I appreciate that you like my points. But eh, I definitely not the guy that advise about nerfs, especially for a game that is meant to be a singleplayer; that would upset the rest of the folks who might main these classes. I rather suggest to make Mage on same utility\power\survivability level as the rest of the classes, because I have no idea how would you nerf Slayer because he's pretty damn overpowered and tanky at the same time. "Power creep" is inevitable result of any prolonged mods that still gets updated with new content anyway lol.4page wrote:I do like a lot of your suggestions. It's unfortunate that you've noted the sort of OP nature of the Slayer and Magister, since they were originally supposed to be much weaker. Power creep has gotten a little out of hand in this project, but I don't think it'll be really possible or a good idea to nerf them in any meaningful way...
Speaking about key binds...4page wrote:But as for your suggestions regarding the mage, I might have some ideas, maybe, and I'll definitely rethink the Bloodscourge. However, having abilities bound to a whole bunch of keys, that's something I'm a little hesitant (like a lot of other things you've brought up, I'm sure you're seeing a pattern here) because I wanted this to control rather simply only having 3 major bindings, fire/alt fire/reload keys, and completely playable and functional using only two (fire/alt fire). I was thinking maybe having a certain survival ability bound to the reload key (and if I can, make it usable holding alt fire as an option like all the other reload key abilities) for each of the weapons. Doing this I'll definitely have to shorten the weapon switch speeds, and honestly most of the Warlock's attacks are just his hands, so maybe I can come up with transition animations like what I did with Vesper. But at the same time, if I did that, I'd have to possibly get rid of the weapon powering mechanic, since the keybind to activate it will be taken by the new survival abilities, and it would be cumbersome to have to switch to a certain weapon all the time in order to activate/deactivate it (which is how I had it in early versions of this mod). I COULD make it so if you held alt fire, then pressed fire it would activate it, but I feel like that would get a little too complex and confusing, far more so than just adding another keybind... But if I did leave it in, which I would like to do rather than take it out, I would probably get rid of the life tap and just stick with the recharge and monster flasks, similar to Vesper. Having the life tap would be nice for a dangerous quick rush of power if you have excess healing around, but it would be one more function to find a place for and how to actually activate it.
This is something I wanted to address for a while now, but I saw people complain about it earlier so I though it would have been not so necessary, but I have to do it anyway.
I REALLY suggest you to have different key bind commands rather than bind them all to existing ones. I really doubt I'm the first one to suggest it.
The fact that you must hold same button for different time periods just to execute different type of attacks is a real pain and often that will fail you so you'd accidentally use what you were not wanted to use, and that isn't regarding mage alone, but fighter, cleric and vesper respectively. It really pisses me off that when I want to activate the powered mode, I accidentally drain my hp to refill the bar, sometimes end up killing myself on accident even. Seriously, this is as far from "simple" as it can gets.
It is much, MUCH better and easier\simplies to use when you have different and new set of key binds that are all at hand of your disposal, than to have existing buttons to have different sensitivity. Having different set of abilities that are always at hand would work much better for the player than memorize all the "sensitivies" of the buttons and not to hold certain attack for too long by accident. Taping left mouse button at certain pace, not too slow and not TOO fast just to not accidentally misfire close ranged attack, while still maintain the fire as rapid as possible is often very frustrating as well.
Why sticking to mere 3 overused basic buttons like it's some commandment above??????? I remember when back in times a half-life weapons mods used to have like 3-5 different type of attacks, all binded to fire, altfire and reload buttons, simply because the engine didn't allow to add new extra key binds to mods that you download from the server, so that was unfortunate limitation of the engine rather than something developers of these mods done for the sake of "simplicity". But GZDoom is specifically designed that way so you have multiple functions being able to have their own unique key binds at your exposure, and in fact, GZDoom is cleverly designed that you can bind each mods with unique set of binds, and they do not even overwrite themselves! Like for mod like Guncaster I can bind button M to put a powersuit on, while for mod like Wrath of Cronos I can bind M for either of my 4 skill abilities, and yet GZDoom remembers bindings for EACH of the mod respectively, and never overwrites the binds for all mods at the same time.
