Development Cycle Archive

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So here we are in week 2 of “19 Questions and Answers”. The first part is “19 Questions” which is a question that each of the correspondents brings from the community. We collect them and get answers for you.

Let me start out by saying that since this group of professions has a strong orientation to combat, many of the answers will fall squarely on the upcoming Combat Balance - - which is why there has been a big internal push to develop this as soon as possible, but with a determination to do it in “the right way”. It represents a big core system and this really has to be done well the first time. As a core system, it is tied into a huge amount of computer code and will effect almost every player in the game in some way or another.

One of the big reasons for the prolonged delay is that we want to build a special “sand box” environment to test the changes as they are made and also outside of the existing testing environment. Executing a massive change on live game servers by creating a secondary testing medium enables those changes to be tweaked or even completely altered over and over as needed, based on feedback and experience from the devs and the testers who will be involved in this effort. This differs than our existing test environment in that the way things usually work is the developers work on a code publish and that publish is pushed to Test Center. After that, the publish is pushed from ffice:smarttags" />Test Center to the Live servers. That process is a one way trip and would have to be completed within the time frame of one publish cycle (which is now two weeks with frequent TC updates). With those limitations, it makes the logistics of carefully balancing combat across all the professions much more difficult than it should be because it is actually trying to do two big jobs at once. Instead, we want to create this combat balance sand-box parallel to the existing publish cycle so that the developers can have more of an ability to make a change, then go back and tweak that change as necessary, or even change it altogether. For instance, let’s say everyone likes the idea of changing the brawler special move /warcry from a cone to an area-of-effect to make itbetter fit the idea of melee combat. Hypothetically we could make that change and then test it in the combat balance sand-box. Then let’s say we make that change and then find out that the new area-of-effect /warcry has a PvP exploit that in theory is a great idea, but in practice becomes a good idea gone bad. In the existing test environment, there is a limit to how much and how fast changes can be made. In contrast, this sand-box test environment that we are creating, will allow the development team the needed space to easily tweak things and test them using different solutions, etc. Basically, instead of testing all the publish items and the combat balance at the same time, we’ll have a server cluster where we test only the combat balance.

In short, doing the combat balance in a different, more appropriate test environment will allow the team to get better results overall. This is the main reason for the delay in the combat balance (time which was needed to allocate and set up the technology) and also the main reason why there isn’t a fountain of specific examples. All the specific examples that everyone is looking for pertains to the combat system as it exists and represents all the questions developers will be asking during the course of development. If I gave you answers now, they would be “best guesses at this time” and would definitely change over the course of developing the new combat system.

The good news is that in JustG’s latest State of the Game letter, he talks about the current plans for these changes to go live in Publish 10 which means that we will begin the actual internal work within the next week or so. You can definitely look forward to seeing CB In-Dev threads, news updates, and correspondent posts while this is going on, so while many of the answers here tie into the upcoming work, we are almost there and the details will shake out soon.

On to the questions…

Bounty Hunter

The Bounty Hunter Profession is worth 217 skill points; where as master rifleman, master TKA, or master swordsman only takes 92. Beyond upcoming overall speed/damage/HAM changes in the Combat Rebalance, what are the developer's intentions for Bounty Hunters specifically and is a Bounty Hunter Meant to be able to match anyone who has spent 217 (In augmenting Combat Professions) points evenly in a One on One Combat, if that is not possible is it possible to lower the requirements for BH as the Scout linedoes not provide any benefits to the profession?

One thing we want to address “prior to” or “as part of” the combat balance is to actually achieve the original design status of high offense/low defense of the Bounty Hunter instead of low/low. The point of discussion we are at with the BH Correspondent is that a High/Medium would be better for a BH to accommodate for the lack of variability in their skill sets and skill point allocation options and will be some of the first changes to the BH skill set in the CB sandbox.

The Bounty hunters do not have the flexibility of other professions to combine their skill set. Therefore it is difficult to balance the bounty hunter profession against various combinations that take the same amount of skill points. We are looking to rectify this during combat balance and also by working with the BH correspondent when the combat balance gets into full swing.

