Decline of the Skyway: TES5 level scaling truthiez

[baronjohn]

I decided to test Skyway's claims. My character is currently a level 40 mage that invested purely in magic (still have 100 health and stamina), so I did some experiments:

I warped to the Labyrinthian to visit our favorite monsters the frost trolls, stripped naked and walked right up to them to see how many hits it would take

Skyway's hypothesis: the frost trolls will do barely any damage to a high level character

level 40, trial 1: two hits
level 40, trial 2: two hits
level 40, trial 3: two hits
level 40, trial 4: two hits
level 40, trial 5: two hits

Result: The frost trolls killed me in two very fast swipes. Hypothesis rejected

Next, I loaded up my very first save in the wild, traveled by coach to Morthal and went south east to the Labyrinthian again, finding our friends the frost trolls again. Like before, I stripped naked and waited.

Skyway's hypothesis: the frost trolls will insta-kill a level 1 character

level 1, trial 1: two hits
level 1, trial 2: two hits
level 1, trial 3: two hits
level 1, trial 4: two hits
level 1, trial 5: two hits

Result: The frost trolls killed me in two very fast swipes. Hypothesis rejected

Verdict: Test data does not support Skyway's bullshit.

 

[hoopy]

Of course they kill you in two hits if you haven't put any points into health. This isn't your grandpa's RPG where you automatically become more durable when you level up.

 

[Eyeball]

Not that it matters - troll combat is comically poorly designed. They don't have a "lunge" attack, so you can simply keep running backwards across all of Skyrim while using the Flame spell on them and they'll keep gorilla-swinging at the air where you were standing a split second ago.

At least giant rats can actually HIT you.

 

[FeelTheRads]

...

So he kills you in two hits at level 1 and at level 40 and it's not level scaling? I smell retard.

 

[Bruticis]

...

So he kills you in two hits at level 1 and at level 40 and it's not level scaling? I smell retard.

You did read the part where it's stated he has the same HP at level 1 and 40, yes? Also, why would anyone, especially 2008, try to rationalize with Skyway?

 

[meh]

News at 11 - Skyway gets told!

 

[Clockwork Knight]

...

So he kills you in two hits at level 1 and at level 40 and it's not level scaling? I smell retard.

Well, take a bath then

 

[MetalCraze]

I stopped playing Skyrim when reaching level 6 or 7 so I don't know about how it is with frost trolls but -

So trolls are exactly as dangerous both on level 1 and level 40 and that somehow proves there's no level scaling and not the opposite?

Also see attackfighter's example with 20 dmg bow dealing 150+ damage even though there's no strength stat.

 

[SCO]

maybe they scale to hp

 

[DwarvenFood]

Strength should somehow increase bow/crossbow damage ? Is this what games have become ?

 

[Gord]

Strength should somehow increase bow/crossbow damage ? Is this what games have become ?

Games may have become retarded, but this is Skyway logic, don't try to understand it, it's too high for us lesser beings.

 

[JarlFrank]

I stopped playing Skyrim when reaching level 6 or 7 so I don't know about how it is with frost trolls but -

You're doing it wrong, you're not supposed to play it to level 7, you're supposed to play it 7 times.

Same number, different concept.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

So trolls are exactly as dangerous both on level 1 and level 40 and that somehow proves there's no level scaling and not the opposite?

Yeah, two hits both on level 1 and level 40, naked char. If there was level scaling, the ice troll he met at level 40 should've creamed him in one hit, as the troll would have much higher stats.

Your hypothesis was that there was some sort of level barrier a la Borderlands that makes enemies

one-shot-kill you if your level is less than a level needed to fight them upon getting which you suddenly start killing the fuck out of them. But if you are lower no matter which kind of armour you are wearing you can't do shit but instadie.

 

[MetalCraze]

If trolls were dual shotting you that already means they don't belong with one-shot monsters. That means they were dealing same damage more or less.

Also what about 150+ damage bow suddenly turning into 20 dmg bow when you pick it up as in attackfighter's example? That's exactly your Oblivion's level scaling.

Strength should somehow increase bow/crossbow damage ? Is this what games have become ?

What exactly make a 20 dmg bow a 150+ dmg bow in a game with no stats then?

 

[Surf Solar]

I see you edited out your lie about New Vegas' damage calculation? of Skyway?

