Idea to Consider (Semi-Randomized Normally Distributed Stats)

Pterosaur

Hey I just though of a cool idea to help the longevity of the game and that would be pretty easy to add imo (I'm not a game dev obviously so maybe it would be hard).

Semi-randomized skill stats (within a given range with a normal distribution).

Each week or day or month skill stats change such as base damage, cd, cast-time...ect. I think this could help give every class and character moments where they are the best and therefore most needed class. I know that most games mmo's, class based fps, moba's ...ect are hard to balance. I think that by having base-stats semi-random it would help with the, "This game is unbalanced! My class does less dmg/has less utility than another" argument which I am sure would come up.

I think that it would be awesome to hear that one week all mages have an extra +3% fire damage or maybe that the most "meta" class isn't the best this week. Obviously for military nodes the fight for the ruler would have to remove this weekly/monthly stat randomization.

I think implementing this would reduce player complaints, increase player retention (for the chance their class has a +5% week or something on the top of the curve), reduce ultra hard meta-gaming, increase class diversity, reduce the need for extreme balance patches, and reduce the players need to change their sub-class. I know this post might not be seen, but I hope it reaches the team and is considered.

Songcaller

It would be too horrid to build a class with such a system imo.

Pterosaur

Neurath wrote: »

It would be too horrid to build a class with such a system imo.

I really wish I could reply to this in a meaningful way.

Dicdonya

I think they are already going to have location and season affect skills right? So although it might not be server wide, it seems like you’ll get some form of the suggestion you want.

I think having random buffs will just lead to a lot of unfun gameplay interactions, where some times a class just becomes oppressive instead of merely meta shifting.

I don’t hate the idea, but I think this would be better discussed once we know how well the skills/classes get balanced which will allow us to have a better idea if metas even need to get shaken up, or if minor buffs to skills will even move the needle in the power dynamics of the classes.

Beeper

I dislike the idea of my class play style changing every week or month.

Also, can't even imagine how you would go about balancing something like this.

Warth

Bearheart wrote: »

I dislike the idea of my class play style changing every week or month.

Also, can't even imagine how you would go about balancing something like this.

completely agreeing with this. It would be a balancing nightmare, people would feel like shit when they get their power reduced by 5% for factors completely out of their control and it would create even more incentive to meta hop.

If Intrepid wants to find a healthy balance, then they won't get around regular balance tweaks. Not to create a perfectly balanced game in every aspect, but creating a game where every class can find a reason to be played in one scenario or the other.

Nerf the ones that are outclassing other classes in almost every aspect, buff the ones that are being outclassed in most aspects. Intrepid certainly has sufficient kogs to turn with the variety of augmentations, stat templates, weapons and abilities.

Bi-weekly to monthly balance updates (even if minor in scale) should be an absolute requirement to ensure the balance post launch.

Pterosaur

I just don't think it is possible to balance 64 classes perfectly and that this system would help for the few percent that cannot be balanced. I can't think of any games that are truly balanced. Wouldn't the psudo-random system be exactly the same as 'balance patches' just with less work on the devs part.

Vhaeyne

It is already unbearable to wait for the game to be playable. Now you are expecting me to wait for my class to wax and wane in effectiveness while playing?

The solution to slight imbalance surly can not be adding chaos. Addressing imbalance per-patch makes a lot of sense. The thing that I think holds MMOs back from great balance is new skills getting added. It is like every time they start to get close to every class being in the right place they come out with a new expansion and reset all of the balance they were building. I would rather have slight tweaks over a long time.

George_Black

Back in L2, there was a "weapon augment stone" thing going on in which after lots of grind you'd get stones that gave your weapons passive abilities or stats. Most were meh, some were a bit better. Very rarely OP.

This is the closest I got to random stats beyond our control. I didnt like it at all.
Losing to some guy because he got lucky with a silly stone.


Mind you these stones were on top of a crystal empower system in which you could select 1 additional bonus for your weapon. That was great because of required team effort, quests that took you into dangerous zones that required organozation and, in the end, you were selecting your stat.

I wouldnt want to experience something permanent, based on rng ever again.

ShroudedFox

I see where your coming from in diversity in gameplay over time but I find this just naturally happens in a more natural and controlled way with regular balance tweaks, making it funner for all plays without accidentally breaking the game.

Plus with the way that buffs come from guild, social roles, citizenship, augments and who knows what else I feel like diversity in builds is going to be massively present in this game...

Imagine trying to meta slave and maintaining pope position in a nodes church just so your the best healer around lol.