have to do Tortage for every character, trust me, that gets boring after a few times.
I think a 8/10 is more fair, you have not really seen the worst or for that matter the best of the game. You never even tried a real dungeon, there is nothing much there until Sanctum at lvl 35 or so... It is really fun however, that dungeon is at least a 9/10 even if it is kinda small compared to ones in many older MMOs.
Comments
The combat system is a refreshing take in a world of clones, and some of what makes AoC appealing to me.
"nerf rock, paper is working as intended."
- Scissors.
Head Chop
I just play the trial for the last 2-3 days and i am having a blast. The combat system is really great, if there is something i don't like it's that they didn't made all classes use the directional/combo system... for example ranger has ranged combos... in the same way couldn't they had made demos, necros, PoM and ToS cast directional/combo spells? (with casting times if needed) Who knows, maybe they didn't do it so people like the OP could play the game, but i see he is still not pleased? Anyway i keep away from them, my favorites are Dark Templar and Bear Shaman.
Also great impression so far from some other things:
1. "Destiny" quest: It's really epic so far. I find myself paying 100% attention to all the details, examining all dialog options and watching the cutscenes to their full length.
2. Subquests: They are very well written too, at least the ones that i had done so far. And the ones i intentionally skipped were written very well. You may be wondering why i skipped some quests if they are all that good: I found myself so immersed by the story that i deleted all my characters on the PVE server i used to play and rerolled on the PVE-RP one and now i am skipping some quests that don't fit that well into the "freedom fighter" theme.
3. No instanced content so far (besides Destiny quest ok) - it's really great when i enter a dungeon and there are players in there. No need to LFG, i just enter a dungeon and team up with whoever is in there. Reminds me my first days in MMOs when i was playing a similar non-instanced game.
It's really a long time i remember myself getting so much immersed in an RPG. I almost always mute in game music and listen radio instead, don't pay attention to the dialogs, skipping cutscenes and follow quest markers and arrows like a headless chicken, especially in MMOs but on single player RPGs too. AoC seems to turned things around for me - the way it was supposed to be. I think it deserves a 10/10 for being RPG, and another 10/10 for being MMO.
"Traditionally, massively multiplier online games have been about three basic gameplay pillars combat, exploration and character progression. In Alganon, in addition to these we've added the fourth pillar to the equation: Copy & Paste."
That's where this baby comes in handy:
http://img199.imageshack.us/i/n52te1web.jpg/
I guess that is why I sucked at pvp in the game cuz I really wasn't using my 1-step combos as much as others. But if the OP used his 1-step combos, then he shouldn't be complaining about having so many buttons to mash. :P
This is the same advice I received from several veterans on the Cimmeria server. In PvP situations, it can be more worthwhile to stick to the lower level 1-step combos and have them connect, then try to land the higher level multi-step combo.
Well, the destine quests will be fewer after level 20. AoC have some really good parts, including some great dungeons but it is still somewhat thin on content, particularly at some levels. You also have to do Tortage for every character, trust me, that gets boring after a few times.
I think a 8/10 is more fair, you have not really seen the worst or for that matter the best of the game. You never even tried a real dungeon, there is nothing much there until Sanctum at lvl 35 or so... It is really fun however, that dungeon is at least a 9/10 even if it is kinda small compared to ones in many older MMOs.
Personally I hope someday that more corporations take the Funcom approach to originality in day to day life, not just gaming.
One button performing one entire function, what are we, casuals?
Bring on the keycombinations, MORE keypresses is ALWAYS better, everyone knows that.
Nothing would entertain me more than having to press five keys on my television remote to turn on the device.
Or AT LEAST six to flush the toilet.
Hey, it's original!
That automatically makes it a good idea.