Amazon has revealed many details about the new MMO New World. It also involved the game’s combat system. They describe it as a mix of World of Warcraft and Dark Souls.
What is the combat system like in New World? The new MMO from Amazon features an action RPG combat system. You must aim at enemies yourself and actively attack them. There will be no tab targeting, nor a visible mouse cursor.
Fighting in New World is said to feel dynamic and very physical. When you strike an enemy, the hit is physically connected to the foe. This should be visible and felt, even when shooting at an enemy and hitting them with a projectile.
The combat system is described as very position and skill-based. You won’t get light MMORPG fare where only cooldowns need to be managed.
Where do the information come from? Coinciding with the release of the new trailer we conducted an interview with Game Director Scot Lane. Below you’ll find what we learned about the combat system from the interview.
The Mix Makes It
Where do the inspirations for New World come from? Scot Lane revealed to us that the biggest inspirations for New World come from WoW and Dark Souls. Both games had an influence on the combat system:
I personally drew most inspiration from WoW, one of the best MMOs ever made, and Dark Souls. We took a lot from these for our action RPG combat system. We try to mix the two games a bit.
But Black Desert and many other great games have influenced us as well.
Which parts of the combat system are like in Dark Souls? New World focuses on an action-packed and physical combat system. Accordingly, there are:
- Directly targeting enemies, positioning plays an important role
- Physically noticeable attacks
- A dodge roll
- No tab targeting
Which parts of the combat system are like in WoW? Content for character development was taken as a model from the MMORPGs:
- Attribute points for the character
- Skill trees for weapons
- The combat system is intended to be less punishing than before and more adapted to MMO fans
Combat System in the Alpha Still Very Rough and Slow
New World presented itself from September 2018 to June 2019 in an initial Alpha. In December 2019, the MMO returned with many new details. The PvP requirement was removed and combat was made significantly more dynamic.
How was the combat system in the Alpha? The combat system there was described as very rough and sluggish. Attacks were slow and there was a stamina bar that made many attacks impossible one after another.
Additionally, there were no options to improve weapons and related skills. Skill points for weapons or a skill tree were omitted.
Some players criticized this at the end of the Alpha. They hoped that Amazon would adjust the combat system again.
Fighting Like in Dark Souls? Game Director Scot Lane compared in the interview with MeinMMO the combat system of New World with that of Dark Souls, especially in the first Alpha.
However, there were many improvement suggestions after the testing phase. This ultimately led to classic MMO elements flowing into the fights:
We learned a lot from our Alpha test. Especially our MMO players asked us to develop the game even more towards MMO. [..]
We adjusted the combat system, we had pushed it a bit too much towards hardcore.
The Punishing Elements Removed
What has changed in the combat system? Scot Lane told us that the already mentioned stamina bar has been completely removed. Furthermore, the combat system is intended to be more dynamic and less limiting than it was in the Alpha.
He himself says that testers will hardly recognize New World next time they try it:
When you try New World next time, you will say: “Oh my God, it feels so good, so responsive, and so much faster.”
Previously it was aimed at hardcore players, now you feel the action RPG without it feeling too limiting. I am so excited, it is hard to put combat into words.
What changes for the weapons? An important role in fighting in New World is your equipment. Since there are no classes, it determines your playstyle.
Each weapon now has skill trees, with which you can adjust the playstyle. Scot Lane described them as follows:
If you choose the axe, and it becomes your main weapon, you might want to upgrade a skill tree for fast melee attacks.
Maybe you want to become particularly good at throwing them. Then you will put your points into throwing.
Similarly, a one-handed sword could be used as an offensive weapon or in combination with a shield for tanking. It all depends on the points distributed in the skill tree.
The skill trees complement the attributes system of the characters. This brings some classic MMORPG elements into the combat system.
Some innovations have also been made to the story:
Release of New World Already in May
When will the new MMO be released? Amazon seems to be far advanced with the development of New World. You can already preorder the MMO.
A closed beta is planned for April 2020, the release is set to take place in May. You can buy it on Amazon or through Steam.
All further information about the MMO New World is summarized for you here:
