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Secret World's combat is like Star Trek Away missions; is this a limitation of the modern genre

dontadowdontadow Member UncommonPosts: 1,005

Playing my second beta weekend, realizing that its not going to get much better than it is.  But i feel like i've played this combat before and then it hits me.  Star Trek.  Graphically, animations.  

Which then made me wonder. Is this animation problem just an issue with trying to make modern or futuristic characters feel alive. Is it easier to make fantasy characters feel more alive cause u have more leeway? 

Are there any MODERN mmos that have great animation?  or even halfway decent?  (I don't consider star wars a modern mmo because it's classified as space fantasy) 

Comments

  • WickedjellyWickedjelly Member, Newbie CommonPosts: 4,990
    Originally posted by dontadow

    Playing my second beta weekend, realizing that its not going to get much better than it is.  But i feel like i've played this combat before and then it hits me.  Star Trek.  Graphically, animations.  

    Which then made me wonder. Is this animation problem just an issue with trying to make modern or futuristic characters feel alive. Is it easier to make fantasy characters feel more alive cause u have more leeway? 

    Are there any MODERN mmos that have great animation?  or even halfway decent? 

    Not that I think the combat is anything to write home about but it is a hell of a lot better than STO was.

    Graphically too? Mmkay

    Anyways, weren't you saying this was a WoW clone before? Should go on about that again. That was a lot funnier.

    1. For god's sake mmo gamers, enough with the analogies. They're unnecessary and your comparisons are terrible, dissimilar, and illogical.

    2. To posters feeling the need to state how f2p really isn't f2p: Players understand the concept. You aren't privy to some secret the rest are missing. You're embarrassing yourself.

    3. Yes, Cpt. Obvious, we're not industry experts. Now run along and let the big people use the forums for their purpose.

  • PsychowPsychow Member Posts: 1,784

    You should edit your thread title...

  • apocolusterapocoluster Member UncommonPosts: 1,326
    No I do not feel that STO's combat resembles TSW's.


    Lol. Star Wars. Didn't notice it at first

    No matter how cynical you become, its never enough to keep up - Lily Tomlin

  • NethriilNethriil Member Posts: 178
    Wow u bashed it to bits last weekend and now you decide to Play another beta weekend and its only been a few minutes and you bash it again. Lol why don t you just not Play it???
  • stragen001stragen001 Member UncommonPosts: 1,720
    Originally posted by Psychow

    You should edit your thread title...

    ^^This

    Cluck Cluck, Gibber Gibber, My Old Mans A Mushroom

  • TerranahTerranah Member UncommonPosts: 3,575

    Usually animations only bother me when they are really bad.  I'm lucky this way.  But with the times I have noticed that animations were better than normal, I have noticed that those games were more stylized and less realistic.

     

    Maybe there are something limitations with making smooth, natural looking animations associated with computer power, because the stylized games seem less demanding on my computer.

  • dontadowdontadow Member UncommonPosts: 1,005
    Originally posted by Terranah

    Usually animations only bother me when they are really bad.  I'm lucky this way.  But with the times I have noticed that animations were better than normal, I have noticed that those games were more stylized and less realistic.

     

    Maybe there are something limitations with making smooth, natural looking animations associated with computer power, because the stylized games seem less demanding on my computer.

    SWE's graet strength is its uniqunesss, but it also comes from conan , which arguabely had some of the best animiations around. So funcom dropping the ball here and having no fix in the forseeable future seems like a fluke. 

    Thus I am belieifing it has to be something.

    And yes, this is a wow clone, so long as we have the trinity builds, this many quest, kill that unique guy who will respawn in this many seconds, this is a wow clone in that respect.  Clone dos not mean its a bad game.  It just means they didnt put emphasis on the presentation of these things to make it different.

    What they did do was make sure that many quests had awesome handouts and unique bring u in the game features for immersion.  

