Should we increase skill, health, damage of enemies on our servers?

[swampdog]

Can we also make the skill config have realistic damage?

This is why I need help finding out what the "realistic" damage is... any input will help here so we can try to customize our servers in a way that is fun and challenging but not annoying It will take quite a bit of tweaking and people will need to get used to the changes

[Blonde]

Yes that would make it more fun to play

[swampdog]

Alright, these settings have been applied to all of the XP Mod servers, and we will probably need to find a way to help people out who are low-level and get killed easily. I think we might need to change some of the settings for balancing in default_map_settings.cfg so we can try to balance it out as much as possible (not too easy, not too hard, but harder when more people are on the server). It might be very unbalanced for people who have high skill levels, so I might try to put a special code into team power for people lower than, say, level 100. So if a player is lower than level 100, they may heal more than players who aren't for example.

[swampdog]

So far from what I have noticed after doubling the values in the skill file, people aren't enjoying the doubled strength of Houndeyes too much. It is killing the whole server all at once just about. We might need to reduce the damage slightly, since the damage multiplies for each houndeye in the pack. I reduced the "sk_houndeye_dmg_blast" amount from "30" to "20" (default is 15).

[swampdog]

These settings are going to be adjusted again, and we are going to adjust mp_pcbalancing_factorlist cvar to try to reduce the amount of damage given to monsters rather than increasing the HP or Damage for monsters too much. I am not so sure people are really enjoying the values being doubled as they are compared to the weaker enemies like it was before. Higher/highest level players might enjoy it more, but the lower levels are probably becoming frustrated from being killed too easily. It is much more challenging lol... Hopefully there will be a change made soon that is noticeable and more evenly balanced variable by the amount of players on the server.

[swampdog]

I did change the skill.cfg file again, so the values are approximately 1.5 x greater than default values, instead of 2 x greater.
Values as of August 1st, 2016

Code:

//================================================================//
//     Skill Configuration File                                   //
//     VERSION: Sven Co-op v5.0                                   //
//                                                                //
// You can copy this as <mapname>_skl.cfg and modify as you like. //
//                                                                //
//     IMPORTANT: DO NOT REMOVE THIS FILE!                        //
//================================================================//
// all values increased by around 1.5x for SCXPM servers - swmpdg

//=========================================================
// MONSTERS - Original Half-Life
//=========================================================

// Alien Grunt
sk_agrunt_health                    "200"
sk_agrunt_dmg_punch                    "30"
sk_agrunt_melee_engage_distance        "256" //Distance at which hivehand Alien Grunts will choose to chase after and clobber enemies.
sk_agrunt_berserker_dmg_punch        "45"  //Damage amount for non-hivehand melee punches (Berserker)

// Apache
sk_apache_health                    "1000"

// Barnacle
sk_barnacle_health                    "75"
sk_barnacle_bite                    "12"

// Barney
sk_barney_health                    "100"

// Bullsquid
sk_bullsquid_health                    "165"
sk_bullsquid_dmg_bite                "40"
sk_bullsquid_dmg_whip                "70"
sk_bullsquid_dmg_spit                "25"

// what is health factor?
// Big momma
sk_bigmomma_health_factor            "1"
sk_bigmomma_dmg_slash                "90"
sk_bigmomma_dmg_blast                "210"
sk_bigmomma_radius_blast            "520"

// Gargantua
sk_gargantua_health                    "1500"
sk_gargantua_dmg_slash                "75"
sk_gargantua_dmg_fire                "6"
sk_gargantua_dmg_stomp                "150"

// Hassassin
sk_hassassin_health                    "75"

// Headcrab
sk_headcrab_health                    "30"
sk_headcrab_dmg_bite                "15"

// Hgrunt
sk_hgrunt_health                    "150"
sk_hgrunt_kick                        "18"

// Hgrunt shotgun damage (per pellet, 6 per shot)
sk_hgrunt_pellets                    "10"
sk_hgrunt_gspeed                    "500"

// Houndeye
sk_houndeye_health                    "90"
sk_houndeye_dmg_blast                "25"

// ISlave
sk_islave_health                    "120"
sk_islave_dmg_claw                    "12"
sk_islave_dmg_clawrake                "36"
sk_islave_dmg_zap                    "16"

// Ichthyosaur
sk_ichthyosaur_health                "525"
sk_ichthyosaur_shake                "45"
// i hope shake works?
// Leech
sk_leech_health                        "6"
sk_leech_dmg_bite                    "7"

// Controller
sk_controller_health                "135"
sk_controller_dmgzap                "30"
sk_controller_speedball                "900"
sk_controller_dmgball                "6"

// Nihilanth
sk_nihilanth_health                    "1350"
sk_nihilanth_zap                    "45"

// Scientist
sk_scientist_health                    "100"

// Snark
sk_snark_health                        "4"
sk_snark_dmg_bite                    "15"
sk_snark_dmg_pop                    "7"

// Zombie
sk_zombie_health                    "150"
sk_zombie_dmg_one_slash                "40"
sk_zombie_dmg_both_slash            "60"

