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Thread: Game Balance Need Reviewing??

  1. #1

    Lightbulb Game Balance Need Reviewing??

    Now that the game has been going a while and early players are reaching possibly Lvl 10, I am wondering whether the Game Devs have got the balance of the game quite right - the capability of acquiring gold being the primary question.

    While in protection I found I constantly grappled with whether to spend gold on upgrading buildings to get stronger or to spend it on very high numbers of defence units, sacrificing research, science and higher levels of sophisticated weaponry. I split it as evenly as I could reaching level 4 in all buildings, farms and production, town hall etc., except for warehouses, which I left at Lvl 3. I traded as much as I could in the market to increase gold stocks and did well. I also searched for the Quests which paid gold, but still found I could not possibly in the time given, reach the required levels in unit training, building upgrades, sciences and research where I felt I could protect myself from a player in the higher levels.

    Basically, I consider that now the disparity in levels between players is widening as the game progresses,( i.e. we have players coming out of protection while others are already up around Lvl 9 or 10), that it is not possible for a player coming out of protection, given the time frames involved, to defend his city from being plundered by these higher level players. It is basically becoming a "walk over" for them.

    My point is that perhaps the time in protection is proving too short now and as the early starters get even higher up through the levels this is going to become even more apparent. The cities coming out of protection will have no chance at all, for example, against a level 10 player. To have the necessary resources to fuel my growth I had to sacrifice certain things which, albeit are important to protect the city's future, e.g. warehouses. I could not fit all of my resources inside the warehouse, so made myself a great target for plundering. Conversely, had I not ramped up production, I could not have built everything to optimum levels in an endeavour to make my city stronger. For example, could sacrifice production to have everything warehoused then the trade off would be less resources, fewer upgrades and lower unit numbers. However, pushing research and weaponry higher means you have to sacrifice unit numbers too.

    So the burning question remains, would it be better to have massive unit numbers at a lower level of research and weaponry with fewer upgrades but all safely warehoused - overall a generally weaker position. Even if you spend a fortune on 'speed ups', the gold will still run out, which constantly shackles the rate of growth necessary to reach this level of defence in the time given. I think this time limit needs to be reviewed, to be honest.

    I raise this question because I chose to push research and weaponry ahead, sacrificing unit numbers and warehousing - fewer archery towers, fewer units, but at a higher level with more sophisiticated weaponry, etc. As it turned out I was plundered well and good by a Level 9 player within the first hour out of protection. Although casualties were not too devastating, that is of little comfort to me now, for I now have very low reserves of resources and gold and so am struggling to recover, being even further away from defending myself against a possible subsequent high level player attack. If I were attacked again now, it would be 'requiem' for my city. I believe I balanced things pretty well, but that the time frame in protection is simply insufficient to enable a city to capably build adequate defences against higher level players in the time given - no matter how wisely you spend your gold and resources.

    I consdier that either the protection time needs to be longer, or the acquisition of gold while in protection could be more readily available, but only while in protection. No good making it available at an equal rate to players already out of protection. that would simply create the same problem.
    I can resist everything, except temptation

  2. #2

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    The problem isn't protection time, it's that there's no true level-defining system (we have prestige, and honor and neither one are indicators of anything useful). You could be under protection for a month and when you came out I would annihilate you, because I had that same month to get EVEN STRONGER than I was before with unlimited growth, while you were stuck under the limitation of a level 4 townhall and being unable to attack barbarian towns.

    That's the other problem, the difference between before barbarian and after is like night and day.

    This is me after 5 days on a new server (it had been up for 8 days total at this point):



    As you can see I ripped up to the top 10 (even though I started 3 days late), I already have level 8 tech researching, level 9 barracks, thousands of troops, level 8 townhall over a million gold, etc. Someone starting at the same time as me would have 2 days left of beginners protection, but if they used it I would destroy them when they came out if they did. And while I know the game pretty well, I'm not some super player, anyone could have done what I did. Really it's about making PvP fair for both parties by having a level system that works.
    Last edited by pokey; 06-15-2009 at 06:21 AM.

