This is just an idea ive been throwing around, and most likely won't happen until i improve exponentially with C++. It would be a game like Team Fortress 2, with class based combat, a first person perspective, and class changes available whenever you die. However, it would implement a sort of level up system. Every kill, your character would gain a level, and it would be handled in typical RPG style, with stat points and skill points, possibly a skill tree for each class. When you die, you are reset to level 1 (or possibly only lose 50%-80% of your total level, still deciding on this one). It would be in a typical fantasy setting, with classes such as mage, knight, berserker, etc. Level ups would work either by in game customization, meaning you would have to find a safe place to distribute points (very hard with all the players looking for that one level 10 guy), or you can set up preset customizations. In game customization allows for more adaptation, at the cost of time, and a chance you could be killed. May possibly include a 1 player campaign, although im still trying to think of a way to handle the skills in a long campaign, when they are made for quicker, online combat.
Like i said, its just an idea ive been entertained by, so it will be over 6 months until i can even think about trying to make this, with school and such. Any neat ideas, issues, or criticisms directed at this game are welcome, after all, thats why i posted it. Just working out the design kinks before i start working on it

There was a fun UT mod that did something like this, you'd get XP for kills and then be able to level up your health, damage, speed, etc. There was also a magic system that was fun to play with. You kept your levels when you died there, but what often happened was the games would be set to 500 kills or 2 hours or something, and when you log inot the server some archmage is out there nuking the world with his fireballs whil I'm trying to earn points with a sharp stick and harsh language.

I'm saying balance could be an issue, since rewarding victory with more power tends to skew the match in a hurry.

Having your level reset when you die will help a lot with that, making levels more akin to killstreak rewards in Call of Duty. Sure, the guy who gets 9 kills in a row gets a big score boost from his helicopter, but it's not like he's riding around in it for the rest of the game, so the match isn't broken. Having a guy get some kind of awesome magic powers or berserker strength or super speed as a result of his success might not be too bad, as long as he can be killed and brought back down to a normal level.

Inevitably, though, it will boil down to a level 1 guy having to beat a level 4 guy in order to get to level 2, and he'll cry like a girl because he loses that fight almost every time.

Global Agenda is the game what you talking about. But it is third person and have JETPACKS!!! , Isn't that awesome enough?

Sounds like a good mod of tf2 or some other game. The source games are programatically modifiable, and modding tf2 to use xp might be neat, especially if all that mod's servers are linked with a central server, which can be rented to run a .exe file for like $10 per month these days, assuming low central server bandwidth requirements to track levels. Also per-server or client side stored levels might work with a mod too.

Sounds like a good mod of tf2 or some other game. The source games are programatically modifiable, and modding tf2 to use xp might be neat, especially if all that mod's servers are linked with a central server, which can be rented to run a .exe file for like $10 per month these days, assuming low central server bandwidth requirements to track levels. Also per-server or client side stored levels might work with a mod too.

actually, it was already gonna be a tf2 mod me and a few friends will get to it, eventually Tracking levels and such wont be too important, levels are going to be game specific, not global. Thats one of the big ideas: you dont spend months levelling your character insanely. Solomon's Boneyard was the inspiration for this level up system: You level up quickly, but you lose it quickly too. It means there are possibly thousands of possibilities, and hugely replayable. I want to include some sort of inventory like in tf2, with unlockable/purchasable weapons, but that would require a central server, and i want to move away from tf2 a bit, the class based combat is already a bit too close to tf2 for my taste.

Sorry for the double post, but i need advice: Snipers? The game is in a fantasy setting, so the typical classes are in, like knight, mage, etc. theres several original ideas in there too, dont worry ;p anyway, im not sure if i should add a sniper-type character, and how it would work without throwing off character balance. ill post the current classes later to give a better idea of whats made and whats not