Why do MMo's have dreadful combat?

[Akash]

If DMO isn't vaporware, it's target is that MMORPGFPS type of game.

 

Not sure if Vigil is going to have the investors to make it though.

 

But yeah, TOR is fairly typical MMO style combat.

 

Games like AoC that have tried to step outside the box in the fantasy genre have not done so well. I don't know if it was because of the combat, or if it was perhaps little game flaws like your tank class also being your highest burst DPS class melee, or their healing class being the highest burst DPS ranged. Little oversights like that can hurt a title.

 

What TOR does do that is interesting is provide some range tanking abilities. The Vanguard is pretty fun to play for that reason alone. Also, if you consider a sin a "Mage Tank" then mage tanking is a slight break from what we're used to seeing.

 

From a tanking point of view (which has kinda been my thing for nearly 20 years), I would say ToR does some pretty interesting things, if they are only slight variations on a theme.

Edited March 28, 2012 by Akash

[SWImara]

TOR does MMO combat fairly well, better than most, but its still MMO combat.

 

Guild Wars, now that was the stuff. Or playing a healer like a Warrior Priest in Warhammer.

 

TOR copied the formula, and as a result fell into the same massive design holes as most MMORPGs do. *shrug*, everyone knew it was going to happen. Im still having enough fun to pay 15 bucks a month for.

As far as MMO (quickslot style) combat goes, I definitely am rather fond of WAR's style. PvP in that game approached the concept of skill from a totally different angle than most games focus on. The combat was slow and steady rather than twitch and focused heavily on visual cues. Largely a "good" player in WAR was one who knew his/her class, knew the class of his/her enemy and could build a strategy against whatever moves the enemy was likely to try. I always viewed it as a chess flavor of PvP rather than the newest and most polished version of checkers.

 

Let's put it this way. It is already successful in the asian market. So it now stands to reason that we'll have to see if the western audience agree.

I'd argue that the "Asian" and "Western" audiences are quite different, the constant push back against grind based games when they first ported over into the states is my best example of this.

 

Guild Wars 2 will be the first western created action MMORPG (TERA being asian developed and released this May to the US and EU), early impressions from people who had hands on with them last year alongside TOR said they actually enjoyed Guild Wars 2 more than TOR but felt that the storyline in TOR holds a special appeal.[/qupte]

Age of Conan might disagree with your assessment of GW2 being the first Western created action MMORPG. Or Darkfall or a host of other games that have tried this route. Maybe GW2 will be the first "successful" one, but I doubt that as well.

Edited March 28, 2012 by SWImara

[WickedDjinn]

So far I am enjoying the story and game but combat is boring, predictable button bashing, i have more health than you affair. Why cant mmo's have combat like Kingdoms of Amalur? that game is exciting and you look forward to combat.

 

Currently I hate the combat, its stale, boring and what ever poeple say its a dated button basher than brings nothing new to the genre. disappointed.

 

You looked forward to combat.

 

I found Amalur to be one of the most boring, sleep inducing games I've ever played.

 

Don't project your opinions onto everyone else and use it as the basis for an argument.

[Cancrizans]

What has either of your answers got to do with it, never played an mmo? whats that go to do with it? why can;t bioware innovate? instead of following the sheep. Who says an mmo has to have stand there, press 123 it boring and not engaging at all. If fact the combat is the worst thing in this game zzzzzz

 

Kingdoms of Amalur combat system changed the game, why cant mmo combat be 1% exciting. Its a matter of who has more health other than anything else.

 

Because not everyone WANTS FPS style action oriented combat in an MMO. Traditional MMO combat is slower paced and more decision based than action based, and a lot of people like that. That is why they make FPS games...for people who like action combat.

 

That said, I personally find the combat in SWTOR to be the most exciting I've played in an MMO. What class do you play? I suggest you give Marauder/Sentinel a whirl and then come back and tell us the combat is boring.

[Neloth]

I'm starting to get sick of the current control scheme in mmos. I want a Mass Effect like thing with over the shoulder and aim, force abilities like biotic aiming.

[Lord_Ravenhurst]

Try Tera..best combat an mmo can offer today

while it lack of story and quest are same old same old...the combat,graphics,pvp and the political system can make up for it with eaze

 

and no its not "oh look another korean mmo grindfest"

It plays jsut like the west...its quest base...first korean mmo that breaks the korean mmo stigma.

 

"Archeage" breaks the korean mmo stigma too... and hey it does break it in a good way

[Dire-Wolf]

As I understand it, in the old days MMO's were forced to use this sort of combat system because of the internet and server lag and stuff like that. Only this pseudo turned based system would let a bunch of players play together at once online without lagging a bunch.

 

Since then it's become the MMO standard with few companies willing to deviate from it, even though technology has advanced to the point where it is possible to have other combat systems (see Tera's combat for example).

 

I agree that it's a very stale and bland system in this day and age, especially when compared to the combat available in single player games, but at least TOR removed the auto attack and lets us fight multiple mobs at once, that helps make it a bit more fun.

[Akash]

MMO's in many ways were an attempt to take a genre that expanded from on-paper RPG's and tabletop games online. In that context, the turn-based system's origins are evident. When expanding the RPG experience, turn-based play made sense to the niche market it was going for at the time.

[Darianth]

What has either of your answers got to do with it, never played an mmo? whats that go to do with it? why can;t bioware innovate? instead of following the sheep. Who says an mmo has to have stand there, press 123 it boring and not engaging at all. If fact the combat is the worst thing in this game zzzzzz

 

Kingdoms of Amalur combat system changed the game, why cant mmo combat be 1% exciting. Its a matter of who has more health other than anything else.

 

No it's about who knows how to utilize interrupts and stuns to defeat whoever or whatever you're facing. A simPle 123 button smashing won't do anything except against the most basic mobs. I you think there is no challenge, I suggest you try to pvp. To be an effective pvper it takes strategy and skill to take out your opponents.

[CelstialFury]

I think it mostly has to do with server lag. More complex combat means more data, which means more server lag. Also, with more complex combat, your connection speed becomes much more important. And when you consider that only 20% of the USA is developed for high-speed internet, that alienates a huge number of people from playing. As it is, I barely have enough speed to play this game.

 

Also AoC tried making combat more complex, but most people seemed to not like it. Not saying that was the only reason people did not like AoC, but if they did like it, they would have given the game more time than a month (Funcom actually got their act together around month 3, but there just weren't enough people on the servers to play). Sticking with the tried and true EQ/UO button mashing formula is safe, and there are enough gambles to take in the MMO market.

[Darth_Moonshadow]

Dude, Kingdoms is a button masher. There is literally no thought to it. Spam X, kill monster, get loot.

[Qoojo]

So with many people saying check out Tera Online, I did go and look at some videos, and the combat seems worse than the standard MMO's combat. Looks like the person goes nuts spamming attacks with clicking and what not, the MOB just stands there, then makes a big obvious wind up. The PC has enough time to go to the bathroom and grab a beer before the hit goes off, then calmly sidesteps with a strafe avoiding the damage.