HR-Trevor Boss Type Guy ![](images/avatars/35774638d348e1809.gif)
Joined: 04 Oct 2002 Posts: 6683 Location: Louisville, KY
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Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 9:35 am Post subject: Further Skill Ponderings |
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So, I've been crunching numbers and plotting out exactly how to handle skill gains in Live. Since you'll be able to earn skills by use (of course using the pool/point system, so you can generalize your work and specialize your training), the rate at which skills develop is important. It's even more important when you're attempting to avoid hard skill caps - and I am.
The system, as I have planned it out, is tied directly to the curve on level gain. The idea is that you can be expected to gain about 10 ranks in X skills at a certain level. 10 ranks is the magic number that challenges will be balanced against. A level 50 foe will have 500 ranks in appropriate skills and so on.
However, there's no hard cap. You can choose to focus on a few skills and get them much higher, but this means you'll have less skills you're good at. You can also dilute your skills and be less proficient in them but have more overall skills to draw from. It's up to you.
So while there aren't hard caps or defined numbers of points like the current game system, there is an underlying mechanic that dictates you do have a limited supply of skill gain per level, because almost all skill gain is likely to gain experience for levelling. You'll gain your next level sooner than you're "ready" to, perhaps, if you don't practice disciplined skill training. Still, there's enough padding in the system that if you have a handful of critical skills, you should never be unable to maintain them at 10 per level.
This system will of course be tied to the ability to "recover" experience fom your former life (i.e. this version of the game) to keep levels and skills in sync.
By the way, to describe the mechanics, particularly for those who are familiar with DR's, since that comparison is a never-ending one...
- How full a skill pool is does affect drain rate, but not greatly so. The difference between a poorly filled pool and a maxed out pool is only 20% per pulse. It -does- add up, but it's not like anyone is going to always gain at max or min, we'll all fluctuate. So there's reward for hard workers but not a free for all for would be scripters, etc.
- There is no penalty for gaining too much, too fast. There is no overall mindstate to compete with. This creates additional work for us as staff to monitor scripting, but that's our duty, and we need to watch for it for sake of levelling or other gain anyway, so that's fine. AFK scripting penalties in HR are pretty damn heavy, as we all know.
Oh and here's a kicker for you. Skill gain will actually get -easier- as you advance, not harder! Wow, what a concept, huh? You'll find it easier to diversify your skillset (or mega focus more if you're that type). There's some fluctuation - some levels will feel easier than others, because they are (but only slightly.) _________________ "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something." -- Plato
-- Trevor Rage / Rich Mondy |
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