Levels?

[Lepretr0n]

I know its a bit cliché to have, but i think it should be easier to track you player's skill, but more so other peoples. I feel as if I'm not getting any more skilled as i play, and I'm very confused in how to train and get better and stuff. The game should be a bit more simple for us people who don't play as many video games.

How do i see my level and track when I'm leveling. And how do I do this? The game has enormous potential, btw.

Thanks very much.

[Shakilai]

Have you tried looking at the plentiful guides? There are many manuals and instructions and stickies explaining every part of the game. Perhaps if you mention what in particular confuses you, you'll get more concentrated help. I find the process, if not the best there can be, quite easy to understand personally.

[Jonerian]

Som stuff really short, if that helps:

You get Experience Points (XP). Its shown in percent (%) in your profile. If it reaches 100 % (100 or 200 XP) than you get another Progression Point (PP).

If you have some PP then you start thinking about training a certain skill. Could be a good idea to train the skill you are currently using a lot (sword skill, mining or similar). You need to go to some NPC that trains your skill (you have to find one..) and click on the book symbol in the NPC menu.
If your skill is not there, only other ones ore even none, then you have to find a different NPC.

If you select your skill (let it be sword skill), the you see different coloured bars there.

The yellow bar is showing the amount of PP you need to train at the NPC before you can start using that skill in praxis.
The blue bar shows how much PP you have in comparision to the yellow bar. If it is longer than the yellow bar, then you have enough PP, if not: You have to gain more XP and PP.
The red bar starts right after the yellow bar and shows how much practice points you still need. You would gain these for the sword skill while actually using a skill, but you only start getting practice points when the whole yellow bar turned green (see below).
First you don't have any green bar, but as soon as you pressed the train button while having selected the skill at a NPC, some part of the yellow bar will turn green. If the whole (former) yellow bar turned green, then your theoretical training is over and you can start using the skill in praxis (using our sword).

Manual to read with this:
http://www.planeshift.it/guide/en/guide-skills.html
http://www.planeshift.it/faq.html -> Colors and GUI

@others:
I actually think that the color graphic has to go directly into the players guide!

[neko kyouran]

PS is a "level-less" game.  There is no technical "I'm lvl 1, i can only kill rats, but when I hit lvl 10 I can kill tefusangs."  Sure, there is number you can increase for each skill/stat and the higher it is, the easier you are able to do certain things, but becuase you can train each stat/skill independently, and raise any multitude of them at once, it is up to the player to mix and match to develop a strategy that can be tailored for their play style that will allow them to accomplish the goal they wish to obtain.

If you are having issues with coming up with a strategy to accomplish your goals then, as it has been suggested, you need to read the many guides on the different aspects of game play and decide for yourself what the best way is or you to go about raising and fleshing out your character.

We are not here to spoonfeed, telling player's this is how you must play the game.  We are to give advice as to how the game mechanics works and it is up to the player to decide on what they wish to do with it.

Although, we will admit that many of the aspects of the game just aren't there yet, and most of everything is unbalanced.  This can simply not be helped for this current state of the game developement and we ask that players simply have patience while we work on the game.

[Mordraugion]

Manual to read with this:
http://www.planeshift.it/guide/en/guide-skills.html
http://www.planeshift.it/faq.html -> Colors and GUI

@others:
I actually think that the color graphic has to go directly into the players guide!

Additional Sources of Info with colours
This Forum
The PS wiki

[Eila]

How do i see my level and track when I'm leveling. And how do I do this? The game has enormous potential, btw.

Let me throw in a radical idea.
Find yourself a trainer(s) within the world of Yliakum (not NPC trainers).
While some like to state that they are a level x in sword, level y in Crystal Way or whatever, whats important is balance. What is balance? The answer to that depends on what you plan to do with your character(s). So essentially, what you seek is wisdom, not a how-to guide.

There is also an undeniable 'level' associated with an RP'd worlds like this one. It doesn't show up on any skill stat. Yet it's value is priceless and virtually fathomless. Over and above any single statistic or group of statistics. Instead of spending cycle in and cycle out training blindly to increment your stats: consider making alliances, brothers and sisters, friends, associates. Not necessarily in-guild either, in case you do belong to one.

