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Game Balance
Minimum stat: 0 (should only happen due to penalties, instant failure in most scenarios)
Nominal stat: 8 ("average" person)
Very high stat: 14 (realistic world class human, maximum cost-effective in chargen)
Maximal stat: 20 (higher may be achievable, but we're not worried about balancing at that point.)
Minimum skill: 0 (no training)
Maximum skill: 10 (requires regular training to maintain, "professional" level)
Minimum skill: 0 (no melee potential; turret, fungal wall)
Nominal skill: 4 (average critter; most zeds & giant insects)
Notable skill: 6 (competent/carnivore; bear, wolf, police/survivor zeds)
Very high skill: 8 (dangerous opponent; dark wyrm, vinebeast)
Maximal skill: 10 (highest for balance purposes; jabberwock, tribot, shoggoth, gracken)
Zombies are a bit faster than "shambling". Zombified versions of fast critters will remain fast, but in general the process slows the undead version. Further, under no circumstances should a zed be more than 50% faster than base character speed. Currently, this means "capped at 150".
Dodge chance is based on attacker's melee skill and target's dex stat and dodge skill.
Successful dodges negate the attack and impose a cumulative penalty on dodges within the same turn.
An individual with no skill and nominal stats in ideal circumstances against a basic opponent should occasionally be able to dodge.
An individual with no skill and nominal stats in ideal circumstances against a skilled opponent should rarely if ever be able to dodge.
An individual with world-class dodging ability, in ideal circumstances against a basic opponent should have a negligible chance of failure.
An individual with world-class dodging ability, in ideal circumstances against a skilled opponent should have a moderate chance of failure.
The effect of increasing dodge skill has a growth rate with diminishing returns that accelerates sharply at the point where you move beyond the dodge a "regular" character is likely to achieve (7 and above)
The balance of melee versus dodge should favour dodge which, after all, isn't effective against a wide variety of other types of attacks.
Even a world class dodger should not be able to dodge continuously when attacked many times a turn.
For details about balancing of weapons, see this page.
Multi-charge items are weighed by the charge/use. If you have an item that contains 40 uses, it'll weigh 40x as much (when found in-game) as you entered in the JSON. Liquids are priced by the 250mL unit, but handled in containers. This can cause problems if you create something that comes in (say) a gallon jug (15 charges) and price it at the cost of a jug's worth: it'll be 15x as expensive as intended.
To that end, here's a list of containers with non-one volume. If you have something spawn in 'em, divide the "shelf" price by this value to arrive at the correct price to list in the JSON.
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plastic bottle: 2
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glass jar: 2
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glass bottle: 3
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plastic canteen: 6
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3L glass jar: 12, as expected
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gallon jug: 15
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