// Turret
sk_turret_health                    "300"

// MiniTurret
sk_miniturret_health                "120"

// Sentry Turret
sk_sentry_health                    "120"


//=========================================================
// PLAYER WEAPONS - Original Half-Life
//=========================================================

// Crowbar whack
sk_plr_crowbar                        "15"

// 9mmhandgun Round
sk_plr_9mm_bullet                    "12"

// 357 Round (Desert Eagle is 2/3 of this -- so 44 by default)
sk_plr_357_bullet                    "66"

// 9mmAR Round
sk_plr_9mmAR_bullet                    "8"

// M203 grenade
sk_plr_9mmAR_grenade                "100"

// Shotgun damage (per pellet - 6 pellets per primary fire shot; 8 pellets per secondary fire shot (double barreled and fastfire))
sk_plr_buckshot                        "9"

// Crossbow
sk_plr_xbow_bolt_monster            "60"

// RPG
sk_plr_rpg                            "150"

// Gauss Gun
sk_plr_gauss                        "19"

// Egon Gun
sk_plr_egon_narrow                    "5"
sk_plr_egon_wide                    "12"

// Hand Grenade
sk_plr_hand_grenade                    "100"

// Satchel Charge
sk_plr_satchel                        "160"

// Tripmine
sk_plr_tripmine                        "150"


//=========================================================
// MONSTER DAMAGE/WEAPONS & MISC - Original Half-Life
//=========================================================

sk_12mm_bullet                        "18"
sk_9mmAR_bullet                        "9"
sk_9mm_bullet                        "14"

// HORNET
sk_hornet_dmg                        "15"

// HEALTH/SUIT CHARGE DISTRIBUTION
sk_suitcharger                        "645"
sk_battery                            "25"
sk_healthcharger                    "645"
sk_healthkit                        "25"
sk_scientist_heal                    "100"

// MONSTER HITGROUPS - DAMAGE MODIFIERS
sk_monster_head                        "4"
sk_monster_chest                    "1"
sk_monster_stomach                    "1"
sk_monster_arm                        "1"
sk_monster_leg                        "1"

// PLAYER HITGROUPS - DAMAGE MODIFIERS
sk_player_head                        "2"
sk_player_chest                        "1"
sk_player_stomach                    "1"
sk_player_arm                        "1"
sk_player_leg                        "1"

//=========================================================
// MONSTERS - Sven Co-op Specific
//=========================================================

// Human/Robo/Op4 Grunt Shotgun Damage
sk_grunt_buckshot                    "9"

// Baby Gargantua
sk_babygargantua_health                "900"
sk_babygargantua_dmg_slash            "40"
sk_babygargantua_dmg_fire            "3"
sk_babygargantua_dmg_stomp            "75"

// Hwgrunt
sk_hwgrunt_health                    "300"
sk_hwgrunt_minipellets                "2"

// Robogrunt Explosion Damage
sk_rgrunt_explode                    "150"

// Male Assassin Sniper Damage
sk_massassin_sniper                    "60"

// Otis
sk_otis_health                        "100"
sk_otis_bullet                        "50"

// Zombie Barney
sk_zombie_barney_health                "170"
sk_zombie_barney_dmg_one_slash        "40"
sk_zombie_barney_dmg_both_slash        "60"

// Zombie Soldier
sk_zombie_soldier_health            "225"
sk_zombie_soldier_dmg_one_slash        "60"
sk_zombie_soldier_dmg_both_slash    "90"

// Gonome
sk_gonome_health                    "300"
sk_gonome_dmg_one_slash                "45"
sk_gonome_dmg_guts                    "20"
sk_gonome_dmg_one_bite                "20"

// Pitdrone
sk_pitdrone_health                    "90"
sk_pitdrone_dmg_bite                "40"
sk_pitdrone_dmg_whip                "40"
sk_pitdrone_dmg_spit                "20"

// Shock Trooper
sk_shocktrooper_health                "300"
sk_shocktrooper_kick                "18"
sk_shocktrooper_maxcharge            "10"

// Tor
sk_tor_health                        "1200"
sk_tor_punch                        "60"
sk_tor_energybeam                    "6"
sk_tor_sonicblast                    "30"

// Voltigore
sk_voltigore_health                    "475"
sk_voltigore_dmg_punch                "45"
sk_voltigore_dmg_beam                "60"

// Voltigore Explosion Damage (On Death)
sk_voltigore_dmg_explode            "300"

// Tentacle
sk_tentacle                            "1000"

// Black Ops Osprey
sk_blkopsosprey                        "1200"

// Osprey
sk_osprey                            "1200"

// Stuka Bat
sk_stukabat                            "180"

// Snark Nest
sk_sqknest_health                    "75"

// Kingpin
sk_kingpin_health                    "700"
sk_kingpin_lightning                "35"
sk_kingpin_tele_blast                "25"
sk_kingpin_plasma_blast                "120"
sk_kingpin_melee                    "60"
sk_kingpin_telefrag                    "350"


