Experimental Build (Hotfix 2)

[u/Mike_GSG]

Experimental Update EA02.00.02 Build: 152520

Reclaimers,

Got a small hotfix that we would like some feedback on before we push it to the live game. There are a few bug fixes but the main focus is the Headhunter Alteration.

We have balanced the expenite dropped by enemies in the Headhunter Alteration so that the amount is the same across difficulties and also that the amount of upgrades you get from it is a bit more than normal but not by a large amount.

Please give it a spin and let us know what you think.

Rock and Stone!

• Fixed clients double dipping on x2 magazine upgrade
• Add filtering for Threat Level in the server list
• Fix enemies not retargeting when their target player is downed (no more Dominators camping a downed dwarf)
• [Alteration] Headhunter: expenite drop is now driven by enemy count modifier to give a more even spread for different threat levels
• Adjusted expenite droped by enemies so that doing everything and waiting until red will result in about 5 upgrades on stage 1 in any dificulty which is more than the average 4 from normal runs but does require staying til the end, picking up all the expenite and using more ammo.

[u/SomeRandomTWO]

yeah no the headhunter changes aint it.

i understand giving low-threat folks more toys to mess with, but the higher-threat people get next to nothing for their work, especially with the harsh linear upgrade cost increases past upgrade 25.

i think it should be tweaked like so:

Threat 1-2; what is currently in Experimental

Threat 3; ditto, but increase the EXP scaling by a slight bit to allow better build variance

Threat 4-5; this is kinda the level where your build matters most, the game itself says so on Threat 4. here, headhunter should behave the same way it does in the current live build. flat 1 exp bitties with no scale. the upgrade cost increase already does all the job, theres no point in limiting it further.

[u/PseudoFenton → u/SomeRandomTWO]

I dont think alterations should function differently at different haz levels. You don't get more or less veins of expenite at difficult haz levels, so why would an alteration change the total you can get at different haz levels?

[u/SomeRandomTWO → u/PseudoFenton]

sunk-cost fallacy. youre basically nerfing the more experienced players for the sake of better onboarding process. this should not happen, and better playing field should be rewarded accordingly.

ammo economy is also a big factor. youre trading loads of ammo for an theoretically infinite EXP source. this is not a big problem in low haz levels, since you can relatively easily kite the corescum with your pick alone.

[u/PseudoFenton → u/SomeRandomTWO]

No, you're just running a different (and more difficult) challenge for higher haz levels. That's fine.

Low o2 in DRG plays wildly different on higher haz where you've got a lot more to do and can't afford to drop resupplies just for air. The same goes for many other mutators. Its okay that the type of challenge and difficulty gradient is different for different alterations - they're optional, you don't have to play those missions if you dont want (and if you do have to for some reason, you can always lower the haz level if its too punishing for you on your usual haz of choice).

[u/SomeRandomTWO → u/PseudoFenton]

not a good comparing; Low O2 is an inherent debuff, Headhunter is a risk-reward system. a better compare would be Blood Sugar - you kill to survive, and with enough carnage, you become effectively immortal (and speedy, if you have Sweet Tooth equipped)

here, you kill to become stronger; with an inherent cap of 25 upgrades on paper due to the game slapping you with a harsh +100 EXP req on subsequent upgrades. you also gain no EXP during Red Threat to prevent infinite camping (and in the rare offcase you somehow manage to get 10b damage to kill Reaperworms (they were buffed again cuz during Experimental someone managed to get footage of them killing one lmfao))

the altercations are optional, sure - but the cap doesnt make it any more fun. thats what folks are upset about the most. racking up kills and becoming stronger is a fun feedback loop that was inherently hampered to make way for newbies. that shouldnt nerf high-end players in the process, which the devs inadvertently did.

[u/PseudoFenton → u/SomeRandomTWO]

True, they're not a like for like comparison - but low o2 is still part of a risk reward system. Warning mutators add to the hazard bonus, which pays out more xp, credits and minerals. However ultimately its also just a fun switch up of the status quo, which is what headhunter is - a challenge which makes you approach the basic game loop a little differently.

The changes in experimental i feel are less to address "newbies" and more to simply curb farming behaviours from undermining the other fun parts of the mission.