Can we JUMP? (Dev) Replied

I think collision detection would be too expensive to implement on trivial items like a loaf of bread, so you would pass through it unimpeded. Larger objects, as Ubrae points out, maybe not.

 

Not really. a loaf of bread is about the size of a cat, or a rock. You collide with those just fine.

Collision detection isn't quite the same as it used to be... 3D engines are capable of checking colliding against entities relatively easily.

 

If you passed a loaf of bread you would either pick it up or step over it. Seems a waste to have stuff like the shuffling about all the time. Maybe if you click-drag something you can kick it, but if we have the same number of items you have in most ultima all with hyper-physics it could get messy. I hate games where a slight bump into a table spews crap all over the room. Sometime physics stuff is over done and things are not heavy enough.

 

Yeah. I didn't mean for it to be like "oh you bumped the bread, and now it's rocketing into orbit". That would definitely be obnoxious.

Some items should just be bypassed not for efficiency's sake, but for sanity's sake.

 

Just because it is possible to have collision detection on trivial items doesn't mean it's a good idea to have collision detection on trivial items. Everything comes with a price. If from a game play point of view, it makes sense to have collision detection with bread loaves, OK. Otherwise, it seems to me to be a stupid waste of electrons that could be better spent elsewhere.

If you think the dev's have an unlimited computational budget, why do you suspect that Richard Garriott is reluctant to implement free form jumping into the game? Everything comes with a cost, even if it is just a complexity cost. The dev's have enough on their plate to implement just what they consider to be important. I don't think that will include collision detection on bread loaves. Myself, I'd prefer free form jumping, but it sounds like we won't even get that.

 

Except that they'll already have collision detection activated so they can be set on a table in your house.

Personally, I have mixed feelings on jump, but most of them come from watching other players jump everywhere. Since I don't have to see those players, it makes it much less annoying.

On the pro side, few things make me grumble more than walking up to a knee high fence and being stuck there because right over there... just... right... I can see it... is something I need... but I can't step over the fence because it's a fence. Or a hole that's maybe 3' wide on the screen. Nope. Can't do that. Really? REALLY? Rawr.

Considering how often those things come up, will I be like "This game is bad because there was no jumping!" ? No. I'm sure I'd still have a blast and be able to forgive the game play. But I'd rather not have to forgive anything.

 

Anyone else been counting the number of people who's primary concern regarding jumping is that .... other people like to jump lots. >.>

Anyone else come to the conclusion that maybe if there are so many people doing it that it's become such a noticeable problem, that a lot of people must really like jumping?

It's weird because I see a few people will argue in one thread that the things that please a majority make a game better, whilst avoiding such measurements in threads such as this to avoid things they don't like ... I get the impression, as Freeman has honestly stated ... that we're not so much discussing what might make the game better, as much as we're discussing what we all individually prefer... unfortunately with about 95% repeated justifications.

At this point, this thread might be better served by being separated into a "How jumping could impact SotA" thread and a separate, "Do you want to jump?" poll (though I get the feeling the decision has mostly already been made). As 2 cent posts are inherently not very valuable or the clearest outlet for everyone's thoughts versus opinions.

 

Pretty much dead on. You have something a lot of people LIKE doing, I feel like you should let them. That's the joy of this style of multiplayer I don't have to play with people who bother me. Whether that's using purple armor, jumping everywhere, speaking thee's and thou's, not role-playing and just killing things, whatever. I love the fact that I can just say "Yeah... not this guy" and not play with them.

So if the only reason not to do something is 'personal preference' it's best just to take a poll and see if it's worth the zots to get it done for that audience, or if there is some other reason it's additive to the game.

And I'll just say this. Jumping is very close to flying, and flying in an CRPG is awesome. Would love that as a spell.

 

*Squinty Eyes*

 

I too have noticed this and thought the same thing. That's the whole argument and.... it's.... just.... huh?! Never before had I seen a character jumping in a game and thought "HEY YOU THERE! Why are you so happy! NO! NO you are not allowed to be that happy and prancing about as such!!! NO!"

Spot on. I am not willing to make a poll because as you said, I believe the decision has already been made on how they will deal with jumping or lack thereof and using the contextual points.

 

Because of all this jumping and flying discussion, I seriously re-installed Second Life for the ability to just fly around. So much awesome. Then I teleported to a roleplaying plot and.... promptly closed it. Awkward.

 

Lol! Second Life, you will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy... *reinstalls* ... Coincidentally had TERRIBLE jumping and general movement, yet was an environment dripping with potential that therefore made exploring it and moving inside it *fun*.

 

*chortles* Aye... if ever there was a Buc's Den of gaming, SL would be it. I try to avoid the dance parties and instead go on dune buggy rides, comedy clubs and other random things. I actually made quite a killing playing the Zyngo machines and other gambling way back when.

You are correct though, the jumping and general movement is pretty terrible, but as you stated, there is just so much content, imagination, prepping and planning that so many people have gone through in the past 10 years. Somehow I remembered my account info and was appalled to see it at the almost 8 year mark... and I have no vet rewards!!

 

Not sure if you like the suggestion... or hate the suggestion.

Either way, I thought flying was handled well in City of Heroes (RIP).

 

Now THAT was a glorious movement experience in it's time. Though DCUO did a fairly good job with generic hero flight too.

 

No, No, NO. You guys, you just don't get it.

You're supposed to say "it's immersion breaking or not RP-like", or something. If your going to come up with a phony objection, at least use the APPROVED phony objections.

 

Well, if you have people who can do ten foot vertical jumps from a standstill, it makes your world look like a cartoon. This is fine in WoW, since its world most definitely is a cartoon, albeit a dark one. If SOTA has jumping I'd prefer that it was more realistic than that.

 

Realistic is fine, to include stamina penalties for armor/weapons.

 

I don't remember ever once seeing anyone jump 10ft in the air in WoW. I'm talking maybe 1-3 feet only, vertical. Running and jumping obviously further length.

And yes, as Owain said, stamina costs to hinder plate wearers but allow cloth/leather more maneuverability.

 

No, you jump higher than your head. Call it 6 or 7 feet then. And your jumping height was the same whether you were moving or not. I spent enough time jump kiting as a hunter to be certain of that. You just maintain whatever velocity you had when the jump started. This allowed hunters to jump, swivel in midair to face the enemy and make an instant shot, then spin back forward before landing without losing an inch of distance. (At least that's how it was when I played, they may have changed it since Wrath.)