The game has a lot of potential and obviously we are happy that we can see more endgame content and factions.
But it still feels like a game from 10 years ago.
Clunky animations, cutscenes where we can see “a conversations between mannequins who woodenly move their hands, without moving their mouths”, lack of high definition in-game cinematics, still graphics optimization issues, dubbing isn’t that great…
Ok there are some small improvements that make the game a bit more “smooth” but it’s not enough to be competitive and modern.
It’s not relevant to the subject of the topic but I would like to add that the lore is so short and not innovative that I wonder: “Why don’t they make us start directly from level 58 from the Monoliths?”
It almost seems like an excuse to take time, but the result is just boring and uninteresting.
This game becomes yet another “waiting room” for upcoming expansions or seasons of other games of the genre.
My criticism is only for the hope that there are ALSO these improvements, I would like to see them over this year.
Or early 2025.
Ok then don’t add new endgame or new factions (which require time, money and resources) and improve what you have.
After improving and modernizing it you make the announcement, new money arrives and only then add new content.
Or to speak plainly and without beating around the bush: Who the fuck gives a shit about some animations when they can have proper gameplay?
If you want something which looks amazing go and watch a movie and don’t play a game. A game’s first and foremost task is to provide enjoyable gameplay, not graphic fidelity.
Nah, the opposite. Quite the opposite. If people would’ve patience and a fantastic world where this is the case you’re right.
Sadly… we don’t life in such a world, and sadly, developers need to eat and a live-service game needs to uphold the server costs steadily.
In a pure passion project of the single player variant made off-time from work by hobbyists I would 100% agree with you.
If the game had been as modern as other games of the genre, the price would have also increased.
I would have bought it, even if it cost 20 or 30 dollars more.
I would like both (animation and gameplay) and I’m not saying that the game graphically has to be the same (or better) than Diablo 4 or Lost Ark.
I’m just saying that it should be improved further.
And in any case it seems that you have partially read my post, I also talked about graphic optimization.
It is not normal that after years there are still these issues.
I was watching a well-known game streamer just 2 minutes ago who had a frame drop during the live streaming on Twitch.
And he have high end hardware.
But it’s like you say: “Who the fuck gives a shit”.
Yes, and that has brought is publishers like Electronic Arts, Sony, Ubisoft, Konami and so on. Companies which target people who want ‘shiny’ when the end-result is a masisvely expensive multi-million dollar pile of crap.
With few exceptions.
I would enjoy one amazing looking game with nigh perfect mechanics as well. I also understand what the budget needs for those are.
Just look at the cost of game development. Star Citizen is a prime example. I think they reached over 300 million dollars budget by now, mismanaged around 200 million of those and still leaving around 100 million left to develop a single core mechanic that’s actually worthwhile to see as massive progress in game development, their seamless server transition mechanic.
Their game mechanics are pre-alpha stage still, their monetization system should be outlawed… but… it looks nice! One of the best looking games ever created in terms of detail.
Doesn’t help when the game itself is garbage though.
Also I would argue that Last Epoch has a better graphical density then D4 has, their work in in-game assets is amazing. Their animations are the lackluster part because animations take a lot of effort to create and are the most expensive part besides voice acting and character modelling.
And yes, absolutely! I agree fully with you there.
As the first and foremost priority? No, I fully disagree there. The direction EHG is taking is the one which leads to a healthy long-term game. Graphical fidelity leads to a short-term flop generally.
I have so many games in my watched list which are in early access and the majority of them die off because they focus on the wrong things. Better looking stuff, animations, petting a friggin dog… but in terms of gameplay releases? Slow, clunky, not thought out often.
If only half of those developers would focus more on what actually makes a game a game then we wouldn’t see so many failing left and right. A game can be buggy. A game can look mediocre or outright bad. As long as the gameplay loop itself is fun and engaging people will play it and cause it to be a success. Dwarf Fortress, Stardew Valley, Minecraft, BattleBit… they all are examples of what makes a game well received and nonetheless so… sooo many people go and say ‘but it doesn’t look niiiice’. Yes, it doesn’t, game’s good though.
That on the other hand is something I agree with.
It comes mostly from spawning mechanics, hence creation of item models on the ground. That’s the main cause of FPS dips. Any system has them and it needs to be reworked, for sure. And also fairly high priority for it.
But… that’s a core mechanic of the game which is deeply implemented, it’ll surely need a while and extensive resources. So it’s a patience thing there.
The biggest issue is that they’re using Unity, so they’re limited in what they can improve in a timely fashion. To do a complete rework of graphics would require more than a single cycle’s worth.
The jankiness in the game comes not from poorer graphics but from issues in the game itself, namely collision detection (especially for channeled movement skills). Combat itself feels fine and the graphics are acceptable.
PoE itself didn’t improve their graphics until several years in and they have total control over their engine.
It’s just a huge task and I’m sure it will happen eventually, though not anytime soon.
The cutscenes aren’t animated like you’re thinking they are. They aren’t supposed to be like, say, D4’s cutscenes.
They could, but updating the cutscenes is likely fairly low priority given they’re fairly new (1.0) & are intended to be the way they are rather than fully animated like some other games have.
Though character animation improvements would be a good thing.
