Good day IMC, first of all, I was finally able to play the game yesterday, and all I can say is that it’s quite a good and interesting game. Also, I was not expecting this type of gameplay innovation from the original Ragnarok and I like it.
At first, I actually thought this is a point and click game much like the original Ragnarok, I also did not watched any videos regarding this game’s gameplay, except the Skill Demonstrations, so I really wasn’t expecting a D-Pad + Z Combo system, which is very similar to other online games and JRPGs that I play and love.
Before anything else though; the following suggestions that I will present is just a suggestion, and my aim is to somehow, when it got implemented, it will hopefully improve the overall gameplay of this game into something more… smooth and more action-packed, and I do hope that, if these features were added, it will also make the gameplay experience of most, if not all players, to become more “engaging”, action-packed and fun, should I say.
Also, another thing, I haven’t reached that far from the game yet and it is my first time playing this game, (add to the fact that I did not watched any gameplay videos of this game except the Skill Demonstration ones from the wiki/fan database), so I may still be ignorant on some of the game’s features, and I apologize for that.
I also know full well that this suggestion might cause some pretty massive workload on the part of the developers and what I am suggesting might be impossible to achieve… but, think of this; if a console game I will mention later in this post (which I linked a video to), was able to implement such system into their game… I find it impossible as to why this game can’t…
Now for the issue at hand, I would like to suggest something regarding the combat system of the game and I hope that, through the implementation of this suggestion, it will help to add more Fun, Action and “Flowing” factor into the gameplay itself
Here’s a full explanation of my suggestion that I have in mind as well as some issues I found:
I noticed that the combo system is quite… stiff, there isn’t much movement or… should I say… ACTION, into it. I suggest that the way the combo and dodging/dash (the double tapping of the Directional Buttons) be changed into something even more flowing, because I already classify this game as NOT a point-and-click game anymore; it is already a hack-and-slash game for me due to the implementation of the Directional Buttons and a button to use normal combos, so I do not see anymore reason to make the character’s normal combos and skills become so stiff and only doing it in one place.
And that is NOT how you fight in real-life too; in martial arts, when you do a combination of kicks and punches, or even sword swings, you move NOT only your hands but also your whole body itself, in other words; I find that the characters lacks some form of “FOOTWORK”: which results in a very stiff hack-and-slash gameplay. And since, in my perspective, this game is already that type of game, might as well amp up the way combat system works, right?
I propose the following:
The Z combos will have even more animation in them, especially on the way the characters wields their Melee weapons (e.g. variety of ways the character does their slashes). As for the Archer Class, to add more style into the way they shoot their arrows.
The Z combos and Skills will have more footwork and movement added to them as well as body motions: for example; a Swordsman’s (or any other Melee character for that matter) Z combos will actually propel him forward as well in addition to a variety of directions he swings his sword in a way that it “connects”: for example he will slash from top right to lower left, and then the 2nd slash will come from the left side to his right into a horizontal cut and this “connecting swings” motion continues to connect for at least 5 times, and then, for example a Swordsman used the skill “Thrust” he will really move forward as well (an example is the thrusting move in Kendo: the Tsuki; you can see videos of it online, and in that move, not only does your arm moves, but also your whole body moves forward to add even more force to the thrusting move); take a look at real-life scenarios such as a Fencing Competition or Kendo competition; or even in Animes fight scenes; the way they swing their swords connects.
As for the Jump function: I find them useful somehow, but for some reason, monsters still hits me even if I am up in the air; it might either be just lag or my character’s hitbox still stays on the ground even if I jump… but in any case, since this game has a Jump function, might as well add a combo to it: for melee characters; when they jump, of course they won’t do anything, but when you press Z while the character is in midair, they will raise their weapons and perform a downward crashing blow to the opponent as they go down, which deals quite a higher damage (or not; up to you) along with any other additions you might want to add; maybe even add a feature wherein a character can execute skills while in midair (I do not know if this is already a feature of another advanced job class though).
As for the Archer/Ranged Classes, they will have an ability to shoot arrows downward while in midair for like 3 times and even perform at least one Skill, after which, they then can land back. They should at least stay in midair while firing arrows or a sort of slowing down their descent to the ground (kind of like; to demonstrate that their arrow fires strong enough to produce a recoil and help them stay up in midair during the duration of the combo).
For the Mage classes: it would be nice if some skills can be casted WHILE moving/dashing/running/jumping around the field, to add more to the “action” and to remove the stereo type of Mages as a non-moving, sitting-duck Glass Cannons.
Also, additional feature of the Jump function is that it can immediately CANCEL any normal Z Combos that your character is executing quickly, in order to add more “Flow”, and like I said earlier, the character can still perform a skill (it’s up to you on what skill is capable of being able to be casted in midair or ground-only skills), which will make them descent immediately, or if they want to prolong their status of being in midair, they will be able to perform combos and then use a skill as a finisher before they land back to the ground.
Dashing/Dodging (double tapping of the directional buttons): I noticed that this game has added this nifty feature which I love in them hack-and-slash games that I play, but I still found it lacking… umm… I think it can still be improved some more… I propose that it be changed this way: when we press a directional button twice in rapid succession, the character will perform a “dodge”, whether or not this will add invincibility frames is up to you, but this functions as a quick way to dodge an opponent’s attacks (and, through the implementation of this, you can also make the attacks of boss monsters a little bit faster so that things will become more balanced and challenging, seeing that this improved quick-dodge function is really “QUICK”, that the boss monster’s slow attacks would be outclassed; making the game less challenging, so, with the quick-dodge feature executed by double pressing a directional button/s once and a faster boss monster attack animation; will hopefully make the game more action-packed, fast-paced and more “flowing”.
