Give us a better Combat System!

[____________Fakonamo]

I think I realized something was missing in AO when after over a year of playing, I didnt rush to patch. As a matter of fact I didnt even log on patch day. Or the next day. Sure there were new camps, bosses, items, but thats just the same old stuff with new dressing. Sure it may be fun to do a new quest for a day or two, but after that, its back to the same old AO.

So what is missing? What could make AO fun again? I was reading a few other forums and one theme seemed to pop up often: New Combat System!

The combat system in AO is severely lacking in anything resembling fun.

Step 1: You stand, shoot/hack/cast.

Step 2: Mob stands, shoots/hack/bite/cast

Step 3: occationally fire off healing or special attack.

Step 4: repeat till somone dies.

There is virtually no interaction required! I can actually leave the room during longer fights with no ill consequences. There is no need or use for tactics, strategies etc (except maybe root and shoot).

Combat in AO has become a chore rather than fun. It is now only a means to an end (gaining levels) rather than any form of entertainment.

Fighting different mobs is nice, but once the novelty wears off its back to step 1.

A challenging mob in AO currently is nothing more than a regular mob with more HP and Dmg. Its not tricky, or sneaky. It doesnt have any real tactic or strategy. It just may kill you in one or two hits, thats even less fun than fighting a normal mob.

New missions, new bosses, new items, control towers, a shadow plane etc are all just short diversions. Merely something to keep us occupied for a week or so until the novelty wears off again. Then, you guessed it, back to step 1.

Simply put: AO needs a more interactive combat system that allows for tactics (other than what dmg type to use or mezzing or rooting) from both players and mobs.

I know this probably wont happen, but after over a year of the same thing (faces and names are different, gameplay stays the same) I'm bored. I'm not going to get melodramatic and post that I'm leaving, I still like AO, but more for the friends than the gameplay.

People seem to always want content, because there is nothing else fun to do! Other aspects of the game provide no real enjoyment (except maybe RP and social interaction)! Trade skills, combat, travel, they work (mostly) but just arent fun.

So I ask FC: Is this possible? If not, why?

Dont let AO fall into another boring vanilla haze of obscurity!
I want to PLAY AO, not just watch boring hack/shoot/cast routines over and over and over and over and over.......

[Atremis]

It's probably just as well that the game's combat system isn't more interactive. Given the lag the game has, can you imagine how bad real time combat would be?

*bad memories of playing QWTF with 50%+ packetloss*

[____________Fakonamo]

I dont mean real time, just something we can do during combat other than watch (or surf internet like I do). Maybe have learned tactics that we can set that influence combat, ducking, dodging, using cover, and mobs that do the same, anything that would increase activity while not being dependant on frame rate.

[Skyless]

Sorry, but this won't happen. The combat system has to be usable by everyone. That means that combat has to stay relatively simple. The way you change the outcome is by the equipment and nanos you use, so there is stradegy while still remaining simple enough that it doesn't turn into some kind of FPS because AO is NOT a FPS.

[____________Fakonamo]

As I said before, I dont mean real time or FPS. The can still be some kind of added interaction without basing it on frame rates or connection speed. The only stragegy now is get the weapon that does more dmg over time and every buff you can fit in your NCU.

Take using special attacks now. You need to actually do something (even if you have a bad connection). What if more special attacks were added that could have effects other than dmg and/or were dependant on the weapon rather than the profession?

What about secondary weapons: grenade launcher on a machinegun, a tazer attachment, chemical injectors, acid coatings, flame throwers on machineguns (Aliens anyone?)? Just have them add a new special attack for various additions like Fixer Cluster Bullets. You get the grenade launcher attachment you then get access to a grenade Special Attack that locks grenade for 1 min or something.

Stances that could allow added bonuses (increase one of your defensive skills while lowering others).

How about new ammo, Armor Piercing, High Explosive, Corrosive (DoT maybe), Depleted Uranium, Notum Rounds that could have better or worse effects on various forms of armor. (could force you to reload a new ammo type to fight diff opponents during the fight) - I DO NOT mean ammo does new dmg type, but rather has bonuses/penalties vs Metaplast or Leather etc.

