Does disaster await if Funcom fixes the MOBs?

[______MuscularBeaver]

I'd really like you (Funcom) to fix MOBs so that they are more like players of the same level, but it occurred to me that this could have disastrous results. That's a shame, because it would make the game much more enjoyable (not to mention the fact that gameplay would make more sense).

Here's what got me thinking about this...I was wondering if it is worth getting debuff nanos like projectile magnet, etc., for use against MOBs. (My overall point is about the way MOBs work, not this particular question, but if any players out there can answer this, please do.)

If the MOBs were subject to the same rules we are, I could answer this question for myself. But there's no way for me to know if this is a waste of IP or not based on how debuff nanos affect me, because they're using them against me at different levels than I can, and the damage is calculated differently when they hit me after debuffing me than it will be when I hit them after debuffing them. Even if I could figure out the way damage is calculated against them, I don't even have a clue what their current dodge, etc., skills are so I don't know what they'd end up with after a debuff. (Also, is there even a chance of getting the debuff to work against anything except greens?)

That problem led me to following conclusion -- if you (Funcom) ever fix MOBs so that they have nanos/skills/armor/etc that more closely resembles live players of the same level, won't that totally ruin our characters (as if they're not already screwed up from previous nerfs, etc)? We mission runners spent all our IP based on what it takes to battle the MOBs with super-nanos, outrageous hitpoints, the ability to shoot while casting nanos, and other wonderfully unique skills. If they became "normal", I have no idea how I'd fight them.

I still want "normal" MOBs, so perhaps an IP reset would be in order after you fixed them.

[Thyrra]

interesting notion. i think it is a secret nerf in the works. as you pointed out, we won't know how to fight these new 'fixed' mobs. they will probably kill us using mundane attack we'll never expect.

[_______________Archu]

Mobs with less hp but normal damage would propably make life harder for any prof that can heal. I still agree that their skills should be more on normal level so debuffing would actually have any kind of effect. The mobs are also able to run through walls, roofs and <insert item here> unlike the real players.

[_______________Daeem]

My combat rehab theory (currently being reviewed by funcom i think) would have one massive adjustment to fix the npc uberness. Someday I might just post it on the boards here. Right now I'm happy with the knowledge that they are discussing it. (4 gms ingame have heard of this already.)

basically for this situation take the following theory
players use the specialty skills (burst, fast attack, dimach, etc)
NPC's dont, therefore their minimum damage output would be increased a little to give them a chance.
players heal more durring a fight.
NPC's dont (normally... i know of the buged ones)
so NPC's would have the hp of the same class 4 levels higher than they currently are. (max stats, and body dev)
players overequip armor and weapons like mad.
NPC's will always have QL weapons and armor equal to their level IF they have armor.

Of course now that all players and npc's are running under the same rules (pvp, pvm) they'll have more time adding in content and fixing bugs. It's the base of my theory.... we'll wait and see.

[Defiler]

but the problem with all of this is speed it takes to kill a mob. If i mob only has a little more life than me then i would be able to kill him real real fast! unless they cut damage down to 50% like PvP. Also that would screw over mission runners > because they would die so fast! Also how bout NPC nts? they would rock! I think there is a way to have mobs react better and such but i cant think of it... sorry to burst ur bubble but with ur way u could lvl to like 200 in 2 days...
( i hope this doesnt sound too much like a flame because its not, im just a happy blitz mission fixer who wants to be fixed b4 MOBs are fixed )

-Stimmed Out

[_________Gil-the-Arm]

players overequip armor and weapons like mad.
NPC's will always have QL weapons and armor equal to their level IF they have armor.

The entire point of this whole 'nerf the mobs' thing came up at the same time those overequipping changes took place - Honestly, as they are, I can barely kill yellow monsters with a shotgun 40 levels above me. I can just make do with one 50 levels above me. This is about a 50% skill increase, so I would be out cold when the overequipping changes take place. This is why they were originally gonna beef down the monsters.

[______MuscularBeaver]

When I say NPC MOBs should be more like normal players, I mean exactly that - I don't mean they would be restricted from having access to implants, "overequipped" armor, buffs, etc. (I put "overequipped" in quotes because I don't believe it's overequipping if you put on armor after casting a buff).

It would be fairly easy to generate MOBs this way. For example, you could create a formula that calculates the amount IP the MOB would have for its level and separate the IP into 3 chunks of decreasing size. You'd pump up the profession skills with the first chunk, weighting them according to "greenness" of the skill, and whatever formula you like, with a bit of randomness in there to mix it up. For example, an agent MOB would be weighted to put most of his/her IP into things like conceal, aimed shot, rifle, etc., but the amount of aimed shot vs. rifle might be 5% more or less depending on the random factor.

The second chunk would go to secondary skills, weighted in ways that make sense (defense skills, first aid, etc.) Then throw the last chunk at fairly random choices of skills for that profession (brawl, dimache, etc. for an agent, which is what someone might pump when they're at low levels).

Then, give the MOB a random assortment of nanos - not totally random (they would be unique to his/her profession). Then based on the existing skills plus buff nanos, equip the MOB with appropriate armor, weapons, other nanos, etc., with some random fudge factor in there to make MOBs different from each other.

I'm sure I'm forgetting some aspects of the MOB, but you get the idea. It may sound like a lot of work, but it wouldn't be -- it would be fairly tedious to code, but it would be worthwhile, IMO.

And it wouldn't have to bog down the CPU on the client or server doing all these calculations, because you don't have to generate these MOBs on the fly. You could pre-generate a few hundred MOB profiles based on the above formulas and store them at the server, then the mission code would select them randomly for outdoor encounters and missions. If they don't work well, you change some of the formulas (make some random percentages lower or higher, etc.) and generate a few hundred again and see how they are in combat.

The key is that the MOBs would be realistic representations of what a real player would be like at the same level, because all the skills, nanos, equipment, etc., are subject to the same limitations a real player would have at the same level. I know what some of you are thinking -- AI. But if an evenly matched MOB always loses because the AI stinks, then improve the AI. Duh.

[XtroXtreme]

We are supposed to be able to take 50% missions, and therefore the MOBs in those (yellow of our own lvl) should be defeatable (and I´m not talking about a 50% chance at each fight).

The MOBs should then be as good as a PC without Implants and equipment of own Lvl QL.
Hehe, I would like to fight some pistol using MOBs then, and see them do our min damage (lvl 40: 9 impact damage, 11 impact damage etc).

Would hate to meet someone using a good assault rifle though, since that can cause a lot of damage fast. Well so much for balanced weapons I guess.