Re: p9d - (Pre-Release-1) Is the game too easy now?

[Wendy]

Look, I'm the worst pilot in the history of electronic gaming. The arcade game asteroids used to kick my arse on a regular basis. I NEVER made it to the third screen. Those of you old enough to remember the game will know what I'm talking about. I think you can still find a download of old arcade games on the net somewhere.

I guess what I'm asking is, if I find the game about the right difficulty, at the normal game play settings, either I've gotten really good at it -- for me, that is -- or the game is too easy. What's the consensus?

 

[hellcatv]

I'm not sure--I'm almost thinking that with the original privateer armor values it is too easy :-/

but the values I had before (in 0.9) (which were the original values + 10 armor) seemed too hard...especially for talons...
actually gothris are way easy now...they're big, and they don't have near enough armor
before I gave them +25 armor I think--then they were tough nuts to crack...now they're walnuts and I'm a nut cracker

Oh what should we do? we do? we do?

 

[Wendy]

I'm not sure--I'm almost thinking that with the original privateer armor values it is too easy :-/

but the values I had before (in 0.9) (which were the original values + 10 armor) seemed too hard...especially for talons...
actually gothris are way easy now...they're big, and they don't have near enough armor
before I gave them +25 armor I think--then they were tough nuts to crack...now they're walnuts and I'm a nut cracker

Oh what should we do? we do? we do?

Well, considering I was talking more about how many ships attacked and how often, add ONE talon to each attack wing. Or one Gothri. The original had wings of one in the early stages of the game, then two, then three, then four and finally five ships to attack you. It wasn't until I'd reached Palan that I had to face more than five attackers at a go.

Pirates were the only characters that seemed to attack in singles, but more often than not at least in pairs.
Retros ALWAYS attacked in pairs at the very least. More often than not in threes.
Look at Dire Wolf's notes, http://adrr.com/wing/index.htm There you'll see how the attacks happened. There are about 4 or 5 pages dedicated to Priv / RF

 

[hellcatv]

but in some ways quality over quantity...wouldn't you rather face one tough baddie than 2 easy ones...

also add to that the bonus armor I'm currently giving the player (tungsten hull adds about 100 xtra) but if I reduce that...the RF scenerios become quite impossible--though I guess I could *just* improve the isometal for when the player gets there...

 

[Wendy]

but in some ways quality over quantity...wouldn't you rather face one tough baddie than 2 easy ones...

also add to that the bonus armor I'm currently giving the player (tungsten hull adds about 100 xtra) but if I reduce that...the RF scenerios become quite impossible--though I guess I could *just* improve the isometal for when the player gets there...

Hard to say.
I like how someone is always around a corner. Yes ONE tough baddie is better than two easy ones, but two or three easy ones can turn you into minced meat and always have you looking over your shoulder for where the next attack is coming from during battle.

Looking to real life
Select american pilots used to train -- maybe they still do -- at Mirimar. Top Gun as it were.
The first time american pilots went up against the soviet Mig they lost. The second time, they invariably won. It was a case of directed fire against initiative. The soviets were directed in how to fly and where to fly, much as an AI pilot is directed by a computer algorhythm. I think they still are. Initiative is what beats this combined and directed attack.

The F-14, which is probably the best air-frame in history, was both at a disadvantage in these scenarios and at an advantage. It was bigger, heavier, took more abuse and had a variable geometry wing. The Mig was small, fixed wing, fast and had fewer guns and missiles. But could get out of the way of the missiles and guns more easily. One on one, the mig really didn't stand a chance. Two on one and it was or -- could be -- a nightmare. Quality -vs.- Quantity.

Talon = Mig
Centurion = F-14 Tomcat

Two or three on one. I'd rather face ONE. BUT reality is, their ships aren't as good. They shouldn't be flying coffins, but they shouldn't be a guaranteed dead me in groups of two or three, either.