Exploiters, overequipping and the rest.

[Cosmik]

Please use this thread to reply to and discuss Gaute Godager's recent article.

[Julka_Pomy]

OK i like an idea of reducing daage output if skills are low.

But how about us traders yuo see traders isnt very strong. Cant make a lot of money and the only way to survive is Buffing Skillw Wrangler.

So ok i buf him Skill Wrangler Premium he is generous guy gave me one million for that. But wrangler wears out in 3 minuties....

So according to it his gun will reduce in stats. So there no need in spending bunch of money on wrangler trying to equip a high lvl weapon if the weapon in 3 minuties will be equalent to what he naturaly can use.


I think Skill wrangler should be increasesed in duration lets say 5 hours . So person who gets wrangler will have some time to enjoy the weapon.

[Paffy]

Basically this was the right solution in my mind. If you look how it is done (ie percentage based) it will reduce the low lvl twinks ALOT but not really affect that much the people who are lvl 120+ whos base skill with self buffs is very high already.

Overall this gets my "thumbs up" and gives reason to level.

Zarch and bunch of other characters.

[__________starknaked]

The thing that is being done right here is to discuss this WAY in advance. This is a very good idea.

Because, if the change were implemented suddenly and without warning, you'd have some mighty pissed off overequippers! Traders, agents, enforcers, all overequip their weapons. Pet users can overequip their pets with the use of skill wrangles.

And lots of people using strength armor are using carrier crafts to temporarily jack their strength up by 100, they won't be happy if their armor suddenly starts working at 75% effectiveness or whatever.

But by announcing it well in advance, you allow players to plan for it and discuss it and have a chance to accept the change.

You WILL, however, have to do even more rebalancing once this is done. This is because agents, for example, will suddenly become one of the weakest fighting professions in the game when they have to use rifles their own level (rifles are weak weapons). Enforcers will have a problem tanking when they can't keep the mob's aggro on them because their weapons are suddenly not doing much damage anymore. Etc.

[__________EarlyFlash]

Hi,

I just wanted to say that this gets a big THUMBS UP from me. This seems to be, a very well thought out solution.

I especially like the IP re-alignment, although this could potentially be an option more than once - especailly if the rules change significantly (dual wield pillows, etc, etc).

Anyway, Thanks a lot funcom for taking time to find the right solution rather than a knee-jerk reaction.....

Paul.

[_______________Hiero]

Originally posted by Julia Pomka
OK i like an idea of reducing daage output if skills are low.

But how about us traders yuo see traders isnt very strong. Cant make a lot of money and the only way to survive is Buffing Skillw Wrangler.

So ok i buf him Skill Wrangler Premium he is generous guy gave me one million for that. But wrangler wears out in 3 minuties....

So according to it his gun will reduce in stats. So there no need in spending bunch of money on wrangler trying to equip a high lvl weapon if the weapon in 3 minuties will be equalent to what he naturaly can use.


I think Skill wrangler should be increasesed in duration lets say 5 hours . So person who gets wrangler will have some time to enjoy the weapon.

Ahh, but if you wrangle a person so they can equip and very high QL gun, yes when that wrangle runs out it will have ruduced ability. BUT every time that person gains a level, and spends IP on the required skill, the weapon will increase in effectiveness.

This means, that each time a person level whilst wearing a item much higher than they level, and increase the relvent skills, they will increase in power / ablility at a good rate.

Also this would mean that said person would NOT have to buy new armour / weapon every few levels. Instead they would wait until they have "outgrown" the item...which if these suggestions were implinted would take quite a while to outgrow.

All in all, I think the suggestions are very good. And if implimented as they are, I for one, would be ok with this.

[Miriandel]

Nothing to add, it's just what the game needs.
It's perfect, and you seem to be the first company to have the guts to do such drastic things.

Be warned, you'll be flamed beyond your worst expectations by hundreds of players, who represent the majority of these BB population but represent not more than 5% of the community.

You will lose subscriptions, but would lose more if you don't get the game straight.

You guys are really the best, AO is really becoming the best game on the market !

[_____________Myyrlyn]

OK, well. I like the general ideas of how you're going about fixing the problem of over-equipping. But, I still don't agree with the methods of some of these solutions.

First of all, i like the ip reset, "everything" should be unequipped to do this.EVERYTHING. What about nano progs they learned with over-equipped items? And other things along those lines. The bug with the implant terminals allowing people to buff their treatment skill by +100 each time the hit it, stacking them, woould be resolved by reseting everything. Find a way to reimburse the nano progs or the credit equivelant.

