Suggestions for Reinstating the "Attack" Command

[Yaorin yon]

Many players might not be familiar with the functionality of the "Attack" command, so let me introduce it.

The perfect version of the "Attack" command has two functions:

 

  1.  Well-known Function: Deals damage to all creatures along the path.

 2.   Main Supplementary Function: The "Attack" command animation's beginning and end (Abigail's backflip + Abigail's emergency brake) have extremely short invincibility frames.

 

These invincibility frames are very, very brief, approximately 0.5s + 0.5s. Players who have experience with action games know that 0.5s is actually a satisfactory dodging time, but this is based on the premise of simple operation. Normally, dodging only requires you to press one button (the dodge button) or simultaneously press two buttons (directional button + dodge button). However, Team Spirit is different.

Due to DST's optimization limitations, Team Spirit requires you to:

 

    "Maintain your position" → "Open Abigail's Flower" → "Select Attack Command" → "Choose Target Location" → "Issue Command"

 

This process is far more complex than that of a typical action game.

Players who have experience with action games definitely know that when an action has both "dodge" and "output" functions in a high-risk situation, successfully executing this action gives you a strong sense of achievement (similar to "bullet reflection" or "counter").

Due to DST's operational impact, utilizing the 0.5s + 0.5s invincibility frames is undoubtedly a very challenging behavior. This is undoubtedly the most playable part of the "Attack" command.

However, in a previous update, this function was removed without being mentioned in the patch notes. If you have carefully read my previous articles, you can understand my confusion. This operation mode cannot be performed stably under normal circumstances and requires sufficient experience and practice and is a purely playability-enhancing design. Why was it removed?

Therefore, I hope this function is reinstated. At the same time, in "dodge + output," "output" is also very important. I also hope to reinstate Moonlit Abigail's damage capability when using the "Attack" command. Many people may not know that the current Moonlit Abigail's "Attack" command deals no damage to any enemies. (Is this still an "attack"?)

I think this design, like the removal of the 0.5s invincibility frames, is just another way of reducing playability and should be reinstated.

Finally, here are some practical demonstrations from previous versions. If these functions still existed, they would definitely encourage you to use Team Spirit more to experience the game.

 

[cyjs]

I didn't even know the technique, but it's gone

[zzzzzzzzzzz]

Why aren’t these useful features kept？

[Catapult 2.0]

Why remove the precise operations that require continuous practice for only marginal improvements?

[Yifei_]

这可能和一个bug有关，之前版本里使用攻击指令时，在指令生效期间，被阿比击中的生物会对阿比有仇恨。但是一旦指令结束，仇恨就会突然消失。

This may be related to a bug. In previous versions, when using the Attack At command, creatures hit by Abigail would hold aggression towards her while the command was active. However, once the command ended, the aggression would suddenly disappear.

[kikia]

This looks much more interesting and challenging, and I enjoy challenging things. The process of players practicing this skill also feels like Wendy telling Abby: "I'm no longer someone who can only hide behind you for protection. Now we can fight side by side." Please consider restoring it, Klei.

[hoxi]

4 hours ago, Yifei_ said:

这可能和一个bug有关，之前版本里使用攻击指令时，在指令生效期间，被阿比击中的生物会对阿比有仇恨。但是一旦指令结束，仇恨就会突然消失。

This may be related to a bug. In previous versions, when using the Attack At command, creatures hit by Abigail would hold aggression towards her while the command was active. However, once the command ended, the aggression would suddenly disappear.

Yes, the issue stemmed from the swoop start and end states using the "noattack" tag, which can also prevent targeting (similarly but not entirely like "notarget").

The intention was to prevent interruptions from being hit, but this wasn't properly addressed the patch that changed this. And resulted in the issue of being able to deaggro enemies if they happened to update their targeting during those states.

I will say, if they were to restore i-frames for this (but properly, and not with invincibility to avoid triggering Abigail's shield when taking hits while immune), I think it makes more sense to do this with the start state not the end state.

Even then? Her escape ability does the same this used to do, including consistent deaggroing. And I'm not sure if she needs i-frames on a very high mobility dash attack of all things (if anything, give that to her gestalt transformation, since it lacks aoe and any sort of damage now, and gestalts can't be hit when they do their dash).

[Walrusst]

I remember using this to farm birds throughout the night.
Its not like wendy had a meat shortage but it was nice to have even if it was a little strong.

[Yaorin yon]

I hope everyone hasn't forgotten this. In my view, the game enjoyment brought by this mechanism is immeasurable.