The Finals, a highly anticipated game, made its debut during The Game Awards on Thursday night, and its popularity has soared since the conclusion of its open beta last month. While the game has received widespread acclaim, there have been some negative reactions from players who claim that player movement has become slower compared to the beta version. However, the developers have come forward to clarify that there have been no intentional changes to the movement system. They are currently investigating the reasons behind the perceived slowness and have identified some potential factors causing the difference in gameplay experience.
Unraveling the Perception
Acknowledging the player feedback, an Embark Studios community manager on The Finals Discord server stated, “We have been investigating your feedback on the feel of the movement from Open Beta to now. It’s been hard to pinpoint because there was no change in the movement system or the movement speed between the two tests. But in our research, we believe we may have found the problem.” The development team has identified several elements, such as animations, sounds, and settings, that may collectively contribute to the sensation of slower movement, particularly for light and medium archetypes. Furthermore, the default Field of View (FOV) setting was reset to 71, which can significantly affect the overall perception of gameplay.
Embark Studios recommends players to check and adjust their FOV settings in order to potentially enhance their experience. Additionally, the team is diligently working on “rebalancing some of the changes” to restore the movement to its initial feel. It is quite common for players to misinterpret the cause of an issue and for audio and visual elements to have a substantial impact, especially in first-person shooters. A well-known example of this occurred in Enemy Territory: Wolfenstein, where players wrongly attributed one team’s machine gun as more powerful than the enemy’s. In reality, the weapons had identical stats, but the sound effects of one gun made it appear more powerful, leading players to engage more aggressively and consequently achieve more kills.
Launch Quirks and Challenges
Aside from the movement issue, The Finals has faced some additional quirks and challenges during its launch phase. Server issues have been reported, preventing players from matchmaking or causing unexpected disconnections during matches. Furthermore, an ongoing error code, TFLA0004, has left some players “locked out of gameplay.” Embark Studios is actively investigating these issues and striving to find resolutions as quickly as possible.
The Finals has captivated players with its spectacular launch, and its popularity has continued to grow following the successful open beta. While some players have raised concerns about slower movement, the developers have clarified that there have been no intentional changes and are actively addressing the issue. It is crucial to understand the impact of audio and visual elements in shaping players’ perceptions of gameplay. Additionally, server issues and an error code have posed challenges during the launch, but Embark Studios is diligently working towards resolving these issues promptly.
Stay tuned for our upcoming review of The Finals, where we will provide an in-depth analysis of the game.
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