suggestion The Subject of Combat and all of the details. (POLL) (DISCUSSION)

[Docterrok]

Okay, a few weeks back I did a multi-part series that went in depth on the matter of combat. However, It was a disorganized, disheveled mess. So, I am making an article that zips it all into one place. Lets talk, shall we? 

The Subject of  Melee Combat

Now I am against the concept of interactive melee combat, that are in games that include, but are not limited to

• DayZ
• Rust
• Unturned
• Skyrim (Exception )
• Hurtworld
• Dying light

Now while Interactive combat fits right at home with these games, I do not want The long Dark to be like this if I decide to fight a bear...

I personally believe that combat with anything that isn't a gun will be used when Npc's are introduced, which goes into my next point...

 

The Subject of Npcs...

Don't get me wrong, I'm excited for Npc's, but lets face it, a few of them won't be happy about there predicament, and we just may have to fight them. So how should this be done? Well, I think it should be handled one of two ways. Either you get shot, or you fight in a realistic scuffle, not like the way fights are portrayed in movies. They are on the ground affairs, battles that are wrestles for ones life, sound familiar? We already do it with the wolves in the game! Fighting humans should last much, MUCH longer than the scuffles with the wolves. It should be an intense, exhausting affair, with cinematic animations and intense struggles. Here's my idea for how it should play out.

Assailant tackles you to ground, depending on weapon, you will do one of the following...

• If assailant has pry bar, you must block with forearms to prevent getting hit, struggle commences, failure to do so will result in getting hit in the face and blacking out. (Subject will be discussed later)
• if assailant has hatchet, you must grasp wooden handle and struggle commences. failure to do so will make you, well, dead.
• If assailant has knife, you must struggle to keep it away from your face, with knife, you will acquire lacerations over time.
• if assailant is weaponless, you must defend from fists.

Now, you must struggle to get on top, if you achieve that, you will do the same to the assailant depending on your tool.

If you black out, the assailant will take everything except some of your clothing, if you wake up and manage to find a blood trail, you can track assailant down. If you're not near death of course...

 

The Subject of Weaponry

Now this game has kept weaponry simple, I have no desire to change that, rather, I wish for only a few additions, not an entire armory that can be seen in games like fallout or cs-go, while weapon oriented game play is something i really enjoy in some games, it does not belong in a game like The Long Dark. Here are my thoughts, keep in mind I have mentioned some of these before, so bear with me.

Now these Ideas have been noticed by devs, but this article is a reorganized reiteration of past discussions. On the subject of weaponry, It should simply include.

• Double Barrel shotgun (Mentioned for the millionth time)
• compound bow, similar to survival bow, but insanely rare and high maintenance.
• revolver (planned)

Simple right? Well, not really, any new addition could bring either praise or flack, so if new weapon additions are added, there needs to be new, bolder threats to use them against, which leads to the...

Subject of Things that want to Kill you.

Canada is a big place, and has a lot of big, scary animals, even though we may see awesome additions like moose and cougars, why not expand it? Make more creatures that see you as food, not friend. My idea is to be able to take to the seas. Yes, an awesome addition would be an aquatic map that can only be accessed by boat. What dangers would arise? Well, the geomagnetic storm may make killer whales more aggressive, seals on the coast may try to kill you, or crazed fisherman may give you a taste of there hook. Thus making more guns better so you can fend off from things like...

Aggressive Seals

Killer Whales

and of course, that one guy

[Docterrok]

is the aquatic idea too weird? if so, feel free to discuss! 

[Wayfarer]

I'm interested to see where combat goes.  When I first played way back, and I found a hatchet, I immediately expected it to pop up on the screen and that I could swing it around.  At first, I didn't like that it didn't seem to be considered a "weapon"...  Especially when I saw an unfriendly wolf shortly thereafter, and I couldn't swing it around!  That said I've come to appreciate how it's done now.  It's not really an FPS, and it works well.  I would like to perhaps have a chance to "get a swing in" before I'm tackled by that wolf, though, especially if you see it coming.

 

Likewise I don't think the NPC interaction/combat should be treated 100% like in an FPS.  Timing-based button-presses are kind of "meh" to me, but I don't have any clever ideas myself


An aquatic-based area could be really cool!!  In that instance a vehicle (raft) would work of course.  As for the terrain currently, I don't really think vehicles are viable.  Besides, they're broken!  That could all change drastically if a seasonal cycle becomes a thing.  But yes, back to dealing with lots of water and the things that live there..  If wolves are more aggressive, it could stand to reason that so are the sea wolves!

[continuity]

I don't really want any "combat" in the long dark.  The QTE struggles with wolves are fine. Aside from that I just want hunting. Better hunting.

If it comes to fighting NPCs then fire fight is fine, maybe if you both run out of ammo there could be a QTE knife fight.  But on the whole, I'd rather there wasn't any combat with NPCs. Frankly I'd rather there weren't any NPCs at all.

[SteveP]

Combat is not really part of the philosophy of The Long Dark. Survival is. Your over riding concerns should be 1) shelter & warmth 2) food & water 3) force protection against wolves and other foes.

In winter in Canada, there is very little that you can forage in the way of food; you must rely upon snares, trapping, fishing and hunting. The ballistics of the rifle and the bow and arrow are fairly well simulated in this game (unlike other games where you just point and shoot) I very much like the idea of gaining skill in hunting and shooting. To bemore realistic, we should have to stalk the game animal or hunt from a hunting blind. A tree blind would be a very nice and realistic addition.