---
id: wiki-2026-0508-combat-timeline-difficulty-scali
title: Combat Timeline Difficulty Scaling
category: 10_Wiki/Topics
status: verified
canonical_id: self
aliases: [Combat Difficulty Curve, Encounter Scaling, Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment]
duplicate_of: none
source_trust_level: B
confidence_score: 0.85
verification_status: applied
tags: [game-design, combat, difficulty, ddа, encounter]
raw_sources: []
last_reinforced: 2026-05-10
github_commit: pending
tech_stack:
  language: C#/Python
  framework: Game-engine-agnostic
---

# Combat Timeline Difficulty Scaling

## 매 한 줄
> **"매 combat encounter 의 매력 = 매 player skill 곡선과 challenge 곡선의 일치 (flow channel)."**. 매 timeline-based scaling 은 encounter 의 시작/중반/끝 phase 별로 enemy 능력을 progress 시키며, 매 player metric (DPS, HP%, time-to-kill) 을 feedback 으로 받아 dynamic 하게 조정. 매 2026 modern AAA (Elden Ring DLC, Helldivers 2) 가 telemetry-driven scaling 채택.

## 매 핵심

### 매 scaling axis
- **Static curve**: 매 fixed level → enemy stat lookup table.
- **Dynamic (DDA)**: 매 runtime player perf 로 parameter 조정.
- **Timeline phase**: 매 encounter 내부 phase 분할 (intro → escalation → climax).
- **Hybrid**: 매 baseline curve + DDA correction.

### 매 measurable metric
- **TTK** (time to kill enemy).
- **TTD** (time to death — player).
- **Damage taken / second**.
- **Resource economy** (potions/ammo per minute).
- **Player retry count**.

### 매 응용
1. **Soulslike boss phase transition**: 매 50%/25% HP → new moveset.
2. **Roguelike floor scaling**: 매 depth × player level 함수.
3. **MMO raid enrage timer**: 매 hard cutoff DPS check.
4. **Casual mode auto-easing**: 매 3회 사망 → enemy HP -10%.

## 💻 패턴

### Phase-based encounter timeline
```csharp
public class BossEncounter : MonoBehaviour {
    enum Phase { Intro, Build, Climax, Enrage }
    Phase phase = Phase.Intro;
    float t;

    void Update() {
        t += Time.deltaTime;
        var hpFrac = boss.HP / boss.MaxHP;
        var newPhase = phase;

        if      (hpFrac < 0.25f) newPhase = Phase.Climax;
        else if (hpFrac < 0.60f) newPhase = Phase.Build;
        else if (t > 180f)       newPhase = Phase.Enrage;

        if (newPhase != phase) { OnPhaseEnter(newPhase); phase = newPhase; }
        ApplyPhaseModifiers(phase);
    }
}
```

### Stat curve table
```yaml
# enemies/orc_warrior.yaml
levels:
  1:  { hp: 100, dmg: 10, speed: 3.0 }
  10: { hp: 250, dmg: 22, speed: 3.5 }
  20: { hp: 600, dmg: 50, speed: 4.0 }
  50: { hp: 5000, dmg: 220, speed: 5.0 }
# interpolate between keypoints
```

```csharp
EnemyStats Lerp(EnemyStats a, EnemyStats b, float t) =>
    new EnemyStats {
        HP = Mathf.Lerp(a.HP, b.HP, t),
        Damage = Mathf.Lerp(a.Damage, b.Damage, t),
        Speed = Mathf.Lerp(a.Speed, b.Speed, t),
    };
```

### DDA — sliding window perf
```python
class DDAController:
    def __init__(self, target_ttd=45.0, window=5):
        self.target = target_ttd
        self.history = collections.deque(maxlen=window)
        self.scale = 1.0

    def record_death(self, ttd_seconds):
        self.history.append(ttd_seconds)
        if len(self.history) < 3: return
        avg = sum(self.history) / len(self.history)
        # too easy → ramp up; too hard → ease
        delta = (avg - self.target) / self.target  # +0.2 = 20% too easy
        self.scale = clamp(self.scale + delta * 0.05, 0.7, 1.5)

    def apply(self, enemy):
        enemy.hp *= self.scale
        enemy.dmg *= math.sqrt(self.scale)  # damage scales softer
```

### Enrage timer
```csharp
void Update() {
    enrageT += Time.deltaTime;
    if (enrageT > enrageStart) {
        var f = Mathf.Clamp01((enrageT - enrageStart) / 30f);
        boss.DamageMultiplier = 1f + f * 4f;   // 5x dmg over 30s
    }
}
```

### Skill-bracket matchmaking adjust
```python
def select_encounter(player_mmr: int, depth: int):
    target_difficulty = base_curve(depth) * mmr_multiplier(player_mmr)
    candidates = [e for e in pool if abs(e.difficulty - target_difficulty) < 0.15]
    return random.choice(candidates) if candidates else fallback(pool, target_difficulty)
```

### Telemetry-driven re-tuning (offline)
```sql
-- find under-tuned bosses (too easy)
SELECT boss_id,
       AVG(time_to_kill) AS avg_ttk,
       AVG(player_deaths) AS avg_deaths,
       COUNT(*) AS attempts
FROM encounter_log
WHERE patch_version = '2.4.0'
GROUP BY boss_id
HAVING avg_ttk < 30 AND avg_deaths < 0.3
ORDER BY attempts DESC;
```

### Adaptive damage curve
```csharp
// damage taken curves softer the lower player HP — "comeback mechanic"
float TakenMultiplier(float hpFrac) =>
    Mathf.Lerp(1.2f, 0.7f, 1f - hpFrac);  // low HP = less dmg taken
```

## 매 결정 기준
| 상황 | Scaling |
|---|---|
| Linear narrative game | static curve |
| Roguelike / replayable | static + run-level scale |
| Live-service skill gap | DDA + bracket matchmaking |
| Boss fight 10+ min | phase-based + enrage |
| Accessibility mode | one-way DDA (only ease) |

**기본값**: phase-based timeline + soft DDA (max ±20%) + telemetry retune per patch.

## 🔗 Graph
- 부모: [[Game_Design]] · [[Combat_System]]
- 변형: [[Dynamic_Difficulty_Adjustment]]

## 🤖 LLM 활용
**언제**: encounter design, difficulty curve tuning, DDA controller 설계.
**언제 X**: pure narrative pacing (story beats 영역).

## ❌ 안티패턴
- **HP-sponge scaling**: 매 단순 HP × 10 → boring, not harder.
- **Hidden DDA without disclosure**: 매 player 가 눈치채면 frustration.
- **No floor on DDA**: 매 player 일부러 죽으며 game 망가뜨림.
- **One curve for all enemies**: 매 archetype 별 differentiation 부재.
- **Untested enrage timer**: 매 DPS check 가 unfair RNG 가 되면 community 폭발.

## 🧪 검증 / 중복
- Verified (GDC talks "Resident Evil 4 DDA" 2005, "Helldivers 2 mission director" 2024).
- 신뢰도 B.

## 🕓 Changelog
| 날짜 | 변경 |
|---|---|
| 2026-05-08 | Phase 1 |
| 2026-05-10 | Manual cleanup — phase timeline, DDA controller, telemetry retuning |
