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Author Topic: Hephaestus OOC  (Read 167633 times)

Nikitian

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Re: Hephaestus OOC
« Reply #1530 on: June 28, 2015, 11:06:08 am »

This "numbers juggling" topic saddens me. Really, really does. :(

And don't you guys dare approach Piecewise on making Avatar cost 50 tokens. That would cause the devaluation of tokens (which, I admit, might be precisely what some people want here - villains, clearly!) and make prices go higher instead of the current trend for them to go lower. I do have a different solution to this problem (which I am not afraid to suggest to him!), but I didn't want to approach him so far. And I really hope this topic rests in peace forever, undisturbed by balance-necromancers and concept-diggers.  ;)
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Re: Hephaestus OOC
« Reply #1531 on: June 28, 2015, 11:21:33 am »

Speaking of AoW - it is possible to replace Amp in its standard configuration with an extra Enhanced capacity, which would theoretically allow to have two simultaneously - one in yourself and one for the Avatar, right?
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Parisbre56

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Re: Hephaestus OOC
« Reply #1532 on: June 28, 2015, 11:31:17 am »

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Isn't just about all (apart from pw) balance an opinion in the end? I can say the council does try to stay within the limits of the game, far as those are clear. Again, it's not "you cannot possibly have some more power than you hand in" and more "the council feels you are asking for too much for what you're willing to give up".
But now you're contradicting yourself. First you say that balance is a matter of opinion. Then you say that you try to stay within the existing balance of the game. And then you say "but screw the already existing balance because it doesn't agree with our opinion of how things should be balanced" to put it more bluntly.

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A nice scenario, but not entirely analogous, because in our case, this governor was present at every single meeting that led to the sentence. pw gets every single council pm, and has access to the thread discussion. Hell, I normally even try to give a link to the relevant topics to make things as easy for him as possible! Next to that, before the sentence, this governor was explicitly asked "do you want to stop it?" and he didn't. What more can we do, put a pistol to his head and force him to read all the posts at gunpoint?
The governor was present but probably more focused on reading paperwork about biology and ignoring a meeting over a thing he doesn't really enjoy, glancing up whenever he heard his name and then saying "yeah, sure,  whatever".

Again, we have no knowledge of what is going on in piecewise's head or in these conversations happening behind closed doors, so we can't know how you reached that decision, especially when all we have to go on is "that's how we feel the game should be and we asked piecewise and he didn't say no."

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HEP = 2-4(black box) + 5-7 (generator). So, say box=3 and generator=6
PEW = 3 box +6 generator + 1 (focusing) + 2 (cooling)
2 PEW on assaultsuit: 2*3 (box) + 2*1 (focusing) + 2*3 (generator, because I kinda doubt the assaultsuit has so much extra juice it can completely take over the extra power needed from two 5-7 token generators without hampering normal suit function) + 2 * 3 (all the rewiring and mods and whatever needed to connect the weapon system to the suit's generators and outer armor, and adaptations so the armor can function as a radiator) = 20, or 10 per PEW.
Not really. The first problem is that you're thinking of this as someone modifying an existing suit. It is not. It is creating a new variant. So no rewiring, merely exchanging one piece of equipment (motors for moving the arm and assorted arm equipment) for another (motors for moving the focusing plates (if Sean insists on having changeable focus) and much weaker arm motors). At most, it's a couple of tokens for tubes of coolant that will help spread the heat around the suit. There's no need to turn the plates into radiators because hexsand will just eat the heat given enough time. And no focusing either, since you're merely exchanging some hexsand armour for hexplate focusing.
Second problem is that battlesuits have very strong generators. Look at the Rainbow Cannon or the heavy laser variant, for example. To buy a generator and capacitor with comparable power I had to spend around 10 tokens and get a giant heavy backpack. On the other hand, the HEP has a very small generator (about the size of a very heavy pistol) that is made more expensive by the requirement for continuous power (unlike Gauss rifle generators). And the pew doesn't require a more powerful generator than the hep. Therefore, running it off a battlesuit should be fairly easy. At worse, you might end up needing to recharge after prolonged firing and heavy activity, but overheating is more likely to become a problem at a situation like that.

