You're all free to denote ideas for the SP (bosses, weapons, etc.) here. I'll do as much myself in time. For the moment, I'll stop to evaluate some pros/cons of the various GoW games (only lightly touching on story, graphics, sound, etc. and mostly focusing on gameplay, replayability, etc.).
NOTE: Might add in area-by-area coverage or expand on some areas. Might not. We'll see about that later. SP suggestions for GoW:A have just begun. I'll have to review old notes and other threads. Input of others would be appreciated.
Ascension suggestions *WIP*
Collisions:
[spoiler] -Take the GoWIII system (wall/object collisions, knockback colliions, full, half *three cases*, etc.) and give it the GoW1/GoWII inverse scaling with Armor. If there is a move like Battering Ram again, make it (and only it) static. Simple. [/spoiler]
Petrification:
[spoiler] -Partial petrification is a bit much to be honest. Stare harming statues was also a bit odd, but slightly more acceptable. I'd allow the latter again, but the former seems destined to come at the cost of having the spell for us to use freely at all (because it would be way too good or force crippling of the spell). Item versions are a pain to draft up. I'd rather not have to resort of a possession.
What is desired is simply a spell. I'm unsure if magic tied to weapons is intended again, but there is a certain case Stheno's powers could be attached to if not just taken through her head being collected (as is desired). Regarding the system, the GoWII system was pretty much perfect (as I've said and detailed down below).
A WW version would be nice. We just don't know enough about how they work yet. [/spoiler]
Friendly Fire:
[spoiler] -Mounting beasts to use them against allies and petrification aside, it is nice when enemy attacks can hit (at least moving) their allies. Even if the damage were to be reduced, it would still be neat. Maybe have only certain attacks have the property.
Good to see some of this at play if only with large targets hitting the small ones. Wonder how this will actually pan out. [/spoiler]
Ring-out:
[spoiler] -Let's try not spamming the invisible walls or making them monstrously high. If the player falls to their death, that's on them. If the monsters fall to their death, sucks to be them. Leaving the option to use this instant kill for the more clever players (not looking to chip things out again and again) is desired.
SP Demo made it look like they aren't yet limiting this option (very good). [/spoiler]
Enviro:
[spoiler] -GoW1 had lots of traps and they weren't unwelcome. GoWIII expanded use of pots into this area (oil pots for explosives, ramming in general, etc.). We always tend to have some environmental edge...but I just want to make clear that always locking us in and spamming featureless arenas (with lots of respawns) would be highly upsetting conduct. [/spoiler]
Navigation:
[spoiler] -I don't see 'ropes' coming back even though we're in the past and aren't nearly the same Kratos who would swing around on his own weapon. If they do, I won't mind it. That and beams to mess with people who can't navigate them (GoW being forgiving with the grabbing of them). Rolling platforms too (plenty in GoW1). Quick movement options are all a must though. I'm not at all thrilled about this Uncharted navigation talk if it means no wall/ceiling combat. GoWIII had the wall combat down, but it just didn't set up much of anything to do with the work done. Ceiling still needed maybe a bit more work though. Swimming could use the grab (and things to use it on) along with some of the positive attention from GoW1 and GoS. As for underwater combat, I don't know that I'd want to even dare let anyone try to make it. There has yet to be an Action game (or much of any) where this was a good idea *but then there are other places where this note of caution applies*. Icarus Vent/Pegasus like bits are fine, but have to be carefully handled. [/spoiler]
Puzzles:
[spoiler] -Rapid moving and turning of boxes was highly convenient, but not so much the kick push being nerfed. Again, collisions added made for a nice touch. Again, I cite Catherine as a more recent puzzle game with boxes galore. Other than that, there isn't much I can say beyond cautioning about some of the past puzzles and how they are felt about in past entries. Would be nice if one didn't have to do them in repeat playthroughs over and over again even if it meant using EXP just to skip them. Some might suggest chapter selects (at savepoints/checkpoints). All fine for NG+, yes? [/spoiler]
Armor:
[spoiler] -Shield bearing foes are desired, but not a substance only one weapon can damage. Having one tool able to completely destroy the stuff with ease is fine, but the others should be able to manage it too, but only with certain moves and such. If we lake a 'bane' (nice as it was), we could just go back to heavier hits able to chip at the armor if not the really big ones shattering it in a hurry. Light moves glancing harmlessly or even opening us up (bouncing off like a parry). A 'phalanx' among said shield users (if Group AI is initiated) would be good.
