Battle Reform: Auto-Attack (06/30/2011)

As has been previously mentioned on The Lodestone, patch 1.18 will mark the commencement of major battle reforms. Today, we would like to apprise you of the main adjustments that will accompany auto-attack, the feature that will spearhead the effort to improve the battle system.

Read on for the details or visit the Lodestone.

Discuss this on the ZAM Forums!

Auto-attack will be implemented for Disciples of War and Magic only, and will take the form of a melee attack for all applicable classes. For instance, archers will strike with their bare fists, while conjurers and thaumaturges will deliver a blow with their equipped weapon.

Changes Accompanying Auto-Attack

The stamina gauge will be abolished with the introduction of auto-attack. Consequently, certain actions that have been dependent upon the stamina gauge will either have their effects revised, or be made to affect attack delay. Below is a list of main adjustments being planned.

The following basic attacks will be removed:
Pugilist: Heavy Strike
Gladiator: Light Slash
Marauder: Light Swing
Lancer: Light Thrust

The following actions will be made obtainable at rank 1 instead of rank 2:
Pugilist: Concussive Blow
Gladiator: Red Lotus
Marauder: Trunksplitter
Lancer: Skewer
Archer: Puncture

The abilities Light Shot (Archer), Spirit Dart (Thaumaturge), Phantom Dart (Conjurer), Throw, and Stone Throw will remain available, although their usage will be regulated by a recast timer.

Recast timers will be adjusted for certain actions obtained via quests and guild marks whose action costs were managed solely through the stamina gauge.

  • Pugilist: Light Strike / Flurry / Pummel
  • Gladiator: Light Stab / Heavy Slash / Heavy Stab
  • Marauder: Broad Swing / Full Swing / Heavy Swing
  • Lancer: Heavy Thrust / Pierce / Full Thrust
  • Archer: Multishot / Close Shot / Heavy Shot
  • Thaumaturge: Shadowfall / Silhouette
  • Conjurer: Nature’s Fury / Elemental Shroud

 

The effects of the following actions will be changed:
Speed Surge will affect auto-attack delay instead of the stamina gauge.
Ambidexterity will increase the chance of blocks while guarding, instead of halving the stamina gauge cost of your next action.
Chainspell will no longer reduce the stamina cost of your next spell.

Patch 1.19 and Beyond

Auto-attack functionality will be prioritized in 1.18. Changes such as battle algorithm revisions, attack motion diversification, and peripheral motion tweaks are scheduled to take place in 1.19 and subsequent patches.

Attack Delivery

1.18 will introduce auto-attack in its basic form, which will permit Disciples of War and Magic to deliver a single strike (double for pugilists) each time it activates. Future patches will usher in multiple attacks, the activation rate of which will be determined by actions, traits, and items.

Algorithms

The existing algorithm will be maintained for 1.18, with attack delay to be introduced as a new parameter for weapons. Work to revise the algorithm will commence in earnest from 1.19.

Actions Obtainable via Quests and Guild Marks

Actions falling into this category will be brought under re-examination, which will include a review of developmental direction. This will be done together with the planned revisions we have for actions in the future. As this may result in drastic changes to certain actions, we are considering ways to allow players to reselect actions, such as a refund of guild marks.

 


View the auto-attack video that accompanied the Letter from the Producer, XI.

 

Peruse the Battle Reform Blueprint as composed by lead battle planner Akihiko Matsui.

Comments

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The big question
# Jun 30 2011 at 3:22 PM Rating: Decent
Okay so my biggest question right now which hasn't been addressed by any information is, will DoM need to bring up strength??
The big question
# Jul 01 2011 at 10:40 AM Rating: Decent
@jackson68x I share your concern, as my main is Conjurer. If we attack with equipped weapons (melee damage, I assume) instead of the basic attack (magic based) as we do now, won't that mean we will do a LOT less damage over time? To fix this, they would have to heavily increase the damage done by damage-dealing spells to balance, like in XI.

