Discussion Thread: Dev Journal 01 - August 24, 2005

Godel

Ok, I read the whole thing through, toroughly, and I almost loved it. Almost, because I'm concerned about a couple of things: no multi-on-one interlock and the mmo style melee combat. If, like you mentioned, there willl be a bonus for hitting in interlock, instead of free fighting, this means that the first that can interlock (and enrage) anyone gets a tremendous advantage... helpers doing melee outside should have the possibility to break the interlock and engage the enemy at once, only thus it would be fair, but I think it's not that easy to do... kudos to you if you can do it right. I love the "CU" in general, I'm just concerned about this.

Also, if I understand well, you're going to implement attack time rates that will work in interlock too, so no more block tactic (that will just be automatic everytime, like in free fire), and a very fast player could even have two chances at attack before the opponent has one... This sounds like a step in the right direction if it's done well, interlock should be a way to make combat more interesting visually, but it should not erase the good things established by the oldest mmorpgs so far when it comes to combat balancing and fun. Do it well!

A further thing that bugs me is the lack of information about the data miner tree, will it be revamped? as it stands right now, it is just crippled and useless. Unless one wants to just do some easy $info while chatting and laying back, but that's not what a data miner should do. Make them able to "mine" special code frags, even make some of the red frags obtainable only through this. And definitely raise the $info gain (while the xp could even be lower, IMHO).

Can't wait for the Pandora's Box, and I also hope for some 60+ static (that means not only during events) content (some new hideouts for it would rock and I think wouldn't be difficult to implement), maybe some new constructs too, and some actual crafting and not just photocopying (as my "colleague" above rightfully said SMILEY

). I've reached level 50 recently, I'm still having fun doing contact missions and raising some new skills, and I look forward to Pandora's Box since it's story driven, and I love the story in this game, while I don't particularly love PvPing, buts some more static content for high level TEAMS for the times when we have finished all the contact/critical/pbox missions would be just a godsend, if combined with the ability to fully craft code (modifying structure of already existing code even in unique ways) and some new "uber loot" it would totally save your hardcore customer base.

And finally third thing I most look forward to (after pbox and the new combat system) is the new ways in which the spies will be useful in missions. I also hope for a revamp of the random standard missions, too.

Thanks for listening and sharing your progress!

**Lady_Return**

Well... I better say the nice things first.

One, I love that the devs are talking to us again. I like hearing
reports on how the game is going. Two, anti-stun pills are very
nice, and glad you're concerned about the hacker tree. Three,
marketplace, it's about time. Four, spy revamp sounds nice.
Five, glad to hear that pandora's box is coming along nicely.

Now... here's where we hit the things I do not agree with.

"As any
player can tell you, The Matrix Online currently relies heavily on
missions as the main form of content."

I will disagree with that comment. I do believe that the
Matrix Online has not at all run heavily on missions as the main form
of content, but (and I know people will crucify me for saying this) but
the LET has been more of a content giving source than the missions when
dealing with the main storyline. I will admit, much of the
alternate paths of the story on the program vs. program wars are in the
neighborhood contacts, but the main critical missions are nothing
compared to the story. They provide, if anything, a nice add-on
to what the LET did in the past.

While I understand you are Lead Developer and LET isn't your thing,
this line does not make me happy. I'd rather have more
information about the LETs, or someone acknowleding on the other side
of the curtain that they exist, they are being worked on, and that they
WILL reappear. Not just "We're stopping events for a while, we
don't know when they will be back." I play this game for that,
and this is the reason why I am so concerned. The LET is the only
thing that makes this game, in my opinion, better than the other games
I own. If I want Static Content, I'll play World of Warcraft.

Combat... I didn't put this in the good area because I have mixed
opinions on your change. I like that you are changing it so a
group of 35s or 40s can kill a 50 through attrition, that's a nice
nifty thing and it makes more sense.

What I don't like is that it sounds like interlock is dying. Even
though you specifically state that you are not removing interlock, you
are decreasing the efficiency of interlock by putting melee combat
outside of it. Personally, it's not necessary. Also, the
zero-sum concept isn't really that bad. It's refreshing,
different, and I like knowing how much I lose a round by instead of
just getting a horrific "miss" message. To me, the combat moves
more at a pace now where I can understand it, instead of being
the cluster *censored* of other MMORPGs. I don't want something
"more similar to other MMORPGs". If I wanted that, I'd leave this
game and go play something that is another MMORPG. At least there
are "bonuses" for interlock, and they better be good enough to keep
interlock alive. The moves that interlock provides are always
worth the price of admission. I'm still seeing new things in
interlock, because combat fluctuates SO much, especially when
bullet-time happens in all the different situations I have been
in. Where as WoW tends to be.... the same thing... all the
time... because it's freeform DPS... and it gets boring... even though
it's pretty... Yeah, enough thinking about WoW.

If I could make one suggestion, allow the player to control the camera
during bullet-time. While it is nice to see my character upclose
and killing something nicely, sometimes the background battle is just
as sweet as the foreground. Especially when people are firing
guns.

