As I have written, the power (or level) of an item should be dependant on the area where you find it, not on your own level.
If items are random or not is less important for the first playthrough than for later playthroughs. If you play it the first time you do not know what you will find anyway. Unless you read guides before you play the game (I do not advise this. I like to be surprized).
That is a form of level scaling though. The Ankheg Plate was found hidden in the first village in Baldur's Gate. It was one of the best, if not THE best, heavy armor in the game. In a level 2 zone. That dynamic would be lost if items scaled with the level of the zone. Generally the Ankheg Plate is an exception and the further you go in the game the more powerful items you get. That's normal, but the Ankheg Plate was a nice surprise. Also the Gauntlets of Ogre Power are found placed in a mid-level zone, but they are the best strength gauntlets in the game etc. The "level of the zone" shouldn't be evident in any way, otherwise it's gamey and breaks the fourth wall.
