An Update and an Idea

[gamegeek2]

The update is that I am about finished with another update to 3.1, which will be an attempt to make more barbarian units playable and cut the cost and effectiveness of Cretans and Bosporans. I'm also cutting the cost of some elephant units, and making a small boost to their morale.

The idea is to make a new MP EDU, version 4.0, from scratch. I'd start with the basic EB multiplayer EDU and make a set number of changes, easy to document. The reason for this is because I've made so many changes to the EDU that I can't keep up with them at this point, and I'd like to start again with a clean slate, but with all the knowledge of what works and what doesn't that I've accumulated over a year of EDU-editing.

I want to hear what changes to the basic EB EDU you guys felt were most important and produced the most positive changes in gameplay experience. Here are some changes that I know I'll definitely include:

-Restatting and increasing the size of elite units
-Increasing the attack of all javelins in general, and particularly of javelin cavalry
-Increasing the attack of cavalry secondary weapons
-Changing the missile balance system to include an accuracy component
-Resizing of missile units to complement accuracy changes
-Increasing the size of lower-tier cavalry units
-Removal of Cantabrian Circle from horse archers
-Cavalry costing system changes (produced a general reduction in the cost of elite cavalry and light cavalry)

And some minor ones:

-Standardizing shortsword lethality and attack values
-Standardizing formation spacing of missile units
-Increased cataphract charge power
-Changing of kopides to non-AP weapons
-Elephant cost cut

Here are some new changes I propose to complement the new 'clean' EDU:

-Statting Kopides as identical to longswords, or perhaps slightly inferior and cheaper
-General -.02 to lethality for AP weapons, as non-AP weapons will lose a bunch of the boosts they have accumulated over time (for example longsword lethality has gone from .225 to .25 and shortswords from .13 to .15-.16; these will be gone so we need to compensate somewhat)
-A systematic system to determine infantry charge values, and setting them high enough so many barbarian units are playable
-A general system for determining unit sizes, one with systematic methods for dealing with peculiarities
-Making armour more expensive and attack/defense skill somewhat cheaper

Any changes not mentioned above, I intend to not include in the 'clean' EDU, including many included in 3.0. Hence, please mention anything you would like to see changed, as compared with the original EDU or the one we currently work with.

[antisocialmunky]

Yeah I think this EDU got closer to a realistic and balanced version of EB and was a joy to play test. The most important includes are:

-Stamina changes to nerf guard mode
-Horse restating so you don't take mass charge anymore
-Javelins are now freaking great
-Scary removal since its just frustrating and breaks morale and invalidates low stat units completely
-Unit size changes

So for the next edu, I'd go:
-Increase base stat of man and reduce contribution of equipment
-Figuring out the missile statting
-Screw melee lethality, set it at a constant across the board (I'd say .5) and only manipulate attack values.

[Brave Brave Sir Robin]

I think lethality is an integral part of the game and should not be standardized. Yes, it would simplify things. No, EB is not meant to be simple.

[NacroxNicke]

So, GG2, should I continue with the update to the text info cards?

[gamegeek2]

So, GG2, should I continue with the update to the text info cards?

Definitely continue as the rehash won't happen for at least a month, I don't intend to finish it until mid-May.

[antisocialmunky]

I think lethality is an integral part of the game and should not be standardized. Yes, it would simplify things. No, EB is not meant to be simple.

At this point I think it may be worth a shot and this will make things easier in the short term to only mess with a single value. We will still have 3.1.

[vartan]

How much of this is pure desire by the self and how much a genuine desire(/need?) for a new approach? We've done this twice before, remember?