The numbers - too big, too small or just right?

[Chalgyr]

So, Tylon hit on one of the points I had been planning to ask already - but do the numbers seem too big here? I've been on MUDs where they are much smaller (adding a helmet that improves AC by 4 would be significant, or generally character hps max out around 250 for example) - and much larger. In fact, as a few players pre-pwipe last time can likely recall, our numbers on KotL before were at least double what they were now (I wonder - Daklore: Do you recall how stupidly large your stats were when I boosted you pre-pwipe?)

Does it even matter to you? I'm curious your thoughts.

[Elendil]

I know that I am sounding like a scratched record here Chal,

But for my money, I do think the numbers are fine as they are, gives a chance for someone who knows what they are doing whilst coding their char's custom armour and weaponry to more than adequetly protect their chars from beasties and idiotic drivers alike.

Whether the playerbase is large or small, there will still be those that slip through the cracks, the bullies and their flunkies alike.  Ergo, the numbers set down are proper and perfect  .

[Chalgyr]

Haha - well, maybe I should be more specific? I'm not as much concerned with player numbers here, as if the numbers we use in our game are too large.

Example, would a piece of gear have more meaning if it added 10 hps rather than 1000? Just wondering if the huge, Dragonball Z like numbers make balancing classes, spells, skills, gear, etc more of a challenge or not?

[Daklore]

I don't remember what they were when you "Boosted" me, but I remember having around 80K HP and around 50K useable spirit mana(and 10-15K heals). Which, (healthwise, and healwise) was way too much.

Are the numbers to big? ... To some extent, they are. I actually feel that the mana cap is too small ... for me. Namely because my best heal has such a high mana cost(500[250 if sorcery procs)], and yet there are priest spells that beat the health for much lower lag and cost. (Totally unfair, by the way !_!)

The problem is, really, that he game is--right now--balanced against big numbers. And that means, well, we have to keep the big numbers, because you'd have to pwipe to balance against smaller numbers. That's what you did the last time, and the numbers are still big, just health and mana aren't -as- big anymore.

I don't think the numbers are fine, but you're stuck with them as they are. You really needed to develop a lower baseline... it doesn't really feel like there was a pre-determined baseline. This is largely noticed with the disparity of spell damages and skills.

And then again with normal gear vs quest and custom gear. Normal gear doesn't have large enough numbers for the numbers the game is balanced against, and spell/skill disparity is another issue altogether.

[Chalgyr]

*nods at Daklore* that's my overall impression across the board actually. Some things, like the resistances, were built in scales that had caps coded in from the start. I would agree that given your example, we could lower some of those numbers if we also lowered things like mana costs, etc. we definitely trended downward, I just sometimes wonder if it was enough. I think have established baselines would have been helpful. I feel like we had that in a handful of areas, but not many. Thanks for the feedback.

[elios]

If you are referring to the existing "cap' on the values in the modification of customs I do think those already in place are just fine Chalgyr.  It would appear to me that to try to lower those limits would complicate matters the more while there are other issues that are more pressing.

[Jadyss]

You can lower everything equally in your quest to balance things out better. I mean it won't be as noticeable as some other muds. In some you have the exact damage done during combat, but not here right? So the feel of it won't be changed much even if they numbers do change. Same as damage received.