Perspectives and opinions on the game so far

[Comatonic]

First off, Straight up, this game is awesome already. I think it's fascinating how much excellent gameplay and content there is for a solo dev and I want to extend my biggest kudos to the execution so far. I truly can't wait for more, and look forward to playing this game with my friends a lot. I've run up against all the content it has so far and it's tantalizing to see what will be coming, to say the least.

The game is not without certain flaws however, and I would like to voice my opinions on them as well as a big suggestion for how to mitigate them going forward.

The biggest and most glaring issue with the game is certainly the chosen interface layout. The number bar and F bar being the choices for the powers and heals will become a problem as the game grows. These mechanics are wonderful in slower, more methodical RPG systems, usually with autoattack mechanics, because you can mindfully use them as you need to and pay close attention to what's going to be where, or even fill the screen with multiple UI interface elements to keep track of and click the skills directly to use them. This is not the case with Atlyss due to it's faster nature, it's action game experience flies directly in the face of the design mentality here. It's largely fine with the earlier slower parts, where you don't need to worry all too much about the twitch gameplay of any given moment and the punishment isn't too severe for messing up and dying, but it's still very possible to fumble skills or miss inputs or switch your weapon or open one of the two pause menus (settings or host menu) in the middle of a fast paced reactionary combat. Is it impossible to do this? No. Rebinding certain keys or mechanics can help, but it's definitely more awkward than intuitive.

As the game feels like it's moving towards more high-action and populated combat with the second major dungeon and overworld arenas, this restriction is going to become even more obvious to more people I feel. Additionally, the six slots you have for skills is surprisingly restrictive, even with the number of skills you have in the game already. It seems as though you're going to unlock even more skills as you go forward as well, perhaps in some kind of prestige class or something, and it strikes me as odd to only have six slots in the light of that since you should reasonably have many many more skills you'd like to use than those. I'm sure there's a lot of balance and cusromization that's built around that already, and obviously when using the usual WASD format, 6 number buttons makes sense in the aforementioned higher action gameplay, 4 to be more easily reachable and two remaining for buffs/support skills or long CD moves that don't need to be used often. So what happens in the future updates? will older skills just be replaceable with a relearn scroll? It seems strange to put all the work into the current class skills just to functionally get rid of them in the future endgame, rather than develop on them or make new skills that work in concert with them.

So in short, the conflict of design mentality between the action-oriented gameplay and Autofight MMO skill bar stands out to me, and seems like it will be a real problem as the game picks up in action and complexity in the future. So what's the answer to this? As I said, for the PC, rebinding keys to gain access to different skills in different buttons is very useful, and can definitely aide, but if there's ever more than 6 abilities implemented that will become very problematic. I would like to propose an answer for it: Controller Support.

It may seem odd to implement controller support as an answer to having too few buttons to work with, but my thought behind this is a similar mechanic to one used in FF14 and Phantasy Star Online, in which the powers are similarly bound to face buttons on the controller and different arrays of abilities are displayed by holding down one or more of the shoulder buttons to get access to them. The game already feels like it would play very comfortably on a controller, and I'm sure support is coming for it eventually anyways, but the same mechanic could be implemented on the PC setup as it is. Instead of holding a shoulder button to gain access to the different skill lineup, you could merely press Lctrl or another button to swap your active skill bar from one group to another and back. This would remove the reliance on F keys and allow for more space for skills and consumables to be accessed via the same, more easily accessed buttons, and not require the usage of more and more keys on the board or buttons on the controller.

The less you have to think about what button you're pushing at a time the more active and fast the game can innately play, and I feel like this game is at it's best when you're in the middle of a huge mob and dancing through them, nailing parries and dodges and trying to get your hits in. This suggestion is just to streamline the controlling experience somewhat while also opening you up for a lot more freedom in your mechanics designing.

Of course, this is just an opinion and certainly not an indictment of the games design already, just trying to suggest thoughts and situations that may not have been thought of yet. If there's already plans for solving these imminent issues then disregard, and either way I'm excited to see what the game will have coming next! Thanks for all your hard work on the game, and above all else I hope that further designing of the game and development is fun and rewarding for you. Thanks for reading if you took the time!

And of course, to anybody who isn't the dev reading this, I'd very much like to hear your perspectives on the proposition and the issues I pointed out. My perspective is but one of many and I'm curious to see what things I may not have considered.

