Re: Marathon: Istoria - A new Aleph One RPG scenar


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Re: Marathon: Istoria - A new Aleph One RPG scenar

Posted By: Windbreaker Date: 5/16/23 12:32 p.m.
In Response To: Re: Marathon: Istoria - A new Aleph One RPG scenar (VikingBoyBilly)

Thanks for the feedback, VikingBoyBilly. There's a lot here, so I'll just share my thoughts on some specific points you've made so far.
: It's like re-entering maps was an afterthought, tacked on
: at the end when the dev got a hit of inspiration: "Oh yeah, I can
: make maps retain their states, baby!" Does this eventually become
: more hublike?
The intention was to connect the maps since day one. Perhaps I could have interconnected them more, but in some cases (especially at the start), I did want more of a linear aesthetic to the layout, where there's a beginning and an end to the level (again, this wasn't the case for every level, as evidenced by Lockdown/T&B). And I liked the idea of having the player trek a good distance before reaching the more hub-like map of Central Command.
: The new drone behavior is really annoying, and makes hitscan attacks
: mandatory with them.
: The behavior of flying enemies, and the new pfhor fighter recolors
: makes them annoying and terrifying to deal with
I think this honestly comes down to a difference in taste regarding how we like enemies to act. Since Istoria has an extra arsenal of new weapons, we wanted to make several enemies more difficult in general, and in some cases, more challenging to deal with if the player tries using regular Marathon strategies. The idea was to encourage spell usage (for example, laser for the evasive drones), or spell+weapon usage, or spell+weapon+active ability. Or in the case of the new Pfhor superfighters, we wanted to make it impossible to cheese them by just circle-strafing. IMO, this makes combat more interesting and challenging. I can understand how some people would find them annoying, though. But to me, combat would be a bit too easy in Istoria's case if monsters exhibited regular vanilla behavior across the board. I'm not sure what to say about the red s'pht'kr and the seeking projectiles being counterintuitive. The projectiles are faster, but dodging them by moving towards them is just sort of a regular Marathon thing, I thought. There's also a spell you'll get later that may help you in this regard, if you haven't got it already :P
: So why does the ammo selector item max out at 5 when all ammo has no limit?
All spells have caps to encourage players to use them rather than hoard, so Ammo Selector falls into that category. I'm definitely in the minority here, but I usually use the Ammo Selectors as soon as I get them. That way I don't accidentally scroll to the AS spell in combat and trigger it.
I'm not sure what the issue is with your scroll wheel - I play keyboard only, but my scroll wheel can scroll the inventory both directions.
: Is the music all just randomly looping through different tracks?
Irons did the music for Istoria. Each map has several tracks to pull from, and tracks can appear on more than one map. There are unique tracks, and some tracks play when certain things happen.
Anyways, thanks again for playing and sharing your feedback up to this point. The controls, especially switching spells, can definitely be a challenge to get used to, especially if your keyboard doesn't allow multiple inputs simultaneously, so that's not lost on me or the other devs. Also, I think telekinetic is a bit trickier than other classes, as its active ability isn't necessarily as useful as, say, rifleman's or timekeeper's. So I can understand the challenge playing that class on Major Damage. I look forward to any other thoughts you might have as you go.

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: Thanks for the feedback, VikingBoyBilly. There's a lot here, so I'll just : share my thoughts on some specific points you've made so far. : The intention was to connect the maps since day one. Perhaps I could have : interconnected them more, but in some cases (especially at the start), I : did want more of a linear aesthetic to the layout, where there's a : beginning and an end to the level (again, this wasn't the case for every : level, as evidenced by Lockdown/T&B). And I liked the idea of having the : player trek a good distance before reaching the more hub-like map of : Central Command. : I think this honestly comes down to a difference in taste regarding how we : like enemies to act. Since Istoria has an extra arsenal of new weapons, we : wanted to make several enemies more difficult in general, and in some : cases, more challenging to deal with if the player tries using regular : Marathon strategies. The idea was to encourage spell usage (for example, : laser for the evasive drones), or spell+weapon usage, or : spell+weapon+active ability. Or in the case of the new Pfhor : superfighters, we wanted to make it impossible to cheese them by just : circle-strafing. IMO, this makes combat more interesting and challenging. : I can understand how some people would find them annoying, though. But to : me, combat would be a bit too easy in Istoria's case if monsters exhibited : regular vanilla behavior across the board. I'm not sure what to say about : the red s'pht'kr and the seeking projectiles being counterintuitive. The : projectiles are faster, but dodging them by moving towards them is just : sort of a regular Marathon thing, I thought. There's also a spell you'll : get later that may help you in this regard, if you haven't got it already : :P : All spells have caps to encourage players to use them rather than hoard, so : Ammo Selector falls into that category. I'm definitely in the minority : here, but I usually use the Ammo Selectors as soon as I get them. That way : I don't accidentally scroll to the AS spell in combat and trigger it. : I'm not sure what the issue is with your scroll wheel - I play keyboard only, : but my scroll wheel can scroll the inventory both directions. : Irons did the music for Istoria. Each map has several tracks to pull from, : and tracks can appear on more than one map. There are unique tracks, and : some tracks play when certain things happen. : Anyways, thanks again for playing and sharing your feedback up to this point. : The controls, especially switching spells, can definitely be a challenge : to get used to, especially if your keyboard doesn't allow multiple inputs : simultaneously, so that's not lost on me or the other devs. Also, I think : telekinetic is a bit trickier than other classes, as its active ability : isn't necessarily as useful as, say, rifleman's or timekeeper's. So I can : understand the challenge playing that class on Major Damage. I look : forward to any other thoughts you might have as you go.

