Clunky gameplay - shift key issues

I've tried to raise this issue before once or twice. Not really got any response, from community and devs alike.

The point is that the gameplay is a bit clunky, unresponsive and feels a bit off. Don't get me wrong, I do like the game and what it brings. However I can easily see how a combatsystem without the same flow as other titles can easily be a gamebreaker for many.

By now many would have gotten the opportunity to play around in the other titles and get the feel for them. So maybe now I can make my point and be understood correctly.


My main gripe about PoE is how shift works. But since I've already gon into depth about that I'll just quote that post.
http://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/16086

"

One thing I can be precise about is that the shift function do need work. While it does respond good enough on activation the poor release implementation makes me not use it. After I press shit+attackclick* for directional attack I release shift. While the animation of the attack runs I start holding mousebutton to move in a direction. Usually this ends up with several attacks extra in the direction I want to move until I release mousebutton once.
It's like the release of shift gets blocked by attackcommand. I'm not the kind of player that hammers mouse1.
May it be that it is kinda made for hammering and that's why it feel sluggish for the press'n hold players?



* Clarification: to replicate just...
+shift
aim cursor
+mouse1 twice without moving cursor. Keep it pressed after second press. Start moving cursor to where you want to move character after attack.
-shift
^character keeps attacking.

But if you just press once and hold, that same press can be used to move after attackanimation is done. Making for an inconsistent, counter-intuitive functionality.

This was written some time ago and I don't think anything has changed. I haven't check just now but since I tend to constantly missfire instead of moving and so on, I'm guessing it still works the same.



As a first change I'd suggest that shift should be changed. It should not be dependent on having to release and press again on mouse to start working or other way around.
If shift is pressed while moving the character should stop and if mouse1 hasn't been released the skill on mouse1 should start being used in the direction of the pointer. Is the shift then released, still holding mouse1, the character should resume moving.
And this should happen regardless of melee/ranged/skill or whatever.

Also a deadstop on shift would help the flow in combat by preparing the character to start using skills even if mouse1 was just pressed once to move and shift only used to as a stop command.



Besides the shift problems I'd say the clunky feel is tightly connected to attack speed. Maybe it's just that attack animations lock the character in place just a bit to long or so to get the feel of responsivenes.



With the opposition really feeling way better in this area I hope that there will be some progress for PoE. I would hate to see PoE go into open beta as is now to be honest. PoE kick ass when it comes to character progression and skillsystem. I mean the just amazing gimpbuilds can be done in this game. :)
But for all that diversity it truly would be a shame to go open beta and get a reputation to be clunky and stiff. And coming from the other games that does it better it will probably be a gamebreaker for many.


Well my rant is over. Have a nice day.

I absolutely HATE IT when I am on my fast attacking wand character, and I left click the ground to start MOVING but the character keeps ATTACKING because apparently I re-left clicked during the attack animation or something, hell I don't know, but she just stands there shoooting at air for a few times until I have to let go of the LMB until she stops shooting, THEN click to move. Ugh. hate that.

I agree, I've had the same issue that almost led my character to death. Not sure I understand what makes the character just keep attacking sometimes when I think I click once or twice to get him to move.

For stiffiness, even though there is ways to get your character to cast spells and attack faster with equipments I do feel the default is a tiny bit too slow.
Maybe the "faster" attribute could come a bit more often in magical items to help that ?
Or maybe another type of whetstone could improve the speed of a weapon ?

"

brobbeh wrote:

I agree, I've had the same issue that almost led my character to death. Not sure I understand what makes the character just keep attacking sometimes when I think I click once or twice to get him to move.

For stiffiness, even though there is ways to get your character to cast spells and attack faster with equipments I do feel the default is a tiny bit too slow.
Maybe the "faster" attribute could come a bit more often in magical items to help that ?
Or maybe another type of whetstone could improve the speed of a weapon ?

Well I think it's really a bit late to start messing with the base attackspeed. And the mods as is today is quite nice. Wouldn't wanna see IAS bully its way in on the cost of another mod.
But one thing that could solve alot is to make the lockup for the animation let go as soon as the actual attack has gone off.
Not to be able to attack again but only to be able to move .

It's like if you, as an archer, stop and fire one arrow, then keep running. You surely wouldn't have to be as neat with the postattack handling with your bow. At least you should be able to keep running.

Anyways...
Something like that AND sorting out the shift functionality would surely go a long way to make the combat much more pleasant experience.

This is one of several gameplay issues.

The game feels out of date.

It's certainly no Lineage Eternal, now is it?

"

iPan wrote:

This is one of several gameplay issues.

The game feels out of date.

It's certainly no Lineage Eternal, now is it?

You certainly haven't played Lineage Eternal, now have you?

You saw 1 youtube video of gameplay and have decided it's gods gift to ARPG's. Besides the fact that in that game you can draw a circle on the screen with a mouse in order to perform a move found in every other ARPG, I didn't see anything revolutionary. The grappling hook was cool, and I am not saying it isn't a pretty game, but all you have is 1 video.

It saddens me to see how little opinions is vented about this.
Can it be that the majority of those that feel it's a gamebreaker just isn't around anymore?

If I am shift+click attacking and I release shift I walk for about 1.5-2 sec. then attack randomly at the air and repeat that process until I let go of mouse click even though shift isnt being touched anymore.

"

Dalkordigo wrote:

It saddens me to see how little opinions is vented about this.
Can it be that the majority of those that feel it's a gamebreaker just isn't around anymore?

probably

"

Wittgenstein wrote:

"

iPan wrote:

This is one of several gameplay issues.

The game feels out of date.

It's certainly no Lineage Eternal, now is it?

You certainly haven't played Lineage Eternal, now have you?

You saw 1 youtube video of gameplay and have decided it's gods gift to ARPG's. Besides the fact that in that game you can draw a circle on the screen with a mouse in order to perform a move found in every other ARPG, I didn't see anything revolutionary. The grappling hook was cool, and I am not saying it isn't a pretty game, but all you have is 1 video.

I hope that iPan is still here in 2014 so he can tell us how RIGHT he was.

Somehow I doubt it.