Further complicating the balance of Bounty Hunters is that while their flexibility is severely limited they can still benefit greatly from the acquisition ofadditional combat skills thatshareprerequisites with the Bounty Hunter profession.If we balance the power gained for the 217 skill point cost to reach Master BountyHunter to be the same as spending 217 skill points inother combat professions like Commando and Teras Kasi then Bounty Hunter may be overpoweredafter purchasing additional Pistol or Carbine skills. All thingsneed to be considered when determining the proper balance of a profession.

Brawler

Are the Devs considering changing Warcry from cone to AoE to make itbetter fit melee combat? If they are, when might we see this change implemented? ie, minipublish, combat balance, etc.

This is something the team is considering and plays into the reason we want to do the combat balance in a “sand box” environment. We want to make many adjustments for all the specials and intend on making many changes throughout the process. Because of that, specific answers are very tough because so much can, and will, change. The suggested change in the warcry special is something that will be looked at.

Carbineer

The Carbineer profession is unarguably the weakest ranged combat profession in SWG. Even with recent attention to some of our more long standing problems Carbineers still are on the lowest end of the power spectrum, while we expect this to be addressed in the combat rebalance it has been noted with each progressive publish more high end and new pistols and rifles come into the game when comparatively it is the Carbineers who need the special attention a bit more. What in terms of development time and effort is being put forth to provide Carbineers with the comparable attention Pistoleers and riflemen have seen in terms of new weapons, when can we expect to see new weapons developed and implemented in live for our profession?

I would not agree that they are unarguably the weakest ranged combat profession, but as a ranged profession, the carbineer specials need some attention. The answer to this has several parts and it underscores why the combat balance is so important. What I would say is that professions are *not* created equal in terms of combat. If everyone was able to match up in combat go toe to toe, on equal terms, then it would make the choice of one combat profession or another void of a unique feeling. The challenge is to create combat professions with equal value in combat, but with unique strengths, weaknesses and abilities.

For instance, in the US army, an infantry Rifle Platoon has a leader, sergeant, radio-telephone operator, weapon squad leader, 2 machine gunners, 2 Assistant Machine Gunners, 2 Anti-armor Gunners and 2 Anti-armor Gunner assistants. Each of these “soldier types” plays a role in rifle platoon but they are not equal. One on one, a machine gunner can easily defeat a radio-telephone operator, but I would never want to be stuck in a big firefight without the ability to call for reinforcements. The goal of the combat balance is to make all of the professions, equally important, but not necessarily equal in power (and for you army buffs, I know what you are going to say, but remember, this is only a very basic example).

Keep in mind that professions are not archetypes either. Based on the various skill point structures, some professions will have to be balanced based on what they are as a whole, like Bounty Hunters, or as a hybrid professions such as Pistoleer and Rifleman.

Because SWG professions are very different from each other, the relative balance for each profession will be based on their role in combat and the amount of skill points needed to Master the profession. One of the things the team will be creating with the combat balance is an overall combat experience that is challenging, but not necessarily equal from profession to profession. While things won’t be “equal” per se, the professions will be more complimentary.

Lastly, there are no new weapons planned at this time, but the functionality of weapons will change in the Combat Balance.

Combat Medic

It has been seen in past patch notes that Combat Medic range was to have been capped. Currently, Combat Medics have the ability to throw up to 96m, farther then any ranged profession. Will our range be decreased to max 64m, and if so, will the fact we are rooted for the entire throw animation be removed?

To this, I can say that the Combat Medic throwing range should not be 96 meters. It may however be reduced to 64 meters in the near future My best estimation at this time is that it will most likely happen in the Combat Balance. We're not certain what the exact range for Combat Medics but it will need to be 64 meters or less.

Commando

Witha current influx of newweapons and equipment appearing for various profession, Commandos would like to know what ideas the Devs have for new weapons, fixes to our weapons, or revamps of our current Commando weapons, when we might see them (i.e. publish 10, publish 12, etc) and will they include ranged specials, AP and/or be non-consumable? In other words, beyond the Combat Rebalance, what do Commandos have to look forward too in the way of new Commando related content?

