Thoughts on Server Transfers and Animation Cancelling

Conan Exiles General Discussion
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I apologize in advance for the wall of text. Please refrain from flaming my opinions unless you read them in their entirety, not just the TL:DR, which is provided at bottom for those budgeting their time. I will also say that I have only dabbled in PvP compared to most of you and I realize by offering that information I’m asking for trouble, but I do so in the spirit of transparency. So you may think of this as a “filthy casual’s” point of view and that is okay but try to offer your opposing opinions in a semi respectful manner.

There are many who talk about server transfers as ‘the end’ of PvP. Claiming that it makes it far too easy to gear up on an empty server, then transferring so they can wipe out an entire server population. Let’s be clear about something, most of the elite ‘Alpha’ clans already do this. Sure, it takes them a couple days to get everyone leveled and geared up but that is part of the fun for them. These Alpha clans are looking for something more challenging, not an easier way to do what they already do. Will they utilize the server transfers? Yes, of course. As human beings we have an innate drive to do things as efficiently as possible (e.g. with as little effort spent as possible).

Ultimately, server transfers will benefit everyone. The smaller clans and casuals more so than the elites. Smaller clans will now be able to get a foot hold much easier. This will allow them to level and farm up much needed supplies on an empty server before getting antagonized by the elite clans. This will also continue their spirits, enabling them a fighting chance which in turn prolongs their stay on the server.

Empty servers benefit no one! The Official servers are already extremely empty, this will help repopulate them. While the elite already have the ability to wipe a server, their goal isn’t to simply wipeout servers. They’re looking for something more challenging than slaughtering a server full of newbs and having better prepared casuals may accomplish this.

I’m sure none of you have forgotten that Funcom has also removed animation canceling, which does several things. First and foremost, it aims to get rid of cheaters (who use scripts), which everyone (except the cheaters) can appreciate. Secondly, it adds a bit of balance, as the removal of scripts is crucial for future balancing of weapons and skill perks.

Obviously, with animation canceling gone, it will seem like an uphill battle at first. Everyone will need to relearn the best fighting techniques, which may even cause a new META to immerge. Despite this learning curve feeling a bit daunting, I feel these changes accomplish more good than bad.

[TL:DR]
Funcom has given us several things in 2.4 which hold a greater benefit than you might think at first glance.

  1. Server transfers help the casuals gain stability and a fighting chance and benefits the entire PvP community.
  2. Removing animation canceling takes away (or reduces) the cheaters who use scripts which again, benefits the casual more than the elite. This also generates better balance, which again benefits the entire PvP Community.
    Overall, I applaud Funcom on these two changes in addition to the MANY welcomed QoL changes introduced.

Let the chastising begin!

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Thank you for giving your opinions. Server transfers to me could also make it easier to just leave a trouble/ difficult server as well instead of fighting it out there but this is only minor to most people .

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This is just a theory. But I think server transfers might be a prelude to servers shutting down.

You can’t merge servers. Since structures would probably end up on top of each other (and the database would probably die). But character data is easy to switch over. So if they want to close up a few servers and get people on a few but more active servers, then this is the best way to do it.

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That could very well be in the works, I never considered that. Although I would hate to see any servers get shut down, it would save Funcom some cash and let them better service the remaining active servers.

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Would let them use underutilized Exiles server’s for Sipath

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I like that theory. I have no idea if it’s anywhere close to the truth, but I really like it. What’s the expression for that nowadays? “I ship it”?

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Animation canceling in the shape of Sheath/unsheath hot key is fine macro has to go imo swapping by equipping the off-hand macro is the really broken thing here

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When I referred to animation cancelling above, I was referring to both forms, because both forms were removed from the game for the same reason. That aside, It is a tad naive to think people didn’t use macros with both forms.

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Did you know how the macros worked?

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Server transfer is going to be a gigantic fustercluck when it gets implemented. I’m not planning to use it at all until a couple of months after it’s implemented.

Call me a pessimist, but no matter how well they test it, there will be some bugs, which means that a portion of playerbase will lose everything they had on their characters, possibly the characters themselves. And we all know what Funcom’s policy is on reimbursing the players for lost goodies.