Now for the “Fast Run”/Dash feature this game originally has, which consumes that stamina thing enclosed in a diamond-shaped UI near your HP and SP bar: As I said earlier, double tapping a directional button or buttons (such as Up and Left, for a diagonal quick-dodge), will execute a dodge; now if the player wishes to do this “Fast Run” feature; all they have to do is to just keep pressing the directional button; in other words; the way it normally works right now when it comes to running.
About the stamina consumption of Quick-Dodge and Fast-Run/Dash: some people might rage to the fact that the quick-dodge feature I am suggesting is not consuming any stamina (which ,if it does, will add a hindrance to the fast-paced gameplay we are aiming), it is actually just up to you whether or not to remove this stamina feature altogether, or to continue to implement it in the Fast-Run/Dash feature (just… NOT on the quick-dodge, please), up to you all. Since, frankly speaking, I do not see any sense of being able to consume a stamina when fast-running/dashing, except for an attempt to make things more realistic (as if your character’s normal movements; which is already a running motion, doesn’t consume stamina already when looked at a real-life perspective).
Also, for the fast-run/dash feature that this game has, it would be nice if the Melee and Archers/Ranged Classes can also fire arrows and even use skills while fast-running/dashing, for an even more improved AND realistic combat system.
In a nutshell; the Fast Run/Dash feature (the one that currently consumes stamina) will have an added feature in the beginning before the character executes the Dash; which is a Quick-dodge; capable of canceling any Normal Z combos halfway in order to dodge attacks and being able to attack IMMEDIATELY afterwards (AND this quick-dodge should not consume any stamina of some sort, to remove any limiting feature that will surely hinder the fast-paced action we are aiming here). And then, if the player chooses to keep the directional button/s pressed after they executed the quick-dodge, their character will do the Fast Run; the one which consumes Stamina, and while in this mode, is still capable of attacking or executing a Skill (which will then stop the character from running).
Also, to adapt to the possible changes on how fast a character moves around the field that the quick-dodge provides; might as well make the Fast-Run/Dash, even MORE faster than the speed that consecutive quick-dodge spamming provides, to justify the usage of Stamina if you still want to hold on to that stamina feature.
Combo Flow and overall action: Again, seeing that this game added a Jump and Fast-Run/Dash function, it would be nice if, through all these changes, these two (and, if quick-dodge maneuver will ever be implemented), will remain “flowing” in a way; what I mean is, Normal Attacks will interact in a smooth way with the Dash, Quick-Dodge and Jump maneuvers: thereby cancelling the normal combos to dodge an attack. Also, the capability to perform an attack while in midair, and to be able to perform a quick-dodge immediately when they land on the ground after jumping, AND the capability to perform consecutive quick-dodge maneuvers, and to be able to execute a combo immediately after a quick-dodge maneuver and even to be able to execute an attack and skills while doing a fast-run/dash, will all contribute for a smoother, more action-packed and “flowing” gameplay that Hack and Slash games–in my opinion–should have.
Lastly, for the skills; they usually act as a sort of “Finisher” to a normal combo, which means they also act as cancelers for the normal combos, as well as cancelers for the Fast-Run/Dash and makes the character descend to the ground if these skills are casted midair… but, like before, the character is still able to perform any action and maneuvers right after the animation of the skill ends to keep the “flow”.
Now, I do not know if I am allowed to post a video of another game in here, but my suggestion can be summed up by checking out the gameplay on one of my favorite games: YS Seven. Here is an example of what I’m talking about:
As you can see in the video, the character’s normal combos propel them forward/move them around the field, and even their skills MOVE the character itself around the battlefield depending on the skill animations. And if you watched further videos of this game, the character named Aisha, which is an archer class, can also fire arrows WHILE running (not too sure if this is already a feature of other advanced Archer Classes though, but that should not stop Archers from being able to fire arrows and Mages from being able to cast spells while moving too, right?).
And also, as you can see in the video (or if you played the game yourself), you will see that normal combos can be cancelled by executing a quick-dodge, in order to dodge an attack and then to execute another combo in the position they landed in RIGHT AFTER they do a quick-dodge; and the characters CAN even execute consecutive quick-dodges to be able to move really fast around the battlefield, (NOT just one quick-dodge with a long delay; adding an action-delay after a quick-dodge as well as stamina cost per quick-dodge hinders the fast-paced gameplay we are aiming here and should be avoided), these factors help make the gameplay even more fast-paced.
This type of fast-paced, action-packed gameplay is what I am suggesting, since, I think this game should already move on from the static animation and gameplay that the point-and-click gameplay that the original Ragnarok implemented… since I think Hack and Slash games such as this are meant to be fast-paced, more flowing, smooth and has a lot of action involved.
Lastly, I apologize for any negative reactions, thoughts and emotions that this suggestion might provoke… also, it would be nice to see this game become more fast-paced and action-packed and become a true hack-and-slash game (that, from what I see, is what they are already trying to make this game to be), and the suggestions I presented, when implemented would hopefully help this game to be like that. Any adjustments here and there from the suggestions I presented is all up to the developers… but yeah, I am, and will always be “NO” to the Stamina Consumption of the Quick-dodge maneuver.