Taernath
05-06-2003, 07:52 PM
http://www.play.net/gs3/news/gemstone_iv/experience_home_v2.asp
The New Proposal
With our original goals in mind as well as constructive ideas gathered from the staff and player base, the Design Team created a new proposal that will not only address GemStone's game balance issues but will also ensure a fun experience during this period of adjustment and beyond.
This new approach to address game balance issues has many important differences from the first proposal. However, it is important to first understand what has not changed: Experience requirements will still see an increase, characters will still transfer experience that was gained in the old system to the new system resulting in a level change, creatures will be redistributed, and inter-level skill advancement will still be the way in which Training Points are gained throughout all levels.
Here is what's new:
As is shown in the Level Chart, the maximum Experience Points required to train at the upper levels will never go beyond 112,500 Experience Points. Thus the time it takes to level, as well as level compression is much more gradual than the first proposal.
The maximum level your character can attain ("Hard Level Cap") is level 100. This means that no one will be above level 100 and this "cap" will more than likely never be raised. Use the Level Conversion Tool to determine your new level under this new system. The tool will also show the creatures that are within +/- 10 levels of your converted level.
Once a character reaches level 100, they will continue to be able to gain Experience Points, and therefore Training Points, to train in skills beyond the Level Cap. (1/1 Physical/Mental TPs for every 2500 exp beyond the level cap.) All skills will cap at the maximum that a level 100 character of their profession could learn. This allows you to train in skills that you may have missed, in order to round out your character.
The skill return adjustments that were previously planned will NOT be a part of the new design.
Creature redistribution will take place, but new creatures will also be introduced over time, giving players new and interesting areas and creatures to hunt. Players will be able to hunt a wider variety of creatures with companions they may not have been able to hunt with before because of past level constraints.
As you can see, this proposal addresses many of the concerns that resulted from the original proposal. While each proposal had pros and cons, this proposal addressed most concerns while still achieving the overall goals and objectives: to make GemStone IV a fun, well-balanced game for all.
FAQ
Q. Will players who are over the 160 soft Level Cap today be over the 100th level Hard Level Cap in the new system?
A. No players will be above the 100th level Hard Level Cap; however, since their experience totals would be higher than the cap, they'd be given the appropriate number of Training Points (1/1 M/P TP for every 2,500 experience above the cap) to exchange for skills.
Q. If you allow training in skills past the Level Cap, will this result in "UBER" characters?
A. Every profession has a max amount of skills they could train in by the cap. This will not change. For example, if you could single in First Aid and by the cap you only got 89 ranks, you could continue to hunt and gain experience Points, and therefore Training Points, to get the remaining 12 ranks. This means that no maxed character will be stronger than another.
Q. What is the most Experience Points I'd have to earn to level? About how many hours would that take?
A. At the very highest levels, the Experience Points required will never go above 112,500. On average, this would take approximately 113 hours. Today, each level is 50k Experience Points and takes approximately 50 hours to reach the next level. Many of you may know what your average experience gain per hour is and it could be above or below this number depending upon how often you are hunting. These numbers are therefore estimations.
Q. Are new creatures going to be released in GSIV?
A. First and foremost we would like to finish the main objectives of GSIV before creating new creatures and new hunting areas. There will be new hunting areas created in the future.
Q. With the level translation or condensation, will characters typically be able to hunt +/- 10 levels in hunting areas?
A. Yes. Not only will you be able to hunt a much larger range of creatures (because more creatures fall into any given +/- 10 range), you will also be able to hunt with friends you may not have been able to in the past.
Be sure to visit the page itself, as there are a lot of useful and informative links off of it - Taernath
The New Proposal
With our original goals in mind as well as constructive ideas gathered from the staff and player base, the Design Team created a new proposal that will not only address GemStone's game balance issues but will also ensure a fun experience during this period of adjustment and beyond.
This new approach to address game balance issues has many important differences from the first proposal. However, it is important to first understand what has not changed: Experience requirements will still see an increase, characters will still transfer experience that was gained in the old system to the new system resulting in a level change, creatures will be redistributed, and inter-level skill advancement will still be the way in which Training Points are gained throughout all levels.
Here is what's new:
As is shown in the Level Chart, the maximum Experience Points required to train at the upper levels will never go beyond 112,500 Experience Points. Thus the time it takes to level, as well as level compression is much more gradual than the first proposal.
The maximum level your character can attain ("Hard Level Cap") is level 100. This means that no one will be above level 100 and this "cap" will more than likely never be raised. Use the Level Conversion Tool to determine your new level under this new system. The tool will also show the creatures that are within +/- 10 levels of your converted level.
Once a character reaches level 100, they will continue to be able to gain Experience Points, and therefore Training Points, to train in skills beyond the Level Cap. (1/1 Physical/Mental TPs for every 2500 exp beyond the level cap.) All skills will cap at the maximum that a level 100 character of their profession could learn. This allows you to train in skills that you may have missed, in order to round out your character.
The skill return adjustments that were previously planned will NOT be a part of the new design.
Creature redistribution will take place, but new creatures will also be introduced over time, giving players new and interesting areas and creatures to hunt. Players will be able to hunt a wider variety of creatures with companions they may not have been able to hunt with before because of past level constraints.
As you can see, this proposal addresses many of the concerns that resulted from the original proposal. While each proposal had pros and cons, this proposal addressed most concerns while still achieving the overall goals and objectives: to make GemStone IV a fun, well-balanced game for all.
FAQ
Q. Will players who are over the 160 soft Level Cap today be over the 100th level Hard Level Cap in the new system?
A. No players will be above the 100th level Hard Level Cap; however, since their experience totals would be higher than the cap, they'd be given the appropriate number of Training Points (1/1 M/P TP for every 2,500 experience above the cap) to exchange for skills.
Q. If you allow training in skills past the Level Cap, will this result in "UBER" characters?
A. Every profession has a max amount of skills they could train in by the cap. This will not change. For example, if you could single in First Aid and by the cap you only got 89 ranks, you could continue to hunt and gain experience Points, and therefore Training Points, to get the remaining 12 ranks. This means that no maxed character will be stronger than another.
Q. What is the most Experience Points I'd have to earn to level? About how many hours would that take?
A. At the very highest levels, the Experience Points required will never go above 112,500. On average, this would take approximately 113 hours. Today, each level is 50k Experience Points and takes approximately 50 hours to reach the next level. Many of you may know what your average experience gain per hour is and it could be above or below this number depending upon how often you are hunting. These numbers are therefore estimations.
Q. Are new creatures going to be released in GSIV?
A. First and foremost we would like to finish the main objectives of GSIV before creating new creatures and new hunting areas. There will be new hunting areas created in the future.
Q. With the level translation or condensation, will characters typically be able to hunt +/- 10 levels in hunting areas?
A. Yes. Not only will you be able to hunt a much larger range of creatures (because more creatures fall into any given +/- 10 range), you will also be able to hunt with friends you may not have been able to in the past.
Be sure to visit the page itself, as there are a lot of useful and informative links off of it - Taernath