Best VR melee game right now, toughts as a HEMA instructor

[~Foxy~]

Hi, excuse my poor english, I was searching for a realistic melee game, or at least one that I can enjoy.

I have try Valkyrie blade, Spellmaster, Blade and sorcery, Gorn, Tales of glory and that other one online that nobody plays anymore, well... has a former HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts) instructor I found those really terrible at recreating a minimum sense of ''real'' combat, even Blade and Sorcery that I got high hopes on, dissapoint me greatly, as I can just dispatch one npc after another whit the most basic ''fendente'' to the head, and they keep doing stupid things.

Gladius on the other hand keep me playing regularly, the non delayed controls also means that you gonna sweat and do good fithness, I found it the best melee VR experience so far by great diference.


But as I love this game, I also want it to be even greather, so here are some suggeriments for the devs.

Put a feature to play your own music, that is a must! I always disable the in game music to put Berserk ost or heavy rock to get more motivated.




In a real sword fight, you don't swing like crazy, fencing is a noble science that must be keep away from miserable peasants (they really though that way...) if a crazy idiot come at you with a free cause strike (classic animeish or action movie blow) a formed knight will just parry/stab at the same time whit the strong third of the blade, or reduces the force to let the blade pass and strike down the fool, of course, you can't apply the complicated mechanics of blade interaction, in which is based a fundamental part of medieval fencing, that would require at least to simulate a disociated position of the weapon in game, but whitout real feel, this could break the fun, and confuse those players who don't know any of fencing, and just want to strike crazy like in the animes they see, which is perfectly fine and fun.

But... you could add at least a optional feature that forces you to strike properly at least, a bladed weapon NEEDS to cut whit the part that's actually sharp, swords are not blunt clubs, if you strike whit the flat part, you don't do any damage.

Also, of course you can't pierce easilly a real armor, for game pourposes they eventually break, instead, or add to this, it could be interesting to include specific vulnerable parts, the eyes overture, under armpit, etc...

Why the spear type weapons (besides the trident) can't stab? they just push away the enemy.


Turn system is a pain, can it just be a tap on the touch pad as in any other game?


If you grab someone whit a free hand... he is entirely at your mercy... thanks to that I get the trident... but its a very cheap way to cheat.


Please, but 2 handed swords *_*


Special enemies, boss like whit custom armors, moves and toughness, that would be great.


And the major complain that I have... is that I hardly touch any other than the ''first day'' in campaign mode, I completed all but the final which is still in development, but I don't enjoy them as much as the free modes or first one, I found that the mechanics are a bit ambitious, not always responds well, specially laders, and confusing or just irritating, It's just my opinion of course, but the majority of the days, don't motivate me at all to re-visit.


Still, the best melee VR game for now, and a game that I really love.

[CaiusBonus]

Hi!

First of all thank you so much for your comments, I'm really glad that someone with real world experience with swords likes the game :)

Regarding your suggestions:

1) Play your own music: I would suggest you lower the music volume of the game in (options>game) and leave the sfx volume to the max. It's what I do when I want to play other music :)
2) "if you strike whit the flat part, you don't do any damage": Right now there is a significant difference if you strike with the edge vs the blunt part. Hitting with the blunt part only deals 10% of the base damage of the weapon, so you still hit them, but it's a fraction of the damage you deal by hitting with the edge. Also, the angle varies with difficulty, so in easy difficulty you get 100% of the damage if you hit with +-50 degrees from the edge, 40 for normal, and only 30 degrees for hard.
3) Armor vulnerable parts: agree! It's something I'm looking to add, but I need to find a way without breacking the current collision system.
4) Spear type weapons not stabbing: yes, this is something I need to add :) Right now it's disabled, but it's a temporary fix.
5) Turn system is a pain: What locomotion type are you using? I could make it turn with just one tap (or at least add the option), just don't know how it would work with trackpad locomotion.
6) 2 handed swords: They are taking longer than I expected but should come with the last update.
7) The days: Is there anything in particular that you would change? Or a day in particular? What is the issue with the ladders? All the info you can give me helps! :)

Thank you!