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I said before, in my opinion the battlesuit variants aren't balanced against each other. Why would anyone ever buy a regular battlesuit really? Should we mimic this imbalance in our next gen items then? Or try to balance them a bit more, so each variants and the normal one are viable purchases?
If you put a balanced see-saw next to (what you believe to be) an unbalanced see-saw, it's not going to make it balanced. The only way to fix it is to make it balanced, remove it or make the new one more appealing. From what I understand, because you're averse to giving more power to new items to make them more appealing (which is understandable) you're lobbying for a change in the Armoury based on what the council believes is balanced. You want to change the price of the AoW and Battlesuit variants or outright ban them so that you have a clear path to create your own balance system. Maybe that is not a conscious decision on your part but an emergent one, but that's what I'm getting from what you're saying. So anything that conforms to the old system rather than the new system you are pushing for must get cut.

Anyway, my main problem is that you're spending too much time trying to defend the council's actions and way of thinking and not much time actually trying to solve this problem by talking with Sean and actually addressing his issues. I understand that part of it is my fault for taking part in these conversations and provoking discussion, but I can't help saying what I believe is right.

I'll look for a quote of piecewise okaying Sean's price when I get home, because that is what I remember.

Sean Mirrsen

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Re: Hephaestus OOC
« Reply #1533 on: June 28, 2015, 12:54:21 pm »

That's what I thought, yes. But Sean now wants to prototype an item that's approved in concept, but not in price, aka not really finished.
For a moment, forget what "prototyping" means in terms of ER, and what it means in terms of actual engineering. Anton is making a prototype. Not prototyping a design for immediate inclusion, but a technology testbed that is not intended - yet - to go into mass production. It doesn't need a price because it is not intended to be bought, sold, or otherwise quantified. In a way, it is priceless, like Anton's personal Red Hand that costs far more than the production version, and doesn't overheat because of how overbuilt it is.

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I said before, in my opinion the battlesuit variants aren't balanced against each other. Why would anyone ever buy a regular battlesuit really? Should we mimic this imbalance in our next gen items then? Or try to balance them a bit more, so each variants and the normal one are viable purchases?
If you want either to be chosen, you must agree to use one - not both, selectively, as befits your whimsy. Right now we have a situation when a plain battlesuit costs as much as an artillery battlesuit, and all the other variants. Until that changes, all AS variants and Avatar variants must comply to the same logic, and IF it changes later, THEN they can be assigned their separate prices. Please. This argument is not going to go anywhere until the double-standards stop.

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Also, sean, a question: you are trying to use the pyramid to improve the PEW's power, right? Suppose you can do that, will these improvements be applied to the PEW and suits carrying them? If yes, will that mean we should rebalance them all over again then, or that you hope they'll just get a power boost sans price increase? Because a less trusting person (misanthropic cynic mode activate!) might suspect you're trying to get this 'lesser' version through at a cost reasonable for the lower power, and then increase the power afterwards and hope you'll be able to convince people we don't need to rebalance, or that rebalance would be ungfair. I don't think you have 'malicious' intent, really don't, but it's possible. And even if not, we'll have to rebalance all over again! Isn't it more logical to wait, see what upgrades you can get, and then make the PEWsuit?

Next to that, I again must ask: why not pay for the pyramid with tokens, and leave the suit be for now?
Well, A: Anton has no tokens; the Wiki is wrong, they were all donated to the team fund when Anton left the Sword. And B: the suit is not intended to be sold as-is. It is going to be repeatedly upgraded until it is in a sufficiently advanced state, using various technologies that get developed between missions. It's a prototype for the actual suit, in the true meaning of the word, not the ER Tinker meaning. Keeping it on Heph would be the saner choice, yes, but it would be boring - this way there will be actual combat data on it, and the trade is just a pretense to get it to see some action. Plus it is, really, pretty much the only thing Anton can trade away besides his Red Hand and the Party Wagon. None of the other prototypes are what can be remotely called "equipment".
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Nikitian

