Wow...you all sure have been busy over the last few days...I don't know whether to call this a debate or just Qu4r vs. the world...
There are a lot of things I would quote, but this thread is stretched over three pages so I think I'll just stick to these two quotes and hope the other references are self-explanatory...Quite honestly, I think the whole first post by DesConnor was good, but these quotes captures the two most significant things I got out of it...
However there is little hope for any kind of balance patch to fix the game. Firstly the game has never been remotely balanced...the Skirantras are just the latest in a long weary line of poorly considered additions and attempted refinements...
A very good statement that I think we all need to be aware of...bottom line is, Stardock ain't balancing this game for us even if they do release a future patch or expansion...if balance is to be brought to this game, it will only be through mods made by us the players...that leads to the next thing...
Secondly, even if at this late stage there was a wholehearted effort made at a beta balance patch, there aren't the players to support it. Even the most experienced players seem to be of the opinion that the game can be balanced using their 5v5 experience, and it just can't.
I think this is also a very good statement we all need to consider....player skill is only a reflection of your ability to use the current game mechanics...
There are a lot of things that make a player good at this game, but ultimately all skilled players have two things in common: 1) they are proactive and 2) they, through experience, know what works and what doesn't...
Only one of those traits actually reflects a player's ability to evaluate the game, and neither of those traits guarantee you'll be good at changing the game and predicting the consequences...
During Project Equilibrium, probably the most valuable asset to that mod was Darvin...it wasn't because he's the most skilled player out there, it was because he could predict the consequences of changes we made...I don't care how skilled you are at the game, your ability does not guarantee you will be the best at aligning a series of changes to put the game into balance...skill is important to a point since it reflects a person's understanding of the game, but it only goes so far...
I always like seeing people's ideas on how to improve this game, but don't use your skill at this game as a resume for why your ideas about balancing are better than anyone else's...really, don't do it....it really doesn't make you look any more credible, it only makes you look like an ass...
DesConnor has constantly demanded replays...I would go a step further and say that personal experience playing the game with certain changes is the only good way to really understand how those changes worked out...
I use a balance mod where a lot of changes initially were implemented based entirely on theory...however, I've played the mod a lot in both SP and in LAN games with friends (obviously the SP experience isn't nearly as valuable)...I won't ever claim that mod to be perfect, but I can say through experience that many of the changes actually work...some worked perfectly from the beginning but many had to be refined or completely scrapped...
Darvin's proposal for scramble bombers is as such...
- Scramble Bombers
- Duration decreased from 120s to 60s
- Antimatter cost changed from 50 to 45/50/55
- Cooldown time decreased from 35s to 24s
This isn't just some theory or crack idea...it has been implemented, tested, vetted, and it works beautifully...I can say this because I've played both as Vasari and against Vasari using SB under these changes...
A lot of things had to be changed, but ultimately the changes were successful in making all 15 capital ships very viable and all frigate/cruiser types very important even during the late game...there is no OP ability like scramble bombers, there is no dominate unit like bombers or LRF, and the factions are pretty close through out all stages of the game to the point where player skill and map position will make faction power discrepancies almost unnoticeable...
I don't support these changes because they sound good, because some skilled DT player vouched for them, or because I watched a few replays...I support the changes because I've played with them against other human beings and so far they work out better than the current official version of the game...
I think threads like these have the potential to be useful...but how many people actually try out these changes? Not just talk about them, discuss them, work out the theoretical numbers...I mean actually change the game files and play a game or two (or ten) with them...really, try it...it works...I know a lot of people don't have the time or motivation to and that is perfectly understandable...but for those of you so eager to prove your point, make a mod and test it...