Author: GC3 (---.attbi.com)
Date: 02-22-2002 23:34
Absolute scaling versus relative scaling is not as important when comparing like things. It only becomes bad when trying to make a universal scale.
It's more important to know that the Hulk is stronger than Superman that to know exactly how much stronger the Hulk is than a normal person.
The game 'Torg' tried to make a universal, logarithmic scale of all attributes; thus a human could run at a speed of 8 while a jet fighter cruised along with a speed of 25. You could convert the weight of any object directly into the strength required to lift it; you could spend energy points to increase your strength (up to a point) and push large rocks.
It seems like an elegant system; but if your game was all about jet fighter jocks, you'd be more concerned with whether an F-16 was faster or slower than the Mig-25; whether handling performances of the Mig made it harder or easier to turn; etc; essentially minor differences that in Torg could not be represented; but crucial in a duel between fighter planes.
Thus I think that it's better to have a scale, with relative differences between things at the same scale, and some sort of rules for how the scales interact.
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