Aside from this, the same sort of system would be nice for larger foes (spicing them up). Enforcers desperately need it. Maybe even destruction of their 'ball arm' as an option if hits are well placed. Less necessary would be 'covered' Cyclops, but having that would be justification for the difference in HP being small beyond this advantage they enjoy. A 'large' Minotaur (CoO/GoS) design isn't bad at all. A blend of CoO and GoS would be fine (difficult to block or unblockable melee with reversable grab). But we'll get into all that later. To note it, Skorpius was not a fine case for a boss with this property (Onyx or otherwise). [/spoiler]
Weapons:
[spoiler] NOTE: Besides returning favorites via DLC, possessions, etc., I'd have to think on what to say here. We've already heard talk of the Hammer and Sword with a 'Spear' shown. All very GoWII with room for DLC to make them those very weapons (with improvements). Hopefully not losing the best elements of each. That would be truly upsetting. If I operate on the idea that weapons dictate spells still, I can make weapons based on that. Going the other way, just making them to make them. I'll get back to this. At any rate, some moves not altered by Power % *usually specials* would be good. Piercing Shards and Divine Retribution are the all-star examples of this done right.
NOTE2: Because of Tether and WW, things have changed a bit. MP has L1+X as sprint, but I doubt this will be so for SP (so I will act accordingly). Also, MP has L2 for Escape/Heal which would be nonsense in SP as well (assumed to be items). One possible appeal to having the Sprint would be 'running attacks', but without good strings off them (modeled after GoW1's Hermes Rush *perhaps a rise and 'mount' case too*) it is without much point. Good cancels too. I can only hope we don't have our time wasted with weapon switch specials...
NOTE3: Our Blades have BoE t1/t2 (old is preferred), BoE CoC (hopefully with lvl2 CoC around lvl4 Blades), BoE ground TR (hopefully with lvl2 TR at lvl5), BoA air TR (why not BoE TR again? *it wasn't bad*) and the usual suspects. I doubt counter and evade moves will get any better, but looking to the past (GoW1) could help. The "S" option is back to an earlier form (good for laying bombs and little else). Pity. "T" will likely remain weak, but effective for set-up even without evasion into quick Ascension (and likely lacking i-frames still).
-(Stheno's Claws) We've had plenty of slower and heavier hitting 'fist' weapons, but not so much in the way of fast and furious cases. I appreciate that it wouldn't be very Kratos to treat these too much like Falcon Talons with Ryu (especially the kicks), but there is merit to it. Being more like what is done in Wolverine Origins would be good (lunging moves into option select *not unlike HC for mounts or the notion of combat grappling* is the most desired special). Rather than held inputs for charged strikes (busting armor/stuns), held inputs could be used for flurries not too unlike Odette (Bayonetta). In GoW terms this would be more like Nemesis Whips I suppose (just shorter range to justify slightly more power). Realy though, this exists for the case where it needs to in order to have the spell attached to it. Still, it would not be an unwelcomed sight.
-(Fist Weapon) - Stheno's Claws cover the fast/rapid-hit case. GoW has traditionally been more fond of the slower, heavier hitting case with armor breaking and charged hits. This is not unwelcome. Hell, an expanded move list for 'Unarmed' (WW) would be desirable too. I've seen it suggested that these have more moves like in DMC's fist weapons (Ex: Ifrit charged fireballs, Beowulf 'rising dragon', Real Impact, etc.). If for some reason the tether cannot pull us into mount from air-to-air or air-to-ground *nonsense*, this sort of weapon should have that for ground-and-pound. Tirades aren't too different from the asking of rapid hits or charged hits.
-(AoS) - Javelin WW covers some of the spear moves. I'll suggest a Shield WW soon enough. Not sure how much point there is in asking for this weapon now beyond having both and the stronger specials of each case.
