„You'll see if somebody starts a combo“
A new demo-level is opened. This time it's the Labyrinth. As we get into a big hall and look to the ground we see the Keyholder carved out of stone - really fearsome.
The fightsystem in TCoS is, as it exists now, not common. There are only a few games successfully adapted and using this system. Unlike many other mmogs there is no lock&fight and you always have to aim for your opponent. As well as there are no standard hits. You have to use skills. Those are build into a skilldeck that will consist of 6 rows containing 5 skills each at the end. It's up to you the choose the best deck-layout. In fight every row will be executed one after another. Keep in mind that every skill has a cooldown timer and a turn timer. On use the turn timer will determine how long it takes until the next row is available and the cooldown timer will determine how long it takes until this skill is available again. If you take to long to decide what skill to use, the current row will switch back.
Beside those timers skills will have another addition, its how usefull they are in combos. The player can build the deck the way he can build up combos up to a maximum of 8 used skills. You have to keep in mind that there are some skills marked as combo-starters some are combo- followers and some are combo-finishers which will finish the combo build up till then. The longer a combo takes the more powerfull it gets while giving the enemy more time to break your combo with so called combo-breakers. As you start a combo others will see this and this way break it as soon as possible.
„What we want to achieve though is that you can see other groups doing the same instance at some points“
Continueing down the Labyrinth we came to a room with a platform. Looking around from this platform we realized that a huge wall was going up and down. Some rays of light were pointed from this wall onto our platform and it seemed there are even more platforms arround like this one.
There will be instances in TCoS as well, but the team tries to avoid the feeling of being in an generated and unpopulated empty world. You will be able to see other groups at some special points but not to interact with them. You shall get the effect of "If they can do this we will be able to get this done as well" and boost the will of getting forward. This is now up to internal testing though and not yet really asured to get it into the released game. Bis the results are satisfying till now.
The platform we stood on will be such a possibility to see other players. You will have to insert a key into the platform that will work as an elevator then. Other groups will see your platform as well then when they procees on their journey. Another advantage of this environment is that you can expand it, like the shard system, nearly without limits. But this will be, like the Shardconquest where you can conquer complete shards, high level content.
„They dont really look like humans, do they?“
There will be just two playable races in TCoS - Human and Deavi. But they are not enemys they even sta rt out in the same location. They do not have different attributes nor certain restrictions to classes or gameplay. Just the looks, origins and background stories are different. Ok there are some similarities in their apearance: Both have a head, a torso, two arms and legs but thats it. The legs of the Daevi kind of resemble the rear legs of a horse, and there are some spikes coming out on the arms and the back. And with those hands and fingernails one can pick one's nose perfectly or just stab an enemy. One might think that the Daevi look like a monstrous evil alienrace but thats just the their bad reputation from the past. They are as peacefully as humans and one shouldn't judge them how they look just because it doesn't match with todays conventions of friendly creatures.
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 As there are only 2 races one could think all will look the same. But you will choose your characters look at the start. You will look different from each other as the armor won't influence the stats. That means you can choose the equipment that you like the best. Like "Dress to impress". The stats will be the same at start. This will later be changed by sigils which can be used in the "slots" your armor has for sigils and this way change your stats.
„We have to go back“
We could hardly give back the laptop but sometimes everything has an end. And so ended this meeting with the developers of Spellborn. It will be amazing to follow up on the things to come and our next meeting wont last long, we will meet in Leipzig on the Games Convention again. Maybe then they will unveil even more of the things they have in mind for the game. Untill release you should really check out www.tcos.com regularily to keep up on the newest development.
Thanks to Firefox and Gravgunner for the translation.
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