[MUD-Dev] Removing the almighty experience point...

[John Buehler]

Sean Kelly writes:
> On Sat, 13 Nov 2004, Amanda Walker wrote:

>> Increasingly, I hear "leveling" being reframed by experienced
>> players as "catching back up."  I find this really, really
>> interesting.

> This is the cost of a static skill system--Diablo 2 being a prime
> example of an online game where the bulk of play time is spent
> "catching up" because the player wanted to try a different char
> build.  I'm not sure what the solution is, though this particular
> issue has caused me to quit more than one online game in the past.

My best solution to that is to say that players can design and
redesign their characters at any time.  Each redesign involves
reallocating skills, and the degree of reallocation determines the
time that it takes to complete the change.  This is simply to ensure
that Boffo doesn't go from master warrior to master wizard in one
day.

The achievement game is then relegated to the *use* of a character
to accomplish tasks.  The achievement of turning in 30 orc ears for
a bounty.  The achievement of creating a fine weapon.  The
achievement of convincing an NPC baron to let your character borrow
money for a business venture.  The achievement of mapping a valley
not on any existing maps.  And so on.

There can be an achievement experience related to the skill system,
where certain skills or skill sets may be added by interactions with
other characters and items.  However, the core set of skills is
intended to be sufficient for players to enjoy the content of the
game from day one.

It would not be a goal of the design to encourage players to make a
game out of finding new and obscure skills in the way that players
seek new and obscure items in many current games.  If the bulk of
players are doing that, then the rest of the game isn't particularly
appealing and the design has failed.

It would be a goal of the design to ensure that social
stratification is not inherent in the basic game systems.  There
would be elements of the content where social stratification is part
and parcel of the game system (such as the rise in political power),
but certainly not at a fundamental level.  No levels.

JB
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