Plausible Resources and Levels System Development

[vitinho444]

Ok guys, im here to make a simple question, but to us programmers / coders and game developers in general, i think im not the only one when i say this but its pretty hard to make plausible levels and resources systems in-game.

You know its true

So im here, creating this topic so people can see and use it on their games.

Personally, and im sorry, i dont know how to do it..
But first, i will explain what i mean to plausible levels / resources / whatever (upgradeable things) system:

Ok imagine halls video tutorials about a PHP MMORPG.
So you got a char and you need to level up it fighting monsters and stuff on the wilderness.
But then, while developing a game, (if im not the only one) you think: "Hmm.. How can i make the game level up system not very hard or very easy, so older players spend some reasonable ammount of time trying to level up?"

Well... this is what i mean. In this case (Halls RPG) per example he uses the XP Drop from a lvl 1 monster to be 10 XP, but then how to make the final XP for level up?

That's my question.

PS: If i didn't explained that good, im going to try another example:

You have a monster, that drops 10 experience Points so, what are you going to use for the actual player level needed exp?

PS 2: Or vice-versa, you got like 100 xp for level 2, what xp would a lvl 1 monster should drop?


PS 3: Personally i would like to receive answers for the resources system and buildings needed resources because im making a tribal wars like game..


Thanks a lot

[hallsofvallhalla]

You can use something similar to the D&D challenge system

Each creature has a challenge rating. You base the exp off how each player's level meets up with that challenge rating.

So if you have a goblin that has a challenge of 2

A player that is level 4 would get less exp so 2 -4 = -2 The total exp would be a basisis off of the -2

A player that was level 1 is 1 level lower and harder to kill the goblin so 2 -1 = +1

So it would be a +1 modifier. You can use the same for resources on their level of difficulty.

[Callan S.]

Vitinho,

Is there a 'should' behind it all? To me such systems are just complicated ways of making the player wait X amount of RL time before they can level up.

If you want to go the 'make players wait X time', then think of it instead in how long in RL time you want each level to take.

You don't have to make leveling take long at all (finish leveling in one RL day, even) - you could even, gasp, not have levels at all!

Levels aren't something you have to have or the RPG police come and get ya.

Do you actually enjoy levels or atleast have friends who enjoy levels? Or are you just having them in your game cause all the other games you know of do it? That's called legacy designing.

[Ark]

Vitinho,

Is there a 'should' behind it all? To me such systems are just complicated ways of making the player wait X amount of RL time before they can level up.

If you want to go the 'make players wait X time', then think of it instead in how long in RL time you want each level to take.

You don't have to make leveling take long at all (finish leveling in one RL day, even) - you could even, gasp, not have levels at all!

Levels aren't something you have to have or the RPG police come and get ya.

Do you actually enjoy levels or atleast have friends who enjoy levels? Or are you just having them in your game cause all the other games you know of do it? That's called legacy designing.

Callan you deserve an applause, you made a good point that sometimes we follow what others games have instead of being original.

[Verahta]

I'm not a fan of grinding, especially pointless grinding (at least rare item drops have value). Nothing annoys me more than a game that wants me to waste a bunch of my time grinding for no reason.

[vitinho444]

Nice point really, i agree, but im not using levels.

Im using the resources for buildings, and that is kinda impossible to dont use..

But thanks

[Callan S.]

Same principles apply, really. Do you want to make the player wait for a building? If so, how long do you want to make them wait? There is no ideal amount of resources for a building, unless you sit back and imagine it all for an hour and figure some number that matches your imagination just right for you. The only reason you can say buildings take awhile to build is because that's how you imagine it. Otherwise there's no real justification.

I'd say I think fixed increment progression is...not great. Instead having a chance, everytime the building is added to, to finishing a significant part of it (50% or such) makes it atleast game like in that there's a gamble chance of coming out way ahead. Just building up the same amount over and over until it's done - there is no game element to that.

[vitinho444]

Wow thats really true..
i guess thres not "reasonable" systems to make this perfect...

Thanks a lot for your replies