Combat is so important for this game - Combat progression Test environment.
The biggest sceptical point I have of this game is combat, and how it should feel, flow and play, and while looking at videos I think there is a lot to be desired yet. This point is so important to get right, that I think the devs should focus even more on it.
What I suggest from the devs, is to release an really basic test environment with a Test-Dummy.
A room with no textures and a Test-Dummy, thats it, that is being updated almost daily outside of the Alpha and Beta testing, where the entire game is more looked at as a whole. This test-environment is a precursor for what will end up in the Alpha and Beta builds as time goes by.
Any new animation, skill, ability etc gets tested through this, and the whole purpose of it is solely to test animations, flow, fluid, feel, movement and not anything related to damage as damage should be easier to adjust once the combat actually feel on point. Cooldowns etc have to stay of course to test how rotations etc feel. The Test dummy would have a few features to toggle when pressed, to simulate incoming damage to test out stagger, animation cancels etc.
Pick a few members from the community and pick a good group that consists of PvE players, PvP players, Tab-favorites, Action-Combat favorites etc.
Test the environment for a level 1 player, and progress upwards. Only when low-level combat feels on point then go forwards. Combat should feel good right off the gate. Next level 5, then level 10 etc.
This would be a perfect environment to test different technologies as well. Animation with movement-lock? Animation with separate lower and upper body giving some ability to move while channeling a skill? How much movement? How long should a skill last before its sent?
For abilities that does max damage between 1-2 seconds, where <1 seconds does less damage, and >2 damage does less damage, does it fit the pace of the class and the rest of the abilities? Should those features be included? Etc.
Rapid fast paced test environment that can be updated at will from the devs, and make a forum-section for this test to discuss ideas and feedback for it.
PS: This is something they already probably have inhouse, and should be something that can be duplicated. But the main purpose here is to test combat from different parts of the world. Ping and latency affects things, and what seems fine in the office, may not seem fine for players playing further away from the server.
