PlanetSide Universe - View Single Post - Balancing Factor: Resource Storage Limit
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Click here to go to the next VIP post in this thread.   Old 2012-04-18, 12:43 PM   [Ignore Me] #20
Malorn
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PlanetSide 2
Game Designer
 
Re: Balancing Factor: Resource Storage Limit


I know what a soft cap is, thanks.

It isn't needed in this instance.

In a place like WoW it makes sense so people target certain stat goals and then hit them, with the soft cap making it so if you go a tad over you didn't waste the stat points, or you could go over intentionally if you wanted to take the loss in efficiency to boost a particularly beneficial stat.

The key part of a soft cap is a goal that you want people to hit (soft cap) and a level you don't want them to go past (hard cap).

Here a simple resource cap is sufficient and keeps the model simple. At the cap? Spend more! Not at the cap? Get more resources! It stays simple.

The problems with soft cap is that it adds unnecessary complexity to the game. Stat point formulas in WoW were one of the more tedious parts of that game. I don't want to have a resource formula in PS to see whether I'm making optimal use of my resources. It's silly.

In the end you still have the same effective result - people target X amount of resources. Whether X is a hard cap or a soft cap in Planetside doesn't matter, it's still the number people will try for. The soft cap doesn't net you anything in here and adds unnecessary complexity.

What is the problem that soft cap solves?
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