Ask Frizz

Please use this page to ask **game-related** questions, Frizz will attempt to answer them as time allows. Please use the proper format for asking your question (see code for an example), keep your questions short and only ask one question per post. If your question is not game-related, it may be rejected (don't feel bad, it happens to the best of us).

**Previously Answered Questions**

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## Recently Answered Questions

**Question** by Disturbia: After some allegations by faction mates I was wondering, are the spawn rates for the rare mods (Bandit's Eyes and Shak Tears) any different between the Faction War planets (Hellion, Inferneus) and the PvP Planets (Konu, Aldus)? Does it work like this: 1. Bandit dies, %age chance to have bandit mod 2. When salvaging, that bandit mod has a %age chance to be a rare mod? If so, do those numbers differ between planets? Aldus to Zedus to Konu to Inf/Hell?

Frizz's **answer**: The chance of bandit mods is increased on planets with PvP. There is also a greater chance of rare mods on bandit units. I'm not getting into exact percentages though. (*6/22/10*)

**Question** by Nemund: When building, does the increased var pool from having mod strux apply to all three possible Vars, or only the first Var in the list.

Frizz's **answer**: I'm not sure I follow you; most units have more than three possible variants ... a unit can only have a max of three variants, is this what you're asking about? The additional variants in the pool apply to all possible variants a unit can have. So if you add 3x "D" and 3x "E" variants to a mod pool and "D" is selected first you will still have a greater chance of an "E" because there will still be 3-extra "E"s in the pool. (*6/22/10*)

**Question** by Nemund: When Building, if you increase the Var Pool, does it actually decrease your chances of getting an X var on your unit. If so is this intentional, or is this a byproduct.

RoseThorn's **comment**: If I have read the X vars correctly they get a X percent chance to get the var in the variant pool \*Example, the Farseer meka has a 25% chance of getting the X var, in the variant pool... the exact wording is (25% chance in Variant Pool). So in short, I don't believe so.(*3/29/10*)

Vanoi's **comment**: It does, as Rose say that (25% chance in Variant Pool) is the chance to get the X-Var in the pool, but if you over-saturate the pool with lets say D or E instead of let's say A S R D M X (25% chance) you'll have A S R DDDD M EEE X. Which if my thoughts on this are correct, reduces your chance of X-Var (after the inital 25%) from 1 in 6 to 1 in 12.

Frizz's **answer**: Van is 99% there, "yes" it decreases the chances (depending on what you do) and "yes" this is intentional. Consider this. You want to increase the chances of a "D" var on a unit that also has the chance of a "X" variant. Let's say you only add "D"s so the variant pool looks like this "DDDDDDDRSX". On the first pull you have a 1/10 chance of an "X" var and a 7/10 chance of a "D" var. If you get the "D" as your first var the pool will look like this for your second pull "RSX", now you have a 1/3 chance of an X var. If you have a chance at a third variant you can get that chance down to 1/2. So adding variants does make it slightly harder to obtain an X var, but it also gives you more control over the other variants on the unit. (*6/22/10*)

**Question** by Phong: Does overkill affect the auto-salvage odds for a unit with Escape Pod(s)?

Frizz's **answer**: Nope, auto-salvage makes a straight % check when the unit is destroyed. No overkill damage is taken into account in this check. (*4/10/10*)

**Question** by Greengecko: I've been wondering for a LONG time... why does the Palestar need a Rail Cannon for a premod? It's an all missile unit, it just makes no sense for it to be a premod.

Frizz's **answer**: The Palestar started out as a Ballistic unit (something close to the Nightstalker) but was changed as it evolved. The Mod requirements were never changed though. (*3/29/10*)

**Question** by Golob: If you remove a merit from a clone and then level up that crew, could it gain merits straight at level 2? Would it's CE raise? Can it get WH merit?

Frizz's **answer**: Hmmm, that sounds possible. The only limitation (I believe) for earning merits is whether or not a crew has 3 already. If a crew has 3 merits then that section of code is skipped. If a clone had 2 merits that code \*should\* fire. (*3/29/10*)

**Question** by Phong: How are the new "harder to hit" Actis (such as the Killfox's Sensor Scrambling and the Warning System mods) classified - to-hit penalties or Dodge bonuses? Do they stack with the old bonuses/penalties? Is there still an upper limit of 3 Gunnery levels that a defender's actions can decrease an attacker's to-hit odds?

