Skyrim-esque Levelling

[liquoredupchimp]

I forget how the levelling in Skyrim works exactly, but my concept follows the "level from doing things" as in Skyrim.

 

Right now there are 82 skills, each with 4 subskills - That means one would need to level 328 times to complete out a character. The simplest solution would be to apply all four levels each time you level a skill. Or give 4-skill points per level.

 

However, since the challenges are already there, why not have it so when a skill point is invested in a skill, it opens up the rest of the subskills to be automatically unlocked whenever the challenge is completed? That means max level takes 82 skill points.

 

The ultimate would be to have the game level very similarly to Skyrim, eliminating the challenges in place of performing a specific action. Of course, this option would be the most difficult to implement, but would be best in my opinion.

[Strokend]

If it were run like in Skyrim but using the engine in place, what I imagine is that you have every skill, and doing the "challenges" would only unlock the option to spend a point on the skill's perks. It would be interesting to see progress tracked for it even after you reach the goal of it.

[zanity]

There are TWO basic leveling philosophies.

 

1) the player levels to unlock more fun abilities, BUT at the same time the world around the player levels up so the player is never at an advantage.

 

2) the world exists INDEPENDENTLY from the player skill set, so the player must level up to take on those parts of the world ALWAYS at a given higher level.

 

Gamers war as to which of the two is better. It makes sense for a Beth game to mostly use 2, but for 2 to work, the player must organically become aware of the regions too high a level to currently take on.

 

Of course the way in which 1 or 2 is implemented can vary. A familiar enemy can just become 'tougher' to kill- rather rubbish UNLESS said enemy visibly gets, say, better armour. Then you can make a fight tougher by having MORE enemies, while each enemy keeps its base armour and weapon stats.

 

New enemies can of course, be introduced with much higher stats WITHOUT breaking immersion.

 

Here's the thing. Whether a game uses 1 or 2, it doesn't matter unless the game is well designed. Starfield is utter trash. Garbage of the lowest order. People currently tolerate it because of the volume of the 'story'- missions and quantity of dialogue. But the systems are the worst. They don't need 'fixing' but replacing. A total overhaul.

 

Here's the thing. Imagine the game 4 years hence, modded to the gills. Now think about combat. Say a modder has created an entire planet. What will combat be like on that planet? A would say combat will almost certainly be at a FIXED level- ie., system 2. A modder will almost never want to attempt system 1 (which requires a complex pre-existing combat system framework).

 

Fine, so now its a matter of what form of leveling system will make it the most fun to take on the modded planet. Todd's current system, where you end up a battle GOD is the worst possible idea. Play the game for a few dozen hours, and all potential battle mods lose all of their challenge.

 

What you really want is the greatest variety in RPG battle builds, where the idea is NOT to become a leveled up battle god, but where you have maximum build variety in how your character experiences battle. Of course if your build leans on armour and gun choices, you can always choose to NOT use the stupidly over-powered versions of either to maintain gameplay challenge.

 

The perk overhaul mods for earlier games focused on fun, unique and build appropriate skills, NOT dull-witted stat boosts. If you want THOUSANDS of hours in a mega modded Starfield, you are going to need to believe you are always in danger. This is a game design challenge even the best stand-alone game devs never have to face.

[FALCmods4all]

I think Id like to see skill points and challenges swapped, instead of skill points unlocking a challenge, a challenge adds the skill point.

 

So completing difficult challenges levels that skill. Perhaps quests to unlock each first tier skill and to complete skill mastery.

 

Then perhaps skill points gained from your xp can be used to help expedite training of companion and crew skills in skills you have completed challenges for.

Edited October 17, 2023 by FALCmods4all