Interview [Issue 13] Semyon Talks: More on Micro-Upgrades

[hogree 4,179]

 

Micro-upgrades are coming soon; and it'll bring a whole new sphere to the upgrading scheme of Tanki Online. I had a chat with Semyon about it, and he answered my questions about it – and also, produced us with a list of things you can upgrade! Not only that, but some pictures too of what it will look like.

Micro-upgrades (More information here) is a potential update, where you can upgrade your weapon, tank and paint bit by bit before coming to the next modification. Supposedly coming out this month, I thought I'd ask Semyon Kirov, English community-manager, about some of the things we can expect from this update. My questionnaire with him is below. Hope you enjoy it, and learn new things you never knew about for the new upcoming update.

__________________________________________________________________

Hogree: Hi Semyon. Great to have you here today to talk to us about the upcoming update of "Micro-upgrades". Firstly, could you tell us what the basic idea behind micro-upgrades is, and what it is supposed to do?

Semyon: Hey. Thanks for having me here. Well, the main idea behind micro-upgrades is that it will add flexibility to the game. Now you have 4 modifications of each weapon and hull and sometimes you have to wait for a long time in order to be able to get the next one. With micro-upgrades you won't need to wait. For example if you have M1 combo and often play with tankmen who already have M2 stuff, you can micro-upgrade your items to stay competitive.

Hogree: Right, so once you get your modification of a weapon, you will be able to micro-upgrade it right away with the crystals, without having to wait any extra ranks?

Semyon: Of course. As soon as you get an M1 Railgun for example, you can start upgrading it.

Hogree: OK, so I think, before we continue, the big question that most of the community is wondering is: "What can you micro-upgrade?" I hear you have a list with you today... Could you tell us what micro-upgrades an object can have?

Semyon: Yeah, of course. You will be able to micro-upgrade all the turrets, hulls and paints. Let's start with the simplest thing – paints. You will be able to upgrade existing resists. Each of them can be upgraded by half. So if you have a 30% resist from Smoky you will be able to make it 45%. Also we've created a limit of 50% protection. So if you have a 40% protection in the standard paint, the maximum upgraded one will be 50% not more. As for hulls, each of them will have the same stats that can be upgraded. They are: protection(hp), speed, manoeuvrability, weight and power. When it comes to turrets, each of them have got different stats that can be upgraded. I will post a full list of the micro-ugprades in the comments after this is published too. Wanna know about anything in particular?

Hogree: Wow. So with those protection paints, with for example, a paint like Prodigi, is there a possibility of adding Smoky protection to it? Or can you only upgrade existing protections?

Semyon: You can upgrade only existing protections.
 
Hogree: OK. So, regarding hulls, is there a limit, for example, on the amount of speed that you can put on a Wasp? Or can you keep going on and on and on, if you have the crystals?

Semyon: There will be a limit of so-called steps for each hull. So there's a maximum where you can't micro-upgrade your Wasp any more.

Hogree: Sure. With turrets' micro-upgrades, do you know in particular what you can upgrade, or does it differ with each weapon? Can you increase the range of a weapon for example, or just damage?

Semyon: It differs for each weapon. Of course there will be basic things that are the same for all the guns like damage and turret's rotation speed. Then each gun has some unique micro-upgrades. For Firebird it is maximum burn damage. For Isida it's the amount of health you drain from others and so on. As for Smoky it is critical damage and critical chance.

Hogree: Awesome! I can imagine all dem Smokys upgrading that critical hit. Lol. So, as you micro-upgrade up, I heard that the next modification is cheaper to get. How much cheaper, and is it worth micro-upgrading in the long term? Or would you save more by actually buying the next modification?

Semyon: The next modification will be cheaper if you've fully upgraded at least one of parameters of the previous one. If you've fully upgraded ALL the parameters then next M (modification) will be 4 times cheaper to buy. Everyone should decide for themselves whether to micro-upgrade or not. Anyway, nobody forces a player to fully upgrade an item, you can do it partially.

