[RELz] Skill Decay : IV

» Tue May 03, 2011 3:59 am

http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=36313
Req. OBSE v0020+

This mod causes the player's skills to decay. Skill decay reduces your skill experience, as seen on your character sheet. If the bar drops to zero, you'll lose a rank in that skill. A skill which just gained a rank is protected from immediate decay.

There are two decay modes: over time, and from advancement. Decay from advancement means that when one skill gains a rank, all others are reduced slightly. Decay over time causes all skills to go down at steady rate. Both modes are enabled by default, but they can be disabled individually.

Skills at low ranks suffer much less decay. Class skills decay slower than non-class skills, and no skill will ever decay below its starting value. Optionally, skills can be prevented from decaying below a mastery rank. For example, with this option enabled an Expert skill (75+) will never drop to Journeyman rank (74-), etc. By default, only Master rank (100+) is protected.

For a more detailed explanation of the decay formula, see SkillDecay.ini.

Skill Decay should technically be 100% compatible with all other mods. However, it has significant balance implications. When used with the vanilla Oblivion level advancement system, Skill Decay is easily abused to gain extra attributes. Certain smooth advancement mods such as nGCD and Realistic Leveling prevent this abuse by basing your attributes on your current skills at any given time, ignoring what went before. This type of mod is the recommended companion for Skill Decay. Skill Decay should probably not be used with a mod that makes recovering lost ranks more difficult than gaining them in the first place. For example, Oblivion XP only gives skill ranks when your level increases, and each level costs more than the one before.

» Tue May 03, 2011 2:35 am

Like the idea.

Already thought about creating sth. like this on my own, but never had enough time and/or motivation to really do so.

Thanks, this encourages me in first finishing my already started project before thinking about new ones. :whistling:
Maybe I should really use some of my free time to start working again...

» Tue May 03, 2011 2:20 am

Wow, you're an unstoppable machine of making great mods. I love it!
obse 20 already? It seems I'm out of date.

Have you tried how it fits high level characters leveling? I mean, it seems that high leveled creatures will have now much higher attributes and skills than player, is it so? Does the skill decay consider in some way you skill progression rate or is it affected by you time scale? Any option to tell the mod you're leveling slower than in vanilla or does it detect it somehow?

downloading... want to see the implementation, anyway the concept behind is great

ps some recommended ini configuration for both it and nGCD2? does it work well "out of the box"?

» Mon May 02, 2011 8:27 pm

This is great news. Skill decay was what I liked best about Balor's Leveling mod for Morrrowind. It added a nice touch of both immersion and strategy to leveling up. This mod will certainly go into my next game. And I know vtastek will be pleased to hear about it too.

» Tue May 03, 2011 3:09 am

A very interesting mod, and one I plan to add to my game, as I see it as a possible help to prevent my character from becoming too powerful.

» Mon May 02, 2011 11:02 pm

it seems that high leveled creatures will have now much higher attributes and skills than player, is it so?

That's what I'm talking about in that final paragraph. Skill decay is only SKILL decay, not attribute decay. How it affects game difficulty depends on what character advancement system you're using.

Vanilla -- losing points in a non-class skill has little effect (you can just get them back); losing points in a class skill makes it take longer to reach the next level. This can actually allow you to more easily manage your skills, cheesing out extra attributes. Once you've hit the functional level cap, you can eventually attain infinite health. It's like going to prison whenever you want.

nGCD -- Lost skills reduce your attributes AND your level. Yes, you get weaker -- but the world responds accordingly. OOO or Fran's makes this less obvious, I believe TIE just eliminates your level as a factor.

Realistic Leveling -- If I'm not mistaken, RL keeps track of what your highest scores were and bases your attributes and level around them. So decaying skills will make you a little weaker relative to your level, but this only lasts until you "catch up" rather than being a permanent penalty.

Oblivion XP -- don't use Skill Decay.

You gain a level, get some skills, they go away, you have to gain another level (at higher cost) to get them back.

Not as familiar with other systems, but you should be able to get an idea of how they'll interact based on comparison with these.