-(Sword/Shield) Short range, lots of different combos (delayed input, mashing, held, 360, etc.) and dodge offset enabled. Just an excuse to have more 'normal' weapons even if it comes down to just the 1H Sword, but this seems really unlikely with WW. Dodge Offset for a single GoW weapon would make it stand out among its peers I should think. That and delayed input for alternate strings aside from mixing up light/heavy. Even mashing during certain moves for extra hits. At any rate, Soul Calibur has some good showings for this set-up.
-(Scythe) Stretching antics of DI, multi-hit tosses of Darksiders and normals/UT of NG? Perhaps elements of Sparda here and there. Charon had one (curious Thanos did not). The 'Sickle' of Cronos could sort of cover this. Doubtful 'time' would be attached to it (electricity already paired with him as of GoWII).
-(Soul/Gift of Ares) Sort of a complicated tool switching between forms *not unlike AoS*. Hammer (charge/smash/sweep and flamethrower), Axe (normals) and Sword (normals and pillars). This with specials (or spells) of the teleport *like in MP* variety, pillars, unblockable homing fireballs, rushing grab, fireball volley, unblockable palm, etc. I've considered it all before, but it is hard to fit the moves to a player controled character and more so with even more restrictions on input options. Character Limit makes it hard to expand on these things as well. Even the tentacles were accounted for.
-(Duel Swords) Basically in the same vein as Athena here. Another excuse to have petrification tied to them as the spell (though pre-Medusa). Rushing slashes, flipping hits, etc. Really not the most interesting thing without tossing them around like boomerangs as Starkiller does in SWFU2 while in 'rage'. [/spoiler]
Spells:
[spoiler] NOTE: Again, depends on if these are attached to weapons, if we have 'items', etc. Suggestions from older threads by myself and others might get dropped later. None of these should be altered by Power %.
NOTE2: -LotF spell is simple enough. Perhaps they'll take a cue from the MP and have multiple simple spells (change via menu) per weapon if indeed they are tied to the Blades. I recall talk of 'elements' (more in regards to rage)...which has me somewhat worried.
-(Stheno's Head) Just make "Euryale's Head" exactly as it was and you would have it pretty well nailed. For improvements, you can see about making "Gorgon Blast" (tap circle) less crappy be it through larger area of effect, higher potency, homing *like all enemy versions of this* or even just being cheaper. I-frames are welcomed along with the cancels. EH with the GoWII system for foe resistance, shakeout time and statue HP really was a solid showcase.
-(Ares) One case would be the unblockable homing fireballs. Another for the volley. Another still regarding the teleport (safe repositioning). Hell, even a full screen AoE dealing some set amount of damage (only real draw being special kill animations *people lighting aflame, grunts breaking in half or having their heads explode, etc.*).
-(Various) We don't really get many spells that aren't damage orientd. No buffs/debuffs, special properties, healing, etc. Plenty of ideas can be whipped up for this and rather easily excused.
-(Call of the Wild) Basically another shot at "Soul Summon" (CoH). Various 'spirits' (themed around servants of Artemis) with different attack types. Giant (or Orion) in place of Berserker, giant Boar might do 3x ram with flames (Chimera), Silver Wolves running around to attack/dogpile (mix of Mongrel and Legionnaires), Forest Huntresses (Undead Archers), Wood Nymphs binding targets in an AoE (small damage, but mostly hindering movement), River Nymph possibly exploding to replace Fiends, Stymphalian Birds fly around and fire feathers around, Pan for a song reducing foe aggression or a wail acting like a Seductress/Widow shockwave, Humans just running around (AI prioritizes them and tries to kill said targets), Hind running around really fast ramming things (preferably hitting big targets and getting stuck on them for multi-hits like Centaur General), etc.
-(Apollo's Plague) A redone SoE basically. Early on just a swarm of locusts and disease to stun and lightly damage targets with light returns on HP for us. Later more swarms, better stuns, greater damage and significantly better HP returns. Hopefully not obscuring vision as badly as SoE. [/spoiler]
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