[MUD-Dev] Exponential experience points and levels

[Ghilardi Filippo]

From: Steven King

> After playing/studying many RPGs, the best experience systems I
> have seen are skill- or pool-based.  These models real-life and
> allows the player to feel familiar with the game mechanic.
> Unfortunately, these systems are extremely prone to macro-ing
> and/or grinding.  Perhaps those downsides are just a necessary
> byproduct, though.

> Personally, I would like to see a system where every character has
> the potential to perform and excel all available skills from the
> start.  Advancement could be based on both specific skills and
> pools.

<snip>

> The more swimming the character does, the more experience he
> gains.  When his Swimming skill has reached 10%, he begins to swim
> with a different stroke, allowing him to change direction better.
> If his Physical pool is also at 10%, his new stroke will allow him
> to swim faster as well.

<snip>

> In other words, as the character swims, he is slightly increasing
> his strength as well as learning more about swimming.

<snip>

> As I said in a previous post, if you hide/disguise some of the
> game mechanic, and focus on gameplay, you could have a gem.
> Content would need to be a large part of a game using a system
> like this, since the skill micro-management element would be
> downplayed.  You'd need to clearly define your set of available
> actions, yet not confine the players.  Does anyone know of a
> system like this already in play?

Yes, there's definitively one :)

You have exactly described Ultima Online, a (by now) 7 year old
MMORPG developed by Origin (rip) and designed by Richard Garriot
(aka Lord British, creator of all Ultima series).

Every character has tens of different skills. Each one can range
from 0 to 100% ability and a limit on maximum value of their sum is
imposed to prevent gran masters in every skill at once.

There's a chance of getting better in a skill by using the skill
itself. Also there's a chance to have stats modified according to
the use of the skills too.

Once skill cap is reached is possible to loose skill points in some
skills to have "room" to raise in others. Doing so, your character
can change and evolve, eventually completely be reworked on the
skills.

For example...  If I start using my axe on trees I get wood logs,
can raise strenght and lumberjacking skills. Similar case if I use a
pick to mine ore, get strenght, get ore to smelt and mining
skill. Using magery will give me magic skills, intelligence and with
time getting better ability to use a wider variety of spells.

As you had imagined, this system is prone to wild-macroing...

I think that UO has the best macroer for a graphical game.

You can find automa-like characters that can do almost anything
completely unattended like but not limited to:

  - moving around mountains and mining ore, getting back to town,
  smelt and stock ingots in an house or at bank

  - making a visit at every shop in everytown to buy items from npc
  if price is worth it, checking to prevent overloading, stocking in
  bank or in house

  - fishing, using boats... and eventually avoiding monsters,
  dropping down useless items and stocking what is needed

  - training almost anykind of skill

  - identifying a GM (Game Master) and blatering something like
  "wops... door bell... have to logout" and dropping connection. (in
  UO unattended macroing is a violation of TOS)

ciao
F.G.
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