Exp Tweaks

IMO, the current experience system has a number of flaws:

1) The current values are overly complicated. It has level ups at experience amounts such as 6215, 23726, etc. that are impossible to memorize. (not necessarily a bad thing, just an oddity). The actual flaw in this is that the values are seemingly random, rather than following any numerical pattern.

2) Heroes are set at nonstandard amounts. As far as the last time the wiki was updated (I've yet to receive any updated information, either) is concerned, different races heroes level up at different XP amounts. It's possible this is true for regular units too, but I haven't found any evidence supporting or against this.

3) People have no control over it. The biggest thing reason people look forward to level ups in most games is so they can add things that they want. People get no such option in BC.

4) People can't stop it. It's very possible that people will want to keep their units at the same level in BC so they don't fight overleveled enemies just because their cannons are ridiculously high leveled. They should get that choice.


Because of these flaws, I find Exp and Leveling would be greatly improved by two changes that I would imagine are fairly simple to implement:


1) Standardization of exp amounts: All units of the same type (LI, HI, heroes etc) will require the same amount of exp to level up (EDIT: Note that this does not mean all unit types require the same amount of exp). These numbers would follow a set numerical pattern starting at 3x, decaying by .25 per level (with the decay limited at 1.25x, which would take place at level 10), rounded to three significant digits at each level prior to calculation of the next. Basically, the multiplier goes down over time, to an extent, so that at high levels you aren't just getting to extremely ridiculous xp requirements.

2) Controlled level ups: Players can choose to wait to level up until they feel like doing so (units still gain xp while waiting). When they level up, they get to choose between one of two options: level up with a random stat leveling up like the current system, or choose to spend 1.5x as much Exp as would normally be needed so they can choose what stat to level. They can choose this on a level-by-level basis, so choosing it once won't affect your future or past level ups in any way.

3) Adjustment to exp usage: In order for #2 to work correctly, exp must be tracked in two different forms: unused exp and total exp. Exp will be a spent resource, to be used at each level up. Unused exp is exp you can put towards your next level up, while total exp is the total amount of exp you have earned.

To address these changes for those players who have already leveled their units, a "reset" button should be added to units, which can only be used once per unit without spending gems. It would be a replacement for the current reroll function, allowing you to redistribute your xp as you see fit (whether you choose to go for random level ups again as is the current standard, or spend your xp on choosing your stats, or any mix of such)




The end result of the exp adjustments (shown with LI):



Compared to the current exp system (shown with LI):




The advantages of this end result:

1) Exp is now easily calculated for current & future levels, users can finally understand how it's done

2) Exp amounts don't look like random strings of numbers

3) High level units don't ridiculous amounts of exp from compounding unknown multipliers. Exp cost is still relatively large, but not impossibly so.

4) Users get control over when to level up

5) Users get control over how they level up, without said control to being overpowered

6) All units of similar types rank up at similar exp costs

7) Rerolls of unit levels can be carried out in unique ways

With a standardized exp system in place, the suggestions for being able to change between races would be much simpler to carry out.

This is obviously not a huge change to the way the game will work. It's a few tweaks to a central part of BC, that should overall improve the quality of the game and further refine it. I don't expect this to garner much attention because of it's nature, but hopefully it's approved of and the admins consider it worthwhile

Important notes:

1) Yes, it will be easier for people to get to higher level units if they level up in a method similar to the current system. However, with controlled levels available, it's likely people will prefer those and leveling will take longer but provide more benefits.

2) Yes, #8 turned into a cool guy with shades. I'm leaving it.

3) I know the exp requirements get a little strange at levels eight through eleven. This is the problem with decaying the exp multiplier at a standard amount that isn't relative to the current multiplier. However, this system is much easier to calculate and doesn't lead to impossibly odd numbers. If it's seriously disliked, I can change to a system where the multiplier decays at a rate or 5, 10, or 15 percent per level rather than decaying by .15

Sorry, I didn't have the energy to read your post/suggestions today Tops(I'm sure the suggestions/tweaks are great though!)  

Am getting a little bit annoyed of the fact that it actually pays of/off for me to play on hard diff, instead of on nightmare or insane diff. My LIA have been stuck for ages on the same lvl simply because they die to much in battle.

I know that a lot of you will say "Well, then keep them alive you fool!" and you are partly right about that. But fighting on a higher diff lvl should give some extra exp right?

The slow exp progress is costing me when fighting on insane diff. My units have to low a lvl really!   

Boboknack wrote:

Sorry, I didn't have the energy to read your post/suggestions today Tops(I'm sure the suggestions/tweaks are great though!)  

Am getting a little bit annoyed of the fact that it actually pays of/off for me to play on hard diff, instead of on nightmare or insane diff. My LIA have been stuck for ages on the same lvl simply because they die to much in battle.

I know that a lot of you will say "Well, then keep them alive you fool!" and you are partly right about that. But fighting on a higher diff lvl should give some extra exp right?

The slow exp progress is costing me when fighting on insane diff. My units have to low a lvl really!     

Set heroes on LIAs help a little for they to don't die instantly, and make sure keep enemy archers and cannons away from them, (when the enemy melee you, because the melee units are engaged, the enemy ranged is exposed to your cav, so use your cav to kill easily archers and arty when enemy HI touch you but try don't wait so much or enemy ranged will find an angle and will start shooting you "especially elves")

PD: retreat they when only the hero left or when they have morale under 50% to prevent enemy shivering and loose the LIA for morale

1. Each unit is unlocked at a later level of development in research and building upgrades, therefore they are not and should not be equal XP values across the board. Each type (LI, LIA, AA, HI, CAV, CAN) should have its own scale and min leveling XP requirement due to the increased abilities each unit can use.

2/3. The idea is cool, using XP to buy the next level would be neat.

You kind of have a weird poll set up though. I like parts 2/3 but not 1.

At the very least we should round off the XP values for each level to some sort of multiple of 100, way easier on the eyes.   

Metalsiagon wrote:

1. Each unit is unlocked at a later level of development in research and building upgrades, therefore they are not and should not be equal XP values across the board. Each type (LI, LIA, AA, HI, CAV, CAN) should have its own scale and min leveling XP requirement due to the increased abilities each unit can use.

You're misunderstanding. I'm not saying that all units require the same amount of exp per level, I'm saying units of the same type require equal Exp. All LI require the same exp as other LI, all HI require the same exp as other HI, all heroes require the same exp as other heroes, etc.

It would be hugely imbalanced to require the same amount of exp for different units types, because HI would level ridiculously fast compared to LI, etc.