TakeshidaSo
09-05-2001, 05:11
Articles of Petition
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1). MORALE>
Morale is increased by 2 points for each honor upgrade. MI has increased morale by 12 pts. Thats a morale increase equivalent to 6 honor upgrades, which is nearly triple that of a units base cost. This increase was to a system where 18 pts. is considered impetuous, and the range was from -4 morale for YA, to +8 morale for WM, and ND. For every 2 honor upgrades morale is raised by 4 pts., and the units cost is almost doubled (96%). Campaign costs, and base unit stats, are for H0 units. The cost of custom and online units is for an H2 unit, and so they have +4 to morale, and double the value of campaign units.
Solution:
Make the default campaign unit an H2 unit, and set the default morale in MI back 12 points.
Alternate:
Set the custom, and online default to H0, and lower MI morale settings by 8 pts.
2). F1 BUTTON>
Since custom and online units start with H2, they are supposed to have a 1 pt. increase to attack, over their base stats. It takes 1 Honor upgrade, at 40% over the units base cost, to add one pt. to attack bonus, although it cant be verified with the F1 key. With 2 Weapon upgrades, for 44% over the units base cost, two attack bonus's are shown, but none are shown for added Honor.
Solution:
Show the correct Attack bonus number.
Alternate:
Show the units morale bonus instead.
3). UPGRADES>
Since custom and online units start with H2, they already have a 1 pt. increase to defense, over their base stats. It takes 2 Honor upgrades, at 96% over the base units cost, to add one pt. to defense. Armor upgrades add 1 pt. to defense, and armor. Armor upgrades can add 3 pts. to defense, at a cost of 75% over the base, and also add 3 pts. more armor protection than was even possible in STW. Honor upgrades do not improve armor, just defense. Raised by 60%, the highest armor is now 8. Raised by 33%, the maximum defense is 9.
Solution:
Double the cost of Weapon and Armor upgrades.
Alternate:
Double the cost of Armor upgrades.
4). UNIT BALANCE>
4A). JHC(600 koku) aren't competitive with; MHC(600 koku), MLC (500 koku), WM (500 koku), JYC (475 koku), or JNC (450 koku). Compared to JYC, MHC has 2 more melee pts., 3 more armor and defense pts., and 6 more morale pts., but only costs 25% more. If JYC added 2 Weapon, one Armor, and one Honor upgrade, at their present costs, for a total of 960 koku, it still would not compete with the MHC.
Solution:
Increase JHC Honor to 8, and melee to 3. Increase JYC armor to 4. Reduce MHC melee to 3. Reduce MLC armor to 3.
Alternate:
Reduce cost of JHC to 500, increase the cost of MHC to 700, and MLC to 600.
4B). SA have 1 pt. less defense than they did in STW. The muskets value is increased because of being able to fire in the rain, and thru walls and hills. KSK can easily destroy SA and costs only 25% more. A KSK can easily destroy a NAG, or JHC; the power of this unit is not reflective of the real destructive potential of Javelin, or even pilum armed troops.
Solution:
Increase SA defense to 0. Reduce KSK armor to 4, and it's killing-power by half. Stop guns firing thru hills and in the rain.
Alternate:
Reduce cost of SA to 250, increase the cost of KSK to 450, and increase the cost of guns by 40% each.
4C). It may be that play balance, relative to Mongol vs. Hojo strength, wont be entirely solved with these few changes, even if every option were employed. It may be that modified troopstats will be needed to further even the odds.
Solution:
Allow selections of preset troopstats options for custom, online, and campaign battles.
Alternate:
Allow selections of preset troopstats options for custom, and online battles.
5). REINFORCEMENT>
They have improved this area from cycling reinforcements, to allowing reinforcements to enter the map safely. It allows for KOTH games, and the AI makes better use of reinforcements than it used to. Secondary forces should be able to be employed strategically.
Solution:
Let units be assigned as detached reinforcements, and let all secondary forces choose entry areas.
Alternate:
Allow for a "safe" reinforcement option, such as STW's approach, or a "friendly" mapside entry.
6). ROUTERS>
If a routing unit moves a set distance from enemy units, much like skirmish formation instructs missile units now, and then towards it's rout area, it attempts to retreat safely. If it cant move away from two equal distance enemy, it should move towards its rout area as it currently does.
Solution:
Instruct routing units to follow skirmisher type reactions to the proximity of enemy units.
Alternate:
Instruct routing unit that it's rout area is the nearest map edge.
