Levels DO NOT MATTER....it's all story baby!, SERIOUS POSTERS ONLY. Options

[Essenceblade]

Well, levels aren't a MAJOR priority in an RPG, yes, the story has the upper hand, but I'll tell you a few reasons why levels may be included, as to ways you could also work around not having them.

Levels can induce balance into a game. There are many games where you will actually need to level up in order to proceed through, Because they want to grasp the fact that "Speeding through an RPG and "Ironically" leveling at the fight right before this or that boss," isn't going to cut it properly. So making levels a lesser priority can indeed make your game shorter than what it is initially meant to be. Eventually because grinding will be so easy, I could just sit there and press space for the majority of the fights and use but a fraction of the tactical side of my brain for a few bosses.

But with levels, you don't want to overdo it either, whereas forcing the player to grind for several hours straight just to keep balance for a specific boss, only to be overhauled in the next area / boss, resulting in another painful grind, can also be rather annoying, this is why a major amount of RPGs' levels end in the 40-50s. which is an ideal level if you're going for a balanced leveling curve.

Also noting the fact that exp curves for specific characters / classes can also add more interest into the leveling systems. As well as cause slow separation from the story line in question. The more grinding you do, the only things on your memory will be to do with battle, you won't even be focused on the storyline any more, It'll just be about trying to overpower or keep on balance with a certain boss.

There have been many cases where levels aren't needed in RPGs, take Final Fantasy 10 or 13 for example, they never used a direct leveling system, but instead introduced an alternative method to power your characters. Yet they amazingly kept the same balance throughout the main course of the game, until you started to get the jist of repetitive bursts of AP/CP in certain parts of areas, which of course, you'd exploit. Then, toward the high end of the game, most things became but a simplicity, the only things that really stood out were now optional bosses or marks. But that being said, they used a completely different method of exp use to catch the player out a little.

There are cases when not only did they include the Alternative leveling system, they also combined it with the traditional leveling system, take FFX-2, or FF12 for example here, they both had levels, but you had to still earn AP or LP in order for your characters to actually physically advance in terms of abilities and such. Of course, 12 took it to a whole new level with the License board system. But it is true, that introducing the two can lead to more interesting gameplay.

The obvious downside here is, that it results often in continuous grinding, as you'll have double the worth of your time gaining exp. And towards the 35+s of the game, you found yourself fairly overpowered rather too quickly, Obviously meaning the game becomes a simplicity at 61+.

Of course with my opinion, this doesn't exclude the fact that tactics to bosses will be any harder or easier, every boss has its knacks, only those with the Alternate, or Alternate AND Traditional leveling system will have a much easier time killing bosses, which can make gameplay another "A, X, Space, or Enter" spam tally.

But all in all, games that tend to focus more on the story and shade out levels a little more than usual, tend to have shorter games, or making the game play a bit too bland, but in the upper side, this makes the story shine out in bold than any other type. Leading to the character being sucked into the story and more attached to it, and eventually the player forgets the fact that the levels were an issue.

Games that focus on leveling, tend to be a drag-out. and the player can loose sense on what the actual game is about, and instead focuses on trying to keep up with the strength of a game. Eventually when they pass it, it will be "Oh, wait, what was the story again?". It can also have a long term affect on the high level end of the game, as you'll already be leveled enough, bosses will be easier than usual.
but on the upper hand, this will obviously add more tactical planning to bosses, if they choose to do it the harder way of course.
and if the developer can add a "Tactical Handicap" (meaning you can't just go straight for the buff, attack, heal, attack, heal, special attack, ownage.) for each boss. then this can be an ideal choice.

And games that introduce both methods of leveling can be another longer drag out, and an obvious limit to their tactical planning, making the course of the game too hard will result in more grinding, and making them too easy makes the game shorter and more bland, and that being said, the developer knows not what level and/or how far they are on the license board, sphere grid, or whatever. Which can lead to a planning blip often, meaning they can make a boss too easy, or too hard. Which they often try to avoid.

So all in all said, each type of level system has it's affect on the story, and how each shines in their own way, and how each of them falters where others don't, but this is just my penny in the hat.

This post has been edited by Essenceblade: Sep 16 2011, 01:36 PM

[elliott20]

The real question here is do you really need growing POWER levels to show case character growth. All this talk about levels or alternate leveling system or what not all basically comes down to one single simple notion: The character becomes more powerful as the game progresses.

[Tsukihime]

What I am saying, however, is that it is possible to use numerical personality/value metrics to create AI responses towards players in a way that is both modular and still engaging.

Reminds me of valkyrie profile.
Just trying to figure out whether a character should be easily jealous or not was quite a headache.