Logical Flaw in Combat Results

[Cory Trese]

Working on improving the code.

Saw a lot of feedback that "Miss" was too common in combat when attacking.

Found the logical flaw that explains this.

The game was saying "Miss" no matter if the:

- Shot Missed
- Target Dodged
* Armor Soaked Damage

So I think a lot of what is happening is that (not everyone, there is much balancing to be done for the skills, I know.)

Some people are seeing lots of "miss" results when really the gang member has armor enough to soak a few light pistol rounds.

there are balancing issues with the hit system that I'm working on, but this "lack of feedback" is making it worse.

i plan to improve both tomorrow or today's release.

[nails]

Would changing miss to hit with 0 damage make people feel better?
I know there were times I would hit with one of 8 shots.
A little frustrating, but I just figured my character wasn't good enough yet.

[Cory Trese]

Well it is a mix of the combat "to hit" rolls not being perfect and the difference between Attack and Defend results.

Defend should list "Miss!' and "Dodge!" and "Armor Soak!" so that you can think "I need more firearms skill" or "I need to get closer" or "I need a heavier gun" instead of "darn it this makes no sense WHY I MISS U!?!?!"

[Cory Trese]

this got kinda complex, won't make today's release

[moody]

How about some feed back/taunting from your foes. Instead of a miss you could be told '...is that the best you can do?' or maybe if they dodge/absorb the blow/shot.

[deadgod]

I found I "miss" less than 10% of the time with my level 6 brawling and combat blades, but I "miss" somewhere around 75% of the time with the top level sniper rifle and level 4 firearms, even at point blank... How much does "take aim/position" affect your to hit roll?

[deadgod]

Also, I only use "position" when I have full AP (11), or I'm fighting my last enemy. I always "take aim" when using any firearms...

[Cory Trese]

Combat needs lots more work.

One thing that is putting ranged combat out of balance is the lack of the "optimum range" attribute for weapons being used. I think that will help make the sniper rifles less uselss =)

[deadgod]

I don't mind being "up close and personal"... I'm trying an approach as a hacker that takes "brute force" into both the Matrix and reality... But I will enjoy my sniper on occasion when you are able to impliment that.

[Cory Trese]

Working on it. Hackers and Agents will get better and better as we have more dungeons and hidden matrix terminals you have to sneak / fight to access. Stay tuned!

[deadgod]

Wonderful, I look forward to it.. A great game that keeps getting better all the time.

[k0rd]

you know what would be cool in regards to the combat system?
i was just taking a smoke break after reading this thread. i think effective range is a great idea.
how i see this working is something like this:

your weapon would have a range stat - a combat pistol would have a smaller number whereas a sniper rifle would have a larger one. this stat is independent of the current maximum range stat (although it wouldn't make sense to have an effective range much more than half of that)

now, the weapon would be effective from the range stat(r) to an amount derived from firearms skill. like effective range(ef) = r to r+(f)irearms/(c)onstant. it would increase to-hit (and maybe damage due to accurately hitting anatomy?)

this could be denoted by a seperate color overlay on the map when you use the attack option

so if i had a pistol w a range of 5 and er of 1 and a firearms skill of 6, and our constant was three, i would be a monster with it from 1 to 3 spaces away, four and five spaces away not so much.

this same sort of dual-color could be applied to movement too, someone with high body and athletic stats could dive, roll, or push themselves at the end of their movement range (at the expense of extra AP of course) to move unto the darker green (or other color) movement squares that their skills have earned.

just a thought.

[Cory Trese]

k0rd -- I am on the same page, love the concepts you outline =)

[k0rd]

cool what a coincidence - i love the concepts that you've already implemented.
the combat system is really good. as you add mobs with different kinds of stats, it will certainly help the combat's tendency to be either too easy or too hard (although that experience might just be unique for me).

another combat related thing is line-of-fire, i'm assuming that the movement and combat might find max range using a similar or the same procedure... but a check to see if you are firing through the corner of a building would be realistic.

this will be more important with indoor combat, especially if you are trying to regroup to use a medkit and reload - or to stim up if need be

[Cory Trese]

Totally agree -- the LOS code is just harder than I thought but we need to get the movement and firing system need to use different range system. (You are right, they use the same code right now, that's bad!)

Right now the "Armor" and "Dodge" stats are too homogeneous for the monsters.

Any suggestions for "different kinds of stats" for the monsters? Ways we can use the existing system to create more varied and interesting combats?