Allow grappling hook to attach anything in range

[grand juniper]

Currently the grappling hook attaches only to preselected points in the world. As it seems all places are still accessible by jumping / flying, the limitation to have grappling hook only attach to preselected points seems meaningless.

Give the players the option to aim and grapple any point, and then use physics to propel the PC through space for much more interesting game play. Such as swinging in an arc, then releasing the hook to coast.

Current implementation is just "Press E to teleport to predefined target" -feature which is boring and does not allow creative applications.

[jade spear]

So first of all the fact that it's pre-determined grapple points does have gameplay implications, for example you can only grapple onto the corvette from one side, meaning you have to manoeuvre yourself into the right spot to board. This is a big deal since boarding the corvette is a really fast way to take it out.

The distance you can grapple is also limited by the grapple point and not a universal distance, which wouldn't work with a universal grapple. This gives the Devs better control over how much mobility to give the player in an area.

The grapple can also be cancelled by jumping mid-grapple so it's not quite a teleport. Especially in the cargo run it's useful to grapple to the catwalk and then cancel it halfway to land in front of the door to leave the freighter cargo bay. Thats one example of this tech's application, but there's plenty more.

[grand juniper]

I can see your points.

Although I disagree on the first two that they both feel a very gamey-limitations, and could imply devs "taking the easy way" . Basically by just limiting player creativity to force them always to act the way the devs want them to, instead of creating a robust set of interconnected mechanics and letting players to learn to use the mechanics in creative ways.

The third point would also apply with a free form grapple.

[candid blaze]

I think freeform grapples are cool but our game as it is would not allow it without completely breaking our environments, lets just say the amount of out of bounds bug reports already confirm that 😅

Specific surfaces that you can grapple anywhere on is something we've talked once or twice about (the magnetic surfaces for instance) would make it a little more freeform than just click X on the point to go there but nothing we've really commited to (so dont take my word as something confirmed at all), but I think it's easier to just design new levels with more grapple points to choose from

[jade spear]

Also as an aside I think remembering which grapple points are available on which maps is cool but I also kinda wish there was more tileset-based generation rather than each facility of a type being the same

[candid blaze]

I know everyone wishes for schmovement and we'll get there with sliding and maybe vaulting, but a grapple that can go anywhere on any level would be very hard to balance

[grand juniper]

I understand and respect your choice. I rest my case, although I secretly still hope you can find a way to implement it in the future, change your heart and make it great 😅

[jade spear]

I think having tileset based stuff would make memorisation of patterns and possible manoeuvres cool but mixing different tiles can introduce new possibilities

[candid blaze]

We have an old prototype gadget that is a portable grapple point. I'm not saying it's guaranteed it will return, but in a way you can see the ship as a portable grapple point

On the ice progress bar level I like to put the ship above the battle ground so you can use it as a super jump.. not sure what the rest of the team thinks of that but I think it's cool!

[grand juniper]

I'm a bit of a simulation-guy, always hoping for newtonian physics and making everything unnecessarily complicated and deep, but I understand that is not the most popular play style and not every game is about that. However, still looking forward for JS :)

[jade spear]

Oh I do that too! Turn it upside down and float it above

[unkempt stump]

On the topic of grapple points- the grapple points on the ship are a lil' insane at points.

The main examples that come to mind are mostly when the ship is parked at certain land objective areas. It can come in handy, but I've had more than a few times where I've been doing combat for an objective in an area with the ship less than a 100-200 meters away and I'll hit my grapple key for something else and just get tractor beamed to the ship.

Said range is incredibly helpful in the cargo raid mission, but I almost feel like there should be a way to enable/disable the ships grapple points, since even with refining the range on ship grappling there are some objectives where the ship is parked like right there, and the entire field is probably in ship range.

Just random thoughts really, but :P

[jade spear]

Honestly, I it would require an enemy redesign on top of a level redesign

The enemies are also kinda too slow and stuff to work with that much freeform mobility

They're really inaccurate against moving targets and if you could grapple and go fast whenever like in Titanfall you'd be practically invincible

Especially when a lot of the ground objectives involve carrying an item from A to B

Enemies would just not matter

[grand juniper]

To be honest, I havent' played the demo that much yet, so my opinions are quite raw still.

[jade spear]

Do you play solo or with a crew?

[grand juniper]

I have done two salvage missiosn solo. Probably get a crew today or tomorrow to try a bit more.

[jade spear]

Glhf!