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A few concerns about enemy design...

emeraldbay
emeraldbay
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Now, let me start off by saying that I really do love this game. I've been playing since release, and have genuinely enjoyed every second I've spent in Tamriel so far. That said, some of the enemies are...silly, at best.

Let's begin with the draugr. Those who played Skyrim know what to expect. They burst from their crypts and a chorus of disturbing growls spill from their decrepit mouths. Most adventurers would turn back simply upon hearing it, but not you, you fear not the dead. There were times during Skyrim where I would be wandering into a crypt and be genuinely on guard, a bit uneasy...but in ESO, this feeling doesn't carry over at all. Why? Let's take a look.

First of all, voice acting. Draugr, bloodfiends, zombies, and other fleshy undead all use the same voices. This childish collection of samples more closely resembles a 12-year-old trying to imitate the zombies from a low-budget horror film. They're not only poorly designed, but they're outright silly, and they don't make me feel like I'm fighting terrifying creatures at all.

Second, visuals. For this one, let's take a look at the terrifying draugr you see in Skyrim.
Draugr.jpg
They look angry, bloodthirsty, and dare I say, downright threatening.
Now, let's look at how ESO follows that example...
Draugronline.png
...Where do I even start? How about...
Their animations. They don't give off the feel of "depraved undead" at all. Rather, they act pretty dang healthy, being rotting corpses and all. They run like athletes, fall from the ceiling, dodge left and right... Aside from that, they don't look all that old and decrepit. At least, not everywhere. Their collars are pretty messed up, I guess...but their arms and legs and chests are pretty well-preserved, and their faces are twisted in permanent anger, which, while I commend the designers on that choice, that's a pretty lazy little trick.

Third, non-combat AI. The draugr in Skyrim, when not waiting to burst from their coffins, would walk around their crypts, occasionally squeezing some horrid noises from their rotten throats. The draugr in ESO just kinda...stay still. They wait at a specific spot for the player to get there. It doesn't make sense, it's not surprising, it's not suspenseful, it's just...there. But, realistically, many of the enemies wait in specific spots for the player, so it's not that bad, right?

All in all, the undead in this game just seem childish. Draugr are the best example, but bloodfiends and zombies fell down the same pit. Perhaps some of you agree with me, and we can get this changed a few patches down the road.
  • KhajiitiLizard
    KhajiitiLizard
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    Dynamic AI just isn't in ESO. Other than a few enemies that have a set path they will move, they will just stand there until they notice you. In Oblivion, enemies would follow you through closed doors (something Skyrim lacked).

    About draugr being too 'healthy' in ESO it's 1000 years before the 4th Era, they would be much more decomposed in 4th Era, 201.
  • kaosodin
    kaosodin
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    I agree with the feel.... but its apart of the mmo legacy..... cant put the same detail into it.

    That being said.

    I am sure they will update.... thats why I keep playing..... out of the gate, the game has a good foundation to improve on.

    In 6 months I really hope I see a much more polished game.

    If not im out. Hehe. Love the game..... I hope it keeps moving forward
  • nerevarine1138
    nerevarine1138
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    This is an MMO. Dynamic AI like you're talking about is a pretty tall order.

    As to the shuffling around like Walking Dead zombies: I hadn't really been bothered, but feel free to use the in-game feedback form if you think it's something the developers really should spend time on.
    ----
    Murray?
  • MeowGinger
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    I thought it was weird that draugr and zombies would stumble around like they could barely walk when doing their idle animations, then suddenly turn into top-grade sprinters once they noticed you.

    I always imagined draugr as being preserved/mummified, not decaying. Going by the timeline they are already 3,500+ years old in ESO (1E 139 to 2E 582). So I expected them to look more like they did in Skyrim.

    I found a draugr that looked like it was napping. It wasn't dead. Entirely.
  • Singular
    Singular
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    I fear the undead!!!
    War, give me war, give me war.
  • Mescalamba
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    I agree on design part, not really about movement and such..

    Even tho its possible to design regular "patrol" (they are in game), Im not sure if wasnt bit "too alive" for some.

    But yea, having whole pack of draugrs patrolling in fact isnt that bad idea.

    I dont agree with game design (look parts) on a lot of things. Some are done really great, some much less.

    Vampire eyes are one of my complains (same eyes for every race, really? and not great ones on top of that).
    Proud owner of personal vampire and werewolf army (4 werewolves/4 vampires)..

    I'm also using large doses of irony and sarcasm.

    Plus Im mean person, cause I really dont have reason to like you. Or anyone.
  • emeraldbay
    emeraldbay
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    This is an MMO. Dynamic AI like you're talking about is a pretty tall order.
    I don't mean quite as dynamic as in Skyrim, but having a few set paths to choose from (instead of just one, or standing still) would be a great improvement, as opposed to what we have now.
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