cRPG

cRPG => Suggestions Corner => Game Balance Discussion => Topic started by: CtrlAltDe1337 on January 04, 2011, 04:07:25 pm

Title: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: CtrlAltDe1337 on January 04, 2011, 04:07:25 pm
Well I just wrote up a nice long post but the forum decided to eat it :(  So I'll make this a bit briefer.

The main reason I am suggesting this is because of the current retirement system.  People who have retired >10 times are now grinding like mad trying to rank up as fast as they can while they still have the bonus.  They know (and rightfully) that this will allow them to keep ahead of the curve after the patch comes out and it becomes harder to get past lvl 30.  They will basically be permanently ahead of the curve.  I don't think this is what chadz intended/intends for things to be like, but unless I am mistaken it will happen.  I suggest a hard level cap of lvl 40 (maybe less) to go along with the patch.  That's enough to make a nice customized character (which is what cRPG is all about, right?), but not enough to make an overpowered uber lvl 60 super-fast, super-strong, plate wearing horse archer. 
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: Allers on January 04, 2011, 04:09:21 pm
Well I just wrote up a nice long post but the forum decided to eat it :(  So I'll make this a bit briefer.

The main reason I am suggesting this is because of the current retirement system.  People who have retired >10 times are now grinding like mad trying to rank up as fast as they can while they still have the bonus.  They know (and rightfully) that this will allow them to keep ahead of the curve after the patch comes out and it becomes harder to get past lvl 30.  They will basically be permanently ahead of the curve.  I don't think this is what chadz intended/intends for things to be like, but unless I am mistaken it will happen.  I suggest a hard level cap of lvl 40 (maybe less) to go along with the patch.  That's enough to make a nice customized character (which is what cRPG is all about, right?), but not enough to make an overpowered uber lvl 60 super-fast, super-strong, plate wearing horse archer.

Personally I think if they've played that long to get those stats they deserve it :D
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: bruce on January 04, 2011, 04:22:25 pm
The xp bonus is still there, but it's lowered to 10% per generation instead of the current exponential bonus.

As for the hard level cap, personally I'm really in favour of a hard cap at 35 (actually I'd say less, but people would whine to no end) and "soft" cap at about 30. You can customize your character decently well by level 25. Above that, it's just adding extra power.

Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: BlackGyver on January 04, 2011, 05:01:29 pm
Not sure about the hard cap. We'll have a lvl 30 soft cap in the next patch, and, right now, you need more than 125 Million XP to reach level 50 (and that will drastically increase in the next patch). But yeah, if they actually spent countless hours trying to reach some high level, why putting a hard cap at level 30, or 35 ?

If a hard cap was needed, put it at 40. People wanting to advance their character spending nights on it would still be able to do it, with limits.
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: CtrlAltDe1337 on January 04, 2011, 05:09:42 pm
I don't think you are seeing the big issue.  People with the current xp bonus are gonna grind so high that, after the bonus gets nerfed, it won't matter; they will already be so far ahead that nobody but chinese gold farmers could hope to catch up.  I don't think chadz is going to retroactively change the old bonus.
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: bruce on January 04, 2011, 05:17:42 pm
I don't think you are seeing the big issue.  People with the current xp bonus are gonna grind so high that, after the bonus gets nerfed, it won't matter; they will already be so far ahead that nobody but chinese gold farmers could hope to catch up.  I don't think chadz is going to retroactively change the old bonus.

You will lose most of your XP however. For instance, a level 27 become a level 21, I heard about a guy who after recalculating was level 31 and he's now level 40something.
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: Espu on January 04, 2011, 05:39:28 pm
I'm all for hard cap at 30. Eventually some people with enough time are going to grind their char to a level way above the soft cap of 30 and omgwtfdestroy everyone. That's just boring. Of course if the xp curve really goes sky-high after 30+ it's fine, but then you could just call it a semi-hard cap.
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: RandomDude on January 04, 2011, 05:43:57 pm
You will lose most of your XP however. For instance, a level 27 become a level 21, I heard about a guy who after recalculating was level 31 and he's now level 40something.

