development thread

Discuss the sequel to Planet Stronghold here
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jack1974
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Re: development thread

Post by jack1974 »

Yes that's how it will work based on your class choice/other characters predefined classes. I'm still messing around with skills and while I'm not planning a skill system like previous game (where you could have each category up to 100!) for sure I'll have 10 levels each skill, like Pistols 1,2,3 etc giving damage bonus and such.
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Jaeger
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Re: development thread

Post by Jaeger »

Is there a reason why you upped the level cap to 50? In PS1, I didn't have any characters going above 16 by the end of the game. Higher level caps is not a necessary a negative, but I'm just curious about the design choice.
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jack1974
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Re: development thread

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No particular reason, in the other games with this engine the limit was 35, and in SOTW you would reach around level 30 towards end of the game, but a few people reached the level cap of 35. In this case I wanted to have level up come more often, since I think assigning points/skills is a part of the fun. But maybe I'm wrong :)
In any case the level cap is 50 but it won't be necessarily the required/late game level, not at all. I will code the game as I go and then see what level I reach towards end of the story.
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pahldus
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Re: development thread

Post by pahldus »

As long as each level up feels significant then more is fine, but if there are going to be superfluous levels, then less is better.
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jack1974
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Re: development thread

Post by jack1974 »

The idea is that there are several weapons categories: Pistol, SMG, MG, Rifle, Assault Rifle, Sniper Rifle, Heavy, Psionic and armors LightArmor, MediumArmor, HeavyArmor. Each one with 10 levels of "proficiency" which lets you wear different quality and give bonuses, for example in progression you can use Fine weapons, then Mastework, then Rare and lastly Legendary. There's also level restriction of course, but also by quality based on the skill.
So based on the above there are 8 weapons + 3 armors = 11 x 10 = 110 points to assign (some classes will have restrictions as already said). If I give 1 skill point on each level, so 50, you can fill half of the skills (but that won't be much noticeable except for the Soldier, the others have less weapons categories in which they can spend their points).
I think in this case 50 levels are justified, but of course it's still a bit too early to say. Need to do some more tests :)
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Jaeger
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Re: development thread

Post by Jaeger »

You can always give more skill points per level and instead of leveling up more often.

I don't think rifles need to a be in a different category from assault rifles, especially when real assault rifles are capable of switching firing modes as needed.

Honestly, I don't like Psionic amplifers as a weapon category due to be being restricted to one damage type. I think psionics would be better using normal weapons when they are not using their special abilities.
Last edited by Jaeger on Tue Dec 19, 2017 4:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: development thread

Post by Troyen »

I'd prefer fewer skill points per level if you leveled more often. There's a point that comes in the last half of your games where character progression pretty much grinds to a halt because you need a lot of experience to get to the next level, but you hit a plateau with the exp quests, mobs, and missions award you.

It's less interesting to grind away when your next level is 15 encounters out than it is when you only have to go 6-8. Even when the total skill points is the same.
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Re: development thread

Post by jack1974 »

Haha see the developer's dilemma. Two posts asking the opposite (more skillpoints, less levels vs less skillpoints, more levels) one next to the other :lol:
In my previous games indeed you would level up mostly doing quests (which gives more XP compared to grinding) while some players asked for the possibility to get more levels up through grinding. This of course means I need to balance the enemies accordingly (ie in Hard mode you need more level ups while in Easy it's not required).
I'll try to find a compromise between the two.

Regarding Psionic my bad, there ISN'T indeed a psionic weapon. By mistake I copy pasted badly. There's Psionic damage type, but the amplifier are considered helmets (armor pieces) which can be worn only by Psionics.

About Rifle/Assault Rifle I wanted to give another weapon that Scout class could use beside Pistol and Sniper Rifle, but maybe I can remove it. Even in real life though there are rifles who aren't assault rifles, so I don't think it's completely wrong?
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Jaeger
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Re: development thread

Post by Jaeger »

jack1974 wrote: Tue Dec 19, 2017 8:34 am Haha see the developer's dilemma. Two posts asking the opposite (more skillpoints, less levels vs less skillpoints, more levels) one next to the other :lol:
In my previous games indeed you would level up mostly doing quests (which gives more XP compared to grinding) while some players asked for the possibility to get more levels up through grinding. This of course means I need to balance the enemies accordingly (ie in Hard mode you need more level ups while in Easy it's not required).
I'll try to find a compromise between the two.
As long as it's not like Dark Souls (though it was purposely designed that way), where you need a need significant level increases to notice a difference in power, it should be fine.
About Rifle/Assault Rifle I wanted to give another weapon that Scout class could use beside Pistol and Sniper Rifle, but maybe I can remove it. Even in real life though there are rifles who aren't assault rifles, so I don't think it's completely wrong?
That's understandable. It's true there is a dizzying variety rifles out there; and definitions would continually change as weapons and tactics evolve. The question is how are you going to make the distinction between 3 types of rifles for the purposes of your game? Is it a shorter carbine with less in the way of range and firepower, but lighter and easier to handle? Or is it a designated marksmen rifle that falls somewhere between an assault rifle (for general purporses) and a sniper rifle (longer range and precision)?
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jack1974
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Re: development thread

Post by jack1974 »

Each weapon also has a firing mode, so rifles could only do snap/normal/aimed shot, while assault rifles could do also semi/automatic mode (in practice more shots fired in a single turn).
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