http://dbd.game/killswitch
Diminishing Returns & New Perk Keywords
I am of the opinion that when it comes to stacking effects, in most cases we're actually pretty fine. Though there are definitely "problematic values" that can be reached. There might also be perk effects, that we have no problem on being strong in a build, or even stacking, but we don't want it to be as strong when the entire team runs it.
This post is dedicated to solving all such problems
DIMINISHING RETURNS:
Diminishing returns should be solved through Asymptotes. The mathematical formula that always allows values to increase, but never reach a certain number. For example, we could determine that any healing speed up to 200% is completely fine, and after that, we'd want it to start diminishing and never reach beyond 300%. That way, we could safely design any survivor perk with high healing speed without them ever clashing with each other or being able to create game breaking problems
The way we can achieve that is through the following formula:
b: controls when we want values to start diminishing (starting exactly at b - 10)
c: controls the curvature at which it diminishes (how quickly it diminishes)
x: represents the value that we potentially want to diminish. For example total healing speed
b + (c ^ 0.5) - 10 = the value that you should never be able to reach
b - 10 = is where this formula intersects with f(x)
To get b and c you want. Use these 2 formulas:
Replace x with the number where diminishing returns should start: x + 10 = b
Replace x with the number that should never be allowed to be reached: (x - b + 10) ^ 2 = c
Now you have b and c that you can use in the main formula
So how does this work?
The blue line represents the original value, without diminishing returns. We'd want the blue line to transition to the red line where they intersect. So how do we achieve that?
Basically, every potentially problematic value uses this formula with custom b and c. So for example total healing speed, which we call x. As long as x is smaller than b - 10, we just use f(x) (the blue line), but whenever x is larger than b - 10, we use the outcome of our formula (the red line)
The IF statement that checks whether x is bigger than b - 10 is shown in the image above. By default, we follow the blue line, which has no diminishing returns. After the IF condition is hit (x is bigger than b - 10), we follow the red line instead, where values start diminishing, approaching but never reaching b + (c ^ 0.5) - 10
Feel free to play around with it and test values for b and c yourself at:
Desmos | Graphing Calculator
For a quick demonstration video, you can also check this out:
But enough for diminishing returns. Let's head to the next issue:
DIPLICATE PERKS:
Another problem we can solve is when certain perks are fine by itself but start becoming problematic when multiple survivors start running it.
Spaces like comp DBD have kind of already solved it by only allowing unique perks across the entire survivor team, meaning so survive can run a perk another survivor has. However, we can solve it in a more fun and public lobby friendly way by building on top of the already very nice addition to the game; perk description update
With certain effects having a beautiful custom name, like elusive, or personal, we can quickly communicate certain styles of effects. That's why we can add 2 more:
- Exclusive: Effect can only be triggered by the first survivor that triggers it. This for example, could be an effect that applies to Shoulder The Burden, where theoretically, multiple people can select that perk, but only 1 person can trigger the Exclusive part of the effect. (The perk could also have non exclusive effects as well). This means there's still value in multiple people picking this perk, like shoulder, where if the person with Shoulder gets hooked, another person with Shoulder could trigger the effect
- Expertise: Effect becomes stronger for each survivor that DOESN'T have the perk. In some cases, you might want to give the effect to everybody, but reduce the effect based on how many people run it. For example on an imaginary perk, Mega Boon:
Mega Boon
Your boons burn with purple fire instead of Blue. You can see the aura of dull totems withing 36 meters. Expertise: Increase the range of your boon totem by 100/50/20/5 %
This expertise perk would for example allow there to be 1 mega boon, but would prevent abuse from letting a full team cover the entire map too easily
SUMMARY:
If DBD used the Asymptote diminishing return method, we could perfectly solve problematic values forever, and with the brand new 2 keywords introduces, we could add an entire new paradigm in healthy perk design within the team setting without having to resort to restrictive rules like the ones comp DBD uses, creating an overall healthier game!