Skillbook system

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.

Find more posts tagged with

Comments

George_Black

I agree with certain skills being locked behind some quest, some raid, or simply the need to loot the "manuscript" in order to learn a "secret skill" like L2 did with spellbooks for certain classes.

It deepens character progress.

[Deleted User]

The problem is that we don't yet know much about what the skill trees will look like. For weapons, we don't know how many skills will be associated with weapons. If they are linked to a level in the skill tree branch, then everyone would have access to the basic skills, but above level 20, you could treat them as skillbooks.
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.

Apok

I liked this in FFXI, all magic like white,black,songs,ninjutsu was all learned by scrolls. scrolls were sold in shops, quested for, and we're part of loot pools in specific fights.

Caww

As long as the skills are only tied to the Archtype trees and not the Class trees then it's something to work towards. One big problem with going into Class skills (utilities?) is it will deter people from switching classes.

[Deleted User]

Caww wrote: »

As long as the skills are only tied to the Archtype trees and not the Class trees then it's something to work towards. One big problem with going into Class skills (utilities?) is it will deter people from switching classes.

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.

Szolo

The idea of hiding certain higher level skills behind actual ingame accomplishments instead of just some clicks at the skill trainer trully has its merrits for character differentiations, but also bears two considerable hazard.
- 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.

Lodrig

Sounds like more grist for the augment system mill. If it's an optional addition then it makes sense to utilize the existing game system to accomadate it rather then develop a new system. The only reason to have 'books' is to make it a tradable item, which I think is unessary and 'comodifies' character progression which is bad.

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'.

Arya_Yeshe

Skillbooks are cool, you gotta go get your skillbook or someone else has to go there and farm a book for you

Depraved

George_Black wrote: »

I agree with certain skills being locked behind some quest, some raid, or simply the need to loot the "manuscript" in order to learn a "secret skill" like L2 did with spellbooks for certain classes.

It deepens character progress.

I don't.

[Deleted User]

Lodrig wrote: »

Sounds like more grist for the augment system mill. If it's an optional addition then it makes sense to utilize the existing game system to accomadate it rather then develop a new system. The only reason to have 'books' is to make it a tradable item, which I think is unessary and 'comodifies' character progression which is bad.

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'.

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.

[Deleted User]

The acquisition of archetype 2, or extra abilities of religious affiliations or Nodes could also be linked to the skillbook system as an acquired skill.
That's a good idea, I hadn't thought of that.

Azherae

EDIT: There was a question, I retracted it. Failed to parse something higher in the thread.

Child Item