Besides, I find it a bit hypocritical that you refuse to "having abilities bound to a whole bunch of keys" when you already have a whole 6 bunch of items that you can bind to a whole bunch of keys on.
For my personal preference and comfot, my personal key loadout of Mage's unique psychic abilities (and other abilities) for your mod would look something like this:
Q - for "weapon powering mechanic" (i.e. activate your 'blood magic' enhancement
E - for telekinesis (same button as +use that I use, merging the whole skill to that button like in Duke Nukem Forces)
R(or T) - for something like a shield or magic protection. It could be replacement for reload (R) or be separated on it's own key (T).
G - for ability that behave like disc of repulsion (the G is the button that I often bind for +kick, including other games than just GZDoom mods)
Left-Shift or Left-Alt - the blind in direction you're moving, by combinating that button with WASD or WASD double button combo for 8 angles blink. Holding left-alt or left-shift button would allow you to teleport in position you're looking at, something like you do in games like Dishonored.
Personally, that would be perfect placement for most buttons that very organic, simple, quick to learn and intuitive to use, rather than have multiple attacks attached to same button that activated whether you click same button instantly or you have to hold that button for certain time. You'd still left with F,Z,X,C,V buttons that are near by that can be used for other purposes and\or skills\abilities. And yet, your fire and alt-fire buttons serve the purpose of being just that - a fire buttons. If you really don't want to break up with idea to have "sensitive" buttons that execute different type of attacks based on how long you hold them, you could just leave them for a charged attacks; i.e. if you tap button you'd do rapid fire of attack, but if you hold it up, you'd do same\similar attack but powered up.
For someone who actually play GZDoom mods on my android phone from time to time, even then I prefer mods with extra buttons that I can bind these commands on extra buttons instead than have a mess where you execute different attack based on how long you hold exact same button. Wrath of Cronos is actually a pretty neat mod for tiny compact phone gaming, and since you must rely on wisely use of your powers than rely on fast paced gaming, the mod suits really well for mobile gaming. Your mod already runs only on the LATEST beta build of GZDoom, so I don't see why it's so necessary for your mod to remain "simple". It's not like you couldn't get games with crapton of all different set of binds that you had to bind your vintage keyboard with back in 90's or even early 80's gaming, especially RPGs of that PC epoch. I really lack to see what you're trying to achieve here...
If you still insist from adding new command to separate buttons, for whatever reason, you can just leave the new set of abilities\skills for inventory items executables. HeXercise mod did exactly that thing, it just gave the mage like 5-6 of the new abilities in a form of permanent items that you can execute at any given time that are infinitely in your inventory and take your green and\or blue ammo\mana whenever you use them. That will be far more complicated and feels to gimmicky to use, since you'd have to manually switch between items, but at least you won't have new key bindings abilities, heh..
But seriously, having new abilities simply having their own key slot binded to a new button is a much better than to try to attach them all to weapons whole buttons already serve for offensive combat.
I seriously have no idea what weapon switch speed have to do anything with it btw.
Man I sure would LOVE to have mage whose use\open button would have a fully functional telekinesis that can be used both for mandatory things like open doors and click buttons over distance, to something more complicated and interesting like grabbing and moving random map pickups that you can grab over distance or map's actors (trees and such) that you can grab and throw them at enemies, to literally grabbing, choking, pushing and killing enemies over distance as you please.4page wrote:Having the versatile use button, like you're suggesting does sound interesting and kinda neat, but I have no idea how I would go about making that work. And I have no issues with giving the Warlock another bar on the HUD. I was just going to do basically exactly what you were suggesting there.
You'd might like game like Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, you'd learn telekinesis spell which allows you exactly that - opening doors\activate switches over distance, pickup items over distance, and when upgraded - even grab enemies over distance to throw enemies at enemies. Duke Nukem Forces have similar thing, but in addition to that, you can also choke enemies alive; and it's all attached to a single use\open button.
