Crevice tab
Savant
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2013
- Messages
- 224
Yes of course Bethesda screwed up level scaling. After seeing Oblivion how is this even a question?
On the deeper and more interesting discussion on leveling and game design I'll add this: level scaling is only good when used very, very, very sparingly for the purpose of increasing game reactivity. For example you'd get attacked by more of Miraak's assassins if you're at a higher level simply because you're obviously more dangerous. Any and all other cases of level scaling is bad. Using level scaling as a way of compensating for bad area design is doubleplusbad- it makes fights boring, decreases reactivity and C&C, affects immersion and encourages cliff races/dragons, dragons everywhere sort of design. Using level scaling as a more advanced form of HP bloat isn't something that should happen- now if only someone would make Bethesda understand that.
The only thing that can fix bad area design is *gasp* good area design. More specifically this:
Some regions should be safe, others should be hard to get in even at very high levels. Same with dungeons, towns etc. Want to skip through the Main Quest without doing any sidequests (why would you do that in an Elder Scrolls game?)- then turn that bloody difficulty bar down or better still play another game. What's the point of having an open world if everything's the same everywhere and the 95% side content can be easily skipped and has no actual value? Morrowind was on the right track with every NPC and many creatures being at a fixed level though even it had to use retarded level scaled filler monsters in more remote areas for some mysterious reason.
On the deeper and more interesting discussion on leveling and game design I'll add this: level scaling is only good when used very, very, very sparingly for the purpose of increasing game reactivity. For example you'd get attacked by more of Miraak's assassins if you're at a higher level simply because you're obviously more dangerous. Any and all other cases of level scaling is bad. Using level scaling as a way of compensating for bad area design is doubleplusbad- it makes fights boring, decreases reactivity and C&C, affects immersion and encourages cliff races/dragons, dragons everywhere sort of design. Using level scaling as a more advanced form of HP bloat isn't something that should happen- now if only someone would make Bethesda understand that.
The only thing that can fix bad area design is *gasp* good area design. More specifically this:
There is even better system. Based on lore and make books, documents and rumors useful. If you read about 'Fortress of Doom and Faggots' in some book you rather shouldn't go there on 1 level, but if you want... why anyone should stop you? Gothic 1 and 2 do this right. Some characters will warn you about dangerous places around, but no one stop you if you want go there. Fuck - if you have enough luck (or you are mad enough) you can try go in there, get some high level shit to sell or for later. You can even fight with monsters there becouse if you mastered the fight system you have chance (very little) to kill them. Even if it take around 30 minutes to kill one of them.
Some regions should be safe, others should be hard to get in even at very high levels. Same with dungeons, towns etc. Want to skip through the Main Quest without doing any sidequests (why would you do that in an Elder Scrolls game?)- then turn that bloody difficulty bar down or better still play another game. What's the point of having an open world if everything's the same everywhere and the 95% side content can be easily skipped and has no actual value? Morrowind was on the right track with every NPC and many creatures being at a fixed level though even it had to use retarded level scaled filler monsters in more remote areas for some mysterious reason.