Day[2] Feedback
First off let me say, wow this game is fun. I've played RTS's for a long time, they are my favourite genre even though I'm not nearly as good as I would like to be at them. But the game is way fun. It is engaging and makes me want to actually do the things necessary to become good at it.
Some of the reasons for this are the split responsibility. I no longer have to be constantly vigilant on every part of the map. I need to be aware, but if something is attacking bottom, I don't necessarily need to worry about it. I know someone else is there and can handle it initially. Taking away that little burden of "I HAVE TO BE EVERYWHERE DOING EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW OR I WILL SUCK! AGH!" is an amazing experience to start off with. With getting a team together and really coordinating I think it will be amazing. It feels like taking some of the great fun of working as a team in MOBAs(especially with all the abilities that are actually pretty fun to micro with)
That's my second thing. So far this game doesn't really feel like 1-Aing will be effective at all. Because so much of the units power seem to be built into using abilities, you don't ever get into the mindset of "Just take your dudes, go over there and crush them." It has me thinking about ability usage from the start. I for the most part don't start out with the feeling of, "Here are your marines/conscripts/TotallyNormalDudes, move them at the enemy and they will be effective for the most part." That really feels engaging from the very beginning and that makes it a great way to start the game. It reminds me some of Company of Heroes in how that every fight abilities and positioning are incredibly important and if you don't take care of it constantly you will get crushed. Though luckily it isn't to quite that extreme for some of the squads.
My thoughts on the squads, skeptical when I first heard about them from outside the playtest. Saying that you don't get a full faction as an RTS was immediately.... shocking? Offputting? It was a weird feeling at the very least. (I like it now, just letting my first thoughts on it be known) I was also initially confused as my understanding prior to playing was that I picked a Hero and then I chose from a number of units to make up my squad, not that they were already set packages. I can see why they aren't, seeing as how important the synergy between your units can be. (Plant dad in particular) Though I will say, I wouldn't mind being able to make more choices in either my units, or their abilities. Were I able to choose between having X ability on said unit VS Y ability that would be enjoyable(though much more work in balancing, so I definitely understand if that doesn't happen). To put it in the ArtilleryFeedbackFormat™. Being able to choose units or their abilities would make me feel more in charge of my army as a strategic choice. This is especially true as currently(as others have stated as well) there isn't necessarily much strategic choice in the late game as you max out your army to all that you can buy, and that is that. I also personally very much enjoy a sense of progression in a game, and this game does definitely give a good bit, but I wouldn't mind either more abilities on the hero as it leveled, or being able to change the way the abilities work at some levels. Some of the upgrades effect those choices, but not all, and I personally would enjoy something like that. (Giving the fire bolt a piercing function, giving healing waters a chain heal option, stuff like that.)
Into the game.
I like the more relaxed warm up phase, that's pretty cool.
I do feel like it is hard to build up an army fast, the gold income feels slow, though at the same time, this helps keep the game in each stage (early, mid, late) for a longer period of time.
I like the respawning units, that's really cool, it can feel like it takes FOREVER though. And while for some squads it isn't as major a problem, for the lord of vines if you have gotten your seed bots killed, you are more or less screwed. Your effectiveness is incredibly diminished. Ouch.
The resources being automatically collected is nice. Pretty fun. But there aren't many ways to impact your economy other than taking expansions. A hero/squad that works around your respawn times and effecting your economy in different ways could be cool.
The faction/unit specific upgrades are cool, I like the ones that further push the synergy between units. That's fun.
Others have talked about the Nexis just kinda being a building plopped down. Maybe the arted maps will change it, but overall it is easy to forget about and feels unimportant.
Being able to go to your upgrade building without having to go back to base would be awesome.
Unit-Collision: I think this may be a divisive point for people. I personally think it is important to have. Body blocking enemy units, keeping them from escaping or making it to your squishier units is a great gameplay element, it can feel very rewarding and a way to really flex your skill at different levels of play. I think being blocked on your own/allies units is also a good part of coordination, but as it is currently implemented, the collision boxes seem to large compared to the units themselves, and as the pathing doesn't reroute around being blocked units can become stuck on each other seemingly forever. And that isn't good. It's one thing for your units to get held up for a second or two as you rush to a crowded fight or past your allies, it's another for you to be missing 1/4th of your army as they struggle against getting around two of your allies big units and then not having them for an important battle. I say keep collision and make it important, just make it easier to manage than it currently is.
Also, OH MY GOD THE MINIMAP MISCLICKS ARE AWFUL. It either needs to be smaller, or on the opposite side or something because it is really frustrating.
Late game there isn't any real choice in army composition, you just max all the units that you can.
Killing enemy heroes should feel a bit more rewarding. I'd say either some gems or some gold(I'd prefer gold) especially since the heroes respawn so much faster than the other units.
Overall, way fun, I am loving it so far and I can't wait to see more development. Woooo!
Comments
Thanks for the writeup and yaaaaay for positive initial experiences!
Re: squads -- nice comment on what your initial reaction to the clarity of "Hero vs Squads." I've added this item to my to-do list to address.
Re: strategic choice -- completely agree that there's a "flatness" to the strategy. Currently, a squad is a playstyle, but it's not exactly a box to explore. Expanding strategic choice is our biggest goal over the next few months. There's some cute stuff in there too about choosing some different abilities pre-game.
Re: your in game comments -- there are a whole bunch of comments here so lemme know if there's anything specific you'd like me to address
. Otherwise, these are precisely the types of feedback comments that are useful to us. Tons and tons of clear reactions and brief comments ^_^.
Nothing particularly important to be addressed in the ingame part, but I do think you shouldn't completely get rid of the body blocking aspect. Because I think that leads to more interesting fights, especially in games that are similar to mobas as Atlas seems to be heading toward partially.