Enchantment length - Guild Wars Guru archive powered by Guild Wars Legacy

superen8

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Apr 2006

02 Dec 2007 at 19:01 - 1

Hi guys!
I have a question.. How does the game mechanic round enchantment lenght?
i mean.. i was looking at Shielding hands, which last 8 seconds, with a +20% mod how long would it last? (8+1.6) = 9 or =10??

Sorry if there are any grammatical errors but i don't really speak english

tijo

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Feb 2007

Montreal

[CDDR]

R/

02 Dec 2007 at 19:06 - 2

It really depends how numbers are rounded in the game. If they use the IEEE 754 norm (how numbers are usually represented in computers) then i'd say 10 seconds (.5 and lower rounded to the lower number .51 and higher rounded to the upper number if i remember correctly). In game testing would be the best way to find out.

Nyktos

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jun 2007

The Nyktos Guild [win]

02 Dec 2007 at 19:53 - 3

It doesn't round.

HawkofStorms

Hall Hero

Join Date: Aug 2005

E/

02 Dec 2007 at 20:20 - 4

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nyktos

It doesn't round.

Bingo. The enchantment will last 9.6 seconds.
The only thing that rounds in this game is damage numbers (since you can't be hurt for half a point of health).

MisterB

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Oct 2005

Planet Earth, Sol system, Milky Way galaxy

[ban]

W/

02 Dec 2007 at 21:10 - 5

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nyktos

It doesn't round.

I believe it does round, and here is why. I have always used [skill=text]Balthazar's Aura[/skill] for this test, since it produces an effect every second, and skills that have an effect per second do so at the end of every second in-game. Go to the Isle of The Nameless with [skill=text]Balthazar's Aura[/skill] and a 20% weapon, stand next to a barrel, and cast. There will be 10 pulses, therefore the enchantment is rounded from 9.6 seconds to 10. A more accurate test would probably be to capture the video with FRAPS or Gamecam and count the frames, but I have not bothered to do so, since Balthazar's Aura makes such a nice pulse counter.

Nyktos

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jun 2007

The Nyktos Guild [win]

02 Dec 2007 at 21:31 - 6

Quote:

Originally Posted by HawkofStorms

The only thing that rounds in this game is damage numbers (since you can't be hurt for half a point of health).

Also energy (from things like Attunements) and Healing (from Infuse/Imbue).

freaky naughty

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Sep 2007

Mo/N

02 Dec 2007 at 21:50 - 7

Nyktos was right, it doesn't round. Look at spells that have a cast of 1/4th of a second they should round down to no time at all or the 1/2 second casts which don't round up to 1.

HawkofStorms

Hall Hero

Join Date: Aug 2005

E/

02 Dec 2007 at 21:59 - 8

Quote:

Originally Posted by MisterB

I believe it does round, and here is why. I have always used [skill=text]Balthazar's Aura[/skill] for this test, since it produces an effect every second, and skills that have an effect per second do so at the end of every second in-game. Go to the Isle of The Nameless with [skill=text]Balthazar's Aura[/skill] and a 20% weapon, stand next to a barrel, and cast. There will be 10 pulses, therefore the enchantment is rounded from 9.6 seconds to 10. A more accurate test would probably be to capture the video with FRAPS or Gamecam and count the frames, but I have not bothered to do so, since Balthazar's Aura makes such a nice pulse counter.

No, it lasts 9.6 seconds. There is a pulse at zero seconds (as soon as you put it on).
0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 = 10 pulses

MisterB

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Oct 2005

Planet Earth, Sol system, Milky Way galaxy

[ban]

W/

02 Dec 2007 at 22:42 - 9

Quote:

Originally Posted by HawkofStorms

No, it lasts 9.6 seconds. There is a pulse at zero seconds (as soon as you put it on).
0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 = 10 pulses

That is just not true. Please at least test before posting. If that were true, if there were a pulse at zero, then the 8 second normal cast would pulse 9 times(0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8). This does not happen; there are 8 pulses. Furthermore, there is a clearly observable 1 second delay after you cast Balthazar's Aura before the first pulse. Like I said, the effects take place at the end of every second, starting with one second after you complete the cast. The easily observed effects of Balthazar's Aura are why I always choose this skill for this particular test.

azizul1975

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jul 2007

GMT+8

The Elite Guard of Tyria (TEGO)

Mo/

03 Dec 2007 at 09:09 - 10

well, i think be it 9 or 10 seconds, you wouldn't realize the difference. honestly.

