This post from SOE's forums was originally posted by "Handsnake".
I believe it gives excellent insight into not just what is broken in the new version of Galaxies, but also why:
I think that this should be here, as it bears on the subject of this forum. Please take the time to read all of the points as well as the conclusions. Keep responses civil, please.
I have tested the CU since it hit Beta and have been following the CU since publish 7. There are a number of unexpected problems with the implementation of the CU as it stands in Live (and how it developed in beta) that do not track with the available information given over the year since it was announced.
The way the current implementation of the CU is made up has several glaring variances from the previously released info - in that there was one central item that I have identified has caused the majority of the imbalances and problems encountered with the CU.
Putting a 'level' system on top of a skill based system.
This was not in the original CU documentation released on 03/31/05, and data from public statements of sources inside the CU 'sandbox' scheme (without violating NDA) have confirmed that it was never discussed with them to the degree it was implemented.
Herein I will list the worst issues reported about the CU and show that they are all tied directly to the 'level system' implementation that was added to the functional design of the CU.
1. Crafter Death - Crafters are 1 shotted by every aggro mob on every starter planet. The fragility of crafter characters at 'combat level' 1 is extreme. Surveying alone is impossible since spawns will appear under vehicles in motion and mobs will kill crafters in less than 2 seconds. The ability to at least run away has been removed - this makes crafters unable to function at a basic level.
The 'level' system has a damage multiplier. You will see this in further points. This damage multiplier makes anything higher level than you equivalent to instant death. Five levels above you will always kill you. Again, this point will be repeated. Since crafters will not have any combat rating unless they become a hybrid and drop pure crafting, they will always take max damage.
Furthermore, every animal will use the damage multiplier against a base value. There is no such thing, therefore, as a 'safe' enemy for crafters.
This is the result of the 'level' system. Before, each mob had different resists and damage ranges. They had a "threat" level, which was based on how high their offensive and defensive values were. Under the old system, that was the basis of the/con result. This threat level has NO relationship to the current 'combat level' system, no matter what the devs claim in the HOC chat. The threat level was an EVALUATION of an existing mob.
A 'combat level' is a MODIFICATION of a base value mob "angry bag" put into whatever 'skin' is appropriate, i.e, a level 34 dune lizard is the same as a level 34 peko peko.
The new COMBAT LEVEL defines the offensive and defensive values - not the other way around. This is an important distinction, and is critical to understanding the conclusion about the combat level system and why it was added to the CU at such a late date.
2. XP gains and lack of same: A significant number of people are finding odd results from attacking mobs slightly below their level and higher - as in getting little to no XP. The response of the devs is to have people focus on just fighting even leveled mobs.
The real question is: Why was the XP variance put in the CU in the first place? XP gains or rates of gains was NEVER addressed as a concern in the Combat Upgrade. It did not affect combat in any way, shape, or form in PVP, nor were there "problems" about the flavor of combat that were caused by XP being gained by anything you defeated.
It was never an issue at all.
However, in 'level' based systems, the paradigm is that LEVEL DETERMINES
ORIGINALLY POSTED BY "AschMhaRhee" ON APRIL 5th (note that the font in game has actually been changed so they at least fixed one thing she asked for)
I would like to preface this post with some of my real life professional credits so that you don't think that i'm approaching this from a smack talking 15 year old script kiddie perspective. I have been and in many cases still am a:
New Icons: We did not ask for our beautiful realistic game to be turned into the "My Little Pony - Disco Edition". This is one of several show stoppers for me. Not only did you put these new icons in a game where they have no business being (they are 100% genre-inappropriate not to mention unclear and distracting).. but you force us to rely on staring at them to function. Why are you punishing us? I would have fired you if you were on my staff.
