Paradigm MUD Forums

GreaterMUD Discussion => Balance Analysis => Topic started by: Zetetic on February 26, 2010, 12:07:39 AM

Title: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: Zetetic on February 26, 2010, 12:07:39 AM
This is partially a follow-on thought from the class exp balance topic.

Why should classes be re-balanced when it is changes to the combat system that has caused them to become unbalanced in the first place? The big change to mud's combat (not counting the annoying yellow combat messages that quickly disappeared) came I believe at the same time as Mod5 - the quick and deadly system. I presume that this system was put in place as a bit of a cool idea (it is) and with the intention of making it easier/quicker to kill monsters in combat, hence characters will be able to level up quicker (also a good idea, before this system was added, it was hard to make more than 300k/hr). The problem that I have with this addition to the game, is that it made the game highly unbalanced in favour of the higher combat classes. All characters could now crit more often, which I think was fine, but not only are crits now a more frequent occurance, but critical damage was doubled. The main damage multiplier for criticals went from (I realise the calculation is of course more complicated than this, but I'm going for a general guideline) 2x weapon damage to 4x weapon damage. All of a sudden, the big damage dealer of the realm (spell combat) is almost worthless. Your spells now do less damage than combat, but they also cost mana? Spellcasters really were shafted by this change.

If we re-balanced the combat, not removing q&d, by maybe changing critical damage back to being 2x weapon damage again, I think that all the classes would suddenly feel better balanced with regards to their exp table. I would also like to go back to six swings of combat, and make q&d take effect if you are able to get more than that, in the same way as it is currently set up for five swings. I think that this would also help re-balance the incredibly powerful (but slow) two handed weapons in the later levels. Bash and Smash would of course have to come in line with their damage as well (probably reduce it by 50%).

This change would once again give us the problem of exp taking too long to get. I propose that we simply increase monster exp to double or triple it's current value (The level 1-10 monsters are probably fine), except for the bosses.

I sadly accept that none of my above suggestions will ever happen. People are used to what mud is like now, and won't want to go back. But to those of you that played back in the day, please comment with whether you think the old system was fairer, and the classes more comparable to their exp table under the original combat system.
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: Gardner Denver on February 26, 2010, 12:29:35 AM
Actually I would not mind seeing this happen.  I'd also like to remove strength as a part of accuracy, or at least cap it so that hogs are not so insanely accurate.  Being strong != accurate.
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: SluTFisHy on February 26, 2010, 12:41:28 AM
Zetetic, I believe this is a fantastic idea.

You are completely right, spellcasters REALLY got shafted. Spells WERE supposed to be the big damage dealers and the crit boost made spells close to worthless.

I think crits should be somewhere around 2.5x and go back to 6 swings.

I have never really seen bash or smash as "overpowered" Even if we change the crits back i think bash or smash would still be fine the way they are IMO.

Personally I have never seen smash to be as effective as it was intended to be. I think smash would be far more effective from levels 15-25 but most classes dont even get it until after its pointless. I really think integrating this concept (reducing crits again) will make smash something desirable again for later levels.

I really think this is a great concept. Granted, Our "expected" rates of exp we usually get wont be as high as they were but, it definately makes the game more rounded (instead of BEING rounded) and adds more options for combats types, and brings back the advantage to spellcasters having to rest for fucking mana when warriors can swing endlessly.

I think this is a FANTASTIC idea Zetetic. Kudos mate. Kudos.
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: Thergin on February 26, 2010, 03:24:15 AM
Leveling is too fast, in a matter of months you can be level 50 and complete the game? Slowing it down is not a problem. QND was before mod 5 in a patch between mod 4 and 5.
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: Darmius on February 26, 2010, 12:29:14 PM
I agree, I would love to see this revamped.  I also agree strength should add to accuracy, just keep it from going negative through req str checks.  Run accy off of 80/20 agil, int|wis.

I also agree that leveling is too fast in the sub 50 ranges.  When a board starts, if you can't be atk's for the first 2 weeks you miss the lim train.  Even though half of those lims are replaced with in a few days.
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: Rorik on February 26, 2010, 06:18:10 PM
Quote from: Zetetic on February 26, 2010, 12:07:39 AMThis change would once again give us the problem of exp taking too long to get. I propose that we simply increase monster exp to double or triple it's current value (The level 1-10 monsters are probably fine), except for the bosses.

I sadly accept that none of my above suggestions will ever happen. People are used to what mud is like now, and won't want to go back. But to those of you that played back in the day, please comment with whether you think the old system was fairer, and the classes more comparable to their exp table under the original combat system.

