Having just fought a little in the revamped kobolds area I suspect that newbies will be slaughtered in this place with it's massed mobs that all spam bite attacks and the likes.

You're on a new level of drugs.

valguarnera@carrionfields.com

>You're on a new level of drugs.
>
>valguarnera@carrionfields.com

Thanks for that mature response. But seriously. Newbies used to die all the time when there were 10 kobolds grouped together, now those 10 kobolds all have special attacks.

But hey, don't worry, i'll stop caring for new players too since that's the message i'm getting.

Thanks for that mature response. But seriously. Newbies used to die all the time when there were 10 kobolds grouped together, now those 10 kobolds all have special attacks.

I'd estimate that those 10 kobolds could combine their powers to special-attack a level 1 character (with zero +hp gear) to death in just over thirteen rounds, assuming the new player had consciously turned off his or her wimpy option. Their regular attacks and defenses are weaker than they used to be, counterbalancing the special stuff, but nonetheless would be more dangerous than worrying about the special stuff you cite.

10 kobolds are not the norm in any room, unless they're tracking someone. And attacking a crowd of 10 anythings as a level 1 anything is a gamble. I suppose the special attacks are a problem for someone trying to lead 20 kobolds around to spam up a skill, but for anything a true new player would do, I'd argue that the newer kobolds are less dangerous overall.

But hey, don't worry, i'll stop caring for new players too since that's the message i'm getting.

The message I meant to send was that you tend to complain about everything at the drop of a hat (kobolds had been for less than a day, for example), and were at least part of my motivation for writing a post about "Change Fearers". I'd worry about having 10 kobolds in a room if I thought it was remotely common, and I'd worry about their combat prowess if I thought they were stronger. I'm sorry that message got misinterpreted.

valguarnera@carrionfields.com

>10 kobolds are not the norm in any room, unless they're
>tracking someone. And attacking a crowd of 10 anythings as a
>level 1 anything is a gamble. I suppose the special attacks
>are a problem for someone trying to lead 20 kobolds around to
>spam up a skill, but for anything a true new player would do,
>I'd argue that the newer kobolds are less dangerous overall.

They were the norm when i've been around that area 4 times today at least. Perhaps your repop code is spawning them in the same room too often, same as happens with the orphans occasionally.


>But hey, don't worry, i'll stop caring for new players too
>since that's the message i'm getting.
>
>The message I meant to send was that you tend to complain
>about everything at the drop of a hat (kobolds had been for
>less than a day, for example), and were at least part of my
>motivation for writing a post about "Change Fearers". I'd
>worry about having 10 kobolds in a room if I thought it was
>remotely common, and I'd worry about their combat prowess if I
>thought they were stronger. I'm sorry that message got
>misinterpreted.

I'm not a change fearer. I don't have an issue with the kobolds changing in the slightest (in fact, the new area is very cool). I'm pointing out that they appear somewhat more deathful than old school kobolds.
And i don't complain about everything at the drop of the hat, I raise issues with those things that i believe have been changed for foolish reasons, or not particularly well thought through (or more commonly changed because a certain someone has a particular bias).

I mean please,feel free to back up your point and identify those things that i irrationally complain about at the drop of a hat. I do believe i've challenged you on this point before but despite your love of stats have never bothered answering. (and please ensure that you don't pick something that i've raised issue with that has in fact changed)

(edit) As (out of game) counter evidence to me being a "change fearer" i'm happy to point out that TUV consider what i'm working towards in my professional life, to be a "world-class" standard, that definitely flies in the face of the norm.

(oh, and i didn't complain because i want to trail kobolds for practice, i do honestly worry that more n00bs will die prematurely)

>I suppose the special attacks
>are a problem for someone trying to lead 20 kobolds around to
>spam up a skill.

Was this the reason for the change, or did the change just follow more recent area guidelines? Ever since the skill improvement for level gain code went in, more than just a few players spam up their defenses to 80% at very low levels. 20 or so kobolds used to be the easiest way.

The main reason for the change was to make fighting kobolds more interesting without really impacting the level of difficulty. It's a common newbie area, and a little flash-n-dash goes a long way towards selling a new player on the game's overall originality and creativity.

The dumb spam trick being slightly less practical is merely a pleasant side effect.

valguarnera@carrionfields.com

but this was sent to me today...1 round in the life of a kobold adventurer/human warrior. (brackets changed for html sanity)

Your slash scratches a kobold guard.
A kobold guard has a few scratches.
(100%hp 100%m 88%mv 1500tnl (50.00%))
A kobold guard dodges your slash.
You dodge a kobold guard's pierce.
A kobold guard's pierce scratches you.
A kobold worker screams and attacks you!
A kobold worker's claw misses you.
A kobold worker screams and attacks you!
A kobold worker's claw scratches you.
A wandering merchant screams and attacks you!
A wandering merchant's punch injures you.
That really did HURT!
A kobold worker's claw misses you.
A kobold guard screams and attacks you!
A kobold guard's pierce scratches you.
A kobold worker screams and attacks you!
A kobold worker's claw scratches you.
A kobold worker's claw misses you.
A kobold worker screams and attacks you!
A kobold worker's claw misses you.
A kobold worker's claw misses you.
A wandering merchant's punch injures you.
You are mortally wounded, and will die soon, if not aided.
(-20%hp 100%m 88%mv 1500tnl (50.00%))
A kobold guard's pierce grazes you.
You have been KILLED!!

