The Combo Design

ArchivedUser

I think a good visual indicator for the combo system they've proposed would be a adaptation of quick-time events; rather than have it represented on the bar they could slow the animation for the duration of the combo oppurtunity, flash your weapon, and provide an audio indicator*. I would even suggest a small toggled transparent symbol that can be moved anywhere on the screen as an extra visual indicator for combo oppurtunity. I believe this design would feel more engaging when swapping between tab-targeting and actionable skills** (if we are in fact going to be able to build hybrid rotations)

*this also has some easily customizable features in a color variant for the flash as well as a chime variant for the audio indicator

**I don't think the combo system should be applied to action skills> a great compliment for the tab-targeting's action-like combo system would be a passive buff (an idirect buff that acts as a modifier for a classes primary stat(s)) as a result of successive hits within a certain time-frame

ArchivedUser

I agree with a system like weapon flash or your screen flashing instead of the bar, the problem would be the precision, the bar had a clear line when you needed to press and you could see how long you have until you need to press the key again, if you had some audio indicator some people might have problems realizing it (especially with music). I think the bar itself is a good idea, if they made it more transparent, allowed for position change and change the shape maybe a little it would be much better.

I'm pretty sure this system was only to apply to basic attacks.

ArchivedUser

I don't think the combo system where its twitch based is going to be a good idea regardless because of how ping will factor in. Its gonna be bad enough for people with larger pings, adding in something that requires you to have a low latency to hit those precise indicators is just going to emphasize that problem more so than it already would of been with a standard action, tab target or hybrid system. 

ArchivedUser

I'm going to hold my thoughts on there combo design, but the best combat I've ever had in any MMOs is in Age of Conan, the way they pulled out off at the beginning was great on my eyes.

ArchivedUser

I think they could just make the bar itself light up when in the red zone with audio option,.

ArchivedUser

AutumnLeaf said:

I agree with a system like weapon fash or your screen flashing instead of the bar, the problem would be the precision, the bar had a clear line when you needed to press and you could see how long you have until you need to press the key again, if you had some audio indicator some people might have problems realizing it (especially with music). I think the bar itself is a good idea, if they made it more transparent, allowed for position change and change the shape maybe a little it would be much better.

I'm pretty sure this system was only to apply to basic attacks.

Now that I think about it the design that I've proposed would be difficult to manage for many reasons but especially for players initially starting the game; I would like to propose the design again, however, this time without the symbol but instead a highly customizable bar. My position on action skills still stands but with a caveat: if the character recieves an attack within the time-frame of successive attacks (wherein they can't nullify/negate the attack) they don't generate a new stack for their buff and if they recieve an attack they are unable to negate while they have stacks of this buff they will lose a stack.

~Thank you for pointing out that it will only be applicable to the basic attack as I only found that out after posting this

ArchivedUser

Sussurro said:

AutumnLeaf said:

I agree with a system like weapon fash or your screen flashing instead of the bar, the problem would be the precision, the bar had a clear line when you needed to press and you could see how long you have until you need to press the key again, if you had some audio indicator some people might have problems realizing it (especially with music). I think the bar itself is a good idea, if they made it more transparent, allowed for position change and change the shape maybe a little it would be much better.

I'm pretty sure this system was only to apply to basic attacks.

Now that I think about it the design that I've proposed would be difficult to manage for many reasons but especially for players initially starting the game; I would like to propose the design again, however, this time without the symbol but instead a highly customizable bar. My position on action skills still stands but with a caveat: if the character recieves an attack within the time-frame of successive attacks (wherein they can't nullify/negate the attack) they don't generate a new stack for their buff and if they recieve an attack they are unable to negate while they have stacks of this buff they will lose a stack.

~Thank you for pointing out that it will only be applicable to the basic attack as I only found that out after posting this

No problem, regarding normal abilities I don't think the combo bar would even be implemented, you can't just rapid fire skills in games (well some Eastern MMO's allow such things) a largely customizable bar would probably be best, they can add all those other functions like sound, screen flash and so on as optionals for those who feel more comfortable to use them

ArchivedUser

Ping and latency will always be a factor regardless. Optimization is crucial.
I personally am not a fan of reliant UI 'combat' mechanics and systems as they offer no counterplay and are a bit old fashioned/boring, especially in a multi player environment

if they make whatever combat system/solution more client side driven then the player should have a better user experience.