Bio Engineer Archive

Thread: The real thing about the CU you should be worried about

Tal-N
Fri Apr 22, 2005 8:03 am
#1

I have looked around and not seen any indication of otherwise but stop me if there's something I've missed. One of the real problems as I see it with the CU is that the levels of the creatures and other aspectsneed to be radically altered and therefore unless the devs remove the dna sampling cap us bio-engineers are going to start having some real problems.


Basically since the maximum combat level for a player is level 80 then the creature handler's maximum taming level also needs to be 80. The reason for this is that because of the level system you can no longer use a lower level creature on a high level enemy because the damage is mitigated so much meaning that the pet won't cause much damage to the enemy however the pet will also suffer massive damage in return. That means that a creature handler with anything less than a level 80 pet isn't able to team up with other players and have their pets make any difference in combat. The counter argument that might come from SoE is that by allowing a creature handler to have a level 80 pet and also take additional combat skills means that the CH the single most powerful combination of combat skills. However if they cap the maximum taming level at anything lower than 80 it causes severe problems with the profession grouping with others.


This issue carries on into the actual levels of the enemies and animals in the wild, since the typical maximum combat level is 80 that means something like a Bull Rancor is small fries for an induvidual combatant, the regular Rancors could infact be handled two at a time even. This is clearly not something the devs intended tohappen as something like a Bull Rancor was always something that needed to be handled by a small group... as it should. Thus you can almost expect to see a shift with the whole spectrum of species in the wild not to mention the NPCs as well.


These two issues naturally mean that the devs need to remove the dna sampling cap because to make level 80 pets with a level 75 cap is clearly silly to begin with. To raise it to 80 is also meaningless as there there is almost no additional species in the level 75-80 gap. However if they remove the cap completely and let the current cloning system with its 'stats equals levels' system then we could sample from everything and simply settle for blending to lower the levels as needed. Taking dna from a level 125 kimogila and merging it with a level 50 rancor would certainly acheive something near to level 80 so I don't see the problem.


The nice thing about removing the cap is that it also reintroduces something of a hobby for many veteran bio-engineers where we'd attempt to collect samples from the rarest and most powerful animals just to say we'd done it. I can't tell you how many times I attempted to find and sample a giant krayt dragon, but it was saddly something I never achieved before the cap was added.


But put simply, if the cap isn't removed then we're in for some serious issues later on and thats something to be concerned about.




Tal-N Chratk
Ahazi Master Bioengineer / Hunt Master / Rifleman
______________________
Tal'N Chratk
Shadowfire Bounterhunter / Commando

Rogue1970
Fri Apr 22, 2005 8:09 am
#2

Group with your pet - damage mitigation is removed and he becomes your combat level.



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Qual_Tun
Fri Apr 22, 2005 8:49 am
#3

my pet lvl 9 takes as much damage grouped as it does NOT grouped..just tested it on tc



Master Bio-engineer
TKM

Dont make me sample you!
Spazzers
Fri Apr 22, 2005 10:34 am
#4

I don't think it is the CL that needs to be adjusted. The damage calculator is completely borked. This is what caused the CURB to seem so unbalanced.


Instead of balancing a successful game, SOE chose to scrap the game completely and clone EQ2. Everyone, regardless of how long they have been playing, will be forced to relearn how to play. To compound this problem, that CURB is going to hit live unfinished.


The travesty is that 60% of the live players never go to the forums. The bulk of the player community has no idea what is going to hit them.



Buboopadoo
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A Simple Resource Dealer

A Developer's answer to everything:
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Fion13
Fri Apr 22, 2005 11:37 am
#5

Try upwards of 90%

Also note that the boards are never a good indicator of how the players feel about something because most of those that come here only do so to complain about something. Polls are showing that those who are playing the CU like it for the msot part.

