*An alternative to player levels

What if instead of having fixed player levels where we gain experience, level up, and unlock game features at certain levels, we instead had a more RPG-style skill (or skill-point) purchase system?

So essentially we still earn experience points as usual, but it acts a bit like a currency that we can spend to unlock different features, etc. This means that instead of unlocking game features at fixed points, we can tailor it a bit more to the way we're playing the game, such as saving up for a feature we really want, and skipping something we won't really use, or is just less desirable.

Some skills would cost much more than others, to reflect our existing system where you have to be a high level to unlock some game content.

We could set it up in one of two ways:
- either have every skill purchased separately, i.e. you can in theory purchase them in any order you liked.
- or have some skills with different levels, i.e. you have to purchase level 1 of SkillA in order to be able to purchase level 2 of SkillA, etc. This would be for skills which are concerning similar things, or where level 1 got you a small benefit towards SkillA, while level 2 got you a larger version of that benefit, etc.

An example of the second one could be something like a Mini-Game Skill. Level 1 would get you 5 additional plays in the games, while level 2 would get you another 5 plays (i.e. 10 extra total) in the games. (Just an example - we don't have to actually have this skill.) Purchasing a simple skill like this could be a step in the tutorial, to familiarise new players with the system.

Another benefit of this system is it could be easily expanded with new skills at any time. Some could be minor, and just fun little bonuses, which we'd probably consider too frivolous to integrate into the existing player level system. Others could be really major stuff that's highly desirable, and which people would really strive to work towards.

Last edited on 2017-08-10 at 11:28:16 by River

I sort of like the system how it is, especially as Abbey has plans to introduce orchards, cross breeds and other new things.

That said, I know once you reach level 30(?) you've reached the max skill level, so maybe we could introduce additional levels with additional bonuses.

I like how levels work atm as it encourages new members to learn how the game works and imo, means that by the time people have levelled up so they can breed horses, they have at least a rough idea of how stats and colour work.

I would like to see more rewards for levelling up, even if to start with it's a small reward like a plushie/rarer treat/small amount of EVD for lower levels, and more valuable rewards for higher levels, to give something more to objectively aim for (I know when I rejoined, I wanted to hit lvl 3 as quickly as I could so I could start posting so really made sure to try and improve my horses exp and my exp, now I don't even notice if I'm ready to level up)

If orchards and cross breeds are introduced, I'd like to see them be something you need a higher level to be able to obtain - say 10 for orchards, 15-20 to be able to breed a cross breed (as in, you'd need level 15-20 to be able to cross a TB and an Arab to breed an Anglo-Arab, but you would be able to breed an Anglo-Arab to an Anglo-Arab from the level you unlock breeding from)

I think there does need to be changes to the current levels system, but I don't know if making skills purchasable is the way to do it.