Poll: Multiplayer without leveling up. Would it work?
- Thread starter Yokillernick
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It all depends upon what is conferred by the leveling mechanic. Dawn of War 2, for example, has a level system for each Army but all it does is offer cosmetic changes to the army - no unit has it's stats improved as a result. Ideally, the unlocked options offer little real advantage to a player in any particular shootout. I would like to point to various FPS titles as examples except all of them offer some sort of optical upgrade that offers tremendous advantage in many cases and in the case of vehicles, many of the unlocks are necessary for effective operation.Starik20X6 said:
That said, in most cases, the advantages conferred in games is relatively trivial when compared to the gulf in skill that develops between the new player and the veteran. This scenario, as much as anything else, is what leads to many perceptions of some degree of unfairness being offered by leveling systems.
SoulCalibur V decided it to be a good idea to include levelling up to 99 because... logic and reasons.Ekit said:
Yes but that was a long time ago. What if every single multiplayer game like CoD or BF decided not to have level up multiplayer and just give players the weapons. Would they still want to play ? Can the mass of players, once they experienced the leveling up system and how 'addictive' it gets, come back and play something with no leveling up?Daverson said:
Umm, yeah? Did you just start playing games in the past few years or something? They never used to have leveling systems. The games actually survived on great gameplay, level design, and fun, not some compulsive need of the players to accomplish something.
People played Counter-strike 1.6, yes? Some probably still do, even.
I don't believe TF2 has leveling either?
I don't believe TF2 has leveling either?
Considering there was a gazillion fracktillion games with multiplayer in them that came before the modern era of spunkgargleweewe that didn't use levels, and a gazillion fracktillion games with multiplayer in them made during the modern era of spunkgargleweewe that didn't use levels, I'd say yes.
Of course it works. I would argue it works a lot better than level-up systems, because the two big ones (BF3, CoD) have very poor level-up systems that give higher-level players a big advantage over newer players. Look at Counter-Strike for example, to this day, one of my favorite multiplayer shooters, because you jump in a game, and the only thing making you more or less likely to win is your own skill and teamwork. Now look at BF3, where you jump in as a new player, and you lack essential gear, like the Stinger, or the Defibrillator, it sucks. And made all the worse by being able to buy your way up.
The way to make the leveling system work, is to make the level-up unlocks either cosmetic, or a matter of personal preference. And make it possible to choose what you unlock each level. Basically, make the unlocks equal in value, so the older players can't dominate you by way of gear alone.
Now, I like BF3, but I don't play it all that much. And because of that, I'm having trouble competing with some people. Granted, it's partly because they're probably more skilled than I am, but it's also down to kit. Theirs is better, plain and simple. Which is the point where I exit BF3, and go play CS or something else.
The way to make the leveling system work, is to make the level-up unlocks either cosmetic, or a matter of personal preference. And make it possible to choose what you unlock each level. Basically, make the unlocks equal in value, so the older players can't dominate you by way of gear alone.
Now, I like BF3, but I don't play it all that much. And because of that, I'm having trouble competing with some people. Granted, it's partly because they're probably more skilled than I am, but it's also down to kit. Theirs is better, plain and simple. Which is the point where I exit BF3, and go play CS or something else.
Yes. "Leveling up" for the sole purpose of ranking players and fair matchmaking is cool, but earning new weapons and stuff? Fuck that shit. Why should the experienced players have an advantage? I enjoy Battlefield 3, but it really went overboard with this. You have to unlock counter-measures for your helicopter. That's pretty basic shit if you want to stay airborne for more than a minute.
Plus, I don't want to be forced to play a multiplayer game for 32502349543 hours if I want to see what it has to offer
Plus, I don't want to be forced to play a multiplayer game for 32502349543 hours if I want to see what it has to offer
No you don't because things are not unlocked in a predetermined manner but would be just found how you want them.rhizhim said:
It worked fine for decades before the advent of multiplayer game modes with leveling up systems, and seeing as how not every game multiplayer game continues to include it and yet manages to do well enough, it's not quite the industry game-changer like adding a third dimension was.
Levels make people feel good about themselves. People like seeing a number increase to make them feel like they're accomplishing something with all the time they are putting in to a product. In my opinion, it's one of the reasons Call of Duty 4 was such a successful shooter. I mean, people are willing to pay Microsoft Points to a guy that will help them get Shitzillionth Prestige because he has mods (can get you banned), so that'll tell you something about how people feel about it.
I myself don't care about levels. I came into this thinking it was going to be specifically about MMORPGs and had Star Wars Galaxies examples lined up and everything. Ah well.
I myself don't care about levels. I came into this thinking it was going to be specifically about MMORPGs and had Star Wars Galaxies examples lined up and everything. Ah well.
Team Fortress 2 wonderfully pulls off a multiplayer without a leveling system. Even better, the starting loadouts are still very effective and widely used. This allows new players to play without even needing to buy or trade anything, and I absolutely love it.