[Masamune27858]

yea most of my day is spent thinking about shooting tactics and fightng tactics. its always been in my blood. games like this are a godsend for me.i mean i carry everyday buy other than range shooting and some close quarter stuff.(which is hard to find people who just want to learn. like ego stays out and dont try and kill your sparring partners.) anyways i find these melee games the ying to the yang so to speak. the shooters are great in vr but alot of times i just want to feel the visceral feedback of stabbing someone and not go to jail for it.( i mean you can train every day but number one rule is only go lethal if its no other option.) i dont know how i survived before vr. seriously all my anger pfft gone.

[Masamune27858]

also that was excellent. the part about grabbing with hand makes them powerless. i can see in gorn that being fun but in this game its wierd. like it shouold be to help you drive that dagger in them or manipulate them alittle. no throw them like ragdolls. good point.

[CaiusBonus]

The grabbing part is something that I struggle with. One one hand it’s true that they should not go ragdoll so hard, but on the other hand it also makes it more fun sometimes :)
Maybe i’ll just add an option for ‘easy grab’ so you can activate it if you are in the mood.

[~Foxy~]

As for the movement, I got trackpad locomotion, to turn i must press the center of the right pad, and slide to the left or right corner to turn, it isn't really that bad once you get it, but in every other VR game you just tap the side you want to turn, and it's more confortable.


Well, I play again all the days, including the last one so I can give you my opinion (subjective and personal) as a player that really enjoy that as his favorite VR game to date:

First day; marvelous, all you can dream of a Gladiator game, you have gladiators, tigers, roman soldiers and duels, one thing that I found a bit strange, is why the roman soldiers don't use their numeric superiority to try to surround you or attack all in once, I understand why this is probably a bad idea for the player, in novice or gladiator levels at least.. but in hero is fine that they try to really f*** you.

I know it's probably impossible, but it may be also great if two or more enemy can go in formation, maybe converting them in a single entity during gamyplay, imposible to push off, other attracks, better protected... there ar some HEMA material of 2 or 3 thugs being jackasses and forming small phalanx, similar in what police do when scatter in riots.

I'm also a big fan of the first Bushido Blade from PS1, wich put a big emphasis in stances, this is also crucial in medieval fights, Fiore puts numerous counter-guards to respond to any posta, of course this is also more ambitious, but it can add a tremendous profundity in the game if it's well implemented, right now all the NPC fights pretty generic, which is fine as at least they don't do stupid moves like in Blade and sorcery... sometimes the swordman even puts a quick thrust, but nothing much, I usually put 50%+ velocity and hero dificulty in training mode, and as long as it's 1 npc, I can dispatch it whitout changing to much the strategy, they don't force me to go to counter-stances or other things.


Second day, Underworld; Nice ambient change, but... I feel that the enemies are too easy compared to the first day, and you can pass it really quick, it's the first that I completed in Hero dificulty with no sweat, the minotaur really impress the first time, but its also no big deal, you just cover and charge striking boldly, maybe if he got a attack to just kick you off or jump back, he can be more hard as it should be, anyways, I rarely re-visit it, maybe a 2 partners and more undead, including stupid zombies can spice it a bit, or even an elevated platform that you got to defend.

Third day, Horde invasion, Nice change and concept, but unfortunatelly I don't have much space to play right now, so, for me is a pain triyng to get cover and fire arrows whitout smashing my Vive controllers to the wall, I have to pass it in novice and no revisit, but this could be for my lack of space.

Fourth day, Naval Battle; Oh boy... I really hate that day, the ladders are a real pain... and in any other dificulty that novice, that B*** gonna f*** you whit his arrows, also any npc can kick you off the ladder, and if you fall on water, 99% of the times is a sure death. I can praise the concept and efford to put ships in the colisseum, wich is a thing that these sick bastards really do historically to recreate naval battles, but at least for me, pasing this is just a matter of pure luck, and playing it isn't really enjoyable.