My 2 $i.

WGAnubis1

For the most part I liked what I read but the one thing that I just thought of:

Will these stun pills be accessable when the person is actually stunned? I mean when your stunned your a statue, cant get to health pills, or antibotics.

**SpikeDX**

noone where does it say interlock is gone its gonna be the same. it more like the same fighting with a twist really.

FlyMeToParis

xerovirus wrote:

Yeaaaaaa
This means in 6 to 8 months this game should be half way
playable..... All we need to do now is release this into Beta and
let some people try it out and then we can launch the
game.......... WAIT.... They allready did the beta thing.... they
all ready Mass released it.......Oh SHlT.... Now what.... um quick lets
hurry up and do nothing till then... Lets all pay $15.00 for the next 6
months to see what happens.. or better yet lets get a station pass and
pay $21.00 and play a different game that isnt going to HeII in a hand
basket.....

Sorry if i sound so sinical but
seriously, mabey the devs should quit splitting up there work on
pointless stuff and all work on releasing just one thing at a time. It
doesnt make since to me to tell everyone about things that wont be out
till the holiday season. How about Release Pandora's box release
some new items and mabey listen to the players a little bit more.
Most of the people that play this game that are lvl 50 are so bored
that they would rather go play another MMO and start all over than just
sit in mara C or PvP all day long. I didnt hear anything in that
little speach about the End User at all. lets change the game for all
the new people that are going to come play this game and totaly forget
about the people that have been with this game since BETA..... who
cares about the lvl 50's we got there money allready lets worry about
the people that might come play this game.....
Message Edited by xerovirus on 08-24-2005 05:22 PM

Just take a little break like the rest of us are.

xerovirus

FlyMeToParis wrote:

Just take a little break like the rest of us are.

I am on a break not coming back till they put something in for the end user like pandora's box. Sounds like I will have atleast 3 weeks to Play SOE competition MMO's Till then....... Yea...BattleField 2

noVus

Sounds like very interesting changes.

I do have one concern. It's a problem that arose in SWG as well as other SOE games. Much too large of a nerf bat. I have no problem taking a look at that, but I mean - looking at all of these issues right away? I'm worried about the next 4 or 5 patches including so many nerfs, that we end up in 9 months with a game that's unworkable, and barely recognizable.

Message Edited by noVus on 08-24-2005 10:58 PM
Message edited by noVus on 08/24/2005 21:58:03.

NanoTM

Very interesting developments in the works, i'm egar to see how the Pandora's Box will work. I think that might bring a few players back to the game(if not all of em).

I wonder how this Melee free-attack will work. Could it be a hint that we will soon see melee weapons in-game like swords??? :smileywink:

**Gothique**

Free melee attack will be an icon like the freefire but instead of shooting you will punch or kick

To balance the hacker tree no need of space wasting pills, just reduce the stun hit probably by half.

mitez

Hey love the ideas however:

SOmething to counter Stun *CENSORED*

Without stun we take so much damage from other ppl.

Hackers dont have much damage resistance so we will get beat easilty. Hackers need stun to reduce damage upon them so 1 on 1 hackers will lose as soon as they lose their evade combat. And every1 knows hackers Combat tactics are awful.

THis now means 1 thing knife throwers are upgraded to becoming hte best PVPs.

As for hackers use your attribute hack and go to the operative tree

Message Edited by mitez on 08-25-2005 01:17 AM
Message edited by mitez on 08/25/2005 00:17:37.

**cloudwolf**

all i can say is WOW, i dont think any1 expected this much info so quickly, this is exactly what the community and those thinking about quiting needed! except of course the actual content :smileywink: lol

Fade2blacK

I'm really scared about the new bugs in a whole new interlock system...

I suppose it's a matter of faith then.

Fade2BlacK: Oracle!

Oracle: *laughs*

Fade2BlacK: We were afraid we might not find you.

Oracle: Everything's okay now.

Fade2BlacK: Look, look! *points at two red pills in interlock*

Oracle: Just look at that! Beautiful! Did SOE do that?

Fade2BlacK: *nods* For Neo.

Oracle: That's nice. I know he'd love it.

Fade2BlacK: Will we ever see him again?

Oracle: I suspect so. Someday.

Seraph: Did you always know?

Oracle: Oh no. No, I didn't. But I believed. I believed.

CypherXO

I wouldn't good for me to see MxO become just like other MMORPGs... I play it because it is different...

Rsync

Fantastic read, I've thoroughly enjoyed reading that offer my first hot drink in the office today.

Looking very positive, I'll enjoy pushing from 44 -- > 50 and levelling my new second character now.

Hopefully, this will be enough to quiten the whining ones amongst us.

Cheers,

Rsync

**EndlessVoid**

I'm a bit worried about the proposed changes to Interlock... But then again, they claim it will keep the cinematic aspect and make things in general more streamlined... So I'll reserve judgment until I can see it in action.

- Void