"FPS" Action-oriented combat option?

I've done a little digging and can't find a discussion on it. I don't have much time to spend looking. I'm wondering if there will be an action-oriented combat option. Star Trek Online's ground combat delivers a perfect example of this concept implemented well. I've always felt completely alienated by traditional MMO point-and-click combat and value an alternative option.

Forgive me if this has already been discussed. As mentioned, I couldn't find it. This feature is a deal maker/breaker for me. I was severely burned on Tabula Rasa, terribly. It was a hard time in my life financially and I'd bought two copies of the collector's edition on what little money I could scratch up. My marriage was failing and I loved the concept of the game so much that I had hoped it would give us something to bond over. We played for two weeks and then NC Soft closed shop. You can see where it's a bit of a sore spot.

It's been said that it can't be done, but I've seen it and it works well. I can't immerse myself in a MMO style game without a crosshairs seat-of-your-pants option, but I want to believe in this game.

Implementation is fairly simple. You've got an on-screen crosshairs graphic with a cross in the center and a larger circle (or perimeter marker of some sort, perhaps just a dot on either side) some distance out from the cross. This could easily be stylized to match the aesthetic of the rest of the game so it doesn't feel like you're aiming a gun. The crosshairs graphic represents a targetable cone with a distance limited by weapon type, enemies nearer the center of the targeting display taking a higher priority. Imagine, if you will, a cone extending from the player where the point is the origin of the weapon starting at the player's position and the perimiter is the base of the cone extending out to the end of the attack distance of the weapon. When the attack is activated (in this mode with mouse buttons rather than numbers, scrollable in the tray with the wheel, a hotkey, or a combination of the two), a target in the cone will be designated and the attack, if within range, will contact, then the selected target will deselect pending the next attack. This keeps things feeling loose and on-the-fly. You could limit display of target selections while in this mode to avoid on-screen clutter so things don't look too busy and so that it won't break the immersion of the targeting experience.

I know the internet is rife with trolls, but I would as that if you were so inclined to please at least show some respect for the subject matter and the provider of this forum with regard to the purpose of this forum existing and please spare me your conditionally witty banter. I've addressed some sensitive topics to shed light on my intention for writing. You don't owe me a personal degree of respect, but I do ask that you'll respect the developer if not the game itself.

 

Not that it couldn't ever happen. But we certainly will not be seeing this in episode 1.

 

I have to agree. It does not seem likely given what we know about the combat system. Sorry.

 

While many would like FPS style combat, it looks more like a card system so far. We'll see what actually gets implemented.

 

We haven't seen the combat system yet, but it sounds like we're getting something a bit like World of Warcraft's ability bars, but more dynamic. You make a deck ahead of time. Abilities come out at random from the deck, making themselves available on your ability bar and you fire them off in real time.

 

FPS tends to make me instance motion sick, so certainly nothing for me.

 

That's why you offer it as an option, not a complete control overhaul. I understand there are plenty of people who are more comfortable with the standard convention. I simply can't get behind it and there are just as many people like me. Everything I've seen in videos indicates it's going to be the same Evercraft fare of stand in front of enemy, click to engage, sit and watch fighting until someone dies, repeat. Until I hear otherwise, it's not worth my time. Just like some people can't wrap their heads around the concept of FPS-style controls, plenty of other people can't deal with the traditional convention.

To be fair, I'll also give it a devil's advocate approach. The only footage I've seen of combat is incredibly dated. I'll call it a we'll see for now, but that's not enough to assuage my concerns that if I buy in to the game now I might regret it later because it will be functionally unplayable based on my preference. To be clear, my reason for generating this discussion is that I really want to like what's being built here, I want to believe it will be incredible and give me every reason to pour buckets of money in to it, but I can't invest in it financially or personally if I'm not going to be able to play the game.

 

Well, this is an RPG. If I wanted FPS mechanics I would play an FPS. Not too dismiss the problems with traditional MMO combat, but SOTA will be trying to do something different with that as well. However, the Devs seem to be focused on making combat strategic rather than twitched based, so I would doubt action based, FPS like combat will fit in with that concept. By allowing an option to by-pass the strategic nature of a combat system you negate any of the strategy you tried to infuse since its optional and can be circumvented.

