Talk:Experience Guide

From Mass Effect Wiki

The experience formula is my theory, but until now it always worked. The first theory for maximizing experience is also just a theory. If it's completely wrong, simply delete the page. --Irian 15:42, 12 June 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Level vs. Talent point

Maybe, just maybe, someplace on this Wiki there should be a note on how leveling up affects your talent points?

--Skarmory The PG 15:08, 26 October 2008 (UTC)

[edit] The table

I think the table is misleading. While it is true that there are cutoffs where you start to get different mixes of item levels than before it is not true you have to be level 55+ to get X level items from containers. Furthermore the cutoffs for vendors are much lower than those for looted items so if a player is trying to get VII items from vendors waiting till 37 is too late.

The table is meant to be a basic reference for the player for general purposes. Hard decryption objects will usually give you items one level higher then than what your current level will give you, merchants will most of the time have equipment two level higher, and sometimes you encounter specific equipment that is not necessarily relate to this table.

The main focus of this table is to allow the player to plan when he wants to open certain containers or when to go on an assignment that grants Omni-tools or Bio-amps. -- silverstrike 13:59, 24 January 2009 (UTC)

perhaps those adendums should be included in the text. if a player is trying to get level VII upgrades from vendors and they wait until level 37, based on the chart, to start looking they're going to be SOL. arguably this is the only real purpose for a chart because level X items are easy to find at levels over 50. the game doesn't really give the player the option of when to go on tasks because there are only so many sources of experience before the plot will close off access to everything. it's farily obvious for the best chance at level X items from any planet or mission it should be completed immediatly before illos. Tetracycloide 16:36, 26 January 2009 (UTC)

Merchants usually show you certain items at random times. I encountered a level IX Assault Rifle while my character was at level 35 or so - the item was considered of low quality and the next weapon was level VII which was far better (I assume that merchants show you items based on their quality and not just what level the item is).

Beyond that, items found in merchants stock are usually appear too randomly and most of the time you can't find what you are really looking for (but that's just my opinion, I guess) - Its possible to add a comment before the table regarding this. I will try to figure out when merchants show what and when, and maybe expand the table accordingly. --silverstrike 18:04, 26 January 2009 (UTC)

My experience with the merchants has been that, for the merchants that subdivide their inventories by type the subdivisions are the best places to find items in a short period of time (upgrades or non-human armors). For example, search through the upgrade inventories of the merchants that sell upgrades offers a much larger window and a much more controlable way to find specific weapon, armor, or ammo upgrades that are desired. Trying to find shredder VII or tungston VII or cryo round VII from random loot is difficult primarily because getting random loot gives you experience and shrinks the window to find the right random loot. Using the save/reload method to find the right upgrades from vendors is much more reliable because you won't accidentally advance past the acceptable level range while searching through their inventories. Tetracycloide 21:31, 26 January 2009 (UTC)

I agree in regards to non-human armor and the upgrades (although, I can't remember when was the last time I bought upgrades), but most of the merchants that divide their inventories, don't have allot of worthwhile armors (and that's the main thing that I search when approaching a merchant).

I consider this a minor design flaw in the game - in my opinion, the game should take into consideration the squad mates I have with me and generate the merchant inventory accordingly. The current merchant system forces me to save and then reload multiple times before finding anything worthwhile - in my current game, I try to buy only the licenses that offer the items that I may find of interest (trying a new approach).

In any case, I'll try to learn how the merchant system works. I think that it's more complex and takes into consideration more variables then the character level.

i've tried that as well although spawning items from the normany quartermaster is usually a last resort for items that simply aren't sold anywhere else. several other merchants sell collosus, predator l/m/h, and phantom armors and make it much easier to spawn because of the subgroup limitations. i'd try only buying the serrice council liscense and using the quartermaster for just the savant bioamps/cipher tools since they're much harder to get from other vendors. personally i wish there were more than one or two choices for high end armor so i could customize my character's look instead of being forced into green or red/black for the massive stat boosts. Tetracycloide 03:24, 27 January 2009 (UTC)

[edit] infinite experience loop

Accidentally found it in Liara's rescue mission. You enter protean structure after running mining laser and then reach floor with Liara, save game right away you get off the lift and get xp (~300 on 17 lvl), before talking to Liara. After that you can load&save game infinite times and increase your experience. Works with russian version of the game.