5.3.2

[Haste]

i see his thinking and understand that anything related to fun is not part of the equation. Or even more like, any fun gameplay is treated as abuse in this equation and counter balanced at every possible level.

Not that long ago, I spent half an hour explaining to you how -- as an example -- I think the current cruiser rework missed the mark, because after extensive playtesting and balancing, numbers had to be neutered to such an extent that most of the power fantasy and resulting fun was gone. I also explained to you the concept of a power budget, which is really not something I made up. Objectively, if we take a class like cruisers and just remove shield drain from them, we'll be dramatically raising their power level. This will then create imbalances, and require nerfs so cruisers aren't the only viable PvP class. I don't really know what it is about this that you don't understand, but I'm incredibly tired of having to repeat the same points to you time and time again.

I also don't think a patch notes thread is the place to have this discussion. People are welcome to apply to be balance developers and as I've said in that same discussion you (Darkwind) were involved in, I'd like to onboard a developer (or multiple) via another pass at cruisers. And yes, it is likely I would keep more gameplay mechanics than "Zoom out" and "Wiggle slightly while destroying your hands with STS", which is apparently the gameplay some people sorely miss. Doesn't even necessarily mean shield toggling has to remain, or has to remain as much of a focal point. Nothing is locked in, and anyone who's participated in any playtesting knows how much designs often end up diverging from whatever I originally cooked up.

You seem to think balance can simply be sacrificed on the altar of fun, and that that would somehow maximize the latter. It wouldn't, though. You need both, because otherwise you're going to get an incredibly stale game where whatever's broken dominates the meta.

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