Post:Test Instance: New PP Model (Overview) - 6/17/2009 - 15:50:50

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Test Instance: New PP Model (Overview) · on 6/17/2009 3:50:50 PM 10705
As Solomon mentioned, Zeyurn and I have been working on an entirely new model and messaging system for Power Perception. The system in Test is currently complete, but will inevitably see tweaking as we hear back from you and assess the numbers further. Most of the credit for this system goes to Zeyurn.

The first thing you will notice is that PERCEIVE spits out different messaging than before. Some of it, such as the color of mana, is aesthetic and varies by guild or mana frequency. More importantly, the mana ranges have been rewritten.

First, let's talk about what currently exists. With sub-100 PP, you get an inaccurate read on the mana in the room. This has never affected what you actually get if you cast a spell in the room, it simply frustrates your ability to see which rooms are good and which are bad. The way this is done is by capping the maximum amount of mana you can see, so that to a novice the game looks like it has all of one or two mana levels at all.

We have replaced that with four new ranges of messaging: weak perception, developing, improving, and normal. Weak is what someone receives with 0 ranks of Power Perception and breaks down the mana range into three distinct levels. Effectively, a novice can now accurately see whether a room is "cold" "medium" or "hot." Normal comes into affect around 100 ranks of Power Perception and is the same level of granularity you are used to now. Developing and Improving are intermediary states that grow between them.

Just like before, this does not affect the amount of mana you get from the room. The room itself provides the same amount of mana from 1 to 2000 PP. This only affects how low-rank characters perceive the room, providing them more useful and accurate information than they had before.

Here are the new ranges, in order from weakest to strongest.

Weak Developing Improving Normal
dim faint faint faint
dim faint faint/hazy dim
dim faint/muted hazy hazy
dim/glowing muted hazy/flickering dull
glowing muted/glowing flickering muted
glowing glowing flickering/shimmering dusky
glowing/bright glowing/luminous shimmering pale
bright luminous shimmering/glowing flickering
bright luminous/bright glowing/lambent shimmering
bright bright lambent pulsating
bright bright lambent/shining glowing
bright bright shining lambent
bright bright shining/fulgent shining
bright bright fulgent luminous
bright bright fulgent/glaring radiant
bright bright glaring fulgent
bright bright glaring brilliant
bright bright glaring flaring
bright bright glaring glaring
bright bright glaring blazing
bright bright glaring blinding


The mana value of the rooms have also been changed. I will go into more detail in subsequent posts, but there are some changes that the room and Lunar models hold in common:

1: Mana is stronger on the low end. Faint is worth more power, hopefully enough now that you can get something off in every room of the game, or any time of the game.

2: Mana is weaker on the highest end. Mana contribution has been capped, so it is no longer possible to get "beyond Blinding" mana. This is primarily relevant for Moon Mages, but it could be seen in rare cases among room-based casters as well.

3: The curve between bad mana and the skill needed for good mana have been rewritten with the goal to scale better and smoother. Both models should suffer less from dramatic spikes in available mana at certain skills.

-Armifer

This message was originally posted in Abilities, Skills and Magic \ Magic - Suggestions, Discussions and Thoughts, by DR-ARMIFER on the play.net forums.

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