THE HOSER REPORT

The strategy newsletter for Duelmasters
#4 June 2 1987
$2.00

THE MANAGERS CORNER

The deluge of material on the PRP continues. The following information was submitted by a manager who wishes to remain anonymous. It relates selected attributes and number or skills learned to the number of skills required to achieve expert status in given skill areas. The value of this information is in character design. Obviously, we all want our gladiators hitting expert levels at the earliest opportunity. Good character design insures this.

Unfortunately, the manager did not say if attributes had been increased after initial character design (which would make results more difficult to interpret). If you send in this type of information, please indicate what attributes were raised to the next odd number, and when it was done (before or after?). The best information is obtained from gladiators whose learning has not been "contaminated" by attribute increases. Also, some attributes were not included (such as ST & WL for attack and parry). However, I feel the information is still excellent and will be of considerable value to readers. Remember the following is for PRP fighters. This is a topic that deserves, and will get, much attention in upcoming issues of the HOSER REPORT. Stay tuned.

Exp AttackExp InitiativeExp ParryExp Riposte
GladiatorAABABABCD
WT151513211915152113
DF151613111315151116
SP1317169101113917
Skillsreq'd452882080

Adv Exp Riposte
GladiatorE
WT13
DF16
SP17
Skills req'd 3

If there has ever been doubts in your mind as to what weapons are well suited to which style, this chart submitted by Alan Yip should answer your questions.

BASSTASLAPSTLUAPLUWSTTPSAIMPRP
BA^XX^ X^
HA^X^^ ^^^
MSXX ^ X^
WFXX X
WHXX X ^^^
MAXX ^ ^^
SS X XXX XX
LO XXXXX XXX
BS XXX XXXX
EP XXXXX XXX
SH XXXXX XXX
DA X^^^^^^^^
SC XXX^XXXXX
SMXX^X^^^X^^
MEXX^X^^^X^^
LGXX^X^^^X^^
GAXXX X
HLXX ^ ^^
MLXX
QSXX X XXX
LS X XXX XX
GSXX X XX

Comments: Alan indicated that this list was not complete. I have made some additions (the ^'s). If you see something we missed, send it in. I do not certify this (or anything else) to be error free. What do you expect for two bucks?

One manager wrote to suggest that the rankings should give the styles of each warrior (great idea!). The idea would be to promote less popular styles by awarding the title of "Style master" to the highest ranked gladiator of each style. Even some of the initiates would have a chance at gaining a title to defend (would they play for free?). He also asks the following question: "A topic I'd like to see discussed is how to rid the arena of wild eyed managers and their sunning dogs who insist on going for the kill. Are you with me????"

Killing is certainly a topic I spend alot of time thinking about. What about you? Killing and related issues would make a great topic for debate since we all have a stake in it. I'll devote as much room to it as needed to print your opinions. How about it guys?

HOSE KNOWS
Questions and Answers

Q: Does the program actually control skill learns, or is it the decision of management?
A: If your meaning is "does management control skills on an individual basis", the answer is no. Obviously, the game designer has decided how skills should be learned (made decisions), and the program is written to execute those decisions. There are many factors that influence learning, including WT, WL, damage taken, fight length, winning or losing, experience differential, luck, and probably a few more that don't come to mind right now. If you don't have a copy of the red rulebook (where these factors are mentioned), you may want to get one.

Back in the days when the game was run on Kaypro 10's, you could actually watch this process on the screen for each fight (maybe you still can on the new system, I don't know). This was a very popular item for RSI customers at tournament time, or for those visiting the underground factory.

Each factor had a numerical value assigned, all values were summed. The resulting number ranged from a low of perhaps 20, to 120 or more. The computer then generated random number's between 0 and 100 (it "rolled the dice"). If the "throw" was less than the gladiator's sum, then a skill was awarded. Then, 20 was subtracted from the sum and the process repeated until a "roll" was missed. A high WT fighter could have an initial sum of say, 90. If the first roll came up 91 he gets hosed on his skills. I believe that in the event that a fighter came up empty, he then got a "saving throw", with a 50% chance of getting a single skill.

Q: How obvious will it be when I come across my favorite weapon?
A: Not very. In addition to a favorite weapon, each fighter is assigned a favorite offensive effort, activity level, and tactic (there is a chance that the favorite tactic will be no tactic at all). If you happen to be using the "favorite" weapon and the other factors are off, you can see how this confuses results.

When you are optimizing on the "favorites", you should have a much higher probability of pulling off "critical" actions (attack, parry, dodge, riposte). Criticals are generally identified as the very long sentences in your fights. Since the game in general gives you very few specifics to go on, you have to zero in over the course of a large number or fights. When you see good things happening alot, you're getting close. Try to vary as few factors as possible in any one minute.

Upon invitation to AD, you are informed what the weapon is, along with the tactic. In AD, you are always well suited to your favorite weapon, though this is not always true in the regular arena. Also, they tell you about what offense & activity are favorite (very low, low, moderate, high, very high). If you have been playing for any length of time (which will be the case if you get the AD invite) you will know this anyway, so it is not that helpful. Favorites are supposed to be reasonable for your style. This should give you a starting point. Good luck, and don't worry about it too much.

