I don't have any agenda in posting this; I'm just curious as to what people think.

I don't find Lusternia combat fun. I know that I used to, so there must be something in it, but I can't really explain to myself what it is (or what changed.)

I was going to post more but Clise distracted me. If I remember I'll put it up later.

I used to enjoy group combat, but I stopped enjoying it a long time ago. I think Lusternia combat is -draining- and frustrating.

The people who are good, are SO good that it's hard to kind of work yourself into that, even when you want to. You need credits to have all the skills needed to be really good. You need a system. You need people who are willing to work for hours and hours and hours with you while you tweak your system and practice getting good. If you do anything else, there is little time for that kind of dedication.

So, being a fighter kind of like you Shiri, one of those "I'll fight if I'm needed" types, I find combat not fun.

It's fun if it's moderated. Constant raiding, jumping is out of the question.

That's why the avenger system is needed and so that people won't be killed over and over again by the higher up but since extremists, griefers, combatants, whatever you call them want it removed, it's not fun for the novices and people who don't want any trouble.

I find combat to be loads of fun, but for me it is still a new thing that I want to do, rather than something I have done before... me in a group combat situation is almost always me doing one thing to one of the enemies and trying to hit anything, the spam is just so fast I can't even begin to keep up!

I'm talking more about the combat system itself than the ways people practice it. Shayle's thing was right on in my opinion.

Combat is the reason I stuck around Lusternia after I joined. I'm like what, OOC 4 months old? Yeah, I've put a good chunk of money in for skills and a system, but I enjoy every combat situation. Even dying to Ixion 5 times in a row on Water. Still fun. Group combat, when it becomes a stalemate, kinda lame sure. But the strategy and teamwork necessary to be REALLY effective is awesome. I think I threw maybe $200 in my first wave and I was still pretty effective, using Ethelon's system. Now that I'm getting into it, I've put more money in for the skills that make you pretty extremely highly effective.

If I were Seren or Mag, would I feel the same way? I don't know. There's a lot of people to help teach me here, give me pointers and show me what archetypes do what. I personally enjoy it, and sure there could be some changes. But from a new kid on the MUD point of view, I think it's pretty darn good. (At least, beats an automated combat system which I came from, MateriaMagica. Leaps and bounds better than that)

I am totally 100% of the same opinion as Shayle. You need credits, a system and a lot of time before you can die in the blink of an eye. Otherwise, it's just faster.

I have none of those elements, and even though I think the combat system is very interesting and entertaining, I will never be able to be a part of it.

Also, I think combat lacks RP. That's why bards are so potentially wonderful.

Combat lacking RP is a valid issue, but one I never really cared about.

I think I was wondering about this because I've been playing a lot of MTG recently and I've come to realise how much more fun one is than the other when playing competitively. There's whole different depths of strategy, tactical thinking, yomi etc.. Of course it's unfair to compare the two as far as strategic thinking goes because one is managed by like less than 10 people (envoys/playtesters not included) and the other is a world-famous TCG with huge amounts of money invested in it. So I'd have to have played other MU*s and whatnot to see if Lusternia compares favourably.

I don't find Lusternian combat significantly different to that of an IRE game.

I find it fun on occasion, I love the adrenaline buzzes and the team work, but I prefer to dictate it by my own terms - i.e I find it fun when I'm in the mood, and irritating when I'm RPly compelled to defend and I'd rather be doing something else.

It's not really my cup of tea, but I've certainly enjoyed it in the past, and, to much the same extent as I always have done continue to enjoy it now.

In relative terms: mechanically, it's as fun if not more as any other IRE game.
However: the conflict setup means that I don't always get to pick and choose my fights
Nevertheless: I wouldn't change the conflict set up for the world, regardless of the occasional pricks of annoyance I suffer because of it.



I share this view.

It's also worth noting that one of them gives you time to think. Time to think tends to foster more tactics.

