Level Scaling - 2nd Playthrough - Yes or No?

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Level Scaling - 2nd Playthrough - Yes or No?

I'm in the middle of planning `a 2nd playthrough and one of the most important decisions I have to make is whether to use a level scaling mod.

On paper, I really like the idea. You never become over-leveled and you can explore anywhere in the world right from the get-go.

I'm wondering what the pros and cons are. Is there anyone here who uses a level scaling mod? What did you like about it? Was there anything bad about it? And if you're someone who doesn't use level-scaling mods, why not?
 
The level scaling doesn't make you over levelled, but at the same time doesn't make the game harder, it makes the other mob easier, you can do everything from the start and you don't need any kind of character progression.
 
The level scaling nullifies the sense of playing an rpg game. In combat, the rpg experience is given by the improvement of your character, who starts the game weak and becomes much stronger during the walkthrough, thanks to new abilities, skills and weapons. The point is that improving your character, the enemies will be weaker, so that in the late game the initial enemies (usually rats) will give no problems at all, and the stronger ones (for example dragons) will become beatable.
With level scaling there is no progression at all, not to mention that it's something absolutely non realistic. The only positive(?) factor is that developers don't have to work balancing the game.

Unfortunately cdpr isn't so good in balancing their games, and this causes you to become op. My suggestion would be, if possible, to create a mod that loweres the stats of late game weapons and armours, or reducing the high level enemies stats.
In the games that are not moddable, just avoid using the best items available in the game
 
realism? so one fully armored guy getting killed with 2 hits and then 5 minutes later a shirtless bandit taking 20+ hits to take down is realistic??

No. Of course not. Why would you think that?
How much punishment someone can take depends on how effective the armour is as well as how much force a weapon can transfer.

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The level scaling nullifies the sense of playing an rpg game. In combat, the rpg experience is given by the improvement of your character, who starts the game weak and becomes much stronger during the walkthrough, thanks to new abilities, skills and weapons. The point is that improving your character, the enemies will be weaker, so that in the late game the initial enemies (usually rats) will give no problems at all, and the stronger ones (for example dragons) will become beatable.
With level scaling there is no progression at all, not to mention that it's something absolutely non realistic. The only positive(?) factor is that developers don't have to work balancing the game.

Unfortunately cdpr isn't so good in balancing their games, and this causes you to become op. My suggestion would be, if possible, to create a mod that loweres the stats of late game weapons and armours, or reducing the high level enemies stats.
In the games that are not moddable, just avoid using the best items available in the game

True in cases where the character stars of weak and inexperienced. But that does not really fit Geralt, especially not in game 2 and 3. He is not a "newbie" witcher.
Progression should therefore not be tied to levelling in the traditional sense, but a question of keeping his skills honed and learn new things by meeting new characters with knowledge he does not yet possess.
 
The level scaling nullifies the sense of playing an rpg game. In combat, the rpg experience is given by the improvement of your character, who starts the game weak and becomes much stronger during the walkthrough, thanks to new abilities, skills and weapons. The point is that improving your character, the enemies will be weaker, so that in the late game the initial enemies (usually rats) will give no problems at all, and the stronger ones (for example dragons) will become beatable.
With level scaling there is no progression at all, not to mention that it's something absolutely non realistic. The only positive(?) factor is that developers don't have to work balancing the game.

Unfortunately cdpr isn't so good in balancing their games, and this causes you to become op. My suggestion would be, if possible, to create a mod that loweres the stats of late game weapons and armours, or reducing the high level enemies stats.
In the games that are not moddable, just avoid using the best items available in the game
My counter argument to that is that in a game where you're playing an experienced character, like Geralt, low level enemies like drowners and bandits shouldn't pose a threat. And you do still have progression in the form of gaining skill points.

Gaining stats on level up makes sense in a cRPG where you startout as a nobody and max level is 6 or 12. Not so much in The Witcher where you start out as best swordsmen in the north, max level is 30, and you're fighting the same enemies at max level as you are at level 1. IMO immersion and realism > progression in a true RPG.
 
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I would say yes. On my first playthrough I did everything in Velen and went to Skellige expecting greater challenge, only to be disappointed by how effortless and tedious it was - even on death march. I hope it doesn't happen on my current NG+ playthrough.
 
No. Of course not. Why would you think that?
How much punishment someone can take depends on how effective the armour is as well as how much force a weapon can transfer.

you clearly missed the comment i was replying to

Edit: oh it was you....... you said that you prefer realism, and therefore dont like levelscaling.... i replied before you made a comment that said you dont want any levels...... i just assumed you thought set levels were realistic, my bad
 
My counter argument to that is that in a game where you're playing an experienced character, like Geralt, low level enemies like drowners and bandits shouldn't pose a threat. And you do still have progression in the form of gaining skill points.

Gaining stats on level up makes sense in a cRPG where you startout as a nobody and max level is 6 or 12. Not so much in The Witcher where you start out as best swordsmen in the north, max level is 30, and you're fighting the same enemies at max level as you are at level 1. IMO immersion and realism > progression in a true RPG.

And level scaling is neither immersive nor realistic.
And one single drowner could still be a threat for Geralt.
 
Drowners should be killed in "one shot" unless lore states it otherwise. Its metal on naked flesh.

The best way to solve the problem of drowner being "too easy" would be to make their attacks a bit faster, more damaging and making them more effective in ganging up on Geralt.

A witcher should never let his guard down and get casual with hostile monsters. One mistake and you could be dead.
 
Thanks for the "useful" explanation. Next time you have something uselss to say, don't post.

Exactly! And that's why I'm considering using a level scaling mod! It's unrealistic when you're level 30, return to Velen, and kill drowners in one shot. With a level scaling mod, monsters always present the same threat level regardless of Geralt's level.

Yeah, because it's realistic that a level 1 drowner suddently become level 30. This is the useful explanation for the first line.
We just shouldn't talk about realistic or not realistic. Nothing can be realistic. We should talk about progression and role-playigng elements.
 
How is it *not* realistic? Levels in RPGs are just an abstraction...

Yeah, it is.
But in theory, the level scaling is a concept not strictly related to the level.
Even if you get rid of levels, an enemy with certain stats, should still have those stats for the entire game.

But you asked a question. My answer is "No".
The level scaling for me is a piece of crap that should have never existed, and should be forgotten for good in this genre. And I hate that mod, because introduce this crap, breaking the progression of the game, and other side elements such crafting, alchemy etc...

But, if you think that is a good thing, go and play. You don't need my opinion.
 
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But you asked a question. My answer is "No".
The level scaling for me is a piece of crap that should have never existed, and should be forgotten for good in this genre. And I hate that mod, because introduce this crap, breaking the progression of the game, and other side elements such crafting, alchemy etc...

But, if you think that is a good thing, go and play. You don't need my opinion.
That's great man. Sorry I ruined your favorite genre :dry:
 
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