I also came back for a bit at first to hang out with some mates and then I got the completion bug and knocked off a few goals I had left undone.
I certainly had a few people who actively tried to discourage me from playing but many more that were just awesome on both DS and LS. While numbers are certainly down I am still amazed the game is still running and I am grateful that it is. This time round I managed to spend a little more time with Feneon and he really opened my eyes to how much thought and effort the active imms put in to the game. He would think deeply about changes and was very motivated to make the game better and I know he is not alone.
This is why I loved Zirgak's post, enjoy the game for what it is and appreciate those that still play and add to the game.
Observations after an extended break
Re: Observations after an extended break
Abs is terrible and will always be terrible.
I am the best PKer on this game, like IM UUUUUUGE, but its just not a viable option - look at every player who we think is amazing - they are all combo without exception. Sure they all play an abser now and then but they play like a very fine person, gender being but a construct of society on those alts. Even when I have mauls, heron greats etc. its fun to use occasionally but its firetrucking useless.
Look at the damage and bash % compared to abs weapons and combo weapons - on every level, not rare, rare, unique. Combo weapons are just as good damage wise/bash wise and often better plus give 250-300 defense in full sets with 70+ abs.
The only character I feel I have a half chance in hell of surviving in abs is Kryyg - when its dark or Davor when bonded. Because HP regen is what you need to survive.
Is there any way to tie HP regen to abs? Like giving shining plates +15 hp/tic regen status. Or each abs kit gives +3 hp/half tic. That would make it better. Or damage needs to be upped across the board on abs weapons. Or parry needs to no longer be shield parry dependant and even abs weapons should have 100-150 parry. I would suggest lowering combo weapons but we need more damage and death on this game, not less.
I am the best PKer on this game, like IM UUUUUUGE, but its just not a viable option - look at every player who we think is amazing - they are all combo without exception. Sure they all play an abser now and then but they play like a very fine person, gender being but a construct of society on those alts. Even when I have mauls, heron greats etc. its fun to use occasionally but its firetrucking useless.
Look at the damage and bash % compared to abs weapons and combo weapons - on every level, not rare, rare, unique. Combo weapons are just as good damage wise/bash wise and often better plus give 250-300 defense in full sets with 70+ abs.
The only character I feel I have a half chance in hell of surviving in abs is Kryyg - when its dark or Davor when bonded. Because HP regen is what you need to survive.
Is there any way to tie HP regen to abs? Like giving shining plates +15 hp/tic regen status. Or each abs kit gives +3 hp/half tic. That would make it better. Or damage needs to be upped across the board on abs weapons. Or parry needs to no longer be shield parry dependant and even abs weapons should have 100-150 parry. I would suggest lowering combo weapons but we need more damage and death on this game, not less.
Re: Observations after an extended break
Our original sin as a game is never fixing the statting system and accelerating the logical conclusion of what we do have by allowing botting for stats. There's very little give or reason to play anything but maximal set ups when everyone is some variation of 18 19 19 (hurtling towards everyone having at least one 16+ mental, at least on LS, and 12+ on DS). Theoretically abs and combo and dodge would balance themselves to some extent if you had a point allocation system that resulted in sacrificing anything in terms of hps, ob, or db as price of entry.
It's about a decade and a half too late, but we should have gone to a point allocation system and then you'd see dodgers with less than 400 hps and abs being a great option if you were interested in maxing hps and ob by sacrificing dex. Combo would look a hell of a lot different if your realistic combo stats were like 19 17 18 or something. Could have even reset allocation on prac reset or something. Oh well.
It's about a decade and a half too late, but we should have gone to a point allocation system and then you'd see dodgers with less than 400 hps and abs being a great option if you were interested in maxing hps and ob by sacrificing dex. Combo would look a hell of a lot different if your realistic combo stats were like 19 17 18 or something. Could have even reset allocation on prac reset or something. Oh well.
Re: Observations after an extended break
Do we not have an AI model already churning away the perfect WoTMUD balance system!?
Re: Observations after an extended break
Everything also goes in ebs and flow. At some point last week Mantas, Eadmund, and I were wrecking the blight for 2-3 days. Eadmund lost lamans and more fades starting logging in and suddenly all the uniques were on DS with multiple fades consistently playing, many with uniques/herons. Right now DS is dominating PK because of that and the risk adverse playstyle a lot of the people with uniques are currently employing.
At some point we will actually kill a couple of the risk adverse players and get some uniques/herons back on LS and things will even out more. I will admit its been particularly rough this week though.
At some point we will actually kill a couple of the risk adverse players and get some uniques/herons back on LS and things will even out more. I will admit its been particularly rough this week though.
Re: Observations after an extended break
Kryyg is a dumb idiot.
Abs weapons* are great. They’ve been upped in damage way above where they used to sit. The problem, really, is just damage in general. Over the last decade we’ve had huge increases towards weapon damage across the board, between rank damage/mob weapons being upped/almost every abs weapon being upped in damage/etc.
