Feedback play test 3

Hey team,

Seeing the team in different Twitch chat’s was awesome and very insightful. I’ve heard and learned a bit more about the state of AI and how it’s going to take time. I’m still bringing it up.

Three words came to me and I believe them to be the current pillars of focus, alongside bugs and whatnot. 

Consistency, predictability and moderation.

- AI (in)consistency -

Kicking down a door or breaking glass with little to no response, get half of the map to rush you after engaging with just one enemy and getting picked off with snapshot precision from across the map because they know exactly where you are. Then when I start expecting this kind of behaviour I breach into a room with dormant enemies. While I did learn that enemies radio each other their behaviour needs to become more consistent. 

Thinking of the enemies in the Halo games and how they all have their own specific behaviour makes them more predictable for the player with time yet there’s room for surprise. I’m not saying this is a great 1 to 1 example to implement because that type of AI would perhaps be too different. This needs to improve as that gap is too wide. This also makes rating difficulty right now quite challenging. 

What makes some sit dormant? Is there communication not happening or being stopped? Are squads having trouble communicating with individuals from other squads that are closer to the player at that time? 

There is too much 0 to 100 (behaviour) across a full campaign and too little 40 - 60 if that makes sense. Now a bit of 0 - 100 would be great during the boss fight and is already happening during wave missions when the smokes pop. Surprise becomes easier if the baseline is more steady and consistent.

- Campaign -

Solo is extremely challenging and borderline unfair once you trigger the right (wrong?) enemy or group. But it’s been a blast trying and does bring out that slower tactical feel. With more consistent behaviour and different types of enemy waves for a solo session this could become incredibly fun while remaining challenging.

2-man coop felt the most fun and tactical so far and kept it’s challenge while remaining to be doable with the right effort. 

4-man coop is a different beast and of course depends on your group. I found 4-man sessions to become boring really fast during this play-test and that’s fine for now. Everyone is getting used to the game. Right now it’s too easy for a 4-man group to throw bodies at whatever situation is in front of you. I don’t know what the plan could be. It needs to be more difficult in my opinion while staying fun and that’s not an easy task.

So while every run or map does feel different I don’t think it’s for the right reason consistently. Yet. 

- Interactions -

Interactions with use-able items / objects can be incredibly clunky. With doors you have to look at a certain angle / re-position, picking up a med-kit from the wall not responding well. Same for reviving teammates. Sometimes ‘it just works’ but I found that when you’re in the middle of chaos and spam keys / inputs a lot of the time it doesn’t work. This might’ve been partly me but this should become a more snappy and instant experience. 

Please consider these adjustments / features: 

Separate audio channels for enemies, raven actual and player replies because that was driving me nuts this weekend. Combine with toggle? This gets crazy when you’re on discord with 4 folks and player comms reply to one another constantly. Moderation is key on this one.

Separate row for inventory or clear blue line or whatever else but not in the same row as the shop. Pop-out with blue outline?

Please adjust solo session by not spawning defibs but rather med-kits or potentially recharge 1 bar of armor or similarly useful.

Later game smoke pop wave spawns to not spawn on top of players (although the chaos can be fun) because this is one of those 0 - 100 moments and can potentially ruin a run. Or build up to it more throughout a campaign.

Weapon inventory access from the main menu

Change your look during the loadout screen with a pop-out preset menu or just a 1,2,3.

And for goodness sake lower the VOLUME of:

The team17 splash screen on startup

The mission loading screen that has the obnoxiously loud click at the start of loading

Wishing you a safe and fortunate journey towards early access! You’ve got a banger on your hands. Much love <3