[FIST] Review of Cluster Values (Ongoing)
The Cluster Review
Throughout my term so far, we have been collecting and organizing submission times and values, and working as a staff to find a better balance for members earning awards. Many games have been awarding far more heavily than others. While we have made minor adjustments over the last year, today marks the start of not only correcting a few activities that were set up incorrectly, but also implementing the first major balance changes to better align with the project’s overall goals.
Some of you may have already noticed that changes were made today to the cluster values of certain games. This report is intended to summarize those changes and explain the general thought process behind them.
These adjustments are meant to make reaching the daily and weekly cluster caps more cohesive across platforms. They also account for the current situation in which owning certain games allows players to reach those caps several hours faster than on other platforms. There is plenty to cover in this first round of many, so let’s get into it.
Diablo IV
Summary of Changes
- Base activity value reduced from 2 to 1
- Award / Difficulty scaling updated:
- Normal – Torment 1= 1.0
- Torment 2= 1.25
- Torment 3= 1.5
- Torment 4= 2.0
- Pit ranges reduced by 10 levels per modifier
- The lowest range now includes Normal/Veteran missions
Rationale:
This adjustment reflects how quickly a small crew can complete the highest-tier Torment Pits. With runs often completed in 2 to 5 minutes, this activity made reaching the daily and weekly cluster caps significantly easier compared to other platforms.
Helldivers 2
Summary of Changes
- Difficulty brackets have been adjusted:
- Difficulty 1–4
- Difficulty 5–8
- Difficulty 9–10
- Award values for Difficulty 5–8 and Difficulty 9–10 have been reduced by 0.5
Rationale:
We did not expect to make additional changes to Helldivers 2 so soon. However, the discovery of a new “Blitzing” method made it necessary to act. On Difficulty 7 missions, using a specific mission type and largely accessible gear, matches can be completed in 3 to 5 minutes.
The adjustment to the difficulty brackets reflects the fact that this tactic is not as effective on Difficulty 9 or 10 missions. This allows us to reduce the value of Difficulty 7 runs without impacting higher difficulties that are not affected by this strategy.
We were unable to simply disallow the Blitz mission type, as it shares an identical symbol with another mission type and cannot be reliably identified. Even if it could be restricted, doing so would unfairly reduce an already short window for members to capture screenshots, and would add unnecessary complexity for FIST staff reviewing submissions. Establishing a formal minimum time requirement was also considered, but ultimately deemed clunky and ineffective.
For those curious about how accessible this tactic was, Zuza was able to complete a Difficulty 7 mission in just under 4 minutes on her first attempt, alongside a single player familiar with the method. This approach is viable for duos and full groups alike, with full groups able to include up to two participants who only need to engage with the extraction mechanic to participate.
Heroes of the Storm
Summary of Changes
- The standalone Activity versions of each game mode have been removed from the PvP platform
- Each game mode has been added as an Activity Modifier to the Heroes of the Storm PvP activity
- The PvP activity has been renamed for consistency
- Modifier values for all modes have been increased by at least 0.5
- Full details are available in the changelog below
Rationale:
This is a significant positive change for Heroes of the Storm. Previously, it could take several hours to reach the daily cluster cap, with the weekly cap requiring 15 to 17 or more hours of play. Consolidating game modes into modifiers and increasing their values brings the platform more in line with others while maintaining fair effort-to-reward balance.
Destiny 2
The only alterations today were to the names for the platforms. They now read as PvE and PvP rather than as the game title alone and “Matchmaking”. This should make them more easily identifiable and consistent with other platforms. More changes are to come in later updates.
Summary
I want to sincerely thank both the community and the staff for their contributions to this project. I fully intend to ensure that awards and non site XP are provided to those who have taken the time to submit data and offer thoughtful, constructive feedback.
All changes outlined here remain subject to readjustment and ongoing review. This is, and will continue to be, an active process. If experience shows that a change is insufficient or pushes too far in one direction, additional feedback and timing data are always welcome. Even when a game appears “completed,” that does not mean it is permanently closed to future review.
Several gaming platforms still have no recorded times. Any member who submits timing data will receive recognition for their efforts. Games currently without recorded times include:
Diablo 3, Hearthstone, Jedi Academy, Overwatch 2 PvE, and Star Wars Squadrons.
