Level restrictions on weapons

[Evaan]

This month I've attempted to balance the weapons, currently only taken care of the Swords, Blunts and Axes. Quest items are remained untouched.

The weapons scale in usefulness and value as such:

Dull Axe / Dull Short Sword / Worn Hammer
Small Axe / Short Sword / Heavy Hammer
Axe / Scimitar / Mace
Two-Handed Axe / Long Sword / Heavy War Hammer
Battle Axe / Great Sword / Maul

Their values are 3, 15, 45, 135 and 270 (from ei. dull to battle axe).

What I hope to achieve, is to level restrict all weapons.
As with the example on the gold above, the level restrictions would be:
0, 4, 6, 8 and 10, and a minimum of level 12 on quest weapons (weapons that can't be purchased), alternatively: 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 on quest weapons (to give it a wider gap, as two levels isn't that much).

Pros:

- Basic weapons will finally be used again, either purchased or found. Thothie keeps sighing over the fact that I spend too much time on these basic weapons, as they are rarely ever used. This gives them purpose. If they weren't ever used, we could just make one basic weapon in each line, instead of filling the merchant with useless items.

- Low level players wont be leveling too fast (note - you still level fast!) by dishing out awesome power at too early levels.

- Players wont be handing out basic or quest weapons to Adventurers or <-10 players to speed up their leveling process (they can still carry them, just not attack with them).

Cons:

- High level players who already think they level too slowly, will freak out at the fact that they have to use a worn hammer to begin their training.


Hopefully few will argue against this, but please do elaborate on your opinions on the matter.

 

[J-M v2.5.5]

Bad idea, because the previous time this happened (level restrictions on the greater ice blade, novablade, etc.), tons of people got pissed off.

 

[Evaan]

Why were they pissed off?

 

[J-M v2.5.5]

...maybe because lots of people couldn't use their greater ice blades and/or novablades anymore?

 

[Evaan]

Then they probably were just considered too weak to wield them, which is exactly why this system is hopefully implemented.

Someone is always going to be mad when something is "nerfed", because they can't play gods anymore, without seeing the benefits of the nerf, or the consequence of being a god.

It's not that hard to get to level 10 to wield a more powerful weapon. I understand that a restriction of 20 or 30 can be iscouraging, but basic weapons don't go that high. It takes much less time t reach level 10 that it does to reach 30.

Keep that in mind.

 

[Jelly]

I like the idea, thus I voted for.

 

[Tull]

I voted yes, but I think the weapons need to advertise their required level before they're bought. Otherwise, new players will go "wtf I used all my savings on this longsword and I can't even use it".

 

[Evaan]

If that be the case, they can still carry it, and train Swordsmanship until they can use it. I don't see the problem, if they're going to use their savings on the sword anyways.

Regardless, it's not common that you have that much gold without being able to use the item in question, unless you've trained one o your other skills high enough and do indeed have the gold.

Gold isn't really that hard to gather if you really want something.
But again, the player can just keep the item until he can use it. Shouldn't be a problem.

We could also try to adopt the "that item would make your equipment too heavy" or "you can't get the long sword because your hands are full", when shopping, which would leave with no item and no money loss, but a warning as to why you couldn't purchase the item.

However, I would rather have people have the ability to purchase the weapon to save it for later, i.e. if they grab a short sword and a long sword and head to the Dark Caves to slay orcs, and want to avoid having to go all the way back to Edana just to use their long sword.

We're not talking restricting up to level 20 here. It's only 3 levels between each tier.

Oh, by the way, not all quest items would have requirements at 15. Some weapons have lesser editions intended for lower level players, and those will naturally have requirements based on the store bought equivialent (ie. L12 or L9).

 

[villager]

I also vote yes, I like the idea of all weapons being useful :|

 

[Matt PL]

look like from KnightOnline

 

[Red Cell]

Great idea.

 

[DarkWarrior]

I voted for cause once i was lvling my alt i got him a ice blade once he was lvl 5 in swords he can use it.There should be restrictions so lowbies don't have all the cool gear as higher lvls and u can just get a higher lvl to give ppl high weaps.

 

[CrazyMonkeyDude]

It sure helps against powerlevelling. I voted for.

 

[pimpsta]

I thought the higher levels were happy that there are restriction setup. because I have heard before. "WTF How did this low level dude get this weapon and use it", "OMG, this level 4 gal is running around thornland with a GIB".

We all can't seems to make up our mind which should be which? I think it would be best for thothie to leave it the way it is.

All weapons are useful by holding em... but not swinging em. That's useful.

 

[Evaan]

There's no harm in a low level player being in the possession of a quest weapon, as long as he can't use it until he meets the requirements.

The only consequence is that he doesn't get the joy of finding it himself.

By the way, take into account that the weapons scale in damage accordingly now, by a fixed multiplier. The difference from going from a Short Sword to a Scimitar isn't that great, it's the gap between the dull short sword and the scimitar that is.

Improving your weapon every 3rd level wont give you huge advantage, it just allows you to get that little extra amount of damage (which can be significant at, say, level 12).

 

[Lanethan]

Voted for. A great idea, imo.

 

[Gaz]

The sprite thats seen in the Inv and Shop should contain info on the weapons required level.

Example:

Hammer Pic
Blunts 6

 

[Thothie]

That's one of my worries (probably the biggest) with this system... I can't think of anyway to alert a player to the level requirement before he buys the weapon. There's no easy way to add that to the inventory menu.

I don't want newbs to be repeatedly spending cash on weapons it turns out they can't use.

 

[Glorfindel]

Yeah, I only vote yes if the player can know when he will be able to use that weapon, and also if it will weigh down his equipment too much

 

[Lanethan]

Great idea Gaz. Add it to the sprite.

 

[Thothie]

Can't just add it to the sprite, as many of the weapons now share the same sprite. We can't add sprites either as it adds to the media limit - unless someone can figure out how to get the system to work with a multi-frame sprite or tga tile instead.

 

[Gaz]

MiB, Shurik3n I choose you!

*Throws Coder ball*

Please pretty please? I will make you a weapon model in return?!?!

 

[Evaan]

Add it to the manual and just tell newcomers to RTFM?

*angel face*

How about a help sprite, as appears over Bryan's head?

That would require only one sprite.

 

[Thothie]

NOERTFM

How, praytell, would one get this sprite to appear based on what item the player was trying to buy? I mean, if there was some way to do that, I'd have the info pop up in the combat hud.

Mind you, I'm all for making a clearer teir layout, and even increasing the prices on weapons and using that as a preventive measure (as under the current gold flow, save for the rusties, they are a bit too cheap), but the level restriction thing, I don't see an easy way to alert the player to it in game, at the moment, until after they've blown their cash.

 

[scaredwolf]

I voted for Don't care, becuase, In fact I don't care if it is done, or not done.

If its done:

Give me a reason to train a bit, instead of waiting for people to run maps so I can collect rares.

If its not:

I can sit around like the bum I am and continue to slowly gather Rares.