Inside the Game: Mounted Combat discussion

[Celestrata]

If you've been itching to see mounted combat in-action, or learn more about the system, then you don't want to miss our latest video interview with Senior Producer Aaron "Rowan" Campbell! Click here to watch the video, and be sure to discuss what you saw below! Let us know what you thought!

[Ethrnldoom]

Looks like it's going to be awesome. Can't wait to start tanking from horseback ^^.

[FromgalTheMinstrel]

I'm glad that you finally decide to show the main new feature of the next expansion.

But I expected much more of this video. Something like actual combat gameplay.
Instead, you use smallest 4:3 monitor you could probably get out of the accounting department, set the game to run in a window and make a camera focus on it from 2 meters away.
And instead of seeing a Guardian using his skills to lure enemy riders to himself, or a minstrel actually healing, or a captain doing anything meaninful, the camera zooms into the image for showing the player just riding around or healing himself, and whenever some close combat seems to be about to happen, you zoom out again to make it impossible to distinguish anything.

So far I was looking forward to the new mounted combat. But this video tells me that you are afraid to show what you actually have.

[imrebroce]

You are a sassy elf.

[Crell_1]

I see quickslots switch when you get dismounted. And that mounted combat seems to involve similiar to Champion style Fervour pip use. Other than that there wasn't a whole lot of detail to the video. It'd have been nice to see some longer period shots from the screen where we see some fighting and use of actual class based skills.

[Nyrion]

Some stuff I found interesting:

Horse has a dying animation
Uruks on horseback
Some sort of energy bar for the mount, using skills empties it
Larger Morale pool for mount(was ~2500 in video)
Horse has a Power bar
Skills seem to be 'set' for the next clash, noting the 'cancel skill' button.

Gonna be rewatching this a lot to see what else I can find.

Liking these sneak peek videos by the way. Great way of seeing what's to come versus walls of text.

[Eartholloth]

I'm glad that you finally decide to show the main new feature of the next expansion.

But I expected much more of this video. Something like actual combat gameplay.
Instead, you use smallest 4:3 monitor you could probably get out of the accounting department, set the game to run in a window and make a camera focus on it from 2 meters away.
And instead of seeing a Guardian using his skills to lure enemy riders to himself, or a minstrel actually healing, or a captain doing anything meaninful, the camera zooms into the image for showing the player just riding around or healing himself, and whenever some close combat seems to be about to happen, you zoom out again to make it impossible to distinguish anything.

So far I was looking forward to the new mounted combat. But this video tells me that you are afraid to show what you actually have.

For god sake it is only one video! I am sure we will be seeing much more down the road.

[JustAmy]

Looks great so far! Can't wait to see more.

It also looks like the main action bar at the bottom has a new look to it.

[asearchforreason]

Decent teaser. I would like to see a little more gameplay. The video only really shows him attacking two mobs, one you can't really see what happens because it zooms out and the other he gets dismounted and then it cuts off. The battles look pretty cool and the plains of Rohan look very much like plains, although without the high grasses.

[Louvre]

I like it .

BTW Aaron's screen made me chuckle .

Surprised to see something like that on a 2012 company's office .

And even more surprised ... Sapience & Aaron having to share that small room ?

[naliia]

I see the Horse Developer head.

[Elfheart]

I'm more interested in what the burglar roll will be since I don't see us sneaking around and backstabbing in mounted combat.

[ChromiteSwiftpaw]

I like it .

BTW Aaron's screen made me chuckle .

Surprised to see something like that on a 2012 company's office .

And even more surprised ... Sapience & Aaron having to share that small room ?

I guess it kind of explains them not experiencing much video lag with things :-P

When you have a postage stamp size screen, of course the game will be pretty responsive.

[Mysterion]

Ok, for a teaser. I wish they would release a developer diary with some demos for each class. The expansion really isn't that far away. Looks interesting, and I'd love to see how the other classes play. I'm looking forward to trying it out, at the bare minimum I like the innovation and risk Turbine is taking.