Reworking combat sounds like an excellent idea.  Spellcasters could use a boost.. hell, the last few I've played I've built more as melee chars than spellcasters.  I'm sure it'd take a lot of work, but it's one of the more balanced ideas I've seen.

As for the levelling/experience issue, I think there's a different way.  I know very little about the mechanics of the game, so I'm not sure if this idea is even possible.. hopefully someone will provide an answer.  I've played on a few other telnet MUDS, and on most of those the experience points you needed remained static from level to level.  However, you gained less and less experience from certain monsters when you killed them.  It'd be like killing an orc rogue giving you 50 experience at level 1, 5 experience at level 10, and 1 experience after level 15.. or something like that.  I don't know exactly what the scale was, just that you gained less experience from each kill as you levelled up.  There are definitely pros and cons to this, but I don't know if it's even possible.. Just an idea.

As far as accepting that this'll never happen, you can't be too sure.  The whole reason this board exists is because people wanted to see some change in the game and to know that people were working to improve it.  I remember quitting for a while (I started about 16 years ago, been playing off and on taking year or multi-year breaks in between.. you all know how it goes..  ::)  ) and coming back and being astonished at the damage that could be done with crits and using quick and deadly.  To be honest, I rarely use a weapon after level 15 if I'm not quick and deadly.. the critical hit damage is just too much to turn down.

Yes, the classes' exp tables were more balanced back in the day.  But tables haven't changed while just about everything else has.  Plate and combat (and therefore strength) are the biggest factors in the game, yet the highest charts belong to leather and robes classes.. figure that out.  In regmud, you can successfully make an Ogre into about anything aside from a Druid, Bard or Priest.. that's messed up.  All this kind of stuff is being addressed here, or is in the process of being addressed, so I don't see how bringing up a solid idea is a bad thing.

Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: The Crazy Animal on February 28, 2010, 05:18:01 AM
Quote from: Gardner Denver on February 26, 2010, 12:29:35 AM
Actually I would not mind seeing this happen.  I'd also like to remove strength as a part of accuracy, or at least cap it so that hogs are not so insanely accurate.  Being strong != accurate.

I wouldn't mind seeing a lot of things. (snicker)

Lowering crit damage would be nice for one. Grouping swing damage per rounds would be another unless its a special attack why do I need to see 5 swings. (you know we all look at round damage anyway) So if they are all the same then group them that way with a total damage tally at the end. (We could call it combat brief mode.) Lowering the messages per round opens up room for change it means that you don't have to process as much info mentally when atk and like wise for scripts. I know that doesn't sound like it has to do with balance but with that means that you could technically go passed that 5 swing limit with over taxing a persons/scripts eyes. And with lowering the total damage possible it means that you can create a wider spread (damage wise) between combat classes.

example:
Slashing damage msg = whatever!
Slicing damage msg = whatever!
And so on... I'm sure you can imagine it. One total for each type of damage.

Unless I'm in a debug mode I don't need to see everything.

Personally I always though each weapon should have a min agility rating attached to it. If your above it you get a bonus if your below it than you get a penalty same as it works for the str requirements. Beyond that I would also want to remove the duplicate accuracy modifications str puts into accuracy. Having both str and enc in that calculation is pretty stupid in my own opinion. I would like to reduce it to just the enc portions if possible. It still makes str as a portion of the calculation but wouldn't double its effects on it outcome. Something like this could really help balancing out races via stats.


Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: DeathCow on February 28, 2010, 06:10:47 AM
Quote from: Zetetic on February 26, 2010, 12:07:39 AM
This is partially a follow-on thought from the class exp balance topic.

Why should classes be re-balanced when it is changes to the combat system that has caused them to become unbalanced in the first place? The big change to mud's combat (not counting the annoying yellow combat messages that quickly disappeared) came I believe at the same time as Mod5 - the quick and deadly system.
I'll start by saying that I'm not against this idea.  I would however like to point out that balance has ALWAYS been an issue in MMUD.  Even back in 1994 the classes were not equal, one was even so bad it was removed from the game.

