Post by dagnarille on Dec 3, 2015 21:58:01 GMT
I believe that the introduction of a clan building that modifies the spell casting profession could result in several benefits if done correctly. I recognize that the other professions do not have clan buildings associated with them, so this would create a sort of anomaly. I believe that this anomaly will be acceptable considering the benefits listed below.
First, creating a clan building will encourage more players to participate in spell-casting. If a clan, through its members, has invested in building levels that directly buff the usefulness of spell-casting, more players may be persuaded to engage in the profession in order to “capture” the benefit of those clan buildings. Players who already participate in spell-casting may become more willing or more able to engage in spell-casting more often. Encouraging a greater amount of use of the spell-casting profession is good because one of the goals of the profession is to be a method by which players delete wealth from the game. Also, if the content is meant to be for as many players as possible, then motivating as many players as possible to use the content without breaking the game to do so is positive.
Second, it would be a boon to clans. Although, to the best of my knowledge, only one clan has currently maxed all of the available buildings, a few more are close. For those clans that have either maxed out the current buildings or who are close, it will create more content to strive for. This is a positive for the type of player who is motivated to play games in order to help a clan grow. Without more buildings to donate for, these players may become bored with the game. Also, Blades of Legends, like many RPGS, thrives on the idea that you will not reach an end of content. For clans that are not close to being maxed, this building is still helpful. It gives them more options for how to use their donations and build their clan. It would never happen, but a clan of newbie spell-casters would be hilarious.
Third, it would create an additional method for wealth to leave the game. Clan buildings are expensive. They require a lot of donations to build. Adding another type of clan building to the game is just another way in which the spell-casting profession can help “decrease the relative value of gold.”
Fourth, it helps spell-casting out in a similar way as the second tier skills in each category help out their respective professions. Those skills are meant to add some flavor to the game’s build paths, and encourage players to participate in the three existing professions. Spell-casting’s only skill is not unlocked until a very high level. That skill looks really cool. While, as far as I know, not much is known about how viable it will be in the future, at least it has people that have played great sword warrior for years thinking about shaking things up. As powerful as that skill may be, it comes at the cost of giving up great sword or shield. It also is not accessible for the majority of BoL’s players due to its high level requirement. A clan building may help players the same way as the other three profession’s skills help players.
I don’t know exactly what the building should do, but I do have some ideas. I think that a reduction in the cost would be a bad idea, because it militates against the goal of having wealth leave the game. Increasing the duration and power of the spells is also awkward, because that is the point of buying spell level upgrades. One possibility is that the building could give a chance to “critical cast” which would give you either twice the effect or twice the duration, whichever is less destructive to game balance.
My favorite idea is that the building would reduce the “cool down” time period between casts. The strengths I see with this idea is that it allows people to cast more often, which means more wealth exits the game, and makes spell-casting seem more viable. Right now, in the rare case that two bosses spawn within an hour, you won’t be able to cast your spell again for the same boss. Not game breaking, but kind of sucks. Maybe each building level could reduce the cool-down by 3 minutes, for a total of 30 minutes in reduction. The downside is that each building level will seem quite useless in isolation. Going from 60 minutes to 57 isn’t a very motivating benefit compared to the other buildings. If you go up to 5 minutes though, at level 10, there will be basically no cool-down. That may or may not be a good thing depending on the intended design.
I don’t claim that the above list is exhaustive of the benefits, and I realize that I am both very new to BoL and am not an expert in game design. These are just my thoughts. Please feel free to add whatever constructive criticism or additions that you may have.
First, creating a clan building will encourage more players to participate in spell-casting. If a clan, through its members, has invested in building levels that directly buff the usefulness of spell-casting, more players may be persuaded to engage in the profession in order to “capture” the benefit of those clan buildings. Players who already participate in spell-casting may become more willing or more able to engage in spell-casting more often. Encouraging a greater amount of use of the spell-casting profession is good because one of the goals of the profession is to be a method by which players delete wealth from the game. Also, if the content is meant to be for as many players as possible, then motivating as many players as possible to use the content without breaking the game to do so is positive.
Second, it would be a boon to clans. Although, to the best of my knowledge, only one clan has currently maxed all of the available buildings, a few more are close. For those clans that have either maxed out the current buildings or who are close, it will create more content to strive for. This is a positive for the type of player who is motivated to play games in order to help a clan grow. Without more buildings to donate for, these players may become bored with the game. Also, Blades of Legends, like many RPGS, thrives on the idea that you will not reach an end of content. For clans that are not close to being maxed, this building is still helpful. It gives them more options for how to use their donations and build their clan. It would never happen, but a clan of newbie spell-casters would be hilarious.
Third, it would create an additional method for wealth to leave the game. Clan buildings are expensive. They require a lot of donations to build. Adding another type of clan building to the game is just another way in which the spell-casting profession can help “decrease the relative value of gold.”
Fourth, it helps spell-casting out in a similar way as the second tier skills in each category help out their respective professions. Those skills are meant to add some flavor to the game’s build paths, and encourage players to participate in the three existing professions. Spell-casting’s only skill is not unlocked until a very high level. That skill looks really cool. While, as far as I know, not much is known about how viable it will be in the future, at least it has people that have played great sword warrior for years thinking about shaking things up. As powerful as that skill may be, it comes at the cost of giving up great sword or shield. It also is not accessible for the majority of BoL’s players due to its high level requirement. A clan building may help players the same way as the other three profession’s skills help players.
I don’t know exactly what the building should do, but I do have some ideas. I think that a reduction in the cost would be a bad idea, because it militates against the goal of having wealth leave the game. Increasing the duration and power of the spells is also awkward, because that is the point of buying spell level upgrades. One possibility is that the building could give a chance to “critical cast” which would give you either twice the effect or twice the duration, whichever is less destructive to game balance.
My favorite idea is that the building would reduce the “cool down” time period between casts. The strengths I see with this idea is that it allows people to cast more often, which means more wealth exits the game, and makes spell-casting seem more viable. Right now, in the rare case that two bosses spawn within an hour, you won’t be able to cast your spell again for the same boss. Not game breaking, but kind of sucks. Maybe each building level could reduce the cool-down by 3 minutes, for a total of 30 minutes in reduction. The downside is that each building level will seem quite useless in isolation. Going from 60 minutes to 57 isn’t a very motivating benefit compared to the other buildings. If you go up to 5 minutes though, at level 10, there will be basically no cool-down. That may or may not be a good thing depending on the intended design.
I don’t claim that the above list is exhaustive of the benefits, and I realize that I am both very new to BoL and am not an expert in game design. These are just my thoughts. Please feel free to add whatever constructive criticism or additions that you may have.
