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Author Topic: Game Balancing - Arena  (Read 6145 times)

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Offline Kuraku

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Game Balancing - Arena
« on: April 10, 2014, 04:18:49 PM »
This thread is dedicated to balancing of the Arena.

First I'll report on my gameplay and testing of it, second will be suggestions.

1. a) Survival (including general stuff, like items and stats)

Using Survival from the very beginning as my primary income, it became first choice to spend AP on. Only thing that seemed worthy doing was trying to find Gold and reload a quicksave if it didnt work. Turns out to be much more time consuming and hence this plan of action was discarded.
Getting any type of Sword was and still is the best option for attacking. Buying Magic for the rediculous high cost (30k / 70k) seems completely redundant. There are as of now no magic affinities or weaknesses for certain enemy types.
Up to the level 35+ all time option for opponents are the Goblins. Around Level 40ish the Amazon Tribe is an attractive target and could be defeated too, at a high cost of Health that is. All other categories remain unbeatable and thus are not attractive at all. High priced Weapons are hardly worth the money, Max stat increased by 5 or 7 wont change the actual dmg output in a significant way.

Suggestions for gameplay improvements>

-Make Dungeons unlockable, add Level Suggestions (Goblins First Level 1-15 or whatever.., continue with next category 15-25 or s.th.). Make Progression and 'beatability' (is that even a word !? o_O) possible, increasing fun and variety. Right now the Goblin Dungeon seems the only one being worth time and money-aquisition along with it.
- Magic is pretty much useless atm, spells have no advantage and are hence redundant. Add magic weaknesses and stuff, which makes it actually usable.

-Add a Reputation stop for a certain level, so reputation cannot rise any further, so you have to rely on Matches to actually rise to the top in the Arena.

-Potions cannot be used in the Arena atm. Doing so would make it possible to beat certain stages, but would change balancing (limit usage to 1!? grant enemy another turn as well?!)

2. Dogfights and Matches

Beating Dogfight Enemies is fair - since level is always adjusted, but relatively unworthy profit-wise.
2vs2 and 3vs3 Matches seem incredibly unfair at some point, the guys taken along that are level 1 hardly get any XP out of it and are extremly weak compared to the MC.

- Add level range to Matches, so high level do not fight with low levels. Like a level cap or s.th.

Of course I can only write about the game mechanics as I experienced them atm (version 0.45 Alpha).


Offline Xela

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Re: Game Balancing - Arena
« Reply #1 on: April 11, 2014, 03:16:06 AM »
Nice suggestions, we'll get some of it done on the next arena makeover. Right now I believe that tying arena into the game world through NPCs and events is more important.
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Offline Algernon

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Re: Game Balancing - Arena
« Reply #2 on: May 25, 2014, 06:14:36 PM »
I thought I'd run a few arena balancing options by you.  I'll try to keep my suggestions to the realm of "minor tweaks" instead of "complete overhaul".  I'll also try to keep from repeating what others have already said (probably unsuccessfully, but I'm sure you'll let me know, lol)

1) The ability to use items in the arena.  However, I'm thinking that these should be items that have some sort of tag that allows you to use them in the arena.  For example, you wouldn't be able to use the regular healing potion, but you could use another item that has the same effect, but costs twice as much.  This would make players think twice before using items, as they may lose more money than they will get.
Another option is to an equipped item that allows you to bring in X number of items.  For example, a healer's pouch (misc equip slot) would allow you to bring 2 healing potions into the arena on that character.

2) Training with Xeona should be more rewarding.  Currently, training with her has us save scumming for the CON boost, but I think that this can be fixed with a minor change.  Instead of getting a bonus to your current ATK and DEF, you should get a bonus to the normal max for those stats.  That way, players will be very hesitant to save scum, since both rewards are worth keeping.
Think of it this way, you train to increase your potential, but you only realize that potential through combat.

3) Different levels of magic should have different damage.  From what I see, casting Fire 1 does the same damage as Fire 2 and Fire 3.  Maybe have the damage of Fire 2 be the equivalent of your MAG stat +5 and Fire 3 would be +10?

4) The usefulness of magic is currently limited.  I think there are a few spells that hit multiple enemies, but magic damage isn't that much overall.  Maybe having the Intelligence stat be your "Magic Defense" stat would work?  This way, you'd have something you can do against some of the high defense enemies.
For example, the earth elementals have a high defense, but they aren't all that smart.  Thus, they don't really know that they should dodge that fireball.

5)  Currently, small weapons only seem useful as a stat boost.  Maybe give them a chance to apply some sort of status effect?  For instance, daggers would have an increased chance to crit, caltrops would have a chance to lower an enemies agility, whips would have a chance to cause an enemy to "flinch" (resetting their current ATB), etc.
However, if you go this route, I'd suggest handicapping their damage.  That way, you don't make the main weapon the "stat boost" weapon.

Well, that's all that I can think of, for now.

Offline Xela

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Re: Game Balancing - Arena
« Reply #3 on: May 28, 2014, 12:03:34 PM »
1) The ability to use items in the arena.  However, I'm thinking that these should be items that have some sort of tag that allows you to use them in the arena.  For example, you wouldn't be able to use the regular healing potion, but you could use another item that has the same effect, but costs twice as much.  This would make players think twice before using items, as they may lose more money than they will get.
Another option is to an equipped item that allows you to bring in X number of items.  For example, a healer's pouch (misc equip slot) would allow you to bring 2 healing potions into the arena on that character.

Maybe in the exploration, the whole point of survival is not to use items between the fights. My own idea is to have a roulette with good/bad things that could happen to you between the fights (stat bonuses/maluses, healing, mp restoration, items awards, money and etc), that would be awesome but I don't have enough graphics for that atm :(

2) Training with Xeona should be more rewarding.  Currently, training with her has us save scumming for the CON boost, but I think that this can be fixed with a minor change.  Instead of getting a bonus to your current ATK and DEF, you should get a bonus to the normal max for those stats.  That way, players will be very hesitant to save scum, since both rewards are worth keeping.
Think of it this way, you train to increase your potential, but you only realize that potential through combat.

I wrote about that already, it's a money drain...

3) Different levels of magic should have different damage.  From what I see, casting Fire 1 does the same damage as Fire 2 and Fire 3.  Maybe have the damage of Fire 2 be the equivalent of your MAG stat +5 and Fire 3 would be +10?

No they do different levels of damage, we first made magic overpoweringly strong, then dialed down a lot. The truth is that if used correctly (amc/enemy alignments taken into consideration), magic is stronger that normal attacks, can be a lot stronger if everything is in your favor. It's just that some info on the enemies isn't avalible yet so tactics on that level are close to impossible.

4) The usefulness of magic is currently limited.  I think there are a few spells that hit multiple enemies, but magic damage isn't that much overall.  Maybe having the Intelligence stat be your "Magic Defense" stat would work?  This way, you'd have something you can do against some of the high defense enemies.
For example, the earth elementals have a high defense, but they aren't all that smart.  Thus, they don't really know that they should dodge that fireball.

It'll get better.

5)  Currently, small weapons only seem useful as a stat boost.  Maybe give them a chance to apply some sort of status effect?  For instance, daggers would have an increased chance to crit, caltrops would have a chance to lower an enemies agility, whips would have a chance to cause an enemy to "flinch" (resetting their current ATB), etc.
However, if you go this route, I'd suggest handicapping their damage.  That way, you don't make the main weapon the "stat boost" weapon.

We'll do this on BE overhaul.
Like what we're doing?