Frizz's **answer**: These stack and are Dodge / to-hit modifiers as-stated on the Acti. Dodge modifiers have an upper limit of 4 Gunnery Levels (for >9 squares moved). (*3/29/10*)

**Question** by Halfwrong: When using the hermes' acti (+33% salvage chance for the turn) in combination with mod salvage on bandit units, will it have an increased chance of salvaging bandit mods (55% + 33%) or will it still be bound by the mod salvage's limit of 55% when salvaging bandit mods?

Frizz's **answer**: Unit salvage is a 1-100 chance, mod salvage is a 1-120 chance ... there is no limit, just a lower mod chance per the way that check is made. (*3/29/10*)

**Question** by GenStryker: How do bandits target? I've heard they go at optimal range, but I just saw earlier 2 ballistas, one firing at 10 range, the other firing at 8 range at the same time. Is the targeting pattern random, or did I just see a bug?

Frizz's **answer**: With the recent AI tweaks, some bandits now use more complicated methods of attacking. (*1/4/10*)

**Question** by Myst: When a user-submitted idea sparks your interest, what kind of process do you go through to make sure that update will/will not collide with other aspects of the game?

Frizz's **answer**: After over 4 years of design TinyWarz has so many moving parts that a collision (often unforeseen and unintended) often crops up. I'm always investigating new ways of preventing issues with updates, but at this point these issues are part of the process. (*1/4/10*)

**Question** by Myst: When you add something to the game; do you have a special way to test that update before it is released?

Frizz's **answer**: I test what I can on my own, but updates which have a significant impact on the population can only be tweaked after they are added to the game. (*1/4/10*)

**Question** by Paralysis: Does overkill affect chances to retrieve a mod? And/or does overkill affect mod salvage?

Golob's **comment**: Overkill affects only units, it does not affect mod salvaging at all. (**6/28/09**)

Frizz's **answer**: Golob is correct. (*1/4/10*)

**Question** by Ezion: From a design perspective, what is the purpose behind critical hits?

Frizz's **answer**: Critical hits were added as a draw-back to receiving armor-hits. (*1/4/10*)

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## Pending Questions

**Question** by Example: Example Question?

**Question** by Bullseye55: Does a hawkeye's(or any other unit) to-hit bonus for other units when it stays still stack? Does the to-hit bonus stack with mods and on unit abilities? Jabu's **Answer**: Yes, any to-hit bonus stacks.

**Question** by Eragon: Do faction war planet payout occur every set number of hours or every set number of turns? borgrel's **Answer**: A set number of turns is a set number of hours (give or take a few seconds) Jabu's **Answer**: It's set number of turns.

**Question** by Eragon: How long exactly is a turn? I ask because i see 1:05 and 1:15 on the clock pretty often....? Jabu's **Answer**: A turn is 1 minute + the time it takes for (approximately) the slowest user to load. This was to account for lag.

**Question** by Eragon: Any chance of adding an incentive for us to start voting on mpodg.com again?

**Question** by Eragon: What determines which units bandits will attack in a single stack of multiple units?

borgrel's **Answer**: Random

Eragon's **Comment**: Not True. I have spent a good amount of time on Dominus. I usuallly bring 1 Aegis and 1 Beast, not -once- have the bandits attacked my beast so long as it remains stacked with my aegis.

borgrel's **Answer**: Hmm..... i hadn't tried groups of differant vehicle types....alphabetically with randon within each type.

**Question** by Eragon: If I have ballistic armor 2, a DR ability per hit(such as the BAX), and a sanct generator, in what order do they apply? And do the sanct and ballistic stack, or are they applied separately?

borgrel's **Answer**: if by ballistic armour u mean ballistic defence then the order is: sbg and bd2 (the order doesnt matter) x\*0.5\*0.6 = x\*0.6\*0.5 = 0.3\*x and then the constants ... 0.3\*x - 5.

**Question** by Phong: When there are multiple wrecks in a single square, what determines the order of the "stack" (i.e. which wreck is salvaged/recycled first)?

borgrel's **Answer**: Last to die is first to be salvaged.

**Question** by Phinoy: Do you have the power to track units in the game? Example: I build a unit, sell/give it to someone else and then they sell/give it to someone else. Do you have the capabilities to track to see if/when that unit switched hands again?

Vanoi's **comment**: A method of tracking does exist in the game, free usage of this however I don't believe is possible.

**Question** by Phinoy: Is it possible to change the email address that we use to login to the game? My currently used address is obsolete and I don't check it any more. I had thought about making some purchases on the Rewards page but I won't do it if I have to use the old email address on the external website.