Hogree: Absolutely. So, I heard that sometimes you can get added bonuses with a micro-upgrade, and also there is a possibility of it not working? Is that true - if so, how likely?

Semyon: Yes, there are both chances but I can't tell you exactly what they are at the moment. We plan to do open testing of micro-upgrades so players will be able to see how it all works for themselves.

Hogree: I can't wait! Now, what most players are wanting to know right now is prices. I'll just ask you this - how much would it generally take to micro-upgrade an object, and could you give me an example?

Semyon: I can only say that first micro-upgrades will be really really cheap, just several crystals for M0. Then it gets more expensive of course but it becomes more exciting as well. So each player can decide for themselves where to stop.

Hogree: Okay. Is there a limit of micro-upgrading or can you literally micro-upgrade right up to the next level?

Semyon: 75% of the next modification - that's the limit for micro-upgrades of the previous one.

Hogree: Okay. Thanks a lot for talking today with me. I'm really grateful for you stopping by to answer my questions.

Semyon: Thanks a lot, that was a pleasure.

__________________________________________________________________
 
Some pictures of what Micro-Upgrades will look like:
 
Paint:
 

 
Hull:

 
Turret:

 
 Semyon will also post a full list of Micro-Upgrades in the comments. ;)
 
________________________________________________________________________________
 
I'm sure all of you want your questions answered on the upcoming update. Feel free to ask Semyon in the comments below.
 

Edited July 31, 2017 by Hexed

[semyonkirov 29,038]

As it was promised, here's the list of upgrades for all turrets (as all hulls and paints have the same upgrades). The list is not final and some changes may be made to upgrades before the release.

Firebird

1. Damage

2. Turret's rotation speed

3. Burning damage

4. Reload speed

5. Minimum damage range

 

Freeze

1. Damage

2. Reload speed

3. Minimum damage range

4. Turret's rotation speed

 

Isida

1. Damage

2. Healing

3. Self-healing

4. Turret's rotation speed

5. Reload speed

 

Twins

1. Damage

2. Impact force

3. Minimum damage (at max distance)

4. Turret's rotation speed

5. Reload speed (rate of fire)

 

Ricochet

1. Damage

2. Reload speed

3. Minimum damage (at max distance)

4. Impact force

5. Turret's rotation speed

 

Smoky

1. Damage

2. Critical damage

3. Critical chance

4. Impact force

5. Turret's rotation speed

 

Thunder

1. Damage

2. Reload speed (rate of fire)

3. Minimum damage (at max distance)

4. Impact force

5. Turret's rotation speed

 

Railgun

1. Damage

2. Reload speed (rate of fire)

3. Penetrating power

4. Impact force

5. Turret's rotation speed

 

Shaft

1. Max damage in sniping mode

2. Max damage in arcade mode

3. Penetrating power

4. Impact force in sniping mode

5. Turret's rotation speed

Edited July 3, 2013 by SuperNick95

[skitee 555]

Great article. Like the pics. Will weight be increased or decreased on the upgrade? And then will increasing the weight affect the speed calculations? Does Power = Acceleration? What is Penetrating Power? How much will each upgrade be likely to cost and the prices? How long is each microupgrade likely to take? 

[r_HichigoShiro0 37]

So someone with Picasso can have 50% protection from a range of weapons?

Talk about unbalanced.. 

[r_The-Player20 313]

What is power?

[hogree 4,179]

Nope hichi. You can only get 150% of the previous protection. ;)

[r_HichigoShiro0 37]

150%?

Dude thats even worse. 

[ronen93 46]

Great article. Like the pics. Will weight be increased or decreased on the upgrade? And then will increasing the weight affect the speed calculations? Does Power = Acceleration? What is Penetrating Power? How much will each upgrade be likely to cost and the prices? How long is each microupgrade likely to take? 

Semyon answered me about the weight, he said that the more you upgrade it the stronger your hull get but will slow down your speed. That's why there is power upgrade to build better speed.

Penetrating power sounds like railgun upgrade to me as it is only gun that shoots bullets through a tank. We'll see what that upgrade is.

 

Great artical Hogree! I was certainly looking forward to this issue!