Does the skill decay consider in some way you skill progression rate or is it affected by you time scale?

Both, independently, and you can limit it to just one or the other. Read the .ini for details.

ps some recommended ini configuration for both it and nGCD2? does it work well "out of the box"?

Everything will work right out of the box. The defaults are based on "this sounds about right," so try 'em out and let me know if they're terrible.

» Tue May 03, 2011 2:17 am

I am very pleased to see it this quick. I will be reading readmes.

I am using FCOM. So if I use nGCD with it, do I need the level decrease feature? Maybe I can disable it if possible and get away with level scaling, no?

I would probably like to see a level on time passed mod. 1 level per week. I don't want to care about levels at all. I want to see leveling for cycling content based on time, day/night/seasons...

It is probably a technical issue with Bethesda's leveled lists... I want a standardized, consistent world without level scaled content. This mod can help me getting through it without an overpowered character while not needing caps and slowdowns. More like Morrowind's sense of progress without "ending up as a boring god" issue.

» Tue May 03, 2011 6:10 am

obse 20...time is really flying by!

» Mon May 02, 2011 7:34 pm

A very interesting mod, and one I plan to add to my game, as I see it as a possible help to prevent my character from becoming too powerful.

+1

I was won over by vtasek's description of the feature in another thread. Should fit my chars nicely as they tend to be jack-of-all-trades and switch specializations during the game when getting too powerful/bored. So I'll certainly try out nGCD 2 plus this in my next game.

» Mon May 02, 2011 9:02 pm

So if I use nGCD with it, do I need the level decrease feature?

Absolutely. That feature is default for a reason -- disallowing level decrease in nGCD only works properly in very specific conditions even without Skill Decay. Usually it breaks things.

However, for the next version I can add an option to turn off nGCD's level management entirely. That would work with your idea of a level-over-time mod, which would only be one short script. nGCD would handle your attributes, level would increase on its own.

While I'm at it, I should mention the project I'm currently working on: a variable class system. A skill's status as a class or specialization skill has ramifications beyond determining how you level up. Those skills increase faster through use, and with certain mods (like this one) there are additional effects. With my upcoming mod, a character isn't stuck with their initial class selection. Instead, your class will automatically be adjusted based on your current highest skills. This means that a character who changes paths mid-career will actually become better at advancing and retaining their new skill set, and worse at the old one.

The working title is Anyclass, but I'm trying to come up with something better. Chances are I'll fail, but whatever.

» Mon May 02, 2011 7:29 pm

Tejon's do not fail, they raise the bar.

Anyclass sounds like a winning title to me. And I'll definitely be checking that out as I go along. The way I'm imagining it working is you start out kinda like NoClass, and as you build your skills your class changes to the one most like your major skills. So you start life as a blank slate and your class simply reflects who you are, and not the other way around. I love it!

I'd also like to see a mod to companion with other No-scale mods like TIE - GotNoLevel or something. Where what you can do is not dependent upon some worthless rank, but upon what you can actually get done.

» Tue May 03, 2011 12:47 am

Tejon, you finally made a mod that is just too too much for me. Too hard. Between your and Phitt's other mods I have installed, I am barely surviving out there in the wild and dangerous mudcrab-infested wilderness of the Lake Rumare shoreline. If I were to start losing the scant points I have worked so hard to gain, I would have to create a mod that would allow my character to sit down and cry into his hands.

Nice work, but I think I'll pass on this one until I'm level 40 or so and bored stiff. (Might be a while, I've never actually reached level 20!)

» Mon May 02, 2011 9:52 pm

Absolutely. That feature is default for a reason -- disallowing level decrease in nGCD only works properly in very specific conditions even without Skill Decay. Usually it breaks things.

However, for the next version I can add an option to turn off nGCD's level management entirely. That would work with your idea of a level-over-time mod, which would only be one short script. nGCD would handle your attributes, level would increase on its own.