QuoteI presume that this system was put in place as a bit of a cool idea (it is) and with the intention of making it easier/quicker to kill monsters in combat, hence characters will be able to level up quicker (also a good idea, before this system was added, it was hard to make more than 300k/hr). The problem that I have with this addition to the game, is that it made the game highly unbalanced in favour of the higher combat classes. All characters could now crit more often, which I think was fine, but not only are crits now a more frequent occurance, but critical damage was doubled. The main damage multiplier for criticals went from (I realise the calculation is of course more complicated than this, but I'm going for a general guideline) 2x weapon damage to 4x weapon damage. All of a sudden, the big damage dealer of the realm (spell combat) is almost worthless. Your spells now do less damage than combat, but they also cost mana? Spellcasters really were shafted by this change.
Like the yellow messages, the duck and rolls etc the crits were added to make the game more exciting.  At the time they were added level 20 was a big character.  I'd hate to take power away from low level characters, so to balance crits we'd have to do some interesting scaling...but it could be done.  A huge problem with balancing the current game is that it has really outgrown its clothes.  Its a big boy now, and in order to look right its going to need a major make over.  Problem being..will it be the 'same game' after this make over?  Will the few mudders left want to play it?

Quote
If we re-balanced the combat, not removing q&d, by maybe changing critical damage back to being 2x weapon damage again, I think that all the classes would suddenly feel better balanced with regards to their exp table. I would also like to go back to six swings of combat, and make q&d take effect if you are able to get more than that, in the same way as it is currently set up for five swings. I think that this would also help re-balance the incredibly powerful (but slow) two handed weapons in the later levels. Bash and Smash would of course have to come in line with their damage as well (probably reduce it by 50%).
Bash and Smash are great ideas but poorly executed.  But you are right, reworking regular combat should come first.  I see your point about the two-handers being reduced in power by adding a 6th swing, but i think the same effect could be made by adding more speed delay to the items.  I kind of worry that adding an extra swing might hurt low combat classes like gypsies and thieves even more than other classes.  Although, swings were originally reduced to help manage screen scroll, so for the most part its out lived its usefulness.

Quote
This change would once again give us the problem of exp taking too long to get. I propose that we simply increase monster exp to double or triple it's current value (The level 1-10 monsters are probably fine), except for the bosses.
The low level bosses really could use an exp boost.  Rather than universally adjusting monster exp, however, we can simply make small adjustments to the exp scaling from one level to the next.  We already took a big swath of high level exp requirements out of the game.  
Quote
I sadly accept that none of my above suggestions will ever happen. People are used to what mud is like now, and won't want to go back. But to those of you that played back in the day, please comment with whether you think the old system was fairer, and the classes more comparable to their exp table under the original combat system.
Its been a long road but we are actually just now getting to the point where making changes to the game is becoming possible.  Try not to despair.
Quote from: Gardner Denver on February 26, 2010, 12:29:35 AM
Actually I would not mind seeing this happen.  I'd also like to remove strength as a part of accuracy, or at least cap it so that hogs are not so insanely accurate.  Being strong != accurate.
At some point I had suggested changing the stats part of accuracy from (STR-50)/3+(AGILITY-50)/6 to (AGILITY-50)/4+(INT-50)/6+(CHR-50)/8.  This would change a level 1 hog with 100 str from [16.5+(-5)=11.5] +11 acc to [(-7.5)+(-5)+(-3.33)] -15 acc.  A change 26 acc.  Huge.  A dark-elf with s60, i50, w30, a65, h56, c42 at level 1 would go from [3+2+3race] 8 to [3+0+(-1)+3race] 7 a difference of only -1 and still a 22 acc improvement on the level 1 HOG(although the dark-elf build puts alot of CPs into health, and the hog doesn't).

Quote from: SluTFisHy on February 26, 2010, 12:41:28 AM
Zetetic, I believe this is a fantastic idea.
Its great when someone posts a good idea, the concept itself isn't exactly the first of its kind.  But its always worth discussing.
Quote
You are completely right, spellcasters REALLY got shafted. Spells WERE supposed to be the big damage dealers and the crit boost made spells close to worthless.
Spellcasters really did get the shaft.  Although, I wouldn't say that each of the Magic-3 class don't have redemption in their own way, even if it is only a slight one.

QuoteI think crits should be somewhere around 2.5x and go back to 6 swings.
Unfortunately,  This would really disturb the current game dynamic.  I have a feeling that this is the sort of thing Metro would have done on a whim without exploring the ramifications of such an action before hand.  80 Dr hanging tree(example).

QuoteI have never really seen bash or smash as "overpowered" Even if we change the crits back i think bash or smash would still be fine the way they are IMO.
I really don't have much issue with smash, although it would require some toning if crits we're radically reduced.  Bash on the other hand is a bit out of hand at lower levels.  Allowing players to have less than 1 swing/round might serve to quell that issue though.