    Back to animation combat is the weakest aspect of the game, even for a clone.  I am not comparing this to GW2. My main game of comparsion for these types of games if Rift. It was the most polished and most fun game of the wow generation i've ever played.  It did a lot to make things feel organic. If you have to kill someone there's a reason why there would be another of the guys respawning.  Unique name things were often kept to dungeons.

    Back to animation  The weakness to combat, when compared to other games, can be attributed to the lack of impact in the animations.  I felt the same thing with the away missions.  

    No ones bashing, bashing is coming on here screaming about how awful the game is, that was last week.  This game is going to be what it is.  But there are so many supporters there must be something i'm missig. That's what kept me playing last week. My hope is, is that maybe because they don't have all the quests open, maybe the quests do balance out to a 50 bs 50 actually investigative. The games already 1 for 0. I just did a quests where i  had to think about where to find something.  Now on to the next tier. 

    . So yes, playing another beta weekend.  I got nothing better to do (other than play torchlight 2). 

  • WickedjellyWickedjelly Member, Newbie CommonPosts: 4,990
    Originally posted by dontadow

    And yes, this is a wow clone, so long as we have the trinity builds, this many quest, kill that unique guy who will respawn in this many seconds, this is a wow clone in that respect.  Clone dos not mean its a bad game.  It just means they didnt put emphasis on the presentation of these things to make it different.

    What they did do was make sure that many quests had awesome handouts and unique bring u in the game features for immersion.  

    Back to animation combat is the weakest aspect of the game, even for a clone.  I am not comparing this to GW2. My main game of comparsion for these types of games if Rift. It was the most polished and most fun game of the wow generation i've ever played.  It did a lot to make things feel organic. If you have to kill someone there's a reason why there would be another of the guys respawning.  Unique name things were often kept to dungeons.

    Back to animation  The weakness to combat, when compared to other games, can be attributed to the lack of impact in the animations.  I felt the same thing with the away missions.  

     Lol...no it isn't but clearly you think any themepark game is a WoW clone. Which is fine. Already knew this about you anyways from some other gems you've posted.

    Anyways, yeah, animation is a definite weak spot least for now but how the hell you get it is like STO is beyond me.

    1. For god's sake mmo gamers, enough with the analogies. They're unnecessary and your comparisons are terrible, dissimilar, and illogical.

    2. To posters feeling the need to state how f2p really isn't f2p: Players understand the concept. You aren't privy to some secret the rest are missing. You're embarrassing yourself.

    3. Yes, Cpt. Obvious, we're not industry experts. Now run along and let the big people use the forums for their purpose.

  • ShakyMoShakyMo Member CommonPosts: 7,207
    I think design wise the combat is good, its a cut above your typical mmo combat with the .5 sec gcd, the way you need to move and the way you need to plan your deck, and switch your deck pre fight. It's thinking combat and combat where you have to pay attention, you can't play it one handed while watching tv and spamming a rotation.

    That said, its not as good as gw2 combat, and some animations need work, mainly jump, more weight behind hammers and better tracking on ar.

    I prefer it to your wow/rift/swtor/war/aion/lotro type combat though.
  • WickedjellyWickedjelly Member, Newbie CommonPosts: 4,990
    Originally posted by ShakyMo
    I think design wise the combat is good, its a cut above your typical mmo combat with the .5 sec gcd, the way you need to move and the way you need to plan your deck, and switch your deck pre fight. It's thinking combat and combat where you have to pay attention, you can't play it one handed while watching tv and spamming a rotation.

    That said, its not as good as gw2 combat, and some animations need work, mainly jump, more weight behind hammers and better tracking on ar.

    I prefer it to your wow/rift/swtor/war/aion/lotro type combat though.

     What I really like about it is how everything can be done while moving. No having to stay in one spot to use your abilities.

    1. For god's sake mmo gamers, enough with the analogies. They're unnecessary and your comparisons are terrible, dissimilar, and illogical.

    2. To posters feeling the need to state how f2p really isn't f2p: Players understand the concept. You aren't privy to some secret the rest are missing. You're embarrassing yourself.

