7 réponses à ce sujet

[Elhanan]

There are pros & cons of both static and scalable encounters, and since I am Techless, was wondering if this could be made optional?

Currently, one plays a certain path for max efficiency. If that changes, one can either be overwhelmed by force, or is too overpowered to gather Kill XP. Pondering upon the nature of replay value and optional paths, was curious if some encounters could be toggled to Scale appropriately so any path could prove challenging. Not all encounters, but perhaps spawns and wandering opponents.

Thanks!

Edit: No spellcheck on titles; got it....

[Lebanese Dude]

Dragaonbone bandit spawns?

 

Honestly, I haven't ever played a game where the difficulty is consistent from start to finish. Ultimately through leveling, abilities, and crafting I feel we always reach a point where encounters become relatively trivial if they're a tank'n'spank.

 

The only case where difficulty can be increased is by adding encounter mechanics that can be frustrating in a party-based game.

 

I mean...they're already somewhat implemented in DAI especially on Nightmare. You have dragons that shock water in the fight zone, alphas and enforcers that require melee micromanagement, terror demons that require massive CC to beat at early levels etc... 

 

They could always just straight-up increase damage at the same time I suppose. 

 

I honestly get my difficulty fix at the early stages (try doing Fallow Mire torches on Nightmare + FF at level 8.. holy difficulty... ).

Late game I just look sexy  with my fabulously crafted gear and smash **** to a pulp.

[DragonKingReborn]

Optional level scaling?  I would have thought not.  Toggles tend to make the developers retreat into their happy places (or pits of despair if we're talking about writers).

 

I have noticed a strange duality with Inquisitions combat, as you have.  It is really quite hard at low character levels, then almost absurdly easy on higher levels with very little middle ground that I noticed.

 

I suppose, if as you suggested, a certain type of encounter scaled, that might not produce too many headaches for devs (although that is a totally uneducated guess) but it might also produce some really uneven gameplay experiences.  Imagine wandering around the Hinterlands with all their level 7s as a level 10 character and then encountering a battle at your level (and the reverse is true as well).  I think it might be quite jarring.

 

All in all, I think I prefer the no level scaling approach, but it would require enemies (and companions) being a lot smarter with how they fought in order to be sure and I'm just not sure how possible that is.

[Elhanan]

Optional level scaling?  I would have thought not.  Toggles tend to make the developers retreat into their happy places (or pits of despair if we're talking about writers).
 
I have noticed a strange duality with Inquisitions combat, as you have.  It is really quite hard at low character levels, then almost absurdly easy on higher levels with very little middle ground that I noticed.
 
I suppose, if as you suggested, a certain type of encounter scaled, that might not produce too many headaches for devs (although that is a totally uneducated guess) but it might also produce some really uneven gameplay experiences.  Imagine wandering around the Hinterlands with all their level 7s as a level 10 character and then encountering a battle at your level (and the reverse is true as well).  I think it might be quite jarring.
 
All in all, I think I prefer the no level scaling approach, but it would require enemies (and companions) being a lot smarter with how they fought in order to be sure and I'm just not sure how possible that is.

As the game keeps up with opponents and their strengths, as well as storyline, I was rather hoping that spawned foes could be upgraded to a relative lvl of the party. And wandering encounters could be those of the type that was the current extant group the Inquisition was facing (eg; Venatori, Red Templars, etc).

Simply seeking a way to keep replays more versatile and effective, at least past the points where one gathers up the party, or post-Skyhold.

[DragonKingReborn]

As the game keeps up with opponents and their strengths, as well as storyline, I was rather hoping that spawned foes could be upgraded to a relative lvl of the party. And wandering encounters could be those of the type that was the current extant group the Inquisition was facing (eg; Venatori, Red Templars, etc).

Simply seeking a way to keep replays more versatile and effective, at least past the points where one gathers up the party, or post-Skyhold.

 

I can definitely get behind attempts to make the game more replayable (not that I necessarily think it is lacking in that regard as it stands), I just have reservations over a dual approach to enemy level.  Consider this; you are fighting the Hinterlands Dragon (I forget it's level, lets say 10 for argument).  And you are level 20.  You destroy the dragon but every dragonling that spawns is level 20 and causing "abort mission" to become a viable option.  It would - I think - lead to a big disconnect within the game.  Of course, spawns in set encounter areas could be limited to the boss level which then wouldn't be a problem, but that simply adds another layer of restriction that would need coding.

