Posted by ReDDoT in Blue Milk & Cereal | 21 Comments
Blue Milk & Cereal: Should TOR Have A Damage Meter?
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So far, we know that TOR isn’t going to allow for player-created add-ons, at least at launch. That means we’re all going to be relying on the default user interface for whatever we do.
While tanks and healers hold their collective breaths and pray that BioWare addressed some of their more specific UI needs, the damage dealers are also wondering if there will be tools to help them evaluate their performance, and improve. Number 1 on this list of needs is a damage meter.
You could argue tanking and healing are the most important group role, but without damage dealers, the fight would never end. It’s just as critical that these players be able to adjust and optimize their play, and a damage meter is an important part of that.
However, there are detractors to this theory. They feel that having a damage meter in place does more harm than good, claiming that instead of being a measuring tool used for improvement, it creates competition where there should be none. Too much effort is put on beating each other “on the meters”, instead of teamwork to beat the encounter. Of course you could argue if everyone is trying to out-damage everyone else, the problem will solve itself naturally.
Personally, I think that a damage-tracking feature should be in TOR. BioWare should try to implement it in a way where supportive actions are also encouraged and are tracked to avoid the potential negative issues listed above. If you want to participate in a discussion and let BioWare know, head over to this thread on the official forums.
So what do you think? Yay or nay to damage meters?
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I voted no, primarily because I want that to be supported through an API for AddOns instead, generally AddOns made by a third party are generally much more customizable and will have support for features. Ever compared Omen to WoW’s inbuilt threatmeter? ;)
You realize it’s possible for Bioware to have one and for other people to create one (if they are indeed allowed to). Bioware implementing their own has no effect. I definitely think it should be default considering there’s no third party addons at launch.
Also there’s really no negative issue with dps meters. People “trying too hard” and not doing teamwork? Don’t play with that person, it’s an easy issue to avoid.
Them having to develop a DPS meter is time away from something else, no matter how little.
Addons are the answer.
I agree with Reedyn… I wish BioWare understood that there’s no way they can possibly think of everything, nor predict how the players will evolve in the game. They should have had add-ons from the start. I really hope they follow through with them, and SOON afer launch!
Definite NO. I don’t recall seeing damage meters in the lore anywhere. Keep them out of the game. I wish people would stop harping on about addons as well. Play the game the way the developers intend it to be played and just enjoy it rather than putting every last statistic through Excel.
In a way it IS how the devs intended. They are stating and weighting all the gear, so it is intended to improve dps by a measurable amount.
I think they should just go the route RIFT went. Let the players use the combat log and develop their own meter through an overlay, seems to work fine, IMO.
I do support the concept of addons but its hard to ignore the inherent risks for the average user downloading secondary pieces of code.
I’m not entirely certain what a damage meter entails. Is it like actual DPS (including skills) or just an equipment-based thing? Either way, I would find it unnecessary initially. Maybe later on when the end-game becomes more established. From what Bioware has said, there may not be a lot of end-game material at launch.
I’m not too keen on a dps meter, as it encourages min/maxing and cookie cutter builds. But if they do introduce one, I’d hope they’d also introduce meters for healers and tanks absorbing damage.
i do not like the idea of dps meeter since in wow people need a certain amount of dps tp get gear from pug runs or guild run thst needs someone to fill a missing spot.
Damage meters devolve into epeen measuring, and usually do more harm than good to most groups, because damage is only one part of a groups output. Having a threat and/or healing meter or something similar could be useful, but I’m glad it’s not in game at launch because it will separate a lot of the good, attentive players from the bad players who need addons to tell them how to fight.
BW may allow addons later, but I really hope the UI is well-rounded enough that they don’t need very many. They can put this functionality in themselves and keep any damage reporting heavily tied to the damage mitigation, threat, healing, over-healing, etc. so that a well rounded picture of group efforts is presented.
Yes, but with the caveat that there is a training area (where you can hit dummies) and the damage meter only works there.
I love the min/maxing, but in raiding, it’s not always about being the top damage dealer, but what you do to keep the group alive.
That said, they are useful for finding people who are performing subpar and helping them make a better character.
So yes, maybe they are needed all the time if you are going to have raiding.
Threat meters are more needed than DPS meters.
damage meters are a good thing…its some of the people who use them that make them bad. you know…guns don’t kill people…people kill people type of thing. therefore i’m for damage meters being in game
I’ve seen players stand too long in the fire just because they wanted to be top on the damage meter, couldn’t we just have a good/average/bad colour system that lets players know how they are performing?
I have a love hate relationship with damage meters.
I hate it because:
In raids I find that often people over focus on doing max damage and forget or intentionally do not use their CCs/stuns/temp group buffs. Hurting the raids overall performance.
I love it because:
I can try different ability combinations and compare damage meter results to figure out how to use my abilities efficiently.
possible solution:
Have an in game combat simulator that records your DPS dealt and posts them on your character tab. I believe that this would allow for an equal comparison of players attack capabilities. let me know what you guys think.
From what I’ve heard in interviews the way threat works in TOR once a tank has aggro its hard to loose. If that’s the case I won’t miss a threat meter.
I don’t want this to be WOW. I’m hoping (in vain?) that the mature SW community will outnumber the MMO whores who will spam damage stats.
also, with each character having potentially multiple roles, i’m not sure damage meters would hold up in complex battle scenarios. it might just be more a burden and annoyance than anything
THIS is the only thing you need to know
stop trying to make this game a wow clone
try using SKILL not to out aggro the tank it will make your experience way better since you’ll actually think you’ll have achieved something instead of watching aggro and dps meters
THIS!!!
Personally i would like one, however not just DPS, however other DPS tasks, like if somehow Bioware could implement it so it coudl track effectivness of CC and other things, however i cannot think of a formula for this, however I’m sure with enough thought, someone could.