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Atlantica Online - On the Combat System
The developers of Atlantica Online have provided us with this exclusive developer journal discussing the unique combat system in their upcoming MMORPG. Atlantica breaks with MMORPG tradition to bring players a turn-based combat system that the developers hope will set their game apart from other MMOs.
Unravelling the ancient legend of Atlantis is at the heart of Atlantica Online, a new massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) developed and published by NDOORS. Atlantica, which will launch its closed beta this July, followed by its commercial launch, takes players on a globe-hopping adventure to save the human race, while providing them a rich, strategic RPG environment combined with classic turn-based gameplay.
Life on Earth is threatened when remnants of the fabled lost civilization begins to poison the world’s population. Humanity needs a hero to find and destroy these artifacts. Players must traverse the globe to uncover the clues that will ultimately lead them to Atlantis. During their journey, which will take them to landmarks such as the Taj Mahal in India and Germany’s Marksburg Castle, players will encounter all manner of monsters taken from the myths and legends of cultures throughout human history. Dragons in China and vampires in Romania are just a few of the enemies players must defeat to reach Atlantis.
Players do not need to proceed in their journey and go into battle alone. A player can, of course, partner with other players online. But one distinct Atlantica feature is its mercenary system: a player can assemble and control a clan of mercenaries with different skills and magic to accompany his or her main character into combat. This allows players to form a team with members who can complement each other. The number of mercenaries a player can have depends on his or her resources, but players can take a maximum of eight mercenaries into a battle, giving them a force of nine, including a player’s main character. And when joined with two other players, a total of 27 combatants can take on an enemy.
Having the right combination of mercenaries can determine a player’s success in battle. Players must strategize to decide which mercenaries to take into each fight.
The need to think strategically is at play with another of Atlantica’s key features: its turn-based combat system. With turn-based action a rarity in MMORPGs, Atlantica offers players a distinct gaming experience — especially when you combine turn-based gameplay with a multitude of mercenaries to make moves with.
TURN-BASED COMBAT SYSTEM
During a player’s journey, he might find himself at a pyramid in Egypt. To continue the journey to Atlantis, he must strategize how to defeat the mummies that dwell within.
;)
The player enters the pyramid with his main character and eight mercenaries, positioning the nine into a three-by-three array. If there are less than nine, players can place his characters in any of the spaces of that three-by-three grid. Ideally, his Swordsman, Spearman and Axeman, will be placed in the front row because they can better withstand the mummies’ melee attacks with their greater Defense ability, more so than the Shaman with the healing powers, or the mercenaries armed with a Bow, Gun, and Cannon. Those weapons’ Attack strength, on the other hand, have a longer reach, so being in the second and third rows won’t inhibit those weapons’ effectiveness.
When it comes time to engage in battle, the player and his enemy faces off by taking turns making moves. The player has 30 seconds to assign a move to whichever characters is selected. In a single turn, players could have all nine characters make a move. For one turn, one mercenary may attack, but another may guard himself from the enemy’s next move, or another two mercenaries may switch positions in anticipation of a future turn, while another could use an item like a magic scroll. And while the player might be tempted to have his Axeman hack away, the best strategy might be to have him stand by in order to let his Action Power build up so he can unleash his magic Freezing Axe on the next turn. The same could go for the Shaman, to keep his magic healing powers at the ready in case the main character’s Health nears zero.
Each of the player’s characters begins a battle with its own Action Power gauge, with approximately 100 for each character. Each move a character makes consumes Action Power. There are seven primary moves at a player’s disposal: 1) Attack, consumes 100 Action Power ; 2) Search, consumes 50 Action Power; 3) Move, consumes 50 Action Power; 4) Guard, consumes 50 Action Power; 5) Magic, consumes minimum of 50 Action Power, depending on the Magic skill; 6) Use Item, consumes minimum of 50 Action Power, depending on the item; 7) Stand By, consumes 0 Action Power. There are two other choices the player can make for his turn, but this will be done rarely: 1) Turn Over, giving your turn to your enemy; and 2) Retreat, which will cause a decrease in your experience and cost you a gold penalty.
When it’s the enemy’s turn, the player must watch as the mummies’ wield their Attack and Magic skills on his characters’ Health score. But during this time, his characters’ Action Power will regenerate (the rate at which the Action Power regenerates varies depending upon on the character’s traits).
