Current Events > What would you think of a turn-based RPG with no levelling?

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So, a typical turn-based battle system, but your stats don't permanently increase. You can still get smallish boosts - maybe even as far as doubling them - through equipment. Likewise, you can still gain new abilities, but your stats / level never increase.

It goes without saying this would be in a game with a particularly strong focus on battle strategy, certianly not one where you follow the "attack, attack, heal" pattern and nothing else.
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This is generally what people who only care about the end-game of MMOs and MMOlikes do, just with turn based combat.
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Megaman50100 posted...

This is generally what people who only care about the end-game of MMOs and MMOlikes do, just with turn based combat.

Don't MMOs usually have a huge focus on level grinding? What I'm suggesting here is literally the exact opposite of that - no grinding, it's all about carefully selecting your equipment and battle strategy. Likewise, the final boss wouldn't have hugely greater stats than the early-game bosses; rather, he'd have more access to nasty status effects, better AI, etc.
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DarkTransient posted...

Megaman50100 posted...

This is generally what people who only care about the end-game of MMOs and MMOlikes do, just with turn based combat.

Don't MMOs usually have a huge focus on level grinding? What I'm suggesting here is literally the exact opposite of that - no grinding, it's all about carefully selecting your equipment and battle strategy. Likewise, the final boss wouldn't have hugely greater stats than the early-game bosses; rather, he'd have more access to nasty status effects, better AI, etc.

That's why he specified end-game. When you're done leveling
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DarkTransient posted...

Megaman50100 posted...

This is generally what people who only care about the end-game of MMOs and MMOlikes do, just with turn based combat.

Don't MMOs usually have a huge focus on level grinding? What I'm suggesting here is literally the exact opposite of that - no grinding, it's all about carefully selecting your equipment and battle strategy. Likewise, the final boss wouldn't have hugely greater stats than the early-game bosses; rather, he'd have more access to nasty status effects, better AI, etc.

WoW doesn't. Leveling is just a chore, all of the fun content is at max level. However gear at max level exponentially makes you better. A 110 with max gear will do 10x the damage as someone who just hit 110

I've seen games like this.
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DarkTransient posted...

So, a typical turn-based battle system, but your stats don't permanently increase. You can still get smallish boosts - maybe even as far as doubling them - through equipment. Likewise, you can still gain new abilities, but your stats / level never increase.

This is Crimson Shroud
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the problem i have with the no-levels design is basically the problem i have with the have-levels design: there can only be so much strategy if you always get the same things. and then it becomes an issue of tedium and command bloat if those things are ever called into being 100% necessary for a given encounter.

ff8 is the poster child for this flaw. the optimal strategy, no matter what level, is to take squall down to yellow HP and spam renzokuken until lion heart comes out. levels are arbitrary in that game, and it's cool for that, but it shows the one major trap to this approach.

but what if a game like this were randomized? the whole world is open to you from the start, but what gear you find and what enemies drop determine which areas are easier to pass through. ideally, the player would be forced into situations where they have to work with what they have to clear a zone - be given a suboptimal loadout.

i feel like as long as it's linear, it's: you make a beeline to what you know will make the next leg of the journey easier. randomized, you know the next chest will help you, but not how or by how much. the game might feed you a mage build, which makes the ice world really easy but the punch world rocks your socks. or the opposite happens: you get a ninja build and the bodybuilders of the world of punch can't touch you, but the ice world enemies cast right through your evasion and inviz.
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