How do you feel about melee combat?

[hypermoon 75]

Dean stated in the stream a couple days ago that he was satisfied with melee combat. Probably the only thing he said that didn't quite sit well with me.

What do you all think?

 

Personally I feel that it's quite wonky. Ever get in a fist fight with someone? It consists of people running around in circles swinging like madmen missing 90% of the time. It's chaotic, doesn't look/feel right. What do you think?

[louist 163]

It's incredibly wonky, but there are limits as to what this engine is capable of. I'd love to see melee combat refines, but I doubt we'll get any major changes.

[omgwtfbbq (DayZ) 1069]

Hard to say. In real life, people would be fairly stationary while beating the shit out of each other. Since this is a game, everyone runs in circles.

[slider (DayZ) 26]

it feels very sluggish. But then again...it's the alpha^^

[louist 163]

it feels very sluggish. But then again...it's the alpha^^

It isn't an alpha issue, it's an Arma issue. The engine was never designed with melee in mind, which is why fire axes in the mod require reloading and make bullet ricochet sounds when they hit walls (in fact, I believe they still do in SA.

[Sutinen 635]

Why is it wonky? I think it's the best they can do. I mean you still have to aim with the fists so don't expect to just swing your fists around and hit something. They just have to improve the melee weapons in general so they hit right where you aim at.

[Irish. 4886]

I think Dean stating he is happy with it, means more or less that they did that from scratch and it came out pretty well considering. Im sure once things get ironed out, that the focus will be around fine tuning and more than likely some melee things will get added to that. 

[hypermoon 75]

Why is it wonky? I think it's the best they can do. I mean you still have to aim with the fists so don't expect to just swing your fists around and hit something. They just have to improve the melee weapons in general so they hit right where you aim at.

Well for example I was swinging at a zombie and i was aiming at it, i was as close as I could possibly get to it, but it still only connected like 1/3 of the time when I swung.

Doesn't help either that when you "raise" your weapon you swing to your side.

[Sunslayer 13]

Am I the only one who have trouble hitting zombies with the axe? The point of impact never seems to be in the center crosshair, but rather to the sides.

[Michaelvoodoo25 3120]

There should be a blocking action, then it will be fine. The frustration of a player constantly blocking in a fight may lessen the punch like a twat fights i've seen.

Perhaps a percentage of hits while blocking could add some panic in fights, based on character health.

Edited February 23, 2014 by Michaelvoodoo25

[hypermoon 75]

Am I the only one who have trouble hitting zombies with the axe? The point of impact never seems to be in the center crosshair, but rather to the sides.

You are still able to raise and lower the axe just like you do when you with your fists. But when you have an axe and have it in the raised position, it swings off to the side. Next time try pressing spacebar and lowering it. Should help.

[t1337dude 101]

I have no issues with the melee combat. Rocket said the combat could use tweaking but this is largely how it's going to be due to engine limitations. Once the damages are better balanced and weapon swings arcs are improved, I'll have zero problems with the combat. I don't see how people are having trouble swinging the axe...it's pretty fucking easy. If you ever get hit in melee combat while using any weapon - then there must be something extremely wrong with your hand-eye coordination. All you do is strafe around the zombies and click while aiming at their heads. The swings aim in an arc so it's pretty difficult to miss...

Edited February 23, 2014 by t1337Dude

[ztranger 31]

It's not perfect, but not bad at all. Probably when mouse accel. can be turned off, fist fighting will be smoother. The other thing is that when hitting the head/neck with a machete, knife and a couple more melee's, chances to kill or to knock out could be higher.

[The-MCV- 149]

My only problem is when they start desyncing around you, running in circles while you shoot and waiting for your ammo to run out. The rest is fine.

[Zoridium JackL 16]

It's not perfect, but not bad at all. Probably when mouse accel. can be turned off, fist fighting will be smoother. The other thing is that when hitting the head/neck with a machete, knife and a couple more melee's, chances to kill or to knock out could be higher.

you mean when mouse accel is fixed.

 

I don't care if I can't turn it off for another age and a half, I'll adapt, but the fact that my guy turns SLOWER the faster I move my mouse is terrible, it's unintuitive and frustrating.

[soulfirez 901]

There should be a blocking action, then it will be fine. The frustration of a player constantly blocking in a fight may lessen the punch like a twat fights i've seen.

Perhaps a percentage of hits while blocking could add some panic in fights, based on character health.

There should be a blocking motion but it shouldnt be able to be held on it should be a timed block lasting a mere moment..

 

As for the raised axe thing yeah i have seen to many guys using the raised axe trying to hit straight (obviously losing) but the raised wack does have its uses specially when circling zeds always circle clockwise and then with the raised shot it hits to the right you will find its quite good to stay on the move using this method...

[bobda 11]

The combat is a little wonky, but once you get used to it it's not that bad. Only problem I have with melee is it seems you either have an axe or use your fists, everything in between is useless.

[ONLiine WArri0r 0]

I'm not much into the melee combat system either. Yesterday, this guy and I ran around in circles for 5 minutes swinging until I finally got knocked unconscious and killed. In the mod I always wished I was able to punch, now I'm not too sure if I enjoy it.

[splitter 20]

Am I the only one who have trouble hitting zombies with the axe? The point of impact never seems to be in the center crosshair, but rather to the sides.

 

Don't use the crosshair as an impact point for the axe. Pay attention to where the head of the axe actually goes. Once you know, you'll one hit zombies (or players B) ) with ease.

[Nicko2580 398]

Just because he said he's happy with it as it currently stands that doesn't mean he has no refinements planned. 

As it is melee works pretty well in terms of the mechanics - you get your axe out, swing it at someones head, and it kills them. There's not a lot more to it than that, unless you want a blocking/parrying system as well.

What needs to be tweaked are both the animations and the actual statistics of weapons. Adding different types of damage would go a long way towards making the weapons 'feel' better. 

Slashing, piercing and crushing and combinations of the three. Slashing (machete) obviously causes cuts and wounds that bleed lots. Piercing gets through armour (crowbar/axe) and crushing breaks bones (axe/fire extinguisher/bat) etc.

[whothehellishe 81]

You guys kidding right?! I have no issues hitting something but still tbh melee is shit, just like Zeds... :beans:

[Jolunn 54]

Don't use the crosshair as an impact point for the axe. Pay attention to where the head of the axe actually goes. Once you know, you'll one hit zombies (or players B) ) with ease.

 

What he said....you time your swing so the (whatever you got in your hand) makes contact, do not use the crosshairs as the aiming point, you can actually swing and turn and still hit, guess not many people bother to work out how things function.

Edited February 23, 2014 by Jolunn

[louist 163]

What he said....you time your swing so the (whatever you got in your hand) makes contact, do not use the crosshairs as the aiming point, you can actually swing and turn and still hit, guess not many people bother to work out how things function.

Fewer still take the time to formulate responses that aren't abrasive.

[Lorax 99]

I know there is a limit of what they can do with the engine. I would like them to work on the accuracy and the general smoothness of the melee weapons. Some hit high, some to the right, some low, and some perfectly. If the animation was smoother I think that would help a lot. Also I'm think the characters move faster than they might once it is fully released. I know they have running set faster than it will be since there are no vehicles, and they will tone it down. Whether that translates to the circle running speed of melee combat I'm unsure of.