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KickStarter [Poll] Best XP model

Which of these XP models you find more appealing?


  • Total voters
    138

DJOGamer PT

Arcane
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Apr 8, 2015
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So what way of gaining XP do you like the most?
Vote and post your reasons.


The models are pretty simple:

> XP from quests - you get XP only by completing quest objectives or other overaching objectives (like completing a chapter, goal, etc...)

> XP from actions - you get XP from your immedeate activities such as combat, exploration, stat/skill checks and etc. but not from quests

> XP from both quests and actions - the above two models combined

> XP as currency - XP are actual objects in the game world (or even something more abstract like a form of energy, etc...) that the player can acquire from specific undertakings and may even use them not only to develop his capacities but also to pay for all kinds of goods and services
 
Last edited:

whydoibother

Arcane
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Codex Year of the Donut
XP from quests makes it easier to balance the game, since at important plot points/boss fights you can predict what level the player would be to get there.
With XP from combat, and depending on how linear your game is, there might be a lot of variance. But skill check experience also offers variance, and I really like that.
Really best to have many XP bars to fill. The social checks give you social xp, the lockpicking gives you thief xp, the combat gives you xp to however way you were fighting, etc. I think this works best, however you must NOT have some total level and level scaling, because then a social character suddenly has to fight equal level NPCS that have all their xp into combat skills. You know the game.
 

RobotSquirrel

Arcane
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Adelaide
There should also be XP as time = EVE Online
which I'm actually a fan of because its a way of quantifying game time and rewarding the player for staying with the game.
what I don't like about EVE Online is that there's several years real-time worth of grinding lol.

I voted for XP as currency because System Shock 2 did this really well you either got Cybernetic modules for completion of story or could also pick up the tangible item from the game world.
 

Butter

Arcane
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Oct 1, 2018
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There's no one-size-fits-all solution (kingcomrade).

System Shock 2's cybernetic modules are brilliant because they fit the setting and explain how you're developing in a non-abstract way, and because they're a currency, they can be used to reward exploration. There's no actual downside to this system, but it's hard to apply to other games because of how it's tied into the setting.

PoE's system of delivering almost all XP through quest completion is theoretically great at rewarding all play styles evenly, but it makes any trash encounters you have even more tedious to wade through.

Skyrim's learn-by-doing system is great at providing progression for just about any activity, regardless of whether it's related to any combat or questing, but unless it's calibrated really well, some skills take far too much effort to increase.
 

Gargaune

Magister
Joined
Mar 12, 2020
Messages
3,136
Service Pack 2, of course.

220px-Windows_XP_SP2_French_CD.jpg
 

curds

Magister
Joined
Nov 24, 2019
Messages
1,098
Depends on the game. XP as currency works in Dark Souls. Wouldn’t make any sense in say Baldur’s Gate, though.

XP from quests works in mission-based games, for example, Deus Ex, VtMB.
 

Trashos

Arcane
Joined
Dec 28, 2015
Messages
3,413
My favorite is XP as objects in the world, like Underrail's Oddities. But it is not currency or whatever, it is straight up XP. Great system for rewarding exploration, great system for allowing for peaceful solutions, great system for not having to fill up all space with trash mobs "because the player will need the XP", great system for controlling the levelup progression in open world games.
 

DJOGamer PT

Arcane
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Apr 8, 2015
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Location
Lusitânia
XP from killing stuff.

then vote in the "XP from actions" option

quests are composed of actions. poll is silly

read the op

There's no one-size-fits-all solution (kingcomrade).
Depends on the game.

the question isn't about which one is objectively the best in design, functionality and practicality
but rather which one you enjoy the most in a game

My favorite is XP as objects in the world, like Underrail's Oddities. But it is not currency or whatever

still falls under the currency option
 
Last edited:

Zer0wing

Cipher
Joined
Mar 22, 2017
Messages
2,607
PoE's system of delivering almost all XP through quest completion is theoretically great at rewarding all play styles evenly, but it makes any trash encounters you have even more tedious to wade through.
Then why not challenge players for facing trash encounters with enemies that have actual AI and have as much stats as player character and reward them with rewards other than XP like usable loot or currency that can be spent on say, teachers? Make it indirect xp as currency. Fixing the damned braindead itemization, too?
XP for EVERYTHING!!
xp-d3a941d034.jpg
 

JarlFrank

I like Thief THIS much
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Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
PoE's system of delivering almost all XP through quest completion is theoretically great at rewarding all play styles evenly, but it makes any trash encounters you have even more tedious to wade through.

Imagine making a system where you don't get XP for killing enemies, but you STILL design trash encounters. :lol:
 

Fenris 2.0

Augur
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Jan 1, 2013
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181
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Franconia
Voted XP from both Quests and Actions - it is simple and fun. Other Systems could be more interesting, but are easy to screw up.
 

typical user

Arbiter
Joined
Nov 30, 2015
Messages
957
XP from quests - exploration feels unrewarding
XP from actions - quests feel like errands since they are mostly meaningless
XP from quests and actions - depends on the amount but everything is rewarding
XP as currency - what? This is just asking for trouble, forcing everyone to min-max
 

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