 

If there is an example of this working well in a game I'd be very interested to learn about it, because it is a rather critical aspect of how combat in a game is designed, I would have thought.  The game that can make that dual system (both scaled & unscaled existing in harmony) work, and work well would be something worth spending some time on.

[Elhanan]

I can definitely get behind attempts to make the game more replayable (not that I necessarily think it is lacking in that regard as it stands), I just have reservations over a dual approach to enemy level.  Consider this; you are fighting the Hinterlands Dragon (I forget it's level, lets say 10 for argument).  And you are level 20.  You destroy the dragon but every dragonling that spawns is level 20 and causing "abort mission" to become a viable option.  It would - I think - lead to a big disconnect within the game.  Of course, spawns in set encounter areas could be limited to the boss level which then wouldn't be a problem, but that simply adds another layer of restriction that would need coding.
 
If there is an example of this working well in a game I'd be very interested to learn about it, because it is a rather critical aspect of how combat in a game is designed, I would have thought.  The game that can make that dual system (both scaled & unscaled existing in harmony) work, and work well would be something worth spending some time on.

Now I still have not faced all the Dragons and survived after all this time, so I know one must somewhat plan for the encounter or suffer a much greater challenge. And Dragons and their ilk would be exempt due to the scripted nature of their appearances. Plus, the Hinterlands and the Storm Coast could be exempt, as they harbor storied NPC's.

In other areas, the spawns could have the same range of current lvls recommended for that area (eg; 8-12 for four lvls), but rather than a set determination, it is based on the party lvl. Perhaps this coiuld even be tied with Difficulty? If it is possible to pre-select which type of Encounter structure before that campaign, it might also be possible to better develop the area opponents.

And I appreciate the feedback from both of you!

[Sidney]

 
I have noticed a strange duality with Inquisitions combat, as you have.  It is really quite hard at low character levels, then almost absurdly easy on higher levels with very little middle ground that I noticed.
 is.

DAI is both the best and worst of non-scaled combat. I like that there are monsters I can't handle and need to avoid. I like not seeing random bandits in glass armor (Oblivion) or back alley bandits with scattershot (DAO) but the overleveling becomes the problem.

I think there is a middle ground but the problem is you blow through that middle so fast you almost miss it. In my last 2 playthroughs I made an effort to stay properly leveled but it is almost impossible short of just flat out ignoring easy to finish quests along the way and skirting a lot of combat. Once you are overleveled the rest of the game feels way too easy because you are either at the very upper recommended level for most maps and usually 2-3 levels above it. Again, I think the problem goes back to that most woeful area the Hinterlands. It is so big and so chock full of things to do, good or not, that players can easily and rather without much effort out level the rest of the game. It is almost impossible not to outlevel the game if you take what feels like the "recommended" path of Hinterlands, Storm Coast and Fallow Mire. I think Bioware expected people to play a little bit of each map at a time and bounce around a lot more but for me at least they underestimated my dedication to finish what I started when I arrive on any given map.

[Elhanan]

DAI is both the best and worst of non-scaled combat. I like that there are monsters I can't handle and need to avoid. I like not seeing random bandits in glass armor (Oblivion) or back alley bandits with scattershot (DAO) but the overleveling becomes the problem.

I think there is a middle ground but the problem is you blow through that middle so fast you almost miss it. In my last 2 playthroughs I made an effort to stay properly leveled but it is almost impossible short of just flat out ignoring easy to finish quests along the way and skirting a lot of combat. Once you are overleveled the rest of the game feels way too easy because you are either at the very upper recommended level for most maps and usually 2-3 levels above it. Again, I think the problem goes back to that most woeful area the Hinterlands. It is so big and so chock full of things to do, good or not, that players can easily and rather without much effort out level the rest of the game. It is almost impossible not to outlevel the game if you take what feels like the "recommended" path of Hinterlands, Storm Coast and Fallow Mire. I think Bioware expected people to play a little bit of each map at a time and bounce around a lot more but for me at least they underestimated my dedication to finish what I started when I arrive on any given map.

My first Inq was fine with most areas and encounters; followed suggested paths and did not take XP bonuses until late. However, my Mage Inq selected a few XP bonuses, and encounter XP is almost non-extant now; mostly gained from quests, sealing rifts, etc. I would like this to possibly change for my future sessions if possible.

Currently, there are many ways to gather XP, but for the sake of completion and challenge, combat is better when it remains entertaining. Maybe another way to set Options could help with this.