As to the combat multiplier. I actually think it is a good idea. It's a great way to simply keep player power within an acceptable boundry. However I feel it is to large a modifier right now. Right now it's around 80%. That means, cumulatively, every level above yours a mob gets, his stats (mostly damage) gets modified by 80% if you solo. When you grouped it's not even half that, but this is Star Wars and people like to solo. I think if they reduced it to 20%, so that people with enough skill and the right equipment could solo things 10-15 levels above them, with some difficulty, would be great. I don't want to see people soloing rancors anymore or even be able to survive their attacks for long (and most assuredly not as easy as it is on live, although that means my ability to successfully gather high end samples is nulified). But I also don't think for a higher end combatant that it should be a one-shot kill situation. For a lower end one yes, but not a higher end one.

IMHO over-all the CU is really what the game needs. But the over-active mob level modifier needs toned down a lot, and the devs need to seriously consider how these changes impact the game of Bio-Engineers. I personally am giving up on pet making for a while. At least until I see how things turn out and what the devs do to help compensate us. If they gave us some kind of inate masked scent-like ability I'd be forever greatful



Fix the forums so they work properly with Firefox! PLEASE!
PlainWhiteSocks
Fri Apr 22, 2005 1:34 pm
#6



Fion13 wrote:
Try upwards of 90%

Also note that the boards are never a good indicator of how the players feel about something because most of those that come here only do so to complain about something. Polls are showing that those who are playing the CU like it for the msot part.

As to the combat multiplier. I actually think it is a good idea. It's a great way to simply keep player power within an acceptable boundry. However I feel it is to large a modifier right now. Right now it's around 80%. That means, cumulatively, every level above yours a mob gets, his stats (mostly damage) gets modified by 80% if you solo. When you grouped it's not even half that, but this is Star Wars and people like to solo. I think if they reduced it to 20%, so that people with enough skill and the right equipment could solo things 10-15 levels above them, with some difficulty, would be great. I don't want to see people soloing rancors anymore or even be able to survive their attacks for long (and most assuredly not as easy as it is on live, although that means my ability to successfully gather high end samples is nulified). But I also don't think for a higher end combatant that it should be a one-shot kill situation. For a lower end one yes, but not a higher end one.

IMHO over-all the CU is really what the game needs. But the over-active mob level modifier needs toned down a lot, and the devs need to seriously consider how these changes impact the game of Bio-Engineers. I personally am giving up on pet making for a while. At least until I see how things turn out and what the devs do to help compensate us. If they gave us some kind of inate masked scent-like ability I'd be forever greatful




I agree.

The only thing I'd really like to see go are the numbers indicating what CL the creature is. That way you bring back some of the excitement and mystery into combat. With the situation as it sits you always know if you're going to win or lose before you get into cambat.



Corbis
Kauri
Ex-Master Bio-Engineer
ArthurDentOnBria
Fri Apr 22, 2005 1:47 pm
#7

I agree, but the only problem with that is that the creature levels right now still seem so random. I was on Rori last night and saw pigmy pugoriss' that were above CL 60. I saw some vrobel's that were over CL 50, and others that were under CL 20, and they were the exact same species. I could just imagine what the reaction would be if some noobs went out hunting and got massacred by a "killer pigmy pugoriss" because they couldn't see it's level, lol.





PlainWhiteSocks wrote:


The only thing I'd really like to see go are the numbers indicating what CL the creature is. That way you bring back some of the excitement and mystery into combat. With the situation as it sits you always know if you're going to win or lose before you get into cambat.








ArthurDent - former Bio Engineer, Tailor, and Droid Engineer
Account cancelled 7/8/05 due to game breaking bugs in these professions that have been neglected for FAR too long. Last day July 27 2005
custom tailoring and droid orders welcome. "making Evil products since July 2003"
Achiever: 80%, Explorer: 60%, Socializer: 46%, Killa 13%


Tal-N
Fri Apr 22, 2005 3:24 pm
#8

Frankly since the levels are now easily visible the need for Ranger skills is diminished a great deal, since they haven't implmented resists or specials yet the need for any of the ranger creature knowledge skills is pointless since you don't get anymore information than a novice scout.