Just to add: I hated everything about Star Trek Online, so I don't see that as a positive for any game mechanic. The only thing that was cool was ship battles, but that was more because they were Trek ships and nothing to do with the mechanics. Really it could have just been a screensaver.

 

And we want you to pour buckets of money into it too, because then we get a better game.

But to be honest, this game does not sound like what you are looking for.

 

I try to keep the perspective in mind when writing responses that everyone has a different background, individual needs, criteria, and desires. From the developer's perspective, the "go play a different game" approach is not highly sustainable and is generally bad for business. Games as artform aside, you want to appeal to a broad audience so as not to limit yourself to only customers who agree with your point of view. You've got to walk a dangerous line where you have to make decisions on whether to stay true to your work or appeal to a niche group. This is neither an argument for or against my perspective but rather a suggestion that we keep the conversation progressive in the interest of the developer. I don't care that you hated Star Trek Online just as I'm sure you could care less whether about my opinions.

Regarding so-called "twitch" game mechanics, Tabula Rasa was incredible. It was never fully realized, but the concept was amazing. It's a shame what happened to it, but it was not an incomplete concept and even as an unfinished product, it was very good. If "twitch" mechanics are indeed the root of the issue, I'd submit to you that the things that worked well in former iterations of Mr. Garriott's ever-evolving lore did so for a reason and it would be wise to learn from those individual successes.

 

I remember the ultima underworld games as being fairly FPS like for their time as well.

As I've said before, I'd like the combat portion as FPS like as possible. Playable on a console controller. But your character / build / preparation can be made very unique by things you do outside of combat.

 

The Ultima Underworld engine was more impressive from a technical standpoint than Wolfenstein and Doom. I don't know why it doesn't get its due.

 

Indeed. As an aside, I don't know who's responsible for allowing for availability of the Ultima library on digital platforms such as GOG, but hats off to that person/people for keeping the past alive.

 

Maybe because Wolfenstein bashed the Ultima Underworld directly in the game. The Shareware version has text that tried to get you to buy the rest of the game, and much of that bashed Ultima Underworld for being slow and buggy. It did not mention you could lean around corners, fly or that you managed an inventory rather than just running over chicken legs, but oh well.

 

I'm not opposed to a first person optional camera view for immersion, but many people may find it difficult to play that way.

The game may need separate models and animations for first person and third person view though.

 

Third-person shooter would be a more accurate comparison, but the term "FPS" has been conventionally applied loosely, likely descriptive of the associated on-screen crosshairs.

 

All online games are governed by the ping, Correct me if I am wrong but what you do on your keyboard or mouse has to be relayed to the server, Then the server has to relay that information to you, This is the crux of multiplayer, It (your actions) ping to the other players hence the lag and why most MMO games go for this tile skill system because all spells and feats met are cued giving the server time to update all the players (on your actions) that are in your vicinity, So really every action in an MMO is past tense as everything your opponent or friend has to be second guessed, Thats why you see people freeze and all of a sudden move 100 feet because the server has caught up and relayed that info to your computer.

 

To be honest, I can't speak for other people, but I've got a lower speed package with my internet provider and even then the problem you're describing is an antiquated issue that I've long since not encountered unless a server was about to go down, at which point you've got bigger problems than sending messages for target selection and damage.

 

The main thing for these games (and Ultima UW2 was my first on my own computer) was the use of darkness, RG knew the graphics were bad but if he made the world very dark and used light as an important means for survival then our own imaginations would fill in the rest in beautiful HD!!, He was right I was in the castle and it was me who was fighting the black rock guardian, My imagination was my own adventure, I filled in the engines failings, And supplanted them into a pseudo reality that became my real waking life for many hours a night, Cheers RG seriously!
I remember a quote from PCGamer of the time said that Unlike Wolfenstein this is the first 3D computer game where you could circle your enemies dodge and move out the way!, I was sold on that.

 

It was the first game we owned for PC too! I played U7 first, but always on my friend's computer. Neat.