There was mention they are trying to factor the encumbrance of armor.
I believe that once they get all the factors in place, it will negate the difference in racial movement speed. Things like STA, fatigue, encumbrance, weapon reach (distance), and all the things I'm forgetting. I would like to see the Devs take this into the game and see how it plays out. They can always revamp it if it just doesn't work or takes away from the game as a whole, but I don't believe it will.
I believe the trend in harmonizing races/classes in the MMOs being put out today just renders different characters down to them all being the same aside from their graphical representation. As with instancing, I can't help but feel that it's ultimately harmed MMOs by eliminating the need for payers to work together. Along with things like global AHs and the ability to twink alts, people have little need to ever interact with others except when perusing that next piece of gear to complete yet another set of armor. Yet even then, all that matters is if the player has a certain gear score and can hit assist at the appropriate time. I'm hoping that by reintroducing things like racial differences, GW will bring back player interaction to MMOs.
Goblin Squad Member
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I really hope that when dungeons are in place, there are some tight squeezes that can only be used by small characters. If you want to go to the goblin treasure, you have to be able to fit into the hidden goblin-sized tunnel they use to get there.
I really hope that when dungeons are in place, there are some tight squeezes that can only be used by small characters. If you want to go to the goblin treasure, you have to be able to fit into the hidden goblin-sized tunnel they use to get there.
Exactly! Those things that you had to overcome in PnP modules, things that often made such adventures fun can be brought back to MMOs.
@Tuoweit,
Again you are basing this on current MMO combat mechanics... They are terrified of forcing thier players to have to work with others in order to overcome challenges.....and they are terrified of allowing thier players to fail at anything. Thus characters aren't just equivalent in those games...they are IDENTICAL...save for mostly the graphics...For those reasons, A Wizard casting Magic Missle and a Ranger shooting a bow and a fighter swinging an axe are pretty much the same things mechanicaly in thier combat systems...it's just different graphics applied. If you are having a system based on that...then yeah, letting one guy move faster then the other becomes a pretty huge advantage.
I agree that just because other MMOs haven't done it, doesn't mean it can't be done. I would suggest that maybe the reason why other MMOs equalize the concepts we talk about here is because of balance. The more you add to a combat system, the more difficult it is to balance. In WoW terms, players had a choice in race selection. I don't know any serious Horde PvPers who didn't make an undead character (class restrictions permitting) for 'Will of the Forsaken'. Yes, there may be disadvantages to level out the field, but ultimately there's one combination of things that succeeds on average more than the rest.
From a design point of view, you don't want everyone shoehorned into a particular selection despite the game offering robust choice. The majority of players will figure out what works best, and play nothing else; which defeats the purpose of all that choice to begin with.
A big problem with PFO is that you play your character for years. It's very hard to re-balance skills/abilities that players have invested months/years into training for. And since you can't undo your race choice (big assumption here, but one I feel safe in making), it's one of those things developers should not re-balance if at all possible.
In order to not screw over players who have invested potentially years into their character, it's best to have the mechanics that are subject to change be placed on things that are not a permanent choice for the player. In PFO, this pretty much means gear. If you want bonuses to speed or encumbrance, or anything else; it should be done at the gear level, and not the race. This would allow GW to tweak these things as they see fit, and not burn players who are 'locked in' from a choice made from an obsolete build of the game.
I'm interested to see how racial speed interacts with formations. There might be "halfling squads" placed separately from the other archers, for instance.
I'm interested to see how racial speed interacts with formations. There might be "halfling squads" placed separately from the other archers, for instance.
You know, I was thinking about this as well. Say a shield wall made up of Gnomes wouldn't be that effective against say a phalanx of Half Orcs. But a shield wall of stalwart Dwarves would be quite effective even against a phalanx of Half Orcs. A column of Gnomes could really wreck havoc on a formation of mounted lancers if the Gnomes could attack the lancers from the rear or the flank. Imagine a loose formation of Rogues, all stealthing,then slipping in among say a group of casters and attacking at once.
Interesting to consider the possibilities that'll be possible, I'm really looking forward to trying some off this stuff out. :D
It would also kind of work the same for monks and barbarians (as well as anybody investing in whatever equivalent we get to the Fleet feat). Which I like, because barbarians and monks are both kind of special classes.
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Goblin Squad Member
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This thread makes me mighty happy! Love the idea of different move speeds and stamina levels for different races.
I think that AoOs and stamina will help deal with being kited by faster melee characters, but it's gonna be tough balancing ranged weapons, long range melee weapons (reach weapons), melee weapons, small character threat distances etc. etc.
DDO actually had an interesting way of dealing with the kiting problem, with characters taking a -4 to their chance to hit unless they were standing still when they made the attack.
How formations and skirmishers work will be pretty closely tied to a lot of this stuff too i think.