Q:Does a small, fast STA with a WH have a prayer against ia fast LUA of equal experience?
A: Usually, no. The STA normally will have an edge in decisiveness. A big edge. This will allow him to get in the first couple of attacks (which may or may not hit). Most LUA will have the CN and/or WL to shrug this off because small fighters don't deal extra damage in most cases. Then the high initiative of the LUA takes over (decisive fighters generallv can't control the fight for an entire minute), leading to a perforated STA. Usually.

All of this is based on the assumption that you want to try and out- quick the LUA. Most LUA come blasting out of the starting gates, but, not all of them do. Some play a more moderate strategy to create sustained attack and avoid sucking wind in minute two. Some managers vary the strategy by opponent. Second guessing other managers can be risky. That is why I always worry first about running my fighter to do what he does best, instead of worrying too much about what the other guy will do.

If the STA has any type of defense, he can very easily win by waiting out the LUA. If in doubt, try it.

Q: When you say "natural", does that mean before or after you add the base 14 points of training?
A: AFTER you add your base 14.

Q: Do you have any suggestions on large fighters?
A: I feel that the satire philosophy of differentiating between attributes applies to fighters regardless of SZ. Invest your points in the "big payoff" attributes. The primary difference will be that the choice of styles will be different. Large fighters are usually better made into the more aggressive styles.

Q: I am under the influence that if a warrior is ambidextrious, all he needs is the minimum deftness to use the same weapon in both hands. I once had an ambidextrious lunger with 11 deftness and he did just fine with two longswords.
A: What? Not a whole lot has ever been mentioned in the rules about being ambidextrious, and I don't recall RSI making public statements about any benefits arising from this state.

In our fights there is never any indication for ambidextrious fighters of what hand the primary weapon is carried in, or if this changes between fights (such as to take advantage of a right or left handed opponent. It certainly never changes during the fight. If I remember correctly, there was supposed to be some minor bonus to attack and parry (say, equivalent of one or two skills), and lower DF requirements for using two identical weapons simultaneously. Closely related is the "two handed bonus" that is supposed to arise from not using an off-hand weapon or shield. Meaning, the program assumed a fighter using a single handed weapon in both hands gets extra power and quickness (sounds like another small attack bonus).

This may be another one of those areas where the game designer had always intended for the game to have that feature, but it hadn't actually been programmed yet.

Q: If we're your best fan do we get to receive the HOSER REPORT for free???
A: Fat chance.

Whats on the Horizon

For those of you in AD, I'm sure that you have had an opportunity to read the latest announcement from RSI "So what the Heck is the deal with Advanced Duelmasters Anyway?!". It raises a number of questions concerning the future of this game, and I think that it applies to all Duelmasters players even though it only seems to have appeared in the AD newsletter (those of you not yet in AD might want to get a copy from a friend or the moderators). I will not use my limited space to reproduce it here, but for those who are not in AD I will summarize what it said:

The AD audience is too small to pay for the programming costs associated with the game. Since AD was to have been the foundation for future games, the cost was to be spread out into the future games. Now, Ed (the game designer) has devised a combat system that will make Duelmasters obsolete. Any further improvements in AD are therefore not justified on a cost basis, RSI will develop the new system instead. Further AD improvements have "hit a brick wall". This decision was reached after 3 months of internal debate.

Its disturbing that RSI had had the information of a new system for three months, yet was widely publicizing enhancements to AD and the standard arenas. We've all read the official announcements, and many of us had heard leaked rumors (don't feel too bad guys, I was sucked in myself). The rug has been pulled out from under us. Again. If Duelmasters was not so enjoyable (addictive?) these continued PR flaps would have killed RSI long ago. They might yet.

Why do I think that it pertains to all players? The differences between the standard arenas and AD are: 1) some different lines of text in the computer output, 2) some minor differences in attribute increases, 3) fighters are well suited to their favorite weapons even if they were not in the standard arenas, and 4) a diffetent point range for each warrior class. For all outward appearances, Duelmasters and Advanced Duelmasters is the same game (a rose by any other name...). If you accept this, then the announcement applies to ALL arenas and players.

Don't get me wrong, I'm always in favor of a better game and RSI has promised a better game. Having known the game designer personally, I have every confidence and expectation the AD II (or whatever you want to call it) will be awesome. But, RSI has not earned much praise for on-time performance. Hyborian War was not running on regular turnaround until more than two years after the promised release date. How long will it be before the new "Advanced Duelmasters" comes out? I hope you like the game as it is today.

Maybe this announcement also will be soon forgotten by RSI? Well, at least one lesson has been learned about promising release dates. RSI didn't give one. Personally, I don't want to know until the new game is ready for playtesting. I hate being strung along.

The unanswered questions? What about the Grand Tourney, is it scrubbed?. What of the AD characters that mangers have invested 50 fights and hundreds of dollars in? Since AD as we know it will be obsolete, doesn't it follow that the system that produced them (i.e., the regular arenas) will be obsolete? Can they transfer into the new system? Will the old game still be run? Will the current Duelmasters customers be SOL (sure out of luck)?

