Author Topic: Dev Log #48: Veteran Levels  (Read 19594 times)

TheAverageGortsby

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Re: Dev Log #48: Veteran Levels
« Reply #15 on: March 29, 2017, 04:28:53 pm »
Look at the bottom of the picture again. Improved Dodge/Evasion/Throwing sound exactly like what you described.
Sure, I saw them.  And there's nothing saying that they aren't exactly that.  But there currently exists no feat in the game that gives a flat bonus to base skills, and no feat mentioned uses a mechanic other than % improvements.  Those aren't bad; no doubt people would find use in them.  But they won't open up access to other feats, if they're %-based improvements on the base; they won't scale with stat specialization.  There's no reason for me to think you're wrong to suggest that, but I was wondering if base-boosting was considered or implemented.  I guess I didn't say any of that the first time.  Sorry  :P
EDIT: And since I didn't address your point (sorry, again): the description for Improved Dodging is clearly not a base boost, so it didn't meet my starry-eyed criteria for broadening character development from the bottom ;)
« Last Edit: March 29, 2017, 04:40:32 pm by TheAverageGortsby »

Tygrende

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Re: Dev Log #48: Veteran Levels
« Reply #16 on: March 29, 2017, 07:32:19 pm »
Quote
But they won't open up access to other feats, if they're %-based improvements on the base; they won't scale with stat specialization
I'm guessing flat skill increases might not scale very well either, as in they might be too good if the skill is low or too weak if the skill is already high.

I could imagine "Improved Crafting" that reduce the skill requirement by 15%-20% for example.

Quote
And since I didn't address your point (sorry, again): the description for Improved Dodging is clearly not a base boost, so it didn't meet my starry-eyed criteria for broadening character development from the bottom
Dodge/Evasion is kind of a special case since they are capped- a base skill increase would be pointless for a build that already has both maxed. I'm guessing the % increase from Improved Dodge will stack with the chance derived from the stat.


TheAverageGortsby

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Re: Dev Log #48: Veteran Levels
« Reply #17 on: March 29, 2017, 09:18:09 pm »
I'm guessing flat skill increases might not scale very well either, as in they might be too good if the skill is low or too weak if the skill is already high.
Right.  But again, if you'll read my question, I'm not asking about the upper extremes.  The Veteran feats shown so far are all "be better at what you're already good at."  That's fine.  But there's a conspicuous absence of "round out helpful things you aren't so good at."  And rounding out other skills encourages diversification (discourages one-size-fits-all cookie cutter builds) just as much as skill point crunches.  It lets you pick up a few dozen points in Intimidation or Mercantile that you might otherwise skip.  It lets you add some Chemistry into the mix so you can make some napalm.

Dropping the % requirement for crafting?  Sure, that will let someone who isn't at their crafting minimum make something that otherwise couldn't.  But a base boost would (conceivably) allow them to also pick up other feats that they might want but not have the skill points to get.  It would allow someone who has a stat profile that reinforces a skill to boost it a little if they're shy of a new critical threshold in the expansion.  Basically, it would allow you to choose to flesh out weak spots in your character at the expense of not getting those top end gains.  And that's just as viable a path to improving your character, especially since if you're really good at something, you get heavily diminished gains from skill% improvements.  If you're concerned with a flat increase being too good at extremely low skill levels, then rewrite my pseudocode suggestion as "Increases X skill by Y. Requires X skill > 15 AND < Z - Y" for Z being whatever cap you'd want for the catch-up skills.

I mean, I'm going to buy the expansion any way it goes.  ;D  This game's great.

hilf

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Re: Dev Log #48: Veteran Levels
« Reply #18 on: March 30, 2017, 02:29:15 pm »
I'm guessing the % increase from Improved Dodge will stack with the chance derived from the stat.
W know it will:
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Improved Dodging - Increases the chance you'll dodge a melee attack by 5% (additive)

Tygrende

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Re: Dev Log #48: Veteran Levels
« Reply #19 on: March 30, 2017, 03:09:10 pm »
I guess skill bonus feats would be nice if done properly.

Only time will tell.

Styg

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Re: Dev Log #48: Veteran Levels
« Reply #20 on: March 31, 2017, 01:19:17 pm »
I made some changes on how the veteran levels work. You'll hear about it in some future dev log if they end up working out as I expect. I think they will make veteran levels more fun to pursue than what's described in this dev log.

Fenix

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Re: Dev Log #48: Veteran Levels
« Reply #21 on: April 03, 2017, 01:02:10 pm »
For my crossbowr I would prefer to take usual feats anyway.

TheAverageGortsby

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Re: Dev Log #48: Veteran Levels
« Reply #22 on: June 03, 2017, 11:23:35 pm »
Seeing the three feat names for the new psi school on the wiki made me even more eager about this expansion.  Hope this isn't too badger-y but is there a chance we can get a look at how you've re-done the veteran level stuff?  You know, for theorycrafting purposes (and also because I'm nosy).

Want to play expansion content so badly  :P

Styg

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Re: Dev Log #48: Veteran Levels
« Reply #23 on: June 05, 2017, 09:52:55 pm »
That's likely to be revealed only very close to release because I want to play with the system a bit myself to make sure it fits the purpose.