What leveling system do you prefer?
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the idea of killing stuff and getting something from it is nice but i hate the grinding stuff>.<
DDO. Each level split into 5 ranks, 4 of which you get action points for (which you can get various bonuses for, different depending on class and race), each level giving you skill points, possibly a feat or two, and on top of that possibly an ability point. So yeah, it's basically D&D with a little bit extra. And you don't level by killing monster X for Y XP, it's all quests (though admittedly some consist mostly of killing).
I prefer the Dragon Age system.
Now, I know it uses the standard "gain XP... level up" element, but what's nice about it are the actual abilities you gain when you level up. All of the skill trees for all classes are different, and every ability in them works differently from everything else. Which makes leveling up that much more satisfying.
Now, I know it uses the standard "gain XP... level up" element, but what's nice about it are the actual abilities you gain when you level up. All of the skill trees for all classes are different, and every ability in them works differently from everything else. Which makes leveling up that much more satisfying.
That's some pretty epic shoe tying going on there considering that it can sometimes take 3 or 4 sword swings and a fireball in the face to kill some of them rats.Earthmonger said:
OT: Hmm, it's hard to decide for me. I like the leveling systems in Fallout 3 and Oblivion, I like the systems in the majority of JRPGs and I even like the Junction system from FFVIII. I suppose I'll have to go with Etrian Odyssey's system since I'm playing that at the moment and I quite like it.
off the top of my head, I can think of 3 primary leveling systems, which can themselves be hybridized: Level systems (XP, Level up, you gain an increase to stats, some of your choice, some automatic, and certain abilities, some of your choice, some automatic, the options and automatic increases dependent on a class) Tree systems (You gain a set number of points as you advance through the tiers of levels. You choose abilities, and move your way along the tree, higher level skills requiring certain choices in the tree beneath it.), and Point based systems (Rather then levels proper, a set amount of XP grants you points which can be spent on a large pool of skills of various point costs). The best system is dependent on the game. A meaty RPG should have a level system. An action adventure should likely have a tree based system. A shooter should have either a tree or point based system. Generally speaking, of course.
My favorite leveling system is probably in DDO. There is an obscene number of character customization options. Feats, skills, class abilities and attributes all act as sub systems in a truly amazing greater system. Being the d20 system is the greatest reason, but the action point system manages to make the character creation have that much more meat. Tree based systems are difficult for me to decide, but I might have to go with Diablo. Point based systems...well, the new WoD rule systems is truly elegant, and does a great job of re-enforcing the need of role playing. If we were to go for point based systems in Video Games...well, System/Bioshock are very good.
I also see that there's sort of a fourth system, where using a skill increases that skill. Ive never been a huge fan of these. However, I consider them to be a very roundabout point buy system, where you essentially decide where your points are spent by your in game actions.
My favorite leveling system is probably in DDO. There is an obscene number of character customization options. Feats, skills, class abilities and attributes all act as sub systems in a truly amazing greater system. Being the d20 system is the greatest reason, but the action point system manages to make the character creation have that much more meat. Tree based systems are difficult for me to decide, but I might have to go with Diablo. Point based systems...well, the new WoD rule systems is truly elegant, and does a great job of re-enforcing the need of role playing. If we were to go for point based systems in Video Games...well, System/Bioshock are very good.
I also see that there's sort of a fourth system, where using a skill increases that skill. Ive never been a huge fan of these. However, I consider them to be a very roundabout point buy system, where you essentially decide where your points are spent by your in game actions.
I found the version used in Oblivion by far the more interesting. Not because of the "practice-makes-perfect" principle, and not because of the fuse between attributes and all that stuff. I really liked it because the world levelled up with you.
Instead of making you objectively more powerful, it redefines the balance between your particular skills, and by doing so it achieves something entirely different than a regular levelling system. Instead of giving you X amount of extra magic points per level, while still remaining a competent enough swordsman to exterminate minor rodentry, it defines you as a magic user a bit more advanced, more esoteric than previously, but a proportionally worse everything else at the same time.
In the end, you're equally competent or only marginally better as a character to defeat rats and the like, but you're defined as either a specialized magician, specialized swordsman or whatever you may be. Those who realized this and followed a particular path would succeed, even moreso if they decided so at the onset. In this way, the game was built around you performing a certain role, and did away with distractions from that principle.
This way, it gives you character progression as a character, not as an all-round world antagonist. It rewards not grinding and constant levelling, but rather specialization and a strategic view of your characters progression. I think, had Oblivion been that much less casual and twitch-based, the levelling system wouldn't have gotten such a bad rep. In truth, they could've just have applied it as a hidden set of numbers, and people would've seen it as a brilliant FPS that adjusted your gaming experience automatically, after play style.
Instead of making you objectively more powerful, it redefines the balance between your particular skills, and by doing so it achieves something entirely different than a regular levelling system. Instead of giving you X amount of extra magic points per level, while still remaining a competent enough swordsman to exterminate minor rodentry, it defines you as a magic user a bit more advanced, more esoteric than previously, but a proportionally worse everything else at the same time.
In the end, you're equally competent or only marginally better as a character to defeat rats and the like, but you're defined as either a specialized magician, specialized swordsman or whatever you may be. Those who realized this and followed a particular path would succeed, even moreso if they decided so at the onset. In this way, the game was built around you performing a certain role, and did away with distractions from that principle.
This way, it gives you character progression as a character, not as an all-round world antagonist. It rewards not grinding and constant levelling, but rather specialization and a strategic view of your characters progression. I think, had Oblivion been that much less casual and twitch-based, the levelling system wouldn't have gotten such a bad rep. In truth, they could've just have applied it as a hidden set of numbers, and people would've seen it as a brilliant FPS that adjusted your gaming experience automatically, after play style.
i think the free to play MMO 2moons got it down to a T .... not only did it depend on your SKILL point distribution ... the power of your character also depended heavily on STAT point distribution
so everyone on forums with no imagination is lyk "zomg be full heal be full heal .. it's the best" ... and 80% of everyone you meet is full heal ... until some people with their own invented complex builds come out of nowhere and wtfpwn everyone .. beauty ... where's your full heal now you ****!
so everyone on forums with no imagination is lyk "zomg be full heal be full heal .. it's the best" ... and 80% of everyone you meet is full heal ... until some people with their own invented complex builds come out of nowhere and wtfpwn everyone .. beauty ... where's your full heal now you ****!