Level scaling

This idea came up while talking with bmc95uk and also Royce. Just want to give credit where it's due.

The idea is, level scaling. It could be done a lot of ways. Here's only one way.

Let's say you're level 40 but you want to play at level 19 in a twink fight, or like me you want to play a level 19 version of yourself in Balefort. Basically, you would do a temporary respec down to that level, which I am calling a scale down.

Now, I know this can be done currently by simply using 18 skill points in level appropriate skills and only spending 90 stat points, leaving all the rest unassigned, but it still says level 40 and you don't get kills. The difference is, if you chose to scale down, you should get the kills and it would also show the temporary level, perhaps with an asterisk.

You could also keep gear for each scale down in your loadouts.

If it became a standard process maybe the players would prefer to scale down, and the prevailing attitude might shift in favor of scale downs.

As I think on it further, I image maybe being able to take a snapshot of your character at various levels and being able to recreate that exact condition. For instance, you took a snapshot as a level 35 mage with black robes, hood, and a voodoo spoon. You've still got the items, but now you're level 45. You would just pick that snapshot and there you are, ready to antagonize the crocs again, and get points for those kills.

Then we would all have level maxed characters and scale them down for a more challenging (and therefore greater dopamine effect) game.

If I haven't fully explained this idea, perhaps the Royce or bmc could elucidate?

Since it would take the place of multiple twinks who cost 5 plat each, maybe it would be fair to have three scale downs slots for ten plat, or so. It would also give people reasons for adding Inventory slots, which also cost plat. I mention this because I realize it has to be economically feasible.

It would also give everyone something to do that actually challenges them instead of posting "where's the next campaign" on the messageboards every day.

true i guess, would be cool. your level read-out in game would be like 45[29]...

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Since it would take the place of multiple twinks who cost 5 plat each, maybe it would be fair to have three scale downs slots for ten plat, or so. It would also give people reasons for adding Inventory slots, which also cost plat. I mention this because I realize it has to be economically feasible.

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how about allowing scale downs for each character instead of just slots?

How about you build on the 10 plat for three scale downs idea and do 5 p for 3 sd, 10 for 5, 15 for 10, and 25 for unlimited, or something to that nature. Each scale down lets you choose a lvl range (1-11, 12- 19 etc) and you have one mirror of your toon with that range. Depending on the level you pick you get a certain amount toward a kill for each kill. You get .5 if your the high range, increasing to 1.1 if your at the low range. (Or something like that) This is considering you have already played this lvl and map who knows how many times and have resources and real world knowledge and skills that exceed normal, but playing at the low end should have a very small reward considering gear and such. You could use any gear you have that that lvl of your toon could wear.

Once you create a SD mirror for a toon, when you select that toon from the existing main menu, along with "Enter World" and all that jazz it has Mirror Mode. (Ha look at me with the clever names :-P) This brings you to a menu to select created mirrors for that toon.

I like this idea because it would bring extra challenge, content, and community along with being a great chance for veterans to help out players lower level than them, both combat wise and knowledge wise. Obviously, the scales and number ranges I listed are all example, and could easily be changed to be more realistic and/or practical. This is an idea that could be built on and made very interesting, profitable, and fun in my personal opinion. :-)

Bump... this is intriguing me...

I haven't really had a full read of your post, but it gets massive thumbs up from me.

In EQ2 when mentored down to a lower level, a player would still be much stronger than the true lower equivalent, partly due to better equipment and spells/skills; both of which scale down, though also end up stronger than true low level equivalents.

I'm thinking the skill levels in the scale down would be stored like a load out.

Yeah, like a separate toon almost?