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Analyzing the nature of leveling.
delete5230
Member EpicPosts: 7,081
It seems we have mixed feelings of leveling your character. So is it still a good idea?
I say yes and no.
It depends on the "format" of game design developers are shooting for.
Looking at the overall intentions, it seems it's design is to LOCK OUT CONTENT. After all a level 5 Gray Wolf could be the same as a level 30 Gray Wolf. But by design the player is not allowed to be in that zone without ramifications. For lack of better words, it’s a soft lockout. You could technically go but to a high level zone but with strict consequences.
I like this idea, but in many cases it can be "abused by developers". Mostly in modern games.
Let me explain:
Rift, Guild Wars 2, Elders Scrolls Online…. Instead of zone-to-zone, it played quest-hub-to-quest hub.
Quest hub-to-quest-hub forces a player to move in strict order with little deviation. With this style a player can only play exact content +/- two levels. This not only limits a players adventures but at the same time limits "WHO YOU CAN PLAY WITH"…. Joe level 40 can't play with John level 36. Obviously it's not a hard fast rule but you have to admit its against the natural gameplay design.
With this modern system of quest-hub-to-quest hub, its slowly separating communities. In many cases it isolates the player causing one to solo. With this being the modern normal many are fooled with the appearance of "everyone wants solo". But in reality, the player more often has no choice.
I've been in this predicament myself so many times, and first noticeable in Rift where I was slowly drifting away from a Real Life friend by level…. We couldn't match up quest-hub-to-quest-hub. To combat this issue we decided on a work around. One does not log on with out the other and level exactly together….. It worked but it sucked, it took away freedom.
Older first and second generation games allowed the player freedom of entire zones. Enter it and go anyplace. Play with whoever you feel…… Why was this abandoned ?..... All so developers can tell an ongoing story in order of progression. This took away freedom and replaced it with a story line. It's a major price to pay. It took away the Massive Multi Player part of mmorpg.
Leveling is still a good option. But it’s been abused !
Comments
Zero freedom !....... Developers way or the highway.
I'll beat DMKano to his punch line
I have that disconnect, myself. I dislike the idea that if I swing "sword and board" enough to kill monsters, I somehow arbitrarily get better at everything. How did my swimming get better? Or my healing? I never used either skill!
However, progression takes on many varied paths. It can be skill usage, story placements, gear progression (like leather/iron/steel armor), or even simple class progression.
Just my thoughts
- Al
Personally the only modern MMORPG trend that annoys me is the idea that MMOs need to be designed in a way to attract people who don't actually like MMOs. Which to me makes about as much sense as someone trying to figure out a way to get vegetarians to eat at their steakhouse.- FARGIN_WAR
But yeah forced questing for XP sucks. Grinding NPCs for levels sucks too.
My beloved Wushu didn’t even give XP for quests or killing mobs. No, my friend you had to find other ways.
When I realize no matter what faction I was moving in a numeric order from left to right. I realized it was just a storytelling game. In fact I was exploiting the gathering materials system when I realized it's much easier to gather by backtracking within the zone and came close to eliminating all fighting while doing so......EVERYTHING BEHIND ME WAS A CAKE WALK.
Maybe things have changed. Did they realize the quest-hub-to- quest-hub solo style game play and fix all that ?
It's my understanding the game turned into EVERYTHING IS A CAKE WALK.
I will say GW2 stands out more as the more provident example. But their all equally the same, just stands out the most.
Time for work... have your fun with this while I'm away
Also if you asked the question in GW2, ESO, Rift forum, I bet no one care. Because almost everyone that visit the forum already reached maxed level. So I think it is a bit non topic.
But obviously new player experience is really important, since you need new blood to refill population.