i dont think u "lose" the xp, it just devalues, like money in post world war 1 germany

so if u have some guy grinding to 10mil xp before the patch, getting him lvl 45 or w/e, he will still have 10 mil xp after the patch but only lvl 37, something like that

basically if there's no xp bonus for retiring post-patch, they're doing as much work as they can now to make sure they get as much as they can

the only problem i can se with this complaint is that every time you retire your xp gets reset to 0 anyway so the guys who never retired and still have all that sick strategus xp are really the ones who will have more xp imo
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: Seawied on January 04, 2011, 05:44:22 pm
I say hard cap 35, soft cap 30. At 35 you can have the best horse and still be ludicriously strong as an infantry. These should be rare. At the same time, killing someone who is level 35 when you are in your 20s is completely reasonable.

Also, players won't be able to hit the "WTFBBQ!" attack speed spammitar rate at 35.
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: Roran Hawkins on January 04, 2011, 05:47:51 pm
I say hard cap 35, soft cap 30. At 35 you can have the best horse and still be ludicriously strong as an infantry. These should be rare. At the same time, killing someone who is level 35 when you are in your 20s is completely reasonable.

Also, players won't be able to hit the "WTFBBQ!" attack speed spammitar rate at 35.

I agree, if the hard cap is lower, we as cavalry must choose between being archerbait or infantrybait.
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: Reinhardt on January 04, 2011, 05:58:32 pm
Personally I think if they've played that long to get those stats they deserve it :D

That's a horrible idea. People who play cRPG obviously have a bonus, but making a level cap is great. the WPF bonus should be taken out of retirement as well, THAT'S why you see plated archers. Something should be put in its place though.
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: Diomedes on January 04, 2011, 06:04:47 pm
Why not create a hard cap at 35, soft cap at 30, and the highest levels would grant only gold bonuses of some sort?  That way, the reward for getting to the highest levels is that it becomes increasingly about having less stress about armour/weapons upkeep.  Also, post-patch, people may find it easier to buy more interesting weapons and armour which they wouldn't otherwise take the time/gold to try (e.g. scary bardiche, masterwork butcher's knife).  I'd prefer a greater variety of infantry classes than the standard:

- the scimitar and shield
- the heavily armoured knight with a flamberge/sword of tears
- the dismounted heavy cavalry archer that can also pull out a wicked fast flamberge
- the knight wielding a German poleaxe or an elegant poleaxe with a steel shield for arrows
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: Siiem on January 04, 2011, 06:31:12 pm
Hard cap should be at lvl 31. Then you can still convert some extra skill points or use them for skills. At 30 you can convert and be 1 point short for something which would suck.
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: bruce on January 04, 2011, 06:53:46 pm
Hard cap should be at lvl 31. Then you can still convert some extra skill points or use them for skills. At 30 you can convert and be 1 point short for something which would suck.

Good point. level 31 enables 18/18 stats with no point conversions, so you could go higher by sacrificing skillpoints... and 18/18 is really solid. 31 hardcap sounds like a good idea to me.

Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: Viceroy on January 04, 2011, 06:59:00 pm
Totally agree with 31 as well. I have been playing a "balanced" character (thrower/1h and shield), and when I am at lvl 30 my agility is 17 and my str is 18. At 31 I can put 1 more point into PTWM,
and if I have a skill point saved I can also put 1 more into PSATH.
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: Bulzur on January 04, 2011, 07:12:13 pm
31 is more than interesting, it's (Cris told so in another thread) the vital level to have an effective ha, even with all the "change skills to attributes" points.

