Like @the_spyder, I don't really see the point either. It would push you to farm, which I prefer to leave as an optional thing rather than a needed thing.
Well I see an excellent point behind the suggestion, I think the cap is silly and completely unneeded. There is a finite amount of experience in the game as is (barring excessive harvesting) and no one is going to break the game as long as they play through it as is. In fact, MOST characters will not gain a single extra level with the cap removed. But as a LONG time gamer I sort of resent being robbed of that extra margin of xp by an unneeded game restriction. I don't agree with the idea of tampering with set xp awards. But let players, and the game, police themselves. No caps! And yeah, I've already removed it on my PC. I just wish it could be removed on my iPad. This is currently my biggest discontent with that version of the game.
@atcDave, I agree that "If people want to remove the XP cap", they should be allowed. But that already exists through modding. I don't imagine you can go VERY far, but I bet playing solo or replaying might have some effect. And more power to those who do that. I might personally believe that it robs me of the difficulty level, but that is only an opinion. And so long as I don't have to play that way, who am I to say someone else should play the way they are happy? So long as they don't jack up their characters to unreasonable levels and then post here complaining how easy it is to kill Drizzt (LOL - this is intended as a joke).
Where I do have a problem is with the XP shaving. As you indicate, there is only a finite amount of XP in the game (without excessive farming). And I think that the encounters are appropriately balanced for the levels as they appear in the game (considering progression and a bit of simply exploring). Altering that "Might" have adverse effects. It probably wouldn't 'Break the bank', but if it were implemented, I would want it to be an option rather than the standard.
Oh well, trying to respond to the_spyder. I'm not sure what all you're trying to get at; but I am NOT in favor of changing xp awards at all. I AM in favor of removing the CAP, and I think strongly that math and game balance would support doing so. For starters; simply removing it will move most parties from 161K to around 200K. Which usually will NOT add a level. Its more psychological than anything (but a psychological that matters a lot to me, may have to do with 30+ years of PNP experience). It starts to matter more with reduced parties. If you are adventuring with four characters (which I have done many times) it means you will all finish with around 300K. Which will mean ONE extra level in almost every case. One extra level does not break anything; in fact, after several run throughs I will say strongly that the final battle is easier with six characters, one level lower. Four characters is a very interesting tactical exercise. But one level higher or no it hurts nothing. I also finished once with a three character party. Now we're up to about 400K per character. This will usually mean TWO extra levels. Again, a half size party slightly higher level does not break the game. And again, I would say the final battle is easier for a full party of six lower level characters.
And I'm not even going to worry about solo plays. For starters, the game is not really designed to be played that way. Secondly, I believe the vast majority of solo gamers are playing heavily modded games with no xp cap anyway. And such gamers typically find the game rewarding and fun that way too.
Again, I have already removed the xp cap on my PC. I just wish there was a provision for doing so on the iPad. It is currently the biggest complaint I have with that version of the game.
Remove the cap or not, I have no problems. My last play through took me to just about 150K XP with a 6 person party. One more level wouldn't have made or broken me (though 2 would have gotten my Wizard to the next level of spell capability). I didn't find the final battle to be so taxing that I regretted not having the extra XP. So no material difference to the game as I see it.
As for Solo players, I'd bet there are a few more than you would imagine. But they are going to alter the rules the way they see fit. And if the game supports it, fine.
The game is a little easy late on, even with the level cap. I would like a more difficult end of BG1 and a more difficult start of BG2. This in turn may increase the availability of xp. However it does not effect the game as radically as some think using core rules. The gaps between levels is a far greater barrier than most people realise as well.
I feel you need to farm to get above level 9 in my experience...
I also hate caps. Only a mushroom can have a cap and get away with it...
Comments
I don't agree with the idea of tampering with set xp awards. But let players, and the game, police themselves. No caps! And yeah, I've already removed it on my PC. I just wish it could be removed on my iPad. This is currently my biggest discontent with that version of the game.
Where I do have a problem is with the XP shaving. As you indicate, there is only a finite amount of XP in the game (without excessive farming). And I think that the encounters are appropriately balanced for the levels as they appear in the game (considering progression and a bit of simply exploring). Altering that "Might" have adverse effects. It probably wouldn't 'Break the bank', but if it were implemented, I would want it to be an option rather than the standard.
Oh well, trying to respond to the_spyder. I'm not sure what all you're trying to get at; but I am NOT in favor of changing xp awards at all. I AM in favor of removing the CAP, and I think strongly that math and game balance would support doing so.
For starters; simply removing it will move most parties from 161K to around 200K. Which usually will NOT add a level. Its more psychological than anything (but a psychological that matters a lot to me, may have to do with 30+ years of PNP experience).
It starts to matter more with reduced parties. If you are adventuring with four characters (which I have done many times) it means you will all finish with around 300K. Which will mean ONE extra level in almost every case. One extra level does not break anything; in fact, after several run throughs I will say strongly that the final battle is easier with six characters, one level lower. Four characters is a very interesting tactical exercise. But one level higher or no it hurts nothing.
I also finished once with a three character party. Now we're up to about 400K per character. This will usually mean TWO extra levels. Again, a half size party slightly higher level does not break the game. And again, I would say the final battle is easier for a full party of six lower level characters.
And I'm not even going to worry about solo plays. For starters, the game is not really designed to be played that way. Secondly, I believe the vast majority of solo gamers are playing heavily modded games with no xp cap anyway. And such gamers typically find the game rewarding and fun that way too.
Again, I have already removed the xp cap on my PC. I just wish there was a provision for doing so on the iPad. It is currently the biggest complaint I have with that version of the game.
Remove the cap or not, I have no problems. My last play through took me to just about 150K XP with a 6 person party. One more level wouldn't have made or broken me (though 2 would have gotten my Wizard to the next level of spell capability). I didn't find the final battle to be so taxing that I regretted not having the extra XP. So no material difference to the game as I see it.
As for Solo players, I'd bet there are a few more than you would imagine. But they are going to alter the rules the way they see fit. And if the game supports it, fine.
I feel you need to farm to get above level 9 in my experience...
I also hate caps. Only a mushroom can have a cap and get away with it...