The reduction of effectiveness of items when skill is to low to use, in my opinion is a bad idea. If u can buff to use it, you can use it. If the buff runs out, the item is automatically unequipped. Nano progs can't be used at all if skill is too low. Unless you plan on coding in the same fix for nano progs, the solution is not fair to everyone. Increase the duration of skill wrangler in my opinion, won't hurt anyone. When it runs out the item would not be able to be used. Another reason to want a trader around. As far as learning nano progs, you can learn higher progs while buffed, but if your skill drops, you can't use it.
All in all I think this would be the best solution.

Pesonally, I think that a total reset of everything would fix most of the big problems. I wouldn't bother changing much. If they can equip the items with the help of friends, so be it. Maybe reduce the effectiveness of the buffs that would allow overequipping. Or at least make it so none of the buffs that would help them do this would not stack with each other.

I really like the fact that you talk to your customers, and ask opinions on solutions to the game we're playing. I've played other MMORPG's and none of them have done anything like that. Some even change things whether you like them or not, ruining some aspects of the game in my opinion, so I quit those. Trade skills in this game is one of the best i've seen. You can actually make things worth having, make money off of the skill, and experience. Definately a big thumbs up. Just wish some of the trade skill stuff was more feasable at lower levels.
Thanks.

[Solarith]

Another well written and informative article with a lot of good ideas. I have to put in my two cents on this though.

I am totally against an IP reset of any kind, I along with most people in Rubi-Ka have made mistakes when piling IP into unused or changed skill areas, but it is this that makes each character unique.

As soon as you allow an IP reset, even once, players start becoming the same optimum fighters and the whole community loses its identity. I know it is especially annoying for some, for example those who have poured IP into duel wielding pillows, but things in life change and you have to deal with it.

It's the same for Anarchy Online, you have to role play with the choices you have made, whether they be for better or worse.

I know this thread will probably end up full of angry comments about how some people _need_ an IP reset to survive in the game, but this is just my opinion on how I feel I'd enjoy the game more.

[Emitter]

First hearing of making it impossible to overequip I was a bit scared that it would ruin game balance. We are now used to having to overequip to sole past lvl 40-50.

But I really think this is the right way to handle overequiping.
-Soloing. Makes no difference to players IF they reduce the ACs and HPs of Mobs.
-PvP. Makes it much more fun. People wont get scared away from doing this. Atm I dont think its that fun, couse you never know if a lvl 50 is overequipped to be as powefull as a lvl 100. Now you pretty much know what you're up against. (well this is not all they need to do to fix PvP. 2ho is broken couse OT always gets the guards on you, meaning that that place sox at PvP. MMD is a joke too. People "ask" if others want to duel...not much RP there)

I have a soldier that will be happy about the IP release

So thumbs up from me too. As long as you really test it in depth before releasing it on the live servers

[_____________Talaris]

Perfect, the ideas that you put in here are perfect. The only thing I worry about is right now a lot of people say they have problems solo'ing with out overbuffing, so if you do this kind of change, please lower mobs HPs and damage to compinsate and see if you can take these wierd new PvP rules off or atleast adjust them a little.

I look forward to when something like this goes in game, until I will keep loving the current AO.

Long live Omni-Tek
Fayie, director of The Patrol
http://www.anarchy-online.com/charac...d/1/name/fayie

[___________Chirurgie]

all very good...a fair discussion (and note the right reminder by Mirandial nto to let the 5% loud-mouth exploiters monopolise discussions)..

reducing effectiveness weapons/armour is the fairest way yet...
and no, i dont think traders would be out of business either (and surely this issue more imporant that a type of income for one profession)

as for IP reset, one off the way described sounds good BUT i do worry about people all becoming the exact same char by lifting off some stats in some website (bound to happen btw)..so..personally i would NOT use IP reset even though i made some silly choices but like has been said, hey that's life...but i do understand how some players would love to get some IP back..esp due to changes in game beyond their contorl

[______________Tizzer]

Just wanted to add my vote, this sounds like a great idea. Thanks for asking us players

[Anarchin]

I welcome the envisioned changes, and I really hope they will be implemented.

All except one: the IP reset. This is not right. A lot of us have been here since day one. The rules and game mechanics of Rubi-Ka have changed over time, and we have all had to adjust the development (that is: the allocation of IP points) of our characters. Well, this is part of the real world, too - things change and you have to adapt. You make mistakes underway and you have to live with them. Really, this is part of the game, part of a world that is finding its own balance.

If you have made a lot of mistakes with the allocation of IP points, reroll.

Then what about the people who have cheated and exploited to get loads of IP points? Simply delete the characters from their associated account and email an explanation to the owner of the account.

