The only problem is that that offset means immensely more to the player that is level 4 than the player that is level 24. If there is some sort of level-scaling "option" I hope it would allow a percentage increase/decrease rather than a fixed level range.
And that raises the problem with how levelling up is designed in some games.
I really feel that the difference between levels 23 & 24 should be just as significant in practical terms as the difference between 3 & 4.
But yes. Level scaling is rubbish. I mean, what's the point of giving me extra damage if you give all the enemies extra HP? This just means that the game doesn't really want to give me the extra damage in the first place. If you're going to make my character more powerful, then you should be able to balance it without needing to level scale. The whole point of getting stronger is so you can curb-stomp some rats.
My perspective on leveling-up is that it should be more about unlocking new and more advanced gameplay mechanics. Low levels are essentially a tutorial for the complex strategies you'll unlock at higher levels.
And this is also why I really feel experience should be more localised to the kind of task you're performing. The game can see you've gotten some practice at persuading NPCs, so it unlocks a new (more fun and complex) mechanic that will allow you to persuade more effectively.
In Bethesda games, it often seems they take the opposite approach. The better you are at lockpicking, the easier it is and that's all there is to it. A lot of games handle this a little bit better when it comes to something like hacking. In Bioshock & Deus Ex: Human Revolution, there was a hacking minigame, and as you progressed you would access more complex versions of that minigame.
The only problem for me is that these were effectively still
minigames. I really feel that a properly designed RPG should design these kinds of mechanics as primary components of the game, to be just as deep as the combat portions of the game.
Renowned Explorers: International Society also has an interesting solution to this, by treating persuasion as a form of combat. However, Metal Gear Solid is still my favourite example, as it balanced its stealth & combat mechanics by treating them as distinct but equally fundamental to the game.
I think
Ace Attorney (and similar games) have the best dedicated "persuasion" mechanics I've seen so far.
