Developer Chat Log

The Chronicles of Spellborn - Developer Chat Log

The Developers from The Chronicles of Spellborn took the time on Sunday to answer questions from MMORPG.com readers on our Coldfront IRC server. Below, you can find a complete log of the chat.

MMORPG_JelloB2000: The TCoS-team has been kind enough to go along & answer questions the old-school way;

TCoS_Selachii: pen and paper style :)

TCoS_Selachii: j/k

MMORPG_JelloB2000: Questions will be pm'ed to MMORPG_Woopin & from there given to TCoS, who choose what to answer.

MMORPG_JelloB2000: Now, please only send one question each to avoid spam. Meanwhile the TCoS-team can introduce themselves

TCoS_Selachii: Right

TCoS_Selachii: I'm from the Game Design team

TCoS_Selachii: and I handle everything combat

TCoS_Papillon: Hi, I'm Wilfried, aka Papillon, the Community Manager for the German speaking Spellborn Community

TCoS_Mirage: howdy everyone. I'm Mirage, CM Fr and PR Manager for Spellborn

TCoS_Banshee: Hey as well and I am Aurelia, aka Banshee, Community Manager for English speaking TCoS Community ^^

TCoS_Selachii: A lot of good questions coming in guys

TCoS_Selachii: try to keep them combat related

TCoS_Selachii: send all your questions to MMORPG_Woopin :)

TCoS_Selachii: ok

MMORPG_JelloB2000: How many body slot relative skills has each class ?

TCoS_Selachii: This is currently different for each class

TCoS_Selachii: but it ranges between 10 and 15

TCoS_Selachii: the number of bodyslot skills isn't fixed and is something that will be expanded

MMORPG_JelloB2000: Will there be pets in TCoS, if so, will they assisst in combat?

TCoS_Selachii: There's one class which works with combat pets

TCoS_Selachii: it's the body slot of the Ancestral Mage

TCoS_Selachii: The different pets will have different roles

TCoS_Selachii: ranging from standard melee and heal skill to buffing and debuffing as well

MMORPG_JelloB2000: OK a question: Will TCoS characters be able to "body block" opponents, or will you be able to run "trough" them ignoring that they actually stand somewhere?

TCoS_Selachii: there is no collision between players

TCoS_Selachii: we have experimented with it

TCoS_Selachii: but results into awkward situations

TCoS_Selachii: like multiple players pushing someone off the edge of a shard :)

TCoS_Mirage: (there goes my PvP tactic :'( )

MMORPG_JelloB2000: How big a foothold do pots hold in PvP/PvE? Will players simply be able to mindlessly spam pots? or will they merely be used as a last resort?

TCoS_Selachii: we don't have consumables that give health

TCoS_Selachii: like traditional healing potions

TCoS_Selachii: the consumables in TCoS offer buffs to improve certain situations

TCoS_Selachii: increasing your max health is possible, but it's also possible to increase your resistance versus a certain magical school

MMORPG_JelloB2000: since gear has no effect on stats what role will gear play in combat?

TCoS_Selachii: gear is purely for looks, so in combat, it has no direct effects

TCoS_Selachii: that said, some of your gear works as a container for Sigils, which are items to enhance your stats

TCoS_Selachii: however, the type of gear you use doesn't affect the Sigils you can use

TCoS_Selachii: so as a high level player, you can run around in a cloth and bare chest and you won't suffer

TCoS_Selachii: compared to players in shining armor

MMORPG_JelloB2000: Will there be flying mounts, or other forms of easing travel?

TCoS_Selachii: there won't be player controlled transports / mounts on release

TCoS_Selachii: travel is done via shardships

TCoS_Selachii: which fly form dock to dock

TCoS_Selachii: within shards or between shards

MMORPG_JelloB2000: question for the tcos gyus: will it be possible to ressurect a group member in combat?

TCoS_Mirage: There is no resurection in TCoS wether in or out of combat.

TCoS_Mirage: When a party member dies, it will automatically respawn at a shrine.

TCoS_Mirage: There are many of these shrines scattered around the Shards.

MMORPG_JelloB2000: New question: When/if mounts get implemented after release, are you considering having mounted combat?

TCoS_Selachii: Yes

TCoS_Selachii: one of the reasons

TCoS_Selachii: when we implement mounts/flying mounts, we want to have jousting/mounted combat

TCoS_Selachii: but

TCoS_Selachii: it's on our to-do list for post release, so don't wait for it :)

TCoS_Selachii: but we all ready have assets for it

MMORPG_JelloB2000: another one: Will there be "critical hits" and resists, misses, dodges etc. in PVP ?

