Magnitude and Stat-refactoring (Patreon)

 A new level derivative substat has been added. Magnitude is the triangular base of Caliber, which itself is the triangular base of Level (which is, of course, the average of your primary stats).

We've been using Caliber for quite a while now, and it serves as the capacity indicator for training/powers, among other things.

With the stat-refactoring underway (for this weeks update, so that I can add the aforementioned surprises [those of you who are supporters already know about one of these ;)]), we are splitting stat sources to allow for modifiers. I also like the training style we are using on the muscle groups, where each has a capacity up to Caliber to be filled, but Caliber was too low for a stat-training capacity.

Enter Magnitude. Now, I know what you're going to say... but Magnitude is even smaller than Caliber! Yes, by itself it is, but I assure you that Magnitude TIMES Caliber is most certainly larger. ;p

That's right, the capacity/soft-cap for stat-source-training is Mag*Cal. So if your Lv is 21 (meaning all your unmodified base stats are on average that), your Cal would be 6, and thus your Mag would be 3. This means your muscle-training for each group would stop at 6, but you could train the stat-BONUS up to (6*3=) 18.

Does that mean your stats stop at 39? No. It means that if you do not raise your level/BASE-stats, and only upgrade from ONE SOURCE, that they will level off at about 39. But you can get that 18 from the example on EACH MAJOR SOURCE, and as you get those bonuses from said sources you are ALSO slowly training your base stats, thus raising your overall capacity for every source.

That means you could raise 18 each, from:
* Athletic Training/Conditioning via Working Out
* Draining stats from others
* Wild Surges/being exposed to Primal Energy
* Spending Karma
* Your DNA - by either genetic modification, or simply winning the 'genetic lottery' (we will be adding a random genetic component to stats)
* Evolving/Adapting - either through environmental challenges/fighting for survival or via self-directed powers (like the Val can do) [by the way, if you're wondering what the difference is between the DNA and Evolution branches mentioned, think of the former as purely genetic, as a newly grown clone would have without ever moving a muscle, and the latter as the epigenetic reaction to life experiences]

And, these are just the 6 planned PERMANENT modifiers, there is also capacity for temporary modifiers like buffs and enchanted items or consumables.

And when your base-stats/level hits 28, then caliber is 7 and the capacity would be 21... at level 55 [caliber 10, magnitude 4] your capacity would be 40. It all scales pretty well with levels.

Now, stat-capacity isn't Magnitude's only role. It also serves as a GENERAL MULTIPLIER to ALMOST EVERYTHING YOU DO. Attack Power, Defense Power, Lift Strength, Run Speed, etc.

That will require a little rebalancing on the current estimations and formulae, but it should be the last piece to settle, which means there's something else we can finally add:

A summary of all athletic ability is being developed in conjunction with the description screen. With it, you'll know how long you can hold you breath (on average), how high you can jump, how far you can throw your own bodyweight, how much force you apply punching, armwrestling, etc.

And those numbers will be of immense use in developing the athletic contest/competition system for engine v0.4.

And will also help augment combat actions/descriptions somewhere around v0.55. ("You slap Luci, sending her into the mountainside several states away..."; which would then end combat, unless she can move fast enough to retaliate before the round is over; and, if she did survive and wasn't fast enough, then a re-encounter would be added to the event schedule to queue her eventual return...)
[the above is a rather extensive/involved example, but something I would like the game to eventually support]

Back to the stat-refactor... the secondary stats/energies will be redone later, but when they are we will gain modifier slots for weapons and other equipment... it will, however, require a more mature combat system with the actions refactored.

Example: having a pistol ready (holstered or in hand) would need to add the following combat actions:
* threaten/intimidate target
* threaten by targeting another/taking hostage
* pistol-whip (a derivative of the slap action, with the melee modifier for the pistol's weight and hardness... in some cases this will be LOWER than a regular slap, as the pistol may be softer than your hand ;p)
* shoot
* reload (but only for clips/speed-loaders, unless you are exceedingly faster than your opponent)

and that's not even including the possibility of developing special attacks with that weapon...

Anyway, it won't be too much longer before the game is mature enough to offer at least basic weapon support. And, unlike most RPGs, having a weapon ready/equipped doesn't mean you HAVE to attack with it, you can still make other attacks without sheathing it.