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Leveling/Experience System Ideas/Discussion

Fri, 19 Aug 2005 17:18:25

Firebrand

I have been thinking how to build the experience system for the project, I already have some attributes or skills that could be enhanced via skill points or experience points, I think we could start the discussiong from this point or enhance/change anything from my idea or discard it if needed, this is just my idea of how to make it. We could have these different attributes: [list:xgtwggqx]- Speed; this attribute could go directly linked with the player moving velocity for walking/running. - Agility; this could go related to the jumping height of the player (maybe). - Dexterity; this could be how fast the player could use his weapons (frame duration of the attack frames). - Strength; it could relate to how much damage the melee weapons do to enemies. - Magic (or some other name); how much mana the weapons use. - X (Some name); An ability that could relate to how much damage ranged missiles do to the enemies. - Constitution; How much damage the player gets from enemy attacks. - Defense; How much percentage of damage the armors save from the original damage value inflicted by the enemy attacks. [/list:u:xgtwggqx] I think this pretty much covers the basic aspects of defense/offense in the game, we could also make the attack tags as Ramborc described in another thread, and maybe add different armor types for each of the attack tags, for example, poison armor, fire armor, ice, etc. or make each class less susceptible to a certain damage type maybe, I don't know, it's a matter of discussion and organizing the system to a level where it's complete enough for our project.
Sun, 21 Aug 2005 05:50:46

The 4th Class

I'm not an expert programmer, so I can't give a complete and descriptive analysis on how to approach this. I can only give my opinion as an RPG fan and not a programmer. Agree or disagree, this is what I will probably do with Dark Realms eventually. The main trouble with my concept is that I think it's really unbalanced ATM, and it's still a very fresh concept that needs more work, so we can cast it aside for either a long time or forever. But I think it's interesting nonetheless. From what I've seen, many RPG stat schemes tend to borrow extentively from the classic D&D tradition: gain experience points in enough stats, usually many, then level up. It would be a breath of fresh air to do away with experience points, and levels, and instead focus on the player's progress on the stat fields themselves. What I mean is, do away with Level 3 Rogue who has 4000 experience points. Instead, just have a rogue and his abilities will evolve and enhance independently, regardless of his skill in others (although if he has good strength, that will work wonders when learning hammer). So let's say, for instance, we have these stats (I'll just use very basic ones for now: strength, agility, intelligence, and stamina. We'd all know that a fighter would have high strength and stamina, maybe morderate agility, but little intelligence (:P). Then a more magical player would have poor strength, moderate stamina and agility, but really good intelligence. So if you spend the whole game using only a fireball spell, intelligence will go up, and eventually, so will agility, because it takes speed to get those hands up ready to cast the spell. <!-- s:wink: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt=":wink:" title="Wink" /><!-- s:wink: --> Anyway, so instead of having EXP represent the player's skill in the field, focus on how long the player fully dedicates to that field, and also how often the player uses it, and then the player will eventually get better and better in that field. Of course, this is simply just a more descriptive way of saying EXP, so I'm probably contradicting myself here. O well, it was just a running concept, I'll have to give it much for thought. But what do you think of the ground basics so far? I think that doing away with EXP and levels may add an interesting change to how the stats are handled, but then again, EXP and levels are virtually universal in RPGs, which in itself is a good method, just a very dated and cliche one. In the meantime, I'll come up with come really good stat fields later, but it's really late and I have to go to bed, so I'll give them to you tomorrow. <!-- s:D --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt=":D" title="Very Happy" /><!-- s:D -->
Sun, 21 Aug 2005 11:10:22

RambOrc

This approach is working as has been proved by games like Stonekeep and Betrayal in Antara which use such a system. They are not "full-blooded RPGs" but still RPG enough. Still another approach is that of e.g. Morrowind, which is a crossover between the classic EXP/LVL system and the one mentioned above.
Sun, 21 Aug 2005 15:06:49

The 4th Class

Yeah, Stonekeep had a good stat system, it was really interesting to have stats for each kind of weapon. I've never played Betrayal in Antara, but Betrayal at Krondor is a legendary game (IMO) that inspired my concept. I'm not saying I was going to rip off these games, I was just thinking about giving it a more conventional twist. As you keen see, I'm currently far from that. <!-- s:wink: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt=":wink:" title="Wink" /><!-- s:wink: --> I also really enjoy Morrowind's system, with so many different stats and skills, with stats affecting improvement in skills. To be honest, I think it's the most human one I've seen.

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