Introducing Morale

[Mike Bobbitt]

Hmmm... the code looks good for that, but I'll do some testing. In the mean time I boosted your morale by +200, if that works for you.

 

[PuckChaser]

Is it possible to add AORs into the equation for morale? Gives us another way to build it up.

+1 for every percent lowered
-2 for every percent regenerated
+5 for locking down.

 

[Mike Bobbitt]

Good idea, I modified the numbers a bit but it's now in place. Thanks!

 

[PuckChaser]

What are they modified to?  ;D Just so I can update the Game Mechanics FAQ.

 

[armyvern]

I have a suggestion as I got nailed this morning by "missing CR" (I had an appt to go to). Came home to find myself down to the negatives.

If we are losing morale for "time spent not playing", should we also not be gaining morale for time actually spent playing? IE 1 morale point per 15 minutes etc. I do realize that (again) distinctly advantages those who use automated ways to have their computer "play" for them vice actually playing themselves ... but I think they are the minority and I take their stats for what they're worth (& for me - that's not much).

Also a question, just how far into the negative can we go for for missing CR (ie not online)??

Just wondering how far into the negative I'll be after travelling to sandbox sans online access for two weeks on the recce, and how badly that will affect my trying to dig myself out of the fallout negative "CE return" on my missions as I won't be getting the full value. I think this has a huge negative impact upon players at the top who find themselves with no access from work computers or actually no internet access ... it's already taking some of us 300+ CR to fight a mission with a +2 morale ... ie can fight 2 or 3 missions a day to "earn" that morale. Of course, we could always just do the low value missions instead, but then we can't level up and thus earn those +10 morales (because we need 30 or 40K worth of CE to level up) when we are way down into the negatives and trying to dig our way out. That just seems off to me.

 

[navymich]

Personally, at first glance, I don't like the idea of losing morale for missing CR.  There are often daily challenges that are won for missing CR.  I understand that there is a balance that you would need to decide on (win challenge or keep morale high), but it still doesn't seem fair, especially if you miss a day here and there on game time (not even counting long term deployments/TD etc.)  It seems like a lot of effort and time to put in to raise and maintain your morale level.  :2c:

Maybe if someone could toss some ideas of benefits/reasons of morale vs. missing CR my way, I might be able to see the bigger picture.

 

[PuckChaser]

Right now, to get the Level 4 incentive for Missed CR, I'd be -2000 morale. Even with a cap at -372 (for my level), that's a pretty big hole to come out of. I'd also be losing 8% of the CE I get trying to level up.

I agree with losing some morale for missing CR, but perhaps make it at 1/4 or 1/8 of the Missed CR. Either that, or balance it out by gaining positive morale for being online, like Vern suggested earlier.

This is the only bone I have to pick with the system, its actually really well balanced and definitely changes the strategy required to play the game and excel at it.

 

[armyvern]

Right now, to get the Level 4 incentive for Missed CR, I'd be -2000 morale. Even with a cap at -372 (for my level), that's a pretty big hole to come out of. I'd also be losing 8% of the CE I get trying to level up.

That's how I figured it too. I'd be (will be) at -332 based upon my current level. I currently need ~30 000 CE to level up each time. Based on +2 morale per mission for my current HVM, it would take me fighting that mission 166 times at 347 CR a pop (ie at least a month worth of CR) just to get back up to zero at 100% of the value of the mission CE (which isn't what I'd get). And, that's fighting them successfully ... else slide back some more.

The other option is to fight lower level missions (166 of them successfully) for +2 each just to get back to zero, but at a gain of only 100 ~ 200 CE each time ... taking weeks still, but no level gain there either (not when 30K is needed) and thus no possible +10s. And still subject to sliding back at a mission loss.

I don't know what would even it out, especially for us at higher levels. I miss an hour of playing, then I slide back 30 morale (@60 CR per hour). Even a gain of 1 morale per actual online 15 minutes (for example) of playing won't make it any easier to build the ladder required to get out of that hole if one should max out to their lowest possible negative morale.

 

[MJP]

The other option is to fight lower level missions (166 of them successfully) for +2 each just to get back to zero, but at a gain of only 100 ~ 200 CE each time ... taking weeks still, but no level gain there either (not when 30K is needed) and thus no possible +10s. And still subject to sliding back at a mission loss.

But gain significantly more int then you would have, if you had played the higher CR mission as you are increasing your chances of getting an int drop.  At your level a HVT still brings you up 2-3 levels depending on where your CE sits when you redeem the HVT.  Having done both ways to see how each strategy works out, it is roughly even for time it takes to level up. 

 

[armyvern]

But gain significantly more int then you would have, if you had played the higher CR mission as you are increasing your chances of getting an int drop.  At your level a HVT still brings you up 2-3 levels depending on where your CE sits when you redeem the HVT.  Having done both ways to see how each strategy works out, it is roughly even for time it takes to level up.

Nope, my last guy brought me up only one level.

 

[PuckChaser]

You still lose a large percentage of the HVT experience from the -% CE for low morale. 2% of 100,000 is 2,000 CE.

 

[MJP]

Nope, my last guy brought me up only one level.

You must have been very close to full CE when you did it and after been very close to leveling up again.  I have had that happen and then leveled up again off of the full CR from the first rank level.  I sit just above you in Int dossiers and they are roughly over double what your current CE is to be promoted at rank 117. 

You still lose a large percentage of the HVT experience from the -% CE for low morale. 2% of 100,000 is 2,000 CE.

Meh 2% is not a large percentage.  Must have had a different stats class than me    I was just pointing out that doing low CE msns are a viable option for getting out of the morale hole.  But I don't have a huge dog in this fight, as I have no fears of being deployed away from internet access for quite some time.