[PugKonfuzio]

You can achieve the gamepad shenanigans with AntiMicroX
That's what I did

Here is my config file, copypasta both codes into a single txt file and save it as .amgp :

----------- PART 1------------

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<gamecontroller configversion="19" appversion="3.4.1">
    <!--The SDL name for a joystick is included for informational purposes only.-->
    <sdlname>Xbox One Controller</sdlname>
    <!--The Unique ID for a joystick is included for informational purposes only.-->
    <uniqueID>050082795e040000fd020000030900001118765</uniqueID>
    <stickAxisAssociation index="2" xAxis="3" yAxis="4"/>
    <stickAxisAssociation index="1" xAxis="1" yAxis="2"/>
    <vdpadButtonAssociations index="1">
        <vdpadButtonAssociation axis="0" button="12" direction="1"/>
        <vdpadButtonAssociation axis="0" button="13" direction="4"/>
        <vdpadButtonAssociation axis="0" button="14" direction="8"/>
        <vdpadButtonAssociation axis="0" button="15" direction="2"/>
    </vdpadButtonAssociations>
    <names>
        <controlstickname index="2">Stick 2</controlstickname>
        <controlstickname index="1">Stick 1</controlstickname>
    </names>
    <sets>
        <set index="1">
            <stick index="2">
                <modifierZone>29277</modifierZone>
                <diagonalRange>65</diagonalRange>
                <stickbutton index="8">
                    <mousespeedx>80</mousespeedx>
                    <mousespeedy>60</mousespeedy>
                    <mouseacceleration>linear</mouseacceleration>
                </stickbutton>
                <stickbutton index="3">
                    <mousespeedx>80</mousespeedx>
                    <mousespeedy>60</mousespeedy>
                    <mouseacceleration>linear</mouseacceleration>
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>4</code>
                            <mode>mousemovement</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </stickbutton>
                <stickbutton index="2">
                    <mousespeedx>80</mousespeedx>
                    <mousespeedy>60</mousespeedy>
                    <mouseacceleration>linear</mouseacceleration>
                </stickbutton>
                <stickbutton index="1">
                    <mousespeedx>80</mousespeedx>
                    <mousespeedy>60</mousespeedy>
                    <mouseacceleration>linear</mouseacceleration>
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>1</code>
                            <mode>mousemovement</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </stickbutton>
                <stickbutton index="7">
                    <mousespeedx>80</mousespeedx>
                    <mousespeedy>60</mousespeedy>
                    <mouseacceleration>linear</mouseacceleration>
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>3</code>
                            <mode>mousemovement</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </stickbutton>
                <stickbutton index="6">
                    <mousespeedx>80</mousespeedx>
                    <mousespeedy>60</mousespeedy>
                    <mouseacceleration>linear</mouseacceleration>
                </stickbutton>
                <stickbutton index="5">
                    <mousespeedx>80</mousespeedx>
                    <mousespeedy>60</mousespeedy>
                    <mouseacceleration>linear</mouseacceleration>
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>2</code>
                            <mode>mousemovement</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </stickbutton>
                <stickbutton index="4">
                    <mousespeedx>80</mousespeedx>
                    <mousespeedy>60</mousespeedy>
                    <mouseacceleration>linear</mouseacceleration>
                </stickbutton>
            </stick>
            <dpad index="1">
                <dpadbutton index="8">
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>0x1000031</code>
                            <mode>keyboard</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </dpadbutton>
                <dpadbutton index="2">
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>0x1000033</code>
                            <mode>keyboard</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </dpadbutton>
                <dpadbutton index="1">
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>0x1000030</code>
                            <mode>keyboard</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </dpadbutton>
                <dpadbutton index="4">
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>0x1000032</code>
                            <mode>keyboard</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </dpadbutton>
            </dpad>
            <trigger index="6">
                <deadZone>3802</deadZone>
                <maxZone>29837</maxZone>
                <throttle>positivehalf</throttle>
                <triggerbutton index="2">
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>0x45</code>
                            <mode>keyboard</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </triggerbutton>
            </trigger>
            <trigger index="5">
                <deadZone>3673</deadZone>
                <maxZone>30159</maxZone>
                <throttle>positivehalf</throttle>
                <triggerbutton index="2">
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>0x1000020</code>
                            <mode>keyboard</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </triggerbutton>
            </trigger>
            <button index="8">
                <slots>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x51</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                </slots>
            </button>
            <button index="7">
                <slots>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x1000000</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                </slots>
            </button>
            <button index="5">
                <slots>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x54</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x1000021</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                </slots>
            </button>
            <button index="11">
                <setselect>3</setselect>
                <setselectcondition>while-held</setselectcondition>
                <slots>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x4d</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                </slots>
            </button>
            <button index="10">
                <setselect>2</setselect>
                <setselectcondition>while-held</setselectcondition>
                <slots>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x4d</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                </slots>
            </button>
            <button index="9">
                <slots>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x48</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                </slots>
            </button>
            <button index="4">
                <slots>
                    <slot>
                        <code>3</code>
                        <mode>mousebutton</mode>
                    </slot>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x46</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                </slots>
            </button>
            <button index="3">
                <slots>
                    <slot>
                        <code>1</code>
                        <mode>mousebutton</mode>
                    </slot>
                </slots>
            </button>
            <button index="2">
                <slots>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x52</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                </slots>
            </button>
            <button index="1">
                <slots>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x20</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                </slots>
            </button>
        </set>

