Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning Community Q&A #20
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Can we get clarification on the enemy level-scaling system? We're aware there's a range once you enter a given zone, but when you come back later at a higher level, will the zone reset according to your new level or is it forever locked into the level it set to when you first entered that zone? By Pelirow
A: A quick refresher for anyone that doesn't know how the space levels in Reckoning work: Once the player enters an area, the level of that space is set based on the current level of the player, and enemies/encounters in the space are leveled accordingly. Now, this doesn't mean that you could run through the entire world as soon as you start the game and make everything in the game scale to level 1. Each space has a range of valid levels, which we've decided for game balance purposes, and it takes the level within that range that is closest to the player's level. Example: the area around Gorhart (this will be the first village you encounter in the game, for most players) is set to be level 1-5. So if you went there right away it'd be a 1. If you fought some enemies and did a side quest and gained a level, it would get set to 2. But if you completely went off and did your own thing for 10 levels, when you got there it'd still be just a 5.
Pelirow, to answer your question, once you set the level of a zone in the world, that level is set for the remainder of your game. We did that specifically so that if/when you do return to a previous zone, you will notice that fights in that area have gotten easier. That leveling of the player relative to the rest of the world being able to noticeably experience how much your character has improved over time is one of the things that makes an RPG's progression interesting to us on the Reckoning design team.
Also as a side note, it's not just enemy level that is affected. The other big one is our loot system that gets (at least partially) driven by space level. So if you go back to a lower level space you'll find the fights appropriately easier, but the rewards you get from killing those enemies will be lower on the awesomeness-scale as well. By Justin "perezidente" Perez, Systems Designer
Part of what I like in RPG is dialogue, may it be between the NPCs and the player, or just simply between NPCs. So far, I've only been able to see limited dialogue in the videos for Reckoning and they are quest related conversations which have serious tone in them. I like a little bit of non-serious moments too because they can give more depth and variety to the characters in the game world that makes me care more about them. Are there reasonable amount of non-serious dialogues involved in Reckoning? Could you please show us some? From the Q&A answer about the hide helmet back then, I know that the staff has a good sense of humor. I hope humor is also included in Reckoning. By Shozo
A: I agree with your sentiments entirely. Humorous moments can definitely bring out the flavor of a fantasy setting it's just a question of knowing when and how to use it. The Amalur universe is full of epic conflicts and large-scale battles. These moments can quickly lose their significance if the tone of the game isn't balanced correctly. One of the things we decided pretty early on was humor in the universe should be driven by context and coherence we weren't going to have two NPCs start running through the Dead Parrot sketch ("This boggart is no more! It has ceased to be!"). That said, I think that the humorous moments of Reckoning all contribute to the deeper themes of Amalur the diversity of races and differences of their culture, the rise of magic and the hazards of living in these vibrant and dangerous lands. By Thomas "Bentaporst" Murphy, Narrative Designer