TCoS_Selachii: No

TCoS_Selachii: weapon swings do a certain amount of damage when hit

TCoS_Selachii: this damge is affected by some resistance, buffs or debuffs your target has

TCoS_Selachii: but no chance/luck-based mechanics

TCoS_Selachii: not even versus higher level mobs/players

TCoS_Selachii: dodging exists

TCoS_Selachii: but it's done by moving your player away from the enemy sword swinging towards your head :)

TCoS_Mirage: i.e. no hidden dice rolls

TCoS_Selachii: aye

MMORPG_JelloB2000: New Question: When casting a healing spell at a teammate, but an enemy player is standing between you and your teammate, will the healing spell go through the enemy player to your teammate, or will you have to move around the enemy player so there is a clear line of sight to your teammate?

TCoS_Selachii: this is where the crosshair comes into play

TCoS_Selachii: like any shooter, tcos has a crosshair

TCoS_Selachii: if you want to heal a party member and a monster stands in between

TCoS_Selachii: it depends if you can still get your crosshair on your teammate

TCoS_Selachii: if the monster blocks your actual crosshair, it won't hit

TCoS_Selachii: if you're taller then the monster, or so short you can see your teammate through the monsters legs, you can heal him :)

MMORPG_JelloB2000: If damage is done based on location - how will that effect "Boss" fights since there are not going to be traditional roots in the game

TCoS_Selachii: the damage is not region based on your target

TCoS_Selachii: we've experimented with it

TCoS_Selachii: but we feel that it was more fun, and hard enough, with equal damage across the target

MMORPG_JelloB2000: I apologize for the other games reference, but will the Ancestral Mage play more like the WoW Hunter or the AO Metaphysicist?

TCoS_Selachii: I have never played as a Metaphysicist

TCoS_Selachii: but the pet will be very different from the WoW Hunter

TCoS_Selachii: as an Ancestral mage you will execute spells wich also effect your pet

TCoS_Selachii: it's more like a small teammate

TCoS_Selachii: some mob questions

MMORPG_JelloB2000: When in PVE, will mobs roam around the world or just sit around waiting to be triggered/aggroed?

TCoS_Selachii: Mobs have a sophisticated AI

TCoS_Selachii: which means they also get bored if there's nothing to do

TCoS_Selachii: so they roam about

TCoS_Selachii: however

TCoS_Selachii: Their territories set by us

TCoS_Selachii: otherwise the bears might decide there's more food in the local village than in the local forrest :)

TCoS_Selachii: eating your precious quest NPC's

MMORPG_JelloB2000: Now asking about World Bosses. A while ago, devs were talking about doing some stuff in ancestrals quests can unlock boss in the current world or the fact that there will be only "a one time spawning boss" that rewards you with a statue for killing him. Do you plan to integrate more features like this?

TCoS_Selachii: Yes

TCoS_Selachii: we like to approach the world of spellborn as an evolving world

TCoS_Selachii: not a static world which repeats itself every day

MMORPG_JelloB2000: Will there be quests where NPC's assist you in combat ?

TCoS_Selachii: Yes

TCoS_Selachii: simple as that :)

TCoS_Selachii: NPC's can fight

TCoS_Selachii: and they will

MMORPG_JelloB2000: Will there be some combat situations were you and your friends fight a descent pack of enemys and all of a sudden another enemy faction joins the fight attacking both sides.

TCoS_Selachii: yes

TCoS_Selachii: this can happen while fighting mobs, but also while doing quests

MMORPG_JelloB2000: Do monsters attack between themselves?

TCoS_Selachii: yes they do

TCoS_Selachii: We have a predator-prey system in place

TCoS_Selachii: hoppies really need to watch where they're going

MMORPG_JelloB2000: "is there an acutal hitbox around monsters or is what we see the area to hit. So if i was behind a monster and tried to throw a heal could i throw it between the creatures legs

TCoS_Selachii: there are several mechanics at work when a hit is determined

TCoS_Selachii: a form of hitbox is one of them

TCoS_Selachii: but

TCoS_Selachii: shooting through an animals legs is possible

MMORPG_JelloB2000: Is there teamkill or team damage in the game?

TCoS_Selachii: while grouped, you won't hit your teammates

MMORPG_JelloB2000: Will the experience sharing in combat be possible with two characters from different groups ?

TCoS_Selachii: yes

TCoS_Selachii: we have worked a lot on this

TCoS_Selachii: we also tried some buddy systems, but they won't be in release

TCoS_Selachii: the xp obtained from killing mobs is divided among the members

TCoS_Selachii: however

TCoS_Selachii: it's implemented so that high level players can't boost a lowlevel player 01MMORPG_Woopin: Again any questions feel free to /msg MMORPG_Woopin "Your question here".

MMORPG_JelloB2000: What have you implemented for large scale combat? Can players do things like create markers that teammates can see or use quick commands like in Planetside?

