Funcom Plans Major Dune: Awakening PvP Changes After Player Feedback
▼ Summary
– Dune: Awakening has a strong start with positive Steam reviews, a growing playerbase, and minimal launch issues.
– The endgame focuses on PvP in the deep desert, but players are complaining about its design, particularly ornithopter-based combat making character skills irrelevant.
– A “goomba stomping” meta allows airborne players to easily kill ground players by crashing into them without taking collision damage.
– Respawn timers are too short, allowing defeated players to rejoin battles almost instantly, making sustained victories difficult.
– Funcom is aware of the issues and working on adjustments, as confirmed by the creative director’s response to player feedback.
Dune: Awakening has made a strong debut with positive Steam reviews and a steadily growing community, avoiding many of the typical launch issues seen in multiplayer titles. However, as players delve deeper into the endgame, concerns are emerging about the PvP mechanics in the game’s harsh deep desert zone, a sprawling, inhospitable area accessible only by air where valuable resources like spice and titanium are up for grabs.
Player feedback has highlighted several pain points, and developer Funcom appears ready to address them. One major criticism revolves around ornithopter-based combat dominating the endgame, rendering ground-based character builds nearly irrelevant. Instead of strategic melee encounters, most battles devolve into aerial missile exchanges between pilots, leaving little room for the diverse skills players spend hours mastering.
Another frustration stems from an unintended tactic dubbed “goomba stomping,” where airborne players exploit collision mechanics to crush ground opponents without penalty. This loophole creates unfair engagements, undermining the competitive balance.
Perhaps the most pressing issue involves respawn timers, which many argue are far too short. Defeated players reappear almost instantly near the fight, making it nearly impossible to secure a decisive victory or loot fallen enemies. A Reddit user described the problem during a large-scale battle, noting how eliminated opponents rejoined the fray within seconds, tipping the scales in favor of numerically superior groups. Comparisons were drawn to Last Oasis, another desert PvP title that faced similar struggles.
The silver lining? Funcom is actively listening. Creative director Joel Bylos confirmed adjustments are underway, asking players for patience while the team refines the experience. For now, some are opting to steer clear of PvP until these changes arrive, preferring to explore other aspects of the game rather than contend with its current imbalances.
While the deep desert offers thrilling risks and rewards, its current state highlights room for improvement. With Funcom’s commitment to tuning the system, the future of Dune: Awakening’s endgame could soon match the promise of its early success.
(Source: PCGAMER)