QuotePersonally I have never seen smash to be as effective as it was intended to be. I think smash would be far more effective from levels 15-25 but most classes dont even get it until after its pointless. I really think integrating this concept (reducing crits again) will make smash something desirable again for later levels.
There are a few small issues with smash in MMUD.  Its spell like effects are handled poorly.  Smash could have some varied effects such as stun or confusion to vamp it up a bit.  I've never really thought to myself that I'd want to up the damage of combat classes at level 15-25, they are kind of obscene already.  Smash has it is now, would be way more powerful if crits were reduced.  As it is now, bashing 5's can out damage qnd.  If I recall correctly even a fully plated warrior can bash 5's with the throwing knifes at level 40 and avg an obscene amount of damage.
Quote
I really think this is a great concept. Granted, Our "expected" rates of exp we usually get wont be as high as they were but, it definately makes the game more rounded (instead of BEING rounded) and adds more options for combats types, and brings back the advantage to spellcasters having to rest for fucking mana when warriors can swing endlessly.

Speaking of being rounded, lowering crits would make PVP far more interesting at high levels.

Without going into quoting Rorik, I'd like to point out that I absolutely low the concept of HOG mages.

Min agility is not a bad idea.  This could be easily done without chaning much.  Just change the field to a 4 digit field.  So 1100 would require 100 str, 2100 would require 100 int, 3100 would require 100 wisdom 4100 would require 100 agility etc.
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: Rorik on February 28, 2010, 09:49:21 AM
Quote from: DeathCow on February 28, 2010, 06:10:47 AM
Without going into quoting Rorik, I'd like to point out that I absolutely low the concept of HOG mages.

I hate to be nitpicky, but what does that mean?  Loathe.. or love? 

I'm against nerfing races and classes to the point where you can't have a variety of combos and be successful, but I think that a class that depends on intellect shouldn't be able to be so powerful when combined with a race that maxes at a pathetic 60 int.  Of course, at that point you're a melee-style Mage rather than a caster.. but still.. I dunno.  At least it's difficult to get to that point (unless you're being powered), so maybe that makes up for it. ;)

Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: SluTFisHy on February 28, 2010, 03:10:36 PM
Quote from: Rorik on February 28, 2010, 09:49:21 AM
I'm against nerfing races and classes to the point where you can't have a variety of combos and be successful, but I think that a class that depends on intellect shouldn't be able to be so powerful when combined with a race that maxes at a pathetic 60 int.  Of course, at that point you're a melee-style Mage rather than a caster.. but still.. I dunno.  At least it's difficult to get to that point (unless you're being powered), so maybe that makes up for it. ;)

*IMO* I do not see it as overpowered, I see it as Clever. Someone wants to be a mage, and wants huge hitpoints, and are willing to wait 10 levels after they get a spell to use it instead of using it right away. Hey, thats their option and disadvantage of them choosing a HOG MAGE. You get more HP's, Better Melee, and have to wait 10+ levels after every other mage to use the same spells. This is why we have options in mud, to choose race and class and come up with our own clever combinations of class/race/equipment builds.



Like building a dodgy halfling witchunter or Paladin, and only using dodge gear, could it be clever? who knows. Build one and tell me if it rocks.
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: Rorik on February 28, 2010, 04:05:13 PM
Quote from: SluTFisHy on February 28, 2010, 03:10:36 PM
*IMO* I do not see it as overpowered, I see it as Clever. Someone wants to be a mage, and wants huge hitpoints, and are willing to wait 10 levels after they get a spell to use it instead of using it right away. Hey, thats their option and disadvantage of them choosing a HOG MAGE. You get more HP's, Better Melee, and have to wait 10+ levels after every other mage to use the same spells. This is why we have options in mud, to choose race and class and come up with our own clever combinations of class/race/equipment builds.

Like building a dodgy halfling witchunter or Paladin, and only using dodge gear, could it be clever? who knows. Build one and tell me if it rocks.

That's exactly my point with the first part of my opening statement.. I think it's cool that it can work and I've only seen a few people do it with a degree of success.  It just runs counter to conventional wisdom and you're heavily dependent on lims.  Odd combos can be successful if you do it right, but a lot of times you have to have an exact set of equipment which may or may not include lims.. Hell, I love playing weird shit.  Right now I'm running a Halfling Priest on PVE and I have a Neko Paladin in regmud. 

I guess my point was that I dislike having one race (ie Half Ogre in regmud) that is the best option for the majority of classes when it comes to the endgame.  It seems like GreaterMUD's in the process of becoming more balanced, though, and everyone's got a lot of input so hopefully the people putting in the hours can implement the best solution.
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: DeathCow on March 01, 2010, 01:34:55 AM
Oops, Love...

