[Cspace]

This isn't a huge update, a lot more is happening offline than online when it comes to abilities and whatnot. I'm trying to design the classes with balance in mind, and am taking things a step at a time. We don't want the system to have to be reworked again after it goes live.

I made visible the first tier 2 class that we have available (warrior). I didn't include the abilities, but I included the table. I made the table so I can see and think about the point costs, as well as do some calculations to balance tier 2 with tier 3. I figured that making it visible wouldn't hurt.

At this moment, I am gearing the system so a character can go up one Adventurer concentration, master a tier 2 class, and master a tier 3 class with about the post count required to "master" an average class in our current system. This will yield many more abilities than currently available to anyone at once, and I doubt everyone will just go master a couple classes, so it will allow for some branching out. Remember, in the upcoming class system the term "master" means that all of the blocks in a class' tree are taken.

Don't expect tier 2's point costs to match what Warrior is now. I need to work out a complete tier 3 class before a tier 2 class can be balanced. Adventurer will probably stay close to what it is now in terms of costs. For balancing, the tech category will be likely to cost more per box (including the starter tree for it), and at this moment I'm not sure about Enforcer or Underworld. They will probably be close to the Earthian category, but maybe less since they will be geared to promote interaction as opposed to power in battle. Don't get me wrong though, if you have points spent in either category, they will influence your tactics in any battle.

I also added a few classes that were not ready for mention before. Check out Monk, Scion (which is different now), and Translocator on the class page.



Oh, and one other thing... What would be your response to having a DStorm category on the forums, where two or three forums can exist in the board index? I'm thinking the board index forums would be the Void, the Colosseum, and a "World" forum where all of the primary forums would go.

[Neraphym]

Are all of the classes going to have 16 abilities? As for the forums, I'm indifferent to the structuring, as long as it works and I get a bazillion posts from travelling.

[Dragonman]

I'm a bit confused with the whole points thing now. Do we still have those stat points from before that go into strength, vitality, intell, etc. ? Or are those being removed when this update comes out?

As for the forums.. maybe we should try de-clutterizing (look it up ) the forums we've got out there already since we have so many (all of the non-DarkStorm ones), though not all of them are used often.

[Neraphym]

I was actually entertaining the thought of having a completely new set of forums. The current ones can be archived so we can start fresh. There would be no confusion with the cold and new class systems.

[Neraphym]

Most of the current classes are mastered at around 5000 posts. Keep in mind, we also had subclasses in there. Maybe if you knock it down to 4k, things would be awesomer.

[Nuu™™]

Oh, and one other thing... What would be your response to having a DStorm category on the forums, where two or three forums can exist in the board index? I'm thinking the board index forums would be the Void, the Colosseum, and a "World" forum where all of the primary forums would go.

Definately. Darkstorm is rather user-unfriendly right now. Is what I do to find the new topics in amongst all the older stuff is I just follow the trail of icons, which takes quite a long time and gets confusing when there are lots in one spot.

[Cspace]

Are all of the classes going to have 16 abilities?

Nope. All of the Earthian trees are planned to have 16 boxes (some boxes give more than one ability), although there may be a few exceptions. There exist a few classes with a large amount of content that may have an extra row or two, but they would probably all be tier 3.

Another exception may be the tech tree, which may incorporate a different number of rows. I am also working out an "alpha" tree that will probably have a different number of rows and (maybe) concentrations. The reason for an alpha class(es) is because certain abilities (like Dimensional Storm) need to be implemented, but should remain really powerful and not be evened out to balance with the rest. The requirement for accessing the alpha tree(s) would roughly match the few current classes that have rather apocalyptic abilities at a really high post count.

I'm a bit confused with the whole points thing now. Do we still have those stat points from before that go into strength, vitality, intell, etc. ? Or are those being removed when this update comes out?

Stat points and skill points will remain independent of each other (but still based on post count). Think of the new system like the current system, where you progress through your class based on your post count, with just one exception: You will be able to branch out.

As for the effects of the stats, they are probably going to be entirely dictated by the races instead of the class/race combination. This means that the races will have a revamp to go alongside the class update, but that update will be the final update before the new classes are made official. There is, however, an alternative that I am considering, but I can't really get into it at the moment.

I was actually entertaining the thought of having a completely new set of forums. The current ones can be archived so we can start fresh. There would be no confusion with the cold and new class systems.

Unfortunately that would be a massive undertaking, and we would probably lose some necessary content in the process. Certain things which are buried now (which I intended to be buried) could become significant later, and could be involved in the "secret" quests that will come about that can be started when someone pieces together the necessary parts of the story and takes the correct action.

Following the update though, a lot of the unnecessary or otherwise confusing threads would probably be buried naturally. Anything insignificant in the present other than shops can also potentially be unpinned.

Most of the current classes are mastered at around 5000 posts. Keep in mind, we also had subclasses in there. Maybe if you knock it down to 4k, things would be awesomer.

After looking at the scale, it will probably be somewhat less than the current level for "mastery". Compared to now, even if the scale were worked out like I originally mentioned, everyone would still get many more abilities than they could even get with secondary classes on top of the primary. Mastering a tier 2 and tier 3 class would be quite a bit beyond the current classes, which would more closely resemble a single concentration in tier 2 and a single concentration in tier 3 (alongside the starter class). Lowering the scale like what I expect to happen will provide everyone with a ton of abilities, but I'm justifying it by providing a lot of ways to go. Even if a character masters four or five teir 2 and tier 3 trees, he/she will still remain fairly unique in comparison to everyone else. In the process though, a person with a lower post count who thinks things through will still stand a chance because upper level abilities aren't quite as far of a reach to attain.

So... Yeah, mastering a tier 2 and tier 3 class will very likely cost less than 5000 posts. I can't really say how much less, though, until I finish evaluating the power of tier 3 boxes. I'm keeping in mind that a "jack of all trades" is more fun to roleplay since you can engineer your own class, so I'm going to try to make that quite feasible or even necessary for decent tactics in battle.

[Bashae]

With this new system, it looks like organisation will be quite hard. Perhaps the creation of a Javascript form where you can easily change your skill settings and equips would be an idea, although it doesn't HAVE to be in Java (obviously).

I really wish there was a module created for this so you can designate moderation powers to the DS GM, so everything like items, Cinii/Credits, equipment can be added via it. It would be kinda neat and would stop cheating, but with the community size right now, I guess it is not necessary.

The skill system also looks very Final Fantasy Tactic, and I like, I like!