 

[armyvern]

I don't recall how many actual "int" targets there are, but some of those guys at the top levels have captured all/most of them.

So, capturing an HVT isn't going to make up anything for them in the way of CE or levels if they've already got all/most of them captured and then go offline for a mere day and end up -300+ morale in the hole. What then?? It certainly seems that they are significantly more disadvantaged by "morale" than others with nothing to do to make up for it but fight missions at +2 each morale. Hundreds of missions.

Edited to add: I guess there are 50, I just checked the medals. I'm working on 38 so it may be of some benefit to me.

But, for the guys who've already worked their way up there ... nada. That's why changing rules 1/2 way through sucks --- someone is bound to get the shorter end of the stick.

 

[MJP]

I don't recall how many actual "int" targets there are, but some of those guys at the top levels have captured all/most of them.

So, capturing an HVT isn't going to make up anything for them in the way of CE or levels if they've already got all/most of them captured and then go offline for a mere day and end up -300+ morale in the hole. What then?? It certainly seems that they are significantly more disadvantaged by "morale" than others with nothing to do to make up for it but fight missions at +2 each morale. Hundreds of missions.

Edited to add: I guess there are 50, I just checked the medals. I'm working on 38 so it may be of some benefit to me.

But, for the guys who've already worked their way up there ... nada. That's why changing rules 1/2 way through sucks --- someone is bound to get the shorter end of the stick.

I have no doubt that Mike has some more HVT goodies on the way for those that are maxed out.  Just did a quick look at the roster there is only one person in danger of running out of HVTs as they are at 49.  Most of the rest of the top 20 or so in in the 38-46 range.  I think the same goes for anything that is getting close to being maxed out.  So to throw that out there is a bit of a red herring

I think you are highlighting one negative aspect of the morale system and expounding on it instead of looking at it as a whole.  It is a bit of game changer but I certainly don't see it as super damaging to high or low level players.  Mike even mentioned that for the most part unless you try to significantly game it either way it tends to be quite neutral.

 

[armyvern]

Nope. I just think that just  "as not training decreases morale" (ie you lose it), so too does "doing training" raise it (ie should raise it).

Ie: If one doesn't play for whatever reason, one loses 1/2 their missed CR plus a further -40 for not being able to log in (yesterday). Is that a - 80 if you can't log in two days in a row, along with a further minus 1/2 of the CR you've generated in that 2 day period??

As is currently stands, then it would take me a mere two days to fall to my maximum level of minus morale if I had to go to the field, deploy etc and could not log in those 2 days ... and a month (every day, else lose another -40 each day I couldn't log in in that month) to get out of the negatives and back to "neutral" (ie zero) by playing missions at +2 morale each (because there is currently no way to earn morale for actually "playing" ... only to lose it by not playing). As I said earlier, that just seems off to me.

You, apparently, don't agree. That's fine, but that's my perspective.

 

[PuckChaser]

Its really the only issue with the system, MJP. Everything in there is built to have a balance, where if you do something you get points or the opposite and you lose points. The only exception is missed CR. Now, if the game rewarded you with +1 morale for every 5 points of CR you regened (numbers rough), it would counter-balanced the missed CR morale drop and give people an extra incentive to play well. Could break it down even further like this:

If Morale is Negative: +1 morale for every 3 points of CR regen up to Morale = 0 or CR = Max
If Morale is Positive: +1 morale for every 20 points of CR regen up to Morale = Your level and CR = Max.

I know my morale goes up when I get rested up and ready to go on a mission.

 

[MJP]

Its really the only issue with the system, MJP. Everything in there is built to have a balance, where if you do something you get points or the opposite and you lose points. The only exception is missed CR. Now, if the game rewarded you with +1 morale for every 5 points of CR you regened (numbers rough), it would counter-balanced the missed CR morale drop and give people an extra incentive to play well. Could break it down even further like this:

If Morale is Negative: +1 morale for every 3 points of CR regen up to Morale = 0 or CR = Max
If Morale is Positive: +1 morale for every 20 points of CR regen up to Morale = Your level and CR = Max.

I know my morale goes up when I get rested up and ready to go on a mission.

You both may very well have a valid point, although not yet seen as no one has been in that situation (yet).  Like I said I have no dog in the fight, by the time I get back to the real army and actually have to go away someplace that will force me to miss more than a day or two of internet time, AO will probably be the last thing on my mind.  I tend to take a long term view when it comes to making changes rather than making multiple knee jerk reactions based on something that may happen in the future.

 

[PuckChaser]

Next week is long enough term for me, I'm heading out of town for a week, I will have the stats for missed CR then.  ;D

 

[armyvern]

You both may very well have a valid point, although not yet seen as no one has been in that situation (yet).  Like I said I have no dog in the fight, by the time I get back to the real army and actually have to go away someplace that will force me to miss more than a day or two of internet time, AO will probably be the last thing on my mind.  I tend to take a long term view when it comes to making changes rather than making multiple knee jerk reactions based on something that may happen in the future.

Really. I noticed something - and someone else agreed - and I suggested a change ... just as many many others have done wrt lots of aspects of this game in a great many threads about this game. No difference here.

Edited to remove comment regarding what will be on my mind while deployed.

 

[armyvern]

Well, we should see very shortly how long it takes to dig out.

So far today, Adam is down a whole bunch and is our daily leader in this domain:

Negative Morale: Adam Istead  -234

Although bdave is the overall leader here and is currently sitting:

Lowest Morale: bdave -355

I hope their next 24 hours is a lot nicer to them then the past 24 have been.  :blotto: