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Level Scaling: Difference between revisions
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== [[RPG]] ==
* ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' examples:
** ''[[Final Fantasy Tactics Advance]]'' and ''[[Final Fantasy Tactics
** ''[[Final Fantasy VIII]]'' was the [[Trope Codifier]] for RPGs. It matched a monster's level to your party's level, with the monsters automatically learning new (more dangerous) techniques. Savvy players figured out that using the "card" ability allowed the player to defeat enemies without collecting the base Experience Points, thus enabling their characters to grow more powerful (from the other victory spoils) while enemies remained the same. However, a number of rare items are impossible to acquire in this way.
*** Actually, the 'LV UP' and "LV DOWN' abilities allow you to forcefully change a monster's level to whatever range gives them the item you want. Combined with the item refinement system no items are actually unobtainable, except ones that are exclusive to the Pocketstation minigame.
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== [[Wide Open Sandbox]] ==
* ''[[The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind|Morrowind]]'' has this to a limited extent. While foes you'll encounter in caves will always have a fixed level, some creatures on the road will be matched to your level, instead. This, of course, has the advantage of making travel a constant danger.
** Also, the number of enemies you encounter increases, which means that you'll be attacked almost constantly at higher levels. Worse, you'll be attacked largely by enemies that are not strong enough to provide a challenge, like [[Goddamn Bats|Cliff Racers.]] This might explain Bethesda's decision to take a different approach with ''[[The Elder Scrolls Four|Oblivion]]''
* ''[[The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion|Oblivion]]'' is an excellent example of [[Scrappy Mechanic|how not to do]] level scaling. Characters that are not combat-oriented will find that enemies will still scale to their level, as if to emphasize their inability to fight. Characters that ''are'' combat-oriented will find that, eventually, most fights become a mindless slugfest to try to deplete the opponent's massive HP, with no real challenge or risk of death. Enemy equipment also scales up, totally unbalancing the game's economy. And the worst part? Named NPCs do not scale with you, so if you fight through the Siege of Kvatch at level 4 your companions will probably do fine, but if you try it at level 20, They'll get slaughtered. Underleveling often becomes the only way to survive. It's an infamous enough example of level scaling done badly that many people refer to badly implemented level scaling as "Oblivion Syndrome."
* ''[[Fallout 3]]'' proves that Bethesda learned their lesson from Oblivion's screw up. The level scaling is based on your level when you enter an area and is never adjusted again for that area, so in the starting areas, you'll deal with easy enemies, and as you get stronger and go further out, the enemies will also get stronger, but if you back to the beginning areas, you'll be dealing with the weak enemies again.
** In addition, enemies are prebuilt to a certain level and pulled off a list to set what's appropriate. By contrast, ''Oblivion'' uses the same basic enemy at levels 8 and 20, but improves his stats and equipment. ''Fallout'' spawns a level 8 enemy when you enter an area at level 8, and a different level 20 enemy when you enter it at level 20. So you'll be fighting [[Elite Mooks|Enclave Troopers]] in Tesla armor at level 20, instead of Raiders who happen to be wielding Gatling Lasers while ensconced within [[Powered Armor]].
** Raiders get upgrades as well. At level 5 they carry mainly pistols and hunting rifles. At level 20, they're equipped with missile launchers and assault rifles instead.
* ''[[The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim|Skyrim]]'' has level scaling "like Fallout 3's, not Oblivion's," [[And the Fandom Rejoiced]]. Most enemies simply get replaced by tougher variants in high level areas, while some do directly scale with player level. Random loot also scales. Level-scaling is still not perfect, as it is quite easy to grind non-essential skills and end up facing high level opponents at every newly found area.
** ''[[Critical Miss]]'' demonstrates [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/comics/critical-miss/9245-Skyrim-Tales the imperfections].
* ''[[Dead Island]]'' has scaling similiar to Oblivion. Whatever level you are, the enemies will be. Your health increases, but their damages increases to do roughly the same amount percentage wise. Their health increases, but you can equip stronger weapons to do the same back to them.
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