[Dev] Planned Adjustments And Enmity System Explanation

The Enmity System

• Quantification
  The enmity system is such that a monster will attack the player that is threatening them the most. In order to determine which player is the most threatening, the parameter known as enmity is used to make it possible to measure and compare the amount of threat.
  
  
• Purpose
  The enmity system is not in place to make monster AI more intelligent. It's more of a stronger significance for securing battle strategy elements by giving players a means of controlling the monster's target (to some extent).
  
  
• Types of Enmity (Classification by the method of enmity decay)
  Depending on the method of decay, enmity in FFXI is separated into two groups and logged.
  
  
  • Time-volatile Enmity
    Enmity which decays over time.
    
  • Damage-volatile Enmity
    Enmity which decays when players take damage.
    
  
  Due to the fact that multiple players are generating enmity against a monster, the work of recording enmity is accomplished by creating a list for the characters. (Though I use the term “enmity list” here, this will not be popping up again in this post.) Based on this list, the monster will target (auto-attack target) the player with the highest value of combined time-volatile enmity and damage-volatile enmity.
  
  
• Enmity related data embedded in actions (commands, magic, etc.)
  
  
  • Classification based on how it influences enmity (direct, indirect, none)
    Ignoring the type of actions that have no influence towards enmity, actions are classified into two groups based on how they influence enmity.
    
    
    • Direct
      Players perform enmity generating actions towards a monster, and the monster’s enmity for the player increases. This mainly consists of damage and enfeebling type commands.
      
      
    • Indirect
      A player performs an action towards another player that already has enmity from a monster, and enmity increases towards the player performing the action. This mainly consists of healing and enhancing type commands.
      
    
    
  • Classification based on how enmity increases are calculated (fixed, effect dependent)
    
    
    • Fixed
      A set value is added to time-volatile enmity and damage-volatile enmity when an action is successful. This is applies to enhancements and enfeebles that generally do not have numerical results.
      
      
    • Effect Dependent
      A set calculation is added to time-volatile enmity and damage-volatile enmity proportional to the amount of damage dealt or the amount of HP healed

Finally, the formula

• Defining 1 enmity
  When we were revamping the enmity system for FFXIV I explained a bit about this, but we start out by calculating 1 enmity= 1 damage. Also, system-wise enmity will not decay.
  
  For FFXI on the other hand, while there is quite a bit of management work for dividing the enmity system into time-volatile enmity and damage-volatile enmity, since this isn't sufficient for the amount of damage of NM battles and such, we adopted a method of using a formula for scaling effect dependent type enmity to fixed type enmity, as well as the use of a decay system.
  
  With that said, 1 enmity has been set based on the principle that the amount of time-volatile enmity that decays in a single second is equal to 60 (Since the developers first began making the game on PS2, this was adopted due to the fact that the smallest unit of frame rate measurement was 1/60 seconds.). For example (I'm hesitant to give numbers, but whatevs), the job command “Provoke” is a fixed-type action, and has 1800 time-volatile enmity. This means that this amount of enmity will decay completely in 30 seconds.
  
  
• Enmity calculation for effect variations
  For each level there is data known as standard damage which is used for enmity calculation.
  
  *This value was made to be almost the same damage value as the baseline value when weapon data is created (240 attack delay sword).
  
  

  The below is how enmity is calculated at the time of dealing “d” damage: Time-volatile enmity = 240*d/standard damage Damage-volatile enmity= 80*d/standard damage (Standard damage is obtained based on the level of the monster)

  
  In other words, if you are dealing standard damage every 4 seconds, time-volatile enmity is repeatedly decaying from 240 to 0. Also, damage-volatile enmity is 1/3 of the time-volatile enmity (25% of total enmity), and the coefficient value is 80.
  
  Currently the amount of fire power is much higher than the initially set standard, so I feel we need to rectify the situation where it is easy to reach the cap for volatile enmity by revamping the standard damage used for enmity calculations.
  
  
• Calculation for the amount of decay of damage-volatile enmity
  When a player takes “d” damage from a monster, the damage-volatile enmity of a monster towards a player decreases.
  
  

  Damage-volatile enmity = 1800*d/player's max HP

  
  In other words, when a player takes the same amount of damage as their max HP, enmity decays by 1800 (one Provoke).
  
  
  *This amount can be modified by the effect of Sentinel.
  *1800 might feel a bit rough from the perspective of backline jobs.
  If we were to make this value larger, it would make it easier to get rid of enmity by damage taken, but it would make it difficult for tanks to maintain their target when they take damage. If we make adjustments to this, it will be necessary to look into setting up a special rule of sorts.
  *For healing magic, the value is half of the above calculation.

Other

• Enmity increase from resting
  By distancing yourself from the targeted monster at a set distance, it's possible to make the amount of enmity generated from resting zero. The distance is approximately half the distance in which spells can be executed.
  
  
• Enmity cap
  The enmity limit is common for all jobs and the same is true for time-volatile and damage-volatile enmity. As to whether increasing this cap will make it so players don’t get stuck at the enmity cap, since it is only possible work size-wise for us to raise the value approximately three times of what it is currently, this is not an effective way to go.
  
  While there were suggestions to change the cap values for each job, assuming that the suggestions were based on getting stuck at the cap, if this situation were to arise, it would ultimately boil down to whether you can or cannot maintain the target, so for the current conditions we are currently looking at pairing this with something else.
  