Many other games currently have only a small number of submissions. If you are interested in helping collect additional data and would like the full list, please reach out to the staff.
For the complete changelog from today’s Cluster Review, a page has been taken from Arch’s book below.
Diablo 4:
-No changes to the platform
-Activity in Diablo 4 Dungeons. Drop base value from 2.0 to 1.0.
-Activity Modifiers changes:
--Torment 1 Pit (20-34) changed to Normal-Torment Pit (1-24). Drop from 1.5 to 1.
--Open World Events deactivated
--Torment 2 Pit (35-49) changed to Torment Pit (25-39). Drop 1.75 to 1.25.
--Torment 3 Pit (50-64) changed to Torment Pit (40-54). Drop from 2 to 1.5.
--Torment 4 Pit (65+) changed to Torment Pit (55+). Drop from 2.5 to 2
-Infernal Wave needs further verification.
Helldivers 2:
-No changes to the platform.
-Activity not altered.
-Activity Modifiers changes:
--Difficulty 1-3 changed to Difficulty 1-4. Remaining at 1.
--Difficulty 4-6 changed to Difficulty 5-8. Drop from 2.5 to 2.
--Difficulty 7-10 changed to Difficulty 9-10. Drop from 3.5 to 3.
Heroes of the Storm:
-The PVP platform had (PVP) added to the name.
-HotS PVP Activities.
--Deactivated ARAM as an activity
--Deactivated Quick Match as an activity
--Deactivated HotS 1v1 Matches as an activity
--Updated Hint to accurately reflect use of activity
--Base Value set to 1.
-HotS PVE Activity remained unchanged.
-PVE Activity Modifiers changes:
--Beginner/Recruit. Increased from 2 to 2.5
--Adept. Increased from 2.5 to 3.75
--Veteran. Increased from 3 to 4
--Elite. Increased from 4 to 4.5
--Added numbers 1 through 4 to the modifier names so the difficulties are in order in the drop down menu
-PVP Activity Modifiers changes:
--Added Quick Match. Increased from 4 to 4.5
--Added ARAM. Increased from 3 to 4.5
--Added HotS 1v1 Matches. Increased from 2 to 2.5
Destiny 2:
-Platform name changed from Destiny 2 Matchmaking changed to Destiny 2 PvP
-Platform name changed from Destiny 2 to Destiny 2 PvE
Admin and Policy Reminders
All current Gaming and Fist Policies can be found on the Gaming Information page. I encourage all members to read this page, as it contains valuable information. I will ensure this page remains updated to reflect all current office policies.
Other Items of Note
Submitting Screenshots for Others
If you are submitting screenshots, make sure they only include instances where you yourself are present. It is important that members know how to submit their own screenshots when needed, and this helps avoid confusion about why someone might be submitting on another member’s behalf. While this is not a common issue, it recently arose when a member submitted screenshots for their group. Going forward, this will result in remands.Review Your Submissions Before Submitting
We have recently seen an increase in submission errors. Most of these are minor, such as the number of games not matching the number of screenshots, or a player's name not being listed on their dossier. While we do our best to catch these mistakes, we encourage the community to take a moment to review their submissions. Please ensure that:- The number of screenshots matches the reported games.
- Competitions are properly selected.
- All active members have their gamer tags listed on their dossier for approved gaming titles.
(Only rogues will not receive a remand for missing gamer tags.)
- The number of screenshots matches the reported games.
Submission Processing
The staff has 24 hours from the time you submit gaming activity to approve it. If your submission has been sitting longer than that, there is likely a problem. If it hasn’t, there’s no issue. The staff works hard to process gaming submissions as quickly as possible, but remember, they are real people with real lives. I do not expect them to sit behind a computer all day processing submissions, and neither should you.Solo Submissions
Solo submissions are never acceptable for Clusters of Fire. My staff and I will reject any that come in. You must play with at least one other DB member—no exceptions.Proposal Submissions
While I appreciate proposals and great ideas sent via Discord, please email the staff list (the email is provided at the bottom of this report). I also ask that your House and Clan leadership review your proposals before you send them up. This isn’t to add bureaucracy but to ensure your leaders are aware of your efforts to improve the Club. This also helps with award and promotion recommendations. Feel free to cc your leaders on your email to me and my staff.
Helpful Links
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