[StalkerOfTheMoors]

Ah finally heard our requests for slashing things on a horse! Can't wait
But the question I had in my head thinking about this is: Can we spar just as we can attack but on a horse? And will there be mounted combat in PvMP which will make it harder for PvMP players to attack? (Which is hard enough because with the newest updates we are getting beaten up)

Also wondering if we have to buy mounted combat with the Rohan pack to use it... Because that would be pretty silly

[Fredelas]

It was interesting to hear a little of the theory behind mounted combat explained.

However, this video did little to reassure me that the theory actually works and can be implemented in a way that's fun for every class. We didn't even see much combat to give feedback on.

I'd challenge Turbine to show us 60 seconds of real close-up solo mounted combat for each class, and a few minutes of group mounted combat. That sounds reasonable to me for an expansion that launches in just a few weeks.

[Eartholloth]

It was interesting to hear a little of the theory behind mounted combat explained.

However, this video did little to reassure me that the theory actually works and can be implemented in a way that's fun for every class. We didn't even see much combat to give feedback on.

I'd challenge Turbine to show us 60 seconds of real close-up solo mounted combat for each class, and a few minutes of group mounted combat. That sounds reasonable to me for an expansion that launches in just a few weeks.

News to me that Rohan is launching in a few weeks. I thought it was September 5th...

[MoonwalkIntoMordor]

When I first opened up the video, I was thrilled to see it was almost 6 minutes long!

Must be lots of info, right?

No.

The first 2,5 minutes were absolutely pointless. Sapience asks "Can tanks tank and healers heal from horseback?" and Rowan answers "Yes". That is the only thing that happened. Such a simple question and a simple answer, both so elongated without reason.

At the end of that we get some new info. Rowan proceeds to explain the concept of 3 stances, which will certainly be tied to the 3 mount trait lines that have been mentioned in the past.

Finally at 3:15, we get the sneak peek of mounted combat.

For 20 seconds.

Okay. Maybe there will be more later in the video?

12 more seconds starting at 5:03.

For a total of 32 seconds.

Those 32 seconds are full of interesting new things (most of which have been already pointed out by Nyrion so I won't type them out again). But really? 32 seconds of mounted combat in a 6 minute long video, where at least 4,5 minutes held no importance?

I am glad we are getting teasers, but I was disappointed with the way this one was presented. Please, more footage and less filler. Just less filler is fine too.

[gildhur]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

News to me that Rohan is launching in a few weeks. I thought it was September 5th...

8 isn't a few?

[Fortinobrand]

I appreciate the attempt to show us what's going on. I don't think this really answered any questions I have about how the implementation is going to work -- and in fact it raised a new concern that mounted combat may be a bit too much like a boring console scroller for my tastes. But the communication is a good thing.

[Eartholloth]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz


8 isn't a few?

Not to me. 2,3 yes but not 8.

[Nyrion]

To me, 'a few' has always been more than two but less than six.

It's rather a moot point anyways. :P

Anyway, while I would have liked to have seen more actual gameplay, listening to the talk there were some good info snippets to glean. I'm not overly worried about details at this point, going by what they've said thus far these kinds of videos will become more common as we get closer to launch(another next week perhaps?).

[Baconboy12]

Wait what about the rk's skills, or the burg's moves, or the lm's introductions, and the champs AoEs. How are those going to work out?

[Dandorion]

It was very exciting to see mounted combat. I agree i was disappointed by the small amount of actual footage. However what did stick out was how fast it can be 1-2 hits and the mob dies.
This is good because in real life one or two hits with a sword and you would be lucky to run away....
It looks fast paced and interesting.
Still did not really answer what a burg will do with 2 10 inch daggers riding full speed at a warg rider?...
But im sure we will see a lot more yet. Still 2 months to go...
Thanks Turbine keep it coming please.

[Patrickwg]

I see quickslots switch when you get dismounted. And that mounted combat seems to involve similiar to Champion style Fervour pip use. Other than that there wasn't a whole lot of detail to the video. It'd have been nice to see some longer period shots from the screen where we see some fighting and use of actual class based skills.

That most likely was showing mount speed. Mount speed has a direct effect on damage output according to turbine.