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Augmenter Tweaking
http://forum.starsonata.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=13431		 Page 1 of 14
Author:  Caelestis [ Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Augmenter Tweaking
Right now this is a very exclusive skill that can make or break the game for some people, and the average player has virtually zero chance of obtaining the skill past level three without friends in high places. This also causes a very serious issue for the development team when it is time to balance content. The current augmenter tweaking system is at best broken. So, after some pretty long discussions and brainstorming within the development team, we have come up with the following as a solution to this problem.

- The current Augmenter Tweaking becomes a legacy skill you cannot get in the game anymore, that gives +1% to ship, drone, station and slave augmenters.

-A new skill is created to replace it that gives 2% per level to augmenter on ships, and will be added into the game up to level 55 next universe. That would be equal to the current Aug Tweaking 10.

New content will be created for obtaining the new augmenter tweaking, and the last five levels will be directally tied into the new zone Atlum is working on.

Players will not be forced to do the content to get the new augmenter tweaking. We will add stations were players can 'buy' the new augmenter tweaking skill to a level that will be comparable to their current augmenter bonus.

Augmenter Tweaking 3 can get New Augmenter Tweaking 30
Augmenter Tweaking 4 can get New Augmenter Tweaking 35
Augmenter Tweaking 5 can get New Augmenter Tweaking 40

With legacy tweaking added to this, players will be extremely close to their current strength. Players will then have the opportunity to get levels even higher than they could before if they complete the remaining content.

Overall, this will put players on more equal footing, as well as making new content balancing much eaiser for the development team. Also, it is putting us on the path to rethink the Emperor Runs, which right now were being abused for Augmenter Tweaking skill. This is an extremely big change so feedback would be appreciated.

Caelestis
Author:  Gurjster [ Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:02 pm ]
Post subject: 
THANK YOU! I am so glad the devs have finally addressed this issue, it has bugged me for some time, basically unless you are an oldie you dont get AT3+, with this we can finally actually compete with some of the oldies, we are no longer hampered by our lame aug tweak skill, so thanks, one of the best notices ive read in a while.
Author:  P. I. Rate [ Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:02 pm ]
Post subject: 
Meh, we'll see how this works...
Author:  Kinky [ Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:04 pm ]
Post subject: 
I like it, the difference between Aug Tweaking 3 and 5 was too great.

Only thing though - the legacy skills you speak of, they should be given out 2 -3 times more per each level of Aug tweaking above 3 as those people who got it through Emp runs should have atleast something thats unattainable by the masses currently.
Author:  SomethingLikeMe [ Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:10 pm ]
Post subject: 
Sooo... I get to pay myself to dead for getting aug tweaking 30, even though I already had it. Kinda. Gonna be even better for those with higher ATs. Thanks.

But yes... Even though I feel like I've been screwed right now, this is a good thing if we look at the bigger picture. Nice going.
Author:  Madferret [ Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:21 pm ]
Post subject: 
What I thought was make AT into something directly tied into level, AT could then be some equal to AT10 at level 1000 etc etc... giving a good reason to level. (PvP levels would have to be balanced to compensate but then it will anyway)

What i'm confused about is how it ties with slaves and drones is this effectively destroying slave tweaking/station tweaking and the Liberty content or did I miss something? If so what happens to spent skill points?

However it is is a great idea anyway, and with the new uni lengths I think it'll be a greta idea to make the emp run a more long winded affair to be tacklable by all.
Author:  DroneMaster [ Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:28 pm ]
Post subject: 
Yay, so that means i will haev AT30?

weeeee!!!!
Author:  followerz9 [ Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:38 pm ]
Post subject: 
Means that people with AT3 and no Skill Points better get levelling :)

I think that this is a good solution, though the legacy skill means that new players will always be 3-6% worse than old players. I guess this isn't an insurmountable difference by any stretch.

The question that remains unanswered though is what the emp reward will be and how they will play out, as well as whether the previous winners of emp (AT, etc) will be grandfathered into a new reward whenever it is granted.

Also, those of use with AT6/7, will we only get to 40 also? I mean, I'll be fine with doing the content, just asking :)

All in all, an elegant solution to what has LONG been a silly problem. AT has always been ubiquitous. What level AT do the AI get? Will the AI ubers get "punished" in the same way? If I'm capable of putting out 20% less DPS (initially) do most the current ubers regen 20% less? Is this an inherent buff for them? I don't begrudge the task, but an inherent buff of 20% even to the AI can make the W3 mobs MUCH harder to tackle and should be researched a little.

I would also like to see more skills that can differentiate players, even if resetable secondary-specific skills. I mean, people will piss and moan about it on the low end, but incentivized levelling is really important to keeping the higher level players of the game. Frequently people sell their accounts and wander off from boredom, though I'm a sucker for punishment so don't expect that from me. Excessive egalitarianism will squish the fun out of the game.

/fin
Author:  IAmMe2 [ Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:42 pm ]
Post subject: 
How much will it cost in both credits and skill points for each level? I forsee a problem with people who have used all their skill points who are level 500+, and reaching the 'more difficult' levelling... If it becomes like a zen skill, there is no way they'll be able to get enough SP to get it up to adequeate levels, and levelling up at those levels would be extremely difficult without aug tweaking...

I think it should be only 1-3 skill points per level, and not 'accumulate' like the zen skills do...

Apart from that...

FINALLY! =D Great work guys =)
Author:  Enji [ Mon Sep 11, 2006 11:14 pm ]
Post subject: 
Will it be like zen skills ? n sp to get from level n-1 to level n ?
It would be like 465 sp to go back to AT3. Not only ubers fighting in W3 would be affected by this imo. Lower levels with only a few level of AT would see a great change, falling from 60% increase of augs to about 6-10, with no SP to spend immediately to catch up.
Not complaining about this, just something to keep in mind I think.

Now the rad exp endless whining can begin :P... High level players, by working (really hard I suppose) can now get a 110% boost on augs.
Compared to this, slaves will be stuck at 60%. So a sniper would be "fully boosted" while the rad exp would be able to grow stronger only in his own ship, so unable to make full use of the new AT (until I get a P20 ship for instance, 80% of my DPS come from slaves, I would not get anything here from AT55)

The same would also apply to bases, players will be able to be even more powerfull, while bases are lagging behind... The recent beef to shileds and kits imo is nothing compared to what ships could get from AT55.

But I think thats a good idea, the comments above are not meant to harass admins :P. There will be something better to do with SP than zen skills :P
Author:  2kewl4u [ Mon Sep 11, 2006 11:20 pm ]
Post subject: 
Keep the cost low though please, and... erm... NICE WORK :)

Keep the SP cost low too though pleace, maybe just 2 sp per lvl...
Author:  Madferret [ Mon Sep 11, 2006 11:26 pm ]
Post subject: 
Supposedly you'll be able to use the fast track anyway, to get New AT to Equal Old AT.
Author:  MarloweFaustus [ Mon Sep 11, 2006 11:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Augmenter Tweaking
Caelestis wrote:
- The current Augmenter Tweaking becomes a legacy skill you cannot get in the game anymore, that gives +1% to ship, drone, station and slave augmenters.


Personally this leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Anyone starting out after this starts behind the curve. Can I make a slight suggesting, instead of keeping a legacy skill why not offer an alternate award for AT. You can buy up the new AT so that you are at basically the same level and for each level of old AT you get an Imerial Seal, or some such other rare and expensive commod. Old times still stay ahead of the curve, but not in a way that new players can't come along and equal them with enough effort and work.
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