Warhammer Online to model geometric collision

The devs would have to be really dumb to not already be aware of most of the issues mentioned in this thread. In the worst case, even a slash command that works only in PvE to get by someone would be a quick fix.

That said, I think this is a great idea. MMOs need to get past the artificial crutch of aggro lists and taunts, and start moving towards a system where strong front-liners can physically shield weaker back-line troops, and get facing bonuses if someone tries to run past them to hit the rear.

Agreed. On my WoW tanking toons I try hard to hold agro, while at the same time feeling that the whole concept is really goofy.

Meanwhile, I need to go back to single player RPGs and look at how they dealt with mobs’ hate lists, agro, etc. I assume usually it’s either proximity based or on an attack trigger, though if I recall correctly in BG2 (or maybe Throne of Bhaal, or both) some enemies would make a beeline for your casters. I hardly gave any thought to these under-the-hood things until I played WoW where the prevailing meta-culture and theorycraft forces them into the open and into general discussion/playstyle.

Its an awesome idea if they can get it to work right. It could allow MMO devs to finally phase out the concept of threat/hate/whatever.

I agree on all counts.

The concept of threat/hate is silly and instead of trying to get away from it, Blizzard at least, is embracing it to the point of using it as a way to pace encounters.

It would suck to be developing (or funding, or publishing) a fantasy MMO now. It will be interesting to see Vanguard’s sales and then their subscribers in six months or so.

Interesting for you, scary for the Vanguard guys is my guess.

Of course they’ve thought of these problems and others not listed here. But have they thought of all of the ways people will use to grief either other players or the system? That’s my point.

I remember someone from Mythic talking about how they had wanted to have collision in DAoC, so this is no surprise to me. I’m pretty sure they’ve been giving several years of thought to how to implement it properly.

I’m seeing Dead Rising in my head reading about this.

That makes this game an attraction to me.

Warhammer Online (aka WoW, but not WoW) is going to be a colossal failure anyway, so who cares about how its collision works?

Play Guild Wars. Although they only model collision between you and your enemies not you and your team mates. It works well as body blocking is one of the few ways to manage aggro in PvE and to stop a warrior wiping out your backline in PvP.

I had forgotten about that, but that’s another great example. There were definitely times I got blocked in a respawn tube (probably because someone went AFK or disco’ed, not griefing), but getting around them costs you nothing except half a clip of Suppressor ammo.

My favorite were invisible ogres blocking exits. I remember this one Ogre in Befallen that would let people into that door that lead to the lower dungeon area. However, when the frequent trains would start, he would stand in the corridor. Of course players couldn’t see him, and they would desperately be trying to escape the mobs (along with everyone else in the lower dungeon) only they would get stuck and think the game was bugged or something.

Another one they would pull, is getting TWO invisible ogres to block the exit to Unrest, we all remember how the trains worked in that zone.

Well, obviously not you. So why post in this thread other than to troll?

Would it be more expensive to model collision detection vs the “enemy” races only - so you could go dashing through people on your side, but would come to a stop if you tried to run through an enemy? That would seem to remove most of the griefing occasions - if an enemy is blocking your path, that’s not griefing, that’s PVP!

That would make it less expensive to calculate, actually. It’s hard to tell from the gameplay videos, but I don’t think they’d have allied stacking anyway, it would become an oddly fiction-breaking meta-game to try to hide your healers in the shoes of your tanks. In fact, now I come to think of it I’m sure I read one recent description of hands-on PvP where the reviewer specifically mentioned being unable to retreat past his own allies.

CoH has had full collision for characters and enemies since launch. DDO has collision between players and monsters, but player characters can walk through each other freely. Since there’s not much flying or leaping tall buildings in DDO, and it often takes place in cramped areas, using melee classes to block enemies while squishy casters deal with them from relative safety is actually a fairly common tactic.

Who wants to bet that this “feature” will reveal to be just a minor “gimmick” at release?

Or collision detection is a strong mechanic (and in this case it will lead to too many problems), or it is so bland and weak to be totally irrelevant.

Your lack of faith in EA Mythic is disturbing!

I’m going to play the “They’re trying to make something that many other games have done successfully for about 5 years into a USP because they are massively out of touch with their competition and/or have very little to distinguish themselves and as such are having to work extra hard to convince people otherwise.” card.

Seriously collision detection in your MMO isn’t really news or a USP. It’s right up there with people still trying to convince us that ragdoll physics is still fresh and new ten years after it was first seen in a game.

Wow, seems like people have been hitting the snarky posting juice today.

I’ve been following WAR for a while (not obsessively) but this is the first time I’ve really seen collision detection discussed. Are you really saying that with all that’s been written about the game, you seriously think they’re touting this feature because they have nothing else to offer? My mind boggles at the thought. And as far as MMORPGs go while some do have collision detection, many don’t, so it’s not as though they’re touting the ability to kill spiders and rats at level 1 as a big deal.

By the way, what’s a USP?

Yup. Its WoW, but not WoW! 3 years late! But hey, it has collisions!