I'm kinda under the impression that the blackwood staff is the only thing that makes a hog mage fuctional..am I wrong?
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: kalus on March 01, 2010, 06:24:39 AM
Instead of just talking about all this, lets setup a 3rd realm and put some of this shit into action
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: DeathCow on March 01, 2010, 08:54:13 AM
Quote from: kalus on March 01, 2010, 06:24:39 AM
Instead of just talking about all this, lets setup a 3rd realm and put some of this shit into action

I think I'd prefer to make a few more tweaks to Gmud's current combat before adventuring into new fields.  

That being said we've barely even discussed what the changes would Actually be.  So I'll try and put something together.

Actually before I do all that.  How would people feel about a radical change in the combat system, something that would require, or at least compel us to make major changes to the monster database in terms of AC and ACC on monsters

Basically I was gonna go for something simple.  Each swing would get a 50% chance to hit, then it would be modified Upword by a players ACC, and Downward by the targets AC.  100 ACC vs 100 AC would have a 50% chance to hit. 

Now..how do we put this to use?

We edit every item in the database, and every monster to work with this system.  And we at this point make some arbitrary decisions about how each defense type should work and how effective it should be.

One question that comes to mind at this point, how should dodge function in terms of DODGE+AC=TOTAL Defence.

Should Silk with its Dodge and AC bonuses be almost the Same as Plate Ac?
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: MudHunter on March 01, 2010, 11:51:24 AM
Quote from: DeathCow on March 01, 2010, 01:34:55 AM
Oops, Love...

I'm kinda under the impression that the blackwood staff is the only thing that makes a hog mage fuctional..am I wrong?

Mainly its chsu at the endgame. blackwood just levels em faster...


btw, how many cheats are you gunna put into this 'mod10'? I'm jes wondering.
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: Darmius on March 01, 2010, 01:57:38 PM
Quote from: DeathCow on March 01, 2010, 08:54:13 AM
Actually before I do all that.  How would people feel about a radical change in the combat system, something that would require, or at least compel us to make major changes to the monster database in terms of AC and ACC on monsters

I think the first step should be converting the monsters to pc models.  That would force combat changes.  Without a gmud specific editor deviating from the mmud norms will be tedious at best.
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: interchange on March 02, 2010, 11:42:57 AM
Deathcow for the win.  Any serious changes to the combat and spellcasting systems, despite all of us agreeing that they have gotten out of hand, require wholesale changes to the database to have them make sense.

A long time ago in a galaxy far away I suggested rebalancing the game by using the concept of player level vs. monster level adjusting the combat system. It got blasted.  Some thought it was a bad idea overall, and others did not like the idea of having to make changes to the dats.

Since it is evident changes would need to be made to the dats to implement an effective system, perhaps we should revisit other concepts which don't subsist wholly of the existing game mechanics.
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: DeathCow on March 02, 2010, 12:20:39 PM
I don't know if we need to change the database structure. Just adjust mob AC and ACC to be suitable for their intended level.  Then the defensive abilities for each type will need to be leveled out quite a bit.

56/16 ac at level 1 for plate is insane.  Also, not that difficult to get.  Where as leather gets something like 25/3 ac.  The difference between these two value is being UNHURTABLE vs Moderately Defended.   The high end armours need to be nerfed and/or prohibitively expensive.  I'd also like to change DR into I hybrid of its past and current states.  In the past DR allowed you to reduce damage down to a swings minimum.  I'd like to revert to that, but allow for a % chance to deflect the damage on a minimum hit.  So at 10 dr, a player would have a 10% chance of deflecting a hit that does minimum damage. 

One big change that needs to be made is to allow less than 1 swing/round again.  This levels out that retarded bash with the biggest weapon you can find bullshit at low levels.
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: Darmius on March 02, 2010, 05:49:09 PM
Is there a list of the different combat formula's somewhere?  I was thinking of coming up with some sort of customizable combat simulator.  It would provide a quick way to generate combat data.

I know I can pull a bunch of stuff from mmex, but I don't see the combat formulas.
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: kalus on March 02, 2010, 06:48:11 PM
Quote from: DeathCow on March 02, 2010, 12:20:39 PM
One big change that needs to be made is to allow less than 1 swing/round again.  This levels out that retarded bash with the biggest weapon you can find bullshit at low levels.

Gmud gives you less than 1 swing/round
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: DeathCow on March 02, 2010, 08:12:32 PM
Uh Locke's MMviewer simulates combat I think..and yes, I found out just after posting that how ignorant I am. 

As for the combat formulas what do you need, I've posted most of them on here some where.
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: Gardner Denver on March 02, 2010, 09:10:02 PM
Quote from: DeathCow on March 02, 2010, 08:12:32 PM
Uh Locke's MMviewer simulates combat I think..

