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Reduced Reliance on RNG (from the perspective of a game maker)

Posted 2021-10-04 08:42:33
#535655
Well, I can safely state that I was not aware of many of those numbers. I assume this will be the case for most folks. I note whenever there's something that seems to work against a specific type of enemy, and what doesn't seem to work.

Maybe it's vague to you, but I have always been working off of the information the game itself presents to me easily. Most of what you detailed is not. Another question is - what are sufficient stats? Does it scale? Is it static? I have no idea! I don't know which stats I need for which moves. I don't know how many stats I need. I know nothing :P

All that aside. I'm not a numbers person. I can't just look at those numbers and go "aah yes, this should change to that", I'm just going off of the vague feeling of "it doesn't feel right to lose to this tiny animal so many levels below me, from full health".
Ihmislehma
#1850
Posted 2021-10-04 12:43:18
#535785
I would also like to add that sometimes I feel like the battling system doesn't make any sense. I'm saying this as a player, not programmer as I have no idea what's going on behind the scenes.
Take for example two different fights: one against lvl 5 walrus and one against lvl 20 walrus (my lead is lvl 20). Lvl 5 walrus takes the first turn while lvl 20 does not. Why? I should have higher stats than 5 lvl enemy. Lvl 20 enemy of the same type should have better stats than their kin on the lower level. It doesn't seem to be consistient at all... I have had many instances of low level enemies almost defeating me and I don't think it should really be the case...
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#28599
Posted 2021-10-04 12:49:13 (edited)
#535787
Every opponent has certain stats and they increase along with level. It means that if you fight level 15 jaguar and have high strength bonus, you can be sure that you'll get this bonus fighting another level 15 (or lower) jaguar. However, fighting level 16 jaguar would require a bit more than level 15 jaguar (it's not guaranteed but there's a chance you'll not get this bonus, depending how much strength you have). Fighting another kind of opponent would require different set of stats, for example level 15 anaconda might require much more strength (or much less, Idk) and it might happen that you don't get this bonus. The exceptions are wolves, whose stats are randomized every battle even though you might fight the ones of the same level (there goes another aspect of RNG). Anyway, they have the same average of stats I guess? You can check for bonuses and see which stat is required hovering over dice icons (if the dice roll is actually affected by stat and you don't get neutral result).

After reading your feedback, Ihmislehma, you reminded me of another thing: modifiers are not evident to players. They need to hover over the dice icons to see the modifiers. It's not obvious to everywolf and most of them usually don't know there's some hidden information. I think it's okay to suggest the modifiers to be more manifest such as showing the sum of modifiers affected beside the dice icon. I think it'd help players to get a better idea of how the dice rolls are affected.
DΕΌanek
#24018
Posted 2021-10-04 13:05:50
#535797
There are dice icons? Welp, clearly my observation skills suck haha.
That said, this all ties up to battles being kinda "the same" - it just so happens sometimes you'll win, sometimes you'll lose. There's only a few enemy types I know that "choosing this option is usually a good idea", aside from that I just outright avoid snakes and birds if possible. Bears are hard, but that's acceptable to me - big meanies, after all.
Ihmislehma
#1850
Posted 2021-10-04 13:10:54 (edited)
#535801
My suggestion to make modifiers more visible should show numbers like this:
(the modifier detail popup is currently available by hovering over the dice icons)

How it looks without hovering over any dice icons:


Then, players who are currently unaware of modifiers might get curious about what the numbers mean and realize that dice rolls with plus numbers are more likely to turn positive.
DΕΌanek
#24018
Posted 2021-10-04 21:24:29 (edited)
#536076
I don't think it's an absurd ask to say 'maybe don't let level 1 creatures DoT me to death if I'm level 20.' A lucky shot is one thing, but - as one glaring example - bird enemies are a consistent and obnoxious nuisance for lunar events especially. Looking at some dice isn't going to change the fact that both of the above have the arbitrary RNG-garbage feel to them.

'I got spectacularly unlucky and a lvl 1-5 beat my 350+ str wolf' should be an ultra-rare event. Just in terms of basic design, level 1-5 shouldn't even be showing up for a level 20, but because of their trophy system, etc etc.

There's a lot of interlocking systems at play here that make it more frustrating than it should be, and just saying 'you got unlucky' is an annoying answer when I've seen with my own two eyes a level 3 absolutely wreck my shit for no good reason, on multiple occasions. That isn't 'unlucky,' that is astonishingly unlucky, and gives no credence at all to the notion of level progression.
DogBlud
#24586
Posted 2021-11-01 19:00:37
#552001
I would like to throw in agreement with post #536076 from user #24586: It is exceedingly frustrating to lose against a level 1-5 from being Damage Over Time slapped, on First Turn especially, from the player's perspective.

I have experienced this with all three lead wolves. It is not fun.
Zeraki
#26932
Posted 2021-11-03 22:28:32
#553520
Massive support here. The RNG is exactly why I rarely battle and why even on Lioden it would drive me insane to do fighting because there's no actual skill. You just click buttons and pray the RNG leans in your favor and that it. Even here when you're following a battle guide 90% of the outcome still comes down to RNG and dice rolls, with the only thing you can do to affect it being lucky feet (which in the right combo breaks the encounter in your favor, which still isn't fun because you're just clicking buttons after you use the foot, not using skill)

I'm not entirely sure how battling would need to be reworked in order to be more fun, though I do like your idea of various items adding skill modifiers. I saw someone else with an idea for alchemist wolves crafting items with modifiers and I feel like these two suggestions together would be fantastic.
Drakine
#1010
Posted 2021-11-20 12:56:15
#565205
Lunar event is back and so are the battles.
The birds are OP as heck.
"Retreated from a battle against a level 2 Volukros Eagle. New HP after fight: 3."
"Retreated from a battle against a level 17 Charged Eagle. New HP after fight: 2." (with lucky feet)

I think they should at least be toned down a bit, even 2lvl bird can defeat you with inducing bleed DoT on the opening strike :/
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#28599
Posted 2021-11-24 10:41:08
#567819
The current battling system is more infuriating than Battletoads. Enemies that are 10 levels lower than the player character (the lead wolf) should not be able to win.
Snær
#35015
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