Otherwise, they said the basic attacks are still available, so now as a mage or archer, you have to keep waiting on recast timers and hitting a button, so its not much different than attacking as it is now.

And if archers punch and mages use equipped weapon, wouldn't we need to be really close to even use auto attack? Like close enough to make it pointless in a party, and only really helpful in solo play?

Thoughts?
The big question
# Jul 01 2011 at 12:20 PM Rating: Decent
You're most likely right about the fact that archer/mage will need to go melee with auto-attack, making it useless.

But well, mage usually don't need to auto-attack, even in other games, so that shouldn't be a problem.

As for archer, IMO the main reason they choose a melee auto-attack instead of a ranged one is because arrows are counted, making it a risk to use them all really quickly only with auto-attack. So hitting with the bare fist/bow will be a way for archer to be a little bit less useless without arrows. Furthermore, stat for auto-attack should be STR, which archer have maxed, so they should hit pretty good.
The big question
# Jul 02 2011 at 11:32 AM Rating: Decent
Ah that makes sense, Thrax37. I wonder how TP generation rates will compare between a melee using only auto-attack and a mage using only basic attack, with recast timers. I'll have to test this when the patch is up. Still wouldn't mind some heavier spells ; ]

(Although I guess the way the game is, mages have too much MP for heavier spells and can regen it quickly during battle by going passive mode for a while, so we can use spells pretty consistently.)
The big question
# Jul 10 2011 at 10:26 AM Rating: Decent
Valief wrote:
Ah that makes sense, Thrax37. I wonder how TP generation rates will compare between a melee using only auto-attack and a mage using only basic attack, with recast timers. I'll have to test this when the patch is up. Still wouldn't mind some heavier spells ; ]

(Although I guess the way the game is, mages have too much MP for heavier spells and can regen it quickly during battle by going passive mode for a while, so we can use spells pretty consistently.)


I agree for the most part about having a copious supply of MP but I realized the other night NM hunting that reducing mp can have drastically negative consequences in long battles. I used all 1000 of my mp and brought it back up using whatever move (just woke up never remember the name haha). Going passive also wasn't an option when there were only three of us and I was highest rank. Just something to think about I guess.
Maximum respect for this important patch, but...
# Jun 30 2011 at 12:52 PM Rating: Decent

Maximum respect for this important patch, but...any news for the REALLY UGLY graphical bugs (no fixes in 10 mouths)?

I remember:
- Miqote tail in Canvas/Velvet Robe (the famous, and noticeable, clipping problem)

- The graphical interpenetration problem between staves and mage hats

- The ridiculous Teleport graphic problem when ambient occlusion effect is off (after the teleport animation the character does not disappear and remain in the same area for 3-5 secs)

- the fade out problem at the end of cutscenes

Probably stupid, but annoying, bugs that destroy the atmosphere!

Please, SE, remember this in next patches: showing is important too!

Edited, Jun 30th 2011 2:54pm by Artic35
Maximum respect for this important patch, but...
# Jun 30 2011 at 2:02 PM Rating: Decent
IMO these bugs can wait longer, I'm really looking forward to seeing more new contents than some minor (I think we call qualify these as minor) graphical bugs being fixed.

And since I don't play a Miqote, and I don't often play as a mage, I didn't even notice what you mentionned :p
Auto-attack
# Jun 30 2011 at 7:17 AM Rating: Good
Looking forward to see the result of half a year of work on auto-attack
Auto-attack
# Jun 30 2011 at 7:37 AM Rating: Decent
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125 posts
Any news on PlayStation 3 version, or beta?
Auto-attack
# Jun 30 2011 at 1:59 PM Rating: Decent
They don't even give the exact date of the patches they do, so I think news about PS3 version won't come before a long long long time...
All for this!!!
# Jun 30 2011 at 7:01 AM Rating: Decent
WOOHOO!!!! =D
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