EXP system breaking balance in PVP

Yet thats exactly what you proposed in your other thread wiens.. a perfect balance in pvp for 5 hours vs 500000.


So wait.. your saying in an rpg, progression game, more time = stronger player.. and thats unfair?
Thats like complaining i get paid more at work for working more hours.

 

This is a classic case of computer math. Specifically, what is happening is that everything that adds to strength(and dex and int but I'll just use str as an example) adds a decimal value that is not always exactly what is reported by the UI(because the UI uses integers). Train Strength adds .5 each level(I assume - it could be adding different fractions in sequence that always sum to 1 but I can't imagine why Port would bother doing that), so generally you see 1 point every two levels. However, if something else changes in the meantime, such as increasing the Heavy Armor skill that gives strength(which gives much smaller fractions, I think .1 or so), the rounding can change so that you don't see the increase. This is also why it's possible to sum all your bonuses and sometimes get a different result than the UI.

 

This game is a character leveling game. The avatar's adventure level determines so many important things such as health, focus, ability to hit, dodge and crit... and this level has the potential to ballon and grow to mammoth levels. At the end of the day, this is what it is. Unless one is dueling a single player of the same level, matters such as gear, build and skill can easily get wholly swallowed up in the level difference and one is left in a place where parity (and determining the better between those of parity) is impossible. There is simply no arena for such a situation (parity) to take place outside of equal level, and this is a matter of luck and happenstance in the game. For those of us looking for parity challenge in PVP as our main source of challenge in PVP, this is not the game to find it in (with any consistency). But there are many worthwhile challenges...

The above quoted post suggests banding together. That would be the cure all/ survival mechanism in any open PVP world, and it holds true here as well.

That was helpful for me. I was wondering where my advancement was going.

 

The capless system is bad! "Oh, but we have skill decay", I will tell you what, skill decay hurts % of your max xp. Hardcore and casual players play at their paces and will hurts them EXACTLY SAME WAY. Without difference =(
I can only hope that in Ep 2 we can have skills lvls up to 300 and some cap until there... or... someone just fix this now. This will hurt the game in a long way. We need a cap system!

 

hard cap soft cap no cap either way there would be someone that would come up with a clever argument that the system was unfair to to x group.

i would rather be on this unending hamster wheel chasing personal progression than the dungeon raid grind searching for purple or oranges or wtf ever gear...

well i actually can do both here...

damn what was my point... where did i sit my coffee... does anything even matter...

 

My Progression is more about developing my social ans roleplay skills, wisdom about lore and people etc...
Progression into 'might' is not just about getting muscles, but brain.

My intrigues and politics once will crush all the little blade swinging puppets and send them to death.

No jokes! If available playing time is something viable to enjoy specific content, then they should adress ist to players that pvp isn't designed for casualgamers, but ONLY to powergamers!

It's not just a game about leveling.
It's a Roleplaygame!
To play a role in!!
It's your and most people playstyle that is just or most about leveling!!!

...and not playing a role

But of course you will play a role, but never a significant one as the leveling only players are just numbers, fatstock while the real might lies in the hand of those who know to use a feather better than a sword because the
pen is mightier than the sword.

I saw your destiny before the oracle was created, i wander worlds when dragons were the dreams of gods and the awakening of the world was a footnote of the universe.

"Soon you will be wearing my sword like a shish kebab!
-
First you better stop waiving it like a feather-duster."

I am unbeatable, i am immortal* and I have might you never will achieve with a sword




*by game mechanics

 

I really don't understand the pvp advocates in this game. During my 18 years of mmo playing there was one constant which pvpers demanded: player skill was more important than gear or level.
Early UO had a 700 point skill cap distributed any way the player wanted to. Easy yet superb implementation. AoC had a level cap after which you could design your own build depending on class. Way more restrictive but still easy to manage. Both these games had very active pvp, everyone made their own choices and in the end it came down to your build and how good you were playing it.
I don't understand the benefit of this limitless levelling system. No player will ever be able to catch up to the hardcore grinders. Maybe that's what they want, owning everyone that started playing after them? I just don't see the fun in it.

To me the biggest let down of sota is the entire skill system. It sounded interesting and promising on paper, yet for new players it's extremely complicated, not at all transparent and it results in a never-ending grind.

 

We strongly need a softcap, dependency and restrictions of skilltrees where specializations are viable and generalizations above Level 40 are useless or impossible.

 

I'm not wearing rose tinted glasses. What I see is a clan of goons spending their time on a CC if available or gathering and crafting specific sets of gear to counter certain builds. This is what our endgame progression looks like and the powergamers are playing the endgame.

If you think said group is not going to run house in the pvp zones you are sorely mistaken

If there was a system that skills pushed past 100 had extremely diminished returns you could get very close to balance. Still would need to GM everything for a level playing field, but at least a step in the right direction.

 

I understand the history and I appreciate you verbalizing it because I hope the devs read it.

Open PvP is the only action there is. The bonus exp brings out the wolf/sheep mentality. That's the worst path to follow from the core design perspective.

For the balance you are asking for to matter they need to insert purpose. Purpose to fight in balanced situations. Currently it's more profitable to disengage the challenging fight and go after the farmable kills.

 

I cant belive they didnt force a hard cap. Theres 0 specializing in anything including crafting.
I agree completly, its a stupid system when looking past 2 months of play. Anyone can play any role, yet they want people to rely on each other.
Craftings a joke. Specializing is a joke. And i do think thats the main problem with the game entirely.