Though I thoroughly enjoy combat in Lusternia, I do still agree with Shayle. There is a very steep learning curve and a high cost for anyone who wants to seriously get involved in combat. In fact, I think that's why I enjoy it. I've been investing more and more in skills and fun toys that I want to play with, plus I enjoy the challenges of scripting an effective combat system.

I think there are still imbalances in combat abilities across the guilds, but my specific views are of a biased perspective. What one person thinks is over/underpowered, another thinks is the opposite, and someone else feels it's just right. You can't please everyone, and I think the admins are doing a fine job adapting to the players' needs.

If any Serens need help with their combat training, they're more than welcome to ask me.

That too, hadn't thought of that. Though then I might compare it to RTS...es.

If I won more, I would probably find combat more fun. People are either far weaker than me, or far stronger, and no good middle ground. Jumping jumpers with Revan was fun, though.

Oh, and even though I don't think it's fun I enjoy the game and don't blame the admin for it not being fun, since they do try. Just so that's clear.

I blame Shiri. Dogpile the Brit!

What am I being blamed for?

EDIT: You all look far too cheery dogpiling me there, gits

I enjoy Lusternia combat. In order to be a top-tier fighter, the investment is huge, especially for Warriors. It's possible to enjoy combat without being the best, though. I started just by sparring random people, and learning about the skills I had. I probably won't ever be on par with people like Narsrim, Ixion, Amaru, Geb, et al, but that doesn't mean it can't be fun.

A side note - it's also possible to have a lot of fun in combat even when you lose. I think most people who know me know that I have no problem jumping in and dying, it's still fun.

Combat gets frustrating when organizations grief others into oblivion (every org except for maybe Glom has been on the griefing end before), but it's still usually interesting at least. Conflict is also more interesting if it changes and we keep things shaken up, it gets old when we fall into a rut of killing (or dying to) the same people over and over again.

Otherwise, I enjoy it most of the time.

I find the combat fun. I don't engage in it often, and when I do, I fully expect to lose (I think if I ever won a fight, I'd pee my pants!). Learning to become an actual good fighter is on my list of things to do, but it's not high.

But it's not winning a fight that's fun for me...it's the adventure of it. That's why I'll go on the occasional raiding party to places where I'll most likely die or help defend when folks MUCH better at fighting are raiding.

I'm weird like that.

Course, I'm hoping the next time I can leave the city (seriously! I'm going to start changing Noola's appearance to make her gain weight. The last few times I've logged her in, she's sat in one place the entire time while I answered messages, updated projects, discussed guild matters and composed news postings) and get jumped by someone with a beef they won't Bam Squish. Cause that is boring.

Maybe Reiha can find a more convincing ruse to lure her somewhere than the last one she tried.

And just a pre-emptive: Noola's already got a family!

I enjoy Lusternian combat, but it can be very frustrating at times. It is by no means balanced, and there are very fundamental issues that prevent it from being a good system. Group combat is by no means fun in the slightest - why? Rapture isn't designed for it. Lusternian skills aren't balanced for it.

When it comes to group tactics, the game is simply "blah." In one on one fights though, it can be really fun.

I happen to really like things like violent village revolts though, because though the combat system isn't fair in the slightest, it doesn't matter. Your tactics do not involve killing so much as reaching a goal and stopping others from reaching the goal. In such a situation, it doesn't really matter as much what the combat system is like or if the combat system is fun or not.


Meh, the only reason I'm playing Lusternia and not a more well-thought out combat game when I want combat is because I promised myself I wouldn't play Guildwars until I graduated

Combat is more fun in one on one spars. I know I have a lot more fun sparring with Yini (Spiritsinger Champion) then I did in the Seren-Celest War raids. Why? When someones raiding your nation, youre more bound to defend out of obligation because youre dropping what you were already doing for it (and you probably prefered what you were doing before). Villages are fun, for combat, because you do need to have a bit of a plan on what to do.


I made reference to Yini's position because she knows more than I do about my skills, and she has a whole new skillset I have no defences against yet at her disposal. Im mostly outmatched by her, but she makes it enjoyable.