Allow for setting "target zones" like aim for head, body or leags etc. and could add addition dmg, stun the opponent (for a head shot), slow them down (for leg shots), slow down fire rate (for arm shots), disarm (aim for weapon). Maybe these effects could only happen if you get a critical on a location.

Add in nice new functions like this then give them to mobs also.

None of this would require being a FPS or having a cable connection but could add depth and interaction to combat. All of this seems doable while allowing people who prefer simple combat to continue with the standard (new tactics may give bonuses, but also penalties at the same time)

FC could even make new attachments, ammo etc trade skill only. Give the engs of the world more toys to build

[___________MikesterG]

Oooooo me likey

[locomdenom]

Go kite something if you want to use strategy.

I do when I'm getting bored with leveling.

Kiting deep red bosses across CAV is fun, especially when you run into a nest of deep reds you didn't realize were there.

[____________Biowoman]

too much bumps head hurts

hey im with you a hundred percent even another 40 percent for good measure.

I play ao (sometimes now), final fantasy xi , and daoc.
the diff is that in those games the attacks have styles attached to them and you dont just stand there getting beat on unless you are the tank. even tanks have styles.
in ffxi as a monk/dark paladin tarutaru i have a few attacks that require me to place myself not in fron of mob . i have to maneuver to get good hits from behind or above or what ever but rarely just stand there.
once i fought a goblin merchant (died too , tough sob's) and used every trick i learned for 15 monk levels and 10 dark pal . and had to adapt to his way of fighting it was fun not a chore.

in daoc each toon has special attacks and can do them but they have reqs. like a ranger can hide to do more snipe damage and from a building i can shoot mob and mob dosent instaport to me so i use strategy and when mob gets low on hps smart ones run dumb ones stay and die of course
they even call for help!!!! sweet .
the most enjoyable thing in a fight is watching casters on back line, healers near casters, tanks in mobs face, rogues tryin to maneuver to get position and doing there thing bards singing to help us, and so forth combat is fun.
all combat in every game canget repetitive without chaneg.

but as to the fps argument you will use no more fps than when MA's do their attacks or when , fixers blast everything in room.
it doesn't require a fast internet connection, but thought
from game designers. i hate standing in open just shooting away.

how about team enters main room 3 mobs in first room all laser snipers. snipers move to 3 corners as team enters. sniper one hides behind a box to protect himself( box adds so and so to ac's and foes skill to hit decreases due to los being slightly blocked)and shoots.
sniper 3 aims for healer along with sniper 2 from each corner team has to divide to stop healer from dying. NT seeing a bad sit go bad does what he does best NUKE using aoe he can hit all 3 and stay relatively safe. as healer flees tanks get in way of mobs blocking aim and los and take aggro .
support teams like mps place heal pet on doc while MA takes on sniper 3 and attack pet does sniper 2 with enf. agent sneaks around to sniper one and blasts him. sniper one freaks and runs for help . crat yells "ADD" and begins to aoe root and mezz while engie sneds pet for distract and fixer runs around room blasting whats close and temp draws agg.( by now fps is sucky because of so much but this can be done on a smaller scale.) and remember at the camps (like 8x8) there are like 5 full teams and multitudes of mobs that all share same screen with little lag. so lag is not an issue.
by the way I program in c++ , visual basic, macromedia , acad , studio max and poser putting alot of things on screen at once doesnt hurt pc very much. again that is poor thought combat .

my 2 creds bio

[locomdenom]

Seriously? Tactics enter into play, but not in missions. Get 6 people into a room that small, there's no SPACE for tactics.

Now, go outdoors. I've watched a fixer solo kite the Trash King. I've, at level 80, been part of a group of 3 taking down Greater Anuns using tactics.

Don't say there's no tactics in the game if you're only willing to utilize the parts of it that don't *require* tactics.

[Karanya]

Soloing also requires tactics, even indoors

--K, stalking Dharin on the boards

[locomdenom]

Originally posted by Karanya
Soloing also requires tactics, even indoors

--K, stalking Dharin on the boards

--D, stalking Karanya in real life.

[Karanya]

Yeeeeeessssssssss! Score!

Yer mine now

--K