11-13-2009, 02:54 PM
I am not sure I am convinced yet about what I am about to say but I am leaning in the direction of having a game that you don't level at all in the traditional sense.
Instead of gaining levels via exp and then receiving skills in exchange I am thinking you have to earn the skills you gain.
For those that played COH, Warhammer or Champions imagine for a second your accomplishment or title books. It would lilst a bar that shows you have to killed 800 out of 1000 zombies to achieve X. You have Discovered 8 abc's out of 15 abc's to achieve Y.
Maybe instead of just passing out skills based on a level you just throw out levels all together and make all of your gains very specific.
You want 200 more hit points? Go do X and once you are done then you receive 200 hit points. Once you accomplish your gain of 200 hit points it opens up your ability to go gain something that gives you 400 hit points or 150 hit points and 150 mana. This idea certainly doesn't remove the grind but at least it gives the players the choices of what there grind is.
This means you can also design a game where level has no bearing on my ability to pvp. I can log in and with in a short period I can fight anyone. Granted it does create the EVE issue of long time players certainly have an advantage over newer players but at least it is less so.
Vllad
Instead of gaining levels via exp and then receiving skills in exchange I am thinking you have to earn the skills you gain.
For those that played COH, Warhammer or Champions imagine for a second your accomplishment or title books. It would lilst a bar that shows you have to killed 800 out of 1000 zombies to achieve X. You have Discovered 8 abc's out of 15 abc's to achieve Y.
Maybe instead of just passing out skills based on a level you just throw out levels all together and make all of your gains very specific.
You want 200 more hit points? Go do X and once you are done then you receive 200 hit points. Once you accomplish your gain of 200 hit points it opens up your ability to go gain something that gives you 400 hit points or 150 hit points and 150 mana. This idea certainly doesn't remove the grind but at least it gives the players the choices of what there grind is.
This means you can also design a game where level has no bearing on my ability to pvp. I can log in and with in a short period I can fight anyone. Granted it does create the EVE issue of long time players certainly have an advantage over newer players but at least it is less so.
Vllad