While I'm at it, I should mention the project I'm currently working on: a variable class system. A skill's status as a class or specialization skill has ramifications beyond determining how you level up. Those skills increase faster through use, and with certain mods (like this one) there are additional effects. With my upcoming mod, a character isn't stuck with their initial class selection. Instead, your class will automatically be adjusted based on your current highest skills. This means that a character who changes paths mid-career will actually become better at advancing and retaining their new skill set, and worse at the old one.

The working title is Anyclass, but I'm trying to come up with something better. Chances are I'll fail, but whatever.

A dynamic class system like that sounds very interesting! And so does this Skill Decay mod. I was a bit sceptical at first since about adding yet another mod making things harder, but then I considered the upsides to a mod like this and decided to give it a whirl. Thanks!

» Mon May 02, 2011 8:36 pm

Tejon. The Master. :bowdown:

» Mon May 02, 2011 10:34 pm

I've got a problem:

new game -> race -> birthsign -> class = pg level: 69560 :teehee:

OBSE v0020+ installed

Here my LO

Spoiler

Active Mod Files:00  Oblivion.esm01  All Natural Base.esm  [Version 1.0]02  Waalx Animals & Creatures.esm03  Open Cities Resources.esm  [Version 3.5.6]04  Progress.esm  [Version 2.2]05  Unofficial Oblivion Patch.esp  [Version 3.3.3]06  Oblivion Citadel Door Fix.esp07  DLCShiveringIsles.esp08  Unofficial Shivering Isles Patch.esp  [Version 1.4.0]09  SM Plugin Refurbish - SI.esp  [Version 1.30]0A  Natural_Habitat_by_Max_Tael.esp0B  All Natural.esp  [Version 1.1]0C  All Natural - SI.esp  [Version 1.0]0D  Enhanced Water v2.0 HDMI.esp++  Real Lava 1.3.esp0E  All Natural - Real Lights.esp  [Version 1.1]0F  Days&Months.esp10  moregems.esp11  PTFallingStars.esp12  Enhanced Economy.esp  [Version 5.1]13  WAC - Crowded Roads Revisited.esp  [Version 1.1]14  DarNifiedUI Config Addon.esp15  Display Stats.esp  [Version 1.3.1]16  Dynamic Map.esp  [Version 1.0]17  Enhanced Seasons.esp  [Version 1.3.1]18  kuerteeAutoSaveAndTime.esp19  kuerteeCleanUp.esp1A  Lock Bash Omega.esp  [Version 1.5]1B  Quest Log Manager.esp  [Version 1.3.2]1C  Map Marker Overhaul.esp  [Version 3.8]1D  Map Marker Overhaul - SI additions.esp  [Version 3.5]1E  Enhanced Hotkeys.esp  [Version 2.1.1]1F  BookCollisionTest.esp20  WAC.esp21  WAC - OverSpawn.esp22  WAC - TCOS.esp23  WAC - TCOS Shops.esp  [Version 03]24  WAC - BlackBootDungeon.esp25  WAC - 8th Gate.esp26  WAC - Dead Knights.esp27  WAC - Magic.esp28  WAC - Player Summons.esp29  WAC - Horses.esp2A  WAC - Companions.esp2B  WAC - Birds&Insects.esp2C  WAC - Gladiator.esp2D  BrotherhoodRenewed.esp  [Version 1.0.10]2E  ImpeREAL City Unique Districts - All the Districts - Merged.esp2F  Knights.esp30  Knights - Unofficial Patch.esp  [Version 1.1]++  SM Plugin Refurbish - Knights.esp  [Version 1.06]31  OCC-KOTN-Patch.esp  [Version 3.0]32  Feldscar.esp  [Version 1.0.5]33  Vergayun.esp  [Version 1.0.6]34  Faregyl.esp  [Version 1.0.10]35  Molapi.esp  [Version 1.0.1]36  PTMudwater.esp37  Open Cities New Sheoth.esp  [Version 1.1]38  Open Cities Reborn - Full Merge.esp  [Version 0.8]39  Birthsigns Expanded.esp  [Version 3.2a.]3A  Birthsign Zero.esp3B  HUD Status Bars.esp  [Version 2.0.1]3C  ROM Drop Lit Torches.esp**  FrbitPotionReplacer.esp++  GotNoClass.esp3D  Oblivifall - Ambiant Dungeon SFX.esp  [Version 1.2]3E  Oblivifall - Let's Talk!.esp  [Version 1.1]3F  ReneerKeyLockMod.esp++  ShinySeptims_Septimus.esp40  Soulgem Magic.esp  [Version 1.0]41  Cliff_RPO_NewBeginnings.esp  [Version 1.0]42  TFE.esp43  Roughing It.esp44  Ashes to Ashes.esp  [Version 1.0]45  Fizzle.esp  [Version 3.0]46  Syc_AtHomeAlchemy.esp47  Lightweight Potions.esp  [Version 1.1]48  Realistic Sneak for NPCs.esp  [Version 1.04]49  SM Combat Hide.esp  [Version 1.2]4A  PTSneakPenalties.esp4B  StealthOverhaul.esp4C  SM Bounty.esp  [Version 1.22c]4D  kuerteeCrimeHasWitnesses.esp4E  Enhanced Grabbing.esp  [Version 0.5]4F  Kayo.esp50  Phitt's Phighting Phixes.esp51  Governing Attributes.esp52  nGCD.esp++  nGCD Birthsigns.esp53  nGCD Oghma Infinium.esp++  nGCD Skeleton Key.esp54  ProgressGSD.esp  [Version 2.0]55  ProgressMBSP.esp  [Version 2.0]56  ProgressSBSP.esp  [Version 1.0]57  ProgressRBSP.esp  [Version 1.0]58  ProgressRacial.esp59  ProgressArmorer.esp  [Version 1.0]**  Cava Obscura - Cyrodiil.esp**  Cava Obscura - SI.esp**  Cava Obscura - Filter Patch For Mods.esp5A  Useful Houses.esp  [Version 2.0]**  Better Redguard v2.esp++  bgBalancingEVOptionalClasses.esp  [Version 9.0EV-U]5B  TRAP.esp++  Disable Tutorial Text.esp5C  DS Flaming Arrows.esp  [Version 1.2]++  Life Detected - Aura - Medium - 2.esp**  Open Cities Reborn Road Record.esp**  All Natural - Indoor Weather Filter For Mods.esp  [Version 1.1]5D  WAC - Legion.esp5E  Bashed Patch, 0.esp5F  SkillDecay.esp

