Balancing Health and Damage

[BenCheung0422]

Original: MinicraftPlus/minicraft-plus-revived#711

Background

Previously, we know that player's health is quite inefficient when talking about single player gameplay balancing, but we have not really considered about what if multiplayer. We only have 10 health points (HP) as the maximum value. Here, if we take multiplayer into account, it should not be something just available in End Game but most game flow. Then, when balancing this, quite some factors have to be considered.

Current State of Affairs

Originally, the game was designed without considering multiplayer, in which the tools the player using may attack back on player itself. If the attack damage of the tools are too powerful, causing decaying of health of player too rapid, it is said to be out of balance, especially in PVP. And, it may limit even more possibilities of functionalities, which include wider range of mob damages (using other items, etc.).

Damages

Attack damage done by player is calculated by Player#getAttackDamage and thus Tool#getAttackDamageBonus. We first do not consider base damage from 1 to 2 by randomness, currently, only tools pose additional damage bonus.

Tool	Attack damage (average)
	Wood	Stone	Iron	Gold	Gem
Sword	3-4 (3.5)	6-8 (7)	9-14 (11.5)	12-22 (17)	15-32 (23.5)
Claymore	3-6 (4.5)*	6-12 (9)	9-24 (16.5)	12-42 (27)	15-66 (40.5)
Pickaxe	1-2 (1.5)	2-3 (2.5)	3-4 (3.5)	4-5 (4.5)	5-6 (5.5)
Axe	2-5 (3.5)	4-7 (5.5)	6-9 (7.5)	8-11 (9.5)	10-13 (11.5)
Other	1

*Wooden Claymore is uncraftable.

If looking at how the upper damage limit increases, the damage difference is quite insane for these tools applying on players. I might have to change my proposal to rebalance whole system instead of just player's health.

Details

Firstly, the player's health would be 20 as the maximum, given that the balancing has been seen as quite well in Minecraft. Then, if there are grades of tools and thus the upgrades in attack damages, 20 can be enough if the system is rebalanced as somehow like Minecraft ones. If only considering the minimum damages without randomness, the values are quite similar to the ones in Minecraft. So, while the system is quite balanced in Minecraft, I think this part can be considered. It is not quite ideal to see player's HP is not comparable with the tools damages if these are going to be applied on players as the same way as on other mobs. In addition, the upper bounds of some powerful tools like advanced swords and claymores must have to be tweaked down as well as some mobs' HPs for the corresponding adjustments.

Conclusion

As forementioned, the player base health should still be doubled regardless of the Obsidian Heart upgrades and the entire attack damage and health system should be reworked. I have not thought much before writing this proposal, but it seems like further discussion still have to be held for entire rebalance of this system before the enrollment of multiplayer. It is essential to have a standardized and fair system for all mobs and players to reduce potential compatibility or functionality issues caused by the gaps.