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I posted this on the Conan site – as a result of the feedback I’ve toned it down but it has the same questions. Perhaps somebody can answer or direct me to more info. Thanks in advance.
This is a long post so, to save people time let me give you a brief overview:
1. This is a post (rant?) against the scant amount of info on the ranged/magic system.
2. The need for clarification regarding Targeting & Cones
3. Spellweaving
4. Which all adds up to a game devoid of ranged/magic players.
*Please note I do make comparisons to WOW – I understand not everyone has played but there’s a higher probability you played that then UO, EQ, EQ2, Planet Side, DAOC or Shadowbane – the other games that I could compare this too.
** If you’re going to flame me about just waiting until it comes out – don’t bother – I already know that one. This is a legitimate question – why is there so much info on melee but not ranged/magic.
I think the one thing we can all agree on is we get the melee combat system- between the descriptions and videos it's clear how it's going to work. I also get that if there are three people in front of me and I swing my broadsword, I could hit each one for damage, that’s fine.
My concern is ranged combat and casting.
1. Not enough info
a. Developers of AOC – you’ve done a great job in your melee descriptions but there is very little on the ranged stuff and nothing (with the exception of Spellweaving) on magic.
b. Let’s start with what there is on Ranged
i. (From the AOC site FAQ) 2.2 That's great for melee fighters, but what about ranged combat?
Players who enjoy fighting with ranged weapons will also experience the real combat system. Whereas in most games of the genre you will equip a bow, click a “Fire” button and then see your character fire the arrows automatically, in Age of Conan you will actually have to string the bow yourself, aim and fire manually as you would in a single-player game. This makes archery more demanding, but it also makes it incredibly much more exciting. (see AOC FAQ under Real Combat)
ii. One vid that shows the Sniping Shot which requires the attacker to ‘aim’ (put the target between the cross hairs – the cross hairs turn red if you’re on target). This is a vast improvement over WOW, imo, because you can start running around to avoid future arrows which is much more true to life. In this case the Target has not been ‘Targeted’ in the traditional sense of having his name & HP on the screen. The target is only in the sights of the attacker. You can see this in minute 4 of this vid.
iii. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGyvHbV_UqE
iv. All that being said, this makes Ranged combat very difficult to master. Once a melee gets hit one time, all he has to do is dodge and weave his way up to you and you’re toast – again this is very much like real life but, folks, if you’re going for balance, that ain’t it. In fact the vid shows just that – the archer had to switch to Melee to finish the mob. Anyone who’s played a Hunter in WOW knows that if a tank or Rogue got within melee range it was very very difficult to survive – as it should be! But at least the Hunter could continue to hit the guy coming at him a bunch of times before they caught him. Of course there was the possibility of missing but it was a dice roll rather then a consequence of how well you can aim.
v. Now I feel that if I’m behind a tree a Ranger type should NOT be able to hit me, however I feel that if I’m running around in the open, even if I’m dodging a weaving he SHOULD be able to hit me – that’s what he does – he’s Uber with a bow and arrow and should have no problem hitting me practically every time. Are you really going to be able to track your target around the screen with your mouse?
vi. Anyone ever play Planet Side? Or Battlefield 1942? Or any of those FPS? It was hard enough to kill someone with a machine gun, now try it with a relatively slow firing bow.
2. No Targeting, Soft Targeting, Hard Targeting – someone throw us a bone!
a. Sooo if I cast a Direct Damage fire ball at a group of mobs who’s it going to hit? All of them? The first in the group?
b. I’m a pet class – Can I target my pets on one Mob then target another Mob and start DDing or DOTing him?
c. Part of playing PVP is knowing who to take out first (healers). Let’s assume there is a Fear Spell. I want to cast that on a healer who is standing in the back between a couple of other players. I cast Fear, again who gets feared?
d.Here’s the only link I saw worth anything – and that’s not saying much. The thread started out talking about Tabbing and by page 3 and 4 morphed into the discussion you see here
i. http://forums.ageofconan.com/showthr...t=38247&page=4
e. From the Thread written by Khorne
i. spells like debuffs, snares, ect are target specific. You really cant aim these its more like if you can see them you can hit them with the spell so soft lock is needed. Now your DD spells are cone or aimed. AoE spells are aimed spells. you pick a area that you want to hit and that is what is hit. I did notice in the demonologist that not all the spells hit thier target because the target moved out of the way.
