Are you ready to heft a block of wood like a Shaolin monk? The developer of Naraka: Bladepoint, 24 Entertainment, seems to think so, as it’s releasing the staff to its arsenal of deadly weapons on November 17th. It’s one of many updates that have released this year, with new heroes, campaigns, and weapons such as Dual Blades also appearing in 2022.
The staff differs from the spear, another weapon available in Naraka, by offering good range along with a dynamic moveset that will allow you to wield the weapon with agility and grace. It should almost look like you’re dancing as you’re wielding the staff, which makes sense considering your in-game avatar would be an expert at using the weapon. Players have been requesting the addition of the staff since the game’s launch over a year ago, so 24 Entertainment wanted to get it right, which led to a lot of work for the studio.
Lead producer Ray Kwan had this to say about adding the work involved in bringing the highly anticipated weapon to the game:
To really bring the weapon to life, we invited a Shaolin monk to our Hangzhou HQ to provide our Staff mocap: recording a range of genuine Shaolin staff moves like sweeps, thrusts, upward swings, and many more. Then we set about making them work in-game… A large factor in why NARAKA’s combat works so well is the fluidity, along with the functionality, of intricate movements like these. We micro-adjust them by hand, ensuring each flows into the next. This continuity work took a fair while to get right with the Staff.
It’s important to note that despite their differences, the spear and staff will feel similar, so transitioning from one to the other shouldn’t be that big of a deal. It will also be a good choice for both Naraka veterans and newcomers, with basic horizonal and vertical attacks and unique moves available for players to master. If your foes don’t like being pounded into the dirt by a smooth piece of wood and try to flee, you can also close the distance with a sudden dash attack.
Want to see how dedicated the development team was when it came to adding a new weapon to their game? Check out the mini documentary below!
For more information on Naraka: Bladepoint and other battle royale titles, stay tuned to TechRaptor.
