Designer Journal - "Care Bear Stare" - Friday, March 10, 2006

HCFrog

Sosuke1 wrote:
Hey,

I think the pics are quite impressing and an interesting sight. Its a pity they dont provide much Information.
I have a question about pic 3.
Why gets a lvl 1-8, or lvl 19-41 less damage from a lvl 14 NPC than from a lvl 13. Roughly the same for lvl 26 and 27 NPC´s.

I'm pretty sure it has something to do with DPS being rounded to integers while other numbers in the calculation are rounded to floats. It probably is the order the calculations are performed in, and where the DPS integer part hits... It's a good question though SMILEY

For people who are asking what the Live version of this spreadsheet would look like, honestly I have no idea. Our current Live game is a nightmare to balance - like, someone pops a top level tactics booster and the whole chart would go out the window, because now the NPCs your level will never touch you and you'll almost always hit them.

When we were trying to balance the Pandora NPCs we basically had to look at what people's CT would be, then what they'd be with the highest level buffs and TB, and how big a debuff could they apply to the enemies, and then try to make those numbers line up somewhat. Because if there was a combination that could make players have significantly higher tactics than the NPCs, it turns on a dime from a huge challenge into no challenge at all. Then we had to playtest over and over and over with tiny tweaks each time, and a tiny change one way or the other would completely unbalance the encounter.

One of the big things I'm looking forward to with this new system is creating boss-type encounters like this.

**PBlade**

My response to that entire journal.

bonobi

PBlade wrote:
My response to that entire journal.

lol OMG PANCAKE HAXX BUNNY!

**Rexxhavukk** · 03/14/2006 18:55:20

The first character I played I leveled with Karate. The next three I leveled with Hacker. I was saddened when the bosses in the archives had their deflection turned up so nobody would meet in there any more. All orgs. would usually (not always ) work "together" to get drops or XP from the Gargoyle or Tengu. The archives have been empty for a long time.

I guess gone are the days when I play my character from Lamar northeast hardline, at level 29 LOL. I can beat up Pound Pupppies, Suits, and Hellions for big XP and big $info often 7 or eight levels higher. then move on to Creston heights when I reach close to level 40.

CR2 will change the game significantly. It will be interesting to start new characters to see how it plays. Everytime I level a character the game plays a little different.

Anyway, thank you MXO team for this game and doing what you do to keep it going.

GNZ

Message Edited by Rexxhavukk on 03-14-200606:55 PM

MrPuck

I can't believe I read the whoooooooooooooole thing.

but seriously, great work guys and dolls. Looks (and plays on test) very comfortably.

(but many will disagree I'm sure)

All I have to say is: Koo Koo Ka-Choo

**ZippyTheSquirrel**

I don't know what's scarier: The fact I understood most of that, or that Mxo design is in the hands of Microsoft Office programs.

I wonder what Office Helper the Architect and Mervy use?

mrbroadcast · 10/21/2006 08:24:04

this message has been terminated

**phi**

Microsoft Office eh? That explains the lag

Silveh

Out of curiosity, has the 'Care Bare Stare' been implemented yet? It still seems that the 'opposite of leaving a trail of bodies in your wake' is happening.

Fenice

Vishaka wrote:
I'm diggin' the Dr. Strangelove ref.

I was wondering why I didn't see that remark made (because I was about to make it) . I'm glad someone else saw the movie SMILEY