Simple Solution to the range problem.

[______________Ghostt]

Am hoping to get some sort of official reponse from Funcom.

This is based on today's news about range issues.

Article wasn't clear whether the problem was that you can target something without seeing it or whether you acquire it as a target and then leave its "view range" and then kill it at will. BUT. . .

Wouldn't a very simple solution to the range issue to be to force a null target if your target leaves your view? (if problem is the latter) or implement code to prevent me from targeting something I can't "see" (if problem is the former)

I recognize the "untarget" solution would cause some problems in other areas (like having to retarget someone you're following if they leave your view), but these problems seem minor compared to problems caused by no class having a range advantage over any onther (with the exception of melee vs. not).

And don't tell me you can't implement the "target prevention" solution, After all you implemented it for something that walks behind a table/box/tree - shouldn't be difficult to implement some sort of check to see if a mob is being "displayed" on my side as to whether I can target it or not.

If you don't have a target you can't shoot it. Whether its "in range" or not. It would seem that simple.

NTs & agents could get their increased range back, nobody can use the exploit detailed, nobody has to worry about increased bandwidth.

I understand this doesn't address the issue of plants (that can be nuked outside the range they can fight back), but then I thought that was a fun add-on to the game, quite different from the "tab-attack-tab-attack", mentality that permeates most the other hunting scenarios currently in the game. If FC still view them as a problem you could address it in different ways (adjust plants attack range, reduce the xp earned for them to make them less apealing, etc. etc.)

Thanks for your time.
Ghostt
A player still in the game because
he has hope in the game's potential

[__________WGMelchior]

Problem is that targeting is purely clientside. Since clients go out of sync all the time, you can't rely on this.

[____________Maitrize]

The article specifies that NTs have the largest problem with this range "fix", though, I'm disheartened as a Doctor. 40 meters works for me in all honesty, but the PROBLEM I have is that I have a range inc equipped, because my profession doesn't have a range inc on it's own.

I almost ALWAYS have to be grouped with an NT for any reasonable range without the inc belt accessory.

The cost for me is 34 NCU I could otherwise be using for those nt range incs or anything else. The problem really occurs when I'm without an NT and my comp lit implants are back in the bank.

A simple solution for this could be just to give docs a minor range inc of their own, 20 additional meters, since majority of our nano programs are capped at 20 meters in the first place. 40 meters, full range of the playfield at the time of this article would more than suffice.

Der blah blah blah...

[______________Ghostt]

This may expose my ignorance of programming.

But if targeting is all clientside, can't they implement a clientside fix?

Additional thoughts. . .

Couldn't you give Mobs the ability to search? For example if a Mob can't locate its target - it then expands the area it normally sees (out to the maximum range in the game if necessary).

This would in effect only increase bandwidth for ppl exploiting & even then you'd only get in an extra shot or 2, not enough to be significant in the longrun (i.e. not like a level 50 player is gonna take on an Ace with this or whatever).

OR. . .

Couldn't you include directional information in the shot (as in which direction a shot came from), so the mob would know which direction it needs to run towards in order to "see" the shooter or which direction it needs to run away to in order to escape the shooter?

Just a few more potential solutions - that wouldn't seem to cause a lot of problems in the long run.

Ghostt
A player still in the game because
he has hope in the game's potential

[__________WGMelchior]

Clientside fixes can almost always be hacked in some way. Remember when some people used gear programs to run across playfields in seconds? That was because the client sent info on your position that the server didn't check up properly.

I'll note some ideas:


1. When you attack a mob, and you are outside it's perception range, just teleport it to a position, along a line between you and the mob, that is just withing a grid square next to yours. If more than one person attacks, just make it teleport to the on it has aggro on. Otherwise it would just go back and forth between 2 people.

2. When attacking a mob, expand it's perception squares to include your square. This would easily allow it to find you, no matter where you are. It would not send any unneeded information to you. The reversed thing goes for your perception. works both in PvE and PvP. This is basically what you suggested, and I think this is the best way to do it.

3. Make each square bigger. Essentially the same as adding more perception (you load more squares, thatis) so it will create more load. However, you can adept the squares to the range you want. Thus, making the squares 60 meters across means you can up the cap to 60 meters. Not the best sollution, but easy to program.

[____________Claybats]

I can't see why they can't put in a check to make sure you aren't more than one square away. Then again I'm not a programer.

In his example, P1 cannot attack M1. Under the current system he states that M1 is aware of P1, but P1 can't attack because of the curren't range cap. I don't think this should be so. They are both aware of each other, they should be able to attack each other if their range is adequate.