The reason abs feels bad is mostly because the average damage has pretty much doubled. Everything, including mobs, hit harder. It’s not a combo/dodge weapon specific problem. On top of that, combo really has taken quite a few hits when it comes to abs %, along with abs being dropped back down to 82%.
The real problem we’re getting here are warriors and their damage mit making every other class feel like paper. I can’t solo a CTF without getting down to at least wounded in combo on a hunter, whereas I can smash a CTF and only lose 50-60 hp on a warrior, if that.
Abs weapons* are great. They’ve been upped in damage way above where they used to sit. The problem, really, is just damage in general. Over the last decade we’ve had huge increases towards weapon damage across the board, between rank damage/mob weapons being upped/almost every abs weapon being upped in damage/etc.
The reason abs feels bad is mostly because the average damage has pretty much doubled. Everything, including mobs, hit harder. It’s not a combo/dodge weapon specific problem. On top of that, combo really has taken quite a few hits when it comes to abs %, along with abs being dropped back down to 82%.
The real problem we’re getting here are warriors and their damage mit making every other class feel like paper. I can’t solo a CTF without getting down to at least wounded in combo on a hunter, whereas I can smash a CTF and only lose 50-60 hp on a warrior, if that.
Re: Observations after an extended break
No! You’re a dumb idiot!
If a rare combo weapon which is actually not rare anymore hits just as hard or just marginally worse than an abs weapon and bashes marginally worse too and it gives insane defense. The system is broken. Again- play abs and you will suck more than you already do! Yes abs weapons were upped….but so were all the combo weapons. Remove all the rare combo weapons and keep only herons and uniques. Maybe then it would balance out. All these wicked axes, DST, paramerions. Insane damage, bash and defense.
Faul is probably right about stat allocation. It actually does make sense. Combo should max at 18 17 17 and only Abs is should be able to get 19 x x 19
Rogues currently should have hps capped at 16 con.
If a rare combo weapon which is actually not rare anymore hits just as hard or just marginally worse than an abs weapon and bashes marginally worse too and it gives insane defense. The system is broken. Again- play abs and you will suck more than you already do! Yes abs weapons were upped….but so were all the combo weapons. Remove all the rare combo weapons and keep only herons and uniques. Maybe then it would balance out. All these wicked axes, DST, paramerions. Insane damage, bash and defense.
Faul is probably right about stat allocation. It actually does make sense. Combo should max at 18 17 17 and only Abs is should be able to get 19 x x 19
Rogues currently should have hps capped at 16 con.
Re: Observations after an extended break
Would removing 1 damage die and .5 to 1 lb in weight to certain combo weapons address to comparability to abs weapons? Seems like an easy fix if so.
Re: Observations after an extended break
Peer
I dont notice sig difference in hp absorb from warrior to alts
A CTF with 3 mobs hitting 20-24dmg each sure 3-4 dmg per mob, a 50% chance of each of those hits being 1dmg less
Say 8 rounds to kill each mob, brave
3x3x8+3x2x8+3x1x8 =144 dmg
A non warrior for the same period might take around 9 more dmg
Eat a bash at a ctf by a 24dmg weap r6 honed
And the warrior will eat around 24-28dmg from pc, and maybe 30 from the patty, vs 36 for a non warrior
Now bump that to something like irondoor, with 8 mobs double hitting you healthy to batt, then dying on bash
Doesnt matter if youre warrior or not
Compared to the great economies for hunters and rogues (doesnt matter how many times i ask austin wont change draz to a hunter)
I dont notice sig difference in hp absorb from warrior to alts
A CTF with 3 mobs hitting 20-24dmg each sure 3-4 dmg per mob, a 50% chance of each of those hits being 1dmg less
Say 8 rounds to kill each mob, brave
3x3x8+3x2x8+3x1x8 =144 dmg
A non warrior for the same period might take around 9 more dmg
Eat a bash at a ctf by a 24dmg weap r6 honed
And the warrior will eat around 24-28dmg from pc, and maybe 30 from the patty, vs 36 for a non warrior
Now bump that to something like irondoor, with 8 mobs double hitting you healthy to batt, then dying on bash
Doesnt matter if youre warrior or not
Compared to the great economies for hunters and rogues (doesnt matter how many times i ask austin wont change draz to a hunter)
Re: Observations after an extended break
Is it just me that thinks these abs should be comparable to combo/dodge full kits sets posts are always just really laughable? I mean you have ground equipment and weapon that literally doesn't even get looted usually. Vs things that aren't as easily obtainable and usually take time to aquire or at least a decent kill/lots of smobbing. There's obviously a big difference there. Abs is a meatshield it has it's place. They are wonderful to have in your group. They take a lot of damage and bash those silly turkeys around. On the beer budget.