TCoS_Selachii: guys, really a staggering amount of questions coming in, very nice :)

TCoS_Selachii: there's no tactical aid for group members for combat

TCoS_Selachii: you see each other on the minimap

TCoS_Selachii: represented as a specifically colored dot, but that's it for now

MMORPG_JelloB2000: Will you be able to harm your teammates in combat, either through accidentally aiming at them, or by using an AOE?

TCoS_Selachii: nope

TCoS_Selachii: even if you accidently aim at them

TCoS_Selachii: you won't hurt partymembers

TCoS_Selachii: players who aren't grouped

TCoS_Selachii: will only hit each other when they are in an PVP enabled zone

TCoS_Selachii: thanks for that followup question

MMORPG_JelloB2000: Question: Can missles aka ranged damage be intercepted by other playes/NPCs before it hits the designated target or it will only miss the target aimed for if it moves?

TCoS_Selachii: ranged attacks are handled a bit differently then melee

TCoS_Selachii: while the melee hit is determined when you sword actually hits the target

TCoS_Selachii: ranged attacks determine the hit when you fire

TCoS_Selachii: so you aim your bow at your target and fire

TCoS_Selachii: the instant you press, it will determine if your aim is correct, your shooting animation follows

TCoS_Selachii: slow moving projectiles would otherwise be very hard to hit with out fast combat

MMORPG_JelloB2000: My question is regarding downtime between fights. How do we refill our health bar and how long that will take?

TCoS_Selachii: when a player is outof combat and has his weapons sheathed, his health will replenish

TCoS_Selachii: sitting down will make it replenish faster

TCoS_Selachii: the downtime will not be very long

MMORPG_JelloB2000: 39. how long does a typical 1v1 encounter last when opponents are of equal, maxed levels?

TCoS_Selachii: depends on how fast their aim is

TCoS_Selachii: if both players have spot on aim

TCoS_Selachii: and know how to use their skills

TCoS_Selachii: about 1 minute

TCoS_Selachii: but i can imagine it can take longer :)

TCoS_Selachii: if it envolves hiding

TCoS_Selachii: running

TCoS_Selachii: etc :)

TCoS_Selachii: there's no 1 shotting

TCoS_Selachii: so no 1 second fights

MMORPG_JelloB2000: speaking of sheathed weapons. It was mentioned a long time ago players run faster with weapons sheathed. Are there any other effects?

TCoS_Selachii: yes

TCoS_Selachii: having your weapons sheathed, you indeed run faster

TCoS_Selachii: however, you also take more damage from attacks

TCoS_Selachii: so you are more vulnerable fleeing this way

TCoS_Selachii: when drawing your weapons

TCoS_Selachii: you loose a bit of movement speed

TCoS_Selachii: your melee and ranged resistance is raised a bit

TCoS_Selachii: and your states regenerate faster and degenerate slower

TCoS_Selachii: so you are much better suited for combat

TCoS_Selachii: be sure you draw your weapon before your opponent does :)

MMORPG_JelloB2000: Questions are coming to an end, only four more to go

MMORPG_JelloB2000: "Is the range of your melee attacks determined by the size of your weapon, or is it a fixed range?"

TCoS_Selachii: The range is fixed

TCoS_Selachii: the reach of all weapons is the same

TCoS_Selachii: all though some look bigger to the eye :)

TCoS_Selachii: short daggers are just as useful as a big 2hander

MMORPG_JelloB2000: When you make changes to classes will you provide a brief reasoning for the changes, to reduce confusion and enhance discussion about your intentions for classes?

TCoS_Selachii: Yes

TCoS_Selachii: looking at current MMO's

TCoS_Selachii: class changes always bring a lot of discussion

TCoS_Selachii: we aim to support it :)

MMORPG_JelloB2000: Will rogues have a utility function? Like picking locks and pockets or disarming traps?

TCoS_Selachii: Nope

TCoS_Selachii: there are no classes which have a utility function that others don't

TCoS_Selachii: we want to avoid the situation where a group must consist of certain classes to do an instance

TCoS_Selachii: any combination of classes should work !

MMORPG_JelloB2000: Final question: New question: Are there organizations which works to preserve the hoppies, so they don't get extinct? If there is, can we join them/give them money to help?

TCoS_Selachii: ooh

TCoS_Selachii: the Society For the Prevention of Cruelty To Hoppies

TCoS_Selachii: uhm

TCoS_Selachii: no

TCoS_Selachii: but I will pass this one through to my colleague

TCoS_Selachii: judging by the interest in hoppies

TCoS_Selachii: we might need it

TCoS_Selachii: guys

TCoS_Selachii: Thanks for all the questions

TCoS_Selachii: we got well over a hundred of valid valuable questions

TCoS_Selachii: so we could probably go on all night :)

TCoS_Selachii: but we're gonna stop here

TCoS_Selachii: poor MMORPG_Woopin got spammed :)

MMORPG_JelloB2000: Thank you TCoS-team for answering the fans questions :)

TCoS_Selachii: yw