Fifth day, Siege of Troy; Really interesting that you can be f*** from the sky, it forces you to be always alert, and sometimes, no matter what, you gonna be hit while you are distracted triyng to save your life from any other danger.
The ladder of the center is... not good, for some reason the game has troubles to put you in top of the paltform after you climb it, and somethimes the cocodriles can kill you even if you are in the middle of it. The time limit to save the girl is also stressing, and... more ladders at the end... I pass it in novice and everytime that I try to play and enjoy it, I just can't.

¿How do I improve it?... I don't really know, just less ladders I guess.

Sixt day, Maze; The new enemy is repulsively fantastic, also the boss, but... why a key is one of the best weapons in game?... I can use the shield, and decapitate everything whit a door key XD
Well... my team mates didn't apport too much, so I usually kill them, also the mazes are a bit of a pain, it's a good concept that adds stress, as anything can emerge from a corner and attack you, but somewhat, I fell that I just what to fight and don't have to remember maze maps, hardly re-visit it.

Seven day; This is really epic, the new human enemy centurion is good, and the final surprise is also impresive, I have no complains, but... I want to feel like Kratos slaying the *****, and I found ''something's'' missing, as you can copy the tactic of the minotaur, just cover and smash the s*** out of the thing, and eventually he falls miserably, and... this is not very satisfing.

A boss fight like that, usually requires some steps, something like, first you have to shot at his eye, then ♥♥♥♥ their foots to forces him to loose balance, maybe put fire in a hairy part of the body, or even mount him Shadow of the colossus style and stab in a specific parts...

If the same fight can be structurated in steps like that, this can be really epic, and also... maybe a sort of narrative unlockable, as you slay the *****, you turn into a mytic beast as a big f*** you ending, and now you can play a extra in this form.


In general, I think the first day captivate me so much because is simple. Do you want a gladiator game? you wanna fight? there you go, no ladders, no stressing mechanics, nothing, just you and enemies that want to chop your head, marvelous.

If the game has more days, or challenges like that, that whould be great... you can add team battles like in training mode, and special type of enemyes and human bosses, make these and make them use stances, and I will love the game whit all my soul.

[CaiusBonus]

Sorry for the delay zorrosilvestre!! Thank you so much for your feedback! This kind of detailed and well thought feedback is extremely helpful :)

1) Tap to turn: Will add this in the next small update. It´s very straight forward.
2) Day1:
- Disable attack turns on hero: OK, I can add it as an option, as this would greatly increase the difficulty in hero.
- Formations and stances: I don´t think I have time to add this to the game at this point as it requires a significant overhaul of the AI... Maybe in Gladius 2 ;)
2) Day2: fully agree on all your points, will try to spice it up and improve the Mino.
3) Day3: I like this one as it its, but it´s true that you need enough space to play it comfortably, or abuse slowmo.
4) Day4: I think I can remove the ballista guy, agree that is a pain in the ass. Falling in the water needs a revamp too, maybe make the shark slower, so you have enough time to get out of the water. I will make the first ladder easier (the one that is cut in half).
5) Day5: Will remove some ladders :)
6) Day6: What do you mean by repulsively fantastic? that you like the enemy or you don´t? XD Fully agree on the rest of the points though. I thought having the challenge of a random maze would be cool, but it´s a pain to try to find the exit (and the key). Will reestructure the level so it´s still a close combat escenario, with random enemies around the corner.
7) Day7: Yes, will do a second pass at the Titan.
8) More days like day1: I like your idea of using team fights as a base for a new day. Maybe changing the setting so you get different scenarios, but maintaining the original day 1 structure (basically just fight, no extra mechanics). Let me think about it, in this form maybe I can add 1 or 2 more days.

Again, thanks for your comments and sorry for the delayed response.

Cheers!