Alright so to start I think we need to go back to leveled planets. Here are my plans on how it should be handled. Weapons should regain that armor pen stat but change it's name to either "Weapon Level" or just "Level". I think we need weapon progression within a tier though and here is how it should work simply. Starter Weapon (Level 1) Tier 1 Copper Sword (Level 4) -> Iron Sword(Level 8) Tier 2 Silver Sword (Level 14) -> Steel Sword(Level 18) Tier 3 Gold Sword (Level 24) -> Titanium Sword(Level 18) The progression in further tiers will simply follow the same Precious Metal -> Metal upgrade path. The upgrade between Tiers of Metal weapons will not require the previous Tier however the Metal version will require the Precious Metal Version within a Tier. Also make higher tier precious metals uncommon in lower tier sectors. That way they can't just jump into a sector and immediately make all the best gear. Armor progression will need to be changed up and here are some values for a suggestion. Starter Clothes (Armor 1) Tier 1 Copper (Armor 3) -> Iron (Armor 9) and there should also be Leather (Armor 6) remove anything else from Tier 1 recipes. Tier 2 Silver (Armor 13) -> Steel (Armor 19) and also Studded Leather (Armor 16). Tier 3 Gold (Armor 23) -> Titanium (Armor 29) and Hardened Leather (Armor 26). If you don't see the pattern so far it's Precious Metal -> Metal and a Leather upgrade. The Leather will be upgraded with the previous tiers Metal and it will require the previous tier of Leather in the recipe. The upgrade between Tiers of Metal armor will not require the previous Tier however the Metal version will require the Precious Metal Version within a Tier. This should solve the problem before of people getting one shotted all the time because the enemies were 5+ levels above their highest craftable armor value. Here are my suggestions on the Damage Formula. x = your weapon swing damage y = your weapon level z = enemy level d = damage x * (100 + (25 * (y - z)) / 100) = d edit: So I just noticed if you aren't careful here you will do negative damage so do the following check if (enemy level - weapon level >= 4) damage = 1 else damage = damage formula What this formula does is increment your damage by 25% per level in either direction. So assuming you have a weapon level of 5 here would be the damage multiplier based on enemy levels. 1: 200% 2:175% 3:150% 4:125% 5:100% 6:75% 7:50% 8:25% 9:0% You will notice when fighting enemies 4 levels higher than your weapon will yield 0 damage, however we can make it so you always do at least 1 damage. This system will deter players from trying to fight on planets way to high level for them. Naturally this system will be used for calculating the damage you take as well except the variable are changed. x = enemy attack damage y = enemy level z = your armor level Your armor level will be the level it shows in your inventory screen. I don't understand their current system for determining each pieces value, but it should be changed to your head and legs contribute 30% while your body contributes 40%. Now for Merchants, in order to add a simply way to further deter people from simply coordinate abusing a sector. It's quite simple really, make the cost of the weapon 100 * level. This will be only a slight deter though since it gets easier to make pixels in higher sectors. I would recommend something higher, but then it would upset player who have trouble making pixels. Welp there it is. I hope people read it and give me feedback. It seems like it would work in my head but who knows.
Using a linear progression system discourages players from experiencing much of the game. If I can get all this by going to maybe a handful of planets per sector, you end up quickly at the end of the game with the best gear and no reason to return to the last set of sectors' content. Skipping sets of armor altogether, etc. I like the idea of common monsters having a fixed number of hits to kill that varies with the weapon used and difficulty designated to the planet, then handle difficulty balance with additional smaller mechanics, like bounty hunter teams, or mixing melee with ranged monsters, monsters that sneak, monsters that hunt your player regardless of how far away you are, monsters that can dig to you, smell you etc, simple mechanics that are easy to modify or tweak. It's my opinion that the traditional RPG style progression mechanics don't work well for Starbound, and that the direction that would take the most advantage of the truly massive amount of content would be mechanics similar to NES Mario or Zelda, games I feel founded on a general minimum level of difficulty that flows through the game. Goombas in world I are the same Goombas in world 8 but you still occasionally die to them. Temporary upgrades or boosts, sets of armor that have specific advantages and disadvantages so I'm encouraged to use the content created. Make copper armor a decent armor for the whole game, it's advantage is that it's easy to repair, but maybe it can be dissolved by certain elemental attacks on certain planets, or make you get gold faster. That way you have situations where specific gear is important and you give players a reason to experience the various content that they're working very hard to create and provide. Trying to boil down progression for a massive procedural universe to a single all encompassing algorithm feels like an impossible task that has the danger of trivializing the warm gooey procural center. Make the player interaction with common monsters simple, somewhat challenging and stable. Then mix and match other simple mechanics to increase difficulty.
Thank you for the feedback. I would argue though that the current version of the game discourages players more from exploring any planet other than the one they start on each sector seeing as you get all the best gear for that tier right there. My system would promote jumping between planets if only in 3 level increments, and then when they get to the end of the sector progression they are able to freely explore the sector without worry of being killed while exploring. I honestly do thank you for your opinion though. Edit: I also see that a system that would be interesting, that is similar to what you are suggesting, would be a Monster Hunter system where armor gives you certain skill bonuses instead of a pure defensive bonus.
There definitely needs to be some sort of difficulty gradient and separation of resources on planets. I got all the stuff I need for both Alpha and Beta sectors without ever need to leave the starting planet.. Which was also because there seems to be a lot less coal now and I simply couldn't leave even if I wanted to. I shouldn't even be finding diamond and platinum on the starting planet let alone tons of it.
Absolutely! It's sad to have so much content and then not have a reason to experience it I like the idea of the armor incurring 'play style' bonuses like that instead of more defence, more resistance.
Exactly, currently your starting planet is a very easy tier 2 almost tier 3 planet in terms of craft-able gear. In regards to the fuel source, I like the change of no more wood fuel, though I do believe coal should be worth more fuel. Something along the lines of 20 fuel each should be balanced in my opinion.
