[MUD-Dev] D&D Online Level Limit Thoughts

[Byron Ellacott]

Greg B wrote:

> I just read the webpage for Dungeons & Dragons online and I had
> this thought.  I wonder if the initial release level 20 cap is
> going to hurt longevity for this release?

It's interesting.  There's been many a thread on this list about
levels interfering with friends playing together.  With fewer
levels, will this problem be mitigated or exacerbated, or not
affected?  See below.

> In short, it seems to me that bringing this part of the
> traditional pnp game system over into this market might hurt them
> when people start to compare.

Consider a game's experience as an unbroken line.  Levels are points
along this line at which player achievement, in terms of experience
earned, is rewarded.  More levels means more points of reward.
Fewer levels presumably then means more reward at each point.
Consider WoW, where only every second level gives you new abilities
-- the odd levels give less reward.  Or EQ, where mage pets are
upgraded every four levels (is it 4? It's been a while...)

The question though is whether players will realise this, or whether
there'll be a kneejerk reaction along the lines of "Only 20 levels!?
I got to level 20 in EQ2 in (three sleepless days|a week|a month)!
I'll be bored with D&DO in no time!"

And, relating to the WoW quest thread, if it takes you just as long
to get 20 levels in D&DO as it does to get 60 in WoW, or (shudder?)
longer, will there be any other measure to provide a short term
sense of achievement?

Back to player level gaps, if each level offers a greater power
boost than is traditionally expected, a small difference in levels
will be more noticable in gameplay.  I think, in the end, it will
even out -- you will have a smaller range of player levels you can
group with, but more players at each level.

--
bje
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