Edited July 1, 2013 by ronen93

[Raphael2 3,263]

Great article. Like the pics. 

1.Will weight be increased or decreased on the upgrade?

2. And then will increasing the weight affect the speed calculations?

3.Does Power = Acceleration?

4. What is Penetrating Power?

5. How much will each upgrade be likely to cost and the prices?

6. How long is each microupgrade likely to take? 

1. Increased

2. Yes

3. Yes, and power and weight will be related : with more weight, you have better stability but you are slower so you need better engines to move the same way, you have to upgrade both power and weight to have a good result

4. that should be how many damage you do to the second tank you hit if you hit two tanks at the same time

5. Semyon told many times it should be really really cheap, that should allow us to play a few games - microupgrade something - play a few games - microupgrade something etc..

6. Semyon : From seconds to hours, depends on the modification and stage

 

[Beerme 106]

Would rico be back to normal if reload speed and dmg increased :P?

Wont this make the game a lot more unbalanced?

[Crusader 198]

Where's da list?

[r_SwagBoy110 421]

Hmm.. I can't decide whether I'm in favour or not. 

I'll have to wait 'till it's released.

[DanTheKiller1 2,889]

Smoky with bigger critical chance...

[hogree 4,179]

150%?

Dude thats even worse. 

That means.. if you have 20% protection to start with you can get maximum 30%. Not 50%. If thats what you were thinking. Thats what 150% means.

 

Where's da list?

Semyon: Yeah, of course. You will be able to micro-upgrade all the turrets, hulls and paints. Let's start with the simplest thing – paints. You will be able to upgrade existing resists. Each of them can be upgraded by half. So if you have a 30% resist from Smoky you will be able to make it 45%. Also we've created a limit of 50% protection. So if you have a 40% protection in the standard paint, the maximum upgraded one will be 50% not more. As for hulls, each of them will have the same stats that can be upgraded. They are: protection(hp), speed, manoeuvrability, weight and power. When it comes to turrets, each of them have got different stats that can be upgraded. I will post a full list of the micro-ugprades in the comments after this is published too. Wanna know about anything in particular?

[Scientist 4,224]

I know a bit more about micro-upgrades from Russian video blogs ;)

Nice article. :)

[ahmed10000 6]

nice and very good

[unholycloak5 1,814]

Nice article.  :ph34r:

[skitee 555]

Freeze's effect isn't going to be upgradable!

 

[Crusader 198]

Rico's reload speed will be upgradable!

 

[KnightATd1 3]

Semyon,

 

So it's in our interest to FULLY upgrade a category, since if we don't, we spend money on the current M's power & also when just buying the higher M. 

EX: --> I spend Cy700 (or so) to partially upgrade my Thunder M1's damage, but then when I buy M2 I would have to spend the Cy700 (or so) again.

      --> I spend Cy2500 (or so) to fully upgrade Thunder M1's damage, and then the Cy2500 (or so) will be subtracted from the M2's price.

 

Right or wrong?  :huh: 

[r_brandybabyxx0 737]

Micro-upgrades have become pointless due to the fact that there is no limit on how many micro-upgrades you can do............... I initially fell in love with the idea that we would have more techniques and tactics in order to defeat our opponents.... but since ALL characteristics can be upgraded to MAX .. it defeats any variation. IF ONLY we were allowed a maximum of 5-10 upgrade points to be put in to each piece of our equipment, it would force us to CHOOSE ONLY ONE OR TWO characteristics, meaning all of us could be different. The way it has been done, soon or later, everyones hulls will be no different because they will all be fully upgraded in every category. What SHOULD have been done is this:

 

Wasp has 5 characteristics to upgrade. Each characteristic has a 0/10 (So total of 50) BUT YOU ONLY GET 20 UPGRADE POINTS.

 

Therefore, you have the option of choosing speed + power OR protection + weight. This would have two outcomes. The first, a faster lightweight (easy to flip) hull. The latter, a slower but heavier wasp.

 

A railgun has 5 characteristics to upgrade. Each characteristic has a 0/10 (So a total of 50) BUT YOU ONLY GET  20 UPGRADE POINTS.

