My Look Into Beta - Feedback/Issues/Bugs

[DemonSVK]

Hi guys!

Here is my first impressions from TimeShift Pre-Beta. My expecations = really high. Downloaded 1GB file, installed on my PC and started a game.

Interface looks interesting, background of main menu is really perfect! Moving clouds and effects around the planet are really impressive. Menu options "Replay Intro" and "Credits" options are useless in Pre-Beta because of non-funcionality. GameSpy Login is OK, but when I wanted to test creating new account it looks like game tried to Login again instead making new account.

Menu -> Settings

Video Settings -> OK (ingame/menu)
Sound Settings -> Non-Working (ingame/menu) - ignoring changes after Apply (rollback)
Player Settings -> Player Logo OK; Settings looks useful - "Allow to be inspected" is not working; Statistics - My Average Stats looks odd (percentual values?), "Games played with" is showing 0 after I played some games for Humans and Cult, other is showing 0 too.
Chat -> Friends List - Working (authorization, invitations etc.); Channels is OK but I was lil lost in it
Ability Grid-> OK

Menu -> Play

Practice -> "Quick Join" not working (in "Location" too); when you create a game and leave it you can see your own created game; Sometimes ping looks unrecognized (0 or 2500); crashing after LUA error.
Deathmatch -> I don't get it ... how it works? ...
Locations -> "Quick Join" not working (in "Practice" too); when you create a game and leave it you can see your own created game; Sometimes ping looks unrecognized (0 or 2500).
Missions -> OK

Gameplay

Game is actually funny. Units are easy to control, skills are really cool to use (they help a lot in some situations). Singleplayer Mission is really hard (need more balancing), some AI units was too easy to kill but when I met patrols it was like massacre. Objectives of Mission are really unclear. I explored locations and then my "father" was killed so I had to save my life. But I was just running around and tried to not meet patrols. Some other objective... where to go?? Then I had some problems selecting units after some other units was stunned (no select-box) and there were some other issues with attacking on specific units (no reaction after clicking). I like AI how it is, they are reacting automatically when they see enemy units, attacking on one by one and turning attack on right when they see approaching enemies from other side. I think camera control is good, you just have to know how use it - but there are some minor issues with it too (in Singleplayer Mission I had to often use camera to see something - palms are blocking a look -> annoying - need transparency?). When I was playing I had just feeling I was playing some improved Starcraft/Warcraft in different environment and units or something like that... hm.

Tech

Graphics are impressive, effects looks cool and models of units are good looking (graphics all high). I spotted some major issues with rendering ingame - video (http://www.recenzeher.eu/stahnout/worldshift_render_issues.avi)(dxdiag (http://www.recenzeher.eu/stahnout/DxDiag.txt)). I liked animations and physics of the game too. Some creatures have ragdoll physics implemented ... wohoo. But there were some other minor issues and limitations but I hope they'll be fixed. Pre-Beta is currently big HW killer because of non-optimized shadows etc. Sound must be improved a lot too (missing sounds etc) - it will come with updates as I heard.

Beggining of matches -> Big internet lag
While playing matches -> "Mini-lags"

Ehm... and sorry for bad english...

[oargestory]

They will adress the issues about the SP-campaign. You will get more hints on what to do and where to go during your missions, and overall the enemies are going to be more balanced.

Deathmatch works pretty easy. You decide if you want to play 1vs1, 2vs2 or 3vs3 and if you want to play with random teammates, or with some of your friends. After you start the game, World Shift will search for other players with the same settings ( like 2v2 with random players ) to make a match.

It's a bit buggy sometimes, but overall it works fine for me.

[DemonSVK]

These are my suggestions guys, I am sure WorldShift will be better if you will make this. I hope you will understand what I mean...

- Add a feature when Field Leader can take checkpoints and use objects while he/she is in selected group of units (or add AI feature -> go through blocking units)

- Remove white fog, which is decreasing visual and quality of colors (maybe part of gfx optimalization)

- Unexplored area should be better looking (my opinion is that black is little... ugly for this)

- Change visual of map borders (add background where your units can't go – for example water/rocks/trees)

- Add interface and features of Command Box (attack, move, stop, hold position etc.) and formation feature when are units changing their stats (attack, defense, speed) by changing their formation

- Add more detailed look into objectives like dynamic description of situation (or add important objective dialogs into it)

- Add dust-effect of moving units

- Fix a bug which is unselecting skill of commanders after one of your selected unit dies

- Extend showing of dialog icon while one of character is speaking

- Make possible to select units one-by-one and all same type in interface boxes (both down and up) and fix some issues while using skills through it (no reaction)

- Make interface more highlighted (bigger icons and text - bold?)