» Mon May 02, 2011 8:58 pm

I've got a problem:

new game -> race -> birthsign -> class = pg level: 69560 :teehee:

OBSE v0020+ installed

Here my LO

Spoiler

Active Mod Files:00  Oblivion.esm01  All Natural Base.esm  [Version 1.0]02  Waalx Animals & Creatures.esm03  Open Cities Resources.esm  [Version 3.5.6]04  Progress.esm  [Version 2.2]05  Unofficial Oblivion Patch.esp  [Version 3.3.3]06  Oblivion Citadel Door Fix.esp07  DLCShiveringIsles.esp08  Unofficial Shivering Isles Patch.esp  [Version 1.4.0]09  SM Plugin Refurbish - SI.esp  [Version 1.30]0A  Natural_Habitat_by_Max_Tael.esp0B  All Natural.esp  [Version 1.1]0C  All Natural - SI.esp  [Version 1.0]0D  Enhanced Water v2.0 HDMI.esp++  Real Lava 1.3.esp0E  All Natural - Real Lights.esp  [Version 1.1]0F  Days&Months.esp10  moregems.esp11  PTFallingStars.esp12  Enhanced Economy.esp  [Version 5.1]13  WAC - Crowded Roads Revisited.esp  [Version 1.1]14  DarNifiedUI Config Addon.esp15  Display Stats.esp  [Version 1.3.1]16  Dynamic Map.esp  [Version 1.0]17  Enhanced Seasons.esp  [Version 1.3.1]18  kuerteeAutoSaveAndTime.esp19  kuerteeCleanUp.esp1A  Lock Bash Omega.esp  [Version 1.5]1B  Quest Log Manager.esp  [Version 1.3.2]1C  Map Marker Overhaul.esp  [Version 3.8]1D  Map Marker Overhaul - SI additions.esp  [Version 3.5]1E  Enhanced Hotkeys.esp  [Version 2.1.1]1F  BookCollisionTest.esp20  WAC.esp21  WAC - OverSpawn.esp22  WAC - TCOS.esp23  WAC - TCOS Shops.esp  [Version 03]24  WAC - BlackBootDungeon.esp25  WAC - 8th Gate.esp26  WAC - Dead Knights.esp27  WAC - Magic.esp28  WAC - Player Summons.esp29  WAC - Horses.esp2A  WAC - Companions.esp2B  WAC - Birds&Insects.esp2C  WAC - Gladiator.esp2D  BrotherhoodRenewed.esp  [Version 1.0.10]2E  ImpeREAL City Unique Districts - All the Districts - Merged.esp2F  Knights.esp30  Knights - Unofficial Patch.esp  [Version 1.1]++  SM Plugin Refurbish - Knights.esp  [Version 1.06]31  OCC-KOTN-Patch.esp  [Version 3.0]32  Feldscar.esp  [Version 1.0.5]33  Vergayun.esp  [Version 1.0.6]34  Faregyl.esp  [Version 1.0.10]35  Molapi.esp  [Version 1.0.1]36  PTMudwater.esp37  Open Cities New Sheoth.esp  [Version 1.1]38  Open Cities Reborn - Full Merge.esp  [Version 0.8]39  Birthsigns Expanded.esp  [Version 3.2a.]3A  Birthsign Zero.esp3B  HUD Status Bars.esp  [Version 2.0.1]3C  ROM Drop Lit Torches.esp**  FrbitPotionReplacer.esp++  GotNoClass.esp3D  Oblivifall - Ambiant Dungeon SFX.esp  [Version 1.2]3E  Oblivifall - Let's Talk!.esp  [Version 1.1]3F  ReneerKeyLockMod.esp++  ShinySeptims_Septimus.esp40  Soulgem Magic.esp  [Version 1.0]41  Cliff_RPO_NewBeginnings.esp  [Version 1.0]42  TFE.esp43  Roughing It.esp44  Ashes to Ashes.esp  [Version 1.0]45  Fizzle.esp  [Version 3.0]46  Syc_AtHomeAlchemy.esp47  Lightweight Potions.esp  [Version 1.1]48  Realistic Sneak for NPCs.esp  [Version 1.04]49  SM Combat Hide.esp  [Version 1.2]4A  PTSneakPenalties.esp4B  StealthOverhaul.esp4C  SM Bounty.esp  [Version 1.22c]4D  kuerteeCrimeHasWitnesses.esp4E  Enhanced Grabbing.esp  [Version 0.5]4F  Kayo.esp50  Phitt's Phighting Phixes.esp51  Governing Attributes.esp52  nGCD.esp++  nGCD Birthsigns.esp53  nGCD Oghma Infinium.esp++  nGCD Skeleton Key.esp54  ProgressGSD.esp  [Version 2.0]55  ProgressMBSP.esp  [Version 2.0]56  ProgressSBSP.esp  [Version 1.0]57  ProgressRBSP.esp  [Version 1.0]58  ProgressRacial.esp59  ProgressArmorer.esp  [Version 1.0]**  Cava Obscura - Cyrodiil.esp**  Cava Obscura - SI.esp**  Cava Obscura - Filter Patch For Mods.esp5A  Useful Houses.esp  [Version 2.0]**  Better Redguard v2.esp++  bgBalancingEVOptionalClasses.esp  [Version 9.0EV-U]5B  TRAP.esp++  Disable Tutorial Text.esp5C  DS Flaming Arrows.esp  [Version 1.2]++  Life Detected - Aura - Medium - 2.esp**  Open Cities Reborn Road Record.esp**  All Natural - Indoor Weather Filter For Mods.esp  [Version 1.1]5D  WAC - Legion.esp5E  Bashed Patch, 0.esp5F  SkillDecay.esp

Governing attributes doesn't seem to work alongside nGCD. That's most likely the source of your problem.