;)
When a player is joined by other players in combat, there could be a fighting force of 27 taking on a single enemy. If there are three players, each with a crew of nine, each player’s three-by-three array of characters are lined up against the enemy, and all three take their 30-second turn together. So that could be 27 moves targeted at the enemy in one fell swoop. Then they all wait the 30 seconds for the enemy’s turn. If they are well coordinated, each player could be responsible for taking on one row of the enemy’s array. But it could be a free-for-all if there is no coordination, with each player going for the same dead opponent to collect an item, rather than agreeing to split the booty beforehand.
COMBATANTS
Most of the combat in Atlantica takes place against enemies players encounter as they advance in their quest to discover Atlantis. In the dungeon of Angkor Wat, for example, they must face evil Buddhist priests or Dracula in Bran Castle in Romania.
But for those times players just want to take out their aggression on other players, they can approach another player in most areas and challenge them right there to a fight. It’s an opportunity for players to try out mercenaries, and work on their combat techniques. for more organized PvP, there will be tournaments for players to duke out against each other. And what better place for that than Rome’s Colosseum?
CLOSING
To progress in Atlantica, players must be strategic. Effectively planning which mercenaries to send into a battle and choosing which combat tactic to deploy will lead you to the lost land of Atlantis. You think, therefore you win.
To some that might be too limiting, but Atlantica’s gameplay is not a test of how fast someone can click a button on a mouse; it’s all about how to outmaneuver an opponent. Players must decide which tactic at any point in a battle will ultimately lead to victory.
What is with this turn based gameplay and combat? I mean come on, you can hardly call it MMO with a major feature like that. Excuse me, but what an absolutely dumb idea. You have to wonder what these developers were thinking.
Can you imagine trying to pvp in such an environment? The fights would take forever as the disadvantaged would delay delay delay. Great tactic if you are trying to get friends there to help you.
They can't really think there will be many people that will play this type game?
I'd be happy if someone would just release a decent new single-player tactical RPG. Making it an MMO does not make me want to play it more. If the game is great enough to overcome the fact that it's been forced into a horribly inappropriate genre, I might try it, I guess.
But seriously, turn-based MMO? Bleh.
Sounds like it would be better as a single player game. Travelling across the world, fighting myths, saving humanity? It'll have the spartacus-syndrome in the first few months...
"I saved humanity!"
"No I saved humanity"
"No youre all wrong, Im best friends with the brother's sister's best friends first cousing who saved humanity!"
lol. And who the hell holds their shield and sword on the same arm?!
Make the game into a single player, and I might give it a try... Turn-based mmo... it only seems to work in Wakfu/dufus and single players...
I have to agree with everyone here. I couldn't even read the whole article, I started reading it and got disgusted. I'm kind of getting bored of MMO's, until one comes out that really wow's me I'm may just stick with online poker and single player games. I see all these awesome single player games that have come out and that are coming out and I think "if only mmo's could be like this", but their not. Maybe APB, CrimeCraft, or Earthrise will bring some fresh air into the industry, but who knows.
Stradden - get a video for us!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFuY1NprrtU&NR=1
I wonder if there is anything like a "lets look it like a nother korean Grind Fest" Toolbox on market ? Every single one looks similar ? The Fonts the FX ...
or its just me ...
At last, an MMO with a combat system that may be worth playing. There's hope yet for the genre.
With a Final Fantasy combat system and look ( you know that series of games thats been selling, for over something like 20 years?), you can bet your ass there will be many people playing it. Oh, while its turned bases I'm sure there will be a time limit to issue your attack. Say like 5 seconds then it auto attacks for you. Definition of MMO has nothing to do with its combat system. There are no hard set rules on that. This game will do well. Most likely not going to have 10 mil subs, but it'll make money and should have a following.
Another trite, boring, uncreative Asian MMO where men look like women?
Pass.
Looks interesting. I like old school turn-based stuff like this, so I'll give it try.
another game that allows players to make their own companions...seriously why would someone want to pay
monthly for the opportunity to play alone?
well this finnally looks like a halfway decent game. Its even more awesome cause since you have to actually use strategy that kicks all the pvprs out which will also mean it should have a halfway decent community as well. And i love the ability to make and run my own parties, it gives each player a Huge variety of play options.
Sounds intriguing to me. Turn based combat is a rarity these days, hopefully they can make it work online.
