Soldier aiming progression

[Gazzzz]

The progression of aim bonus per rank is somewhat strange in this game.

There are low boni at the middle ranks, high boni at the beginning and end of the career.

 

I balanced this so that the soldier gets "noticable" boni while still learning the ropes but the boni decline at higher ranks.

A major doesn't have to learn to aim a rifle all over again... the major-dom results in useful skills, that change what the soldier can do.

 

The total points of aim bonus are still the same. It's merely the distribution that irked me. =)

 

I'm not packing this into a standalone mod. It's just a few numbers...

 

 

 

SoldierStatProgression=(eClass=eSC_ ...

 

Support

4

4

4

4

4

3

3

 

Heavy

2

2

2

1

1

1

1

 

Assault

4

4

4

3

3

3

3

 

Sniper

7

6

6

6

5

5

5

Edited October 16, 2012 by Gazzzz

[Anbar]

Yeah its interesting...

 

I suppose one could argue that ones' abilities get more significant the more expert you become, so there is an argument for inverting the stats increase with the low increases at the beginning and high at the end.

 

I suspect it was done High-low-high to reflect the difficulty changes in the game as you progress to new enemies....but, again, you could argue it either way.

[Gazzzz]

That's why I like modding.

I don't have to argue. I go ahead and do it. =P

[Daemonjax]

That's why I like modding.

I don't have to argue. I go ahead and do it. =P

 

The inverted bell curve makes sense to me from a game design point of view. There's two conflicted goals that need to be resolved:

 

 

1) You want the player to feel like he's progressing, so you want bigger bonuses as you increase in level.

2) The character has to be proficient enough at the beginning in order to survive.

 

The inverted Bell curve solves the above, but sacrifices a little bit of realism.

 

If you frontload too many bonuses, then there's less of an impact as you gain in level. So, with your mod, there's less change in a Soldier's aim as he increases in rank. But, as you said, it's your mod and your game. Have fun! :D

Edited October 15, 2012 by Daemonjax

[Gazzzz]

I'd consider twice the firepower or twice the cover defense sufficient motivation to level a sniper from major to colonel but maybe that's just me. =P

 

For the other classes, the differences are marginal either way.

[Anbar]

I'd consider twice the firepower or twice the cover defense sufficient motivation to level a sniper from major to colonel but maybe that's just me. =P

 

For the other classes, the differences are marginal either way.

 

 

but those are special traits gains, not innate aiming.

 

THe more i think about it the more i see a low-hi--low being the better methodlogy..with the big increase around Sgt/Lt

[Xionanx]

If you look at the "Real World" as an example, then having your big gains up front make a lot more sense, and here's why:

 

If you look at any practicable skill, becoming a "Novice" is easy and can easily be considered the most dramatic "Gain" in skill. For instance, you take a child who has never played Piano and teach them for 3 months and suddenly they can play well enough to play a few songs (I major skill gain).. but to become a Master.. well, that takes years of incremental improvements. The skill improvement for shooting would and should work the same way. Anyone can pick up a gun and shoot with decent accuracy, guns are one of the most easily used weapons on the planet.; with a little training anyone can shoot a gun well (Big Gain up Front) then with time and practice, someone who is good becomes better.. but the gains are incrementally smaller and take longer and longer to earn. (Slowly tapering off skill gain)

 

I like the idea of the big up front gain, and may use that in my mod as it makes sense. The "Perks" your getting on leveling up more then make up for the slow Aim gain.

[Anbar]

Yes, in theory there is some logic to that... I think front-loading aim bonuses is potentially dangerous to balance...and you can argue "reality" pretty much any way that you want to.

 

Having said that...

 

now looking at the way they are done in vanilla i better see what Gazz has done here... the re-distribution of the total points does make more sense and the vanilla figures do have some weird leaps and falls dont they?

 

(I hadn't fully recognised what gazz had done : i assumed he had simply rearranged the points)

 

Looking over my own changes to Rank XP it actually ties in well, as getting the last of the ranks is much harder (more XP needed)...

 

I'm going to add it into my mod changes and see how it goes in-game.

Edited October 15, 2012 by Anbar

[PaxEmpyrean]

Bonuses gained when your chance to hit are low have a greater impact on your damage output than bonuses gained when your chance to hit is high. To use an extreme example, getting +10 Offense when your chance to hit was only 10% to start with doubles your chance to hit. Getting +10 Offense when your chance to hit was 80% increases your odds of hitting by 1/8th. If you want to make a smoother progression from newbie to expert, start with smaller bonuses and increase them slowly.

[Anbar]

I'm going to add it into my mod changes and see how it goes in-game.

 

 

yarp, as originally suspected this re-arrangment of stats doesnt work well in-game.

 

It makes early game far to easy with "super-snipers" the main culprits.