[PugKonfuzio]

---------PART 2---------

        <set index="2">
            <stick index="2">
                <modifierZone>29942</modifierZone>
                <diagonalRange>65</diagonalRange>
                <stickbutton index="8">
                    <mousespeedx>25</mousespeedx>
                    <mousespeedy>20</mousespeedy>
                    <mouseacceleration>linear</mouseacceleration>
                </stickbutton>
                <stickbutton index="3">
                    <mousespeedx>25</mousespeedx>
                    <mousespeedy>20</mousespeedy>
                    <mouseacceleration>linear</mouseacceleration>
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>4</code>
                            <mode>mousemovement</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </stickbutton>
                <stickbutton index="2">
                    <mousespeedx>25</mousespeedx>
                    <mousespeedy>20</mousespeedy>
                    <mouseacceleration>linear</mouseacceleration>
                </stickbutton>
                <stickbutton index="1">
                    <mousespeedx>25</mousespeedx>
                    <mousespeedy>20</mousespeedy>
                    <mouseacceleration>linear</mouseacceleration>
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>1</code>
                            <mode>mousemovement</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </stickbutton>
                <stickbutton index="7">
                    <mousespeedx>25</mousespeedx>
                    <mousespeedy>20</mousespeedy>
                    <mouseacceleration>linear</mouseacceleration>
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>3</code>
                            <mode>mousemovement</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </stickbutton>
                <stickbutton index="6">
                    <mousespeedx>25</mousespeedx>
                    <mousespeedy>20</mousespeedy>
                    <mouseacceleration>linear</mouseacceleration>
                </stickbutton>
                <stickbutton index="5">
                    <mousespeedx>25</mousespeedx>
                    <mousespeedy>20</mousespeedy>
                    <mouseacceleration>linear</mouseacceleration>
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>2</code>
                            <mode>mousemovement</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </stickbutton>
                <stickbutton index="4">
                    <mousespeedx>25</mousespeedx>
                    <mousespeedy>20</mousespeedy>
                    <mouseacceleration>linear</mouseacceleration>
                </stickbutton>
            </stick>
            <dpad index="1">
                <dpadbutton index="8">
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>1</code>
                            <mode>mousebutton</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </dpadbutton>
                <dpadbutton index="2">
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>3</code>
                            <mode>mousebutton</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </dpadbutton>
                <dpadbutton index="1">
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>4</code>
                            <mode>mousebutton</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </dpadbutton>
                <dpadbutton index="4">
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>5</code>
                            <mode>mousebutton</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </dpadbutton>
            </dpad>
            <trigger index="6">
                <deadZone>2000</deadZone>
                <throttle>positivehalf</throttle>
                <triggerbutton index="2">
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>0x45</code>
                            <mode>keyboard</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </triggerbutton>
            </trigger>
            <trigger index="5">
                <deadZone>2000</deadZone>
                <throttle>positivehalf</throttle>
                <triggerbutton index="2">
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>0x1000020</code>
                            <mode>keyboard</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </triggerbutton>
            </trigger>
            <button index="8">
                <slots>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x51</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                </slots>
            </button>
            <button index="7">
                <slots>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x49</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                </slots>
            </button>
            <button index="5">
                <slots>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x47</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x1000021</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                </slots>
            </button>
            <button index="10">
                <setselect>1</setselect>
                <setselectcondition>while-held</setselectcondition>
            </button>
            <button index="9">
                <slots>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x48</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                </slots>
            </button>
            <button index="4">
                <slots>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x32</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                </slots>
            </button>
            <button index="3">
                <slots>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x31</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                </slots>
            </button>
            <button index="2">
                <slots>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x33</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                </slots>
            </button>
            <button index="1">
                <slots>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x20</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                </slots>
            </button>
        </set>
        <set index="3">
            <stick index="2">
                <deadZone>5058</deadZone>
                <modifierZone>29809</modifierZone>
                <stickbutton index="8">
                    <mousespeedx>15</mousespeedx>
                    <mousespeedy>15</mousespeedy>
                    <mouseacceleration>linear</mouseacceleration>
                </stickbutton>
                <stickbutton index="3">
                    <mousespeedx>15</mousespeedx>
                    <mousespeedy>15</mousespeedy>
                    <mouseacceleration>linear</mouseacceleration>
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>4</code>
                            <mode>mousemovement</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </stickbutton>
