What is your view on the current "basic attack" animation?

Ryufu

Specifically for the melee combat, the autos are kind of annoying for two reasons: one, you move forward when you attack. two, you cannot attack while moving side to side or backward. Both of these issues are pretty much the same problem of not having the freedom of movement you want and need in a game with boss mechanics that require movement.

Azherae

Should I 'turn this into' the 'new' Combat Compilation thread? The old one is kind of long, posters who were part of that one are probably nodding in nostalgia at this point, but this thread seems more like pure feedback on one aspect of it, and I don't want to derail or unfocus it, either.

Zhav

I think the animation is over the top also. It would be alright if it was for a flurry ability or something similar.

Aeranduil

Marzzo wrote: »

I am very pleased to see such amazing progress on all areas we have seen recently. But one feature has been bothering me since apocalypse, the basic attack animation. To be clear, I think this basic attack system is better than the normal auto attack system, but the animation and execution of it is in my opinion bad. In apocalypse, it was kinda okay, since it was not an MMO. But now I see that it has kept it's way into the MMO and the "general idea" of it seems to be here to stay. I believe you should rework the animation/feel of the basic attack. Or should I say, make basic attacks basic again

There are two main reasons for me thinking they look bad and these are:

1. Too acrobatic and or excessive - Like seriously, it's a basic attack. Currently, clicking autoattack multiple times with many weapons looks weird. The character starts to spin around and doing all kinds of weird excessive animations. These animations can never have weight to them or feel meaningful, because the character flies around like a ninja on crack doing them.

2. Repetitive - Look at footage when players start autoattacking with a staff or sword. The characters do the same unrealistic, paper weight combo over and over again. First they swing from the right, then from the left... and then oqwjheoqwhejoiuqw super duper mega spin of fantasy power. After this it just repeats endlessly.

Why is this a problem?
You at Intrepid probably heard a million times that combat looks clunky and weird. I know it's alpha, but your philosophy on spammy hyper acrobatic spinning while doing autoattacks is one reason for the weird combat feeling. Also, an extremly important factor while designing martial games with weapons is the feeling of the weapon. Currently, the feeling your projecting is hyper light, paper like weapons.

How can this be reworked/improved?
Make autoattacks basic again. A basic attack should be that, basic. It is a swing of the sword, a bash with a mace, a hit with a staff and a stab/slash of a dagger. Sure, variation in basic attack is important. But make them less excessive, put different weight to the attacks instead of spinns, backflips and acrobatics. Ill link an example of what i deem to be top tier animations for a weapon.

Any inspiration from other games?
Look at games that became legendary for their combat system. For example dark souls. Their basic attack animations are majestic, powerful, beautiful and meaningful, but yet, so simple. Below, Ill link the animations connected to the long sword from dark souls.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=EPZ1O4erecU&ab_channel=ZombieHeadzZombieHeadz

Should there be basic attack combos at all?
Indeed they can be used, if done corrently. Tapping Q with balanced breaks between each tap should simply repeat 3-5 basic hit animations. without combo.

Hitting Q quickly could start a combo that affected your movement a little. For example, if you start hitting basic attack and the enemy dodges while your basic attacking quickly tapping Q again repetedly could start a small attack combo that moves you a little bit forward. But remember, dont make it excessive.

I would like to piggyback off of this and say the only real concern I have with the auto attack/main attack combo is the auto-advance/move forward feature in melee combat. I find it off-putting. Forcing me in a single direction during combat makes it difficult for kiting mobs. Also, when fighting multiple enemies, auto-advance pushes me down the middle of trash as soon as my target's hitbox disappears.
So far, I have enjoyed every other aspect of combat in action camera mode. Please keep up the good work!

CROW3

If the goal is for the basic attack is to have weight and/or ‘feel’ realistic - i.e. your character didn’t pick up a sword that day - some forward advance is part of the attack. This is especially true with a two-handed attack. Daggers/Knives would be the exception.

Denahi

They definitely need to work and improve upon the animation's of both the characters and the monsters, the devs need to apply more realistic elements to combat especially meele combat, both the person receiving the attacks and the attacker's attack should be more noticeable and polished. I see a lot of humanoid mobs that have the same darn animation's for almost every single attack they receive, that's not good enough. Also the split body animation's looks unrealistic, the lumbar spine's movement looks unatural.

Azherae

Edit: (while reviewing posts, found where my question to that poster was already answered)