SOLUTION: Here's a thought.. put the old icons.. no wait.. the whole old interface back in so we can test COMBAT. that's what we're supposed to be testing, right? Isnt' this the Combat Upgrade? If you insist that we need these new animated icons.. please take the old icons and give them a color treated state instead of these new noisy ones. This could be simply accomplished by adding a sharp contrasting color to the outer rim of the icon while it is in state and a fade of a lighter color to indicate the timer... but the timers on the icons are a bad idea anyway... see the section on the combat que for more.
New Font: This bulky crowded font is ruining the immersion of the game and it is very hard to read around. With this new font, I can't read spatial bubbles or other items in the game that are necessary to be legible in order to play effectively. The old font was perfectly chosen by someone who understood UI Design and usability.
SOLUTION: Put the old font back.. no wait.. put the whole old interface back so we can test COMBAT.
New HAM system/look: I've died now several times because there is no contrast on the ham bar when i'm losing health. The old ham bar is much better as even peripheral vision the stark white indicating damage gives some sort of cue that something is amiss. The eye catching white bit allows me to focus on what's happening in the middle of my screen and only when the sharp contrast of the white showing catches my eye do I need to stop looking at the breathtaking action/scenery and look at the interface. (this is what a good UI designer strives for, btw: an interface that is unnoticed except when needed). Also, If I were even slightly visually impaired , I can imagine that I would likely find the lack of contrast to be unplayable. If you are color blind (1 in 5 men in the world are btw) and you can not see the color red.. you can not see 2 colors of red... you only see whatever color it appears as to you and that is generally seen as a single color unless there is some serious contrast. The contrast is really really important. That's why Stop Signs are Red and White.. if they were Red and Red half the population wouldnt be able to read them.
SOLUTION: Put the old one back.. are you sensing a pattern here? I am.
Lack of Combat Que: Ok so i'm not sure who said we didnt want a combat que anymore but here's my experience with the new game. This actually sums up my entire combat experience wi
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This post from SOE's forums was originally posted by "Handsnake".
/con result.
I believe it gives excellent insight into not just what is broken in the new version of Galaxies, but also why:
I think that this should be here, as it bears on the subject of this forum.
Please take the time to read all of the points as well as the conclusions. Keep responses civil, please.
I have tested the CU since it hit Beta and have been following the CU since publish 7.
There are a number of unexpected problems with the implementation of the CU as it stands in Live (and how it developed in beta) that do not track with the available information given over the year since it was announced.
The way the current implementation of the CU is made up has several glaring variances from the previously released info - in that there was one central item that I have identified has caused the majority of the imbalances and problems encountered with the CU.
Putting a 'level' system on top of a skill based system.
This was not in the original CU documentation released on 03/31/05, and data from public statements of sources inside the CU 'sandbox' scheme (without violating NDA) have confirmed that it was never discussed with them to the degree it was implemented.
Herein I will list the worst issues reported about the CU and show that they are all tied directly to the 'level system' implementation that was added to the functional design of the CU.
1. Crafter Death - Crafters are 1 shotted by every aggro mob on every starter planet. The fragility of crafter characters at 'combat level' 1 is extreme. Surveying alone is impossible since spawns will appear under vehicles in motion and mobs will kill crafters in less than 2 seconds.
The ability to at least run away has been removed - this makes crafters unable to function at a basic level.
The 'level' system has a damage multiplier. You will see this in further points. This damage multiplier makes anything higher level than you equivalent to instant death. Five levels above you will always kill you. Again, this point will be repeated.
Since crafters will not have any combat rating unless they become a hybrid and drop pure crafting, they will always take max damage.
Furthermore, every animal will use the damage multiplier against a base value. There is no such thing, therefore, as a 'safe' enemy for crafters.
This is the result of the 'level' system.
Before, each mob had different resists and damage ranges. They had a "threat" level, which was based on how high their offensive and defensive values were. Under the old system, that was the basis of the
This threat level has NO relationship to the current 'combat level' system, no matter what the devs claim in the HOC chat.
The threat level was an EVALUATION of an existing mob.
