Pre-Patch, Post-Patch

[neiana]

Before "Patch 1" went live, I was aware of a few inconsistencies with combat that did NOT have anything to do with blind. After the patch, I see what could possibly be considered as inonsistencies, OR it could be a now very easily seen unbalanced strength/weakness system. First I'll mention this is all from a melee perspective. I'll also point out that everything mentioned below is while using/wearing level appropriate equipment. I am dual dagger and wear heavy armor.

Let's start with Pre-Patch. Now that we have the Region/Star coding, telling approximate "level" is simple - so I'll have to use that in reference. Anyway, a "Baying Clopper" is one of the highest "Liberty Lake" (Trykerland, for those unaware) creature, while a "Scary Clopper" is one of the lowest "Dew Drops" creatures. Before "Patch 1" I would get more xp from a Scary Clopper than a Baying, higher level loot - and it would be 3x easier to kill. In truth, I would be able to kill two or three Scary Cloppers before needing to rest (with zero skills, by the way) - while on the flip side, the Baying Clopper gave less xp, lower level loot - and I could not solo one but half the time. Granted, a Malicious was harder than a Baying, but not by a great deal.

This was unbalanced, in my opinion. Especially considering the highest Kipee in Liberty Lake was roughly 40 and just about anybody at level 40 could kill one without using any skills. A skilled melee, USING skills could probably take care of one of those Kipees at 35 or lower. I found Goari's to be pretty simple to off as well. Again, I never trained ANY melee skill useful in combat except a self heal.

I played around a bit, and noticed that the Dew Drops single star Kizoar was about as difficult as the Scary Clopper - and also noticed that the Kipee in Dew Drops were a tad too difficult for me. Yes, I tried a Vigilant - I actually did use a level 2 increase attack auto-repeat with a 1/4 self heal (my HP was 1200, it healed for 300) and came close a time or two.

Now, POST "Patch 1" I have managed to kill the newly level 50 Kipee approximately two thirds of the attempts made while a Baying Clopper is just a tad bit more difficult. Once again I head to Dew Drops where the Scary Clopper barely defeats me and I am a victor against a Vigilant Kizoar.

What it appears to me, personally, is that the highest stars in Liberty Lake, are - when compared to certain single stars in another - comparable in difficulty, but LOWER in xp. Meaning, my 352 xp win against a Hard Kipee in Liberty Lake is actually harder than my 1k xp win against Vigilant Kizoar in Dew Drops. A 4 star v. a 1 star.

Now, if this is supposed to "encourage" people to move to other locations quicker (ie: moving to single stars in another region instead of 4 stars in one) then fine - I can see that as reasonable enough, given that the difference is not that ridiculous.

I can ALSO be inclined, by my simple little level 65 observations, to agree that any and every higher level player (say... 90+) trying to fight mobs of 3 or 4 stars similar to their own level will have difficulty. I don't even have to experience it, to have come to a plausible conclusion as to it's possibility.


Another possible conclusion, is something I have absolutely no testing/knowledge of whatsoever. A strength/weakness system. This one could only apply to the difference in difficulty between Kizoar and Kipee, or Clopper and Goari. This one is easier to hit with this weapon, this one is weak to fire or strong against acid, or that one needs something to poke its eye out. *shrug* I think that if this is the case, it's in very bad shape.

As for me, I'll stick with my 1k easy wins. I like Kizoar so far, my favorite critter in the game to kill. Pretty weird looking - makes me feel like it's genetically mutated or a "designed" monster. Anyway, this paragraph was really pointless, but what the heck was Jena thinking?

Back to the point - some changes are necessary, but this game is FAR from unplayable. At least, from a dual dagger perspective.

EDIT IN: I did get "attack after parry", "accurate attack", "attack after critical" as well as self heal 700 (i think?) and Life Aura (3 or 4) after respec. I know this would have made it a lot easier pre-patch, but the imbalances would still have been there.

- N

[svayvti]

Don't want to argue with the few who say it is still playable.

However, I will point out that with the current server populations during peak hours this weekend the game is going largely unplayED.

So maybe it just looks unplayable, it makes no difference to the survival of Ryzom or Nevrax though.

[keriann]

easyly solved:

Pre-Patch = Good
Post-Patch = Crap

it is an axiom, you cannot change or argue it.