[CT27]

I have a new message from Herkie on FB:

-------------

"If I adjust or reduce the asset hitpoints, they will greatly affect the game events demanded by the story plot. I had set them for a reason, a technical reason. While I can't do anything in that area, I can, however, adjust some difficulty factors like shields, weapons, and afterburner recharge rate, player damage factors, AI  response time, maximum attackers to player, maximum missile target to player, maximum turret lock to player, and others. That should give an edge.
Nevertheless, you just have to revise your way of fighting in The Aftermath universe. Most importantly, master close up or knife-fight combat."
-------------

[CT27]

Another message from Herkie today:

----------------
Widowmakers are available for most missions. But with my adjustments of the player damage factor, everything's easy to kill now, you won't need widowmakers. The adjustments to the player damage factors will affect globally, meaning ALL weapons the player uses but they will not apply to your wingmates or to enemies. In this way, game balance will not be affected much.

The  adjustments are already made. I'm testing the missions now  in both AF and TBG.

To me, however, I'm keeping the old damage profile for my personal use.

Damage factor means how much the player inflicts damage. And this goes both ways. It includes how much damage the player receives. The factors are increased by approximately 175%. Meaning, the damage you inflict now is almost doubled and you only receive almost half the damage.

You know the main worry I have with Widowmakers? It can kill a subsystem with one shot. You can destroy an Anubis cruiser with ONE missile to the reactor, boom. You incapacitate a Hathor corvette or an Archania with one shot!  I know, I tested it. It's a game changer that destroys the essense of the game itself. It's like cheating. Frankly, I have second thoughts of changing the availability. I HAD my reasons in the way I made them available ONLY in certain points of the campaign in the first place. You must forgive me if, after testing and judging the feel, I will decide to leave it as it is."
----------------

[Nightmare]

That sounds quite OK to me, though I don't know how the more powerful enemies turn out.

[CT27]

Another Herkie post from yesterday:

------------------------------
"With the current adjustments, everything's easy now. I made a mistake of not considering player skill level. I did realize that me and my testers are actually hardcore gamers.
I could make Widowmakers available to all missions AFTER Solar Eclipse."
------------------------------


I basically responded by saying if he implements some of the other difficulty reductions he's mentioned...then this would be a fair compromise on Widowmakers (though personally I'd prefer players have the option for them for all missions).  I'd rather get this than try to push for Widowmakers in every mission and Herkie say no to that and take them out completely.

[herkie423]

That sounds quite OK to me, though I don't know how the more powerful enemies turn out.

I say it's OK. Although I can also say that fight is distressingly even. He he he...nah, you can pull it off, believe me.

And yes taking down vasudan fighters will take a few seconds longer than Shivans. But it is easier than before overall.