Skillbook system
Running Wild
Member, Intrepid Pack, Alpha One
Hello everyone!
I thought of mentioning the skillbook system because I wonder why the developers don't want to include it in the game. The system worked great in Lineage 2, but the idea was scrapped by the developers right at the beginning of the project. It's understandable that there wouldn't have been enough resources to do this in the early stages of development, but now there's a much larger team working on the game. It might be worth reconsidering now, as long as the system can still be included in the game.
I've played quite a few MMORPGs, but I never understood why they simplify the knowledge of the characters so much. I'm thinking here of giving points per level for something and it takes about that much effort to achieve the biggest, strongest skills.
I also understand the side who don't want to even bother to get the books for the skills together. If the basic concept of the game is a risk and reward system, then it might be worth considering how much the introduction of a skillbook system would add to the game experience, and how much it would take away.
Before we gather the advantages and disadvantages, it is worthwhile to be aware of how this system could be balanced in a way that would not cause problems for less active or HC players.
For entry level characters, some basic weapons and caste skills would be available by default. The other skills could be bought from the starting NPCs, or could be rewards for the first quests, which could be traded right away. Most of the skills could be available in the Nodes' central admin building for a certain fee and also in player-run markets. Less active players would not be at a disadvantage and everyone else would be able to enjoy collecting. Pricing can be used to set which books are worth what.
Based on the current system:
Each level gets skill points at ¼, 1-2, 3/4 XP strips, which can be distributed among the skills in the tree structure.
A few lists of ways in which skillbooks could be earned:
- Rewards after missions
- From NPC merchant, library, even within the main Node building
- In temples, with spec skills if they are available
- As loot from bosses, chests
- From treasure chests
- PvP loot
- Raid, Dungeon, World boss
Advantages:
- Gives extra level to character development
- Even more customizable gameplay, skills can be tiered by level and ranked by difficulty of acquisition
- Provides motivation towards PVE and PVP elements of the game
- Provides interaction between players and traders through skillbook trading
Disadvantages:
- I can't think of any if the acquisition of skillbooks is well balanced between tier levels.
That's all the thoughts that came to my mind. I wonder what you guys think about this.
I thought of mentioning the skillbook system because I wonder why the developers don't want to include it in the game. The system worked great in Lineage 2, but the idea was scrapped by the developers right at the beginning of the project. It's understandable that there wouldn't have been enough resources to do this in the early stages of development, but now there's a much larger team working on the game. It might be worth reconsidering now, as long as the system can still be included in the game.
I've played quite a few MMORPGs, but I never understood why they simplify the knowledge of the characters so much. I'm thinking here of giving points per level for something and it takes about that much effort to achieve the biggest, strongest skills.
I also understand the side who don't want to even bother to get the books for the skills together. If the basic concept of the game is a risk and reward system, then it might be worth considering how much the introduction of a skillbook system would add to the game experience, and how much it would take away.
Before we gather the advantages and disadvantages, it is worthwhile to be aware of how this system could be balanced in a way that would not cause problems for less active or HC players.
For entry level characters, some basic weapons and caste skills would be available by default. The other skills could be bought from the starting NPCs, or could be rewards for the first quests, which could be traded right away. Most of the skills could be available in the Nodes' central admin building for a certain fee and also in player-run markets. Less active players would not be at a disadvantage and everyone else would be able to enjoy collecting. Pricing can be used to set which books are worth what.
Based on the current system:
Each level gets skill points at ¼, 1-2, 3/4 XP strips, which can be distributed among the skills in the tree structure.
A few lists of ways in which skillbooks could be earned:
- Rewards after missions
- From NPC merchant, library, even within the main Node building
- In temples, with spec skills if they are available
- As loot from bosses, chests
- From treasure chests
- PvP loot
- Raid, Dungeon, World boss
Advantages:
- Gives extra level to character development
- Even more customizable gameplay, skills can be tiered by level and ranked by difficulty of acquisition
- Provides motivation towards PVE and PVP elements of the game
- Provides interaction between players and traders through skillbook trading
Disadvantages:
- I can't think of any if the acquisition of skillbooks is well balanced between tier levels.
That's all the thoughts that came to my mind. I wonder what you guys think about this.
6
Comments
It deepens character progress.
If they are not tied to a level, only the distribution of points would unlock the skills, then the skillbook system would have to make these skill upgrades obtainable. If you have the skill skillbook for the skill then you can distribute points to it.
Obviously you could also manage them by tier level, I mean their availability.
I think it pretty much takes away from the experience that the maximum of each skill is just a function of how many points you give it. It's been very simplified in every game.
With a properly designed skillbook system, getting skills could be an extra experience for all players. And for those who simply don't have the time or inclination to bother with it, they could still buy it from other players or from an npc at lower levels.
For this reason, for example, a skillbook system would be better.
Now if someone switches to a 2nd archetype, the points given for that skill will be returned and can be reallocated to the new archetype's skills.
A skillbook system could make it a bit more complicated to have a warrior wizard today, warrior summoner tomorrow, and warrior assassin by the end of the week.
- What if somebody is not interested in a certain activity? There should be more "path" for getting the given skill.
- What if somebody happens to fail at completing any "path" towards getting the skill? The character/player that failed on achieving the goal even looses more with lacking that skill. I remember the outcry in vanilla WoW, when certain relevant skills only dropped in a 20-man raid. That decision irrevocably put a harsh differentiation between raiders and non-raiders regarding usefulness/strength.
There will also be various social organizations inside the game, that might provide its members with some unique skills hidden behind quests and organizational ranks.
Also there will be religion in the game with ten deities to choose from to follow. Advancing through the religious ranks will also unlock various abilities for the character.
Complete a Quest, open a new augment option similar to your race/religion/culture/social augments which would all need to be archetype independent anyway, so this is just yet another source aka 'quest augments'.
I don't.
If the loot board is part of the skillbook, or can be given after any quest, I don't think it would hinder many people's progress.
If someone is still really unlucky, they can still buy it from other players, lower level from an npc.
For impatient players I don't think they would even make it to the endgame part, everyone else could balance this out to make it an interesting and exciting pastime, which it would be anyway.
That's a good idea, I hadn't thought of that.