207H:
- Fixed Tarydium mission not finishing when health reaches 0
- Fixed Genome Project mission looping "Time Up!" if mission is unticked and timer reaches 0.
- Fixed vehicles and turrets not ticking missions. Now works with solo missions and team missions. However, the HUD will be "frozen" while sitting in turret/vehicle. I still have to fix this.
- Fixed team missions not properly resetting when handler was in turret/vehicle.
- Loot Modifier is now 1 - 4 instead of 5 - 10.
- Tech monsters no longer attack balloons.
- Defense sentinels no longer heal rings, nodes, tarydium crystals or balloons from team missions.
- Fixed an issue with Pyromancer and Frostmancer missions where Mission 3 slot would tick Mission 2 slot.
- Increased damage bonus on turret linking (after previously decreasing it) to observe turret linking XP.
- Added in a condition to turn off solo missions if nothing is going on, hopefully to help fix those weird instances where the mission ticks beyond the mission goal.
- Forfeit command now also acts like a reset command, so a mission does not have to be active anymore for the command to activate. In case of weird glitches where a hard mission reset is needed.

- 2 new solo missions: Krall Hunt and Halt!
* Krall Hunt - Kill Kralls of any type
* Halt! - Survive while you're frozen(nulled)!

- Log clean ups - Fixed Access Nones and warning logs for:
- Necro Ghosts
- Fire Queen
- Magic Shield
- Tech Titan
- Cosmic Nali
- Shock Rifle Black Hole Combo
- Tarydium Crystal HP for DruidsRPGKeysInteraction
- Ice & Fire Warlord rocket
- Poltergeist
- Plasma Grenade Projectile
- Necro Ghost Illusion Clone

hollon wrote:
nemesis_- wrote:
working on the server on christmas.. boy do you love this server
Not even my mom's funeral will keep me away.












Too far?

nah, seen worse

I'm going to start work on niches. I'll continue to fix up solo and team missions along the way.

I'll start with WM niches. Here's what I have so far as a result of some brainstorming:
Tank:
- Power Tank: 150% DB; an even slower fire rate
- Heavy Tank: 50% DR; an even slower movement
Berserker:
- Flak Monkey: Infinite, fast-firing Flak Cannon. Shorter life-span. Flak only?
- Melee - Shield Gun only, moved from ClassicRPG class
- Bio Berserk - modified Bio Rifle with faster goop loading. Bio only?
Sniper
- Rail Gunner
- Marksman.. each consecutive hit adds more damage?
- Chain Sniper - chains nearby targets for damage, much like the chain lightning artifact.
Proficiency
- Weapon selector.. can only pick 1 weapon and the rest will be removed? Higher proficiency rate with selected weapon.
- Weapon Upgrades - Taken from ClassicRPG class
- Expert - double the rate of kills for proficiency bonus
- Unlimited - unlimited proficiency increase, higher resupply
Extreme WM
- Maxed: Loaded weapons 6 - all maxed modifiers
- Bloodlust: higher levels of vampire and vampire surge

This list is bound to change. My goal is to keep niches balanced by having niches specialize in one area and lose a skill in another.

With WM changes, I'm also going to be restructuring the Classic RPG class. I'll be removing the melee subclass and adding it as a niche for Berserkers on WM. I'll also be removing the weapon upgrades from CRPG and adding it as a feature for weapons proficiency(or maybe even regular WM, we'll see). I'll probably disband the subclasses for Classic RPG but keep the abilities in the Core Classic subclass that enhances core stats - HP, adren, DB, and DR. So now CRPG will be very vanilla, but that's how classic RPG played before DruidsRPG. It'll still be a fun and playable "classless" class.

Please feel free to provide input.

On the topic of Niches, my guess would be the idea is to have different variants of a subclass that the player can easily switch between?
Presumably if the niches were radically different they would need to be subclasses, as other ability max levels would need to change.
So for example on Tank, it is just configuring how much of a tank, rather than changing what abilities are available.

So. my first thought is how the user will select what niche they are? (It may be you mentioned it somewhere and I missed that post)
Will it be a third level on the RPG ability selection window, where for a WM with subclass Extreme WM, you have the niche options none/Maxed/Bloodlust?
The selection of the niche will then presumably be added as an extra ability that increases damage or adds an inventory item etc. as required.
This should work.

If you wanted to implement not using a third level selection, since these niches will be implemented as abilities, why not
- give people the option to sell individual abilities they have - so have a Sell as well as Max/Info/Buy buttons (will need to cause a reconnect)
- add the niches as mutually exclusive abilities. So when you have finished playing one niche, sell it and buy another one

An alternative implementation would be to flag some abilities as niche abilities, and give people 15 niche levels to spend on whichever niche ability they want.
So one person could max out on DB, whereas someone else could max out on DR or more vampire, and someone else would put a bit on each, all within the subclass.
And have a single button to sell all niche abilities.

However, as with all these things, trying to keep it balanced is really difficult.