 

Assuming that people won't give up before reaching that point just so that they can stand a chance in combat is naive. The amount of grinding one has to do (even just for PvE) is INSANE.

It doesn't help that, in order to facilitate the grinding, you have to constantly manage the skills you're training.

If the arenas (like the one in Ardoris) featured matchmaking, then that's a step in the right direction. No one should ever be discouraged from PvPing at level 1.

So can high level players...

Or PvP in another game entirely... that's much simpler and enjoyable solution.

 

Go watch Jobes Deep Ravenswood PVP video. Witness how a players skill is more important than balanced xp in a pvp fight.

If you read through the comments you'll find out he got his 1st gm after making that video... and he did just fine against the highest level & best pvpers in the game atm.

 

Lies! Skill is no part!
Levels are all that matters!!

Lol yup.
Youd be surprised how little it matters once your over 80 in the main stuff heh.
Advantages yes. God like dominent? Not always.
Reality is the guys who abused alot of xp buggs.. play a **** ton. And are just better then average players. Could give you exact same level skills and gear.. and vallo or Ir would waste ya.
But its easier to not admit that.

 

I've been playing at a decent pace since final wipe focusing entirely on combat and I'm still struggling to get my main skills above level 40... and skills at level 40 is this game's graduation from "useless" to "somewhat useful".

So that guy got his first GM; good for him. How many of his skills are hovering around 80, I wonder? So don't give me that "player skill is more important" nonsense.

You still think I got a chance vs "Mr. just got his first GM"?

... why is the point of entry so high?

 

80 is not high.

Its an MMO. If you consider a week wrth of playing to be COMPETITIVE too long? We wont agree.
Tht being said. Flag and stay around new areas. I say 80 to compete with 75% of pvpers.
Theres still a lot of low people who go in early. So you can find people your level.. just not the majority.

But no. 80 is not high. And once you get one to 80.. the rest go quicker.

 

And ill say this without trying to insult.

If youve been playing since final wipe.. and you arnt in high 80s.. your doing something wrong.

Struggling to hit 40? After 4 months?
I honestly would suggest you get some advice.
New guildies started not 6 days ago and they are in 80+..
Even a half hour a day.. you could be in 80s by now.
So sorry if your * levels dont play a factor *.. but they play less then you think.
I assure you jobe coule be at 40 in everything and yes he would waste you.

My point is 8o is point where curve starts to kick and those guys with 55 gms.. become tackleable.
And 80 is not high.

Ive said it in other threads, if you guys are struggling that much, should consider hitting up someone for help.
Hit me up even. Because 40 is like 2 days of playing.

My guild healer managed to GM blades with only auto attacking things and only playing a support healer .. no dmg spells.. in a matter of 13 days.

 

No, with your skills at 40 you cannot compete with 'Mr. !st GM'. I have a bunch of GMs and I could not compete against him either because I am not a skilled pvper.

When the 25% bonus came out I had no intentions of flagging.. I wanted little to nothing to do with pvp. I did end up flagging and I've enjoyed the little bit of pvp I experienced even though I never 'won'.

I have made becoming a skilled pvper one of my top priorities in game now. So, I guess this experiment worked on me lol.

Now, I'm going to grab all my Skulls of Rawkinn and use them to sharpen my wits

 

What makes you think I've only been playing for a week? Have you read my post at all?

You want to compare this to other MMOs? Lets:

• World of Warcraft: You can participate in competitive PvP as early as level 10. It's been like this for a decade however they did make it so that it auto-scales you to your bracket.
• Elder Scrolls Online: You can participate in PvP as early as level 10. Although the auto-scaling sucks, a low level player can still contribute to the fight by scouting, resurrecting people, repairing keeps and using siege equipment.
• GuildWars 1: Can create a PvP-specific character that is already level cap and can PvP with a regular character as early as level 5 (out of 20 levels). You won't have a huge collection of skills at your disposal but they'll be potent enough to kill even level 20 players.
• GuildWars 2: Very similar to ESO and has matchmaking for arena style battles.
• Warhammer Online: Very similar to WoW... without the auto-scalling. High level players who play in low-level zones turn into chickens with 1hp.

That's 5 MMOs off the top of my head.

HOW do you find people your own level, I wonder? We all look the same!

I argue that there's something wrong with the game.

And you believe so with the assumption that I'm playing the game the wrong way?

So that they can tell me how to exploit the game? Or having them explain to me that I absolutely HAVE to have XYZ skills? Or that I should abandon by weapon of choice because it's broken in the current meta?

No, I'd rather Portalarium fix their game instead.

 

Group 4-8 players together, all will skills in the 60+ range and you can consider those guys a wrecking crew. Four guys might get handled by the right solo PKer, but they'd have to flounder pretty hard and really there are only a couple PKers skilled up enough to take on a medium sized group of decent players. I've been in a group of sheep that's been locked up and beat down by a solo PKer... it only happens once or twice before you figure out how to defend against it. Eight players in a group all 60+ with a few dedicated roles... consider yourselves at the top of the food chain. It would take group of dialed in players to challenge you at that point.

I'm running solo with skills in the 60-80 range and still in starter gear w/ starter stats and I don't get rolled by solo PK types anymore... gankers have to come at me in a group of two or more.