7). MONGOL RESTRICTIONS>
Allowing for Mongol, and Hojo infighting, would avoid any unit imbalances that exist between the Mongols and the Japanese. This infighting occurs in the SP campaigns, because of ronin, and bribed mongol armies. This can also happen in online games, because of buggy behavior.
Solution:
Remove the restriction, and provide alternative player colors.
Alternate:
Provide alternative player colors.
Eight). COMBINED SERVER>
Combining the servers would promote the game, and its expansion. It would allow for the online community support to grow, instead of being choked to death because it's divided. New online players may find they are alone in MI's server.
Solution:
Combine the ports of the server.
Alternate:
Create a new server to let both games into a single online area.
Nine). TIMER>
The "5-min." timer is an online cheat, and is incongruous with the honor\ranking competitive data base. Why have an honor\rank data base, if you wont protect it from this cheat.
Solution:
Make it known in lobby if timer is used.
Alternate:
Require MAX. timer for the season.
Ten). RANKING>
The chaos that this games Competitive\Rank database causes, is inherent to it. No matter how good an example you set, you wont establish decent order. It doesnt help for a player's Honor to be seen. The Competitive\Rank database has caused behavioral problems over the length of a year, and it has made people stop playing the game online. That's simply counter-productive. Rank only concerns a fraction of online players. You can easily decide what someone's worth for yourself.
Solution:
Remove the Competitive\Rank database.
Alternate:
Dont show player's Honor in the lobby.
Addendum.
Unit.Chrge.Melee.Defns.Armor.Honor
---------------------------------------------
SA.......2.......0......-1.......1.......0
AC.......0......-6......-3.......1.....-5
ND.......8.......6......-2.......1.......8
WM......4.......5.......2.......1.......8
NG.......4.......0.......6.......5.......4
YS.......0.......0.......2.......2.......2
YA.......0......-1.....-1.......2......-4
CA.......3.......1.......2.......3.......0
YC.......8.......2.......3.......3.......2
HC.......5.......2.......6.......5.......4
NC.......4.......5.......2.......4.......8
MHC.....6.......4.......4.......5.......8
MLC.....4.......2.......2.......4.......4
KG.......4.......2.......4.......4.......0
KSP.....0.......0.......1.......2......-1
KSK.....0.......0.......0.......5.......0
---------------------------------------------
[This message has been edited by TakeshidaSo (edited 09-06-2001).]
---------------------------------------------
1). MORALE>
Morale is increased by 2 points for each honor upgrade. MI has increased morale by 12 pts. Thats a morale increase equivalent to 6 honor upgrades, which is nearly triple that of a units base cost. This increase was to a system where 18 pts. is considered impetuous, and the range was from -4 morale for YA, to +8 morale for WM, and ND. For every 2 honor upgrades morale is raised by 4 pts., and the units cost is almost doubled (96%). Campaign costs, and base unit stats, are for H0 units. The cost of custom and online units is for an H2 unit, and so they have +4 to morale, and double the value of campaign units.
Solution:
Make the default campaign unit an H2 unit, and set the default morale in MI back 12 points.
Alternate:
Set the custom, and online default to H0, and lower MI morale settings by 8 pts.
2). F1 BUTTON>
Since custom and online units start with H2, they are supposed to have a 1 pt. increase to attack, over their base stats. It takes 1 Honor upgrade, at 40% over the units base cost, to add one pt. to attack bonus, although it cant be verified with the F1 key. With 2 Weapon upgrades, for 44% over the units base cost, two attack bonus's are shown, but none are shown for added Honor.
Solution:
Show the correct Attack bonus number.
Alternate:
Show the units morale bonus instead.
3). UPGRADES>
Since custom and online units start with H2, they already have a 1 pt. increase to defense, over their base stats. It takes 2 Honor upgrades, at 96% over the base units cost, to add one pt. to defense. Armor upgrades add 1 pt. to defense, and armor. Armor upgrades can add 3 pts. to defense, at a cost of 75% over the base, and also add 3 pts. more armor protection than was even possible in STW. Honor upgrades do not improve armor, just defense. Raised by 60%, the highest armor is now 8. Raised by 33%, the maximum defense is 9.
Solution:
Double the cost of Weapon and Armor upgrades.
Alternate:
Double the cost of Armor upgrades.
4). UNIT BALANCE>
4A). JHC(600 koku) aren't competitive with; MHC(600 koku), MLC (500 koku), WM (500 koku), JYC (475 koku), or JNC (450 koku). Compared to JYC, MHC has 2 more melee pts., 3 more armor and defense pts., and 6 more morale pts., but only costs 25% more. If JYC added 2 Weapon, one Armor, and one Honor upgrade, at their present costs, for a total of 960 koku, it still would not compete with the MHC.
