Creature Handler Archive
Thread: Article on Class balanceing in MMORPGs guess what they mention?
http://www.gamepro.com/gamepro/domestic/games/features/45869.shtml
"Dodoo," chimes the game, subtly announcing to the whole player base of World of Warcraft that I've turned on Perception (an ability to see stealth classes). Rogues scurry away into hiding, only to re-emerge 20 seconds later to Cheapshot or Ambush.
On the other side of the fence, Warlocks keel over and die as Undead players turn on Way of the Forsaken, making the race immune to the class's primary form of attack for the next 20 seconds (no sound effect telling the world, too). Teen libido magnet Succubus stands idly by as Rogues mash the squishy spellcasting class into oblivion.
Oh class balance oh class balance, wherefore art thou class balance?
Bad class balancing has been an endemic problem to MMORPGs--unfortunately especially in games where PvP is a major component. Dark Age of Camelot tanked the usability of the original classes with the emergence of Vampiirs in the ill-reputed Catacombs expansion. Users were incensed when Creature Handlers ruled the universe in Star Wars Galaxies--then angered even more when the class was beat down with the nerf bat in subsequent patches. Class disarray continued for SWG: Tera Kasis then ruled with their Vibroknucklers until the ingenius inclusion of Jedis ...who then littered the landscape in time when Jedi's were supposedly hunted to extinction (Vader has been too busy sipping Galactic Grande Lattes in the Emperor's Retreat in Naboo).
Solutions to bad class balance have usually been equally tragic, and are usually seen in two forms:
1) Make every class equal in abilities: The easiest way to go, it also makes the gameplay generic. SWG's long-delayed combat upgrade has been reeling from this issue--although Carbineers are no longer powerless against Riflemen, the simplification of the HAM system means class roles have been dumbed down.
2) Nerf the overpowered class: Often having devastating results, developers make crippling changes to a class (otherwise known as "nerfing") in a haphazard effort to make the game more balanced with respect to other classes. Sounds fine on paper, but short-sighted revisions have drastic consequences, sometimes destroying the viability of the class altogether.
At the heart of the issue is the devaluation of game testing. For example, Blizzard changed the whole Paladin class two weeks before Beta testing ended--and three weeks before launch. To this day, minimal changes have been made to the class, keeping intact the horribly disorganized talent tree and diverse array of useless judgments that only serve as mana sinks. While Blizzard did finally redeem the warrior and druid classes with fixes, the company seems "satisfied" with the paladin class, in spite of its jarring shortcomings. Although not underpowered in groups, the paladin class has effectively morphed into a cleric class, helpless when traveling alone. Meanwhile, Shamans have been ruling the Battlegrounds, who despite being the supposed caster hybrid, also has the most potent melee abilities of any hybrid.
Balancing is especially critical in the subscription-based MMORPG market, where longevity is more crucial than initial sales for revenue. While Blizzard will likely continue to see high subscription numbers in the near future (especially with of the launch of WoW in China), the relative simplicity of its classes when compared to other games (Guild Wars, EQ) may only amplify class balance discontent within the community.
"Reroll," say the cold onlookers. Not so coincidentally, Undead Rogues menace the ganking fields of WoW.
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Is soe the only ones that can't see the forest through the trees?
CARPE CORPUS!! 
"Users were incensed when Creature Handlers ruled the universe in Star Wars Galaxies--then angered even more when the class was beat down with the nerf bat in subsequent patches."
That's it? One sentence where "Funky Zealot" says non-ch's hated that CH's were the best, and then CH's hated when they weren't? That's the forest through the trees?
So, if SOE makes CH the uberest of the Uber, all will be well in the world?
REALbp1 wrote:
Velm, you are kidding me, right? Did you read the thread subject? Did you read the OP's post? This thread is supposedly about class balancing and some supposed forest through the trees.
You've got a little rant going, which is nice, let it out. It's what the OP wanted to do, anyway: Stir the pot without actually adding anything. The article posted said nothing, his post said nothing. I flamed, you bit.
Welcome.
Message Edited by REALbp1 on 06-14-2005 12:48 PM
Yes,I understand it and it isn't an 'old saying' it's called a metaphor, and quite cliche at that.
So I ask, what is this supposed forest through the trees? Hmm? Literally, not metaphorically...
Message Edited by REALbp1 on 06-14-2005 02:26 PM
REALbp1 wrote:
Yes,I understand it and it isn't an 'old saying' it's called a metaphor, and quite cliche at that.
So I ask, what is this supposed forest through the trees? Hmm? Literally, not metaphorically...
Message Edited by REALbp1 on 06-14-2005 02:26 PM
The supposed forest through the trees is basically that SOEs devs are not the only ones that think its ok to nerf a single class to absolute uselessness in the name of balance, when in fact the situation they just created is far worse than the one they fixed.
"So, if SOE makes CH the uberest of the Uber, all will be well in the world? "
You are kidding me right? seriously? I do not think any of us really care about being 'Uber.' Before the CU, I was far, far, far, far from being an 'Uber' character. It took me at least twice as long to take out lairsthan just about any other person who wasa dual mastery combat person. I had gone out with people while hunting for dath insect, and the damage I was doing paled in comparision to them. PVP, I also lacked far behind them.
None of that mattered to me. Yes, we had issues, pets would have bugs, but most of them could be worked around. Yes, I could 'solo' bull ranc lairs, without armor or a buff, whoohoo. But then, ANY combat person with armor and a buff could do it a fraction of the time it would take me to do it.
This, Creature Handler, is considered a 'combat' profession. Yet, let me see just how successful people are using just that CH side for combat. Go ahead, let me see this, that is using NO buffs from a doc on pets, no using state specials from another combat prof, just CH and let me see just how successful people are. Pretty tough, ain't it? When just about any other combat type, Rifleman, Pistoleer, TK or so on will have a much easier time. Most other combat professions relate to each other, general ranged accuracys carry over, specials work with any weapon.
REALbp1 wrote:
"Users were incensed when Creature Handlers ruled the universe in Star Wars Galaxies--then angered even more when the class was beat down with the nerf bat in subsequent patches."
That's it? One sentence where "Funky Zealot" says non-ch's hated that CH's were the best, and then CH's hated when they weren't? That's the forest through the trees?
So, if SOE makes CH the uberest of the Uber, all will be well in the world?
Message Edited by REALbp1 on 06-14-2005 12:48 PM
Why, yes I did read the thread. I also read the part about making CH uber. Thepart about making ch uber was yourpoint, not the op. In the begining, yes,itdid get out of control, and what happened? Wegot cut down. We got cut down too far down now. That was the point of the OP, of professions getting cut down too far.
I thought it was an interesting post, and it is very true.
Well actually if I were making recommendations to SOE I would have suggested fixing the other classes not nerfing the only one that worked. YMMV
-Indene-