[MUD-Dev] What level maximum do players like best?

[Mordengaard]

From: "Eric" <eric at enkanica.com>

> I see a distribution of level ranges that include 20 to 60, 70,
> sometimes level 100.  I remember 18 being a holy number for a long
> time, but I just assumed that it was because the demographic at
> the time was, in effect, aged 18.

> Is there some magic maximum level that players particularly prefer
> to achieve?  Or do the majority of players simply prefer to
> achieve the maximum level?  Or is level 42 that magic number that
> most players like to achieve and then stop at?

> People that I play with, we don't like to reach those maximum
> levels because we are all well aware that maximum levels involves
> a whole new style of gaming that just isn't, well, fun (for us).
> It's sort of like having the option of buying an expensive car
> that has outrageously priced repair parts or a moderately
> expensive car with cheaper repair parts.  So in games like
> EverQuest, we like to achieve about level 20 or so, and then try
> to keep there as long as we can until we eventually eat up all the
> content.  This is because, well at the time, the level 30-40
> content required an additional time investment that was at an
> exponential like growth when ranked according to other level
> spreads at the amount of time it took to play the grouped game.

> I don't even like to max out my levels in the RPG console games
> like KOTOR or what have you.  Instead, I like just enough power to
> feel dangerous, but to be weak enough to still have a challenge
> that can be approached when I go under attack.  Like God-mode, its
> only fun for a while.

> In that place called RL, I know of plenty of people who prefer not
> to achieve maximum level.  Instead, they refuse management levels,
> salary increases, and what have you and continue to work in
> strange places ranging from QuickServ to Refuse Removal.

I think it largely depends on the game content.  For the most part,
if there's a maximum level, it's only effective to remain at a lower
level if levelling up would reduce the amount of content available
(such as level-locked areas, equipment which becomes useless after a
certain level etc) or would tip the character over into an
undesirable level range (perhaps one occupied by a large number of
pvpers).  Of course a maximum level either indicates the "end" of
the game (time to start over, perhaps as a new class/race/faction),
or is the ultimate goal of the game (such as in Guild Wars).
Personally I prefer open-ended levelless gaming with scaled content.

Mordengaard (Yhared)
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