Phase 3 Balancing issues/changes

Thank you so much for these fixes.
I think the terrain is quite sparse now but that will allow for more player interaction and less dodging terrain.
I’m excited to try it all out.

Hi @Arne, I assume the player portal has not been updated yet?

Not yet, keep an eye on the portal though, It will be there during the course of the day

1 Like

Thanks @Arne !

Will there possibly be an announcement here as well?

Hi, thanks for all the work on the new release! I’ve been playing around with the new map generation for the past day or two and I’m really glad that the gigantic blobs of walls and mud have been removed, but I personally think the new maps might have gotten a bit too sparse. I think this is mainly due to the new code that ensures that there is always a path through which to navigate - I’ve found that it often leads to long-ish stretches with nearly nothing on the map with the new damage mechanic also playing a much smaller role - this leads to rather simple navigation which I personally find a bit disappointing. Also, I think there might be a possibility that the code that that makes sure that there is always a navigable path might be biased toward the left side of the map - you can see this if you crank up the mud or wall generation percentage up really high.

This is an example of one the matches with the new map generation (three consecutive rounds, seed 52658):

[░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░]
[░░░∱░░░░░░░░░░░T░░░░░░░░░░]
[░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░]
[░░░░░░░░»▓░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░]

[░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░]
[░░░░░░T░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░]
[░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░∱░░░░░]
[▓░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░]

[░░░░░░░░░░░░░▓░░░░▓░░░░░░░]
[░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░▓░░░░░░░░░░]
[░░░░░∱░░░░░░░░░░░░*░░░»░░░]
[░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░*░░░░░░░░░░]

This morning I’ve been testing the new code and I disabled the bit that ensures that there is always a path to navigate through. I find it to be a good balance between allowing easier navigation and higher speeds but also still making the damage a relevant problem. An example of a map generated with it disabled (also three consecutive rounds, seed 6857):

[░░░░∱#Φ░░░░░░░∱░▓░░░░T░▓░░]
[░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░T░░]
[░░▓#▓▓▓░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░▓∱]
[░Φ░░░░▓▓░∱░░░░▓░░░░░░░░░▓░]

[░░░░░░∱░▓░░░░T░▓░░░░░░░░░#]
[░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░T░░░░░░░#░░]
[░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░▓∱░░░░░░░░]
[░∱░░░░▓░░░░░░░░░▓░░░░░░░░░]

[░░░░T░▓░░░░░░░░░#░░░░░░░∱Φ]
[░░░░░░T░░░░░░░#░░░░░*░░▓░░]
[░░░░░░░▓∱░░░░░░░░░░░░░░▓░░]
[░░░░░░░▓░░░░░░░░░░░░░░▓*░░]

I realize these are nitpicked examples, but they illustrate my point nicely. Sorry for the long post - I’m fine either way with the map generation, but I thought I rather say something earlier on while it might still be possible to tweak the game engine.

4 Likes

I agree it’s a bit too sparse. And if there is any chance of a terrain bias that needs to be removed.

3 Likes

Hello @kobus-v-schoor and @LouisLotter , thank you for the feedback on the map generation. This version was very generous with the guaranteed path being 15 blocks and the object generation being scaled down.

We may look at reducing the guaranteed path length to get more interesting results but if we do it would be minor. Given this is the final stretch we don’t want to make any major changes to how the engine behaves (bug fixes aside).

2 Likes

Hello @demaniak can finally explain what happened here:

  • when boost counter hits 0 player moves 9 blocks (bug)
  • furthermore which this version of the starter pack when using a boost you move 15 blocks regardless of damage (bug)

^ the 2nd one is already fixed the first one will be in the next release

1 Like

Hello everyone, the player portal has been updated with the latest engine.

Hello @demaniak the player portal has now been updated with the latest engine.

1 Like

Schweet, thanks @KyleMc

So when will the code freeze kick in ?? I need to start running my simulations… Can’t do that until I know the percentages won’t change again…

1 Like

Hi @LouisLotter the code freeze is currently in effect, the only changes that we are making are bug fixes

Hi
will there be another release to clear the bug on the EMP. If so, when will it happen?

Hi @thinus

We are aiming to release the EMP bug fix on Friday (31 July 2020)

2 Likes
1 Like

Hi, I’m posting this here as well just to shed some light on it since it’s been a few days and the deadline is creeping closer - there is currently EMP behaviour that is not consistent between player 1 and 2 which affects one of the players unfairly. Further details in the following issue:

Hi @kobus-v-schoor thanks for bringing this to our attention. We will investigate and revert when we have a solution

I’ve also seen this happen. It’s especially harsh when decelerating to dodge terrain and ending up on 0 speed.

2 Likes