Correct, niches are meant to provide players with more gameplay variation. They will still fall under a subclass, so the general rules that apply to a subclass (higher offense, defense, support, etc.) should still apply to the niche. The niche just tweaks how the rule is applied.

I'm still figuring out the extent of niches. On one end, we can simply adjust the max ability levels in a niche. On the other end, we can make something completely new for niches. This is going to be different for classes just because of how the classes operate. For example, the nature of WMs doesn't allow much room for niche creativity. WM subclasses change the damage distribution. Therefore, the only thing that is feasible for WM niches, if we don't want to break the subclass, is to further morph the damage distribution. That would entail simply adjusting the max ability levels for niches- so Tank and EWM as described above. All they do is tweak ability levels. Berserker, on the other end, gives players new abilities that would modify weapons- Flak/Shield/Bio. It still fits the Berserker subclass since these weapons are effective short-range, but these niches go beyond "simply" tweaking max ability levels. And then we have Engineers and Medics where there's even more room for creative freedom. We're not limited to damage output, but to different types of pets/constructions, methods of healing, etc.

Ideally, I don't want to go the route of simply tweaking max ability levels and labeling it a niche. The short answer is just that it's not fun. Nonetheless, the attributes that apply to the subclass should apply to the niche. So, my end goal is to make niches interesting enough. Brainstorming these with the added subclass constraint is the first hurdle. There is a prototype of niches on the server for medics that you can try. As an example, Healers can choose between "Guardian" and "Mass Healer" niches. Guardian effectively heals one player while Mass Healer efficiently heals multiple players. Both relate to the Healer subclass but are different and interesting enough on their own. I don't think these niches break the balance too much. I could have gone the simple, tweaking route for Healers, like higher regen & less XP Healing or lower regen & higher XP Healing... but I didn't.

How players get niches- The ideal approach would be a "buy niche" button like for subclasses. It'll be intuitive for those players. Right now, I have the medic niches as mutually exclusive abilities that are purchasable once players reach the niche level because it was much easier for me to do. This will be the second hurdle, if I want to attempt the "buy niche" button.

Initially, its the implementation aspects that interest me - rather than the exact niches.
One of the biggest headaches in configuring/balancing is setting the max levels for each of the 70+ abilities for each subclass. It would be nice if we didn't have to independenty set the max levels for the niches - if you are then they might as well be subclasses.
So that would leave us with niches having the same main ability limits, but selecting from a number of additional exclusive abilities. Like your Guardian and MassHeal share the same max ability levels as the Healer SubClass, but have an additional ability to provide the twist.

However for engineers and monster masters, you may want a different list of constructions/pets to summon. This could be configured in the ini, but would be easiest to just include additional items rather than completely replace the existing list. In that case, I am not sure how you have a niche with less items?

A separate question - why don't you let the main classes select the hybrid subclasses? E.g. why can't an Engineer select the Medic-Engineer Hybrid?

Summoner niches right now are configured as separate loaded monster lists, one for a fire monsters niche and another for an ice monster niche. We could do something similar for engineers and AM too, and that would allow us a loaded list with less items on a niche if we wanted. The drawback to creating exclusive lists and abilities, is that when a player purchases a subclass, they'll see these niche-specific lists and abilities as well. That creates clutter in the ability list- but that could be resolved if we make niches similar to how subclasses only show abilities that are relative. But then again, players won't be spending the majority of their time in the RPG menu anyway, maybe unless they're new or dead. Still weighing the cost-benefits to the implementation here.

For hybrids, we thought they best fit as subclasses for generals. It wouldn't be fair for, say, one player to start off as an engineer and do an ENG/AM hybrid and for another player to start off as AM and do what should be the same ENG/AM hybrid. AM is much harder to play than ENG, supposedly. Since generals already get ~25% of all classes, they can subclass into a hybrid and do ~50% of two classes. The progression makes sense.

Ok, after some thought and testing early phase stuff, I think I have a template down for niche implementation.

I like consistency. When working on the WM niches, some niches called for altering the base subclass abilities while others were new abilities. That meant, for some niches, the base subclass abilities could not be bought while for others, they could be. Summoner niches, for example, have loaded ice/fire monsters as niches. You can get these loadouts, but the regular loaded monsters were precluded. This is not consistent.

Here's how it will work:
- When you buy a subclass, you will be able to buy all the subclass abilities as you do now.
- Then when you reach the niche levels, you can only buy one niche. All subclass abilities will continue to be available, and no niche will preclude subclass abilities.