So if you’re waiting with bated breath for the character transfer, think twice and be cautious. Create a new character on a server different from the one(s) you usually play on and use that one to test it.

As for the animation cancelling, I personally don’t care either way. As far as I’m concerned, they should put in the necessary effort to make unequip+equip cancelling work by spending the full stamina cost of the cancelled move and call it a day. If there’s anyone crying after they’ve done that, then we all know what those people really want :wink:

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They did. At least when the cancel was done after the dmg was inflicted. Even the offhand canceling spent the stamina on the canceled attack. The canceling in both cases is to attack faster with the weapon, or to avoid getting locked into an animation. The latter is what I’ve used it for.

Individual weapon attacks have very little stamina costs. You can cancel in a row, about 6-8 attacks for the cost of a dodge roll. And dodge roll is the current intended feature for canceling an attack (it just can’t cancel 4th attack finishers, but sheath/unsheath used to be able to).

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I know how macros work in general. I have written some very elaborate AHK scripts in the past, although I have never written or used one for Conan. Simply put, a macros for the animation cancelling in Conan would be condensing a series of button presses down to 1. Perfectly timing those button presses down to the millisecond (the correct i-frame).

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Couldn’t agree more :smirk:

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The offhand swapping is what allow for the more MH damage typically seen with a 1h sword or axe people were macroing this - But simply having the game to run as it always did with the Sheathe/unsheathe not allowing for equipping the off-hand while in animation. Trust more - Those extra hits u received during pvp against a macro player is ALL off hand based.

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Yeah, I understand. I’m saying they should do it on cancel, regardless of whether damage was inflicted. If you cancel the animation, pay the cost for it.

Okay, so they can turn the sheath/unsheath cancel into a proper feint and give it a cost that’s lower than a dodge roll.

And yes, I’m aware that all of this requires work. But this whole “PUT IT BACK” vs “NO KEEP IT OUT” screaming match that has been going on in other threads, that’s just not productive at all.

I’d rather discuss ideas for improvements than argue whether cancelling is cheating or scroll through endless “ur a noob” back-and-forth.

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even tho I have had slight disagreements with you regarding other topics - That could relate abit to this one , I am not against the idea as a hole of it costing stamina but that would have to be a very minor amount of Stamina - I want the change reverted more than anything because of the fluidity because its fun & makes a hell of a fun PVP game with the sheath/unsheath weapon effect. But I am totally against the off-hand swapping that allows for multiple extra attacks just with a click of a macro

The classic method when you simply sheath/unsheath just gives you better chances to escape as a victim in farm spec chased by clans lets say & it lets u perform well in 1vX situations - EVEN if the oppounents use the Sheath/unsheath method against you.

The new combat has a que system. Which is lame because if I click 2 times in my first fight animation then it will automatically perform x2 hits long before I the first poke animation is even done then they should look into that instead so that u have to click in the end of every animation in order to tell the game if u wanna move futher with ur combo

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This is the stated reason from Funcom developers on why they took out animation canceling. They’ve said in livestreams, in patch threads, and various other places. I’m not saying you’re being deaf to them, I’m just saying that they agree the point. They want to do new stuff in the future.

Part of the work is obviously to think up of new features and changes which leads to the next point you made.

I would think we’re all in agreement here. I’d like to move on, accepting this system as a new normal with methods that can be improved and even built upon it. Feints and parries are all on the table. Hell for anyone who’s played Valhiem, there’s an interesting idea considering shields and weapon parries that allow for making openings in a character’s combos. Which wouldn’t be feasible in an animation canceling situation.

At the end of the day, animation canceling isn’t coming back, and its time to go forward. We’re beating a dead horse.

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Exactly!

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Yeah, I have read a lot of that as well. The people who were actually ‘skilled’ at using the old game mechanics will also likely be skilled at using the ‘new’ game mechanics, whatever they may be. The game is starting to evolve rapidly and we all need to adapt. I personally like the changes so far and feel they are good for both the game and gamers alike, as I expressed.

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I just want wep swapping back for pc
With the offhand swapp removed

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