I had contacted Paul Brown last week on a different subject, and this was briefly mentioned. Paul realized that there were unanswered questions, and called back later to leave a quite lengthy message on my answering machine.

From what Paul had said, current Duelmasters players needn't worry. Duelmasters has always been a good product for RSI, and they will continue to run and support it (standard arenas and AD apparently). Characters still active when the new system is brought on line will be able to transfer into it, much as gladiators now transfer from the standard arenas to AD. It seems that the Grand Tourney is also still on. The rest of his recorded message slips my mind now, but the thrust of it was that there is no threatening news for current Duelmasters customers.

Unfortunately, it looks like no new programming either.

What does it mean for us? Most importantly, it appears that we are "locked into" the system we have now. Things could be worse, we could have been stuck with the total dominance of scums. It would appear that this announcement kills any further speculation on program changes and the strategy implications.

Is there cause to be upset? I guess the bottom line is not really. I certainly don't think much of the promised improvements being withdrawn (it stinks), and I wonder how long a stagnant game will hold the interest of all the players. Perhaps there will be a number of small low cost things that can be done? RSI made a business decision, which they were well within their rights to make. Perhaps it was the nature of the announcement. I've never heard of a new product being launched in quite this way. I hope that the remade Duelmasters is ready soon.

DUELMASTERS - A BASIC APPROACH

This is a tough column to write for someone who has played for so long. Over the years you see almost everthing (or so you think), and you take for granted your accumulated experience. You actually forget why you do the things you do. Playing becomes habit. Yet, there isn't anyone out there who can't learn a new trick, myself included. It is my intent to start "from the ground up" and build a framework in which to view this game, I am hoping that the verteran players can draw something valuble out of this. As with anything you read in the HOSER REPORT, feel free to send in your comments, criticisms, or whatever (i.e. I need more material for HR #6).

Chances are, you haven't seen a game quite like Duelmasters before. When you first began (or even now), didn't you ever ask yourself how DO they do it? I did. Duelmasters was my first exposure to PBM games. I never even played Dungeons & Dragons until I was in college (a deprived childhood, right?).

So, what do you do? The answer is to construct a model that describes what is happening on your printouts. You have already done it, whether you realize it or not. How? By accumulating knowledge from various sources and drawing inferences. This allows you to predict consequences of your actions. When results don't fit the model you modify the model and try again. More on it later.

Model building is really a form of problem solving, which is done by qualitative or quantitative analysis. The game designer never intended to give out numerical information on the game. This policy has been continued by RSI. In other words, they don't really give you much to go on. Even the popularity was changed from a number value to descriptive terms. Looks hopeless at first, don't you think?

We all know that Duelmasters is computer moderated. Computers must work with numbers at the most basic level, then match numerical results to the lines of text we see on the printout. A ray of hope.

Before you can analyze information, you have to gather it. Where?

1) From your fights. You have very good control over 50% of what is going on (via the turn sheet).

2) Your friends, especially if you can arrange fixed fights and compare strategies used.

3) The HOSER REPORT. I had intended this publication to be a clearing house for information, not 4 pages of me telling you how to manage your stable. I have lots of good ideas and experience, but so do the readers. One of the strengths of this game is that people with widely differing opinions can be successful at the same time. If everyone understands how to extract information and contributes, this could very well be your "key to the bank". Readers of the HOSER REPORT manage a very large number of warriors. As a group we see more fights in one turn cycle than the individual manger will see in years of play. How much you get out will be proportional to how much you put in.

4) Contact with RSI, and friends of RSI employees. Information leaks through RSI like a sieve. Before joining RSI I had the luxury of being able to personally visit with the game designer, we talked about the game sometimes for an hour or more. Ed however is a pretty crafty man. He gives you that kernel of truth, but plants it in a pound of manure, The trick is to sift through the bull. Moral of the story: Reliability of information from this source is suspect. Use with caution.

5) Other games. When talking of Duelmasters, I often make analogies to other games such as backgammon, poker, eucher, D&D, and horse racing (among others).

When you try to figure this game out, there are a few pitfalls to avoid. Specifically, keep it as simple as possible. The simplest model that fits results is better than a complex one that gives about the same fit. While Duelmasters is a wonderful game, don't give it credit for anymore than it is really doing. From some of the things people ask you would think that RSI had created machine intelligence and applied it to a PBM game.

What is Duelmasters? Basically, nothing more than a combat resolution program. Think of D&D. Whenever you have an encounter, there are several outcome possibilities, one of which is combat. There is a procedure you go through to resolve this situation that looks something like this:

Simplified, but essentially correct. With Duelmasters, there is only one possibility, combat. The above system gives you a rough guideline to compare Duelmasters to, which I will do next issue.

BONUS ISSUE!

Normally I stay with the 4 page forinat because I feel that it is appropriate. This time however I was running late and didn't have time for editing. Also, there was quite a bit of material to print, so here it is. My apologies if your issue came postage due. And....

NEW LOWER PRICE!

For this isssue you may have noticed that I lowered my price (see front page - ha ha). It can't go any lower! Sorry, I couldn't resist,

Jeff Morgan