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Pros and Cons of the "No Level" System


Pao Pablo

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Hey guys, I was thinking about how the SWG devs have been going about experience and i'm interested in what everyone thinks about this experience system. It seems like a fresh idea to me, Although it could take some getting use to for the average MMORPG player. It seems like the level based system is getting old and games are trying to create new, original ways to improve your chars., (see Final Fantasy 10's Grid System)

So my questions are. . . . .

 

How long do you think it will take people to get use to?

 

What is your personal opinion on this unique system?

 

Do you think this will "shorten the gap" between the "UBER L33T" player and the NOVICE player?

 

Thanks guys, I look forward to gaining to some new knowledge on this topic.

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Good point. I guess this also adds more appeal to the game to new-comers who don't want to be harassed by elite players being tagged as a newbie, a devastating blow to a player's self confidence, and in EQ's case, as we all know, a fatal one.

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Dungeon siege was boring. Pretty, but boring. Why? Because their version of the levelling system was really bugged, and had no interaction from the player (oh, and you could let the computer run the entire game). The difference in SWG is that you have a lot more control. And I like it. Not gaining a ton of Hit Points when you get better is great too, since it emphasises skill in combat, not having a lot of HP. And I like that you can sacrifice old skills to gain new ones. I pretty much am hopeful for the system as a whole. It is a lot more realistic, which is benevolent for the RPers. I mean, in RL, even a really good soldier can't take 54 bullets in his head, just because he has trained a lot and is thereby lvl 43.

 

Oh, and most european p&p RPG's has a tradition of systems without levels, so that's another reason to like it. Levels and hit points gaining is an idea invented by D&D, and it has influenced most of the american p&p scene, and even CRPGs. It works in CRPGs, but in p&p, it just takes out all the fun. This is yet another blow to an old, unrealistic and defective system! Bring D&D down! :D

 

How long to get used? Just as long as any RP you try out.

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Hey, it worked in Shadowrun, Boot Hill and all of the White Wolf games, why not? You are absolutely right Set. Actually, if any of you remember, West End Games version of the SWRPG didn't have a leveling system either. Althought the D6 system didn't work well for Jedi, always either pitifully weak or sickeningly powerful, it did work well for non-FS characters. Anyway, just my two cents. I anticipate that this will work extremely well. I think the developers have put a lot of careful comsideration into these things and it should make for a great game.

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The advantages of non-levelbased RPGs are eternal and holy. It's just that you have to be shook out of your D&D-induced hallucination haze, where hits does the same amount of damage whether it is to your armuorclad torso or to your unprotected head, where you forget magic when you cast it, requiring eight hours of sleep for you to remember it again and where 80 pounds of armour makes you harder to hit, not harder to wound. Oh, and where you function just as well unwounded as with five spears pointing out your stomach, as long as you have a HP or two left.

 

Embrace the glory of the way RPGs are supposed to be made!

 

(ok, I admit I am very biased in this matter, but I also, in my 'objective viewing mode', believe in the advantage of more realistic RPG systems, towards the way D&D time and again defies logic and common sense.)

 

EDIT: and yes, WEG's Star Wars had no levels. And Jedis were ****ed up, I eventually got more powerful than palpatine and yoda, combined. But hey, we were thirteen, and it was Star Wars! ;)

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Yoda and Palpatine combined? Wow, your GM sucked! I don't care what the stats say, all of the core characters were always a step ahead of my party. I never allowed any of my PCs to get a skill higher than 7D, this includes force skills. 7D is enough to have a party of four anihalate fifty Storm Troopers. Besides, being the evil GM I was, most of our Jedi turned to the Dark Side very quickly. I fully utilize the Jedi code against them, being the rules litigator as always.

 

"So you aren't going to try the Taun-Taun intestines they are offering you? Dark Side point!", check the official rules, this is actually considerred offense to another culture and is punishable by a DS point. I can't remember the name of the game, but there was one in one of the books regarding nothing but DS trials. It was most impressive. I turned all but one of our party members, including my NPC (I didn't read ahead and screwed myself ;)), to the Dark Side. Most impressive indeed. Damn him for eating the rotting octopus tentacles, I almost had him. :D

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Like almost every well-made computer game to date, it should be easy to pick up things like the interface, controls, and how things work. They'd have a shopping list of complaints if it wasn't. I like the idea of this new system, and will be interested to c how it works. It just looks so cool!!!!!!!!!

:duel:

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