Level shifted enemies
By
Android_5Point9,
Posted on: 2012-03-08 04:50 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
It's pretty much just easier. I don't know if it's "possible" (in the same vein that power customization was impossible) to expand the level cap beyond 54. For players, it's obvious: you need new powers, slots, enhancements, recipes, content, etc. For enemies, it's probably easier to just apply a level shift. Same for players. Combat level is different and far simpler than security/threat level. The devs have avoided tampering with legacy systems a lot since changing them affects so many aspects of the game (see: adding 3 extra slots on beta breaking tons of stuff).
I'm also guessing that they'll continue with alternative progression (more incarnate slots and abilities) and allow us to apply level shifts to non-incarnate enemies via the Fateweavers/Field Analysts for added challenge and rewards. Maybe one day we'll get a proper revamp, but it requires a lot of thorough testing and is more suited to a full-on systems overall than just minor concerns.
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It doesn't look like like it's possible, they didn't set up the game to handle bigger numbers than that. That's why WE get level shifts instead of level 53 characters.
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Originally Posted by Android_5Point9
I don't know if it's "possible" (in the same vein that power customization was impossible) to expand the level cap beyond 54.
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Originally Posted by Shubbie
Im very good at taking a problem and making it worse.
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There is quite a bit of difference between a 50 (+4) critter and a level 54 critter.
A level 54 boss has 2,729 hit points and a Scale 1.0 Smashing attack against a level 50 player will do 589.62 damage (409.46 * 1.44 due to combat modifiers).
A level 50 (+4) boss has 2,570 hit points and a Scale 1.0 Smashing attack against a level 50 player will do 555.15 damage (385.52 * 1.44 due to combat modifiers).
Level shifts only affect combat modifiers (the bonuses from being +/- the target's level). The base stats of the critter are dictated by its inherent level.
Also, the tables that the game looks up said stats in only go from level 1 to 55 for critters, and level 1 to 50 for players. This could probably be extended, but would likely require code changes and extensive testing to make sure it didn't break anything. It's a lot simpler to just give a critter a level shift.
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This. This is the primary reason.|
Originally Posted by Codewalker
Also, the tables that the game looks up said stats in only go from level 1 to 55. This could probably be extended, but would likely require code changes and extensive testing to make sure it didn't break anything. It's a lot simpler to just give a critter a level shift.
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They would also need to make sure the appropriate critters were defined to exist in those level ranges. Right now, there's no such thing as a level 55 IDF, and even if they created tables for level 55 attributes, they would need to define that IDF went to level 55, or whatever maximum level.
Given the tech for level shifts, it's easier to reuse.
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American Steele: 50 BS/Inv
Nightfall: 50 DDD
Sable Slayer: 50 DM/Rgn
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Final Rest: 50 MA/Rgn
Abyssal Frost: 50 Ice/Dark
Golden Ember: 50 SM/FA
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The tables actually already exist for level 55, you can see some on paragon wiki. A hypothetical level 55 boss would have 2770.10 HP. But you're right in that no critters exist that are defined for level 55. I'm not really sure why, they just don't use it.|
Originally Posted by UberGuy
This. This is the primary reason.
They would also need to make sure the appropriate critters were defined to exist in those level ranges. Right now, there's no such thing as a level 55 IDF, and even if they created tables for level 55 attributes, they would need to define that IDF went to level 55, or whatever maximum level. Given the tech for level shifts, it's easier to reuse. |
Level 56 on the other hand literally does not exist. Trying to spawn a level 56 enemy could do anything from simply fail to crashing the server.
It's possible that the consequences of doing that are either dire enough or unknown enough that setting up even a level 55 critter was deemed too high a risk. I could see something like the random +1 spawns that sometimes show up in missions unexpectedly trying to create a level 56 critter and causing Bad Things(TM).
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I think you pretty much answered your own question here. |
Originally Posted by firespray
Or is it just that it was easier to use the level shift code than have to write new code to deal with enemies that were higher than level 54, which have never existed before.
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Why are the enemies in the incarnate trials level shifted? I understand why they've put higher level enemies in, that's not my question. My question is why use level shifts rather than just make them higher level? So why have 54+3 enemies in Dilemma Diabolique rather than just having level 57 enemies? Is there actually a difference as far as the enemy is concerned between 54+3 and 57? I know there is for a player (inf rewards are different, sidekicking is different, and presumably if you were actually level 53 instead of 50+3 you'd have more power choices and more slots), but none of those apply to enemies. Or is it just that it was easier to use the level shift code than have to write new code to deal with enemies that were higher than level 54, which have never existed before.