First step for adjustments

• Standard damage (time-volatile)
  First, we are planning to make adjustments to the standard damage. Since we are able to set the standard damage for each level, it will be possible to only adjust this for high levels without affecting other levels.
  
  
• Damage-volatile enmity
  After adjusting the standard damage, we will make adjustments to damage-volatile enmity.
  The ratio of time-volatile enmity and damage-volatile enmity when dealing damage or curing, as well as the amount of enmity decay when a player takes damage will be adjusted.
  
  
• Individual commands and abilities
  If there are problems with fixed-type data we will make adjustments.
  
  
• Content
  The time it takes to defeat a monster with double HP that takes double damage is the same as the amount of time it takes to defeat a monster with 50% HP that takes 50% damage; however, enmity-wise there are large differences. If the damage taken by a monster is suppressed too much, it becomes possible to generate a lot more enmity with actions that have fixed-type enmity as opposed to those that have effect dependent enmity. We will need to check content to see if monster parameters have been set properly with an understanding of these systems.

Enmity Adjustments
In regards to enmity, we will be performing the first stage of the content that was discussed previously. To start out, we will be making adjustments so that if the target is level 51 or above, the enmity generated in proportion to the damage dealt, and the enmity incurred in relation to the amount of HP cured, will be reduced. In the case that the target is above level 99, the amount of enmity generated will be reduced to 30% compared to before adjustment (the current level). We are also making adjustments at the same time so that the enmity gains from Cure V are reduced.

While this isn't limited to enmity adjustments, we understand this is an element that we need to continuously follow and address, and I wanted to remind you that this would be the first step.

Attack/Defense Ratio Adjustments
This is in regards to the post I made previously about future battle system adjustments.
We will be making adjustments based on the content described under the "Regarding Defense" header. After the adjustment, in the case that a player's defense is significantly lower compared to a monster’s attack power, the amount of damage received will be higher than what it is currently.

Example:

For the below values:
Monster attack damage value = 100
Monster attack power = 1000
Your defense = 250

The damage received will be as follows:
Pre-adjustment amount of damage received = 200
Post-adjustment amount of damage received = 400
*This is just a simple calculation to make it easy to illustrate the change.

To go along with the above, the below two adjustments will also be made:

• The maximum value for damage dealt from the attack defense ratio will be adjusted so they are identical for both single-handed weapons and two-handed weapons.
  
• The defense reduction penalty for "Counterstance" will be reduced.

Embrava and Perfect Defense Adjustments
This is regarding Embrava and Perfect Defense adjustments that were described previously.
There have been no changes made to the aspects outlined previously, but I'd like to go over the adjustments once again. Along with these changes we will be making adjustments to various battle content, so I will be going over each of the adjustments planned breaking it down by content.

• Embrava
  

  Before After Effect Duration 5 min → 90 sec Haste +1% per 15 enhancing magic skill → +1% per 20 enhancing magic skill Regain Regain → Refresh

  
  
• Perfect Defense
  

  Before After Effect Duration 90 sec → 30 sec (+1 sec per 20 summoning magic skill)

Adjustments to Nyzul Isle Uncharted Area Survey
Adjustments will be made to the levels of monsters.

Adjustments to Legion
Special characteristics will be attributed to the monsters that spawn.
In addition to the reduction of stats such as HP, attack power, and defense, we will also be setting special monster weaknesses. While some monsters stats will see increases at the same time as the reductions, it will be possible to defeat them much easier than before the adjustment when attacking their weakness.

Adjustments to Einherjar
Stats such as HP, attack power, and defense for Odin will be reduced for Odin's Chamber II.

Adjustments to Voidwatch
The range of use for Void clusters will be expanded to Provenance.

Adjustments to Walk of Echoes
Monster levels will be reduced, the "EX" status will be removed from each type of coin and sack, and sacks will be added that dispense multiple Devious Die and Liminal Residue.

Adjustments to Salvage
The drop rates for level 35 equipment will be revamped, and changes will be made so that monsters other than the NMs that spawn from ramparts in Bhaflau Remnants drop the same equipment.

Adjustments to Twilight Scythe
As was mentioned in a previous post, we will be changing the weapon so that the regular attacks are slashing damage and by using an enchantment they can become non-elemental.

The enchantment can be used 10 seconds after equipping the weapon and will be set as below:
Effect duration: 60 seconds
Recast time: 10 minutes
Charges: Unlimited

Expansion of the /yell Feature
As outlined by Camate, we will be expanding the range of /yell in the below manner; however, the addition of this feature to the Chocobo Circuit will not take place at this time until other features have been added to that area:

Ru'Lude Gardens / Upper Jeuno / Lower Jeuno / Port Jeuno
↓
Ru'Lude Gardens / Upper Jeuno / Lower Jeuno / Port Jeuno / Aht Urhgan Whitegate / East Adoulin / West Adoulin

Changes to Mog Tablet Rewards
As was mentioned by Camate, we will be keeping the Nomad Moogle statute and Talaria as prizes, but will be switching out other rewards. To keep it a surprise, we won't reveal which rewards have been switched, but keep in mind it's still a bonus type of item.

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Since it would not be possible to add new terms related to Seekers of Adoulin without deleting words that are not used frequently, we will be eliminated words to add new ones. Moving forward we plan to switch out words in the dictionary as well.