Benefits to tier + x level gem veins

[KDR_11k]

Currently it's most effective to go for gem veins in caves with a level that's the lowest for a given tier. So you want level 10, 20, 30, etc right now. The guarding bosses' power scales fully with the level but the rewards only go up every 10 levels. Anyone got ideas how to rectify that?

[x4000]

Well, one thing I will say is that you're already getting rewarded better for beating the higher-tier bosses themselves.  If you go into a high-level region to get the same gem you could have gotten at a lower tier, you'll likely wind up leveling up as well as getting the gems, killing two birds with one stone.  On the other hand, if you're not up to the bosses or just want gems fast, you have a quick way of getting them a bit more on the easy side with the lower-level regions in that range of 10 levels.

That seems like it works pretty well to me, but I've not put in much playtime with the new system yet so that's all on paper, of course.

[Terraziel]

Well, one thing I will say is that you're already getting rewarded better for beating the higher-tier bosses themselves.  If you go into a high-level region to get the same gem you could have gotten at a lower tier, you'll likely wind up leveling up as well as getting the gems, killing two birds with one stone.  On the other hand, if you're not up to the bosses or just want gems fast, you have a quick way of getting them a bit more on the easy side with the lower-level regions in that range of 10 levels.

That seems like it works pretty well to me, but I've not put in much playtime with the new system yet so that's all on paper, of course.

These were pretty much my thoughts, as correct tier gems are simply keeping your self competitive there doesn't seem a need to make them harder to get.

[KDR_11k]

Getting gems is pretty much the main reason I go into caves so currently I have no reason to go into caves that aren't exactly on the tier level. I don't like fighting shadow bats so I prefer to go for other bosses when they will do the job.

BTW, are "freebies", gem vein rooms that branch off the first cave room instead of a miniboss room intentional?

[x4000]

Getting gems is pretty much the main reason I go into caves so currently I have no reason to go into caves that aren't exactly on the tier level. I don't like fighting shadow bats so I prefer to go for other bosses when they will do the job.

Well, both of those things will change with time -- for one, shadow bats won't always be the only underground boss type, or even remotely close.  And for another, there will be other treasures down there to find with time, too.

BTW, are "freebies", gem vein rooms that branch off the first cave room instead of a miniboss room intentional?

Yep, absolutely.

[zebramatt]

One way to solve this might be to muddy the lines a little.

For example, a level 10 region might give you a 50% chance of getting a tier 2 gem and a 50% chance of getting a tier 1 gem. Level 11: 60/40, level 12: 70/30, 13: 80/20, 14:90/10, 15:100; then level 16 might have a 95% chance of giving you a tier 2, and a 5% chance of a tier 3. Level 17: 90/10, 18: 85/15 and 19: 80/20.

Or, you know, whatever level gates for whatever probabilities you like. It'd still be important to have a dead cert level for each gem tier (in this case 15, 25, 35, etc. - but it could stay like it is at 10, 20, 30 and you just add the probabilities in between) but now there's incentives both ways - go higher and you'll definitely either get what you're after, or maybe a shot at something even better. Go lower and it'll be easier but you might get the tier below instead.

Does that hold any water?

[x4000]

I think it could... it might make the progression too hard if we're holding back this stuff for another 5 levels, though. I'd be more inclined to start getting the higher-tier stuff a bit early, but I think that works well.

[zebramatt]

http://www.arcengames.com/mantisbt/view.php?id=4658

[x4000]

Cool, thanks.

[zebramatt]

Made it so that the tier of gems and objects you gain is now somewhat randomized rather than always being fixed.

• The tier of the object is based on the chunk level. So what we're doing is randomizing how it looks at the chunk level.
• There is now a 40% chance that the tier of the object will be equivalent to chunk level + 1.
• There is now a 20% chance that the tier of the object will be equivalent to chunk level + 2.
• There is now a 0.1% chance that the tier of the object will be equivalent to chunk level + 10 (these will be exciting finds, to be sure).

So, just to be clear, does this mean:

Chunk	Gem Tier
Level	I	II	III	IV
6	99.9%	0%	0.1%	0%
7	99.9%	0%	0.1%	0%
8	79.9%	20%	0.1%	0%
9	39.9%	60%	0.1%	0%
10	0%	99.9%	0%	0.1%

?

[tigersfan]

Made it so that the tier of gems and objects you gain is now somewhat randomized rather than always being fixed.

• The tier of the object is based on the chunk level. So what we're doing is randomizing how it looks at the chunk level.
• There is now a 40% chance that the tier of the object will be equivalent to chunk level + 1.
• There is now a 20% chance that the tier of the object will be equivalent to chunk level + 2.
• There is now a 0.1% chance that the tier of the object will be equivalent to chunk level + 10 (these will be exciting finds, to be sure).

So, just to be clear, does this mean:

Chunk	Gem Tier
Level	I	II	III	IV
6	99.9%	0%	0.1%	0%
7	99.9%	0%	0.1%	0%
8	79.9%	20%	0.1%	0%
9	39.9%	60%	0.1%	0%
10	0%	99.9%	0%	0.1%

?

As I understand it from talking to Chris, its like this:

Chunk	Gem Tier
Level	I	II	III	IV
6	99.9%	0.1%	0%	0%
7	99.9%	0.1%	0%	0%
8	79.9%	20.1%	0%	0%
9	39.9%	60.1%	0%	0%
10	0%	99.9%	0.1%	0%

[x4000]

Yep, exactly.

EDIT: To the tigersfan one, to be clear.

[zebramatt]

Yep, exactly.

Oh yes, I see. (You can see it's been a long day for me, eh?  )

Well, I like it!

[lisa107b]

I'm afraid I have another of those newbie type questions, exactly what is a Tier 2 or 3 gem?

I've been looking around level 10 dungeons at level 7, trying to get some Tier 2 gems for new spells, like Energy pulse II , or Fireball II.

 But it seems I have managed to collect some copper and iron which can't really be used for much right now.

[tigersfan]

I'm afraid I have another of those newbie type questions, exactly what is a Tier 2 or 3 gem?

I've been looking around level 10 dungeons at level 7, trying to get some Tier 2 gems for new spells, like Energy pulse II , or Fireball II.

 But it seems I have managed to collect some copper and iron which can't really be used for much right now.

You can find gems in caves. A room that has a gem will appear yellow in your dungeon map. They are usually (not always, but usually) after a boss room, which will appear orange on the dungeon map.