Tal-N Chratk
Ahazi Master Bioengineer / Hunt Master / Rifleman
______________________
Tal'N Chratk
Shadowfire Bounterhunter / Commando

ThGilsRooc
Fri Apr 22, 2005 4:08 pm
#9






Fion13 wrote:
Try upwards of 90%

Also note that the boards are never a good indicator of how the players feel about something because most of those that come here only do so to complain about something. Polls are showing that those who are playing the CU like it for the msot part.


I'd like to see these polls (specifically the metrics). Provide a link becasue I don't read the forums all day.


As to the combat multiplier. I actually think it is a good idea. It's a great way to simply keep player power within an acceptable boundry.


Define acceptable boundaries. I agree soloing krayts or nightsister elders areextreme, most others should be doable, in my opinion.


However I feel it is too large a modifier right now. Right now it's around 80%. That means, cumulatively, every level above yours a mob gets, his stats (mostly damage) gets modified by 80% if you solo. When you grouped it's not even half that, but this is Star Wars and people like to solo. I think if they reduced it to 20%, so that people with enough skill and the right equipment could solo things 10-15 levels above them, with some difficulty, would be great.


Agreed 100%.


I don't want to see people soloing rancorsanymore or even be able to survive their attacks for long (and most assuredly not as easy as it is on live, although that means my ability to successfully gather high end samples is nulified). But I also don't think for a higher end combatant that it should be a one-shot kill situation. For a lower end one yes, but not a higher end one.


How about what everyone else fees they shouldsolo? Why shouldn't you solo a rancor with a powerful rifle or a razor bladed pike? I can see your point with lower end players not being able to solo a rancor, but a higher end shouldn't have a problem with it. And specifically, did you mean the higher end combatants shouldn't be one-shot killed, but rather two-shot killed? This game still has to be playable,resources still need to be collected, and groups won't always be available for every time of day a person happens to be playing.


IMHO over-all the CU is really what the game needs. But the over-active mob level modifier needs toned down a lot, and the devs need to seriously consider how these changes impact the game of Bio-Engineers. I personally am giving up on pet making for a while. At least until I see how things turn out and what the devs do to help compensate us. If they gave us some kind of inate masked scent-like ability I'd be forever greatful


Abalance for the current system is needed in a severe way.A complete rewrite of the system, however, is not. But seeing how it is impossible these changes will be delayed, I would like to see this overemphasis to mimic EQ2 be toned down so people with various playstyles can still play. I, too, have put in a leave of absence with my BE toon. If they keep the system where it is and light armor will add +100 to the CL, all my customers will be upset that the pets I've cloned for them will no longer be callable. I'm not going to relearn BE simplyto make inferior pets either. This absence may be permanent (saving $15a month on a second account) since the enjoyability aspect of the game is bound to be removed. My main toon is a TKM/Pilot. I've recently bowed out of ground PvE/PvP in favor of space (twitch is better than skilltapes and octuple sliced weapons/armor). Since the JTL layer of the game will be unchanged, the game won't change for me, overall.


It was funny, I'd like to add, when some player told me on TC that every combat profession is uber if you know how to use it. After a laugh, I countered that it was just like saying every food tastes great if you know how to eat it. This was in response to a comment I made about a duel I was in with another player. He was a commando/CM. His Flamer and poison had me incapped in very very short order. And when I just noted, with absolutely no anger by the way, that the combination is still very uber, some random dude repliedthat every profession is uber if used right. LOL









Colonel Th'Gils Rooc
Webel Ace Pilot x2
I would ace more squadrons if they'd just fix the remaster bug.
Pulp Phantom
JediQuic
Fri Apr 22, 2005 7:43 pm
#10

Highest i've been able to sample on Tc is level 60 dewbacks....But i have to say that it doesn't matter because any Pet i make with it comes out Level 150+(maybe something they will adress later when balancing armored pets)
LloydPickering
Sat Apr 23, 2005 6:16 am
#11



ThGilsRooc wrote:


Fion13 wrote:
Try upwards of 90%

Also note that the boards are never a good indicator of how the players feel about something because most of those that come here only do so to complain about something. Polls are showing that those who are playing the CU like it for the msot part.