Werd
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: DeathCow on March 02, 2010, 09:11:34 PM
To your momma.
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: DeathCow on March 03, 2010, 02:01:26 AM
In this big mess of possible changes I'd like to suggest in backstab damage as well.

As I type this I wonder if I'm being a little overly harsh to the old standards.  Whats a paladin gonna look like after all this jazz :/
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: Gardner Denver on March 03, 2010, 02:26:04 AM
Quote from: DeathCow on March 03, 2010, 02:01:26 AM
As I type this I wonder if I'm being a little overly harsh to the old standards.  Whats a paladin gonna look like after all this jazz :/

(http://dutch.wunderground.com/data/wximagenew/f/Fungus/151.jpg)
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: DeathCow on March 03, 2010, 02:42:32 AM
Its not perfect, but it can still get the job done?
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: Gardner Denver on March 03, 2010, 03:02:08 AM
I believe so yes
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: Darmius on March 03, 2010, 12:15:53 PM
Is there source for MMview?  All I see are binaries.  Otherwise I think I've found enough to prototype.
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: SluTFisHy on March 05, 2010, 11:32:52 AM
I just wanted to point out with this whole armour debate on plate being too powerful. That the heavier the armour you get the more negatives you get to dodge, accuracy, and its also heavy... Yeah Platemail can make you a dumb tank, with no dodge, -30 accuracy and -30 dodge.. when you get down to lower armours, you dont get those negatives.. you can have more dodge, accuracy,  and be lighter then other characters which gives you the ability to get a faster Q&D bonus.. I think the armour systems does not need as much tweaking as people think though it does need tweaking...

We just have to be careful not to makes all armour "equal" because then who will ever wear plate? It's heavy comes with negatives.. If you were able to get the same defense with leather combining ac/dodge.. then who the fuck would want to wear plate? plate sucks... I would rather be light and not have negatives...

We also got to remember, that leather is 1 entire Armour categories down from plate.. which is why leather is.. uhh leather..

if i were to stab a leather patch or a steel plate, im pretty sure my chances of penetrating the leather patch are ALOT better..


I think leather wearers need to be thankful that they don't have to keep buying NEw leather armour as theirs gets knicked to shit ;)....
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: Ariel on March 05, 2010, 11:46:19 AM
Does plate give you -30 Accuracy?
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: Excarkun on March 05, 2010, 12:25:56 PM
with playing with mme a little the wost i got on a warrior was -22  acc
and Dodge I got to -36  tho but  that is just messing with it a bit and lvl 50.
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: DeathCow on March 05, 2010, 12:34:23 PM
I don't think -acc is a normal negative for plate.  The problem is plate ac occurs mostly at the lower levels.  At upper levels its not as bad as it could be.  

As I typed that I of course realized that another problem does occur with plate...around the time they over come the enc pens...Its quite painful to think about really a that point they get damage equal to other classes AND massive AC.
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: MudHunter on March 05, 2010, 08:50:35 PM
One realistic solution is to level restrict armors.

level 0 cloth and leather.
level 15 chain
level 20 scale
level 30 plate

(thats prolly off, but you get my meaning)

As it stands right now, whomever gets to the locket and gets that 100 gold can make 2 warriors basically unhitable, and can get to thrag in 3 hours max. (Which we did in this last reset on pvp. thrag went down to a party of 6 level 4's. Thats really silly sick)
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: DeathCow on March 05, 2010, 09:30:41 PM
Quote from: MudHunter on March 05, 2010, 08:50:35 PM
One realistic solution is to level restrict armors.

level 0 cloth and leather.
level 15 chain
level 20 scale
level 30 plate

(thats prolly off, but you get my meaning)

As it stands right now, whomever gets to the locket and gets that 100 gold can make 2 warriors basically unhitable, and can get to thrag in 3 hours max. (Which we did in this last reset on pvp. thrag went down to a party of 6 level 4's. Thats really silly sick)

Uh In reg mud you might have an issue with level 4's.  It really helps to have that level 9 ACC bonus on thrag(combat-5's might be ok without it), but acc is rather messed up in GMUD atm.  Also in reg mud the random rgen would probably cause that party to die to agon and lbols.  I'm not saying its impossible, but I think you'd have a hard time with level 4 characters in MMUD.  I could be wrong though, its been a long while since I last took a group to hit thrag.

The locket really is kind of a problem on a fresh reset.  It can easily decide the top ranks of the board for weeks.

I don't think its a bad quest for say, day 2 of a bbs, I just can't think of a way to keep it how it is currently set up, without allowing it to play such a major role in the future of a bbs.