A 'combat level' is a MODIFICATION of a base value mob "angry bag" put into whatever 'skin' is appropriate, i.e, a level 34 dune lizard is the same as a level 34 peko peko.
The new COMBAT LEVEL defines the offensive and defensive values - not the other way around.
This is an important distinction, and is critical to understanding the conclusion about the combat level system and why it was added to the CU at such a late date.
2. XP gains and lack of same: A significant number of people are finding odd results from attacking mobs slightly below their level and higher - as in getting little to no XP. The response of the devs is to have people focus on just fighting even leveled mobs.
The real question is: Why was the XP variance put in the CU in the first place?
XP gains or rates of gains was NEVER addressed as a concern in the Combat Upgrade. It did not affect combat in any way, shape, or form in PVP, nor were there "problems" about the flavor of combat that were caused by XP being gained by anything you defeated.
It was never an issue at all.
However, in 'level' based systems, the paradigm is that LEVEL DETERMINES
ORIGINALLY POSTED BY "AschMhaRhee" ON APRIL 5th (note that the font in game has actually been changed so they at least fixed one thing she asked for)
I would like to preface this post with some of my real life professional credits so that you don't think that i'm approaching this from a smack talking 15 year old script kiddie perspective. I have been and in many cases still am a:
-Senior Graphic Designer
-Brand/Continuity Designer/Director
-UI Designer
-Information Architect
-Senior Game Tester/Game Team Director
-Game Designer/Developer/Programmer
-Game Content Designer/Director
-Content Manager/Director
-Technical Support Staff/Director
-Customer Service Staff/Director
-Technical Writer/Documentation Specialist/Senior Editor
So, that being said....
High Points:
... TBD
Low Points:
New Icons: We did not ask for our beautiful realistic game to be turned into the "My Little Pony - Disco Edition". This is one of several show stoppers for me. Not only did you put these new icons in a game where they have no business being (they are 100% genre-inappropriate not to mention unclear and distracting).. but you force us to rely on staring at them to function. Why are you punishing us? I would have fired you if you were on my staff. SOLUTION: Here's a thought.. put the old icons.. no wait.. the whole old interface back in so we can test COMBAT. that's what we're supposed to be testing, right? Isnt' this the Combat Upgrade? If you insist that we need these new animated icons.. please take the old icons and give them a color treated state instead of these new noisy ones. This could be simply accomplished by adding a sharp contrasting color to the outer rim of the icon while it is in state and a fade of a lighter color to indicate the timer... but the timers on the icons are a bad idea anyway... see the section on the combat que for more.
New Font: This bulky crowded font is ruining the immersion of the game and it is very hard to read around. With this new font, I can't read spatial bubbles or other items in the game that are necessary to be legible in order to play effectively. The old font was perfectly chosen by someone who understood UI Design and usability. SOLUTION: Put the old font back.. no wait.. put the whole old interface back so we can test COMBAT.
New HAM system/look: I've died now several times because there is no contrast on the ham bar when i'm losing health. The old ham bar is much better as even peripheral vision the stark white indicating damage gives some sort of cue that something is amiss. The eye catching white bit allows me to focus on what's happening in the middle of my screen and only when the sharp contrast of the white showing catches my eye do I need to stop looking at the breathtaking action/scenery and look at the interface. (this is what a good UI designer strives for, btw: an interface that is unnoticed except when needed). Also, If I were even slightly visually impaired , I can imagine that I would likely find the lack of contrast to be unplayable. If you are color blind (1 in 5 men in the world are btw) and you can not see the color red.. you can not see 2 colors of red... you only see whatever color it appears as to you and that is generally seen as a single color unless there is some serious contrast. The contrast is really really important. That's why Stop Signs are Red and White.. if they were Red and Red half the population wouldnt be able to read them. SOLUTION: Put the old one back.. are you sensing a pattern here? I am.
Lack of Combat Que: Ok so i'm not sure who said we didnt want a combat que anymore but here's my experience with the new game. This actually sums up my entire combat experience wi