Jonquill Caronite
Tronhadar Free Guard
Minmatar Republic
115
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Posted - 2012.08.04 09:31:00 -
[1] - Quote
Before I start this thread I need to make a few clarification:
- I am aware the price of Marauders will go up in release, and more AT weapons will be added.
- I am aware that the current system doesn't employ a market which regulates the prices of equipment based on supply and demand.
- I am also aware that the rate of leveling within Dust is currently accelerated to aid in Beta testing...
Now with those three things said, here are my concerns...
One, as it stands it seems every character based progression is made in massive leaps between Militia, Regular, Advanced, and Prototype gear... Now this isn't really fine if you stop to think about it... Reason is, even though right now it gives us reasonable goals to move between, and the risk to reward and pay off of these goals is within reach enough that it seems worth it to level, it won't when proper level scaling is integrated...
Right now there isn't any way to specialize gear, except if you have advanced or prototype gear, and even within EVE tier one gear had specialization built into it, with bonuses from certain ships, and modules to accompany the appropriate types of equipment... In Dust, all suits are exactly the same within their classes, with the exception that as you level they can fit more ****... So its not really encouraging specialization so much as forcing you to select a 'class' and putting you to it... To be frank some people may consider that specialization, but it leaves a lot to be desired from this game, since it was implied that there would be huge differences in style...
Next problem... A balanced economy... I hate to point this out, but in real life war is never profitable, and real economies sink under its weight, unless you happen to be a weapons contractor... That being the case, stop and consider for a second, what the SCALE of rewards will have to be in order for this game to work? Vehicles right now are a sink hole, and its largely their fault. I don't think they are OP, and I don't think AT weapons are OP either, but I think a lot more people jumped on the vehicle band wagon early on then the game could sustain-ably hold, and the backlash happened when everyone and their mother specialized AT and people started fine tuning their tactics. At this stage in the game there are a few HIGHLY skilled Tank and Dropship pilots who survive for extended periods or entire matches, but even they are spending so much time moving and avoiding fire that its really reduced almost entirely to infantry fights determining the match. Matter of fact, the Creodon rifle ratio is honestly what determines who wins the game at this point since everyone has at least a modest AT fit.
The point is, warfare like the above simply wont be possible if Dust stands alone... And correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't we told that both EVE and Dust would be able to stand alone, even though they were connected??? If this is indeed the case, it is based on the assumption that there will be a reduction in the death and arms race and default rewards good enough to compensate for the losses... And the ONLY way you keep players interested in playing if its not to reach the next piece of gear (Which it wont be because in this sort of economy top tier gear will be too expensive to reasonably use), is to give them leveling goals that increase their performance... Right now, those are not only limited, but HIGHLY gear oriented, and thus the game is broken as soon as the economy is applied to it... I'm sorry for those who are economically illiterate and don't understand what I'm saying, I'll clarify if need be at some point...
Now... I can see a couple solutions.... One... MASSIVE payoffs for both EVE and Dust players for holding a planet completely... This is feasible... However, it would make Dust an essential part of EVE, and vise versa, thus trashing their whole ease in philosophy... This would be essential though to fund wars on the scale that we currently have them with the set market prices.
The other solution is cease relying on gear, and add a lot more levels, and make every skill effect player stats... This will reduce the necessity for players to grind for gear, and leave some highly skilled players just leveling in their militia gear to guarantee profit while using their high skill level to compensate.
... A little off topic though... How many people have noticed that the vehicles all cap off WELL before their theoretically maxes in required level... I'm not exactly sure why CCP would do this, I have only two guesses... One they lowered the requirements for their top level vehicles with the intent of raising the requirements on release, in which case the risk to reward benefit for vehicle drivers will be ATROCIOUSLY low given how long it will take to get into a Maurader or reasonable dropship which are currently the only vehicles that can survive on the battlefield for any time at all...
The other option is... These vehicles are not the top level vehicles, but actually the standard or mid level vehicles... If this is the case, and Advanced and Prototype (Never mind Faction and officer) vehicles are planning on being implemented on release... It begs a number of questions... Like... How on Earth will you balance these behemoths? And what in the world will this sort of tank or vehicle cost? To clarify, it makes no sense to have a skill for Gallente HAV, and Proficiency, when you only need to be level three HAV to get in the top vehicle... And nor does it make sense to have a skill that you only put one level in and the other 4 levels do nothing... Namely Proficiency... So just ask yourself, what will the HAV that is unlocked by having Gallente HAV V and Proficiency V be like if Marauders were already enough to cause almost everyone to cross-train an anti-vehicle class... |