Anywho back to the plate, I think in the long run I'm just gonna have to scale back low level armour's ac.
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: Zetetic on March 09, 2010, 07:38:27 PM
If you want to balance plate/chain/scale at those lower levels, I think that the simplest method will be to increase the cost of the armour phenomenally. Make the plate classes buy chainmail and leather to keep themselves going until they can afford to buy scalemail. Then they need to start saving up for that fiendishly expensive heavier plate (aim for around level 10-15?). That full plate corselet should be up near the one runic mark, and scale all of the other plate upwards as well (why does wyvernhide gear cost not all that much less than adamantite platemail?). Ideally, I want the warriors to be sacrificing scripting high exp areas in order to generate more cash to afford their expensive armour.

This would also balance out the locket, and mean that people wont be doing Thrag at level 4.

This all effects only the start of a realm. We all know that cash starts to really be available on any street corner as time goes by. I would recommend that a system be implemented that removes cash from the ground after it has been there for a while (7 days?), or the equivalent of the old floor cleanup system be created in order to wipe cash only from the ground on a schedule (perhaps add the option to delete items as well).
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: Gardner Denver on March 09, 2010, 09:56:17 PM
Quote from: DeathCow on March 05, 2010, 09:30:41 PM
The locket really is kind of a problem on a fresh reset.  It can easily decide the top ranks of the board for weeks.

I don't think its a bad quest for say, day 2 of a bbs, I just can't think of a way to keep it how it is currently set up, without allowing it to play such a major role in the future of a bbs.

Put a level restriction in the textblock when you open the drawer.  < lvl <level> it would give you some piece of junk, >= <level> you get the locket
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: DeathCow on March 10, 2010, 12:21:17 PM
Quote from: Gardner Denver on March 09, 2010, 09:56:17 PM
Put a level restriction in the textblock when you open the drawer.  < lvl <level> it would give you some piece of junk, >= <level> you get the locket


Make it like a level 4 quest?
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: DeathCow on March 10, 2010, 12:36:50 PM
Changes in AC cost.  Example.
From


#      Name                          Max    Regen               Cost  
443    black plate leggings          15     no regen            1,200 Gold   (120,000 Copper)
416    chainmail halter              15     50% for 1 per 4h    40 Gold      (4,000 Copper)
14     chainmail hauberk             25     35% for 1 per 3h    40 Gold      (4,000 Copper)
24     chainmail leggings            24     35% for 1 per 3h    12 Gold      (1,200 Copper)
418    fine breastplate              3      10% for 1 per 12h   3,000 Gold   (300,000 Copper)
19     full plate corselet           2      5% for 1 per 4h     500 Gold     (50,000 Copper)
28     full plate leggings           2      5% for 1 per 4h     150 Gold     (15,000 Copper)
17     half-plate corselet           5      8% for 1 per 4h     180 Gold     (18,000 Copper)
18     light plate corselet          3      5% for 1 per 4h     300 Gold     (30,000 Copper)
27     light plate leggings          3      5% for 1 per 4h     100 Gold     (10,000 Copper)
25     scalemail leggings            22     35% for 1 per 4h    16 Gold      (1,600 Copper)
15     scalemail tunic               22     35% for 1 per 4h    50 Gold      (5,000 Copper)
417    steel brassiere               5      10% for 1 per 4h    180 Gold     (18,000 Copper)

To


#      Name                          Max    Regen               Cost  
443    black plate leggings          15     no regen            1,200 Gold   (120,000 Copper)
416    chainmail halter              15     50% for 1 per 4h    1 Platinum   (10,000 Copper)
14     chainmail hauberk             25     35% for 1 per 3h    1 Platinum   (10,000 Copper)
24     chainmail leggings            24     35% for 1 per 3h    90 Gold      (9,000 Copper)
418    fine breastplate              3      10% for 1 per 12h   120 Platinum (1,200,000 Copper)
19     full plate corselet           2      5% for 1 per 4h     125 Platinum (1,250,000 Copper)
28     full plate leggings           2      5% for 1 per 4h     85 Platinum  (850,000 Copper)
17     half-plate corselet           5      8% for 1 per 4h     45 Platinum  (450,000 Copper)
18     light plate corselet          3      5% for 1 per 4h     75 Platinum  (750,000 Copper)
27     light plate leggings          3      5% for 1 per 4h     75 Platinum  (750,000 Copper)
25     scalemail leggings            22     35% for 1 per 4h    25 Platinum  (250,000 Copper)
15     scalemail tunic               22     35% for 1 per 4h    50 Platinum  (500,000 Copper)
417    steel brassiere               5      10% for 1 per 4h    75 Platinum  (750,000 Copper)




Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: Rorik on March 10, 2010, 03:45:13 PM
Wow.. if you're aiming to discourage early domination by the platers, I think that would pretty much do it.  On the same token, though, who wants to script bandits and slums and such until you're level 15?  I dislike the huge rush early after a reset, too, but this might be going a little too far.  It might be nerfing the plate advantage a little too much, but I think it's the best solution I've seen so far.
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: Darmius on March 10, 2010, 04:27:35 PM
I think another way would be to limit the amount of basic armor sets.  It would be much easier to control the AC/DR variables.

