SP - General The Armor Balance Problem - Possible Solutions

[Goutlard]

I do not know about others, but as for myself I cannot play Single Player without a damage-calculation modifier mod such as the one mentionned here.

Armor and damage calculation seems to be based on Multiplayer gameplay, to allow unarmored players to easily take-on armored ones and not provide too much of an advantage depending on armor values. Though for Multiplayer that is a good system, it does not fit Singleplayer. I believe it is even damaging to the Singleplayer experience.

When playing in Singleplayer, it seems as though armor is the typical movie fantasy-armor, with swords just cutting through solid steel, and even the weakest of bows piercing the strongest of armors with ease.

That creates many issues :

- Fully-armored Elite Cataphracts can easily be killed with just a few sword blows. (Unit Balance Issue)

- Archers utterly melt through anything that doesn't have shields. (Ranged Balance issue)

- Armors that cost 300 000 only seem to protect from very-long-range arrows and allow you to die in 4 hits instead of 3. (Cost-Effectiveness issue)

- Lords just get taken out, as despite having high-grade armor, they aren't actually well-protected. (Suicidal Lords & Elite issue)

- Armor being just cut-through by any sword just isn't immersive for those interested in historical warfare. (Immersion issue)

- The player is incentivized to play at a lower difficulty, at 1/3 or 2/3 damage as otherwise even in the best armor, his character is very vulnerable. (Difficulty balancing issue)

There could be a few solutions :

1 - Having separate damage-calculation values for Single-Player and Multiplayer. That would allow to protect multiplayer balance, without damaging the Singleplayer experience.

2 - Having editable damage-calculation, as provided by this one mod I mentionned currently. Why not rely on mods ? Because relying on mods to "fix" the game is not a good approach to game development. I believe the default, vanilla experience should be of quality.

3 - Having two different settings of damage calculation in game options : Arcade and Realistic. Arcade being the setting for Multiplayer, and Realistic making armor protective. It could be possible to toggle those in the options based on preference.

 

[D0c1]

there have been many threads about this subject. the official response was that they're looking into it.

 

[Goutlard]

there have been many threads about this subject. the official response was that they're looking into it.

I looked and made a search before posting this. I found a few discussions about armor feeling worthless, and the hit-to-kill ratio but they are under "General Discussions". I wanted to bring this issue into suggestions, not just provide feedback but suggest solutions as well. I hadn't found any under Suggestions that was recent enough to appear.

At least, it's good that they're looking into it.

(EDIT : After looking in-depth, there is this one from 2020, that was burried a bit far into the search pages - apparently forwarded to the devs back in 2020... It's been quite a while - despite it being a Top Activity Thread)

 

[Flavius-Belisarius]

Yes, i have to agree.

My proposition would be to increase CUT armor resistance factor by huge margin. And decrease bows armor penetration, even though i love using bows.

This would enforce using specialised, rare, PIERCE or BLUNT attacks and weapons making the game more fun, diverse, interesting and adding another/depth layer to the combat.

What is more PIERCE and BLUNT weapons have many disadvantages like BLUNT being slow and short reach, PIERCE being difficult to hit and easy to block and dodge - this would give them their proper purpose.
Right now simple sabre or sword does everything, just CUTTING LMB spam with a sabre is by far the easiest so it shoud have this one significant disadvantage of being close to useless against heavy armor.

 

[Oltopeteeh]

Then I recommend adding a repair system, otherwise powerful armor with a pseudo-realistic mode will not show the most serious obstacle, why not everyone can afford the best in life. Buying is not as difficult as maintaining in good condition. Each missed hit will hit the wallet, and not just when the unit dies. Of course, ammunition will also be consumed, and not appear from nothing, with each battle.

 

[Flavius-Belisarius]

Then I recommend adding a repair system, otherwise powerful armor with a pseudo-realistic mode will not show the most serious obstacle, why not everyone can afford the best in life. Buying is not as difficult as maintaining in good condition. Each missed hit will hit the wallet, and not just when the unit dies. Of course, ammunition will also be consumed, and not appear from nothing, with each battle.

No. It would be realistic, but not fun, not interesting and not adding another layer to combat. It would be like sleeping simulation - unnecessery hindrance.
This is a game and it has to be fun and reasonably realistic in parts where it is also fun and enjoyable.

Using specialised, rare, PIERCE or BLUNT attacks weapons against specific armored opponents will make the game more fun, diverse, interesting and adding another/depth layer to the combat, instead of doing everything with just a common sabre/sword. Adding armor repairs and arrow losing would add nothing fun or interesting.