Well if you haven’t checked out the gameplay video at gamespot.com go there and check out the action, link at the bottom. There are a few things that you can plainly see being used in the gameplay video; target locking, using cover and crouching. I know what you beta nazis are thinking, that I’m violating the NDA.. Well think again, all of these things have been talked about in the podcasts from the site.
Let’s look at what target locking does for you. It will allow you to track a target even while moving around the environment. That’s pretty much the easiest way to explain it. I don’t see it working like setting your focus in WoW. I think it will only work on your active target meaning you won’t have a box for your target and one for your focus, but we will have to wait and see.
Now cover and crouching can go hand in hand, other wise you will be running around like the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Cover is similar to that age old factor from tabletop RPGs (e.g. AD&D). Cover is used as a mechanic to stop or mitigate damage. In this case the game AI will actually allow the mobs to take cover as well. It should make ranged combat very interesting if everyone is entrenched. It will also mean that using real combat tactics will become the norm in this game (e.g. flanking).
So with crouching let’s say you run into a fire fight and you see a 55 gallon drum. Now a 55 gallon drum is sorter the the average human adult. This means about half of your target is exposed to damage. So how are you goign to decrease the chance for a mob or player to hit you, how about cruching behind the barrel. I’m not saying sit on the ground so you are completely covered but crouching decreased the exposed area of the body and make you a smaller profile to attack or maybe even target.
So I have been reading and listening to all of the podcasts about Stargate Worlds. In doing so I see alot of promise in the game. I wish more games took the same approach to the little things as Cheyenne Mountian Entertainment has with this game.
For example, how the healing is going to work in the game. I use to think DPS was where it was at, but I have started falling in love with healing classes from playing other games. I really like the idea of how healing is going to work in combat for SGW.
I heard this talked about in a podcast from SGW.com and I got excited to see that it’s not going to be like your typical MMO. They call healing in combat an ‘intimate activity’. Just how intamite are we talkign here? Not the buy me a drink and I’ll dance for you kind. They are talking that the healers will have to get up close and personal with the person needing heals. Meaning that they will be in the middle of it, when it hits the fan.
This little concept got me excited for the game. I think the more they take into account about how things are done the betetr combat will be. I know from playing a healer in WoW for a little bit that pressing one button for a few hours isn’t really fun. But having to move to the person to heal them and in the process not make yourself an easy target for the mobs sound hellah fun. I am definetly hoping they they have some kind of healing specifications available to the archtype I want to play.
I will keep an eye out for more information about this and other combat related items.
Well it is officall now, closed beta will begin Oct 15, 2008. Here is the official post from the devs. This is a big step in getting a MMO out of development and into the hands of the fans and/or consumers. I expect alot more information about the races, classes, spec, weapons and everythign else to start filtering into the mass publics. I also hope that The Ancients update Stargate Worlds Wiki, I know alot of it is sepculation at this point but I still think it can be a great resource.
Closed Beta will begin on 10/15.
The developers here are very excited to start this next stage in their developmental process with you all! Currently, we are working on implementing beta selection criteria and will be sending beta keys to those that we would like to join us! Not all invites will be sent out before the 15th – this will be a gradual process after the date. Just stay tuned on the forums for changes to the beta registration process. All community members will be given a fair shot, don’t worry!
So what does this mean for everyone? Well for one we are one step closer to having a great Sci-Fi MMO and female characters will be playable and you will be able to visit the SGC. lol
I think when it comes down to it I will probably be playing a Stargate Union toon and more then likely be playing a few Praxis toons. We will just have to see what happens when the games goes live.
On a side note, I stopped by my local GameStop store to see if SGW was on pre-order yet and the clrek told me that it is not, I was kinda shocked. I have heard talk abotu a 1st Quarter or 2nd Quarter ‘09 release. The cleark said if that is right then they should start taking pre-orders about the December timeframe. *crosses fingers* So I hope beta goes great and that CME hits all the bug that would prevent or push the launch date back.
Well if you haven’t checked out the gameplay video at gamespot.com go there and check out the action, link at the bottom. There are a few things that you can plainly see being used in the gameplay video; target locking, using cover and crouching. I know what you beta nazis are thinking, that I’m violating the NDA.. Well think again, all of these things have been talked about in the podcasts from the site.