It's kinda off-balance, there is one chain set, one scale mail set, 3 or 4 plate sets, 2 leather sets?

Remove full-plate, light-plate and use half-plate as the defacto plate mail base line.

full plate corselet   23/10    Gone   
scalemail tunic       20/6     17/4
half-plate corselet   19/9     19/6
chainmail hauberk     18/4     15/2
rigid leather tunic   13/1.3   13/1.3


Golden breastplate is actually good again at 21/7
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: Gardner Denver on March 10, 2010, 07:03:23 PM
Quote from: DeathCow on March 10, 2010, 12:21:17 PM
Make it like a level 4 quest?

Well if you want to make it a "day 2" quest should go at least level 10, but yeah anything that makes it so that a level 1 or 2 doesn't get that big boost financially.
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: DeathCow on March 10, 2010, 07:09:31 PM
Quote from: Darmius on March 10, 2010, 04:27:35 PM

Golden breastplate is actually good again at 21/7

The Golden breastplate is a pretty nice item..or at least it is a nice item for lower strength races.  I'm fairly certain that adjusting the stat section of the accuracy formula away from strength will make the lighter plate alternatives used more often..
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: Thergin on March 10, 2010, 08:18:17 PM
Few things, level 4 restriction on locket = half - orc thief.

You can not make plate that expensive it is very unfair on classes that rely so heavily on that ac, where priests/mages/druid/ninja/mystic get lots of ac/dodge while naked.

Warriors only have there gear, and for corpse recovery being able to buy it from the shop is very important.

If you want to solve this issue, then drop the ac slightly on the cheap stuff, offer new shop stuff thats level restricted at a higher price thats under starsteel like level 20, and add a small level restriction on the current full plate like level 15, level 10 on the light plate/brig leave scale as is.

LEVEL
15     443    black plate leggings          15     no regen            1,200 Gold   (120,000 Copper)
00     416    chainmail halter              15     50% for 1 per 4h    40 Gold      (4,000 Copper)
00     14      chainmail hauberk             25     35% for 1 per 3h    40 Gold      (4,000 Copper)
00     24      chainmail leggings            24     35% for 1 per 3h    12 Gold      (1,200 Copper)
10     418    fine breastplate              3      10% for 1 per 12h   3,000 Gold   (300,000 Copper)
15     19     full plate corselet           2      5% for 1 per 4h     500 Gold     (50,000 Copper)
15     28     full plate leggings           2      5% for 1 per 4h     150 Gold     (15,000 Copper)
10     17     half-plate corselet           5      8% for 1 per 4h     180 Gold     (18,000 Copper)
10     18     light plate corselet          3      5% for 1 per 4h     300 Gold     (30,000 Copper)
10     27     light plate leggings          3      5% for 1 per 4h     100 Gold     (10,000 Copper)
00     25     scalemail leggings            22     35% for 1 per 4h    16 Gold      (1,600 Copper)
00     15     scalemail tunic               22     35% for 1 per 4h    50 Gold      (5,000 Copper)
00     417    steel brassiere               5      10% for 1 per 4h    180 Gold     (18,000 Copper)
Title: Re: Balancing the game by changing combat instead of exp charts
Post by: DeathCow on March 10, 2010, 08:37:56 PM
I somehow don't see this as being the answer I was looking for.  Although I'm sure it makes that lone hog warrior incapable of the level 9 thrag run, or at least makes it more difficult.  Although I always run the thrag run with a maul, it would probably be easier with a heavy crossbow.

I think that, in order to test this we will have to run this through a few beta realm tests.  We will simply have to make the changes and then base the success of these changes on results and feedback.

Trust that I do see point that people are trying to get at when they argue against an idea.  But really there are lots and lots of tweaks that need to work in cordination with each other.  In the long run its probably too much at envision all at once and the only way to see how things work is to just try it.  Sadly with mmud its a little difficult to guage how everything will work when it takes months to play through the whole game.