Chapter 348 - 221: The Nether Dragon Venerable Who Angered Everyone_2

"He’s at 10%..."

After Chen Ba checked the progress and changes of this player evolving from level 19 to level 20 in the back office, he came to a conclusion.

"For every additional player reaching level 20, the evolution level required to evolve from level 19 to level 20 increases by 10%!"

"Huh?!"

Lu was greatly surprised, seemingly not expecting such a mechanism to exist in Global Evolution.

"What’s huh? Is that strange?"

Chen Ba stroked his chin, saying, "This kind of setting has long existed in those fantasy and martial arts novels."

Because the capacity of a world is limited, shallow waters can’t nurture real dragons, so the stronger one is, the harder it is to break through; some even need to cross tribulations.

This is the world suppressing the number of strong ones to prevent the world from being overburdened by too many powerful beings.

That’s why in worlds like Finger Covering Heaven, there is the saying "one era, one Great Emperor;" the predecessor proves the way to become an emperor, blocking the path for those who follow, making it impossible for others to prove their way.

The situation in Global Evolution is somewhat similar.

The supreme laws of this world, or the will of the world, can also be the game’s mechanism, cannot accommodate so many evolutionists beyond level 20.

Hence, with each addition of a level 20 evolver, the road for those who follow becomes harder, making the difficulty to break through even higher.

"Are NPCs not restricted?"

"They are restricted too, it’s just that... the evolution speed of NPCs is relatively fast, so players are unaware."

Chen Ba had already figured this out.

Although, theoretically, NPCs and players can infinitely evolve after the game unlocks infinite evolution, the increase in panel strength is also limited.

Just like in traditional MMORPG games, leveling up gets harder as you progress, the experience needed to level up from 99 to 100 might be more than the sum of 1-60.

Following this mechanism’s rationale.

Chen Ba quickly deduced that the upper limit of the Global Evolution’s online mode is level 50!

And this level 50 evolver should be unique server-wide! Whether NPC or player, once one level 50 evolver emerges, anyone else wanting to break through level 50 will face an almost impossible challenge.

Unless you grind tirelessly, and I mean that kind of tireless state, otherwise, it’s tough to break through level 50 in such a harsh environment...

Forget level 50!

At that time, there may be very few players who break through level 30, and breaking through level 40 will be for the strongest of the strong.

"Then it’s not considered infinite evolution yet."

Lu mused, "Originally, the NPC faction, relying on the advantage of having more strong players, made the players cautious. If this is the case, the NPC faction may probably be unable to defeat players in the later stages."

Previously, it was "one step ahead, always ahead!"

NPC evolution speed leads players, and one step ahead means always ahead, making it nearly impossible for players to surpass NPCs.

But if the game’s upper limit is level 50, there’s something more to consider!

When the strength of NPC strong players approaches the game’s carrying limit and can no longer improve quickly, players are likely to catch up.

Players have rich combat experience, and each of them is immortal; in battles of the same realm, even if NPCs don’t die, they’ll be skinned.

Thus...

The grand finale of Global Evolution is already foreseeable, this rebellion initiated by some NPCs will probably ultimately fail.

"Whatever, I’ll intervene!"

Chen Ba dismissed it lightly, "Global Evolution’s man-machine war won’t end so easily. I’ll step in to assist the NPC faction when they show signs of decline."

Limit of level 50 carrying?

The so-called limit can be changed; with a few tweaks, the upper limit might become 80 or even 100, and then the game can continue!

...

This discussion within Tianba Studio, the players of Global Evolution are unaware.

However, they have indeed felt what suppressing countless paths means, and what "one step ahead, always ahead" signifies!

As numerous top players advance to level 20, the second-tier players are startled to find that when it’s their turn to evolve, the level experience required nearly doubles!

Frustration rises, frustration rises!

If this mechanism had been known earlier, they would have pulled all-nighters to be the first player evolving to level 20.

Now it’s all ruined...

Slow one step, slow every step, top players have evolved to level 21 or even 22, while many are still stuck at the level 19 to 20 hurdle!

If the players of Global Evolution are the most frustrated group this summer, then players of Star Emperor are the second most frustrated group.

In the digital technology section of Tianba Community,

the whole section is engulfed in grievances, refreshing ten posts, nine are discussing the official strengthening of Nether Dragon Venerable.

"What? Enhanced again?"

"Is Nether Dragon Venerable the designer’s dad? At this win rate and strength, why keep strengthening?"

"Anxious and shaking, when can Emperor Xuan Yang rise?"

"Five consecutive minor enhancements of Nether Dragon Venerable in versions, Ba, are you blind? A 62% win rate and not even a single nerf?"

"Stop cursing, stop cursing, my brother-in-law’s uncle’s nephew works at Tianba Studio, heard it was Ba’s orders..."

Community players are filled with complaints.

The Nether Dragon Venerable rampaging in Path to Immortality, affecting not only ordinary players, but the GAL League environment also inevitably gets affected somewhat.

Players are indeed frustrated.

A large number of new and old characters have bottom win rates and appearance rates, yet Tianba officials overlook it, new skins keep popping up, but no strengthens in sight.

While Nether Dragon Venerable sits stable at T1 strength, without nerfs it would have been okay, yet the designer keeps strengthening, practically spoon-feeding it, who can stand it?

When frustration needs ventilation.

Five consecutive updates enhancing Nether Dragon Venerable have finally brought backlash to Chen Ba, Star Emperor’s rating dropped below 8.0 for the first time, mostly negative reviews on the Steam Platform.

"Then let’s nerf it!"

Chen Ba isn’t the stubborn type who insists on going against players, strengthening Nether Dragon Venerable was for his father, but it indeed angered other players.

Thus, let’s nerf it.

First calm the restless players, save the precarious game reputation. As for his father, explain to him at home!

Old Chen isn’t an unreasonable person; though he likes Nether Dragon Venerable, he has enjoyed the intensity these few versions.

Everything comes around!

Previously it was glorious, now falling to the dust as payback, no significant psychological disparity exists.

Moreover, Chen Ba has remedial measures.

Having understood Nether Dragon Venerable’s mechanism, he will have designers create a highly similar, skill mechanism-enhanced new character in a few days.

It’s a bit like League of Legends’ Soraka and Saraphine, with a highly similar mechanic and skill set, making for a perfect replacement.

With such a new character, Old Chen might really like it. As long as he gets into playing this new character, he won’t keep missing Nether Dragon Venerable, and won’t it all be adjustable as desired?

Then, nerf Nether Dragon Venerable brutally, weaken it into the gutter, fully appeasing players’ grievances.

It’s simply killing two birds with one stone!

As for the fallback of Nether Dragon Venerable, moving to the gutter, and will the replacement character become the new target for concentrated fire?

That’s probably unlikely.

Having learned the lesson, Chen Ba won’t strengthen his dad’s favorite character to the version’s strongest height again.

Fame brings trouble!

Nether Dragon Venerable got flamed and cursed, bringing the concentration of fire from Star Emperor players, simply because its prominence was too high?

Consecutive five versions were about strengthening, without any restraint, if not cursed, who would be?

This time can’t be done that way.

At least not so overtly, creating something like five consecutive version enhancements, players might say the new character is strong, but won’t feel it’s exaggerated or broken.