Developer's Notes #2: End of the Closed Beta Part 2

Hello, this is the Chrono Odyssey Development Team.As a continuation of Part 1, this follow-up developer note will cover additional areas we’re actively working to improve. What we’ll be addressing are:Combat Systems (2/2)Content & Open WorldProgression & Gameplay FlexibilityTechnical StabilityArt (Design & Animations)UI & UXBalanceSocial FeaturesIn-game GuidanceSoundNarrativeBefore we dive into the details, we’d like to once again thank everyone who joined the recent closed beta and took the time to share their feedback. As always, your insights and suggestions are deeply appreciated, as they play a pivotal role in refining Chrono Odyssey and shaping the journey ahead.ControlsHit FeedbackDamage FeedbackSkillClassWeapon SwapBalanceCamera & FOVEnemy AIDifficultyPvP1. ControlsA. Input Responsiveness\Long recovery frames made it difficult to input new commands during ongoing animations.Certain motions remained unresponsive even after visual completion.Weapon swapping and other combat actions suffered from input buffering, resulting in delayed response.Some content felt sluggish due to latency issues.UI interactions lacked clear visual feedback, making it hard to confirm whether an input was registered.\We’ll be adjusting the interruption timing for movement, attack, and skill animations to improve responsiveness.The buffering window for inputs will be significantly reduced to prevent unintended actions from being triggered.Colors and effects across all interactions will be adjusted, and a unified UI kit will be introduced to improve clarity and visual feedback.A system-level feedback cue will be added when players attempt to cancel out a non-interruptible action.To further improve input responsiveness, we’ll be reviewing client-server packet transmission and optimizing network performance.B. Controller / Keyboard & Mouse Experience\The current UI was not specifically designed with either control scheme in mind, resulting in inconsistent and uncomfortable experiences across both setups.Many in-game interactions were developed around controller input, making keyboard & mouse controls feel unintuitive.Controller users experienced difficulties with ranged targeting, and lacked access to fine-tuned settings such sensitivity adjustment, vibration/haptic feedback, accessibility options, and overall responsiveness.\Keyboard & MouseUX will be optimized specifically for keyboard & mouse environments.Hold interactions, which are commonly used for controller inputs, will be minimized or removed.ControllerUX will be optimized specifically for controller environments.UI pages with inconvenient key mapping (e.g., Inventory) will be redesigned for better navigation.Preset options inspired by Soulslike and MMORPG control schemes will also be added.Universal ImprovementsUI navigation depth will be minimized, and essential functions will be reassigned to more accessible buttons.To support more personalized control experiences, custom key mapping options and various input settings such as sensitivity scaling and input inversion will be enhanced.We’ll be improving the lock-on feature to reduce control inconsistencies during combat for a more seamless experience.Skills will now consistently target locked-on enemies, rather than firing based on the current camera direction.2. Hit FeedbackA. Hit Feedback\Monsters had excessively high stagger thresholds, resulting in weak hit reactions and reduced sense of impact. Crowd control effects had extremely short durations, making it difficult to take advantage of said effects during combat.It was often hard to measure the correct distance needed to land attacks.\Hit reactions will occur more frequently, and knockback effects will be added to make hits easier to recognize.Enemy attack patterns will be adjusted to allow for varied player responses such as parrying, countering, blocking, and dodging, adding more depth to combat.The same reactive effects will be applied to enemy attacks, enhancing the sense of impact and increasing combat tension.All enemy hit reactions will be reviewed to identify missing animations, which will be implemented as needed.Hit reaction behaviors will be standardized across monster types to support experience-based learning and improve clarity in encounters.Damage floaters and HP bar animations will be enhanced to make successful hits more noticeable.CC durations will be increased to 2-4 seconds, making successful crowd control effects more apparent and allowing more opportunities for follow-up attacks. 3. Damage FeedbackA. Damage Feedback\Damage feedback often felt weak, reducing the sense of impact when taking hits.Incoming damage often went unnoticed when players were interacting with menus.Misaligned hitboxes and network latency caused outcomes that didn’t match what was displayed on screen.