Hey everyone. I'm currently trying to use a modified version of an algorithm called PageRank (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PageRank) to predict mathematically which the best defensive and offensive types will be once the GEN VI metagame stabilizes.
Essentially, a good defensive type has resistances (especially to good offensive types) and has few weaknesses (especially not to good offensive types). A good offensive type is super-effective against other types (especially good defensive types), and is not resisted by many types (especially not good defensive types).
If you read the above definition, you'll see that it's circular. In the same way, when Google is trying to decide the best pages to show you for whatever you typed in the search bar, sites are "good matches" if they are linked to by other "good matches". PageRank is an algorithm that takes the connection data (in Google's case, which pages link to which pages, and in Pokemon, who is weak/resistant to whom) and finds the mathematical equilibrium, depending on the weighting of weaknesses/resistances. That's where you guys come in; I need to figure out how to weight them.
My questions are these:
Say you're designing a bunch of new Pokemon types from scratch.
1. We are concerned with creating a type that is good defensively (we don't care about offense right now). How many resistances are worth one weakness? (Assume that the types that you would be weak/resistant to are equally good).
2. We are going to give this defensive type either one immunity or some number of resistances. How many resistances are worth one immunity (again, if all the other types are equally good)?
3. We want to give this type an additional immunity. How many weaknesses would we have to add to balance out an immunity?
4. Now, we care only about the type's offensive capability. What's better: having another type resist it and a third be weak to it, or having both types be neutral to it? If it's better for them to be neutral, how many types weak to it would balance out one type resisting it? If not, how many types resisting it would balance out one type being weak to it?
5. How many types would have to resist the attacking type to be as bad as one type being immune to it?
6. How many types would have to be weak to it to balance out one type being immune to it?
If you feel any of these questions would best be answered with a fraction, please do so. For instance, a good answer to number 1 would be "3 resistances balance out 2 weaknesses," or "1.5 resistances are worth one weakness".
I posted this in CAP because you guys do a lot of playtesting and balancing. Although you haven't added a new type (yet), I feel that you're in the best position to answer my questions.
Thanks for your help!
Essentially, a good defensive type has resistances (especially to good offensive types) and has few weaknesses (especially not to good offensive types). A good offensive type is super-effective against other types (especially good defensive types), and is not resisted by many types (especially not good defensive types).
If you read the above definition, you'll see that it's circular. In the same way, when Google is trying to decide the best pages to show you for whatever you typed in the search bar, sites are "good matches" if they are linked to by other "good matches". PageRank is an algorithm that takes the connection data (in Google's case, which pages link to which pages, and in Pokemon, who is weak/resistant to whom) and finds the mathematical equilibrium, depending on the weighting of weaknesses/resistances. That's where you guys come in; I need to figure out how to weight them.
My questions are these:
Say you're designing a bunch of new Pokemon types from scratch.
1. We are concerned with creating a type that is good defensively (we don't care about offense right now). How many resistances are worth one weakness? (Assume that the types that you would be weak/resistant to are equally good).
2. We are going to give this defensive type either one immunity or some number of resistances. How many resistances are worth one immunity (again, if all the other types are equally good)?
3. We want to give this type an additional immunity. How many weaknesses would we have to add to balance out an immunity?
4. Now, we care only about the type's offensive capability. What's better: having another type resist it and a third be weak to it, or having both types be neutral to it? If it's better for them to be neutral, how many types weak to it would balance out one type resisting it? If not, how many types resisting it would balance out one type being weak to it?
5. How many types would have to resist the attacking type to be as bad as one type being immune to it?
6. How many types would have to be weak to it to balance out one type being immune to it?
If you feel any of these questions would best be answered with a fraction, please do so. For instance, a good answer to number 1 would be "3 resistances balance out 2 weaknesses," or "1.5 resistances are worth one weakness".
I posted this in CAP because you guys do a lot of playtesting and balancing. Although you haven't added a new type (yet), I feel that you're in the best position to answer my questions.
Thanks for your help!