experiencePoints

Experience points, often abbreviated XP, are a numerical measure of a player's progression in a game or gamified system. They are earned by performing actions such as defeating opponents, completing quests, discovering areas, or crafting items, and they are typically spent to raise a character's level or unlock new abilities, equipment, or content.

In most games, XP accrues until a threshold is reached, at which point the player levels up. The amount of XP needed per level, and whether it increases over time, is defined by the progression curve. Curves may be linear, stepped, or exponential, affecting pacing and the rate of advancement.

XP can be awarded in various ways: combat XP, quest XP, exploration XP, crafting XP, or social XP. Some titles provide bonus XP for completing multiple goals, finishing tasks quickly, or playing during events. Balancing and design considerations include how the XP system influences pacing, grind, and player satisfaction. Designers adjust rewards, level caps, and multipliers to control progression speed, prevent inflation of levels, and keep challenges engaging.

Technical aspects: in code XP is often stored as a numeric field named experiencePoints, experience_points, or exp; leveling logic uses a progression table to determine the required XP for each level.

Other uses: XP concepts are widely used in gamification and education to motivate learners, with points earned for completing lessons or activities. Examples in games include RPG level-ups granting new abilities and enchantment systems in sandbox titles that require XP to operate.

XP systems are a central, versatile tool in game design, balancing reward, challenge, and motivation.