Posted November 4th, 2009 by B. de la Durantaye
Ever wonder how the numbers in Champions Online work? Or have you figured it out, and wondered why they are set the way they are? This week, Champions Online Systems Designer, Brian Urbanek explains how energy equates into damage, and how balancing these numbers is just as much art as it is math. Urbanek reveals how the systems were worked out and the reasoning behind the choices.
Generating baselines is half art, and half science. The "art" part comes from figuring out what kind of game you want to make. Different genres and play styles lend themselves towards different target ideals of "good balance," and hence valid baselines. A game that's supposed to simulate a gritty, street level police drama, where a gunshot is extremely dangerous, requires very different assumptions (and different math and systems) than a game that's about super heroic action.
Read the full first part of this exclusive Dev Diary only at Ten Ton Hammer.
Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 by Asherett
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Originally Posted by sgtsubterfuge
I am a bit confused on the equation. In excel =POWER(<base value>+<base increment>*<number of incremental steps>*(1+<inflation rate>),<number of incremental steps>) yields some pretty funky results which don't match the examples you gave in the Diary. Maybe you are trying to not divulge the entire formula exactly for proprietary reasons... But if you aren't trying to do that then can you clear that for... |
Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 by Kralle
Me likes big big numbers thingie, makes guud clomp with dat big numbers.
Numbers tasty, me likes.
wait, what ?
Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 by sgtsubterfuge
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Originally Posted by Asherett
You've misread the formula.
It's <base value> + <base increment> * <number of increment steps> * (1 + <inflation rate>) ^ <number of increment steps>. With your annotation it should be =<base value> + <base increment> * <number of increment steps> * (POWER(1 + <inflation rate>), <number of increment steps>). |
Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 by sgtsubterfuge
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Originally Posted by sgtsubterfuge
Ok, I'll try that. Thanks! Were you able to pick up on any of the variables he listed?
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Formula and numbers
Posted Wednesday, November 4, 2009 by sgtsubterfuge
View in Forums »
I am a bit confused on the equation. In excel =POWER(<base value>+<base increment>*<number of incremental steps>*(1+<inflation rate>),<number of incremental steps>) yields some pretty funky results which don't match the examples you gave in the Diary. Maybe you are trying to not divulge the entire formula exactly for proprietary reasons... But if you aren't trying to do that then can you clear that formula up with some real numbers and examples please? For instance what numbers are you usi...