                <stickbutton index="2">
                    <mousespeedx>15</mousespeedx>
                    <mousespeedy>15</mousespeedy>
                    <mouseacceleration>linear</mouseacceleration>
                </stickbutton>
                <stickbutton index="1">
                    <mousespeedx>15</mousespeedx>
                    <mousespeedy>15</mousespeedy>
                    <mouseacceleration>linear</mouseacceleration>
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>1</code>
                            <mode>mousemovement</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </stickbutton>
                <stickbutton index="7">
                    <mousespeedx>15</mousespeedx>
                    <mousespeedy>15</mousespeedy>
                    <mouseacceleration>linear</mouseacceleration>
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>3</code>
                            <mode>mousemovement</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </stickbutton>
                <stickbutton index="6">
                    <mousespeedx>15</mousespeedx>
                    <mousespeedy>15</mousespeedy>
                    <mouseacceleration>linear</mouseacceleration>
                </stickbutton>
                <stickbutton index="5">
                    <mousespeedx>15</mousespeedx>
                    <mousespeedy>15</mousespeedy>
                    <mouseacceleration>linear</mouseacceleration>
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>2</code>
                            <mode>mousemovement</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </stickbutton>
                <stickbutton index="4">
                    <mousespeedx>15</mousespeedx>
                    <mousespeedy>15</mousespeedy>
                    <mouseacceleration>linear</mouseacceleration>
                </stickbutton>
            </stick>
            <dpad index="1">
                <dpadbutton index="8">
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>1</code>
                            <mode>mousebutton</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </dpadbutton>
                <dpadbutton index="2">
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>3</code>
                            <mode>mousebutton</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </dpadbutton>
                <dpadbutton index="1">
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>4</code>
                            <mode>mousebutton</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </dpadbutton>
                <dpadbutton index="4">
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>5</code>
                            <mode>mousebutton</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </dpadbutton>
            </dpad>
            <trigger index="6">
                <deadZone>2000</deadZone>
                <throttle>positivehalf</throttle>
                <triggerbutton index="2">
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>0x45</code>
                            <mode>keyboard</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </triggerbutton>
            </trigger>
            <trigger index="5">
                <deadZone>2000</deadZone>
                <throttle>positivehalf</throttle>
                <triggerbutton index="2">
                    <slots>
                        <slot>
                            <code>0x1000020</code>
                            <mode>keyboard</mode>
                        </slot>
                    </slots>
                </triggerbutton>
            </trigger>
            <button index="8">
                <slots>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x51</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                </slots>
            </button>
            <button index="7">
                <slots>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x4b</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                </slots>
            </button>
            <button index="5">
                <slots>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x58</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x1000021</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                </slots>
            </button>
            <button index="11">
                <setselect>1</setselect>
                <setselectcondition>while-held</setselectcondition>
            </button>
            <button index="9">
                <slots>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x48</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                </slots>
            </button>
            <button index="4">
                <slots>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x35</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                </slots>
            </button>
            <button index="3">
                <slots>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x34</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                </slots>
            </button>
            <button index="2">
                <slots>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x36</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                </slots>
            </button>
            <button index="1">
                <slots>
                    <slot>
                        <code>0x20</code>
                        <mode>keyboard</mode>
                    </slot>
                </slots>
            </button>
        </set>
    </sets>
</gamecontroller>

[dandelion]

we are confirmed to not be getting more ability slots and so i don't see any problem with the current setup. rebinding is the solution and an easy one at that

i run ECF345 for my abilities and 12H for my consumables

[Comatonic]

the controller setup you have up there seems useful, but I'm fine waiting for integrated controller functions. As far as no confirmed more ability slots then that is indeed interesting to see what any other classes will do, and hopefully it's not just 'here's the stronger version of the base moveset again' because you can retrain abilities so much that it wouldn't matter cause you can just put them into the new abilities right away and it makes the older abilities a waste of programming effort and mechanically replaceable overall which is just a confusing design choice. I'd love to hear his perspective on what he's doing with that if he's reading this.

[Rainbow Royals]

has the dev confirmed they will be looking into controller support?

[Lesserred]

Originally posted by Rainbow Royals:

has the dev confirmed they will be looking into controller support?

first entry on the FAQ

"Will there be native gamepad support?
As of now, (11/12/2024), there is currently no native gamepad support. You will need to use a Steam Input template, Joy2Key or something similar for now. I will look into implementing proper native support in the future."