T
tad100
Guest
Follow-up to an email I sent the devs - to see what the other pre-alpha testers think.
First, this is only about the combat skills really - the gathering skills are addicting as-is and don't need to be changed.
Second, this is not about solo combat - if PG were a solo game (such as Skyrim) then the purely skill based system would work just fine - and indeed perhaps better than a class-based system.
Third, this is not about replacing the two skill system - it's about why I think the devs need to kludge on a class system onto the the skill system.
Having spent some time in dungeons the last few days as Retest the Psychologist Cow or Surface the Fire Mage I've gotten frustrated by the number of deaths linked directly to the use of a skill system versus a class system.
Now admittedly part of the problem is the lack of real targeting in the pre-alpha (Memo to Devs - when you put in targeting use Vanguards Offensive Target/Defensive Target system) but the bigger problem is that skill system are inherently more difficult for players to self-organize around. People have to have the right skills slotted and be willing to play the right role (tank/melee dps/magic dps/controller/healer). In PG terms that means having at least one role type skill slotted (e.g. Combat Psychology for the guy taking on the controller role) and having a skill that matches the alloted role (I haven't seen a taunt skill yet - but perhaps as you level sword?). Group combat as-is in PG is fun for a while then less fun as the group repeatadly dies due to the lack of an effective duo or trio: tank, controller/dps, healer
Introduce a class-like system to PG solves this self-organization problem. Assuming a future LFG tool - it'll be easy to identify the tanks from the controllers from the dps from the healers and for groups to self-organize.
I think there are a couple of ways to do this in PG without mucking up the system.
1. Guilds. Introduce various guilds in the game: Warrior Guild, Mage Guild, Healers Guild, etc. Start is as normal, but joining a guild earns a title (Warrior) visible in the LFG as well as the minimal skills needed to operate in that role. For example - a taunt special skill is awarded to members of the Warrior Guild. Upper level (determined via reputation? seperate skill?) members will get an AoE Taunt. Similiarly, members joining the Healing Guild will get a Heal special skill, with upper level members eventually getting a group heal and a complete - long cast time heal. Players can only belong to one guild at a time, switching guilds should be involved and will result in the loss of standing (reputation) in the guild and the loss of any guild associated special abilities. Still allowed to access the wide variety of combat skills - so you could be - for example - a dps cleric - who joined the Healling Guild for the special healing skills, but has Sword Skill and Unarmed slotted.
2. Kits/Classes. Bigger change, would introduce various trainers into the world (e.g. Warrior trainer, Cleric trainer). Signing up with a trainer would give the player access to specific skills (e.g. Taunt skills for Warrior, Healing Tree for Cleric) and would limit access to other skills. For example someone signing up for the Cleric trainer would be limited to level 10 in Sword skills and Level 0 in Necromancy, but would get early bonuses to healing skills. Signing up for the Mage guild might limit the type of armor you can wear, etc. This is much closer to a true class system without major changes to the design. Really about balancing bonuses with limitations.
3. Class system. Biggest change, would require revamping the combat skills to be a class system while keeping the existing gathering/hunting/non-combat skills. Unlikely to happen so not going to belabor the point ;-)
Anyway I like both 1 and 2 and think a more class-based approach to combat skills would improve group combat, improve player feelings of uniqueness and identity and (as a nice side) allow the devs to add more difficult combat encounters.
First, this is only about the combat skills really - the gathering skills are addicting as-is and don't need to be changed.
Second, this is not about solo combat - if PG were a solo game (such as Skyrim) then the purely skill based system would work just fine - and indeed perhaps better than a class-based system.
Third, this is not about replacing the two skill system - it's about why I think the devs need to kludge on a class system onto the the skill system.
Having spent some time in dungeons the last few days as Retest the Psychologist Cow or Surface the Fire Mage I've gotten frustrated by the number of deaths linked directly to the use of a skill system versus a class system.
Now admittedly part of the problem is the lack of real targeting in the pre-alpha (Memo to Devs - when you put in targeting use Vanguards Offensive Target/Defensive Target system) but the bigger problem is that skill system are inherently more difficult for players to self-organize around. People have to have the right skills slotted and be willing to play the right role (tank/melee dps/magic dps/controller/healer). In PG terms that means having at least one role type skill slotted (e.g. Combat Psychology for the guy taking on the controller role) and having a skill that matches the alloted role (I haven't seen a taunt skill yet - but perhaps as you level sword?). Group combat as-is in PG is fun for a while then less fun as the group repeatadly dies due to the lack of an effective duo or trio: tank, controller/dps, healer
Introduce a class-like system to PG solves this self-organization problem. Assuming a future LFG tool - it'll be easy to identify the tanks from the controllers from the dps from the healers and for groups to self-organize.
I think there are a couple of ways to do this in PG without mucking up the system.
1. Guilds. Introduce various guilds in the game: Warrior Guild, Mage Guild, Healers Guild, etc. Start is as normal, but joining a guild earns a title (Warrior) visible in the LFG as well as the minimal skills needed to operate in that role. For example - a taunt special skill is awarded to members of the Warrior Guild. Upper level (determined via reputation? seperate skill?) members will get an AoE Taunt. Similiarly, members joining the Healing Guild will get a Heal special skill, with upper level members eventually getting a group heal and a complete - long cast time heal. Players can only belong to one guild at a time, switching guilds should be involved and will result in the loss of standing (reputation) in the guild and the loss of any guild associated special abilities. Still allowed to access the wide variety of combat skills - so you could be - for example - a dps cleric - who joined the Healling Guild for the special healing skills, but has Sword Skill and Unarmed slotted.
2. Kits/Classes. Bigger change, would introduce various trainers into the world (e.g. Warrior trainer, Cleric trainer). Signing up with a trainer would give the player access to specific skills (e.g. Taunt skills for Warrior, Healing Tree for Cleric) and would limit access to other skills. For example someone signing up for the Cleric trainer would be limited to level 10 in Sword skills and Level 0 in Necromancy, but would get early bonuses to healing skills. Signing up for the Mage guild might limit the type of armor you can wear, etc. This is much closer to a true class system without major changes to the design. Really about balancing bonuses with limitations.
3. Class system. Biggest change, would require revamping the combat skills to be a class system while keeping the existing gathering/hunting/non-combat skills. Unlikely to happen so not going to belabor the point ;-)
Anyway I like both 1 and 2 and think a more class-based approach to combat skills would improve group combat, improve player feelings of uniqueness and identity and (as a nice side) allow the devs to add more difficult combat encounters.