There will definitely be changes to the weapons in all professions and since the Commando is a very combat oriented profession, the CB will definitely be a big change in the Commando experience. What they will be exactly will really start to take shape during the combat balance. There are many ideas for all the specials that will be experimented with throughout this process. Since it is such an important issue, we will be giving access to a special test server where correspondents and veteran testers can help with the feedback. When those activities take place, the community can look for updates and news posts about the ongoing progress as well as respond to upcoming CB In-Development threads. As to the degree of how profound this change will be is something I will be working with the correspondents on.

On the issue of specific Commando content, I would say that there is a drive to develop combat oriented content almost constantly. On the near horizon, there is the Death Watch Bunker and the GCW revamp which I am sure will feel the boot heels of many commandos.

Creature Handler

What specific changes will the development team be making between now and the rest of the combat rebalance to mitigate the serious negative impact on the CH profession, and does this include the much requested "everything under CL 70has at least achance to spawn babies" change that the tamers in particular have eagerly awaited?

Any specific changes made to the CH profession will actually be seen as a result of the Combat Balance, but not necessarily part of it. Back in November, the galaxies creatures were all rebalanced as part of a preliminary combat balance effort. Once all the other professions are balanced against the same mathematical benchmark, the Creature Handler’s combat effectiveness will be much more in line with player expectations. As far as the “baby spawns”, that is a different issue but we are working to fit that into the development schedule under the “Correspondent Issues” for Mini Publish 10-1.

Fencer

Many a months now fencers have been asking to literally swap the dmg of the gaffi stick to one of our swords, just so a fencers 'best' weapon would be a sword. Is there anyway we can implement this as it has been a top 10 issue for fencers for oh so long?

This is one of the details that should be easily tweak-able and happen in the Combat Balance. This certainly is a short answer and Fencers may be looking for more, but for the most part, devs and many players feel that Fencer is a really cool profession and as such, won’t see any dramatic changes.

Galactic Civil War

Specifically, when and how are the developers planning to address the TEF system in PvP, most notably the large amount of abuses associated with Group TEFs allowing covert first strikes and endless conflict at clone centers? Have the many varied player suggestions for dealing with the issue been taken under consideration for this aspect of the GCW?

Inevitably, there will always be abuses in any PvP system and will always be flashpoint situations that represent the “front line” where players re-spawn in a game world. Highly combative players are conditioned to seek the place where the “combat chain” is weakest and attack it. As such, there is an ongoing effort to change these types of combat variables. Specifically, the group TEF questions will be addressed in the GCW revamp and unfair base exploits are a constant work-in-progress. In short, yes we agree it is an issue and plan to address it in the GCW revamp.

Jedi

Lightsabers are the heart of the Jedi. Yet our sabers strangely deal universally, highly-resisted kinetic damage at only AP2, and even require incredibly rare Krayt Pearls or crystals which are impossible for Jedi to procure without switching to an alt character. Our weapons wear down quickly due to the incredible amount ofXP we must earn, costmillions upon million to create, and areeasily resisted by quality composite armor. Willlightsabers be revamped along with our profession and can you give us any details?

Yes, Lightsabers are being revamped along with the entire Jedi profession. The details on the lightsaber changes, along with Jedi revamp changes are going to be released as soon as possible with the Jedi Academy threads.

Marksman

Tumbling is primarily used to generate damage to be healed for med xp (outside of combat.) What is the intended effect/use of tumbling? (it prevents you from using specials while in the tumbling state so it isn't used by combatants on the battlefield.)?

Tumble was originally created as a defensive move that allowed easy, fast transition between postures. It gave the tumbler a defense modifier while tumbling from a standing to a prone position and was meant as an interesting combat maneuver. Since launch there have been many changes in armor, specials and other small independent combat changes that have been swallowed up by the combat imbalance. Basically the maneuver is not meeting those needs currently. During the Combat Balance we'll be looking at ways to returnthe usefulness to those abilities.