At the very least, it's nice they are trying something different than all these cookie cutter MMORPGs
Turn Based MMO? BOOOOOOORING! Honestly, If I wanted to play a turn based game, I'd play the other Final Fantasy games that are single player, and not have to pay a dime. I'm sorry, but me personally, I think that a turn based MMO will be FAAAR from immersive. "Look out! Balrog is coming after you! dodge him!" "Can't! I'm friggin stuck to the stupid player phase until I get my next turn!" seriously? come on!
I know players were looking for something different from MMO's nowadays, but a combat system that was built for single player RPG's that is too rigid is not the answer.
Meh...not like any other MMO released has really been innovative. Maybe it will work...maybe not. No way to know until release. I don't get excited for MMOs anymore so I really don't care until open beta rolls around or release occurs.
If you wanna see how turn based combat works play Myth Online.
My thoughts exactly, although the game will most likely be F2P.
Sorry guys but this looks like utter crap (talking about combat video).
hmm
actually id love to see a mmo do turnbased combat right biut from watching the youtube video this doesnt seem good to me. for me the real reason to do turn based combat would be to have controll over the position of the players (similar to chess) as in the old snes or fallout times.
actually turnbased done right (with movement, facing direction, formation) would be a good step back from the holy trinity where the tank taunts monsters to him.
turn based combat could have wizards raising walls of fire, rogues attack and vanish into darkness and a ton of other strategic elements rather then making 2 rows of players waiting till the other guys finished their move.
Why yes i can as a matter of fact.
They're called War Games and when properly implemented they're GREAT FUN.
Massively Multiplayer turn-based PvP is common at gaming conventions, where table top diorama military campaigns and skirmishes are played out.
The key is you must allow complete freedom of movement and action all around a large combat grid so that you can do formations and flanking moves. The result is FAR more challenging and fun than the typical button-mash / flail-around-like-a-loon crap that passes for combat in pvp mmogs today.
As for this game, it looks kinda sparkly and twinkly and too Final Fantasy-ish, which is Not what i consider to be a real turn based combat system at all.
Just standing in one place and taking turns != Turn Based Combat imnsho.
Not sure how good this one will turn out. But I'm definately into a MMO that when you enter combat you go into a nice turn based combat model, definately would be something different and if done right could be very tactical and cerebral.
I will laugh at anyone who says you can do pvp with a turn based combat system. While it works in a single player game, trying to do it in a pvp environment is just beyond ludicrous. There are so many ways to exploit combat like in a pvp situation that it just makes it ridiculous.
I for one think that this is an awesome and very refreshing idea. I had wish the Final Fantasy MMO would had been like that. (Like it was supposed to be you know... Like the 10 FF before it)
More convenient for a PvE environment for sure, but i really like the idea and will definitely try it providing it's not a bug fest.
Wonder how the crafting system will pan out in such a game though. For me, good crafting and player base economy are a must.
This MMO is a waste of time. The market is just too crowded and this MMO doesn't stand out at all. The theme of it's is also a bit rubbish. The dev team of this game are just wasting their time and effort.
I like it when the character gets killed by those ferocious does. The MMORPG world would be much cooler if there were more Bambi's to battle.
Well seeing as you've never played the game. Your opinion is moot. I on the hand currently DO play this game. The PvP is actually quite entertaining. As brute strength doesn't work to well. You actually have to think out your fights. No are no real "right" group set ups. If you set up your group to fit your playstyle. The fights are much more enjoyable.
Hmm, it could work, but it would need to be F2P and the combat would have to have some real depth to it. From the video it looks pretty boring (what's with having to run over and pick up the loot after all the enemies are dead?) but then without seeing what sort of strategic options that player has available it's kinda hard to tell how much fun it would be to play.
Technically loot doesn't drop on ground. When a mob dies. The body remains there for a set amount of time. You have from the time the mob dies up until it disappears to search it for loot. You don't need to click even though you can. Hitting the x key sends all available members off to search the bodies. Can even be done during really long fights like boss fights just to make sure the body doesn't vanish before you check it.
I can understand having to manually loot during battle, as it adds another choice to make; do I fight to the end or do I loot as I go in case I have retreat / there maybe something on the corpse that could really help me in this fight / the corpse may not be there by the time this is over / etc.
I just thought it would be nice / make sense to have the game 'auto-loot' for you once all threats had been eliminated so that you can get on with the doing what you are doing rather than having to wait for your characters to run up to and check all the bodies; it is good that you can do that with a single key press though.
