[Beta 6] General difficulty review

[0rb3r]

Well I have been testing around with the new difficulty settings on beta 6 and today I wanted to find out how easy VE is (hehe ).

I played without microing (no sells except my arrows and cannons at level 25+), without catching leaks, and on top i didnt got nor earth nor fire on random, so no slows except 2 ice towers most of the time (at lvl 55 got earth and builded 4 roots).

After boring myself up during 60 waves, i ended up with 60000 unspend gold and 46 lives, even after building 2 pures. Don't have a replay .

All together, there is no reason in this world if you don't play like a dumbass not to make it through the game on VE, it is damn easy with the actual settings. (My feeling is that even if i would have cheated 100000 gold it wouldnt have made any difference at all)

[Karawasa]

Good, VE should be just that, Very Easy .

If you get a chance, curious about Normal.

[Guest Sancdar]

I just uploaded a replay on Normal using the bugs form. I played really weakly using the FNEW build because I wanted to see whether Quaker could stand up to later levels for speedy play. I did micro until level 20 for interest, but balanced it by playing through those levels as quickly as possible. I won in like 39 minutes despite leaking down to 1 life.

[jolin012]

Did a normal game FNEL

base damage: quaker

coverup damage: fire tower and fire arrows

slowing tower: nova and flame

additional support: blacksmith and enchantment

Tried to keep the gameplay not too complicated, and ended up with 42 lives, leaking water healing murguls, and evil children. Can definitly be prevented if not keeping it so simple, but normal shouldn't be too easy, i think it's good, but need to try other builds too beforte i can say for sure.

http://rapidshare.com/files/78349008/be ... i.w3g.html

[0rb3r]

Played 3 games solo, normal diff., random:

• Game 1: Elements F-W-i$-D-E-D-W-L-D-E-p+ Result: Beated Lives on wave 20/50/60: 48-37-37

Details Game 1: Get for Acid, Muck and later for poison and Blacksmith.GG.

Game 2: Elements D-N-E-F-N-W-E-i$-W-F-D Result: Beated Lives on wave 20/50/60: 46-26-24

Details Game 2: Damn hard on midgame, no good damagers, leaked horribly on Mechanical waves.

Game 3: Elements L-N-E-W-L-W-N-E-W-D-L Result: Beated Lives on wave 20/50/60: 49-47-47

Details Game 3: Get for Rage, then massed hydro and single earth. Later Polar + Enchantment, surprisingly gg.

For now, I feel that the difficulties have becomed (3.0 --> 4.0b6):

• Very easy --> much easier

Easy --> slightly easier (not compared yet)

Normal --> slightly harder

Hard --> bit harder (not compared yet)

Very Hard --> harder

And more in general evaluations (3.0 --> 4.0b6):

• The game has becomed considerably harder midgame, on all difficulties.

The game has becomed tons easier endgame, specially on easier difficulties.

The game is more diverse than before, more useful builds, more tower interactions.

The game is a lot more active, thus, challenging; sponsored by undead, mechanical and composite waves and mister start counter on leak.

It requires now more skill not to overbuild on certain waves, it is riskier to make profit, micro is more important then before.

Splash plays now a lesser dominant role.

I forsee that the average player will have trouble on Ud, Mc and Cmp waves, it is considerably harder now to get no-leak games, and most leaks are low number leaks (1-4 creeps). Alltogether, the game is imo much better now.

These are just my first impressions so, feel free to criticize, I will edit the post later on with more results.

[Karawasa]

Alltogether, the game is imo much better now.

[Guest Sancdar]

My evaluations for 3.0 --> 4b6:

Very easy --> ridiculously easy

Easy --> much easier

Normal --> easier

Hard --> about the same

Very Hard --> harder

Mechanical waves are definitely the hardest to deal with, followed by composite and then healing/undead in my opinion. Fast isn't too much of a problem except for certain builds.

[Karawasa]

Of course more input is needed, but if Sancdar is right then we need to increase the difficulty a tad bit. Perhaps an increase in the rate of HP growth (again), or modifying the armor tables (i.e. making each point of armor worth more in damage reduction), or both.

[Guest Sancdar]

I really think it's just the gold thing that made it easier. Each wave is harder, but I rated the new difficulty the way I did mostly in proportion to how much extra money you have available. It's very common in 4.0 to leak on many waves, because the game is just harder, but in 4b6 it's also more common to get to the end of the game despite your leaks on the lower difficulties. Part of this is that the different builds are more balanced - you don't get screwed as often as you did in 3.0.

I feel that VH is pretty well balanced at this point for all-VH games - the super short timer and special waves makes it very hard indeed. I am slightly concerned about mixed difficulty games, both for rushing players on higher difficulties (you can rush on Normal with no problem now, not just VE) and for rushing inexperienced players on VE with the VH timer, since their creeps start instantly now instead of having a several-second delay.

I think that interest picks need to give a higher % increase because games tend to be shorter now, with less slowing, shorter timers, and towers that increase significantly in power. I don't see much incentive to do an interest pick now except on builds with certain towers, like Roots.

[Cisz]

We could drop the gold from 70 to 60 for all difficulties.

[0rb3r]

Nah, the problem is that midgame is harder but getting closer to endgame it gets too easy as you have money excess. If you get to wave 50 you're alost done.

I agree with sancdars post. Maybe reducing a bit interest but make interest picks be more worth is a good way to balance the actual situation.

As well, be careful on making it harder, you fast playing guys may don't realize but as an average player i must say that i have real trouble sometimes with the classified and composite waves, it is hard.

[Guest Beast_Pete]

Guys, give me some beta6 lessons, just attach some replays here that you think are best for teaching (no pure darkness, because that's the easiest way I could find). Thanks!

[0rb3r]

What exactly do you want to know Beast_Pete?

If its about the game in general read cisz amazing strategy guide:

viewtopic.php?t=161

If you need help with the testing, try to contact your teamleader. Where do you play, Northrend, Azeroth, ...? Look at the beta testing section. You can pm (personal message) everybody just clicking the button at the bottom of any of his posts.

If you are looking for hints how to play 4.0b6, try to find them out on your own, thats what makes fun

[Guest Beast_Pete]

I'm not that good in EleTD, I mean I could easily get to Ronalds in the previous version, but this one is a bit more difficult... which I like! I am checking the link you gave and I'll probably download some replays to "steal" some techniques and strategies. And of course finding out new ways on my own.

[Guest 1mpulse]

lol stealing strats from replays is what i do too hehehe