Ashes of Creation held its latest development stream this week, and it featured development updates and a special preview of Alpha Two’s Cyclops boss fight.
Creative Director Steven Sharif introduced the Cyclops combat preview with details that it is a demonstration, and this is the first world boss that you’ll encounter. The Cyclops is a level 30 boss, with the encounter designed for groups between about 22-34. There are a number of abilities on display in the demo fight between groups and the roaming boss.
The demo opens in a snowy locale and shows off some of the adventurers who are walking past where there are giant spiders, demonstrating that these spiders are not necessarily going to just get aggroed and attack. These spiders get into a defensive position, where they are looking a little threatening but in a way that means they want you to stay away. It’s a little detail that stands out. It's a small detail and the bulk of the video is a combat demo with a huge boss, but the team is showing off some of the smaller details you will find in the world when you step into Verra.
The Cyclops itself is shown pathing around the woods,so you can encounter it by exploring around. They want exploration to be meaningful and to always have a chance of finding something you were not expecting. Another important detail with the Cyclops is showing how as it walks around, it destroys trees as it crosses between them, and also makes sounds. the devs note that even if you don't see him right away, if you are wandering around and paying attention you might hear him first. such a big enemy interacting with the environment is another pretty cool detail.
As for the fight itself, the demo lasts a while, so it’s worth watching (and the team has made a separate video just with the boss fight). The giant boss interacts with the environment as above, and moves around, presenting a present danger, even charging the players fighting him.
Sharif also pointed out, in response to a question about potential PKers or even guilds swooping in and taking ‘your’ boss, that a boss like this will be considered a resource, so that risk is there. The rewards for accepting that risk also will be there.
For more, head to Ashes of Creation.