User:Aez/Upcoming Changes

In Development
The Antiworld staff is continually looking for ways to improve the server. This section discusses the major potential changes that are being discussed on Antiworld. Nothing in this section is guaranteed to be implemented, this just reflects the possible plans of the Antiworld staff.

Automated Red Dragon Disciple Releveling
Currently, Antiworld does not allow red dragon disciples to relevel using the Antiworld Archivist. This is because Bioware's deleveling system does not properly handle the stat changes from red dragon disciple and this can result in characters with improper stats. These characters are unable to enter the server because Antiworld enforces legal characters. Because of this, Antiworld forces characters with red dragon disciples to seek out a dungeon master to be releveled. However, the Antiworld staff has discovered a method to store the stats of all red dragon disciple characters. This will allow red dragon disciples to relevel by choosing to relevel to a level where their stats have been stored. However, in order to take advantage of this, the red dragon disciple would have to level up inside of Antiworld. Therefore, all red dragon disciples will be given a one-time opportunity to delevel themselves to level 1 and change their stats to any legal combination. Afterwards, they can level back up and have their stats stored as normal. This change is a high priority for Antiworld's staff and should be out before March.

Red Dragon Disciple Changes
The Antiworld staff has identified the first ten levels of red dragon disciple as a heavily unbalanced aspect of the game. Therefore, the staff lans to deal with the problem in one of the following ways. Red dragon disciples could have their bonuses spread out, for example, through levels 1-15 rather than level 1-10. Red dragon disciples could also receive a permanent nerf, like the loss of the four bonuses to armor class in levels 1-10. Lastly, red dragon disciples could have their pre-requirements made more strict, so that the class requires more sacrifice to take. These changes will likely be accompanied by giving additional bonuses to red dragon disciples after level 20. The staff has not come to a conclusion on how red dragon disciples should be changed, so input from the community is still appreciated. This change will certainly come after red dragon disciple releveling is introduced, so that characters may revise their builds to fit the changes.

Low Level Balance Changes
Low level balance is probably one of the biggest problems in Antiworld. Due to the low cost of many armor class items, characters can gain armor class far faster than they gain attack bonus in low levels. This problem is present at various levels from level 1 to level 35. This is particularly empowering to casters, who also benefit from lack of immunities and high difficulty class to saves ratio present in the lower levels. This situation is likely to be solved by restructuring the progression of save and armor class items. This change is still under a great deal of discussion and is not likely to come for quite some time.

Sudden Death and other Alternate Arenas
The name for the Sudden Death Arena is currently a misnomer, as Sudden Death is commonly a drawn out affair. The map is too large and players can easily avoid being killed by using hide mode and standing still in a remote corner of the map. In addition, players have no incentive to seek out other characters, as hiding is often more effective at ensuring a character's survival. The staff plans to change this by making the map drastically smaller, as well as placing a penalty on hide and move silently. Other changes that have been considered are having the characters lose 1% of their health every couple seconds and to regain health by killing opponents. This change will likely come within a month or two. The staff also plans to revamp old alternate arenas like King of the Hill and Tug of War after their bugs have been fixed and the idea behind the maps has been altered to make them a better fit for Antiworld.

Summon AI
The staff is considering altering the AI scripts of the all summons in order to prevent them from attacking characters out of range. This will allow players to use summons without continually working to keep them from attacking out of range. Once the summon AI is introduced, the rules will be changed so that players can no longer attack summons that are out of range. This change has been planned for over a year and development has stalled in favor of more pressing issues.

Balance Philosophy
The Antiworld staff have always struggled over the question of how to enhance the system of balance within Antiworld. Many Antiworlders dislike having their classes or abilities nerfed, since this hurts the characters they made before the nerfs were implemented. However, due to the complex class system in Neverwinter Nights, adding new abilities and making classes more powerful can end up benefiting classes that are already overpowered. Thus the staff has sought to create a philosophy for how they change the balance. The staff now plans to enhance balance primarily through added abilities, feats, and bonuses for underpowered classes. An example of these changes would be to add new feats for fighters after level 20. However, if a class or class combination is extremely powerful and flexible, than Antiworld must work to reduce either the power or the flexibility of the class, otherwise new changes will directly benefit these overpowered combinations. An example of a class combination that has become too powerful and flexible is ten levels of red dragon disciple. However, combinations that powerful but have many requirements, like seven levels of weapon master will avoid being nerfed under this system.