So now, some changes to the WM niches:
Tank:
- Heavy Tank: Extra DB, jumping and dodging reduced.
- Giant Tank: Extra DB, collision and drawscale increased(making you a bigger target).
- Reckless: Extra DR except for self damage, higher self-damage.
- WM > Tank > Increased Damage & Increased Protection > Heavy Tank OR Giant Tank OR Reckless Tank
Berserker:
- Nimble - lower max HP, faster dodging speed
- Melee - Shield Gun only
- WM > Berserker > Berserker Damage > Nimble OR Melee
Sniper:
- Assassin: Extra damage to targets that are marked with assassin artifact; reduced damage to non-targets. Focuses on single target.
- Rooted: extra damage when crouching and/or standing still.
- WM > Sniper > Distal Damage > Assassin OR Rooted
Weapons Proficiency:
- Specialist - Use an artifact to select one weapon. Extra starting damage with this weapon. Reduced damage with all other weapons. Focuses on single weapon usage.
- Gunsmith- If x kills are made with a weapon, "unlock" the weapon upgrade. Allows for Multi weapon use.
- WM > Weapons Proficiency > Proficiency > Specialist OR Gunsmith
Extreme WM
- Bloodlust: vampire surge(+50 beyond max HP?), lower DR.
- Berserk: weapon speed and/or damage increases, but damage done reduces adrenaline (draining).
- Rage: Lower HP, Higher damage.
- WM > Extreme WM > Loaded Weapons 6 > Bloodlust OR Berserk OR Rage

The subclass abilities remain intact. No touching, modifying or precluding. Niches are brand new abilities. This makes it easier on me as a developer, but also intuitive for the user- no one will have to guess what niche precludes what ability. So from that list, the general structure is Class > Subclass > All Abilities & All Subclass Abilities > Niche 1 or Niche 2

This means I'll probably be changing the Summoner niche.. I've had an inkling too that the fire and ice pets were imbalanced.

207I:

- WM Niches
- Available at level 180
Tank:
- Heavy: extra DB; no jumping
- Giant: extra DB; collision and drawscale increased
- Reckless: extra DR except for self damage; higher self damage
Berserker:
- Nimble - faster dodging speed; lower max HP
- Melee - extra damage with shield gun; reduced damage with all other weapons
Sniper
- Assassin: extra damage to targets that are marked with assassin artifact; reduced damage to non-targets
- Rooted: extra damage when crouching or remaining stationary
Proficiency
- Specialist - extra starting damage with selected weapon; lower adren max
- Duality - select two weapons. Kills with either weapon adds to proficiency for both weapons; no proficiency bonus on other weapons, and lower DR
Extreme WM
- Bloodlust: vampire surge upon killing a target; lower DR
- Primal: increased weapon speed; lower max adrenaline
- Vengeance: higher DB the lower the HP; lower max HP

- Classic RPG subclasses disbanded; moved enhanced weapon speed, health, and adren abilities from core classic subclass to regular class ability. Weapon upgrade abilities removed
- Reduced niche level requirement from 200 to 180. 90 subclass, another 90 for niche
- Added Shock Proj and Shock Combo to increased damage on Sniper subclass
- Increased the maximum damage on Rail Gun from 80 to 150
- Resupply lowered from 6 to 4 for weapons proficiency

New team mission: Musical weapons
- Make kills with the appropriate weapon. The selected weapon will change from time to time.

- Solo missions completed now saves when dying. So throughout a map, you will play a solo mission only once, even after dying and respawning.
- Lowered goals on Skaarj and Krall Hunt
- Tech monsters no longer do extra damage to tarydium crystal

Some attempts to help lower the visual effect load:
- Reduced visual effects on tech web projectiles, and decreased the time they remain active before exploding
- Lowered the number of clones on the illusion ghost from 3 to 2, and reduced the damage from 20 to 10 for killing a clone
- Decreased the lifespan on the Stinger Turret shard

- Players in turrets/vehicles should now receive BONUS letters as they are picked up by other players rather than having to exit turret/vehicle for the letter to appear on screen
- Reduced the max level on Lucky Strike from 10 to 7
- Decreased damage on the red Rage Bunny and lightning Bunny on Bonus wave 17, and also slightly decreased the amount of XP gem drops on some of the bunnies
- Removed gold gem drops from loot modifier
- Slightly decreased the chance of drops from Loot modifier
- Fixed lightning effect on Shock Trap and Lightning Bunny
- F12 menu updated for Krall Hunt, Loot modifier, and Exit Mission keybind commands, and WM niches

It's just come to my attention that some HUD items for missions are misaligned for several players. Ooooppps. Text should not be in random parts of your screen or overlapping other items. Solo missions should be under the timer on the left, team missions should be directly under adrenaline on the right, and reward XP should be just to the right of the artifact icon between the mission name and its description. I will put in a fix for this asap.

Meanwhile, 207J:
- Decreased sniper weapon speed bonus from 5% per level to 3% per level
- Increased the range on the Assassin artifact for the Assassin niche
- Fixed an issue where ghosting with the Nimble and Vengeance niche decreased your max health each time
- Fixed an issue where ghosting with the Specialist and Primal niche decreased your max adrenaline each time
- Players with the Rooted niche will now do less damage with sniper-type weapons if they are not stationary or crouching - as they should be with this niche
- Fixed an issue where the team mission would not end/reset for a person that ghosted while the team mission finished/timed up
- Solo missions completed should now replicate and carry with you if you die and respawn - so can only complete one unique mission a map