 

[Bluebottle]

What exactly make a 20 dmg bow a 150+ dmg bow in a game with no stats then?

Skills.

 

[MetalCraze]

And apparently there are skills in Skyrim that make bows deal 800% damage?

 

[Captain Shrek]

I stopped playing Skyrim when reaching level 6 or 7 so I don't know about how it is with frost trolls but -

So trolls are exactly as dangerous both on level 1 and level 40 and that somehow proves there's no level scaling and not the opposite?

Also see attackfighter's example with 20 dmg bow dealing 150+ damage even though there's no strength stat.

No!

He has the same health at Lvl 1 and lvl. 40 . They take the same number of attacks to kill him == Trolls have same stats independent of PC level

 

[.Sigurd]

So trolls are exactly as dangerous both on level 1 and level 40 and that somehow proves there's no level scaling and not the opposite?

He died with just 2 hits because he chose to get better only on magic, this way it's obvious that he will be just as physically frail on level 40 as he was on level 1. So yes, level scaling is not like Oblivion.

And apparently there are skills in Skyrim that make bows deal 800% damage?

No. Well, except if you go all powergamer with alchemy, then you can make a potion that can give very OP values.

 

[Bluebottle]

And apparently there are skills in Skyrim that make bows deal 800% damage?

It would seem like a stupid system, but I wouldn't rule it out.

Looking at it objectively, there are two realistic scenarios:

Damage taken from an opponents bows are a factor of
[Base Weapon Damage] + [Arrow Damage] + [Some Value Calculated From Marksman Skill] +/- [Some Value Depending on Difficulty]
or
[Base Weapon Damage] + [Arrow Damage] + [Some Value Calculated From Marksman Skill] +/- [Some Value Depending on Difficulty] +/- [Some Value Ascribed to Each Mob Type]

Neither of these is conclusively ruled out by attackfighter's example. I haven't used bows extensively enough to say from experience, though I have noticed that with opponents that do a lot of damage with bows, they usually have better arrow types (dwemer f.e.), so it may be that arrows play a larger role than bows.

 

[King Crispy]

The problem I have with baronjohn's testing is that we don't know for sure that the frost trolls and their location at the Labyrinthian are subject to Skyrim's new version of level scaling. The hypothesis is that it happens somewhere but we don't know exactly where and how at this point, I don't think. The only thing I've heard during development about it is that some level scaling is occurring, but there's a cap to it.

Actually, what would make the most sense given the test data is that the level scaling that is there is indeed tied to health. How weird would that be?

It is an interesting test, though, and it does indict Skyway's conclusions on the surface. He's got some 'splaining to do, but it seems he's already trying to divert attention to the bow matter.

And as far as that's concerned, 800% from a mob that's possibly hand-placed with maxed bow perks and maybe it's sneaking? I have no problem with that at all and will not chalk it up to level scaling either.

 

[villain of the story]

At level 15, I was climbing the 7000 steps and the troll in the narrow pass there took me out with one hit. In fact, a lot of things take me out with one hit. I've only upgraded Stamina and nothing else so I could sprint the fuck away forever if need be and have enough stamina to bash-spam, parry and kill without getting hit and getting running out of stamina.

 

[abija]

What exactly make a 20 dmg bow a 150+ dmg bow in a game with no stats then?

From wiki:
" I've done some calculations and I think I found the damage equation:
Dam = (Base x (1 + (skill/200)) x (Perk bonus)) + Arrow"
At maxed skill with a shit arrow that's 20 * 1.5 * 2 + 10 = 70.
Considering there is 30% chance for critical shots and even some items with +30% dmg and stuff like that, 150 dmg seems pretty damn normal.

 

[King Crispy]

Thank you, newfag. Well done.

 

[attackfighter]

What exactly make a 20 dmg bow a 150+ dmg bow in a game with no stats then?

From wiki:
" I've done some calculations and I think I found the damage equation:
Dam = (Base x (1 + (skill/200)) x (Perk bonus)) + Arrow"
At maxed skill with a shit arrow that's 20 * 1.5 * 2 + 10 = 70.
Considering there is 30% chance for critical shots and even some items with +30% dmg and stuff like that, 150 dmg seems pretty damn normal.

So 30% of 70 = 80 now