A new "DevSpeak" dev diary for upcoming sci-fi MMO WildStar discusses how standard MMOs have players interacting with combat, and what makes WildStar unique in that regard.
Most MMOs have abilities that function in one of three ways: Instant-cast, where hitting a button immediately uses the respective skill; cast time, where hitting a button causes a bar to fill up and the ability is resolved once it does; and channeled, where an ability state is maintained (say, continuously calling down a blizzard) as long as the player stays still after hitting a button.
In WildStar, channeled and cast-time abilities can be used while moving to make for a more reactive and mobile fight. There are also new types of ability triggers, like rapid-fire abilities where pressing the button more during a window of time will activate the ability more often, and held-button abilities where the skill will activate until the button is released.
The next WildStar dev diary will discuss the game's classes.
WildStar is expected to launch early next year.
