Poll

What do you think about the Eagles?

They're fine the way they are.
4 (23.5%)
The attack sound should be changed.
0 (0%)
The animations need improvement.
2 (11.8%)
They aren't very interesting.
1 (5.9%)
They generally annoy me.
7 (41.2%)
One or more of the above.
3 (17.6%)
Other (detail in post).
0 (0%)

Total Members Voted: 0

Author Topic: How are the Eagles?  (Read 7957 times)

Offline Gallant Dragon

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How are the Eagles?
« on: October 27, 2011, 08:32:48 pm »
How do you guys all feel about the eagle type enemies?

Personally, I don't like them much.  Their attack sound is annoying, their animation is frankly crappy, especially compared to the crippled dragon, and they really just don't make much sense.  I know this is just a game, but nests that shoot out constant streams of annoying birds that fly in a straight line?  I don't know, but for me they tend to be either annoying or just plain frustrating. :(

But enough negativity  :P , thoughts anyone?
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Offline Commiesalami

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Re: How are the Eagles?
« Reply #1 on: October 27, 2011, 09:22:55 pm »
They spawn in massive amounts, and really only have 2 frames of animation that are easily noticed.  I haven't faced the 'elite' version that was mentioned in the patch notes awhile back so that one may be an improvement.

Offline Underfot

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Re: How are the Eagles?
« Reply #2 on: October 28, 2011, 08:16:24 am »
I like the type of challenge they produce - dodging constant horizontal attacks.  Perhaps that sort of thing would be better suited to a weather condition like a hailstorm (or ember storm) in a driving wind. 
I haven't seen the 'elite' version yet either so perhaps they already this but my suggestion for the standard eagles would be:
-improve the animation
-spawn at ~80% of the current rate
-if an eagle is above you, ~50% of the time it will do a dive-bomb towards you, return to its original height, and carry on.

Offline zebramatt

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Re: How are the Eagles?
« Reply #3 on: October 28, 2011, 08:40:44 am »
Personally, I like 'em and would like to see more like 'em.

Offline TechSY730

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Re: How are the Eagles?
« Reply #4 on: October 28, 2011, 09:29:22 am »
I like the type of challenge they produce - dodging constant horizontal attacks.  Perhaps that sort of thing would be better suited to a weather condition like a hailstorm (or ember storm) in a driving wind. 
I haven't seen the 'elite' version yet either so perhaps they already this but my suggestion for the standard eagles would be:
-improve the animation
-spawn at ~80% of the current rate
-if an eagle is above you, ~50% of the time it will do a dive-bomb towards you, return to its original height, and carry on.

Reduce that dive chance to like 40% and you got yourself a supporter of this idea.

Offline nat_401

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Re: How are the Eagles?
« Reply #5 on: October 28, 2011, 11:18:18 am »
So far its the only enemy which stops you from boosting everywhere as a bat, which I like, and it only turns up in one specific area which is an area with a large amount of materials for you to gather so I like there role in protecting the forests from me and my energy pulse
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Offline Dizzard

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Re: How are the Eagles?
« Reply #6 on: October 28, 2011, 01:05:58 pm »
They're my least favourite enemy. I'm not fully sure what it is....I think it might because of the way they move in a straight line it makes them seem more like bullets or obstacles and less like living creatures.

Offline Gallant Dragon

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Re: How are the Eagles?
« Reply #7 on: October 28, 2011, 05:32:56 pm »
They're my least favourite enemy. I'm not fully sure what it is....I think it might because of the way they move in a straight line it makes them seem more like bullets or obstacles and less like living creatures.

I think they kinda end up in the uncanny valley because of this...
It's just carriers all the way down!

Offline mrhanman

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Re: How are the Eagles?
« Reply #8 on: October 28, 2011, 10:23:35 pm »
They remind me of something from one of the early Mario games.  Maybe the albatrosses from SMB2.  Anyway, I like them, but I think the diving idea above would add a lot to them.

Offline x4000

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Re: How are the Eagles?
« Reply #9 on: October 28, 2011, 11:34:13 pm »
In terms of the animations, the eagles have 21 frames of animation and it's quite smooth and good-looking I think.  I'm wondering if the people complaining about it are seeing a framerate drop in general based on so much going on onscreen, or if there's some other factor.

They remind me of something from one of the early Mario games.  Maybe the albatrosses from SMB2.  Anyway, I like them, but I think the diving idea above would add a lot to them.

That's what the Eagle Divers do -- the upgraded versions of the eagles.  I imagine folks have only seen the lower power ones if they're just mentioning the ones in a line.  But that sort of diving is too hard for the earlier stages of play.
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Offline Dizzard

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Re: How are the Eagles?
« Reply #10 on: October 29, 2011, 02:10:36 am »
You know what eagles sort of remind me of? Bullet bills from the mario series.

It seems a bit strange that they just go through you and don't come back to attack you...it's less like you're fighting them and more like they're being a nuisance. (maybe that was the point)

Offline pierre dupon

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Re: How are the Eagles?
« Reply #11 on: October 29, 2011, 08:17:23 am »
In terms of the animations, the eagles have 21 frames of animation and it's quite smooth and good-looking I think.  I'm wondering if the people complaining about it are seeing a framerate drop in general based on so much going on onscreen, or if there's some other factor.

This. I hate going into jungle type tiles because at least one screen will have 10 or so eagles and the game slows to a crawl. Could you lower the spawn rate and increase individual eagles' power?

Offline Hunam

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Re: How are the Eagles?
« Reply #12 on: October 29, 2011, 09:55:54 am »
I actually like their projectile like behavior and how you are forced to utilize the vertical elements of the level to evade.  I could understand maybe decreasing the spawn rate however. The only thing that is not very interesting is the fact that they are simply eagles and not something more unique but no big deal. Overall I like em. Haven't seen the elite versions yet though...

Offline Dizzard

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Re: How are the Eagles?
« Reply #13 on: October 29, 2011, 12:09:55 pm »
I'm not sure if I've come across the elite eagles....

When do they appear? They all look like eagles to me.

Offline @B0FH

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Re: How are the Eagles?
« Reply #14 on: October 29, 2011, 01:45:57 pm »
The divers look the same to me, but tbh are less annoying than the horizontal travel ones imo.