How about showing 'exp points' to next level?

[LMB]

Could this be done?

[amaprotu]

Hm it would be nice if this could be done in a similar maner to the FPS or something, just for testing purposes. It may help in getting exact numbers for 'fixing' the experience gaining problem. I do not think it should be a permanant feature however, it was always part of the mystery for me as to when I would get the next level.

- Amaprotu

[beowuuf]

If people want it it should be a user option, cause I like DM for it not showing/hiding away half the number crunching (like level experience) so you are more immerced in the game

[amaprotu]

I agree with you beowuuf, I personally do not want to see the numbers when I actually play the game, just as I don't want to see the FPS either. However since there seems to be a lot of debate about how the current xp is working, showing these numbers as an option might give George more feedback than "I gain priest levels too slow".

[beowuuf]

I posted from an old version of the topic befroe you had replied! Yes, I agree that it would be very good for playtesting purposes, I can't figure out the priest/wizard level gain atm. Sigh, it's a shame though, playtesting kinda takes the fun out of playing when you have to know explicitly what is going on with the system to comment on it!

[George Gilbert]

Don't worry - I spent the weekend working out the exact algorithm for magic use. RTC now uses this and is indistinguishable from DM in wizard and priest experience. I've also fiddled about with Ninja XP, but (due to the different flight model used in RTC) I can't get a one to one mapping of the XP models. The one that I've picked however seems to be always within 10% of DMs, sometimes higher, sometimes lower depending on which objects you've been throwing - again this is a consequence of the different flight stuff. Over a whole game (and if you don't spend your entire time throwing a single item about) it averages out quite nicely and the Ninja level gain seems to be about right.

The proof however remains to be in the full play testing, but I think you won't notice any major differences any more.

[amaprotu]

<b> *cough*cough*</b>

Did you mention extensive play testing??
I'm ready hehehe

(In other words I'm ready for the next release =p)

- The ever impatient Amaprotu

[beowuuf]

LOL..yeah, I want to 'playtest' too (translation - I wanna fuse Chaos already! - two plays through and no satisfaction off getting him, though the fun the dragon level on Diff 5 was nice...mmm...)

And I think that you should maybe keep certain aspects of the new magic system you tried to introduce...the diminishing returns for low/high level spells sounded interesting and meant you had to play a little more intrerstingly..just it was a bit too extreme this release ; ) Or have a dungeon builder option to use either sytem in a dungeon...

[theadder]

Hmm, Interesting (strokes mysterious beard in manner of "the master").

I always like to know where my next level is coming from - but I like a gauge like in Final Fantasy rather than numbers.

Can open, worms everywhere...

[beowuuf]

You find my use of the word 'interesting' interesting...hmm, curious....

Ah well, sounds like a user defined option to display experience it is then, if George is amenable to it...I will reiterate though that I definately like the mystery in DM - weapon power, experience, etc being explicitly stated is a bit of a turn off for me, so it would be nice if any of these appear to have them nicely hidden or able to be turned off.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is characters actually being able to 'see' somehow which option belongs to their class. I don't know if this would ruin the mystery, but seems like something that was never discussed (a magic box stating it's a wizaed option somehow, Fury being held by even a low level wizard saying it has a wizard option).

And don't mention worms...purple worms in DMJ, purple worms in RTC...I'm fighting worms anytime I play any DM clone atm! Though not for long..hehe...

[Gambit37]

I personally don't like this idea - I'd prefer to be immersed by the game and be 'pleasantly surprised' when my characters advance a level. The whole point of the DM style was that all the number crunching should be hidden from the user.

[Fredrik Olsson]

In Elite 2 Frontier the steps between levels was also quite huge after a while, there it was solved by showing a little message when the next step could be. A small notice stating how well it is going could be displayed lets say when reaching 1/2 and 4/5 to the next level.

[sucinum]

i think a small (and almost unreadable) bar behind the levels would be enought...not telling too much, but giving a hint like a half done or such.