 

Therefore, one can make a higher damage + penetrating power OR one can make a railgun to be all about impact force, causing other hulls (like the first wasp example) to be flipped really easy.

 

Further, Isida could be made to strictly heal his allies, by maxing out teammate healing ability + reload time rather than damage + self heal ability. So isidas could be made for distinct purposes. A railgun who upgraded damage rather than reload rate would likely lose against a railgun with the faster reload. Why? Because of railguns strong impact force, it would turn the enemies railgun in another direction, causing him to miss. Think about it. An M3 railgun with 160 damage but only 8.0 reload speed, vs an M3 railgun with 130 damage, but 9.5 reload speed. Choice #2 wins.

 

It would truly be customization. But since everyone can upgrade 50/50 then there is no point in only upgrading your desired characteristic. You have to do them ALL to keep up with your opponents. Therefore this whole update is of no aid in making more gameplay tactics. The only new thing that could be done probably is to make a parkour set-up where you have a wasp with no upgraded weight, and a rico/railgun with extra impact force.

Edited July 2, 2013 by r_brandybabyxx0

[Raphael2 3,263]

I agree with you 100%

 

If that is not the case the update would be a bit stupid !

[Descape 16]

Will we get another refunding of our garages?

[Descape 16]

Micro-upgrades have become pointless due to the fact that there is no limit on how many micro-upgrades you can do............... I initially fell in love with the idea that we would have more techniques and tactics in order to defeat our opponents.... but since ALL characteristics can be upgraded to MAX .. it defeats any variation. IF ONLY we were allowed a maximum of 5-10 upgrade points to be put in to each piece of our equipment, it would force us to CHOOSE ONLY ONE OR TWO characteristics, meaning all of us could be different. The way it has been done, soon or later, everyones hulls will be no different because they will all be fully upgraded in every category. What SHOULD have been done is this:

 

Wasp has 5 characteristics to upgrade. Each characteristic has a 0/10 (So total of 50) BUT YOU ONLY GET 20 UPGRADE POINTS.

 

Therefore, you have the option of choosing speed + power OR protection + weight. This would have two outcomes. The first, a faster lightweight (easy to flip) hull. The latter, a slower but heavier wasp.

 

A railgun has 5 characteristics to upgrade. Each characteristic has a 0/10 (So a total of 50) BUT YOU ONLY GET  20 UPGRADE POINTS.

 

Therefore, one can make a higher damage + penetrating power OR one can make a railgun to be all about impact force, causing other hulls (like the first wasp example) to be flipped really easy.

 

Further, Isida could be made to strictly heal his allies, by maxing out teammate healing ability + reload time rather than damage + self heal ability. So isidas could be made for distinct purposes. A railgun who upgraded damage rather than reload rate would likely lose against a railgun with the faster reload. Why? Because of railguns strong impact force, it would turn the enemies railgun in another direction, causing him to miss. Think about it. An M3 railgun with 160 damage but only 8.0 reload speed, vs an M3 railgun with 130 damage, but 9.5 reload speed. Choice #2 wins.

 

It would truly be customization. But since everyone can upgrade 50/50 then there is no point in only upgrading your desired characteristic. You have to do them ALL to keep up with your opponents. Therefore this whole update is of no aid in making more gameplay tactics. The only new thing that could be done probably is to make a parkour set-up where you have a wasp with no upgraded weight, and a rico/railgun with extra impact force.

I see what your saying. Agree 100%. Tanki is now making more money with more things to buy = more crystals spent.

[r_T.H.U.G0 79]

Great interview and pictures are superb. I am hoping that with this update the game won't get more complicated. There are many casual players who play the game and if it gets too complicated for those casual players, they will play even less and also the game should be simplistic and easy to use for everyone. I have seen games in the past add more and more customization and when a player hasn't played for a while they are left behind and eventually quit it if they don't have much interest in the first place. However I think this update will be great except for the fact that sometimes those micro-upgrades aren't always successful. Just seems like a lottery to me.