re-balancing PvE

[Torg]

In recent months we had ongoing debates on whether the droner is too strong (esp. the fearsome LE-droner) and what has to be done to "fix" PvE. Here's my take: Since the start of Titan i nurtured 5 different chars (pistol, rifle, hc, melee, drone), compared levelling spots, xp gain, xp mainskill distribution.

Conclusion: Drones aren't too strong, AoE is. No matter if you use rocket drones, pistols, launchers oder anything fusion, ray, grenade inbetween, AoE is giving a huge advantage in gaining both xp and credits. so for re-balancing PvE, AoE needs to be tuned down. Lets start with a general 5 % malus on all AoE guns + drones on Titan and see what happens. Make no mistake: i'm not talking about psi.

[Dropout]

In recent months we had ongoing debates on whether the droner is too strong (esp. the fearsome LE-droner) and what has to be done to "fix" PvE. Here's my take: Since the start of Titan i nurtured 5 different chars (pistol, rifle, hc, melee, drone), compared levelling spots, xp gain, xp mainskill distribution.

Conclusion: Drones aren't too strong, AoE is. No matter if you use rocket drones, pistols, launchers oder anything fusion, ray, grenade inbetween, AoE is giving a huge advantage in gaining both xp and credits. so for re-balancing PvE, AoE needs to be tuned down. Lets start with a general 5 % malus on all AoE guns + drones on Titan and see what happens. Make no mistake: i'm not talking about psi.

Now Im getting confused tbh.. PSI has BY FAR the most powerfull AoE..
If they nerfed AoE, they would have to boost general XP gain. One problem with AoE though, not all "weapon-types" has access to it.

[Netphreak]

Before you start messing with AoE you might want to make sure everyone can access high level AoE. That means a high TL rocket pistol and some kind of AoE rifles implemented.

Only problem I see is that melee still doesn't have any AoE but not really sure there is a way to fix that, other than by making grenades require M-C rather than H-C.

[William Antrim]

Lets not nerf the BEST aoe in the game and just nerf tanks/drones?

Yeah GG Torg. Another brilliant idea.

How about a better solution would be lets implement Melee and Rifle AOE - Grenades as we have suggested before and UGLs and lets LIMIT THE AOE TO A MAXIMUM OF 5 TARGETS for all aoe.

That way everyone gets an AOE at the same TL for each gun/spell regardless of class doing the same or similar damage. AOE is used for levelling and high end PVE so it shouldnt be too hard to balance it on TL tbh. Not like PVP balancing but thats for another thread.

[Kame]

It only makes sense that AOE is superior to single target (on the same mob) since you hit multiple mobs.

[Torg]

just talking. it's not drones, it's AoE. in order to balance that you want to add more AoE instead of reducing some, just a little?

[Netphreak]

just talking. it's not drones, it's AoE. in order to balance that you want to add more AoE instead of reducing some, just a little?

No, everyone should have have the chance to access AoE weapons regardless of spec. e.g. give melee characters hand grenades, give rifle characters some kind of AoE rifle.
To balance it you could do what alot of other games do and introduce a 5 target cap for the AoE damage. So the closest 5 mobs and/or players to the projectiles impact take damage.

This would nerf monk's and tank's total damage output in caves etc quite a bit, but if everyone has access to AoE weapons (including high TL and rare versions) then it would be balanced and fine.

[Torg]

AoE should be lowered in damage, because its so much "better" than single shots.

No, AoE is so awesome, everyone should have it, including rifles and melee

But, Holy Heal is so awesome, spys should have it, too.

No, stealth is so awsome, i want it on my tank, too.

Yo, i like hacking, so i want a hacktool inside hacknet.

Ok. What i'm trying to say is: there are differences between NC classes and professions, and thats a good thing. Maybe we'd want to somewhat balance the rate of success, so no playing style is loosing out too much. Would you kindly agree?

[DR REED]

Ok. What i'm trying to say is: there are differences between NC classes and professions, and thats a good thing. Maybe we'd want to somewhat balance the rate of success, so no playing style is loosing out too much. Would you kindly agree?

No - we would not. Socialism in game design ??? The character types are different and they should be.

Lets not nerf the BEST aoe in the game and just nerf tanks/drones?

Yeah GG Torg. Another brilliant idea.

How about a better solution would be lets implement Melee and Rifle AOE - Grenades as we have suggested before and UGLs and lets LIMIT THE AOE TO A MAXIMUM OF 5 TARGETS for all aoe.

That way everyone gets an AOE at the same TL for each gun/spell regardless of class doing the same or similar damage. AOE is used for levelling and high end PVE so it shouldnt be too hard to balance it on TL tbh. Not like PVP balancing but thats for another thread.

The better way is this, but the thread idea is flawed because too simple and incomplete. Every balancing of a major game aspect in this game needs a more deepthought analysis and package to do this. And PSI AoE is the most powerful in the game. The proposal makes things more worse because increase the different levelling techniques.

Generally i am no player of the sort "fast levelling for sooner ppvp" but i am absolute against any further prolongation of the level process due to fewer xp gain. NC lacks on a variety of levelling spots and med-level content so this shouldn't be exacerbated.

Reed