So rule of thumb i would say DD cone using soft target for direction of cone, or aim
Individual debuff wich includes dots, snares ect soft target affects only target
Aoe aimed to specific spot and cant move.
f. Now I can see what he’s saying and it makes sense although it’s still not very clear, especially when you compare it to what it says on the Site under FAQs Real Combat.
i. (From the AOC site FAQ) 2.10 How is targeting done in Age of Conan?
There is no targeting in Age of Conan per se, at least not in the traditional sense. You do not walk up to something, click it and then start attacking it.
ii. Its says there is no targeting in the traditional sense, so there IS targeting. Please make clear what kind of targeting you do?
iii. Define the difference between Hard targeting that might be applicable for a healer to heal his MT and Soft Targeting which I think means you can select someone to see his HP but if he’s behind you, you won’t attack him.
g. This goes back to my point – A Mage casting a spell on a mob will use Hard Targeting or an Aimed shot with a set of crosshairs or a soft targeting that works if he's in front of you (or in your cone)?
3. Cone of Magic
a. OK I get the principle that if you’re casting a spell the Target has to be in front of you (there were some exceptions to this in WOW but let’s not confuse the matter).
b. From the same thread as above:
i. you hit whats in weapon range no matter what your target is in meele from what i could see
nukes however profited from the target but i think the spells were not cone spells
at least the cone called spell from hox did actually look like a cone and the demo spells didn’t - SKELLETON
c. Skell played a Demonologist in this vid http://stage6.divx.com/user/SKELLETO...c-demonologist
d. I certainly don’t expect anyone to understand the details of the game after playing for 10 min but the fact that he did play and there’s still confusion about this cone stuff and targeting stuff makes it crystal clear that no one quite gets what’s going on.
4. Spellweaving – great idea but…
a. Picture the scene – I’m 2 hrs into my 24 man Uber raid and we’re up against the Boss. Booyeah I’m so excited that I’m going to get the Wand of a Thousand Truth!! I think I’ll do a little spell weaving to really nuke the pants off this guy. Ohhh look at that, it backfired and killed myself, 2 healers and 5 other players are at ½ life. As a consequence the group is wiped.
b. Is there anything comparable to this with melee chars?
c. Then if we do get this Corrupt Soul thing we have to fight our way through Hell to our Spawn point?
d. What group will allow a caster to use SW if they all have a chance of dying if things go to south. No one will use it or if they do it will be at the lowest level possible. Combining perhaps 2 or at the most 3 but more then that it ain’t worth it. Risk has to equal Reward and if the Risk is that I take myself and several group members down to hell with me, the spell better take out half a dungeon.
I want to play this game as a caster – healer or mage. There are too many questions that remain unanswered.
Suggestion for the Devs
1. Put out a vid clearly walking your eager public through the casting process – just as you did for melee.
2. Explain your unique brand of Targeting for Ranged/Caster classes
3. The Risk is too high on SW – it’s not going to be used. It’s a guarantee nerf after the game comes out as every caster is going to whine about the “Hell” (sorry for the pun) that they have to go through.
For those mentioned in the Thread, I meant no disrespect, I meant only to use your words because they offered insight I did not have.
Comments
Hi, I'll just post inside your post in green my reply.
I had forgotton to mention that I will be playing a caster too - a Druid.
A short Vid on the casting process would be nice yes.
I would rather see some footage of the Druid and the Lich for example first :P
Lastly Spellweaving is an OPTION not a requirement, balancing issues here are mute because its still in beta. Cant whinge if you haven't played it and tested it for yourself really imo. I think the going to "hell" is a great concept for people abusing something that is there. I would also believe that S.W. from its implementation in the design process is not something they take light or haven't considered the points you bring up. After all these people do this for a living. Maybe a "Soul Corruption" friday update would come out before we know it? That would be nice too.
