DOT's ctting early?

O · 01-26-2005, 07:33 PM

If this issue has been raised, I'm sorry for doing it again. I just haven't seen anything about it yet.

I've noticed since they fixed our wards to run on different timers again, my dot's are cutting out early. As a lvl 30 Mystic I use 3 of them, Contagion app3, Miasama app2, and the trait skill adept 2 for cold fire, I forget what's it's called. Freezing torrent, or something.

Anyway, I've been watching them, and all 3 cut out with 5.0 seconds left in the timer. Maybe I'm just being picky, but in those 5 seconds I think each one could get off another hit, which would make a huge difference over the course of a long fight, when I'm casting the set 3 times.

Bottom line, just wondering if this has been brought to anyone's attention, and if there will be a resolution. I have already sent in a bug report.

Canaan Farseer

30 Mystic

Unrest

Banditman · 01-26-2005, 07:51 PM

I think if you'll log a few fights you'll notice that each DoT will "tick" the exact same number of times in every fight.

I'm not sure how familiar you are with "ticks" and how they work, so if I proceed to explain something you already understand, pretend I'm just doing it for posterity.

Basically, a DoT doesn't have a fixed "length", I know that's how it seems to read, but that isn't how it actually works. A DoT actually has a set number of times it will go off before it expires.

DoT's so far seem to have 2 elements - Initial damage and tick damage.

When you cast the spell and it lands, you get the initial damage. This is most noticeable on something like Miasma where the initial damage is different than the per tick damage (its a little higher). That damage occurs immediately when the spell lands.

Now, here's where you have to understand the engine a bit. The remaining damage on a DoT occurs at regular intervals that are universally called ticks. These ticks are constantly happening around you, even when you aren't fighting. When a tick happens, many things "update" . . . your mana goes up, health goes up, enemy DoT's fire, friendly HoT's fire . . . all the things that occur on a regular basis. These ticks occur every six seconds.

So, when you cast a DoT, chances are it's going to land in between these ticks. Your first damage "tick" could occur almost immediately, or it may be nearly 6 seconds before it occurs. It just depends on when you land the spell in relation to the ticks. No, there's no way to visually see where you are within a tick.

Now, what the maintained spells bar does is simply take the number of ticks the DoT will last, and multiply by 6. It is only giving you an approximate number of seconds. In cases where your DoT lands immediately after the tick occurs, the approximation will be very close to accurate. In cases where your DoT lands immediately before the tick occurs, the approximation will be off, by nearly 6 seconds.

Does that help ?

O · 01-28-2005, 05:59 PM

That does help very much. Thank you.

It always ends at exactly 5 seconds. I find it hard to believe that I am always casting at precisely the same point between ticks. Unless the timer is very approximate.

However, I will just go with it, and assume everything is working.

Thanks

Canaan

30 Mystic

Unrest

BALTO · 02-11-2005, 07:17 PM

naa i do understand ticks, but say'n its jus 5 seconds, try your slow timmer. 10seconds sometimes more closer to 20...an no reason for timers to not be working, spell recast timer works ok, an doesnt suffer from any of this tick mess.

Banditman · 02-11-2005, 08:41 PM

Debuffs are a known issue. They cut out early, consistently. DoT's however will always tick the correct number of times regardless of what the buff window timer says. Unless of course the mob dies.

01-26-2005, 07:51 PM	#2
Banditman Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 7,459	I think if you'll log a few fights you'll notice that each DoT will "tick" the exact same number of times in every fight. I'm not sure how familiar you are with "ticks" and how they work, so if I proceed to explain something you already understand, pretend I'm just doing it for posterity. Basically, a DoT doesn't have a fixed "length", I know that's how it seems to read, but that isn't how it actually works. A DoT actually has a set number of times it will go off before it expires. DoT's so far seem to have 2 elements - Initial damage and tick damage. When you cast the spell and it lands, you get the initial damage. This is most noticeable on something like Miasma where the initial damage is different than the per tick damage (its a little higher). That damage occurs immediately when the spell lands. Now, here's where you have to understand the engine a bit. The remaining damage on a DoT occurs at regular intervals that are universally called ticks. These ticks are constantly happening around you, even when you aren't fighting. When a tick happens, many things "update" . . . your mana goes up, health goes up, enemy DoT's fire, friendly HoT's fire . . . all the things that occur on a regular basis. These ticks occur every six seconds. So, when you cast a DoT, chances are it's going to land in between these ticks. Your first damage "tick" could occur almost immediately, or it may be nearly 6 seconds before it occurs. It just depends on when you land the spell in relation to the ticks. No, there's no way to visually see where you are within a tick. Now, what the maintained spells bar does is simply take the number of ticks the DoT will last, and multiply by 6. It is only giving you an approximate number of seconds. In cases where your DoT lands immediately after the tick occurs, the approximation will be very close to accurate. In cases where your DoT lands immediately before the tick occurs, the approximation will be off, by nearly 6 seconds. Does that help ? __________________

02-11-2005, 08:41 PM	#5
Banditman Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 7,459	Debuffs are a known issue. They cut out early, consistently. DoT's however will always tick the correct number of times regardless of what the buff window timer says. Unless of course the mob dies. __________________

01-26-2005, 07:33 PM	#1
O Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 14	If this issue has been raised, I'm sorry for doing it again. I just haven't seen anything about it yet. I've noticed since they fixed our wards to run on different timers again, my dot's are cutting out early. As a lvl 30 Mystic I use 3 of them, Contagion app3, Miasama app2, and the trait skill adept 2 for cold fire, I forget what's it's called. Freezing torrent, or something. Anyway, I've been watching them, and all 3 cut out with 5.0 seconds left in the timer. Maybe I'm just being picky, but in those 5 seconds I think each one could get off another hit, which would make a huge difference over the course of a long fight, when I'm casting the set 3 times. Bottom line, just wondering if this has been brought to anyone's attention, and if there will be a resolution. I have already sent in a bug report. Canaan Farseer 30 Mystic Unrest

01-28-2005, 05:59 PM	#3
O Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 14	That does help very much. Thank you. It always ends at exactly 5 seconds. I find it hard to believe that I am always casting at precisely the same point between ticks. Unless the timer is very approximate. However, I will just go with it, and assume everything is working. Thanks Canaan 30 Mystic Unrest

02-11-2005, 07:17 PM	#4
BALTO Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 65	naa i do understand ticks, but say'n its jus 5 seconds, try your slow timmer. 10seconds sometimes more closer to 20...an no reason for timers to not be working, spell recast timer works ok, an doesnt suffer from any of this tick mess.