  3. #3

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    Yeh, Pokey, you have actually stated the obvious and are spot on. Don't know why that didn't occur to me. So .... in essence the restriction of Lvl 4 in protection is stupid. Why can't protection run with no Lvl restriction?? That would give players a better chance when they come out if they can get themselves to a higher level whilst in protection.

    Having said that, though, am not even sure that is a good solution, because it would basically mean that no battles would be waged at the lower levels and that seems a pity. Perhaps the Game Devs should look at a "two-tier" protection, meaning cities which come out of protection go into a second tier of protection, whereby they can wage battle, attack other players, but only up to a certain level. Likewise other players not in any protection who are above that certain level cannot attack those in the second-tier until the new city's second tier of protection expires. For example, second tier of protection could be another week in time whereby players above Lvl 6, say, cannot attack you for a week and similarly you cannot attack players above Lvl 6 whilst in 2nd tier protection. However, there could also be the flexibility of where a new city whilst in protection can choose to go above Lvl 6, and voluntarily forsake the right to any second-tier protection. In that case you could fight all levels as usual.
    I can resist everything, except temptation

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ringer View Post
    Yeh, Pokey, you have actually stated the obvious and are spot on. Don't know why that didn't occur to me. So .... in essence the restriction of Lvl 4 in protection is stupid. Why can't protection run with no Lvl restriction?? That would give players a better chance when they come out if they can get themselves to a higher level whilst in protection.
    *EDIT*

    Yes, this would be a terrible idea. Extended Beginner's Protection "indefinitely" as long as their Town Hall is Level 4 or lower doesn't do anyone any favors. But your two-tier solution doesn't sound that great either - it just complicates things and simply delays the inevitable. Eventually, the stronger, more-dedicated, more-knowledgeable and more aggressive players will win, and putting up additional BP obstacles only delays things.

    I don't want to sound unsympathetic, but there will always be good players and not-that-great ones. If you and another player started at the same time, but the other player was able to accomplish far more than you, well, then, he invested the necessary time and gained the understanding of the game to do well. He shouldn't be penalized.

    You made a few mistakes (Warehouses among them - they're worthless), but I can't really fault you because you admitted you were a brand new player. But I can fault you for suggesting that BP be extended the way you suggested.

    I'd recommend you not buy any Evony coins on your current server, and just use this round as a test case. Learn about the game, and when the next server comes online, sign up on that one as your real server.
    Last edited by EvNoob; 06-15-2009 at 06:50 PM.

  5. #5

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    Thanks for post Ev, and appreciate relevance of stronger players and not so strong being an element of talent and experience, which should not be compromised. However, have considered this and believe that the problem of restricting players to a specified Lvl in protection is a 'death trap' and needs to be removed, no matter who is better or worse at building their defences/offences.

    I think the balance of the game is going to see new players leave in droves, now that the earlier and established players are getting up into the higher levels - a problem which does not present itself at the start out of any RPG.

    I have thought more about this, following your posts and consider that four things need to be reviewed re the protection cycle, namely, ...

    1. The acquisition of gold while in protection be made more readily available, but only while in protection. No good making it available at an equal rate to players already out of protection. That would simply create the same problem.

    2. The ability to plunder and be plundered be available to players in protection. Could be available say, after Lvl 3 and up to Lvl 5, restricted to players who are in equal tier of protection, i.e. cannot attack or be attacked by players outside of own level of protection. Option: If you build above Lvl 5 in first tier of protection, then automatically move into 2nd tier protection (see Item 3 below), and forsake any remaining time in first tier protection;

    3. A second tier of protection be introduced after the first week, such as an additional week of protection, wherein a new city can attack or be attacked by players from Lvl 6 and up to Lvl 7 but no higher and only by players in 2nd tier of protection.

    4. The option to opt out of protection by building above Lvl 7 in either tier, in which case the right to either protection is forsken on entering Lvl 8.

    By doing it this way, there will be wars waged at all levels, (excepting Lvls 1 and 2) and thereby avoid the natural progression of in ernest gameplay and in ernest wars occurring in the higher Levels, only. Why? Because it gives the newcomers a chance on the battlefield. Otherwise, I reckon they will leave in droves with the 'real activity' in the game consistently confined to the top level players, excluding any real fun for new entrants. New entrants are the core to game growth.
    I can resist everything, except temptation

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