» Tue May 03, 2011 10:04 am

nGCD -- Lost skills reduce your attributes AND your level. Yes, you get weaker -- but the world responds accordingly.

I knew attributes were adjusted with nGCD but I didn't know you could level down... cool...

I've been playtesting this mod and so far it seems to perform pretty well, my lvl 5 character keeps raising her major skills, the minor skills I use more often are also increasing and the rest are slowly going down... now with less than 20 personality points and 5 speechcraft NPCs even refuse to talk to me... but I guess that's a side effect of my character's design, so nothing to complaint about

I've noticed though that sometimes, when increasing certain skills that I don't use much, if that little use I gave them causes them to increase their level, they'll soon fall back to previous level, so the next time they raise they're triggering a skill decay again, and if it happens to have two of these minor skills both ready to level up then it's a continuum. Anyway it's hardly noticeable on major skills as they raise much faster that they're decreased due to this. Btw, a timer that could prevent skills from going down during the first X hours after being increased may be good.

I also got an unnatural high level and I'm not playing Governing Attributes, it jumped to 55392. I noticed it after getting the skeleton key, but I'm playing nGCD's patch-plugin so it may have nothing to do with that. The strange thing is that skills seem to raise/decay at a normal rate for my old level, and even I'm able to level up normally, my character is now level 55393

ps: I'm playing OOO and nGCD2, default ini settings, no other mod altering player leveling besides my magic mod adding some XP to magic skills.

» Mon May 02, 2011 9:44 pm

Grmblf and Tosky, have you both updated to nGCD v2.1?

If not, can you tell me if any of your skills have dropped below their starting values? That shouldn't happen, but if I messed up the safeguard it could explain the crazy-high level.

Grmblf, I see what you're talking about with two skills potentially interacting to cause more decay than they should. That's a result of basing the trigger on full skill advances but applying the results to skill experience... unfortunately there is no skill experience trigger, and likely won't ever be (I've discussed this with Scruggs, there are multiple problems). I'll see if I can figure out some other solution for that situation.

» Mon May 02, 2011 6:53 pm

my fault, I downloaded it but forgot to upgrade...

oh, is that the reason why the level-up screen still pops-up?

I've heard that obse now supports event handlers, so yeah I guess a skill advance trigger would be perfect but maybe a simple check running once a few seconds would do the job. Something like storing the game time each skill advanced for last time and then each time a skill would decrease and that decrease would mean a skill level loss, comparing that value against the current game time to determine if it's been long enought for that skill to decrease or not... anyway I haven't looked at your scripts so don't know how feasible is that, I'm just bringing some ideas.

It would be great if there could be more control over the skills minimum level besides locking them to mastery levels, like setting a specific value for major, minor and specialisation skills, or maybe some dynamic system considering attributes, so a character that's been really strong in his youth cannot become as weak as an old mage that has never used a sword even if he's been long time retired from fighting.

» Mon May 02, 2011 6:43 pm

It would be great if there could be more control over the skills minimum level besides locking them to mastery levels, like setting a specific value for major, minor and specialisation skills, or maybe some dynamic system considering attributes, so a character that's been really strong in his youth cannot become as weak as an old mage that has never used a sword even if he's been long time retired from fighting.

The decay rate of each skill is reduced by its starting value, which is directly tied to whether it's major and/or specialized. Racial bonuses are also considered. I don't want to make the formula too complicated, though I suppose I could put in an additional fixed offset. Set it to 5 and all skills are treated as if their starting values were 5 points higher, sort of thing.

I've got a good clean solution for the extra-decay issue. When you gain a rank in a skill, if decay from advancement is active, you'll gain a hidden buffer which protects you from a certain amount of decay on that skill, including decay from time. The amount will be a configurable multiple of how much is lost from a single skill-gain, probably defaulting to 1.5x. This buffer is reset on each skill-up; you can't build up extra protection by raising the same skill repeatedly.