Think about it. You can spend an entire day levelling a given skill by maybe 2 levels after considerable effort and cost. Or you can gain 50 or more by simply associating with the right person(s). Then, if you require advice or guidance you get a little wisdom instead of plain specs.

[sgtkwol]

How possible would it be to add a training instructor to the training area?  Give the new person 1 PP to spend on any skill, don't charge money, but let the person know that they will need to spend money in the future.  Have them find the colors and tell them what they mean.

[Lorit]

How possible would it be to add a training instructor to the training area?  Give the new person 1 PP to spend on any skill, don't charge money, but let the person know that they will need to spend money in the future.  Have them find the colors and tell them what they mean.

I second that!  I think it would help new players understand better how to train and be less frustrated with the system. 

[Mythryndel]

I know that most games out right now are "level" based, but the fact that PS is not that way is one of my favorite aspects of the game. I would support adding "training" to the tutorial as this is a major aspect of the game. It was a real shock to me that it took multiple PPs AND trias the first time i went to train. I have adjusted and i really like the current system, but it is very confusing to newbies.

[Xillix Queen of Fools]

we can probably add that.

[Mythryndel]

I've been thinking about the tutorial and training, and I think that it can be done in the existing tutorial with the guy who tells you about combat.

1. Either start with the number of PPs and Trias necessary to train knife and dagger  (since you get a dagger in the tutorial level) to lvl 1 or melee or sell an item from the blacksmith to cover this cost.

2. Train the appropriate skill before killing the rats
- mention that multiple PPs may be required
- mention that trias are also required
- mention that you are not able to "practice" that skill until you have gathered enough training to fill the yellow/blue bar.
- mention that you are not able to "train" the next level until you have practiced the current level until the bar fills green.

3. have players practice the skill to the next lvl while gathering the rat hides for the quest.

This is just my $0.02 worth. I know when i first got out of the tutorial level I didn't have a clue about PPs. Someone in-game explained it to me. It was then a real shock to notice it took trias also. Then i felt stupid when i noticed that I wasn't practicing anything when I only bought 1-5 skill points per skill i was trying to train... instead of "buy next level". I think if this were explained in the tutorial level it would help people get into the game quicker and easier.

Please don't misunderstand my post. I am not complaining about the game mechanics, just explaining my confusion/frustration as a new player. I like the current advancement system in PS very much.

[Dajoji]

There's a lot to learn when you first come to the game. Perhaps one of the NPCs could offer additional (optional) information like how training works, how to make money, etc so that if a player says "tell me about progression", for instance, they can get the info they need. Perhaps one NPC could talk about gameplay and another one could talk about the main aspects of the settings (a bit about history, religion, geography, races, laws, government, etc.). Xargon could point you to them and tell you they can explain additional things and that you can come back to him when you're ready to enter Yliakum.

[Lorit]

There's a lot to learn when you first come to the game. Perhaps one of the NPCs could offer additional (optional) information like how training works, how to make money, etc ....

This information is in the manual, but... 1) Players don't read manuals at first (I know it's a generalization) and 2) It is easier to understand if you are playing and the information is given as apposed to reading the manual (ha) and trying to remember everything while playing.  Talking to the NPCs means the information is absorbed in a different manner.  Players will be more likely to read (and use) the information told rather than stare glassy-eyed at the manual.  Speaking from experience here. 

[Mythryndel]

Realistically, if you are going to cover basics of blacksmithing (not a required skill, although incredibly useful in making trias when monsters are impervious), there shouldn't be a reason not to include training (which is required to do anything but sit in the tavern and RP). I glossed over a lot of the information on Magic Ways, Smelting of ores, and the like in the tutorial. I read it all sure, but did I completely understand all of it, no. However, when i did start trying to refine ore, I did recall at least the basics of having to examine the furnace and transfer items from my inventory. When I started playing with Magic, i remembered glyphs and having to purify them.

Playing through a training event in the tutorial will give a different memory than reading it in the manual. It is the difference between walking through a botanical garden, and reading a book about it. Everyone is going to get something different from the walk that will allow them to recall it later. The book is just words from one persons POV.

This is my last post on the subject. Other topics to read, other people to frustrate... 

[Rizin]

*Rizin takes some notes.

Thank you all for the feedback.