    3. Yes, Cpt. Obvious, we're not industry experts. Now run along and let the big people use the forums for their purpose.

  • jdnycjdnyc Member UncommonPosts: 1,643

    I also don't think it's nearly as bad as STO.  For me the comparison isn't even close.

    TSW combat needs some work though.

  • DrafellDrafell Member Posts: 588

    This is an example of the "uncanny valley" syndrome.

    The closer graphics and characters get to looking real, the more you notice the slightly odd walks or discrepancies in movement and it gives people an uncomfortable feeling.

  • TheocritusTheocritus Member LegendaryPosts: 9,976

             You'd think in 2012 that the sky is the limit for better combat, yet alot of it still looks like it was done in 1999.

  • jtcgsjtcgs Member Posts: 1,777
    Originally posted by dontadow

    Playing my second beta weekend, realizing that its not going to get much better than it is.  But i feel like i've played this combat before and then it hits me.  Star Trek.  Graphically, animations.  

    Oh so you are the guy that bought and played STO. Was wondering who it was.

    “I hope we shall crush...in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country." ~Thomes Jefferson

  • SiugSiug Member UncommonPosts: 1,257
    Originally posted by dontadow

    Playing my second beta weekend, realizing that its not going to get much better than it is.  But i feel like i've played this combat before and then it hits me.  Star Trek.  Graphically, animations.  

    Which then made me wonder. Is this animation problem just an issue with trying to make modern or futuristic characters feel alive. Is it easier to make fantasy characters feel more alive cause u have more leeway? 

    Are there any MODERN mmos that have great animation?  or even halfway decent?  (I don't consider star wars a modern mmo because it's classified as space fantasy) 

    Animations are a matter of taste and not so bad for some people, like myself. If you don't like TSW then leave it be. No need to spit poison for weeks (checked your post history on TSW).

  • stayontargetstayontarget Member RarePosts: 6,519
    Originally posted by dontadow

    Playing my second beta weekend, realizing that its not going to get much better than it is.  But i feel like i've played this combat before and then it hits me.  Star Trek.  Graphically, animations.  

    Which then made me wonder. Is this animation problem just an issue with trying to make modern or futuristic characters feel alive. Is it easier to make fantasy characters feel more alive cause u have more leeway? 

    Are there any MODERN mmos that have great animation?  or even halfway decent?  (I don't consider star wars a modern mmo because it's classified as space fantasy) 

    When you have a game that allows free movement while using skills the animations suffer big time because they cannot match the lower body movement with the upper body movement,  and this in effect trickles down to non-combat animations because of the decisions the dev's made regarding combat and movement.

    Velika: City of Wheels: Among the mortal races, the humans were the only one that never built cities or great empires; a curse laid upon them by their creator, Gidd, forced them to wander as nomads for twenty centuries...

  • sidhaethesidhaethe Member Posts: 861
    Originally posted by stayontarget
    Originally posted by dontadow

    Playing my second beta weekend, realizing that its not going to get much better than it is.  But i feel like i've played this combat before and then it hits me.  Star Trek.  Graphically, animations.  

    Which then made me wonder. Is this animation problem just an issue with trying to make modern or futuristic characters feel alive. Is it easier to make fantasy characters feel more alive cause u have more leeway? 

    Are there any MODERN mmos that have great animation?  or even halfway decent?  (I don't consider star wars a modern mmo because it's classified as space fantasy) 

    When you have a game that allows free movement while using skills the animations suffer big time because they cannot match the lower body movement with the upper body movement,  and this in effect trickles down to non-combat animations because of the decisions the dev's made regarding combat and movement.

