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[Vieo]

I've been looking around at several other MMORPGs in comparison to EQ2. The most obvious thing they all have in common is a 'level cap'. What's the deal with MMORPGs and level caps anyway? Why must there always be one in place?

What if I'm the type of person who's play style is 'amassing power'(levels) rather than 'questing'? A level cap really doesn't allow me to separate myself from the competition. If the level cap is 50 and I get my Warrior to 50, any warrior below me will eventually be the same as me once they hit 50 and get the same equipment I have.

If you ask me, MMORPGs should be more like KungFu movies. In KungFu movies, there's always one guy in the dojo(protagonist) who's power is a cut much higher than the rest and he's able to beatup multiple opponents(PvP) at the same time.

Whenever I pose this question, I always get the same two arguments:
1)"It's not fair for people who don't have the time to play as much." - This is a weak argument. Just because someone has the time to powerlevel and you don't, doesn't make it unfair.
2)"Infinite levels would make all expansions/added content useless." - This is a good argument, but it doesn't have to apply to every game. The belief is that when an expansion comes out, there would be people of such a high level that they could breeze through it reaping all of it's rewards. This problem could simply be fixed if the game was setup so that when you encounter an enemy, it's challenge level is based on your level or your party's level; sorta like what they did in FFT.



Meh, level caps suck. :lol

 

[Razoric]

There should be no levels, it should be all skill based like UO. That was so much better than painting everyone by their level number.

 

[Tritroid]

Until a new system is invented where level doesn't delegate what areas of the game you can explore/partake in, level caps are the only logical thing to implement.

And besides, even if there are people at the same level cap as you, there is still an easy way to pull away from the others at your level and that's through high-end equipment (which in games like WoW can really set you apart) and mastering skills that make you unbeatable.

 

[Ferrio]

There should be no levels, it should be all skill based like UO. That was so much better than painting everyone by their level number.

Exactly. UO's system was awesome.

 

[Ranger X]

Level cap is good. How do you except making a game without a level cap? The only thing would get is an engine that calculates what stat you gain at each level and this won't last forever most prolly. It would probably end when you reach level 256 or at the end of the level counter maybe 999 or something. And why would you be levelling until you get to those heights? You wouldn't have any weapons and quest of stuff corresponding to your powers. You just can't design stuff for people infinitely leveling up.

 

[Nameless]

I agree with one someone else said, there shouldn't be any levels period. Rather the MMORPGs should be focused more on skill and exploration(I.e. wo finds the best items) rather than who can afford to sacrifice the most "real life time" and level up like crazy.

In online 3PS, FPS titles, fighting, and sports games the elite players are seperated from the rest because of their skill level, not because they were able to spend 20hours a day leveling up as opposed to 1.

 

[Vieo]

Level cap is good. How do you except making a game without a level cap? The only thing would get is an engine that calculates what stat you gain at each level and this won't last forever most prolly. It would probably end when you reach level 256 or at the end of the level counter maybe 999 or something. And why would you be levelling until you get to those heights? You wouldn't have any weapons and quest of stuff corresponding to your powers. You just can't design stuff for people infinitely leveling up.

The cap wouldn't nessesarily be infinite. Eventually the exp needed to get to the next level after each level would be so great that gaining a level would take a really long time. It would just seem infinite.

With MMORPGs these days, you can craft your own equipment. I would make equipment worthy of my level or have someone higher than me do it. On top of that, there could be quest items generated for you based on your level.

It's not impossible to code, damn it! =P

 

[AndoCalrissian]

Until a new system is invented where level doesn't delegate what areas of the game you can explore/partake in, level caps are the only logical thing to implement.

And besides, even if there are people at the same level cap as you, there is still an easy way to pull away from the others at your level and that's through high-end equipment (which in games like WoW can really set you apart) and mastering skills that make you unbeatable.

It would be cool if a MMO came out with a Metroid like design where you couldn't advance beyond certain obstacles unless you had a required skill, strength (i.e. climbing), or item. And there could be several different items or skills that would achieve the same end one place but not others, that way team work could be truly viable for more than just battles, and not everyone would have the exact same skill set.

 

[keeblerdrow]

The cap wouldn't nessesarily be infinite. Eventually the exp needed to get to the next level after each level would be so great that gaining a level would take a really long time. It would just seem infinite.

With MMORPGs these days, you can craft your own equipment. I would make equipment worthy of my level or have someone higher than me do it. On top of that, there could be quest items generated for you based on your level.

It's not impossible to code, damn it! =P

You've played MMORPGs before, right?

 

[brocke]

As long as mmorpg's become more skill based and less time based, I am happy. Now there should be a limit. I can see having certain missions/dungeons in an mmorpg that take a 10+ hour stretch to complete. But as long as you don't need to play 10+ hour stretches every day to get to the top lvl in a reasonable amount of time, I'm happy.

Right now there is an image mmorpgs have of a total weirdo with no life spending all day on his keyboard playing nonstop. That's the biggest hurdle these types of games need to overcome. Changing their image completely in the mind of the public needs to be a priority. So far World of Warcraft is the only one to advance on this front.

 

[Guy LeDouche]

My e-stat spreadsheet is bigger than your e-stat spreadsheet.

 

[SpokkX]

of course there must be a cap

how can they sucker you into buying

"Evercrack Expansion XIII: The hyderian underworld":

- Max level 70 instead of 60!!
- 10 new monster skins!!!!
- 1000 new weapons, now up to 100 damage/hit-weapons!!


max_level = "70" 'just add a few at a time to squeeze more money out of the players
max_exp = "20 000 000"
run createRandomweapon(weaponType) 1000 times

seriously MMORPG players, ever wonder how easy the developers squeeze you for cash?

 

[The Guivre]

Unless you're on a PVP server I don't really see the frustration in someone else reaching the same level as you and then sort of hovering there, there's always questing to gain that edge you've no longer got. Maybe that just means I don't play enough, but I manage to find enough casual MMORPGers group with to actually accomplish things, which is sort of the point of having the MM in MMORPG.

Unfortunately levels are really just the easiest way to go about things. Not everything can be so heavily based on actual skill like PlanetSide.

 

[Kabuki Waq]

If their werent any level caps you would level up faster and this would make you "finish" these Scams/games faster.

 

[SpokkX]

Scams/games

amen