Vanoi's **comment**: Have you tried gifting your own account, just click "Make a Purchase for Another Player" and type your own username in, I do believe you can then just use any paypal and the purchase should go to that account.

**Question** by Halfwrong: What language(s) do you have the site coded in?

**Question** by Halfwrong: What background database to you use for storing information?

**Question** by Halfwrong: With the artwork in the game, where do most of the designs for units, buildings and mods come from? i.e. did you do basic designs yourself and then commission somebody else to make them, did you have a mental depiction of each unit that you described to an artist and have them make an artwork based on your description, tell an artist to let loose and make you a whole bunch of different futuristic vehicles, etc.

**Question** by Halfwrong: Did you create the entire site by yourself (with the exception of artwork) or did you need outside help for different parts of the site design and coding?

**Question** by Mr Hyde: What is the exact % chance of getting each merit? So far I have 7.5% chance for each merit with the BP merit at 2.5% Is this right?

**Question** by DonJean: Why do you have Relics give CMD based on the "**total time held**" rather than **"total time held by a faction"** or **"total time since last capture".**

The reason I ask is.

Under the current system it doesn't encourage PVP or Faction efforts since you can drop on turn 20 take both and still get the full benefit without looking for them.

*Under the Total time held by faction / since last capture* Dropping on the last couple of turns would benefit you nothing as you get very little CMD. So you would need to drop earlier and this would mean more PVP and combined faction efforts.

I write this because in the last few days I've watched this happen a number of times and it discourages small factions or solo efforts

**Question** by 1ron: Is there a part of making a new update that you enjoy the most?

**Question** by 1ron: So far, what was your favorite update to make?

**Question** by meinL: uhmmm the Thunder Clap Recharger(35% regen if didnt move) says "does not stack" so if it activates, will it be added w/ the unit's regen or i will only be 35% ?

Vanoi's **comment**: "Does not stack" mean it does not stack with mods that have a similar abilities such as the Distant Thunder which is 25% when you don't move. This however means it still does stack with normal regen and normal regen mods.

meinL's **comment**:tnx

edit: question withdrawn

**Question** by Borgrel: What is the current max phase shield bonus? 80% phase?? 100% phase??

**Question** by Borgrel: A phase gen cannot pick up extra phase shields from other phase gens, does PGM phasing stack on phase gens?? What is the max phasing for a phase gen??

Jabu's **Answer**: I believe you can reach 100 percent with a combination of the PGM / phase shielding.

**Question** by Borgrel: Does pgm's stack with one another?? what's the Max??

**Question** by Borgrel: Do Shield gens currently work like resup stations? If reds jump onto the shield gen, will our attacks kill our own building?

**Question** by Borgrel: Do PDS's stack? If so, how do they do damage? Does it stack up and apply double the damage in 1 shot or does it apply the damage twice, consecutively? Does PDS cause overkill?

Jabu's **Answer**: PDS stacks.

**Question** by Borgrel: How does damage enhancers work?? 1 = 50%, 2 = 25% .... so damage INCREASES when 1 is killed??? or 2 = 2\*25% ..... meaning NO bonus damage o.O and 3 = 3\*10 .... which is another drop in damage???? seems .... illogical

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## Rejected Questions

**Question** by Garrow: Frizz, Since UF and RC are leaderless I was wondering if I could lead one of them, I'd be able to cut down the noobs that spam and scream on all chat, thus leaving CBX in a sort of peace, I'd be able to get them into factions (if they didn't want to stay) right off at level 5 and if they wanted to stay I'd be able to get them paid. If you want to know more on what I'd do then contact me in game please.

**Question** by EndlessRain: What's your IQ?

**Question** by EndlessRain: How old are you?

**Question** by Pie\_Masta: Could you take a week off and just chat in the chat with us?

**Question** by Pie\_Masta: Am I a multi?

**Question** by Reinrod: Kragel and I are putting in ideas toward a new planet, but it will be very unique. Can you check out or Forum conversation and tell us what you think? (Sorry this isn't much of a question more of a request). New Planet and Artifacts Updated!!!

Frizz Thanks for the info, but that's not really a question ;)

**Question** by Peacekeeper: Once I return and pay everyone back I would like an invite to Space Monkey's and if possible faction base rights. I will supply everything the storage needs you can have it empty. I just believe Space Monkey's would quite possibly be the HIGHEST pvp possible faction in the game. So now for the question. Will you send me an invite to Space Monkey's =)?