The Outer Worlds + DLC: Level Cap of 36 is far too low. Tiny tweak could make it better.

[Inspector Gesicht]

I opted not to play the DLC of the game until both expansions were out and their steam achievements were patched in. Towards the end of Gorgon I hit the level cap without trying very hard, now there's less incentive to try out the sidequests in Eridanos for their own sake since there's no mechanical reward.

In NV you were only liable to hit the Level cap of 50 provided you knocked off 95% of content in the base game and DLC. A completionist would only hit 50 after confronting Ulysses and with nothing else to do except to head into the Hoover Dam endgame.

What is especially galling is the number of 150-point skill checks. These are sprinkled throughout and, in an obnoxious move, have been retroactively added into the base game. 120-point checks would have been fine but 150-point checks are taking the  p**s. You only get 350 points to spend in the first place, aside from the skill-group bonus.

You could fix this level cap issue by having some sort of mastery levels, where experience over the cap grants only skill points. So your level reads 36+X or something.

[Wormerine]

On 3/22/2021 at 3:24 PM, Inspector Gesicht said:

What is especially galling is the number of 150-point skill checks. These are sprinkled throughout and, in an obnoxious move, have been retroactively added into the base game. 120-point checks would have been fine but 150-point checks are taking the  p**s. You only get 350 points to spend in the first place, aside from the skill-group bonus.

It's an RPG - you are not supposed to be able to pass 150 point checks, perhaps aside from one or two. Overall, I agree that some rebalance for DLCs would be nice. 

[Azineum]

I didn't realize this was a thing. I might wait to see if they patch this. I was planning on getting the DLC on Thursday as I just completed the game and all paths/ side quests. Maybe make the enemies scale with you after you hit a certain level instead of hard capping it?

[Wormerine]

11 hours ago, Azineum said:

I didn't realize this was a thing. I might wait to see if they patch this. I was planning on getting the DLC on Thursday as I just completed the game and all paths/ side quests. Maybe make the enemies scale with you after you hit a certain level instead of hard capping it?

DLC2 is tuned for level 36 just fine. Starting enemies were pushovers, but later areas seem to be tuned for you being at Max. There was even one encounter I had to retry couple times. I don't know if there is any rebalance for the endgame (ala. PoE1) when playing with DLCs. DLC1 was definitely a bit undertuned, plus I gained over 10 levels in it. Not ideal as it's very combat heavy. 

[SteveMack37]

Agree totally. I hit the ceiling at a very similar point. I've added in topic too

[Azineum]

On 4/19/2021 at 2:45 PM, Wormerine said:

DLC2 is tuned for level 36 just fine. Starting enemies were pushovers, but later areas seem to be tuned for you being at Max. There was even one encounter I had to retry couple times. I don't know if there is any rebalance for the endgame (ala. PoE1) when playing with DLCs. DLC1 was definitely a bit undertuned, plus I gained over 10 levels in it. Not ideal as it's very combat heavy. 

I think at some point the areas should scale with character level. I believe this could be possible even if they were to add this to TOW2 because as you said if you go back to Edgewater for any reason you can one punch anything at late game.

[algroth]

What's funny is that a lot of players felt like they weren't gated enough when the game first released. They felt they could essentially be good at everything and pass all skill checks rather easily just by improving most grouped categories and such - gave less clear strengths and weaknesses in the character builds and such. I don't mind not being able to specialize all at once (even if I absolutely would love to ), but a problem I find with the way skillchecks are implemented in the base game now is that the difficulty often feels completely arbitrary, and 150-point checks feel like they aren't comparatively more rewarding than your average check either. So far in my newest playthrough I've found three skillchecks of the sort: two locked chests scattered around Monarch which gave absolutely no unique or worthwhile loot, and a persuasion check with Lilya Hagen that granted you an extra 500 bits for a mission. Really, only 500 bits for a 150 persuasion check? The issue with checks of that difficulty is that they kinda set you up for a comparable reward, yet you get nothing akin to that in the above cases. You're setting players up for disappointment there.

Edited May 4, 2021 by algroth

[algroth]

Ran across a third 150 locked chest. This sort of loot feels really underwhelming given the skillcheck:

[uuuhhii]

the problem was not 36 level too low but 150 skill check too high

base game already have similar problem with some 100 lock on monarch

random 150 lock are just too much

[Snagfang]

The disparity between the level cap and available skill points is a bit like hitting a brick wall.

I know you can respec them for a modest fee, but it still feels a little too limiting.