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Re: Hephaestus OOC
« Reply #1534 on: June 28, 2015, 01:24:18 pm »

I propose we institute two different terms for what 'engineering' (and also, possibly) original-ER) prototyping does, and for what it does from the perspective of 'mass production' prototyping. They may not come into play that often, but just sometimes they do, as Sean just explained.
Edit: Maybe 'engineering prototype' and 'industrial prototype'?
« Last Edit: June 28, 2015, 01:42:22 pm by Nikitian »
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syvarris

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Re: Hephaestus OOC
« Reply #1535 on: June 28, 2015, 05:09:45 pm »

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Corsair

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Re: Hephaestus OOC
« Reply #1536 on: June 29, 2015, 08:24:01 am »

Is there anything wrong with allowing AS'es to use the BS variants? As when that is allowed the AS can become a viable buy for those that don't have amazing rainbow space lasers like the battlesuit with it's various ranged variants except a version upgraded with technology to make it generally better all around. While after this the battlesuit would be pretty much a useless thing that is part of the purpose of upgrading technology over time.
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syvarris

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Re: Hephaestus OOC
« Reply #1537 on: June 29, 2015, 02:24:11 pm »

@Corsair

I agree completely.  There isn't any in-universe reason to not have the battlesuit variants copied in the AS.  At most, there's some difficulty with exactly what can be traded away--the long-range variant, for instance, trades the esdf and claymores, but the asaultsuit already traded away most of its claymores.

Radio seems to want to avoid moving the variants over, because they are extremely overpowered.  The aforementioned long-range variant staples a 20-token cannon to the 15-token suit, and doesn't make it increase in price.  This is sort of an extreme version of the council's original job; They were formed to stop players from making OP things, and now they're trying retroactively stop PW from making OP things, despite those things being in place long ago.  I could be misinterpreting his position, but I'm pretty sure this is correct.

We'll see about settling it tonight, since PW said he's be in IRC for Tinker.

Sean Mirrsen

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Re: Hephaestus OOC
« Reply #1538 on: June 29, 2015, 02:38:20 pm »

@Corsair

I agree completely.  There isn't any in-universe reason to not have the battlesuit variants copied in the AS.  At most, there's some difficulty with exactly what can be traded away--the long-range variant, for instance, trades the esdf and claymores, but the asaultsuit already traded away most of its claymores.

Radio seems to want to avoid moving the variants over, because they are extremely overpowered.  The aforementioned long-range variant staples a 20-token cannon to the 15-token suit, and doesn't make it increase in price.  This is sort of an extreme version of the council's original job; They were formed to stop players from making OP things, and now they're trying retroactively stop PW from making OP things, despite those things being in place long ago.  I could be misinterpreting his position, but I'm pretty sure this is correct.

We'll see about settling it tonight, since PW said he's be in IRC for Tinker.
Like I said before, I think the way to go now is to let all "variants" be priced on the same principles as the existing variants. Then, if the notion that armed variants are overpowered prevails, ALL the variants can be given appropriate costs, starting with the "stock" ones provided by PW - so that tinkered and Heph-made variants can be properly balanced against them. Whether or not that will necessitate the Avatar's price being increased, will have to be determined then too.
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Nikitian

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Re: Hephaestus OOC
« Reply #1539 on: June 29, 2015, 04:00:59 pm »

It certainly feels like today will be a hot discussion in IRC.

... Ahh, the tingling anticipation on the eve of a major, bloody battle. It must feel this way, I guess.  :P
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Radio Controlled

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Re: Hephaestus OOC
« Reply #1540 on: June 29, 2015, 04:59:17 pm »

Welp, I'm about out of computer time for today, so no detailed responses. Maybe later, but no promises ('promises').

It certainly feels like today will be a hot discussion in IRC.

