So in later worlds there is less of a focus on the amount of XP that your character receives and more on the questline. I recall it used to be that you would do a side world like Grizzleheim/Wintertusk/Wysteria to get more XP, but now there is no point in trying to "level up" because the main quest just BLASTS you with xp. Why the change?
I never really thought about it but you're right. Besides maybe darkmoor and the catacombs (if you count them) there is really no side worlds to get any xp from. After Khrysalis the main quest seem to exponential give higher amounts of xp.
The change happened because people complained about "wasted XP" and would stop questing when they hit the max. Instead of occasionally bumping up the level XP cap by 20, they went the way of the "holy grail" of XP caps and do it every 10 levels. The reason I poke fun of this is NOT because it's KingsIsle, but because it's a totally arbitrary number that's given holy status. Other than "tradition" there really is on reason why they can't bump it more every so often.
Once you hit Empyrea (or maybe it's Mirage, I don't remember tbh), side quests just stop giving XP altogether. So literally the only reasonable way to level up is to work on the main quest... which kind of takes away the appeal of side quests, in my opinion. I am one of those people who still does them all anyways, but if all they give is a little bit of gold and maybe some reagents, is it really worth my time if it doesn't actually help advance my wizard at all?
The change happened because people complained about "wasted XP" and would stop questing when they hit the max. Instead of occasionally bumping up the level XP cap by 20, they went the way of the "holy grail" of XP caps and do it every 10 levels. The reason I poke fun of this is NOT because it's KingsIsle, but because it's a totally arbitrary number that's given holy status. Other than "tradition" there really is on reason why they can't bump it more every so often.
Interesting.... That to me though sounds like power creep but in XP terms. I get the mentality of "wasted XP" but I also feel like if there was an overleveling system like extra gold or something those concerns would be mitigated. What do other MMOs do in terms of leveling?
Once you hit Empyrea (or maybe it's Mirage, I don't remember tbh), side quests just stop giving XP altogether. So literally the only reasonable way to level up is to work on the main quest... which kind of takes away the appeal of side quests, in my opinion. I am one of those people who still does them all anyways, but if all they give is a little bit of gold and maybe some reagents, is it really worth my time if it doesn't actually help advance my wizard at all?
I believe it was Polaris where the transition happened from side quests having XP.