    I'm not sure I'm willing to give Funcom a pass on this, given that GW2 also has mostly free movement while casting (only a few roots out of many, many skills) and it has tighter animations IMO. But I'm eager to see whether TSW's animations will indeed improve somewhat by launch.

    image

  • jdnycjdnyc Member UncommonPosts: 1,643
    Originally posted by sidhaethe
    Originally posted by stayontarget
    Originally posted by dontadow

    Playing my second beta weekend, realizing that its not going to get much better than it is.  But i feel like i've played this combat before and then it hits me.  Star Trek.  Graphically, animations.  

    Which then made me wonder. Is this animation problem just an issue with trying to make modern or futuristic characters feel alive. Is it easier to make fantasy characters feel more alive cause u have more leeway? 

    Are there any MODERN mmos that have great animation?  or even halfway decent?  (I don't consider star wars a modern mmo because it's classified as space fantasy) 

    When you have a game that allows free movement while using skills the animations suffer big time because they cannot match the lower body movement with the upper body movement,  and this in effect trickles down to non-combat animations because of the decisions the dev's made regarding combat and movement.

    I'm not sure I'm willing to give Funcom a pass on this, given that GW2 also has mostly free movement while casting (only a few roots out of many, many skills)

    Channeled effects do not allow free movement in GW2.  Of which there are many.

     

  • cukimungacukimunga Member UncommonPosts: 2,258
    Originally posted by Drafell

    This is an example of the "uncanny valley" syndrome.

    The closer graphics and characters get to looking real, the more you notice the slightly odd walks or discrepancies in movement and it gives people an uncomfortable feeling.

    Totally,  and thats why most games go for a more stylized look.  I'm  glad they went with a more realistic look for TSW, I don't think stylized graphics would give it the same feel.   I thought most peoples faces in the game looked pretty decent but I don't know if it was too real looking or just bad, but Norma  the grandma with the shotgun her face was just odd looking. 

     

  • sfc1971sfc1971 Member UncommonPosts: 421
    Originally posted by dontadow

    Playing my second beta weekend, realizing that its not going to get much better than it is.  But i feel like i've played this combat before and then it hits me.  Star Trek.  Graphically, animations.  

    Which then made me wonder. Is this animation problem just an issue with trying to make modern or futuristic characters feel alive. Is it easier to make fantasy characters feel more alive cause u have more leeway? 

    Are there any MODERN mmos that have great animation?  or even halfway decent?  (I don't consider star wars a modern mmo because it's classified as space fantasy) 

    I have been thinking about this and I think it is related to the uncanny valley. You know how super realistic CGI faces and up as anything but realistic and two dots and crooked line are a happy face :) NOT just a face but a HAPPY one.

    We know how assault rifles work... well I do most have some kind of movie idea about it. But bows, arrows, shields not so much? Did you know the long bow is an artillery piece and in combat NEVER fired at a single enemy. Long bows are lined up as a group and fire a hail of arrows at another group of men and kill them at very (for the time period) long range. 

    So, we end up with computer game bows being used in completely the wrong way but we don't know any better so thats okay. Magic use is of course even less likely to get critism of "this just isn't realistic".

    But in a modern game... someone using an assault rifle at close range as a magic wand while someone is waving a hammer a them... that just feels all wrong. And it makes TSW feel wrong.

    I tried the assault rifle and at the start the game has an uncanny resemblance to Left4Dead. Except YOU SUCK! Your gun is not behaving anywhere as you would expect. It has no range, no stopping power. Pistols are even worse. I know it is all about magic but an AoE attack that continues as you pump enemies full of lead who fail to drop down?

    The animation quality doesn't matter then anymore. It just looks fucking stupid, end of story. Take the 2nd skill of pistols. WATCH it. It is that spinning bullet thingy that has no effect. In movies, IT HAS effect. In the game, it doesn't. So our knowledge of the real world tells us that since it is not an instant skill, we remember the Myth Buster episode and our mind just goes "yeah right, whatever".

    The simple problem is that MMO's have limitted range because all data needs to go over the internet and the internet isn't as fast as you think. And machine guns have a VERY long range indeed. With a sniper rifle, you can shoot from an end of the map to the other. And that just ain't how MMO's do things.

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