I'd like to see these polls (specifically the metrics). Provide a link becasue I don't read the forums all day.







That would be the one that currently says (available on testing thread at the top of the forum):

1 - Not fun at all (85%)

2 (7%)

3 (3%)

4 (3%)

5 - Exceptionally Fun (2%)

The current votes for today are only about 60-70 people...but Ive been watching them and even with 500-600votes a day the tally is still approx 70-80% 1 - Not at all Fun. In fact a vote the other day with I believe 550 votes had only 16% of respondants saying any rating of 3-5. Thats 84% people see the CURB as either not fun or not at all fun...

So much for the positive feed back Mr Smedley seems to believe we are giving. I know that the people who dissagree are obviously going to be more vocal, but there comes a point where you have to see that the CURB truly sucks...and I beleive that point is sonewhere around 80% dissatisfaction. (Also as a Deputy Mayor of a Level 4 active city, after speaking frequently on the subject with my residents, I cannot find more than a handful who are confident that the CURB will fulfil the Devs promised and be fun to play at the same time)



Everquest2 - Splitpaw: Sesskia <United Kingdoms> - Merccia - Tercia - Kasshia
Star Wars Galaxies - Chimaera: Zoxara (Sleeping) - Lloyd (Sleeping) - Buttercup (Cancelled) - Nublet (Cancelled)
Aleskander
Sat Apr 23, 2005 7:58 am
#12

The problem with the poll is it's only forum people voting.....and they had problems with people voting more than once.

They have stated that most of their "positive feedback" for the CU is coming from the exit poll you get when you log from the TC.

The only way I can to look at the CU is to look at it like a whole new game. They are making such drastic changes to how the game works, it's not the SWG we've been playing for the past couple of years.



*Where life has no value, sometimes Death had its price. That is why the Bounty Hunters appeared.

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Elas Kander Jedi Knight
LloydPickering
Sat Apr 23, 2005 9:24 am
#13



Aleskander wrote:
The problem with the poll is it's only forum people voting.....and they had problems with people voting more than once.
They have stated that most of their "positive feedback" for the CU is coming from the exit poll you get when you log from the TC.
The only way I can to look at the CU is to look at it like a whole new game. They are making such drastic changes to how the game works, it's not the SWG we've been playing for the past couple of years.





Interestingly they haven't seen any statistics released on those results have we?

They are claiming that they are receiving positive feedback from a source that we are unable to verify, but a source that we are able to verify shows an 80%+ dissatisfaction...sounds a little bit suspect to me...

Also I do not accept the fact that people are voting more than once as I am completely unable to find a way to vote more than once (Try it yourself...you can't multi vote)...Unless you are counting alts...but then if they have 2 accounts they should be allowed to vote once per account.

I do feel that most of the people on the forums are veteran and serious players rather than casual players...(serious is different to powergamer though...) and as such are more likely to be upset at the system changing...however these people are also the people most likely to have multiple accounts in the game...so when they leave the player base shrinks by more than just 1 account.

...Finally...I do not accept that the devs can ignore the vote on the in testing thread on the basis that it isn't representative of the community as a whole...The Devs ONLY communicate to us through the forums...then when people vote unfavourably...'forum readers are classified as a non representative demographic of the community'...you can't have it both ways...



Everquest2 - Splitpaw: Sesskia <United Kingdoms> - Merccia - Tercia - Kasshia
Star Wars Galaxies - Chimaera: Zoxara (Sleeping) - Lloyd (Sleeping) - Buttercup (Cancelled) - Nublet (Cancelled)
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