TheLordOfBlah

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jan 2006

California

None

Mo/N

03 Dec 2007 at 09:52 - 11

I believe misterb is correct

Pyro maniac

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Apr 2006

03 Dec 2007 at 10:57 - 12

Quote:

Originally Posted by MisterB

That is just not true. Please at least test before posting. If that were true, if there were a pulse at zero, then the 8 second normal cast would pulse 9 times(0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8). This does not happen; there are 8 pulses. Furthermore, there is a clearly observable 1 second delay after you cast Balthazar's Aura before the first pulse. Like I said, the effects take place at the end of every second, starting with one second after you complete the cast. The easily observed effects of Balthazar's Aura are why I always choose this skill for this particular test.

itsn't it:
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,9.6?

just like with spotless soul/mind.

Fury Incarnate

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Nov 2006

Connecticut, USA

R/

03 Dec 2007 at 12:26 - 13

The game rounds enchantment lengths by IEEE 754, just as it rounds energy costs and such.

http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Of_Enchanting

BladeDVD

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jul 2006

Hawaii

Clan Of Elders

N/

03 Dec 2007 at 12:43 - 14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fury Incarnate

The game rounds enchantment lengths by IEEE 754, just as it rounds energy costs and such.

http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Of_Enchanting

I'm not disagreeing with you, but the talk page for your link mentions that the table is inaccurate (though they seem to be talking about changes to skills rather than the figuring of the numbers).

Also I read that recharge times use the round to even rule. I'm not sure whether this also applies to calculations in lengthening enchantments though.

Pyro maniac

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Apr 2006

03 Dec 2007 at 12:58 - 15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fury Incarnate

The game rounds enchantment lengths by IEEE 754, just as it rounds energy costs and such.

http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Of_Enchanting

enchanting mod did affect ancestors rage

MisterB

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Oct 2005

Planet Earth, Sol system, Milky Way galaxy

[ban]

W/

03 Dec 2007 at 13:15 - 16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fury Incarnate

The game rounds enchantment lengths by IEEE 754, just as it rounds energy costs and such.

http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Of_Enchanting

This is true. Thanks for posting the link to that table. I just ran a test as well, using GameCam to cap Balthazar's Aura. It lasted exactly 10.0 seconds(300 frames of video @ 30fps) with a 20% mod.

Quaker

Hell's Protector

Join Date: Aug 2005

Canada

Brothers Disgruntled

03 Dec 2007 at 14:02 - 17

It would be interesting if someone could test to see if it rounds or not (or if ANet would answer the question :/ ). It would also be interesting to see if there is a difference between the displayed damage/enchant length (w/e) and the actual numbers used in the game.

For example, this would explain why sometimes you will see a character or spirit with 0 (zero) health and yet they are still alive - they may actually have something between 0 and 0.5 health but the display is rounded down to 0.

Antheus

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jan 2006

03 Dec 2007 at 14:35 - 18

Quote:

For example, this would explain why sometimes you will see a character or spirit with 0 (zero) health and yet they are still alive - they may actually have something between 0 and 0.5 health but the display is rounded down to 0.

One reason is lag - timers are client-side, but need expiration confirmation. If you have an enchant or degen on you, and you lag for a few seconds, bars will go down, but won't expire, until server confirms they did.

When it comes to health, it's perfectly possible to run around with 1 health. It happens with certain combinations of skills. In many such cases, small heal will actually kill you, since it will heal, but your health will still be negative.