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[eiyukabe]

So I'm working on a game that has character leveling, and I wanted to get some tips on designing the XP requirements for each level. A simple example would be current level squared times 10 (10XP to get to level 2, 40 to level 3, 90 to level 4, etc). Easy to calculate, and increases at a reasonable pace.

For anyone here who has implemented an XP-based leveling system, what numbers/equation did you pick and why? How did it work out?

For anyone who plays RPGs a lot, what games have done XP-based leveling well?

I'll start things off with my own thoughts. I am thinking about fast leveling, easily getting several levels in an hour of game play (I've noticed a pattern in the ballpark of one hour per level for casual play in most games I play).  This is because I feel leveling up is exciting but can be tedious if it takes too long to occur. I also feel like leveling up too much and too frequently can dampen the excitement, so I've thought about having every, say, tenth level be a little more special than other levels and a little harder to reach than even the few levels after it. In this way, I am trying to make every 1-9 (11-19, 21-29) level a minor accomplishment, with levels that are a multiple of 10 giving you more (maybe instead of just stat increases you also get a new ability or are able to use a higher class of equipment, I don't know yet).

Thoughts? Examples?

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

i liked the suikoden system. you need 1000 xp to gain a level, for every single level. the xp a character gets from enemies depends on their level: killing someone at your level gives you 100xp, killing someone higher gives you more, killing someone less gives you less (if they're very low, you just get 1xp per enemy kill). this way you can bring a level 1 character into a battle late-game level-40 party and bring them up to level 30 in a couple of battles.

[eiyukabe]

I think FF Tactics was similar, but it's been a while. Also Pokemon is similar in the way you can power level low level pokemon, although xp required per level wasn't constant like in Suikoden. I like this system in a game where you have many playable characters, because it speeds up the task of leveling up weak characters that you've been neglecting late in the game.

I don't think I can do much along these lines for my game because it's going to have a single player character, and I did not plan on giving enemies "levels" to form the basis of XP scaling.

EDIT: Oh! Actually, I was thinking about letting the player 'level up' things other than the main character (their equipment + familiars). I'm undecided on this because it will definitely add complexity but it isn't immediately obvious that it will add to the enjoyment of the game. With that said, if I go that route, there is a possibility for taking a low level neglected item/character into a late-game battle. I am very glad you brought up the Suikoden example, this is worth considering... (so much to think about!)

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

depends on the audience -- if the audience is casual, you don't really need to necessarily show them the xp points or level at all, or if you do, don't use numbers, use a bar that fills up. if the audience is hardcore, you can make each sword and spell level up individually if you like, and each level-up they can choose what aspect of something to increase (e.g. if their fire spell levels up they can choose to

a) make it 50 stronger against enemies weak to fire
b) make it 30 stronger against all enemies
c) make its area of effect do 60% damage instead of 45% damage

etc.)

[Hangedman]

I quite liked Paper Mario's deconstruction of Exp.

You needed 100 star points to gain a level, no matter the level, but every level gained meant you got 1 less point from all enemies, so eventually they just gave you none.

I could see that balancing it might be tricky but having all low numbers and clear effect of leveling made it easy to understand and to scope what you needed for your next level.

[antymattar]

I always found it a bad thing that you eventually had to have 5983385790 xp to gain a level.

[tergem]

For my long dead RPG project, I did

level one

10 + 10
level two
10 + 10 + 10 + 10
level three
10 + 10 + 10 + 10 + 10 + 10 + 10

So each level would be the last levels required experience plus Level# * 10


This did fine for the lower levels, but once the levels got higher and higher it became very hard to balance correctly.

[Destral]

Rather than use arbitrary equations, think of how you want the game to feel, and then tailor the rate of progression to that feel. You could use a system where the player gains 1 xp per battle, and then you dictate how many battles the player has to win in order to level. If you want progression to be fast, you can make the number of battles low. If you want the game to feel a little grindier/slower, you can increase that number. And then maybe have a super-rare monster that is hard to kill but counts as 2,3 or more battles won.

[droqen]

I'm going to be watching this thread; it interests me

P0 (my game) uses very simple levels; exp bubbles drop every third bubble, and each level requires one more bubble. Aside from the very, very first exp that means: 1, 2, 3, (i think you get it).

I feel like the curve is maybe a bit off; it's difficult balancing it with the difficulty curve of enemies at the same time.


Also: what about games where you'd like to avoid grinding? is there any way to remedy this in an XP-based level system? (say.. defeating enemies that are even one level below you will not reward you at all, in any way? so at that point you absolutely have to move up to meet the next challenge?)

[RCIX]

Also: what about games where you'd like to avoid grinding? is there any way to remedy this in an XP-based level system? (say.. defeating enemies that are even one level below you will not reward you at all, in any way? so at that point you absolutely have to move up to meet the next challenge?)

I've actually been toying with the idea that characters consume XP, using more per battle/minute/w.e. as they go higher. This means grinding a certain amount below your current level will actually hurt you, because you won't even make enough to meet your XP consumption rates. It also reflects real life a bit because (f.e.) running into a bunch of new players over and over again in [insert multiplayer game here] starts to dull your skills from not having someone to put you on edge and keep your skills the best all the time.