» Mon May 02, 2011 10:50 pm

I've got a good clean solution for the extra-decay issue. When you gain a rank in a skill, if decay from advancement is active, you'll gain a hidden buffer which protects you from a certain amount of decay on that skill, including decay from time. The amount will be a configurable multiple of how much is lost from a single skill-gain, probably defaulting to 1.5x. This buffer is reset on each skill-up; you can't build up extra protection by raising the same skill repeatedly.

Nice!

I've looked again and I was already using nGCD v2.1, the omod's name confused me being it v2.0.1. So I guess I've messed something up with menus for the level screen to pop up every time I level up. I'll try making a clean install.

btw, so far I haven't noticed any skill going under it's starting value

» Tue May 03, 2011 12:26 am

For nGCD, make sure LevelCannotDecrease is set to 0 in nGCD.ini. This is default because of that crazy-high-level issue. (It's caused by mod interaction, but it's a very common interaction.) Now that I think about it, I should add some extra checks now that I'm using an explicit level cap so that out-of-bounds skills don't cause this problem under any circumstances.

Meanwhile:

http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=36313

Added buffer against immediate decay when a skill gains a rank.
Added configuration option to treat skills' base values as higher.
Full path of loaded initialization file is now displayed in console.
Misc. script restructuring and optimization.

» Tue May 03, 2011 1:05 am

http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=36313

The decay buffer is now completely independent of the advancement-based decay trigger, which means it can be used even when only time-based decay is active.
When the buffer array is initialized (first run, or if buffer had been disabled) it gives every skill a buffer as if you had just gained the current skill rank. This should improve behavior when adding Skill Decay to an existing character.
Unlike decay quantities, buffer amounts are not modified by your starting skills. This means that the buffer for a class, specialization and/or racial bonus skill will effectively be larger in terms of how many decay events it will absorb.
Due to .ini changes, you need to use the new version.

» Tue May 03, 2011 10:42 am

Upgrading...

I like how you solved that with the buffer, it sounds it's very neat right now. Btw, how does it works treating skills' base values as higher? Would you need more "decay points" to actualy decrease a skill?

» Mon May 02, 2011 9:29 pm

Btw, how does it works treating skills' base values as higher? Would you need more "decay points" to actualy decrease a skill?

Pretty much. When you're looking at the settings in the .ini, they're all measured in "percent of the current rank." So the 0.05 for advancement decay means that every time a skill gains a rank, all the other skills decay 5%. But this is only the "base decay" amount. It's modified per skill, as follows:

BaseSkill = 5 + (RacialBonus) + (5 if Specialization) + (20 if Class) + (BaseOffset from SkillDecay.ini)
ActualDecay = BaseDecay * (CurrentSkill - BaseSkill) / 100

If ActualDecay is less than zero, nothing happens. After that it checks for protected mastery ranks, then checks for any remaining buffer, and finally the decay is applied.

So for a couple of actual examples, using the defaults, let's say you've got two skills currently at 90. One of them started at 40, and one of them started at 5. The first skill suffers (90 - 40) = 50% of any calculated decay, while the second one suffers (90 - 5) = 85%. Add a BaseOffset of 10 in the .ini, and that becomes 40% and 75%. Note that you can actually use a negative BaseOffset, making everything decay faster, though this would have the side effect of allowing decay below starting values, potentially to zero. There's no technical problem with this within the engine -- skills still can't drop below zero, no matter what value you set -- but it might cause undesired behavior with leveling mods. (Better to just raise the decay factors, IMO.)

As of the new version, the buffer calculation doesn't do any of this adjustment. When gaining rank 90 in those skills two, you'll gain the same size buffer in each. So since the skill with the higher starting rank suffers less actual decay, its buffer can absorb more individual decay events. In addition to making class skills easier to maintain, this makes for more consistent behavior if you're using Anyclass.