Star Wars Galaxies: Targeting discussion underway

Helios checked in on the official forums today with a post with the slightly misleading title "In Concept: Shinies and Trinkets," looking for feedback on the combat targeting system:

Just Kidding.

Actually I wanted to discuss targeting. After reading your feedback and playtesting large scale battles, considerations are being made that involve possibly, maybe improving the attack "safety" feature of the targeting interface by having the client automatically aim at your target for you (targeting reticle goes away for "safety" mode & attacks just go off on your intended target provided that you have line of sight). Everything else pretty much stays the same. It's all just conjecture at this point and this post is by no means a prediction or promise of any kind.

Feedback?

EDITOR'S NOTE: Helios' replies are in bold.

LordKittycat0 wrote:

Helios, What i don't understand is why do you guys keep revamping the combat system. You had a working combat system....

You could of used all this time to work on the content part of the game instead of the combat system...

I think it's misleading to call every system change a revamp. Everyone is interested in doing what's best for the game and as such, updates and changes are inevitable. We should all be looking forward and not back. A lot of people really like the point and click to shoot interface, but there limitations to the system in large group scenarios (which we'll be seeing a lot more of in the future). In those cases it makes more sense to allow for more traditional targeting options. Point to shoot isn't going away. This thread is about considering adding alternate means of targeting stuff based on the particular situation or even your preference. In regards to your resource allocation question: We have several design teams, 2 of which focus on nothing but content. We also have a Systems design team who's job it is to deal with issues like this.

Glzmo wrote:
It is an interesting concept and as I understand it, would likely give people the option to choose between the NGE-style targeting (safety off) and a more pre-NGE like variant (safety on).

I think having various options is interesting, however, what would the incentive to have the safety off be, assuming you automatically hit an intended target with the safety enabled, while you have to aim with the safety disabled?

Pretty much, more or less. It's just conceptual right now, so I couldn't say for sure. The incentive would be preference I guess. The combat engine actually calculates misses curenntly (introduced with the last update via glancing blows & crits). Maybe there could be an accuracy bonus for using manual mode; i.e more crits.

[b]Wepps[/b] wrote:

The problem is that if I have a choice, then I will choose a fully auto-target lock system like the old game's combat system. I would do this in any circumstance in which a victory is more critical to my 'side'.

It's a matter of choice, really. No accounting for taste.

But if I have this, then position and maneuver are no longer critical elements of combat, and it becomes simply a matter of holding my fire button down.

The combat system factors movement into the glancing blow / critical hit calculations. I.e. it affects accuracy.

If that is the case, then the special attacks themselves become more important than the maneuver, since no matter where I am I will always be targeted and everybody will know where I am.

See above, but unless you run behind a building or something like that you're being shot at (which could resolve into a glancing blow).

Also, the DPS of the weapon becomes slightly less critical than it is now, and that will mean Weapon crafters will be slightly less required, as the special attack's damage output is now more important.

It would actually become more important because you can theoretically deliver a steady stream of white damage whilst working out your special tactics. The higher the damage of the weapon and the longer you can keep it trained on the target, the greater the compounded amount of damage over time will be.

Aside from all that, if a full return to the old target system is in order, then the limited number of specials available in each class's repertoire will need to be at least doubled to provide enough combat content to keep a player interested.

More diverse specials are coming online with the expertise system.

So in most circumstances, players will choose a fully-targeted enemy, but that will dramatically change the dynamics of the combat itself. The player with the auto-target wins over the one that isn't using it. And to be honest, I don't see how it's possible to provide both as options and balance it so that either choice is a valid one.

Crits could be increased if you're using manual aiming mode. Seems fitting to me that if you take more care to aim you could hit more important locations on your target. Maybe?

[b]Ledford[/b] wrote:

Sounds decent, but it needs to be togglable.

Am I correct to assume if this were to be implemented, it would be optional? Like turning safety mode on and off?

Current meanderings are that this could be an enhancement of the current safety mode. So yes, a toggle.

And that's all for now from Helios ... Stay tuned for more as we follow the discussion. Post your thoughts in our forum, or send an email my way and I'll make sure Helios sees it.