From a design standpoint, what's the rationale behind no fall damage?

[TearsInRain]

Name one reason besides realism or watching your enemy die due to fall damage which is FUN that could make a game developer go "hey, let's add fall damage". Try it, I dare you.

The two reasons you just gave seem reasonable enough to me. *shrugs*
Even in the fantasy/sci-fi world of Defiance the Earth is still going to have gravity... just saying.

I realize that this game probably won't be adding fall damage anytime soon. But that's mostly because people have whined so much that Devs like the ones making this game have just decided to give in. It's the same reason why getting killed in general no longer really has any serious disadvantages anymore.

[JBo796]

Yeh...I hate fall damage. Screw immersion. This game is plenty 'o fun just the way it is.

[cfStatic]

I was really hoping that this topic would just die off over the course of alpha/betas. Sadly it hasn't.

[Anam]

Never really had falling damage impact my fun in APB. In fact, there were "talents" you coud choose that allowed you to reduce the amount of damage you took from falls. That could have easilly been included in the EGO grid.

Some of you are posting this is what the majority wants. Please cite the Defiance development poll? Or are you just assuming the majority wants what you want?

Seriously, if falling damage is all it would take to get you to walk away from this game, you're hanging by a thread already. What does that say about how much you like the game? I would prefer the developers not design around such fairweather customers.

Yeah it feels odd not having fall damage. It's probably the one thing right now that I'd say stands out and does take away from immersion in one respect. Maybe I'm too used to Planetside 2 and/or other shooters, but the challenge of not dying from a fall adds to the fun for me. Just saying.

And yes, please do damage my Charger if it hits something or falls. As it stands, this fall damage thing will not make me walk away, but had to state my opinion that I appreciate fall and vehicle hit damage.

[TearsInRain]

I was really hoping that this topic would just die off over the course of alpha/betas. Sadly it hasn't.

I imagine this topic will come up for -any- new game that tries to pretend that their worlds don't suffer from the effects of gravity. *shrugs*

[strfish]

I wish there was fall damage.

[Hiero Glyph]

To be fair, the no fall damage is fine, Trion just needs to add a recovery animation when falling from above a certain height. This would balance PvP without requiring players to fall to their deaths time and time again. The recovery period would make player vulnerable for a short time when falling from extreme heights without directly having them take damage. Ideally, this recovery animation should combo with the Intimidation perk and allow for increased damage taken as a penalty. This would make falling from incredible heights fun but balanced.

[TearsInRain]

To be fair, the no fall damage is fine, Trion just needs to add a recovery animation when falling from above a certain height. This would balance PvP without requiring players to fall to their deaths time and time again. The recovery period would make player vulnerable for a short time when falling from extreme heights without directly having them take damage. Ideally, this recovery animation should combo with the Intimidation perk and allow for increased damage taken as a penalty. This would make falling from incredible heights fun but balanced.

There has to be some side-effect or disadvantage from falling in a game like this. Otherwise the maneuver can easily be exploited in either PvE or PvP. If it's not going to be insta-death I ultimately don't care if that penalty involves an extra stun animation, losing all but 1 HP, and/or perhaps having to use some kind of skill/perk/equip to mitigate the penalty. Anything but -nothing- would be fine.

[Steve3D]

Because they think jumping off cliffs is badass.

this reply, nuff said.

[Hiero Glyph]

There has to be some side-effect or disavantage from falling in a game like this. Otherwise the maneuver can easily be exploited in either PvE or PvP. If it's not going to be insta-death I ultimately don't care if that penalty involves an extra stun animation, losing all but 1 HP, and/or perhaps having to use some kind of skill/perk/equip to mitigate the penalty. Anything but -nothing- would be fine.

Isn't that what I just stated by adding a recovery animation?

Also, even if only shields were affected by fall damage would provide enough of a penalty, although I would prefer to have the recovery animation as well.