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BioWare announces first game system mechanic
Maverz290
Member Posts: 447
Here it is folks, (as mentioned in a previous thread), it is the 'Advanced Class system'.
This should address fears that BioWare we're forgetting about the game mechanics as now a whole new section of the website is now unlocked where additions to gameplay systems will be added.
The section is called 'Game Systems'.
I have a feeling this is where your concerns on gameplay will be address in the months to come. It is likely it will get an update once a month or so, as that seems to be the update rate for most other sections.
Thoughts on BioWare's move? Does the fact the Advanced Class System is offering you two entirely different sub classes for each class impress you or not?
(Examples: Sith Warrior Juggernaught, Sith Warrior Marauder.) With the Juggernaught being the heavy armour Darth Vader like class, and the Marauder being the damage dealing, medium armour bearing Darth Maul class.... What does this mean for you? More versatility? Too familiar to something you've seen before? Or does it comfort you to know BioWare has at least got 'one' gameplay mechanic under its belt.
Longing for Skyrim, The Old Republic and Mass Effect 3
Comments
It's good news that there's not just eight jobs - or, according to your faction, only four.
However, this is not necessarily anything new - almost all MMOs now have a advanced class/branching class option.
I still thnk it's a pity that it's one profession per character for life - though that, again, is the norm these days and well-established by games like WoW.
I actually prefer it that way. I hate games where I have more than one profession without real penalties. In D&D (3rd ed which is the one I know) you could multi-class, but you would trade strength in one class to gain the advantages of the other class. If it's like that I'm ok.
Well, not exactly. There are hybrid classes in WoW - which have an unfair advantage when it comes to grouping.
"" Voice acting isn't an RPG element....it's just a production value." - grumpymel2
Well, if you really think about it, and what we know so far, I think you can make some base assumptions on how the classes are put together.
Your character gets skills based on alignment. For example, good jedi get force push while bad jedi would get force choke. Neutral characters also get their own skills. You can then judge that each class will have a light side set of powers, a dark side set of powers and a neutral set.
That means for every class you have 3 possible builds, compounded by your second class system, and perhaps going as far as the third.
Its a good way to have your classes have different build types and depending on how they do their skill selection (you may have only a limited number of skills available that you have to pick) it could leave the system open for a great number of different types of builds for the same classes.
It was that way in Neverwinter Nights, too (3.5 rules, I believe).
That's the best way to handle hybrids, but in an MMO it can be very hard to get group invites if you are not the best possible for your role.
"" Voice acting isn't an RPG element....it's just a production value." - grumpymel2
Hopefully its a little more than just splitting the classes up into specific specializations.
The Sith Warrior can be DPS or Tank.
If they are too specialized then they should have made 8 classes. Instead of having Sith Warrior and 2 "Advanced Classes" just have Sith Juggernaut and Sith Marauder be 2 seperate classes.
Im all for classes and talent trees but I want to be able to make my own build and experiment.
But why? Allowing your character to change professions allow you to experience even more of the game without having to change the personality and history of your toon. And, yes, of course, there can be penalties - like there were in SWG. To change one profession, you had to give up one profession of which you were a master and start all over again - what more of a penalty do you want?
That depends on the game orientation. In EQ where everything was group oriented, yes, that applies. But in other games like LotRO, where you're just fine with a 2 or 3 members group, you may prefer a hybrid over a 'pure' class. Specially for couples playing together for example.
In my experience an average D&D 3 or 3.5 character tends to be heavily multiclassed often with multiple prestige classes, and the multiclassing system in D&D3 and their approach at prestige classes and class choices are responsible for multiple problems in the game. Why?
Because players focused on efficiency, and instead of some imagined character they spoke about their own "character build" or just copied some from the forums. Story wise it was strange when you had a warrior who lived in a country, killed a few orcs, and became a mage. Why would other people sit in schools for years if a few killed orcs can turn you into a mage? Then the build had magic and combat skills, so picked up a presitge class that were tied to the order. Without getting any training there, he just killed more goblins. Why would people join such orders in childhood?
Game mechanics and story became very very far from each other, and when Bioware said they want to focus on the story, they should look at character advancement from a different perspective, something linked to the story. Instead of quickly forgetting what you have learned and replacing long years of learning with a short killing spree to get new skills, advanced classes represent specialization. As it happens in the world of Star Wars, as it happens story wise.
More than one profession with or without penalties are possible if you learn individual skills at slow rate and you cannot replace actual traning wth a few kills. It works well, if time is a valuable resource and you have to spend training time to diversify skills.
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The system reminds me of EQ2, where at a certain level you could specialise in a subclass, like from base class rogue to 'brigand' or 'assassin' (or something like that).
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