Potentially massive bug regarding shield capacity.

[fupa]

So I was doing a bit of math to see if the shield capacity bonuses I received from talents/relics/BA bonus actually added up. Turns out, not even close. And not in my favor, I was being shorted by about HALF of the % increase I was supposed to be receiving.

Proof is in the pictures:

This is my shield, with base 34146.

Base shield, no % modifiers of any kind.

Here is my 6.4% shield capacity from BA bonus.

And here we have what my shield capacity becomes.

Math part:

Theoretical: 34146(base) * 1.064(base + 6.4% BA bonus) = 36331.344
Actual: 34146(base) * 1.064(base + 6.4% BA Bonus) = 35287

36331 - 35287 = 1044 shield bonus unaccounted for.

Now, I disabled the BA bonus 6.4% bringing me back down to base, and then I put 5 talents in Myelin for a base 15% increase.

This should, theoretically, bring my base 34146 * 1.15 = 39267.9.

Here is the actual, only 36800

39267 - 36800 = 2467 total shield that is completely unaccounted for.

Can anyone explain this? Is my very basic math somehow wrong here? From the looks of it, shield capacity bonuses are not being properly awarded at all.

[Nite69]

I had the same problem, it doesn't really matter what shield capacity you have it seems like no matter what it gets dropped to minimum with single hits when it takes the player several hits to drop the enemy shields, its not balanced at all.

[gf1024]

If you're not equipping any class mods or anything that reduce your shields then it sounds like a bug.

[sandman9601]

I do fully believe OP has found an issue. But...

Originally Posted by Nite69

I had the same problem, it doesn't really matter what shield capacity you have it seems like no matter what it gets dropped to minimum with single hits when it takes the player several hits to drop the enemy shields, its not balanced at all.

Agree with this. There are so many times in the game that a single hit has dropped my shields and put me down to about 20% health that I really can't believe it's coincidence. Seriously, it's happened to me more than 100 times. It seems like the game code has 3 scenarios for taking large hits.

1. instant fight for your life - only happens against really tough enemies or if you're very under-levelled

2. kills your shields, ~20% of HP left

3. kills your shields, ~80% of HP left (or more)

I've never seen middle ground between #2 and #3. It really feels like they added that for dramatic effect, and it happens way too often.

I should add that this also appears to happen regardless of your shield. I've had the same enemy do it to me with my Bee and with my normal shield. For reference, there's about a 25k difference between the two, yet the same hit from the same guy has the same result??

Yeah, I agree with the guy I quoted. I really don't think shield capacity means a whole lot. It only matters for lots of small/med hits.


edit: I should add, after #2 happens it also feels like you get a damage reduction. I've had subsequent hits that would normally drop my shields, but after #2 they leave me with about 3% of my HP. The math just doesn't seem to add up.

[BarryS]

Agree, shield capacity in this game is broken, OP has found a bug best described in second post >

Originally Posted by Nite69

I had the same problem, it doesn't really matter what shield capacity you have it seems like no matter what it gets dropped to minimum with single hits when it takes the player several hits to drop the enemy shields, its not balanced at all.

[gunny666]

Normal Rakk in the fridge anyone? Boom no shield and 10% health left. This happens with my two different characters. Zer0 who has a shield rating of 46,000 and health of 84,000 (level 50 TVHM) and Axton shield capacity 8,000 health 9,000 Level 41 normal mode.

It's almost as if the game is scripted to kick you in the nadds once in a while.

[nrnoble]

Originally Posted by sandman9601

Agree with this. There are so many times in the game that a single hit has dropped my shields and put me down to about 20% health that I really can't believe it's coincidence. Seriously, it's happened to me more than 100 times. It seems like the game code has 3 scenarios for taking large hits.

1. instant fight for your life - only happens against really tough enemies or if you're very under-leveled

2. kills your shields, ~20% of HP left

3. kills your shields, ~80% of HP left (or more)

Yes, there is a lot trickery and illusions taking place in terms of how much damage is taken by the player. I have not spent a lot of time collecting data as to what happens, but GB box has designed the AI in such a way to prevent the player from dying too quickly, yet put keep the player on the defense a high percentage of the time. A player might find himself low on shield and health much of the time, but if the player is not extremely under leveled, the AI will allow the player a lot time to save himself in most situations.

[Nebhead]

I do think there are some kind of scripted damage moments from larger Badass Enemies as some have described, and I have experienced the dramatic moments Mr Noble is describing, or at least I think I have.

To put it another way, I've had these moments where I've lost a significant chunk of my Health after having my Shield depleted in one go, yet have managed to survive for serveral seconds after, which leads me to think that upon taking these Dramatic Hits, you gain some kind of Damage Resistance and/or Immunity to even the odds a little.

