Demo Impressions

[Xziotic]

If anyone's interested ... i've got one or two end-game videos with all characters at max level ...
Just reply here if you want to see it.

[Betel]

So rather then continue to speculate, I would rather like to hear from people who are actually saying they game has unresponsive controls, and they think that.

I think the main problem is the game seems picky about you have to hit the buttons at the same time. Usually games allow you to hold a direction then hit the attack button. This is made worse in this game as it doesn't accept commands until the current attack is done so if you hit the direction button too early you have to let it go and hit it again for it to work.

This turns into a mash the direction button and get frustrated by your moves not working unless you pause between them.
I will probably get used to the game but I have to fight the urge to want to constantly be moving.  This seems odd for an action game.

[neonie]

So rather then continue to speculate, I would rather like to hear from people who are actually saying they game has unresponsive controls, and they think that.

I think the main problem is the game seems picky about you have to hit the buttons at the same time. Usually games allow you to hold a direction then hit the attack button. This is made worse in this game as it doesn't accept commands until the current attack is done so if you hit the direction button too early you have to let it go and hit it again for it to work.

This turns into a mash the direction button and get frustrated by your moves not working unless you pause between them.
I will probably get used to the game but I have to fight the urge to want to constantly be moving.  This seems odd for an action game.

I think that possibly this disconnect occurs due to stemming button mashing, or incentiveising  combo experimentation. It's clearly possible to pull off moves quickly, you see a good example of this when yo fight the Bonus Arche thing, as she pulls off moves quite quickly. It's just a matter of finding which moves you can do quickly together.

[tech7]

This is made worse in this game as it doesn't accept commands until the current attack is done so if you hit the direction button too early you have to let it go and hit it again for it to work.

This is wrong. You can input the next attack during the execution of an attack. The second attack is going to be executed immediately after the animation of the first attack has finished.

[Betel]

as I said this is just impressions from the demo and I will most likely get used to the controls but I think this is where most of the complaints come from. any tips to prevent me from wanting to move in battle so much?

[David J Prokopetz]

as I said this is just impressions from the demo and I will most likely get used to the controls but I think this is where most of the complaints come from. any tips to prevent me from wanting to move in battle so much?

You can move in battle all you want. You're just supposed to use your flip/roll moves to get around in close-quarter combat.

[Betel]

as I said this is just impressions from the demo and I will most likely get used to the controls but I think this is where most of the complaints come from. any tips to prevent me from wanting to move in battle so much?

You can move in battle all you want. You're just supposed to use your flip/roll moves to get around in close-quarter combat.

But what is the best way of communicating that to people who play the demo to see what the game is like? I understand steps where taken to prevent button mashing but the demo does little to show what it expects of you for combat. This leads to misunderstandings such as mine (that it doesn't accept commands until the current attack is done).

Past experience is working against me in this game. Having new rules is good but when the game doesn't tell you it has new rules it becomes an exercise in frustration when your character isn't acting as expected.

[David J Prokopetz]

But what is the best way of communicating that to people who play the demo to see what the game is like? I understand steps where taken to prevent button mashing but the demo does little to show what it expects of you for combat. This leads to misunderstandings such as mine (that it doesn't accept commands until the current attack is done).

Past experience is working against me in this game. Having new rules is good but when the game doesn't tell you it has new rules it becomes an exercise in frustration when your character isn't acting as expected.

It does accept commands before the current attack is done - it's just a timing thing. I think the problem is that folks are expecting the combat controls to play like a Super Mario-style platformer, when in reality, Arche's combat controls are very similar to those of a fighting game - like Street Fighter, or Soul Calibur. You've got chains, pressure moves, combo buffering (and combo breakers), zoning and positional play, invulnerability frames, the high/low game, everything you'd expect from a well-designed fighting game; it just happens to take place in the context of a side-scrolling RPG about little girls beating up zombies.

[VIVr]

And that's one thing that makes this game glorious, really.

[tech7]

But I agree with him about the communication. I know those fighting games and therefore I really enjoy FS combat, but for someone who does not it is irritating. It would be quite useful if the game explains those things in the tutorial. During movement move via moves, you can chain attacks, etc.

If I'm not mistaken, the manual also hides that a little. I assume that it wont be possible to edit the tutorial enough, but perhaps CF could post a little fighting guideline page here.

[neonie]

I would also like to point out (though this may be a moot point for some) that if you don't like the feel of Arche's combat, thee are two mages (that we know of so far) that will be joining your party. (I am holding out up for a fourth lightning mage, but if she never comes it will just be all my fault for thinking she might).

The mage combat might be more suited to somes tastes, and allows you to know have to worry about Arche's potentially complicated combat.

[blizgerg]

It would be quite useful if the game explains those things in the tutorial. During movement move via moves, you can chain attacks, etc.

If you revisit the weapons shop there is a woman in armor there that will explain all this in game.

[tech7]

Ah. I didn't talk to town folk since I just rushed through the demo since I will bux it amyway and start from the beginning.

Still, it should belong in the turorial and not be optional.

[neonie]

Ah. I didn't talk to town folk since I just rushed through the demo since I will bux it amyway and start from the beginning.

Still, it should belong in the turorial and not be optional.

I have to disagree with this sort of attitude. Almost every game that's made now a days holds your hand like this, and I'm glad this game doesn't.

[dkellis]

Still, it should belong in the turorial and not be optional.

I'd actually prefer it to be in the manual, although obviously it should still be in the game somewhere.

This is because if I come back to the game after a long absence, I may not be able to access the tutorial without restarting the game, but the manual will still be there.