Crowfall

1. Does combat use tab-targeting?

No. We've tried to make combat in Crowfall a little more action-combat focused, than your traditional MMO. For instance, we have "dashes" that you use to avoid attacks, as opposed to a passive (randomized) dodge system. Finding the right balance on this one has been extremely challenging from a design perspective, but we think we've found a mid-point. Hopefully you'll agree.

2. How does targeting work?

Generally, melee attacks happen in the area in front of the character. There is no hard "target". Attacks use various shapes such as: cones, rectangles, and spheres. You can optionally turn on or off a projected ground texture, if you want to visualize where your character is attacking.

3. What is the simulation model? Can players "walk through" other players? How are projectiles simulated?

We use a physics model for character movement and combat simulation. This means that players and projectiles move realistically in the 3D environment, with momentum and inertia. This implies a number of interesting side effects that you probably aren't used to (like players being unable to move through each other, projectiles hitting accidental targets, etc.) There are some implications that we aren't quite ready to talk about yet. We'll go into more detail about the ramifications of this system later.

4. Does the game use the "trinity system" of class balance (tank, DPS, and healer)?

No. Some elements, yes, of course. But overall, not really.

We have characters that are more offensive. We have characters that are more defensive. We have characters with support powers. But we made the game purposefully light on in-combat healing, to make it more deadly.

And remember, we've opened up the character customization options (through Promotion classes and Disciplines) to make each character a "mixed bag" of skills and powers. Each archetype starts with pre-disposition towards a certain playstyle, but after that, the game system really opens up and allows you to adapt your character any way you like.

5. Why de-emphasize combat healing?

Combat healing effectively adds a multiplier to each combatant's effective hit points. A defender isn't just managing one health bar, his "effective" health pool is = his personal health bar * powers driven by the mana pool of every healer actively supporting him. This makes a lot of sense for games that focus around PvE combat where the monsters have thousands of hit points - especially raids. It makes less sense in a game focused on skill-based player-versus-player combat.

6. But the game will still have instanced based PvE raids, right?

No, actually. Crowfall is a game is about territorial conquest and a player-driven economy - not PvE raids.

7. Do you have boss monsters?

Sort of. Not exactly.

We have creatures that are incredibly deadly, but they don't hang out at the end of a dungeon waiting for you to come kill them. They also don't drop rare magic items when defeated - because that would undercut the player-driven economy.

Instead, they sometimes drop rare reagents, which a master crafter can use as additives to craft high-end equipment.

8. How can you allow for so much character customization, and still claim that every character is balanced?

We don't claim that! The idea that "all characters should be equally balanced in all situations" is not one of our design goals. We're giving you the control to be able to customize your character. The natural result is that some character builds will inevitably be better than others.

Instead, our goal is to create a deep, complex simulation - filled with tactical and environmental considerations and emergent gameplay. Our design goal is that no single character is better than others in every situation.

This approach means that mastery of the game relies on skill: knowing how to build your character in a way that suits your playstyle, and then seeking out situations in the game that will be to your advantage. It also means that adventuring parties will be less cookie cutter, as the roles are not as clearly defined.

1. What kinds of resources are in the world?

There are two primary types of resources in Crowfall. Those used for personal crafting and those used in conquest. Internally we call them resources and materials. The base unit is actually the same (stone, iron, wood) but there is a conversion process where you can "stack" resources to turn them into materials. This is because it is more efficient (in terms of inventory space) to transport materials en masse - and you might want to carry more. It depends on how you intend to use those materials.

Note that each of these types is a general category. There are a number of different types of stone, just as there are many types of metal and many types of wood. As discussed in our Crafting overview last week, most recipes call for a general category/type of component rather than a specific type (i.e. crafting a bow requires the use of "wood", not "yew" in particular. The type of wood that is used has an effect on the attributes on the resulting "bow" item.)

2. Where do the resources come from?

Resources can be harvested from the environment, and sometimes found on certain monsters. Materials come from particular types of POIs (Points of Interest) called resource factories: Quarries, Lumber Mills, and Mines.

3. What is a Point of Interest?

Our Worlds contain many structures that have strategic and/or economic value. We call these structures "Points of Interest." There are other types of POIs, as well: Strongholds, Temples, Graveyards - these serve different purposes, but all of them fall under the "POI" designation. Some of these POIs are for personal use; others are more strategic and really exist to facilitate (and, in some cases, fuel) the game of territorial conquest.



4. Are there differences between Resource Factories of the same type?

Yes! First, the proximity and location to other Points of Interest makes a huge difference (obviously). Second, we've also put balance knobs in place to increase (or decrease) the quality, quantity and type of material that each Factory produces. One mine could produce high quality iron, while another produces low quality copper -- but at a much higher rate.

Quarries located in a remote area will typically produce much more materials (and at a greater frequency.) This was designed so that, as the risk of transporting those materials goes up, so does the potential reward.

5. How are resources and materials used?

Resources are the base ingredients for crafting items. Materials are the base ingredients for building and repairing structures. If you stack enough resources to turn them into materials, you can use them for your structures. If you need to break the stack, however, some resources will be lost in the conversion.

For this reason, it's best to convert resources into materials only when you intend to either use them for your structures, or when you have enough of a surplus that you don't mind losing some in the "break down" process.