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 Today's Feedback Friday for Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa is all about the Sniper class and its patented Torqueshell Rifle (TSR) weapon. Designer Lee Ridout explains some of the new changes made for the weapon, as well as the overall game balance issues addressed to the title.
The TSR was given several changes which give the Sniper a broader and more responsive feel on the battlefield. Basically, the TSR's damage output was lowered and traded in for a steadier control interface. Also, the windup effect of the weapon was replaced with the need to "rebead" the target after a shot.
In relation to this, here are some of the hard numbers connected to the Torqueshell Rifle's new stats:
- We’ve made it so the gun is at max damage potential at 60m+.
- Damage is now about 75% of the original and an effective 2x rate of fire. Still an increase in DPS.
- Rebeading Stats:
- Currently beading is all but free on the first shot (since you will use the beading time to debuff your target).
- In the first iteration it took 3.2 seconds to max ‘re-bead’ while standing. This has been changed to 5 seconds
- In the first iteration it took 1.6 seconds to max ‘re-bead’ while crouching. This has been changed to 2.5 seconds
- (understand that the numbers might not align perfectly with a stop watch but the same timer system regulated the old 4 second wind-up)
- You used to be confined to 16 seconds to land all your rounds where you can now effectively empty your clip in about 8 seconds.
Unfortunately, since the developers focused too much on balancing out the new stats for the weapon, they completely missed the changes regarding the lower ammo grade requirement for it. They assured players that they will see visible changes to it once the next iteration of patch 1.6 rolls in.
However, despite all the new changes, don't think that your Sniper will suddenly be able to make all those "one shot kills" with relative ease. The devs explained that game balance was one of the biggest things that they wanted to see stressed with every set of changes they implement in every patch.
While it is rewarding to see how each class perfectly plays out its intended role in battle (case in point, the sniper), balancing out all the skills and making the game more enjoyable for everyone is also one of the developers' primary concerns.
No worries, though. There were hints of the sniper getting some additional benefits from the upcoming ranger improvement soon, so don't shelf that Torqueshell Rifle just yet. Come back to this spot again next week for more updates to Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa.
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