The October status report brought a general preview about an incoming balance package that affects almost all robots in the game.
After some public testing, forum feedback, collecting tears, and more number juggling, we now present you the final details.
The main goals of this balancing package are:
- Boost light and assault robots considerably.
- More diverse robot bonuses, but they generally provide less value increase. This also lessens the gap between high-level veteran players and less fortunate newbies.
- Push robots more towards their intended roles.
Colorful spreadsheets coming up.
We're also introducing 3 new extensions under the Robot control category:
- Combat robot specialist - Required extension for all combat robots, and controls the combat role bonuses.
- Industrial robot specialist - Required extension for all industrial robots, and controls the industrial role bonuses.
- Hi-tech robot specialist - Required extension for all Mk2 robots, and controls the special Mk2 bonuses.
The combat and industrial robot specialist extensions are becoming starter extensions, thus every existing character will receive these two on level 1 during the patch.
Additional notes
- The effect of the mass gain of light robots may not be clear for everyone: increased base mass for robots lessens the speed reduction effect of equipped modules.
- We cleaned up some parameters of prototype robots, this means either slight increases or reductions. Compared to normal robots, light/assault prototypes now have +5 CPU/reactor and +10 sensor strength, while mechs/heavy mechs have +10 CPU/reactor/sensor strength.
- Mk2 robots retain their special extra bonuses (so they still have one additional bonus compared to standard bots), but these are now controlled by a new extension.
- The Baphomet loses its lone missile slot, as a consequence we'll remove all modules and ammo from this slot in all existing Baphomets and place them back into the same storage during the patch.
- Although the Waspish gains a second small/medium mixed missile slot to bring it in line with the other two assaults, to make it look badass these have to be on its sides. So instead the top/back slot will lose the medium fitting and as such we'll also remove any equipped module from this slot during the patch.
- Do note that assaults received a considerable reactor boost to make room for those medium modules.
The patch itself will be deployed to the live server today at 14:00 CET/server time. We'll be also performing some server and database maintenance, so the estimated downtime will be about 2 hours.
ps. This isn't the monthly report, that's still coming.
Comments for this post
1 BadAss
2 Gerah
I am trying to figure out how this is a fact?
You have veterans with over 2 to 3 million EP totals all they have to do is take out 2 or 3 10s to 9 and boost those skills to 10 already so tell me how that makes it easier for Newbies?
3 Gothixer
4 Jita
5 SunnyJester
6 BadAss
7 DEV Zoom
If you take an an extension which provided so far 5% damage increase per level, then that's a 50% damage difference between a newbie and a vet. If we now reduce that 5% to 3%, then that becomes only a 30% difference. Still pretty significant yes, but not that overpowered like I would call 50%.
The new extensions that we're introducing bring mostly diversity, not extra extension for an old bonus, and they are in the 1-2% range.
8 Gwyndor
9 Gerah
Sorry that still makes a BIG difference when the guys that have 2 to 3 Million EPs. They can still make that difference HUGE.... This patch needs a redo badly...
I dont understand why you cant realize those guys with all the EPs can still have 10s in the new ones and some of us will be at 1 to 4... Wow ruined something that was awesome and brought it down to WHAT the HELL.....
10 Gerah
11 DEV Zoom
12 Gerah
The difference is still significant when we get into groups or even 1v1.
Basically if you have 5 on 5 and players with 10 and people with 5 that is still 15% more my friend. But oh well
13 Gotharic
Gothixer: Yes, there are 3 more extensions to spend EP on, however they don't provide so much advantage anymore than before.
If you take an an extension which provided so far 5% damage increase per level, then that's a 50% damage difference between a newbie and a vet. If we now reduce that 5% to 3%, then that becomes only a 30% difference. Still pretty significant yes, but not that overpowered like I would call 50%.
The new extensions that we're introducing bring mostly diversity, not extra extension for an old bonus, and they are in the 1-2% range.
What I am saying is, we have bought and paid for those bonuses with EP boosters with real life cash and now you are taking it away....that is not very good. Secondly, why are you punishing your loyal customers that have been around for 4 years and giving boosts to new players that have not given anything to the company? I think that there was not enough though or creativity in this patch and that there could have been a different strategy for balancing rather than nerfing your loyal customers.
14 Gotharic
15 Gotharic
16 Gerah
5 v 5 all the same assualt bots. Team 1 has all 10s and Team 2 has 5s. For this lets say Team 1 can hit 1 assault bot for 100 then that 30% bonus kicks in so that is 130.. Team 2 will only hit for 115 with thier bonus so as you see yes it is still a big difference if both teams focus fire like they are suppose too who still wins hands down the team with 10 due to doing 15% more damage... Yes it is a little better difference but still the same... Yes fittings have a big part but lets face it how you increased damages on some things and not others its always going to be the same.... Sorry Dev Zoom I see what your trying to say but its still a WIN for the Veterans.
To fit all the assualts the young guys are still in trouble cause you need good fitting skills to make a nice T4 fit bot. So that means the Vets still have the upper hand...
Gerah
17 Deimos Starshadow
Good thing this happened before bringing our remaining eve buds, they would cut my balls.
I think is a bad move and you'll lose more money from worse player retention and fewer game purchases than you'll make from EP boost derived from the new skills, nice try tho.
18 Makesamich
19 Dazamin
20 Inda
I cant decide yet, this is good or no. Let see.
21 Gerah
After this patch I am not buying anything else from them but I guess they dont care. Revert back fast Devs.
22 DEV Zoom
23 Aye Pod
24 BandwagonX9000
25 Jasmoba
26 BeastmodeGuNs
27 Jasmoba
28 BeastmodeGuNs
29 Trazdum
30 Aaron Sool
31 Allmiel
32 Inda