Can achievements be used as a leveling system to level the playing field?

UknownAspect

And by that I mean using achievement points as an experience system rather than current systems.

To me it appears to finally be a way for people to advance in a game by doing what they want to do, rather than following some scheduled leveling path.

 

But of course this would have to change how the achievement systems work at current.  But basically, a system like this would be giving XP to people for doing anything in the game, no matter what they choose to do.

Be it questing, pvp, exploring, trading, crafting, storytelling, organizing, etc.  Whatever you can think to add achievements to.

 

This would also make achievements feel as if they are worth more than fluff.  And also it makes leveling and advancing your character worth something as you are measured by accomplishing goals.

 

What do you guys think?

Athcear

So... like leveling up from completing storylines, as opposed to just from xp acquired during those storylines?

Could be cool.

Palebane

Leveling shouldn't divide or segregate the community, in my opinion.

Vrika

I think what you want is better done with exp system: Exp can be given for crafting, killing mobs, killing other players, discovering places, even for earning achievements.

Achievements have one bad flaw preventing them from being used: It's not a achievement if you can do it multiple times. It's good idea to allow players to level even when they're reapeating some content, eg. to help friend, or just because they liked it. Leveling system based on achievements alone would force players to do a bit everything to instead of allowing them to choose what they really like and skip the parts they don't like.

rothbard

Originally posted by Palebane

Leveling shouldn't divide or segregate the community, in my opinion.

Then what would be the point of "levelling"?  Characters of different levels are segrated by the nature of the levelling system itself.  What is the difference between a lvl1 and lvl9000 for if not to segregate them?

Axehilt

While achievement-based advancement could be interesting, it's a lot simpler to just reward XP for all rewardable game activities (most of the stuff the OP lists.)

Storytelling and trading are the ones that aren't very rewardable activities, because they can't be regulated in a sane way.

UknownAspect

Originally posted by Vrika

I think what you want is better done with exp system: Exp can be given for crafting, killing mobs, killing other players, discovering places, even for earning achievements.

Achievements have one bad flaw preventing them from being used: It's not a achievement if you can do it multiple times. It's good idea to allow players to level even when they're reapeating some content, eg. to help friend, or just because they liked it. Leveling system based on achievements alone would force players to do a bit everything to instead of allowing them to choose what they really like and skip the parts they don't like.

 

You make a very good point.  Fostering team play should be encouraged and it's surprising how little this seems to be touched upon.  I love the mentoring systems in a lot of games, but that seems limitted to personal connections.  What incentive is there to help someone you don't know?  This is what we need in games.

gainesvilleg

Originally posted by UknownAspect

And by that I mean using achievement points as an experience system rather than current systems.

To me it appears to finally be a way for people to advance in a game by doing what they want to do, rather than following some scheduled leveling path.

 

But of course this would have to change how the achievement systems work at current.  But basically, a system like this would be giving XP to people for doing anything in the game, no matter what they choose to do.

Be it questing, pvp, exploring, trading, crafting, storytelling, organizing, etc.  Whatever you can think to add achievements to.

 

This would also make achievements feel as if they are worth more than fluff.  And also it makes leveling and advancing your character worth something as you are measured by accomplishing goals.

 

What do you guys think?

Well, I definately agree achievements should have real meaning.  For instance LOTRO has a similar concept in which your trait options are based on certain things you have done, similar to achievements.  I think WoW was going to do something like this as well for Cataclysm but they dropped it.

I've proposed before that leveling should be tiered, where you can't move past a certain tier until certain achievements are made.

There are a lot of ways to implement a system utilizing achievements, and I personally think its a great idea as the more ways to award somebody based on what they actually do in the game the better.

alkarionlog

Originally posted by gainesvilleg

Originally posted by UknownAspect

And by that I mean using achievement points as an experience system rather than current systems.

To me it appears to finally be a way for people to advance in a game by doing what they want to do, rather than following some scheduled leveling path.

 

But of course this would have to change how the achievement systems work at current.  But basically, a system like this would be giving XP to people for doing anything in the game, no matter what they choose to do.

Be it questing, pvp, exploring, trading, crafting, storytelling, organizing, etc.  Whatever you can think to add achievements to.

 

This would also make achievements feel as if they are worth more than fluff.  And also it makes leveling and advancing your character worth something as you are measured by accomplishing goals.

 

What do you guys think?

Well, I definately agree achievements should have real meaning.  For instance LOTRO has a similar concept in which your trait options are based on certain things you have done, similar to achievements.  I think WoW was going to do something like this as well for Cataclysm but they dropped it.

I've proposed before that leveling should be tiered, where you can't move past a certain tier until certain achievements are made.

There are a lot of ways to implement a system utilizing achievements, and I personally think its a great idea as the more ways to award somebody based on what they actually do in the game the better.

DDO had something similar with required you get a kind of token to pass a certain lvl, they dropped, a old mod still is up called materia magica have something called marks, with is things you did to get it, it can give you xp and/or practices points ( like skill points).

 

problem with that is in anycase it will be explored, or get complains about it limiting they gameplay, if also that would be a really feat like killing 1k undead alone during you gamelive or like meeting a random boss spawn and killing him without help and it was a difficult encounter then ok,

 

but lately or people will complain they want it too, and devs will dumb it down, or just stop trying new things, the MMO market right now only work with niche games, or small company who want to make a diferent thing, or at least make something diferently, over the get all peeps and stupids, plus they families and dogs to max profits and forget about make you use your brain, really I don't even remember last time I had to keep thinking and getting info and lore in a game so I could figure out a pass or was really something clever