Newbies are told to CONsider mobs. The merchant is considerably tougher than the rest of the kobolds and cons hooded.

Maybe just making him not auto-assist would be helpful.

1) The dreaded "special attacks" did not appear.
2) The merchant did the bulk of the damage.
3) The kobold regular attacks, which were worse than the previous regular attacks, did the rest. The character would have been in worse shape in the old kobold warrens, where the regular attacks were a hair stronger.

Why the random merchant assisted was beyond me, but that's been fixed. I only checked the kobolds last time I looked, since that's what you complained about.

valguarnera@carrionfields.com

>1) The dreaded "special attacks" did not appear.
>2) The merchant did the bulk of the damage.
>3) The kobold regular attacks, which were worse than the
>previous regular attacks, did the rest. The character would
>have been in worse shape in the old kobold warrens, where the
>regular attacks were a hair stronger.
>
>Why the random merchant assisted was beyond me, but that's
>been fixed. I only checked the kobolds last time I looked,
>since that's what you complained about.
>
>valguarnera@carrionfields.com

I'm sorry, i thought i'd stop at the very 1st room to the area which slaughters n00bs. Didn't realise that you'd want to enter semantic battles in order to win a point.

>>1) The dreaded "special attacks" did not appear.
>>2) The merchant did the bulk of the damage.
>>3) The kobold regular attacks, which were worse than the
>>previous regular attacks, did the rest. The character would
>>have been in worse shape in the old kobold warrens, where
>the
>>regular attacks were a hair stronger.
>>
>>Why the random merchant assisted was beyond me, but that's
>>been fixed. I only checked the kobolds last time I looked,
>>since that's what you complained about.
>>
>>valguarnera@carrionfields.com
>
>I'm sorry, i thought i'd stop at the very 1st room to the area
>which slaughters n00bs. Didn't realise that you'd want to
>enter semantic battles in order to win a point.

Historically, the first room was the deadliest place in the old
kobold warrens (and that pales compared to every other newbie
area including the Academy) so dying to a bugged mob in the new
one isn't a real litmus test.

With the merchant updated, go back and check out the whole area.
Do it yourself if you have time, instead of relying on the logs
of others.

Historically, the first room was the deadliest place in the old
kobold warrens (and that pales compared to every other newbie
area including the Academy) so dying to a bugged mob in the new
one isn't a real litmus test.

Yeah. You could post a comparable log of walking into Aldevari and attacking Vincent, and the solution wouldn't be "Remove Aldevari from the newbie list.", but rather "Make sure Vincent doesn't assist."

You can die all over the Academy (or any area) if you don't use consider as well as a level 1 character. People die every day attacking the acolyte that gives them the brass key (or the newbie gnome) and those guys give specific warnings before they try to kill you. It doesn't mean the Academy isn't a suitable newbie area.

The litmus test isn't "Is it possible to die in this area?". Anyone can make a log where they sprint out of the Academy and die in any newbie area.

valguarnera@carrionfields.com

>Historically, the first room was the deadliest place in
>the old
>kobold warrens (and that pales compared to every other newbie
>area including the Academy) so dying to a bugged mob in the
>new
>one isn't a real litmus test.
>
>Yeah. You could post a comparable log of walking into
>Aldevari and attacking Vincent, and the solution wouldn't be
>"Remove Aldevari from the newbie list.", but rather "Make sure
>Vincent doesn't assist."
>
>You can die all over the Academy (or any area) if you don't
>use consider as well as a level 1 character. People
>die every day attacking the acolyte that gives them the brass
>key (or the newbie gnome) and those guys give specific
>warnings before they try to kill you. It doesn't mean the
>Academy isn't a suitable newbie area.
>
>The litmus test isn't "Is it possible to die in this area?".
>Anyone can make a log where they sprint out of the Academy and
>die in any newbie area.
>
>valguarnera@carrionfields.com

Then fine, that's the issue done and dusted. Thank you for your time. Far better answer than your drugs offering.

He didn't complain. He didn't suggest changing it back. He simply suggested removing it from the list of newbie areas.

That, to me, suggests that his motive is genuinely to help newbies. I do remember as a newbie though, that it was the special attacks that used to kill me, because a good ac enables you to avoid non-spec attacks, but not spec attacks, and sometimes that kick from the rabbit, or Tarus, or whatever, packs a real punch.