[BHarger]

Yes. I also agree 100% that the level cap needs a SIGNIFICANT increase. I hit 36 before finishing Eridanos and haven't even been to Gorgan yet. Third run through and this has happened every time. Please raise the cap asap. If I have nothing to strive for than I lose interest and I LOVE THIS GAME!!!! More DLC TOO PLEASE!!!!!!

[BHarger]

Is there a way to tweak the engine ini file or something to raise the level cap? 36 is just too low. My 4th playthrough and once again I'm at 36 halfway through Helen's murder investigation and haven't set foot on Gorgon or Tartaraus yet.

[dava4444]

I'm in the same boat as BHarger..

I finished Gorgon without realizing there was a level cap hit 36 and still to do Eridanos .. I *get* level caps.. I'm a vet FO player which is where I learned to appreciate them.. but wow this was waaayy too soon. imho.. 50lvl would have been conservative.. this is just straight up constricting.

Please patch this Devs.

 

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50 = conservative
75 = middling
100 = generous or tedious depending on your playstyle.

36 = Don't want to play Eridanos without lvl and point rewards.   .. 3 lvls per DLC.. wow I soaked that up like it was nothing.

[JarnoTR]

On 9/1/2021 at 1:47 AM, BHarger said:

Yes. I also agree 100% that the level cap needs a SIGNIFICANT increase. I hit 36 before finishing Eridanos and haven't even been to Gorgan yet. Third run through and this has happened every time. Please raise the cap asap. If I have nothing to strive for than I lose interest and I LOVE THIS GAME!!!! More DLC TOO PLEASE!!!!!!

Totally on the same boat. Lost interest on the game even though just halfway through. For me gaining the levels and skills is most rewarding and while that is happening I'm also interested in the story. When there is no carrot I lose interest.

[BHarger]

Unfortunately it doesn't appear anyone else cares that we're upset about this as they're all too focused on the next installment . I wonder if they'd notice if we all decided not to buy the next one until the first is patched? I'm still playing this. I've beaten this game multiple times on every difficulty setting except supernova because I love the game.  I just wish developers would finish what they start for once. It seems they all are releasing games long before they're ready because they've found we're all too eager to beta test for them for free. We need to stand and say it's enough. No more freebies. GIVE US A PATCH!!!!

[420ICE710]

so the game is unfinished period but i have extreme improvements to the gameplay if a modder can make this happen hmu 

the leveling system needs revision ive played the game a couple of times now and i reach level 30 before i even go to Byzantium for the first time which is basically the beginning of the game which is ridiculous i no longer have an incentive to play after that and the worst part is because the game was made with max level skill checks u never fully max a skill out your constantly trying to add points into what u need to pass a skill check on your currents missions which leads to what i do and power level for those skill points u max out trying to pass skill checks on monarch literally and only a few are max so you basically spend all your skill points into a mesh of abilities just to have them not even matter in the next world then u get a penalty for doing so because u cant play the game the way you wanted only certain skills can be used every mission why level intimidate when all it does is get you pass a door u can shoot through or sneak around makes the skill useless and if you could only get by using said skill then it makes it necessary so skills without bonuses are useless and should have bonuses added to them to make them relative which is half the skills also i think the skill cap should be 100 or 125, 150 is too much and only allows for a one sided type of route in your gameplay and in an open world game makes no sense  so what i suggest is raising the amount of skill points you get to be double allowing for 2-3 skills to be maxed out while the rest of your chosen skills not all of the remaining ones can be at a high to medium level and i find this is actually much more balanced i tested this by using console commands it actually fits really well and you don't want your level being able to surpass 36 because you will be too over powered and the game will turn to a collecting game basically and have no challenge also i got to my max level by the end of both dlcs and monarch those are the worlds i finished to max out my levels and skills  so still at the beginning of the game how to fix that problem make the level need more experience to reach and maybe even allow for more skill points so if the experience needed to reach a level is much much higher you can add skill points to the level so you can get 25 skills per level but it take double to triple the amount of xp which is fair ive tested it though console commands very tedious mind you but it works game is much more balanced also the perks about 75% of them are useless they need a rehaul for sure more damage ones needed and overall a overhaul like sneaking perks and better vendor perks better hacking perks .ect that can be worked on after the levels are addressed it should be rather easy honestly to figure out the perks that should be removed and added 

 

that is how i propose we fix the game i hope a competent modder sees this i really do i will also post this in the nexus i am only posting this here to hope a game dev or designer sees this and realizes how easy there job is i figured it out in only a week of playing the game and testing truly a lazy crew of workers would have been great game otherwise with a good story