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Marathon: Istoria - A new Aleph One RPG scenario LINK	windbreaker	4/30/23 5:24 p.m.
Re: Marathon: Istoria - A new Aleph One RPG scenar	VikingBoyBilly	5/1/23 7:27 a.m.
Re: Marathon: Istoria - A new Aleph One RPG scenar	DuckNextDoor...InChina	5/13/23 4:13 a.m.
Re: Marathon: Istoria - A new Aleph One RPG scenar	Windbreaker	5/16/23 9:42 p.m.
Re: Marathon: Istoria - A new Aleph One RPG scenar	VikingBoyBilly	5/13/23 4:29 p.m.
Re: Marathon: Istoria - A new Aleph One RPG scenar	VikingBoyBilly	5/15/23 3:00 p.m.
Re: Marathon: Istoria - A new Aleph One RPG scenar	Windbreaker	5/16/23 12:32 p.m.
Re: Marathon: Istoria - A new Aleph One RPG scenar	VikingBoyBilly	5/20/23 12:52 p.m.
Re: Marathon: Istoria - A new Aleph One RPG scenar	VikingBoyBilly	5/20/23 1:03 p.m.
Re: Marathon: Istoria - A new Aleph One RPG scenar	W'rkncacnter	5/20/23 1:10 p.m.



	Your Name:
	Your E-Mail Address:
	Subject:
	Message: : Thanks for the feedback, VikingBoyBilly. There's a lot here, so I'll just : share my thoughts on some specific points you've made so far. : The intention was to connect the maps since day one. Perhaps I could have : interconnected them more, but in some cases (especially at the start), I : did want more of a linear aesthetic to the layout, where there's a : beginning and an end to the level (again, this wasn't the case for every : level, as evidenced by Lockdown/T&B). And I liked the idea of having the : player trek a good distance before reaching the more hub-like map of : Central Command. : I think this honestly comes down to a difference in taste regarding how we : like enemies to act. Since Istoria has an extra arsenal of new weapons, we : wanted to make several enemies more difficult in general, and in some : cases, more challenging to deal with if the player tries using regular : Marathon strategies. The idea was to encourage spell usage (for example, : laser for the evasive drones), or spell+weapon usage, or : spell+weapon+active ability. Or in the case of the new Pfhor : superfighters, we wanted to make it impossible to cheese them by just : circle-strafing. IMO, this makes combat more interesting and challenging. : I can understand how some people would find them annoying, though. But to : me, combat would be a bit too easy in Istoria's case if monsters exhibited : regular vanilla behavior across the board. I'm not sure what to say about : the red s'pht'kr and the seeking projectiles being counterintuitive. The : projectiles are faster, but dodging them by moving towards them is just : sort of a regular Marathon thing, I thought. There's also a spell you'll : get later that may help you in this regard, if you haven't got it already : :P : All spells have caps to encourage players to use them rather than hoard, so : Ammo Selector falls into that category. I'm definitely in the minority : here, but I usually use the Ammo Selectors as soon as I get them. That way : I don't accidentally scroll to the AS spell in combat and trigger it. : I'm not sure what the issue is with your scroll wheel - I play keyboard only, : but my scroll wheel can scroll the inventory both directions. : Irons did the music for Istoria. Each map has several tracks to pull from, : and tracks can appear on more than one map. There are unique tracks, and : some tracks play when certain things happen. : Anyways, thanks again for playing and sharing your feedback up to this point. : The controls, especially switching spells, can definitely be a challenge : to get used to, especially if your keyboard doesn't allow multiple inputs : simultaneously, so that's not lost on me or the other devs. Also, I think : telekinetic is a bit trickier than other classes, as its active ability : isn't necessarily as useful as, say, rifleman's or timekeeper's. So I can : understand the challenge playing that class on Major Damage. I look : forward to any other thoughts you might have as you go.
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