Re: Game balance

From: Ghost Shaidan (ghost@eola.ao.net)
Date: 02/24/97


This is a very difficult thing to discuss "in general"
We are a pretty heavily developed mud, almost ready to come out of our
first beta stage (i.e. all the "big stuff" done). and we are still
strugging to get it perfect.  Here are some tips from what we have gone
through, anyone else please toss in any other ideas you have, I could
still use some new ones *8).

1. figure out the MAX on every class, perfect hitpoint, perfect mana,
   (most important, healer types and tank types) and figure out what
   they can take damage wise, andhow much a good healer will be able to
   heal.  
2. Take a good look at what kin of mud you want to run, if you want it to
   be more role play and less hack and slash, limit your hitroll and
   damroll SEVERELY through olc, or just checking your builders.  If you 
   want more hack/slash let it get higher but..

   We use a 75 MAX on hit and damroll, and it still gets hairy.  
   Decide how many ppl you think it should take to kill your toughest mob
   (dont forget spec procs and mob progs can make an easy mob toughindeed!)
   and figure it from there.

3. Define each class well, a mage has his spells so shouldnt be able to
   wield a weapon that does as much as the bolt does.  Nor should a cleric
   (traditionally not able to use cutting eq) have very badass eq at all.
   Also, mages and heavy plate armor dont mix in my mind.

All in all, it has to feel right to you, and fit in to your mud, I made up
a table for max affects by position, I have a couple of VERY talented imms
for whom balance comes more easily than anyne i know.  Coming up with a
mob table, of how much exp you should get per level of kill, how hard it
should be to get to your top level, I for one am a firm beleiver in people
earning what they can on their own, with occaisonal help. So my mud
reflects this.  Higher levels, dragging newbies around and getting them 10
or 20 levels in an hour?  level 1's with tbolts?  how to deal with all
this?

Ok, enough of a ramble raising more questions than i am asking.

Ghost Shaidan, porsche.ag.net 4000

> I'm currently working on my mud, and have realized that game balance seems
> to be one of the most confusing aspects of the game.  What are some tips on
> balancing the game.  I mean, how do you know if a mob is too strong, or too
> easy, and is giving too much experience.  How do you know if a weapon is too
> strong, or the mud is too easy in general.  My mud is currently in
> developing stage, where I'm just experimenting, having players test it,
> etc., but what is the best way to ensure that the game is balance.  Can this
> question be answered? :)
> 














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