\Damage notifications will be improved to ensure players recognize incoming damage, even while using the in-game menu.Enemy attack motions, visual effects, and hitboxes will be aligned to improve clarity.Client-server response times will be optimized to minimize hit and damage timing delays.New hit reaction animations will be added based on the type of enemy attack, improving the visibility of effects like stagger and knockback. Sound and camera effects will be enhanced to improve the sense of impact.Baseline hit animations will be refined so that attacks produce a consistent and noticeable visual reaction. 4. SkillA. Skill Synergies\Skill chaining felt difficult to execute due to lack of synergy between abilities.Passive skill enhancements were often more efficient, reducing incentive to use active skill combos.\The skill system will be refined to support a wider range of playstyles, even within the same class or weapon.Each weapon will support four distinct combat styles, allowing players to create builds based on their progression path.Skill synergies will not be limited to a single weapon. Skills across different weapons will link together, opening up various combinations.We will continue to develop skill chaining and progression systems over time, reinforcing a structure that’s easy to grasp yet hard to master.B. Skill Descriptions & Indicators\Some skill descriptions were too long and hard to understand.It was unclear which effects corresponded to each buff icon. Buffs and debuffs had visibility issues, and it was hard to track their duration.The Chronotector's Summon ability lacked in-game guidance.\Skill descriptions will be refined, with videos added to active skills for better clarity.The HUD for buffs and debuffs will be redesigned to improve visibility, with new effects added when buffs or debuffs are applied for better player awareness.Summon UI will be updated to display specter types, backstories, abilities, and enhancement details. 5. ClassA. Class Balance\All classes currently share similar roles (tank/healer/DPS), lacking distinct identity.Ranged classes are easier to play compared to melee classes.Monster AI does not pose a meaningful threat to ranged classes.There are significant balance discrepancies between the three weapons available for each class.\Monster AI will be improved to ensure monsters respond more effectively to ranged attacks.Introduction of the Matrix system (skill tree nodes)The Matrix will allow players to choose specific roles for each weapon, reinforcing combat style identity. Even when using the same weapon, players will be able to choose from four distinct styles based on their progression path.Based on progression paths, the same skill may deliver a different combat experience.With the introduction of the Matrix system, all classes will be re-evaluated for combat balance.6. Weapon SwapA. Weapon Swap\Weapon swaps often felt delayed, occurring only after skill animations ended.Pressing the weapon swap key multiple times could queue several inputs, often causing the wrong weapon to be equipped.When swapping weapons during combat, it was often difficult to recognize which weapon was currently in use.\Skill recovery times will be reduced to allow smoother weapon swaps during ongoing skill animations.The buffer window for weapon swaps will be shortened to less than 1 second so that swaps feel more responsive.A short cooldown will be applied to swaps, preventing unintended double swaps.HUD design for equipped weapons will be enhanced to improve visibility during combat.Visual and HUD effects will be added to make transitions more noticeable. 7. BalanceA. Combat Depth & Pacing\Combat patterns focus too heavily on dodging and attacking, making encounters feel simplistic and repetitive.All classes offered a similar combat experience, weakening class identity and variety.Lack of proper hit and damage feedback made all encounters feel similar.Awkward enemy AI and animations disrupted combat pacing and broke immersion.\Enemy AI will be adjusted to react to player movement, rather than solely following priority-based action sequences.Wind-up animations for enemy skills that inflict knockbacks, stuns, and knockdowns will be improved to better signal danger and allow players to respond accordingly.The Matrix system will introduce various combat styles, even for players using the same weapon.Through the Matrix system, players will be able to create and combine various builds that match their preference.B. Enemy Patterns\Combat difficulty felt unintentionally high due to unclear attack telegraphs, making it difficult to time dodges or attacks.\Monsters with subtle pre-attack motions will have more noticeable animations to make it easier for players to anticipate incoming attacks.FOV and sensitivity settings will be improved to give players a clearer view of enemy movement.Patterns with wide hitboxes or long tracking sequences will be adjusted, making it easier to dodge or block incoming attacks.Players will no longer be instantly defeated by bosses unless they’re significantly underleveled. 