//=========================================================
// PLAYER WEAPONS - Sven Co-op Specific
//=========================================================

// Medkit Weapon Heal Amount
sk_plr_HpMedic                        "10"

// Wrench
sk_plr_wrench                        "22"

// Barnacle Grapple
sk_plr_grapple                        "40"

// Uzis
sk_plr_uzi                            "10"

// 556 bullet round (M16, SAW, minigun)
sk_556_bullet                        "15"

// Gauss Secondary Fire
sk_plr_secondarygauss                "190"

// Hornetgun
sk_hornet_pdmg                        "12"

// 762 bullet round (sniper rifle)
sk_plr_762_bullet                    "110"

// Spore Launcher
sk_plr_spore                        "100"

// Shock Rifle
sk_plr_shockrifle                    "15"

// Shock Rifle Secondary Fire
sk_plr_shockrifle_beam                "2"

// Shock Roach Explosion
sk_shockroach_dmg_xpl_touch            "350"
sk_shockroach_dmg_xpl_splash        "150"

// Displacer
//Damage done to targets hit with the teleport portal
sk_plr_displacer_other "250"

//Damage done to anything within the portal's damage radius
sk_plr_displacer_radius "300"

[Klingenmeister]

Question: Should the Enemy HP changed back to normal? Server population is quite low and we have alot of new maps, so rushing shouldnt be a problem anymore.

Greater Enemy damage was a good idea, because it prevented players to go full rambo, but with only 2 - 4 players some fights are way to long and tedious.

Anyone else thinks, the enemy HP should be put back to normal?

[Martovvi]

I'd like to see a "Modriot NIGHTMARE Difficulty Server" (enter at your own risk) with increased XP drops, enemies as well as the possibility to "Prestige", basically after reaching Level 1800 you can reset your skill points however you will keep like 10% of them and that also increases the overall levels of the skills.

Example for Prestige 1: Level 1800 -> 2250 (1800 / 4 (25%) + 1800) | You keep 10% of every skill (you skilled): Ex. Strength 450/450 -> 45/563 ( 2250 / 4 (25%) = 563 ) and so on.

The skill "Anti-Gravity-Device" should be locked to 40 (otherwise you literally have no gravity).

Of course to compensate for being ridiculously strong the enemies should be too or in a larger mass.

[MrOats]

I'd like to see a "Modriot NIGHTMARE Difficulty Server" (enter at your own risk) with increased XP drops, enemies as well as the possibility to "Prestige", basically after reaching Level 1800 you can reset your skill points however you will keep like 10% of them and that also increases the overall levels of the skills.

Example for Prestige 1: Level 1800 -> 2250 (1800 / 4 (25%) + 1800) | You keep 10% of every skill (you skilled): Ex. Strength 450/450 -> 45/563 ( 2250 / 4 (25%) = 563 ) and so on.

The skill "Anti-Gravity-Device" should be locked to 40 (otherwise you literally have no gravity).

Of course to compensate for being ridiculously strong the enemies should be too or in a larger mass.

We are slowly working on a new RPG mod, we only have one server that is located in the EU that has a "beta" version of it running right now. It does include this idea of being able to prestige.

Your idea for an extremely hard difficulty would be interesting. We should take in mind what maps should be played on these servers, as some are easier than others. But it would be nice if there are more than one player playing everyday, all the time.

[swampdog]

We do have a "prestige" code added to the XPMod but it isn't in much use just yet. The "prestige" system has been 90-95% finished. I think with the next Sven Co-op update coming out (version 5.11), we should probably restore all the settings to defaults for all maps, and re-adjust them as we want from there. The XPMod code has changed quite a bit (although the gameplay should be just about the same), so there might need to be some further changes made to compensate as well. The prestige system adds on further health and armor, faster regeneration rates, increases block attack chances, etc. I have just fixed some of the more glaring bugs and we should be able to try out the newer version soon. Adjusting the damage done by enemies is possible to do, but it will be harder to configure the same settings for all of the maps. What would be a lot easier is to limit certain skills or make the xpmod code have different challenges based on what map is being played. With the cvar system I designed to control all the levels of the skills, we can configure the skills per-map. The way I designed the code is so that even though there are limits on a map, it will still count all the XP a player gains on the map (as long as the player has not reached the level limit if the level-up limit has been enabled, or if the level limit is disabled). An example idea I had in mind was to limit skills but make the xp gain more, or have full skills enabled but the xp gain is less (depending on the map). It is just an idea. Any and all ideas are welcome. I am hoping to eventually organize the source code so people can make their own "sub-plugins" that we could use to customize the XP Mod game play even further by adding different skills or abilities using individual plugins.

Another idea I have is to adjust the "skill" of the map by vote if possible, so maybe at the beginning of each map there could be a vote to decide what the type of game play is (easy = max skills limit/unlimited, medium = 2/3 max skill level , hard = 1/3 max skill level, etc)

I thought also about writing a script to automatically adjust the max player skill values based on average player levels, which would handle the skill settings based on the average player level of players currently on the server. Using an automatic adjustment like this may or may not be a good idea lol