PVP in turn-based mmorpg could be the best idea ever since people who is adicted to winning they actually use hack to click fast >.< I mean look at some of the pvp in youtube and if the game show some sort of highlight or outline then that what you need to look at
Ok when they pvp notice how fast the skill are being clicked i mean look it took like a second for them to use 2-3 diffrent skill as far as i know no one can click that fast not even nerds :P so ya if it turn base i dont care if you cheat in pvp -.-
now for bots(autoplay) you ask? Face it every games has those >.<
Probably. Who knows it might even be a cash shop item down the road. I should also mention that while doing that you can (and sometime are) attacked by another set of mobs. Even though you stop to fight something mobs are still wandering around the field the whole time. It's not uncommon to have another group pop up during the fight in dense mob area's. Happens when you go to loot to even if the original group of mobs is dead, so you always have to be on guard. If you attack two sets of mobs touching each other you will also be fighting two groups of enemies as well.
Running from a fight incurs the same penalty as dying in a fight. Which is lost of gold and exp. Death of your main character is also an instant lost resulting in lost of exp and gold. Since the others in your group aren't soldiers or anything of the like. They are mercenaries. It sort of makes sense and it's sort of annoying at same time. As it makes it rough on people that make their main character a melee type as you want to keep them in the front line, as they have highest defense and hp. It not such a bad issue as long as you upgrade your armor or at the very least keep it enhanced.
^^^ Ah, ok, didn't know you could get attacked by other enemies while looting; from the video it looks like when you engage an enemy you go into a 'battle instance' sort of thing (like Final Fantasy I - X). So yeah, not having it auto-loot makes sense if there’s the chance of being attacked while doing it.
I'd rather have one like final fantasy tactics than final fantasy
Wow... I'm surprised so many people hate the idea.
Honestly, this is one of the few games that actually takes a risk with what they're doing. It's not really a clone of any other MMO and stands out in a crowd of WoW clones. I've honestly been looking for an MMO like this for a while ever since I played Fairyland Online. One of the biggest downsides I foresee with this game however is the teamwork aspect when working with another player.
A good number of MMOs follow the Tank, DD, Healer, Controller, and Additional Support class models and this just steps out and yells "hey! I'm different!" By calling attention to the differences Atlantica Online has a chance to attract a unique audience that others games will never do. A lot of RPG players still enjoy the traditional RPG setup.
A lot of MMO players have gotten the idea that an EQ style MMO is the only one that can ever succeed. But look at Eve Online, that hasn't followed the standard and has developed a unique niche audience.
Something to understand about business is that where there's an audience, you have a business. It may be the dumbest thing in the world to you to sing Karaoke, but by George there are people that will make fools of themselves and pay good money just to do it.
If you don't believe me, look at Myth War Online. It has a booming population. Now the only thing I see that could go wrong with this game is the pay structure. Honestly, if you have to p2p for Atlantica Online, it will fail miserably. Why? The demand may be decent, but it's not good enough for a p2p system. It should be f2p with an item mall. Players would be encouraged to buy goods much like in other MMOs, and if the game is good enough they will do it. Nexon's and OGPlanet have practically made a living off the concept.
Being an already established company in Korea, Atlantica Online is certainly a good entry point for the US market. Is it the best? Certainly not; however, it has a niche audience that will draw sufficient crowds.
Just look at ROSE Online... who'd a thunk that game would still be running? For all the criticizing Korean games receive, there sure must be a lot of suckers falling into these money traps, and I'd have to be one of them . . . and I can assure you I'm not sucker.
Looks like it could be fun besides I'm gonna try CB since I'm really not playing anything now. As for this "turn based is crap" attitude don't knock it till you've tried it. I love how people b$@*% about a game sucking then turn around and say they can't find a good MMO to play. But to each his own.
Good idea, badly implemented. The PvP is absolutely terrible. The crafting is actually really cool, it's different, so takes some getting used to, but is one of the better crafting systems I've seen in an MMO. The combat, is just awful tho. The stun implementation ruins the game. Random scrolls in PvP, that's right, you don't use scrolls in PvP, the game randomly lets each side use a scroll. So you could be in a close fight, going down the the wire, and then the game randomly gives 1 side a scroll, and they win, because of a completely random "feature". They call it a turn-based "strategy" mmo, but there is no strategy what-so-ever.
You get lucky, you win, if you're unlucky, you lose. Very frustrating. People that play the game, will tell you it's all tactics, but then you'll hear them bitch about the only reason they lose fights is because of a random scroll, or a lucky stun.
Stay away, game is typical, awful Asian MMO junk.