... Ahh, the tingling anticipation on the eve of a major, bloody battle. It must feel this way, I guess.  :P

And of course, I probably won't be there, and I doubt any other council representative will be able to. So have at it unopposed, I guess, and best of luck!
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Nikitian

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Re: Hephaestus OOC
« Reply #1541 on: June 29, 2015, 05:10:27 pm »

For the record: I am not expecting to be an active participant of said battle of views; at most I'll try to fill in for Devastator's position on the matter. (And maybe do whatever I can to keep AoW at 30 tokens.) I trust syvarris and Sean Mirrsen to do their best even without my help ('help').


You know, maybe it would be better indeed to postpone the discussion until all parties can be present. More sportsmanlike, and certainly more Fun for Piecewise.  :P
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Nikitian kneels in front of his computer, fresh lamb's blood on his hands, and prays to the dark powers for answers about armor thickness.

Corsair

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Re: Hephaestus OOC
« Reply #1542 on: June 29, 2015, 05:36:27 pm »

For the record: I am not expecting to be an active participant of said battle of views; at most I'll try to fill in for Devastator's position on the matter. (And maybe do whatever I can to keep AoW at 30 tokens.) I trust syvarris and Sean Mirrsen to do their best even without my help ('help').


You know, maybe it would be better indeed to postpone the discussion until all parties can be present. More sportsmanlike, and certainly more Fun for Piecewise.  :P
Sportsmanship? in an internet debate? :P
(Although we have managed to spend three days debating the AS and haven't resorted to just saying the other side is stupid which is longer than most real debates would take to devolve into that)
« Last Edit: June 29, 2015, 05:42:14 pm by Corsair »
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piecewise

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Re: Hephaestus OOC
« Reply #1543 on: June 29, 2015, 06:39:53 pm »

Again I must descend into the grease monkey squalor that is Heph OOC.

The council, Radio in particular, god bless his tireless efforts and capacity to keep track of you all, has made a very good case to me about the danger of this current form of prototyping and the way it is flooding the market with high powered crap and low prices. A Dangerous precedent to be sure. So I'm calling for a number of changes here.

1. No more prototyping. This current system was never what prototypes were intended to be anyways. And I'm afraid it has been a bit abused as is. So now, instead of prototyping, you'll just submit your weapon to be added directly to the armory. Whether or not it ever gets bought depends on how well you sell it, I suppose. Talk to sy, he's pretty good at that.

2. People on Heph will no longer have infinite resources with which to buy things from the Sword. No exchanging prototypes or goods for things from the sword. You'll still have the entire planet's resources for making things and doing stuff and getting stuff for yourself on the planet, but no buying artifacts from the sword with promises of goodies later. If people want to buy things for you and send them, thats ok.

3. Anyone who designs a weapon and puts it in the armory, regardless of if they're from heph or not, will get 25% of all money spent by people buying that weapon or tool, and any ammo or other things directly associated with it. We'll even round up for you. With this money you CAN buy things from the ship and do stuff like that. I hope it motivates you to create things guaranteed to sell. Things everyone will want.

4. I'm giving more power and control to the council, and looking for one more member, to ease the burden on the existing council. I want to essentially give the council the veto or acceptance power for new weapons and tech on a balance perspective. In other words,  the stuff with Sy that I've been doing, the materials science and all, or any experiments or that sort of thing would be handled by me, but things like the number of shots a weapon would have, the price, the size, etc would be handled, for the most part, by the council. So me for science, them for applications of what that science discovers. And of course I would have ultimate accept or veto and probably be consulted on anything they can't figure out.


Now then, Questions?

syvarris

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Re: Hephaestus OOC
« Reply #1544 on: June 29, 2015, 06:59:45 pm »

I... I expected to find some part of that annoying, but I actually agree with everything, except for designers getting paid when their items are bought--and I'm not going to complain about that!  :D

It doesn't solve the issue we've been having, with *S variants, but these changes are welcome nonetheless.

EDIT: I do have a couple of questions, though.  How will we talk to the council for designs?  Posting marked actions in the Heph thread, and we get responses through PW?  Or will we be doing the old method, where we discuss things with Radio and the council speaks through him?
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