Mob Level

[bremmon]

So far I like the game very much. I like the customization of each character. Especially how it isn't weighed down by the standard "my character is level 10' route but allows you to level in various skills. Love it.

The graphics are great but definitely a resource hog.

One concern I have, and maybe I missed it in the manual (I actually read it), and that concerns relative level of Mobs to the player. In the target window there is a colored box that is for force and, according to the help screen, it informs you the strenght of a mob. The problem with that is green stands for levels 1 to 20, blue stands for 21 to 50, etc. If you are level 21 or so and you see something that cons your level range you best not take it as it is probably too difficult.

My problem is that I have played 4 Online games, AO, City of Heroes, DAoC, and FFXI. They all use relative strengths rather than absolute strengths. Makes a player more informed as to the risk of something.

Maybe this was a design choice to make This game different from others but that means that there will be a lot of deaths due to trial and error fighting.

Again, maybe I missed something and am not looking in the right place for information.

What are your thoughts?

[Lukati]

I'm also a little concerned about this. In fact, you explained more than I even knew about the proverbial levels of these mobs. I haven't searched the manual either, but... for instance... in Anarchy Online, Green was easy, Red was impossible. Yellow was your exact level, and more or less, your similar strength. Inbetween these 3 colors were about 5 or 6 more shades of light green, faded yellow, and orange. This was so critical in finding out whether or not you were gonna die if you aggro'd that enemy.

I am absolutely in love with this combat system. This is the one (minor) flaw. This can also be fixed relatively easily, I'm sure.

In fact, this (along with initial lack of varied content, which I understand and accept) is the only thing I've been less than absolutely enthused about.

Maybe we can get this issue to the devs and see what they think. Or maybe we're both missing something here

[gralen]

Again, maybe I missed something and am not looking in the right place for information.

If you search this forum, you'll find a thread with pictures giving more detail or you can right click your target guage and select help.

[mboeing]

I don't really see the problem. I can live well without the consider system. Lets face it for example a scowling goari is many times harder then a scowling clopper. Even though they are the same lvl (no matter of absolute or relative). So in the end you have to attack a mob and maybe die by it once before you know if you can manage it or not?

Just my 2 cents

Sky

[bremmon]

That 'relative' strength scheme that is used in AO and actually quite a few other MMORPGs is very helpful.

I found the detailed information in the "HELP" button under 'TARGETING'. You will want to notice the FORCE box. The only problem is that apparently it is broken and everyone is waiting for a patch to fix it. I personally feel that even if fixed and working as described, way too many levels for a color.

The help screen doesn't mention this but maybe if the colors were varied that would help. Light blue for lower 20s, blue for 35 or so, dark blue for 50s. Still too wide a range it seems. I guess we'll have to see what happens.

[nizbar]

The problem with a "relative" consider system is that this is more of a skill based game rather than a class based game. For instance, lets say I was a level 70 harvester and a level 2 melee fighter. Obviously, I wouldn't be able to kill things that a level 70 melee fighter would despite the fact that my overall level is higher than the fighter. On the other hand, I might have many times more hp than your average level 2 melee fighter. So, my level 70 harvest may have a large effect on my defensive capabilities. Is a level 50 fighter/mage the same as a level 50 fighter or a level 50 mage alone? Probably not, but you certainly aren't up to a level 100 character of either of these individual skills. It all depends on the skills you take. Maybe the level 70 harvester didn't take any HP upgrades and therefore, they would be exactly the same as a level 2 fighter. So, you see...the consider system would have no real absolute. The game would have to go into each individual profile and determine the combination of yout points, weight them in an "appropriate" manner and display the color to you. This could be vastly different, depending on your skills from the people in your group or the people that might have the same exact levels as you.

So, how do you determine a "relative" strength of a mob? The answer is...why bother? Such a complex system for something that has, in every game I've played, turned out to be less than accurate anyways seems futile. Especially considering all the other avenues of improvement that could be pursued in its stead.

[vguerin]

The in game help is your best bet... CON relative to your level is so dumbed down it isn't even fun.



Ultimate Harvesting Guide

[bremmon]

Good point about this multi-skill system not being conducive to the 'relative' system of information on targets. I didn't think about that.

I really don't have a problem with their current way of doing it if they graduate the colors better or something. Having one color stand for 30 levels is a bit broad. In fact it's too broad. Levels of a color would definitely help.

[Eshin]

I'd say that the current situation is something along these lines:

level 0 = black
level 1 to 20 = light green
level 21 to 50 = dark green
level 51 to 70 = light blue
level 71 to 100 = dark blue
level 101 to 120 = light yellow
level 121 to 150 = dark yellow
level 151 to 170 = light orange
level 171 to 200 = dark orange
level 201 to 220 = light red
level 221 to 250 = dark red
level 251 or more = violet

(that is, if they haven't changed them during the launch)