There Are Multiple Ways To Change Damage Mods.

[Innocent_Flower]

So Listed a few examples of ways that damage mods could be changed. Please converse about which ones you like/dislike, and try to see it from a perspective that isn't entirely your own. I've tried (hopefully succeeded) in keeping my reasoning objective (does it make the game better for the majority of players, or more attractive to new/retired players, and sometimes just making the rest of things easier for DE) 

 

*corrupted damage mods and multishot are changed, not removed. For everything with a * by. 

 

 

Method 0: Keep things as they are. 

Advantages

- It's easy for DE to do so, we're not likely to get an unstable period of balancing and re-balancing. 

- Mods like serration and hornet strike are a clear and simple indicator of progression. (pressure point and point blank really aren't though. they're easy to max) 

Disadvantages

- False choice. We have eight mod slots, but two of them will always go to +damage and +multishot. 

- The current mod system for weapons is entirely about increasing your damage massively. With a few exceptions, the game pushes you towards just adding +damage per-shot mods rather than genuinely interesting weapon-changing ones.  

- The powergap is just too high, and this is bad for players, because shooting an enemy, no matter the skill you have, can be entirely futile depending on levels and mods (a very bad game mechanic). On the other-hand;Many players of high levels often need to cripple themselves to enjoy a play on  middle/lower level games (not fun)

- The powergap is just too damn high, and this affects the ability of DE' development. The damage scales so wildly that DE have either have no ability to,or have no will to; add interesting non-dps mods, update unused mods, fine-tune enemies, create bosses without a BS invulnerability mechanic, or improve enemy AI. 

 

Method 0.5

Keep damage mods the same, instead, change multishot and elemental mods. 

Advantages

Players keep serration. De don't need to refund that (good for them) 

Powergap is lessened 

 

Disadvantages. 

Doesn't fully solve the powergap issues. 

Still have an essential mod taking up the mod-slot, reducing variety. 

 

Method 1:  Remove. 

Remove damage mods*. Refund credits, cores and ducats. 

Re-balance enemies accordingly (extensively) 

 

 

Advantages

- Extra slot for customization. 

- Helps balance/Helps reduce the powergap (Without deleting the powergap) 

- Easier to balance PVP from. 

Disadvantages

-Needs a lot of other mods to be changed in order for this to work. Sense of progression can be kept; But only through painstaking re-balancing. (I like this one best. Game could use some extensive re-balancing)   

 

Method 2: Make it Innate. 

Remove damage mods, refund the credits/cores/ducats. 

Have weapons increase damage as they level up, in the same scale as serration (165% at rank 30)

 

Advantages

Extra slot for customization

 

Disadvantages

-Only tackles power scaling excess if other mods surrounding serration (multishot, elements etc) are changed. If not It'd probably just mean another slot to stack damage on.  

- Unless the innate serration is capped for each mission, Players would have the problem of lesser control in how much damage they do on lower level missions

- Would encourage players to do xp farms/exploits. 

 

Method 3: Close alternatives (notionphil's thing) 

Add more alternatives to damage mods/multishot (serration with damage, serration with slightly less damage and a bonus against X, Serration with slightly less damage and a bonus with Y) 

 

Advantages: 

Whilst you don't get those modslots back, you do get slightly more choice

Doesn't require a period of turbulent change. 

DE don't  need to refund and cores (and ducats)... Good for them? 

 

 

Disadvantages:  

This is the only change that'd be worse for your credits/cores. 

Unless elemental/physical mods/corrupted mods are changed: every disadvantage listed in method 0 still applies. 

 

Method 4: Nerf

Nerf serration and co to the point where it's not an always-best mod. (also; *, as additional mods to be used as well as) 

Method 4.5: Nerf and alternatives. 

Nerf serration and co. to the point where it's not an always-best mod. Add several alternatives that you can only use instead-of ( some out of the vault/nightmare)  That are either more powerful with a notable downside, or weaker with a second stat. 

 

Advantages

- Players can keep their damage mods. 

- the 'if you don't like it, don't use it' argument becomes almost close to being valid, as both mods would be genuinely optional on high level missions 

- Tackles power scaling. 

 

Disadvantages

Tough to get that balance right. (but it's doable, don't post that it isn't)

Expensive for players (cores/credits)

 

(edit: how do I get colours? I want colours! Always forget how to do it on this forum) 

Edited January 20, 2015 by Innocent_Flower

[Liminal]

1 > 0.5 > 3 > 4.5 > 4 > 2 > 0

Yes, I do believe the status quo is the worst for the game in the long term health.

 

Bear in mind I have all damage mods maxed, even Primed Point Blank.

Also, we should obviously get back whatever we spent maxing these, (or what the guy who sold it to us spent).

Edited January 20, 2015 by The_Doc

[S.T.M.P.D]

Keep in mind that for method 1 situational damage mods should probably be added.

Of course it's a slippery slope without extensive rebalancing of weapons and enemies to the point that there's a steady sense of progression and encouragement to be clever. Otherwise we'd all slap headshot or Vital sense on our Dreads, and the problem wouldn't go away.

[oinkah]

I would prefer either 1 or 4,5.

Extra mod slot is just a convenience thing. Humongous power gap is the source of atrocious enemy scaling, that feeds the vicious power creep.

Edited January 20, 2015 by oinkah

[(PSN)WiiConquered]

1, but it can't afford to be half-done.

[zoboso]

colors are based on the same web markup language as the spoilers, although I dont remember which one.

[notionphil]

 

 

Method 3: Close alternatives (notionphil's thing) 

Add more alternatives to damage mods/multishot (serration with damage, serration with slightly less damage and a bonus against X, Serration with slightly less damage and a bonus with Y) 

 

Advantages: 

Whilst you don't get those modslots back, you do get slightly more choice

Doesn't require a period of turbulent change. 

DE don't  need to refund and cores (and ducats)... Good for them? 

 

Disadvantages:  

This is the only change that'd be worse for your credits/cores. 

Unless elemental/physical mods/corrupted mods are changed: every disadvantage listed in method 0 still applies.

 

Agreed with all commentary here, but a quick note on the underlined.

 

Mod variants don't have to actually be Mods

 

They could be "mirrored" mods which duplicate the highest level serration you own (or even "underclocked"). Or a simple 'drop down' which switches between variants of the core mod that you've unlocked. Etc..

 

I won't worry abt the details of implementation since DE always seems to have their own way to make even a small idea into an overly complex system. Just suffice it to say that they don't have to literally be extra mods which need to be ranked up separately.

[ZayTM]

Notionphil's idea always struck me as the best. It does what the mod system was intended to do and it does it elegantly in a way that can be easily balanced