Best game ever. The waits a killer :) So cool seeing how it all started.
- Snipehunter
Hail Elyrians!
It is another shiny day! I feel like it’s been ages since the last shiny day, what with me not being available to post a shiny last week or the week prior, but I’m back so let’s shine!
Some of you are probably aware that lately I’d been working on “advanced traversal mechanics” – AKA Parkour – as my primary focus. As the lead designer for the game, I’m the start of the production pipeline. I work with Caspian to translate his vision and designs into actionable specs that the team then takes and implements.
(Sometimes there are visual aids!)
For example, when it comes to traversal mechanics, I spent many days working with Caspian, hashing out what was required and what wasn’t to get moving through the world feeling good for an adventuring player. When that head-to-head collaboration was complete, I had a set of rules and guidelines at my disposal that I could use to build an actual specification for each of the world movement actions a character could take. I knew, for example, that a character that had the right knowledge and skill could vault over objects. What I didn’t know was how that would be implemented. I didn’t yet know how far you would move while vaulting, which controls you might use to make that happen as a player, how much stamina that might require, etc.
So, my job over the next period was to take those guidelines and rules and translate them into actual descriptions of what it feels like to perform these actions as a player, what controls are used and any other technical or mechanical considerations (such as how two possible player actions work together) that might be involved. Once this design spec was done, Caspian and I scrutinized it again, going back and forth as we discussed the implications that things like the defined control schemes and level metrics, such as jump height or sprint speed, would have on the design. Only after we were both satisfied was the spec considered “ready.” And once it was ready, that’s where the rest of the team comes in.
(Super technical visual aids!)
With the ready spec, a cross-functional strike team of folks on the team (folks like Souzou and Jörmungandr) can be brought together to begin the process of implementation and integration, be that in the form of bringing in old prototypes, such as our mine run from Pax a couple of years ago, or implementing entirely new versions of those mechanics, depending on the requirements of the spec. (In the case of the traversal mechanics, we are using a different physics engine than we had been when we made the mine run, which makes integrating some mechanics from an early prototype difficult. Additionally, the spec called for slightly different behaviors based on what we had learned with our past prototypes)
For the last little while, that group has been implementing some of the traversal stuff, including wall climbing, wall running, ground sliding, and a few other mechanics. There’s still a ways to go before it’s ready for prime time, but I’m always happy when I see folks just jump into the work and produce fast results. Our early prototypes really helped in that regard – they taught us a lot about what works and what doesn’t. Thanks to those prototypes we avoided some serious time sinks and had the rough forms of these mechanics, the form you're seeing in the video below, operational very quickly.
But, as I said, there's a ton of polish to go and that does mean that what you are seeing in that video is incredibly early work, but it was in and working quickly, and now we have the time to polish out the rough surface and let the fun shine through.
Well that’s it for today; I hope you enjoy it!
Until next time, stay shiny my friends!
Best game ever. The waits a killer :) So cool seeing how it all started.
Posted By Digma76 at 2:44 PM - Fri Oct 18 2019
Posted By Focii at 3:05 PM - Fri Oct 18 2019
Remember this is a Parkour course setup to design and test the mechanics. Of course the walls be climbable. Everything will while they test. Pretty sure in game will be a different story though. imo
Yeah I am trying to keep that in mind, but sometimes developers get a bit carried away. One of the reasons why I forsaken my AoC pledge was because I saw their Battle Royale which is supposed to be a testing ground for their combat and people jumping 20-30 meters into the air. I don't want that to happen here with people being able to climb walls like they're a lizard.
It's a rough brick wall, not a smooth marble wall :)
Nice. I wonder if this system will have a use in combat. Or even if some parkour techniques can be used in combo with attacks.
not so cool when you can get infiltrated by anyone so no point in walls now sucks to be my city now i need a new game plan
Summerman
Such fantastic work and collaboration. This is why SBS is the studio of my choice out of all early development projects.
Keep fighting that good fight.
Posted By Summerman at 11:34 AM - Sat Oct 19 2019
not so cool when you can get infiltrated by anyone so no point in walls now sucks to be my city now i need a new game plan
Now, hold on there - I've commented on the implications of things in pre-alpha videos before, but this is clearly only their testing of the pure system itself. Being able to do this in the full game with all systems implemented will likely be very different and not doable by just anyone.
Posted By Focii at 3:05 PM - Fri Oct 18 2019
Remember this is a Parkour course setup to design and test the mechanics. Of course the walls be climbable. Everything will while they test. Pretty sure in game will be a different story though. imo
This. It's a test setup, in the game not every wall will be climbable.
Count LizenÇace VeLeîjres of Mydra's Crossing, VII of the order of the IX.
Posted By Saebelorn at 12:29 PM - Sat Oct 19 2019
>
with all systems implemented will likely be very different and not doable by just anyone.
Yeap based on the details on this thread and what we have previously learned about parkour it will require knowledge, skill and attributes. So that's the first barrier, that eliminates a massive majority of characters from being able to "spider man over walls".
After that, we have other forms of balance. You can look at games like Conan Exiles to see how this plays out and feels. They add in effects to walls that damage the climber as they're attached to the wall, it could also drain energy faster and some walls will be totally unclimbable without specific gear.
Honestly, this happens every time people see a mechanic. People immediately jump to the worst case scenarios and miss the forest through the trees. They're obviously able to balance this guys. And if you told yourself that everyone can/will do this, you're simply not paying attention.
I wonder how this will affect the world design in the game, considering parkour/advanced traversal is definitely a thing.
Is CoE the first mmo with fuid and advanced traversal mechanics?
Not all who wander are truly lost. They are simply unafraid of drifting; of peacefully experiencing the unknown. So crave change, deviate from the path, and venture beyond horizons. Never be afraid to get lost.
Posted By Bronwyn at 8:03 PM - Sat Oct 19 2019
Is CoE the first mmo with fuid and advanced traversal mechanics?
As far as I know, yes.
Every other massively multiplayer online game tends to use almost exactly the same features, almost like a copy and paste with a few reskins. But CoE will be totally different from the norm when it comes to locomotion. In some ways, it'll feel a bit similar to one of the fresh single player experiences (like Assassin Creed's movement), but at the same time a bit more simplified.
That being said, a lot of characters aren't going to possess the ability to perform hardcore parkour. So while all of us (regardless of ability) will be able to perform parkour, it's still kept to a manageable and sensible scale. Not everyone is going to be Ezio jumping across poles and balancing on tiny points. Just the highly skilled bunch. But the slides and vaulting over fences? Basically everyone will get a taste of that.
Awesome!
Tentative plans: To'resk, looking to settle in the Kingdom of Riftwood, NA - W Angelica.
Hard core Parkour will be Janoan great ability. I cannot wait to see a video about it.
I must admit to having some concerns about the implications of this for combat, ai tends not to do very well against these types of movements and with OPCs I’m hoping that there is enough stamina drain and slow enough regen that you can’t just dance around an OPC until they drop.
Posted By Souzou at 01:16 AM - Fri Oct 18 2019
For those wondering, I recorded this using a mouse and keyboard. So rest assured, it will work just fine ;) Nicely, in fact. Real nice.
How many mice did it take to operate the camera? :D
To those worrying overly and assuming "walls are now pointless" I would reply its not so much that walls are now pointless, as much as guards with eyes and ears are now more important. And more sophisticated defences than just "walls".
Also, based on what i've read and heard so far, i would be surprised if those climbing the defensive walls of a settlement or keep, are wearing full heavy armour and carrying shoulder mounted cannons, in stealth mode ;)