Also, I too have noticed the shield Capacity Issue, and bet that it effects Maximum Health too. Perhaps even other stats like Gun Damage.

[fupa]

Originally Posted by Nebhead

I do think there are some kind of scripted damage moments from larger Badass Enemies as some have described, and I have experienced the dramatic moments Mr Noble is describing, or at least I think I have.

To put it another way, I've had these moments where I've lost a significant chunk of my Health after having my Shield depleted in one go, yet have managed to survive for serveral seconds after, which leads me to think that upon taking these Dramatic Hits, you gain some kind of Damage Resistance and/or Immunity to even the odds a little.

Also, I too have noticed the shield Capacity Issue, and bet that it effects Maximum Health too. Perhaps even other stats like Gun Damage.

Yes, I'm inclined to believe that too. It seems almost all % modifiers aren't functioning properly. I have talents and a class mod to increase my reload speed by about 65%, and I've noticed almost no change at all when i remove the talents and mod. GB has some serious game-breaking issues that need to be resolved, but instead they're plugging away on new DLC to keep milking the cash cow.

[fauxhb]

maybe you should post this at gearbox forums? they might notice your post there much faster.

[rf951]

I can confirm that it is in fact scripted to almost kill you at certain points. I downloaded a level 50 game save some time ago. That level 50 was at the start of the game. So I decided to goof around just one shotting stuff. Well it didn't take long to motor pretty far into the game. I got to a particular badass moment and boom no shield and almost no health in an instant. That's damage taken from a level 20 character! Yea, scripted for sure.

[Kleetus]

Originally Posted by nrnoble

but GB box has designed the AI in such a way to prevent the player from dying too quickly

Absolutely not, there are plenty of places, especially on P2.5/Level 50 where enemies just spawn and instantly spam rockets.

You immediately lose all health and shields, then you're quickly picked off.

And because they're bullet sponges fight-for-life doesn't help, it just frustrates you more.

Gearbox uses some really cheap tricks with the AI, like running backward while veering left and right at an un-natural speed or dodging (something the player can't do).

Or, the most annoying is enemies quicly "re-spawning" into cover (ie You can actually see them disappear from one spot and spawn behind cover in a fraction of a second).

[JustAnotherFan]

I've noticed this as well, it's kind of a PITA.

Side note: has anyone noticed that Gaige's Prodigy class mods are broken? I don't know if it's an issue with Smaller faster Lighter or not but those mods actually decrease reload speed instead of doing the opposite.

[Vic9992]

One more thing. I picked up a shield that said "Immunity from acid," put it on, blew up a nearby acid barrel, and barely escaped dying. Now I ignore such claims.
I just go for the best high capacity Turtle I come across. If I normally carried a decent health regen, I might try out some lower capacity shields with less delay, but so far that hasn't happened.

[Redtide]

Originally Posted by fupa

So I was doing a bit of math to see if the shield capacity bonuses I received from talents/relics/BA bonus actually added up. Turns out, not even close. And not in my favor, I was being shorted by about HALF of the % increase I was supposed to be receiving.

Proof is in the pictures:

This is my shield, with base 34146.

Base shield, no % modifiers of any kind.

Here is my 6.4% shield capacity from BA bonus.

And here we have what my shield capacity becomes.

Math part:

Theoretical: 34146(base) * 1.064(base + 6.4% BA bonus) = 36331.344
Actual: 34146(base) * 1.064(base + 6.4% BA Bonus) = 35287

36331 - 35287 = 1044 shield bonus unaccounted for.

Now, I disabled the BA bonus 6.4% bringing me back down to base, and then I put 5 talents in Myelin for a base 15% increase.

This should, theoretically, bring my base 34146 * 1.15 = 39267.9.

Here is the actual, only 36800

39267 - 36800 = 2467 total shield that is completely unaccounted for.

Can anyone explain this? Is my very basic math somehow wrong here? From the looks of it, shield capacity bonuses are not being properly awarded at all.

If it's the same thing as the original, it has to do with the way the game rounds percentages in it's calculations. If you checked the old Gearbox BL1 forums I think the post about it might still be up.

Originally Posted by Vic9992

One more thing. I picked up a shield that said "Immunity from acid," put it on, blew up a nearby acid barrel, and barely escaped dying. Now I ignore such claims.
I just go for the best high capacity Turtle I come across. If I normally carried a decent health regen, I might try out some lower capacity shields with less delay, but so far that hasn't happened.

Yeah that type of shield got me too but then I read the description again. It says something like "Immune to Corrode Damage" which means immunity to the Damage Over Time effect. Unfortunately, it doesn't work with most environmental sources of acid damage so it's basically useless.