What Is It?
Firstly, before I continue, I'd like to give a formal apology for my absence. You know, life, all that.
Now that we're done with apologizies, let's get on with the Game Design Breakdown, where I, Chad Wolfe, break down mechanics in games and explain why they may - or may not work. Note that I try to express facts, not opinions, but I will be expressing my opinion as well. So, here we go!
Today we're going to be talking about characterizing with leveling, and basically what I mean by that is making an individual character in a game seem different than another through the use of the skill tree, leveling system that the game in question is using. This is something that I feel a lot of games suffer greatly from lacking, when such a thing could really improve the overall intrigue and ubiquity of the characters in the game.
Now that we're done with apologizies, let's get on with the Game Design Breakdown, where I, Chad Wolfe, break down mechanics in games and explain why they may - or may not work. Note that I try to express facts, not opinions, but I will be expressing my opinion as well. So, here we go!
Today we're going to be talking about characterizing with leveling, and basically what I mean by that is making an individual character in a game seem different than another through the use of the skill tree, leveling system that the game in question is using. This is something that I feel a lot of games suffer greatly from lacking, when such a thing could really improve the overall intrigue and ubiquity of the characters in the game.
Variance
The thing that really makes making characters that follow a complex skill tree in different ways interesting or impact the development of the character in the game, is it'd allow each individual character to be completely set apart from each other, regardless of whether they may have started from a similar place, because each step can impact the way the character evolves in time.
I've shared here a picture of the skill tree from the game Path of Exile. This is mostly comprised of passive skills, and is by no means exactly what I'm trying to express as characterizing through the creation of a skill tree. Rather, the point of using this example is to show how one could manipulate the way a character develops through a complex system. |
The Sphere Grid from Final Fantasy X is a similar way of setting up the levelling system. It's important though, that we stress that most of the nodes through both level systems are passive skills. This means that they won't drastically change the way the character plays right off the bat when the player is using it, while allowing for a lot of manipulation through a lot of information. |
Through the use of a system like this, we can allow NPC's to manipulate it in a way that would be proper for the individual character. Even more-so, we can add more to control the character as well.
Realistic Leveling
Okay, I don't really know good terminology for what I'm going for here, but using this Oblivion example to display what I'm talking about will help. Now, in some ways, creating diverse characters by using a combination of complex skill trees and multiple skills might be a bit of an overload. But, at the same time, it could be constructed in a way that works more like... |
Multi-Dimensional Diversity
To give a character real depth, the best way to set up the Multi-Dimensional skill tree would be to allow it to change the way that characters interact with the world around them.
The main thing I'd include is make the character have a personality skill. And rather than making the character more interesting to other characters when the skill increases, make it determine whether the character may be more aware of things, be more destructive, work harder, etc, etc. And all of those steps in the leveling of that character could be set by default, or could allow the character to develop.
The main thing I'd include is make the character have a personality skill. And rather than making the character more interesting to other characters when the skill increases, make it determine whether the character may be more aware of things, be more destructive, work harder, etc, etc. And all of those steps in the leveling of that character could be set by default, or could allow the character to develop.
Real Characters
All of this boils down to the point of making character feel real. Not exaggerated or anything, just a character that realistically develops throughout the player's time playing the game. In a way that splits them apart from other characters. Limiting both the player and the NPC's to this system would not only make the player character feel like they belong in the world they live, rather than allowing them to gain godlike strength (we're looking at you Skyrim!), but it would also allow the world to become more interesting, but hosting an array of diversity, and allow the developers to do more with the characters in the story through side quests as they develop and interact with each other.
Simply by using a more intelligent skill tree and leveling system, the designers of a game can create a world that feels more real, and create characters that the player will really remember and understand as an important character, regardless of what impact they make in the world around them.
Simply by using a more intelligent skill tree and leveling system, the designers of a game can create a world that feels more real, and create characters that the player will really remember and understand as an important character, regardless of what impact they make in the world around them.