What does it take to make a good lightsaber combat?
Besides the lightsaber itself what constitutes good video melee game combat?
There are a lot of moving parts when making something fragile and precise as melee combat. It’s important to note that everyone currently playing the game has a different connection to it. This means that not everyone is seeing the same thing that you are seeing on your screen. In other words that means that melee combat can be finicky or even bad because of the latency between all of the connections.
An example of this is when players could be swinging their swords to attack, however, you may not see that yet because of your connection to the game. This leads to larger issues like players getting damaged when they can’t see what damaged them or how they were hurt. It all culminates in a frustrating experience and often leads to players turning the game off entirely.
So, how do you go about mitigating all of these headaches?
The key is code which processes what needs to be done efficiently and effectively. Roblox offers a “Touched” function in their library that will do something if a certain part in the 3D workspace is touched. This, on paper, seems like it would be a good method to use for melee combat, however, this is actually the worst decision you could make. Star Wars Universe Online utilises a custom-made hit detection system that only scans when it is activated. With this system I was able to place small sections where the game actually scans for if a connection was made allowed me to create custom hitbox shapes not bound to the limitations of the Roblox engine.
How does combat actually work?
The combat in Star Wars Universe Online is integrated into the core progression system of the player. Essentially, as the player does more in the game the more they unlock. Specifically what people look forward to unlocking are new lightsaber forms. Without getting too in-depth, lightsaber forms are a way of handling your weapon differently based on your current situation. For example, form 2 is designed to be really good at fighting against other one-handed fighters whereas form 3 is designed to be effective against players who prefer ranged weapons. This type of push and pull offers unique ways of fighting for all players and actively requires you to learn the ins and outs of each and every fighting style. This method creates depth for players and brings them back to play.
Another function of the lightsaber dueling system is different types of lightsabers players can fight with. Progressing through the game players unlock up to three different types of melee weapons. Single, dual, or double-bladed. Since Star Wars Universe Online is an online role-playing game players unlock a different type of weapon depending on the type of “battle class” they pick as they progress. Players have the choice of expanding their weapon arsenal as they progress even after choosing their battle class.
* Outdated animations
What about customization?
Players have the option of personalizing their lightsaber to their liking. Going to planets like Ilum allows them to discover and unlock new crystals that change their blade color and lightsaber sounds. Additionally, progressing through the game also unlocks new lightsaber parts which allow them to change their emitter, body, handle, and pommel. Hundreds of combinations can be created through this system. Each and every lightsaber is unique to the user.