I wouldn't mind an hard cap between lv31 and 35.
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: DrKronic on January 04, 2011, 07:31:42 pm
I totally agree with a hardcap at say 31-35 , the biggest imbalance in the game atm isn't weapons, but the fact that a moderately.well played level 37 is basically unstoppable if they didn't somehow gimp.there character, I know this cuz I had a gen 2 level 37 and it was like a whirlwind of death
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: Braeden on January 04, 2011, 07:36:59 pm
How about a soft cap at 30 and a hard cap at 35?
That sounds good.
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: Seawied on January 04, 2011, 08:45:40 pm
I totally agree with a hardcap at say 31-35 , the biggest imbalance in the game atm isn't weapons, but the fact that a moderately.well played level 37 is basically unstoppable if they didn't somehow gimp.there character, I know this cuz I had a gen 2 level 37 and it was like a whirlwind of death

37s are perfectly beatable. Difficult, but beatable. When you're looking at people approaching level 45 you start to break the system. The attack, damage-animation, recover for a block rhythm gets replaced with "attack attack attack attack" and people won't be able to get into blocking animation.
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: Rhaelys on January 04, 2011, 09:08:03 pm
My level 38 character is becoming level 28. I have 18,431,755 experience, and that's becoming 3,459,474, or roughly 18.7% of my current experience total. I don't think there's anything to worry about at all.
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: Blondin on January 04, 2011, 09:11:33 pm
I agree, don't need to worry, but a soft cap at 30 and a hard cap between 31-35 (i prefer 31) will stop uber build and will reduce gap  between low and high level, i think this must improve the fun for everybody (i guess that was the meaning of patch and upkeep).
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: Gorath on January 04, 2011, 09:30:36 pm
I say hard cap 35, soft cap 30. At 35 you can have the best horse and still be ludicriously strong as an infantry. These should be rare. At the same time, killing someone who is level 35 when you are in your 20s is completely reasonable.

Also, players won't be able to hit the "WTFBBQ!" attack speed spammitar rate at 35.

I agree with this.  35 lets you build a "complete" high level character without breaking the game like you can at 40.  Soft cap at 30, hard cap at 35 and hopefully the average will hover around 31 as far as an "uberlevel".
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: CtrlAltDe1337 on January 04, 2011, 09:52:59 pm
A hardcap at 35 or 40, doesn't matter to me.  I just think we really need one.
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: Boss_Awesome on January 04, 2011, 11:50:05 pm
Good point. level 31 enables 18/18 stats with no point conversions, so you could go higher by sacrificing skillpoints... and 18/18 is really solid. 31 hardcap sounds like a good idea to me.

So everyone can be the same 18/18 build?   I would prefer a 30 soft cap with a 35 hard cap.
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: Vexus on January 04, 2011, 11:54:32 pm
I'm lvl 29 with 20 strength 18 agility.

You don't need lvl 31 to get 18/18.
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: Farrok on January 05, 2011, 01:01:44 am
I'm lvl 29 with 20 strength 18 agility.

You don't need lvl 31 to get 18/18.
Quote
Good point. level 31 enables 18/18 stats with no point conversions
Thats the point ;) sure with the converts you reach this stats faster but not anyone wants to convert points...


softcap 30 is good, with one level more you have a good char
a hard cap of 35-40 would be good, too. but maybe not needed? dont know how long it will take to reach 31, 32, 33, ...
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: Vexus on January 05, 2011, 01:10:30 am
Well it's not like ironflesh is sooo good to spend points on anyway :)
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: Bruels on January 05, 2011, 03:01:23 am
Well it's not like ironflesh is sooo good to spend points on anyway :)

Makin' me feel like a nub.  :(

Note to self: Less ironflesh.  :wink:
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: Loki on January 05, 2011, 09:52:19 am
There needs to be a hardcap, I think lvl 35 would be good.  Otherwise what's the point of fucking with everyone's exp?  You're just delaying Kesh, not removing him.  He'll get to lvl 48 again eventually and you'll be faced with the same problem as before.  Also I think exp bonus for retiring should be removed entirely.
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: Shigeru on January 05, 2011, 10:41:04 am
I gotta put my lot in with Loki's opinion here, 35 is a good level to have a nicely spec'd character designed how you want, don't need much more than that.
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: Warcat on January 05, 2011, 10:47:52 am
I'd agree about the xp bonus if lvl to retire gets lower, otherwise I want to keep the bonus the way it is.
Title: Re: Hard level cap -- serious suggestion
Post by: Welcome_To_Hell on January 06, 2011, 01:40:12 am
Hard cap between 31 and 35.