Arsenal DPS spreadsheet

[RuQu]

(02-25-2012 08:00 PM)bural Wrote:  Indeed, I have no idea why they think having 12 max ammo is more realistic (or w/e) than 100 max ammo.

(02-25-2012 10:59 AM)Krix Wrote:  Can't remember where I found that out...but it should be easily proved by testing. (or simple math).

As always, I might be missing something but I just don't see how.
I see how it's easy to calculate, but that doesn't mean it's representative of actual ingame mechanics. What may seem as a sound logical conclusion may not reflect facts and consequently, empirical data are more or less required. Naturally, these are hard to come by without a combatlog.

Here's how I see it.

We know some discrepancies can be observed simply by looking at the UI. However, we don't know when and how the UI rounds off actual values.
Additionally, you have the problems of testing:
-In order to test regen, you'd need to spend a set amount of resources first so as to observe the regeneration time for X resources.
-In order to test ability cost (resource spenditure) you'd need to to know how many resources you have available within a certain timeframe.
The interaction between the two coupled with latency makes it problematic at best to test.

At one point I suggested completely emptying your resource bar so as to eliminate one uncertainty and know exactly how many resources you could regen from a specific timestamp. However, the assumption that you can infact empty your resource bar completely is equally problematic so it kinda got me nowhere.

Admittedly, the differences arising from this issue is in the 1-2/(0.16*12)~4% modified by the fraction of total damage done by resource spending abilities, so probably somewhere in the 3% area. This goes some way to explain our estimated dps differences, but hardly the majority of it.
Still, it's a fundamental issue that would be nice to eliminate.

If the effects are real, and not simply artifacts of the UI masking an identical (reversed) backend, then the impact is actually pretty significant in a sustained casting mode.

I posted a thread with charts of the effect for Commando and Merc healers. Due to dropping into medium regen at 33% instead of 40%, the increased Effective Cost of abilities with increased Alacrity had a stronger effect on Commandos. With Mercs, their Healing Scan and Rapid Scan cast count stayed the same at all levels of Alacrity from 0-39%, and the HPS increased as the Rapid Shots count increased. With Commandos, due to the 33% cut-off, the faster casts lead to dipping into medium, and the Adv Probe and Med Probe count steadily dropped as Alacrity increased. HPS still increased with increased Hammer Shot usage, but much slower than Merc HPS.

This suggests that the Mercs were designed first, then ported over to Commandos, and it makes Alacrity far worse for Commandos who engage in sustained healing (ie not PvP and not when you overgear the content, but yes for progression).

That said, the effect was seen from modeling, and the model assumed the resource system was as we see it (ie fractionally tracks the Ammo, but it is out of 12, with cutoffs at 8 and 3). If the UI is an illusion....well it would be nice to know. I don't know how we could test it though, at the moment.

I put the program used for that up on Google Code. I just finished adding in a Gunnery module for it, but I don't play that spec. I was hoping some of you gentlemen might be willing to test it and report any discrepancies, bugs, etc.