8. Camera & FOVA. Camera Movement & Angles\The camera zoomed in too close to the character near walls or certain environments, hindering visibility.Vertical camera shaking hindered gameplay experience, especially when traversing uneven terrain.Locking onto large monsters fixed the camera at an upward angle, limiting visibility during combat.In certain situations, the camera tracked too slowly, causing it to fall behind the attack direction.\Objects between the character and camera will turn transparent to maintain clear visibility.Camera movement will be smoothed out to reduce excessive screen shaking.Lock-on positions will be adjusted based on monster type to ensure camera angles are better suited for combat.Attacks and skills will now directly target the locked-on enemy, rather than following the camera’s facing direction.9. Enemy AIA. Enemy AI & Response Time\Aggro detection and response times were too slow, reducing combat tension and immersion.Enemies often failed to react immediately after taking damage or spotting a player.Enemies sometimes stopped acting mid-combat, breaking the flow of battle.AI behavior was overly simple and predictable.Some enemies would get stuck in walls or fail to navigate terrain properly.\Monsters will now calculate target distance instantly, rather than pausing before entering combat.Aggro detection range will be increased.Enemy attack behavior will adjust depending on the player’s distance.Additional crowd control abilities will be added to diversify enemy patterns.In accordance with the changes above, enemies will have clearer wind-up animations to ensure players can respond appropriately.Monsters that get stuck in terrain will automatically reset their position. 10. DifficultyA. PvE\Players encountered sharp difficulty spikes when entering certain content too early.Lack of guidance on recommended levels or clear progression paths caused players to give up.The game’s non-linear design contributed to uneven difficulty jumps.\First Chrono Gate (Thousandfold Piercer)Players will now reach the first Chrono Gate around level 5 instead of level 3.Additional progression paths will be introduced before entering the first Chrono Gate.Players will have the option to enter the first Chrono Gate alongside an NPC for support.Solo/Party ContentSolo and party content will have clearer rules and revised patterns.Solo content such as Chrono Gates, Labyrinths, and Trials will be redesigned with deeper, technical combat rather than fighting enemy mobsParty content such as Expedition and Time Portals will feature varied mission objectives that emphasize strategic, role-based gameplay.OthersCore content will now include guidance for recommended party size, level range, and gear score.B. Combat UI & FX\UI elements such as notifications, buffs, and damage numbers frequently covered the screen.Overly bright visual effects made it difficult to distinguish between ally and enemy skills.Screen shake, excessive brightness, and overlapping effects hindered combat visibility.Many skill effects appeared too similar and hard to distinguish.\HUD will be redesigned to improve visibility of skill cooldowns and resource indicators.Glow effects will be reduced, and combat visuals will be refined to ensure character motions are more visible.Players will now have the option to toggle combat visuals.11. PvPA. Duels\It was difficult to recognize duel zones due to the lack of clear visual boundaries.\A visual barrier will be added to indicate the boundaries of the duel zone.A warning notification will appear when a player nears the edge of the zone.A result pop-up will be added at the end of each duel.WorldRegion StructureNavigationInteractionsExploration RewardsLocal QuestsDungeonsOpen World Content 1. WorldA. Content Density & Regional Distinction\Low content density and a lack of regional distinction led to underutilized areas and reduced immersion.\We’ll be increasing content density throughout the world and introducing new exploration elements, such as themed caves and diverse exploration routes.To help players navigate through the world more easily, we’ll be adding landmarks to complex or hard-to-navigate areas.Gathering materials such as herbs and ores will have clearer textures to make them easier to locate.We’ll be adding scenic viewpoints that reveal breathtaking landscapes as players turn corners or reach elevated terrain.Guidance elements will be added to travel paths to help players discover core content such as Chrono Gates.B. Bland & Repetitive Map Design\Despite the expansive open world, terrain textures felt repetitive and underwhelming.Environmental details lacked polish, creating a noticeable gap between what was shown in trailers.\Region-specific features such as swamps, misty forests, wildflower fields, and grasslands will be further enhanced to strengthen visual identity.A dynamic grass system will be implemented, and the wind system will be improved to create immersive environmental interactions based on player movement.2. Regional StructureA. Disjointed Regional Transitions & Unintuitive Pathing \Players often got lost due to unintuitive pathing in certain regions.Many players were unaware of the inn return feature and ended up running back to settlements.\Additional routes will be added to areas that require frequent backtracking. The inn return feature will receive improved guidance and visibility.B. World Map \The lack of terrain and altitude indicators made it difficult for players to navigate the world map.The compass provided limited directional guidance, making it difficult for players to locate objectives even when nearby.\The compass will now include altitude indicators, using up/down arrows to reflect the location of the objective.Areas will be visually differentiated so that players can better identify points of interest.What is a Point of Interest (POI)?A POI is a visually distinct area—such as striking structures, lights, or objects—that catch players’ attention from a distance. These locations often lead to hidden rewards or special events.Explored and unexplored content will be clearly marked on the World Map to help track exploration progress.We’ll be enhancing the quest tracker to provide better guidance. However, for certain quests, guidance will only extend to a general area to encourage exploration.Players will be able to place additional custom markers and use a new memo feature to track important locations or mark resource collection points.Inconsistencies between terrain and the World Map will be corrected.C. POI Exploration \POIs often lacked meaningful content or rewards, which led to a disappointing experience.\We’ll be introducing hidden caves, narrative encounters, and gathering opportunities to POIs to make exploration more rewarding. 3. NavigationA. Traversable & Non-Traversable Terrains\It was difficult to distinguish climbable terrain due to a lack of visual cues.Players often wasted time attempting to climb non-traversable terrain.\Non-traversable terrain will now feature distinct visual elements, such as rocks and cliffs at least twice the height of the player, to clearly indicate areas that cannot be climbed. 4. InteractionsA. Gathering Feedback \It was difficult to tell if gathering was successful due to a lack of clear visual feedback.Gathering effects were too plain, making the overall process tedious.\Gathering animations, effects, and sounds will be enhanced to make the process more rewarding.Visual and sound effects for material disappearance upon successful gathering will be enhanced. B. Interaction Improvements \Interactive elements could only be triggered from specific positions, hindering gameplay experience.\We’ll be enhancing interaction responsiveness and methods to deliver a more intuitive and immersive experience.All navigation data tied to interaction positioning will be thoroughly reviewed to ensure smoother and more accurate position alignment during interactions.Interactive objects will now use short-press interactions, reducing unnecessary delays.  5. Exploration RewardsA. Reward Value \Exploration lacked meaningful ties to core content, which led to a weaker sense of purpose.Rewards were not compelling enough, making exploration feel inefficient and less engaging.\New Dynamic Quests and Chain Quests will be introduced, unlocked exclusively through exploring specific areas.Hidden rewards will be added to strengthen the purpose of exploration.Rare achievements and titles exclusive to exploration will be introduced. B. Content Engagement & Rewards \The value of rewards often felt underwhelming compared to content difficulty, diminishing the intended loop of challenge, reward, and progression.The drop rates of high-value items were too low, making content feel more tiring than motivating.Progression was heavily reliant on life skills, which reduced the appeal of exploration, combat, and co-op activities, especially in early stages of the game.\The progression structure will be refined to ensure players can progress through a variety of content, including world exploration.Each type of content will feature distinct progression mechanics designed to boost motivation and encourage participation.  6. Local QuestA. Repetitive Quest Structure \Local quests feel overly repetitive, making the overall gameplay experience less engaging.\Beyond the main questline, we’re adding meaningful events tailored to each region, along with quests that feature unique, memorable characters.We’re also reworking certain quests so that player choices influence how they progress and conclude, aiming to create a more varied and dynamic experience. B. Quest Rewards \Rewards for local quests were underwhelming, making players less motivated to engage with them.\To improve the overall value of questing, we’re planning to boost the value of local quest rewards.We’ll be adding lore-related items, rare materials, and equipment that directly contribute to character growth.There will also be exclusive accomplishments, titles, skins, and ...