Solution:
Increase JHC Honor to 8, and melee to 3. Increase JYC armor to 4. Reduce MHC melee to 3. Reduce MLC armor to 3.
Alternate:
Reduce cost of JHC to 500, increase the cost of MHC to 700, and MLC to 600.
4B). SA have 1 pt. less defense than they did in STW. The muskets value is increased because of being able to fire in the rain, and thru walls and hills. KSK can easily destroy SA and costs only 25% more. A KSK can easily destroy a NAG, or JHC; the power of this unit is not reflective of the real destructive potential of Javelin, or even pilum armed troops.
Solution:
Increase SA defense to 0. Reduce KSK armor to 4, and it's killing-power by half. Stop guns firing thru hills and in the rain.
Alternate:
Reduce cost of SA to 250, increase the cost of KSK to 450, and increase the cost of guns by 40% each.
4C). It may be that play balance, relative to Mongol vs. Hojo strength, wont be entirely solved with these few changes, even if every option were employed. It may be that modified troopstats will be needed to further even the odds.
Solution:
Allow selections of preset troopstats options for custom, online, and campaign battles.
Alternate:
Allow selections of preset troopstats options for custom, and online battles.
5). REINFORCEMENT>
They have improved this area from cycling reinforcements, to allowing reinforcements to enter the map safely. It allows for KOTH games, and the AI makes better use of reinforcements than it used to. Secondary forces should be able to be employed strategically.
Solution:
Let units be assigned as detached reinforcements, and let all secondary forces choose entry areas.
Alternate:
Allow for a "safe" reinforcement option, such as STW's approach, or a "friendly" mapside entry.
6). ROUTERS>
If a routing unit moves a set distance from enemy units, much like skirmish formation instructs missile units now, and then towards it's rout area, it attempts to retreat safely. If it cant move away from two equal distance enemy, it should move towards its rout area as it currently does.
Solution:
Instruct routing units to follow skirmisher type reactions to the proximity of enemy units.
Alternate:
Instruct routing unit that it's rout area is the nearest map edge.
7). MONGOL RESTRICTIONS>
Allowing for Mongol, and Hojo infighting, would avoid any unit imbalances that exist between the Mongols and the Japanese. This infighting occurs in the SP campaigns, because of ronin, and bribed mongol armies. This can also happen in online games, because of buggy behavior.
Solution:
Remove the restriction, and provide alternative player colors.
Alternate:
Provide alternative player colors.
Eight). COMBINED SERVER>
Combining the servers would promote the game, and its expansion. It would allow for the online community support to grow, instead of being choked to death because it's divided. New online players may find they are alone in MI's server.
Solution:
Combine the ports of the server.
Alternate:
Create a new server to let both games into a single online area.
Nine). TIMER>
The "5-min." timer is an online cheat, and is incongruous with the honor\ranking competitive data base. Why have an honor\rank data base, if you wont protect it from this cheat.
Solution:
Make it known in lobby if timer is used.
Alternate:
Require MAX. timer for the season.
Ten). RANKING>
The chaos that this games Competitive\Rank database causes, is inherent to it. No matter how good an example you set, you wont establish decent order. It doesnt help for a player's Honor to be seen. The Competitive\Rank database has caused behavioral problems over the length of a year, and it has made people stop playing the game online. That's simply counter-productive. Rank only concerns a fraction of online players. You can easily decide what someone's worth for yourself.
Solution:
Remove the Competitive\Rank database.
Alternate:
Dont show player's Honor in the lobby.
Addendum.
Unit.Chrge.Melee.Defns.Armor.Honor
---------------------------------------------
SA.......2.......0......-1.......1.......0
AC.......0......-6......-3.......1.....-5
ND.......8.......6......-2.......1.......8
WM......4.......5.......2.......1.......8
NG.......4.......0.......6.......5.......4
YS.......0.......0.......2.......2.......2
YA.......0......-1.....-1.......2......-4
CA.......3.......1.......2.......3.......0
YC.......8.......2.......3.......3.......2
HC.......5.......2.......6.......5.......4
NC.......4.......5.......2.......4.......8
MHC.....6.......4.......4.......5.......8
MLC.....4.......2.......2.......4.......4
KG.......4.......2.......4.......4.......0
KSP.....0.......0.......1.......2......-1
KSK.....0.......0.......0.......5.......0
---------------------------------------------
[This message has been edited by TakeshidaSo (edited 09-06-2001).]