Monday 21 July 2008

Combat balancing

Due to the fact this module is a puzzle module there is very little monster slashing in it. There are a few encounters though and I wanted to make them as challenging as in the original game. Therefore I started to balance them for 1-4 players of any level. And here I am, one week later. Tired and angry and that's why there has been few updates this week. The original games combat was based on a combination of luck and game score and I thought it would be easy to implement. I was so wrong. The d20 system in NWN give so many combinations of AC, HP and AttackBonuses that making a module that will behave equal independent of how many players and their statistics that it's silly. I will have to rethink my scaling system or maybe force level 1 players of the fighter class. It doesnt really matter what class you have as in this puzzle game the character is only a pretty avatar.

Now I'll do something completly different - start to put the ceiling back in my to be home office. I want my room back now!!! *fetching the hammer and nails of nailing+2*

Here's one screen shot from our latest multiplayer test. I think it's pretty cool, even if the screen shot is low resolution.


Thanks for reading
/A

6 comments:

EC said...

Indeed, cool screenshot. I didn't know there'd be combat in the mod(besides against the thief). It's a good thing I think. Good luck with balancing. It is one of the great challenges of mod making.

Jclef said...

Yeah, combat balance is a pretty crazy thing. I DO like that screenshot - it's like you're opening the door to nothing world, like in that old movie "House".

Although, I think that was a medicine cabinet...Can't remember.

Anyways, keep hammering away - I wanna see pics of the new & improved office! ;)

Wyrin said...

if it's too tricky, then I'd not worry about it too much - people won't be playing expecting the combat. I didn't realise there'd be any

brain fart: can you make the combat abstract - i.e. provide class-based options in dialogue to use abilites to defeat the opponent? Make it a quasi final fantasy thing with attack/defend/item/magic - each option giving different results based on skills/stats/feats/etc?

Ernie Noa said...

Great screen shot. Good luck with the combat balancing.

Amraphael said...

@Thanks for the comments and support guys. I'm really tried of those few "should be simple to do" encounters, and yesterday I nearly gave up.
How strange it may sound, I believe it's easier to do usual DnD encounters than this because it can be pretty unpredictable.

@jclef, I also want to see my new improved office soon :)

@Wyrin, good idea, I've been thinking on it all morning but I think it may be too much work for three little encounters. I think I'll recommend the players to use level 1 fighters instead.

Frank Perez said...

That screenshot is as pretty as a Christmas postcard. I love the color combinations in this picture.