Stance Defense Action Lag and Button Mapping Feedback
DEFENSE LAGGING:
So let me prelude this by saying that I freaking adore this game. I can’t put it down. I would also like to say that I am not exactly MLG-level gaming material, but there is something about the system that seems to bug the crap out of me.
Style Defense Actions (Absorb, Parry, Dodge, Stagger).
Now, I can understand why they are directional. That makes sense. I can also understand that they require excellent timing.
My issue is that when I am inputting the command to use them (granted I am only using the Khalt Method Absorb and Stagger Stance’s… err Stagger) when I hit the stick, the delay is noticeable enough to be infuriating, whereas the NPCs can pull off a parry flawlessly. I have had NPCs parry and absorb the hit after a side stagger, even after being decked around a bunch.
If the action happened exactly as you were pushing the stick, then I too could get off some pretty perfect defenses, but after some testing, there is some millisecond lag that occurs and turns perfect timing into the animation not playing at all.
What this boils down to, is mobility is key against harder AI, and when you main a Khalt (like me), you are building to outlast and strike like a truck. Every attack gets dodged, parried or absorbed, while in turn, I am sitting there getting wailed on, because the lag on the Stance Defense action makes it impossible to use reliably, and blocking only lasts for as long as you have stamina.
PLEASE take away the input lag if one is generated within the code, or figure out how to stop it from lagging if it is a server/client related issue!
BUTTON INPUTS:
Switch the lock on mechanics and the defense buttons.
Ideally, I would like to see the setup work like this:
Click in Right Stick to toggle lock-on. Move the right stick to change targets. This would make changing targets way easier, and less finger fumbling to switch between two or three attackers coming at you randomly, as it is done by the flick of a thumb.
Right shoulder button activates your Stance Defense Technique. Directional defenses rely on your character movement with the left stick to determine what kind of direction the defense goes in. Again, this seems way more intuitive to me than having a whole separate stick (with unreliable directional input) for these actions. Once you start the defense animation, you stop moving anyway, so why not tie it to the character movement stick?
and/or...
Have the right stick deal with stances and the shoulder button deal with defenses based on left-stick movement as above, and change targets based on Right Trigger + Right Stick. Were it not for the Trigger action needed to change stances, I would do it way more often, rather than having to rely on my move set to get me into place.
Just my twopenneth!
So let me prelude this by saying that I freaking adore this game. I can’t put it down. I would also like to say that I am not exactly MLG-level gaming material, but there is something about the system that seems to bug the crap out of me.
Style Defense Actions (Absorb, Parry, Dodge, Stagger).
Now, I can understand why they are directional. That makes sense. I can also understand that they require excellent timing.
My issue is that when I am inputting the command to use them (granted I am only using the Khalt Method Absorb and Stagger Stance’s… err Stagger) when I hit the stick, the delay is noticeable enough to be infuriating, whereas the NPCs can pull off a parry flawlessly. I have had NPCs parry and absorb the hit after a side stagger, even after being decked around a bunch.
If the action happened exactly as you were pushing the stick, then I too could get off some pretty perfect defenses, but after some testing, there is some millisecond lag that occurs and turns perfect timing into the animation not playing at all.
What this boils down to, is mobility is key against harder AI, and when you main a Khalt (like me), you are building to outlast and strike like a truck. Every attack gets dodged, parried or absorbed, while in turn, I am sitting there getting wailed on, because the lag on the Stance Defense action makes it impossible to use reliably, and blocking only lasts for as long as you have stamina.
PLEASE take away the input lag if one is generated within the code, or figure out how to stop it from lagging if it is a server/client related issue!
BUTTON INPUTS:
Switch the lock on mechanics and the defense buttons.
Ideally, I would like to see the setup work like this:
Click in Right Stick to toggle lock-on. Move the right stick to change targets. This would make changing targets way easier, and less finger fumbling to switch between two or three attackers coming at you randomly, as it is done by the flick of a thumb.
Right shoulder button activates your Stance Defense Technique. Directional defenses rely on your character movement with the left stick to determine what kind of direction the defense goes in. Again, this seems way more intuitive to me than having a whole separate stick (with unreliable directional input) for these actions. Once you start the defense animation, you stop moving anyway, so why not tie it to the character movement stick?
and/or...
Have the right stick deal with stances and the shoulder button deal with defenses based on left-stick movement as above, and change targets based on Right Trigger + Right Stick. Were it not for the Trigger action needed to change stances, I would do it way more often, rather than having to rely on my move set to get me into place.
Just my twopenneth!
Comments
Target switching will make right stick complete obsolete in 1v1. And the idea of the combat system was fluid going through all of your stances during a combo and not switching the stances in the middle of an attack. I usually switch stance only after getting some distance if I anticipate a specific move (to stop a charge) or want to start with a very fast attack.
I would also disagree on the left movement stick hampering dodges. For me, the motion of taking my thumb off an attack button to engage the right stick is less intuitive than just shifting the left stick. This also means that if you can keep your fingers on the face buttons, you can follow up with an attack more readily. Of course, this is pretty much pure conjecture until I can try it, but historically, that kind of setup feels more intuitive to me.
Again, the opinion is a personal preference. I would like to see more control over the buttons though, so if you prefer to do it either way, then you have that option. Then we could both be happy, no?