[______________Kytryl]

First I totally disagree with Julia's suggestions of letting skill wrangling lasting longer. omg traders and agents will then be the best professions then. Do you know a level 90-100 trader or agent in FP can use item/NF ql150-200? After wrangling my agent's riffle does 1.8k more damage. Go figure what kind of damage traders can do using debuff nanos 50-100 levels above them.

If you even lengthen the wrangling to only 15 minutes, that 15 minutes alone will make them unstoppable. This is totally out of the question.

Yes I support your reduction in effectiveness with over-equipped items. But make DAMN sure you adjust the mobs toughness. For god's sake my level 100+ agent is having problem soloing greens with ANY ql200 riffles from stigma to ozealot to ranee.

You mentioned increasing the availability of equipment in mob drops and chest loots. But how about effectiveness of certain equipments? Sense & Agility line of armor is the crappiest armor. Riffles has low damage output and aimshot take sooo long to be usuable after each use and hit for less than normal shots.

So pls if you want to implement your over-equipping solution, solve problems that has been plaguing the players first. Those problems that force players to "over-equip".

Thanks for reading.

Prince Swanzy, "Prejudice"

[sonny32]

For all of you people That overequip and agree with Funcom's new possible change are hippocrits. The NPCs are hard enough even with people with items "above there Level". We all die even with a stronger Pet or Gun. I read one post in saying "Funcom has guts for making this change, You will loose many subscriptions". Well you will loose more subsriptions then what you think. People at higher lvs dont have the means to purchase Items such as crystals and guns at any shop, therefore the only way to obtain the gun or pet suitable for your chacacter is to do missions Way harder when what a player can do solo, (Even with a so called "Overequipped Weapon or Pet"). The people that your most hurting are the ones already in higher lvls. These pets and guns are hard to get as it is, and now you want to reward them by making them amost useless by an unnesessary change. The only complaint about overequipping are coming from your staff , not the players. The reason why i know this cause I rather have a powerful teamate then one that is weak and now the news has spread around in Rubika and none that I've spoken to are very happy with this possible change, Including me. I could see if the standard were different for others, but since eveyone has the abiltiy to get a buff to make there character stronger there is no harm in that. The makes up for how hard the game is already. We work hard to make our characters stronger, Dont penalize us for it

[yoshua]

Whats about all this with overequipping..
i would say its fair as it is now.. people who knows the game the buffs the small "extras" like modifiers on all weapons and that can "twink" the MAX out of their char, has the damn right to do more damage than any other! to me it seems like ur all trying to make us into some clones where u do exact the same damage no matter HOW eleeeeet weapon or HOW rare items you use its stupid imo, picture me with my Ranee rifle iwe spend MANY hours getting, doing the exact amount of damage some punk with a ql100 rifle he looted of some mob on a sunny day!, stupid!. people who know how to equip the best weapons and armor deserve that advantage! and its not like we use any "exploit" to use them weapons, like i said people who knows the game and equipment deserve to have the goddamn advantage!

[______________Dareus]

The overequiping rule sounds good (20%) or whatever for weapons etc. but this really needs to include DD nanos as well.

It shouldn't be that hard to scale back the damage to allow the casters the same preloaded advantage that weapon classes get.

It would be nice if this blanket covered all nanos (buffs and all) but I could live with just DD.

[_____________Lowburn]

I like the changes, and I -love- the IP reset. Finally some balance in this crazy world. I -do- think that once all is said and done, you will indeed need to do some creature rebalancing at higher levels. (75+)

I haven't made many mistakes when it comes to IP's - sure a lot of things I would like to handle differently, but having the reset after a major change like this is a good decision. HOWEVER - before you guys give us the option to reset IP's, I think you need to make absolutely sure that you think all weapons are balanced in the way you want them to be (shotguns are a hot topic for a lot of people), and all 'bonus' items give the bonuses you think they should give (like+20 matt cre weapons, etc), that way people will not be upset by a huge mechanics changes (such as Freedom Arms, pillows, etc.). Before the optional IP reset, you guys need to make those 'This is it' decisions, as if this game were going to be released to the public for the first time ( ).

[__________Spacegipsy]

WoW - you guys are getting better all the time - discussing this *way* ahead of time and all..
I think I could live with the reduced damage-output of stuff if it falls below the 20%-range.
If I'm not mistaken armor won't be concerned, right? Which is good - because we sure need that protection against MoBs.
And I say this even though I'm a - guess what - twinked agent - but in any case I take pride in saying that all my items are self-equipped (own and FP buffs).
I might add though, that I'd like to see the same for nano-casters - so they get the same advantage in over-equipping as the rest of us do. Would be really great.