Paromlin: I don't like doing this, but I'm afraid I'm
going to have to be a bit blunt. Please note that I'm not attacking you here, just trying to state things in a matter-of-fact manner. Unfortunately, I don't see any further point in debating anything with you, given your last post effectively said: "your post is too long, ergo you are wrong". If you had read it, you would have seen I actually agree with you at points, but that I am also aware of game design issues that demand level scaling in a
non-linear game. You mentioned I should play Baldur's Gate and Storm of Zehir as "homework". I
have played both, and as such, I know that they both
have a linear critical path. Dragon Age doesn't, which is why it needs encounter scaling. Presently, level scaling is the most time efficient means perform encounter scaling to provide balanced combat across a wide level range for most combat system mechanics. Please do not take offense when I say this, but I would suggest that you go study game design, as it will give you a lot more insight into the area. It is a very complex subject, but also really interesting. There are a
lot of factors to consider even when you think you're just talking about level scaling. As an example, consider the effect that non-scaled encounters and gating encounters have on player enjoyment due to backtracking. Game design is, for better or for worse, not a simple equation.
Okay, with the slightly ugly part of the post out of the way...
Item scaling:Yes, there's way too much trash loot in Dragon Age. Couldn't agree more. It does fit in with the low magic setting of Thedas, and I don't have a problem with that. However, it comes across as a little ridiculous later in the game when everyone is dropping dragonbone and silverite weapons and armour. Unfortunately, we run into issues of economy in terms of pricing of items, if we don't have the deluge of high tier items at higher levels. The problem is that game economies suck in most games (particularly RPGs) that involve money. In the majority of games you start off a pauper and by the end are generally so rolling in gold/credits/bottlecaps/crispy fried llama skins, that you could practically buy off everyone in the game world.
Do I have
the solution? I'll tell you what, if I figure it out, I'll pitch it to BioWare as part a job application.
Oblivion's level scaling:It sucks. There's no two ways about it. Bandits with glass armour, daedroth roaming the countryside, guards that can almost go toe to toe with the hero ot Tamriel... Yuck.
I can't remember which race I played with, but I made a custom warrior/mage class that was an adaption of the custom class I'd made in Morrowind. I failed to get into Morrowind six times because I got brutally smashed by enemies early on, so when I finally found how to min/max in the system, I used it in Oblivion so I wouldn't get brutalised again. As such, the game did get a bit easy as I levelled up, but I remember getting handily dispatched by trolls in the early-to-mid-game.
I think the most interesting point that's been raised the in the thread is the abolition of levelling entirely. I like the concept, but I think the problem would be merging it into the "rise to power" tradition present in CRPGs. Or perhaps RPGs in general? Players like to have the sense of acheivement of becoming powerful and so they would be able to summarily destroy the weaklings they encountered at the start of the game. It's the empowerment of becoming a champion that people are attached to, and it could be argued as a result of that, levels are now more frequently granted to players. While the overall rise in power might be the same across the adventure, the granularity of that progression is more fine grained so that players get more "WoWcrack" from seeing that advancement occur.
We human beings are easily manipulated creatures - even when we know we're being manipulated.
Modifié par AmstradHero, 20 juillet 2010 - 01:36 .
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