No offence to the people you quoted, but I would never take their word about a game in beta, same goes for my friend too. Offer valuable insights sure, but to act like its the end result - no way!
Thanks Amazing
I appreciate both the info and your style. I'm so use to the flamers that i about fell out of my chair when someone responded in a mature and respectful manner!
One last thing - I don't think the devs are doing themselves any favors by not showing us what the casters can do. If my xp with other MMOs is right then 50% of the players are going to fall in that catagory. Let's see what it's going to be like.
Thanks again
I want to be a caster all the more now. This spellweaving system reminds me of AC ALLOT. It makes me want to be a druid all the more. It makes me feel that I can actually master magic. But Im also neverous that I will fail.
Oh well, thanks for the info guys.
I find it kinda funny, I find it kinda sad, The dreams in which I'm dieing are the best I've ever had.
The Lich and the Herold of Xotli mage classes have summoned 2h edge or blunt weapons.
But overall I totally agree with the OP...not nearly enough info on the spell caster classes! I'd like to decide which class to be before the game launches.
From what I understand, the spells are under constant revision, which does not surprise me.
Spelltype abilities are exceedingly hard to balance, one never knows if they aren't better off removing a particular ability entirely and/or replacing/tweaking it. On top of that, they made a promise early on that their spell casting affects wouldn't look like the normal razzle dazzle. It is very tough graphically to design a visual spell affect that is both impressively powerful looking, without resorting to cheap sparkle affects.
No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
Hemingway
Im going to be honest, this is the most sticky worthy thread I have found in the AoC forums.
I find it kinda funny, I find it kinda sad, The dreams in which I'm dieing are the best I've ever had.
I still think Aelfinn's FAQ from the official forums coupled with a video list should have a sticky here. Problems are things are changing or arent set in stone.
We should also have a "guild" folder too as time draws closer.
I've been called a lot of things but 'sticky-worthy' is not one of them (appreciate the koodos Bryan). Then again, i don't think it was my post but Amazing's answers that really gave weight to the thread.
If nothing else, i sure learned a thing or two (mostly from watching some vids listed), and hopefully the Devs of AOC did see this and perhaps they'll roll out something in the near future (before Christmas please - I've been a good boy...honest!).
I'll only play a caster (I'm leaning toward healer) so gathering info is going to be critical to plunking down $50 to buy the game.
I realize this is waaaaay ahead of where things are but i hope some of folks out here post which servers they're going to play - I'm not sure i'm Guild-worthy yet but i'd sure like to opportunity to group up.
Take Care
This is what popped into my mind.
I understand that you are requesting info that you should be able to find before the pre-order is available, but that could be like 6 months away...
It would have been more effective to have used such a well constructed question later down the road, any possible answer given would be just speculation. You will not be any closer to an answer unless it comes from the devs.
At AoC they seem to have the publicity inducing elements of their game nailed, but i don't feel they have really decided on half of the things they should have sorted by now.
dont compare to WoW
This is what popped into my mind.
I understand that you are requesting info that you should be able to find before the pre-order is available, but that could be like 6 months away...
It would have been more effective to have used such a well constructed question later down the road, any possible answer given would be just speculation. You will not be any closer to an answer unless it comes from the devs.
At AoC they seem to have the publicity inducing elements of their game nailed, but i don't feel they have really decided on half of the things they should have sorted by now.
we can argue all day on when i should ask the question but let's settle one thing - the GA (General availability) date is in 6 mo that means the game as to be locked down in about 3 to 4 mo so they can start printing disks and get them out to the stores. Yes of course they can do tweeks all the way up to GA and beyond but if they don't have the fundemental magic system down at this point they're in trouble and you can expect another delay.
Also, what is the benefit to them not to show the magic system? They either got it or they don't. And it's not giving anyone the warm and fuzzy when they DON"T show it.