story mode longevity problem

What is it

If you keep the difficulty of the story mode set in stone, long time players can clear it easily. Difficulty modes can kinda help, but then you would have a similar system to the difficulty modes in challenge areas. Which isn't really that bad...? But also not the best either.

What I would like from the story

No infinite scaling (already have challenge areas for that) Accomodation for many skill level of players Fun experience regardless of whether you played for 100 hours or you just started the game Have to think a bit to progress

Current conclusion based on brainstorming

New level progression system + completely different inventory

Level Up System

• Random 3 choice bonus every 3 levels
• Level cap

Equipment system

• Set drops with rerolable mods + ascending (adding a mod to a modless equipment)

SKILL SYSTEM

• Set drops (rerolable mods can also be used if implemented)

BRAINSTORMING

SKILL BRAINSTORMING

SET DROPS

• Advantages
• Fast coding
• Disadvantages
• Slightly boring but not so much because it is set instead of random. Also rerolable mods are a thing too.

SET DROPS BUT UNLOCKS SKILLS ON UPGRADING INSTEAD OF LEVEL

• Advantages
• Slightly more exciting
• Something to do with each new skill set
• Disadvantages
• Implementation time (not that much though)
• Not reusable
• Extra
• Could be a feature added later

FINITE AMOUNT OF RANDOM DROPS BUT REROLLABLE SKILLS

• Advantages
• Highest customization and gameplay variety
• Disadvantages
• Highest development time
• Not reusable

EQUIPMENT SYSTEM BRAINSTORMING

SAME SYSTEM

• Advantages
• fast coding
• Disadvantages
• Inventory overload
• Same as before (boring)

SHOP SYSTEM

• Advantages
• Player choice
• reusable code
• Disadvantages
• Implementation time (slower release)

SET DROPS

• Advantages
• Fast implementation
• Reusable code (kinda)
• Disadvantages
• Controlled environment

SET DROPS WITH REROLABLE MODS + ASCENDING

• Advantages
• Moderate implementation
• Reusable code
• Might be the system you can use for good
• Disadvantages
• Implementation time & maintenance (less than shop)

SEPARATE LEVELS BRAINSTORMING

SAME SYSTEM

• advantages
• simplest solution
• Disadvantages
• no customization
• boring, same as before

SAME SYSTEM WITH PERIODIC NCHOICE

• Advantages
• Customization
• Fairly simple
• Disadvantages
• None

SPHERE GRID

• Advantages
• High customization
• Marketability
• System I want for future projects
• Disadvantages
• High development time (will delay release of GRI, which will reduce my learning)
• High maintenance (bug fixing, polishing, tutorializing, etc)

What to do with equipment?

EQUIP ANYTHING BUT SEPARATE STAT SYSTEM

• Advantages
• player can use their current equipment, so he can make use of his current resources
• Disadvantages
• Convoluted to explain (your equipment has these stats in this situation, but those stats in that)
• Convoluted to code

COMPLETELY DIFFERENT INVENTORY SYSTEM

• Advantages
• easy to explain
• easier to code
• very different experience
• Disadvantages
• Player cannot use his old inventory at all

LEVEL PROGRESSION SYSTEM

SCALABLE DIFFICULTY

• Advantages
• infinitely replayable
• difficulty adapts to the player
• Disadvantages
• Similar to challenge area content

SEPARATE LEVELS

• Advantages
• Players can taste the "correct" experience for the story
• Disadvantages
• Beginners might have it too hard with the story, or advanced players can have it too easy

SEPARATE LEVELS WITH DIFFICULTY MODE

• Advantages
• players can taste the "correct" experience for the story, while also being able to go for harder challenges
• Disadvantages
• none?