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

[Vincent Archer]

According to Ben Hawes:
> Brian Hook wrote:

>> Equalization is one tack, another is to separate players by skill
>> (leagues or handicaps, such as in competitive sports) or ignore
>> advancement altogether and provide paths that don't measure
>> achievement.

> Yes, that too, is an answer. But without achievement and
> advancement, I don't see any long-term appeal for a lot of
> players. Not all, certainly, but it will limit your appeal.

In a way, that's what the systems I proposed achieve. Each level is
a kind of league/handicap that defines how well you can play the
game.  There are already leagues in these games. In EQ, you have the
casual gamer (lower than 65), the mid-gamer (65 in small guild), the
raider (65 in a raid guild) and the uber (65 in the top guild).

However, belonging to one of these leagues is derived chiefly from
your playtime. The lower than 65 aren't playing often, or started
recently. The raiders and ubers manage to do so because they can
spend at least 3 hours a night 5 days a week.

And while it takes a modicum of skill to get an uber guild started,
it doesn't require skill by each and every member to get into
one. All it requires is to have the level (time spent grinding), the
AA (time spent grinding), and the flags (time spent in a lesser
guild getting flags). If your new guild is not willing to help you
to them, that is.

The achievement model switches away the measuring stick from time to
skill plus time. You do need to spend time to get achievements, but
skill will make these faster, and if you lack elementary ones, then
you will hit a ceiling sooner than others.

The real reason that EQ's grind works is that it gives players the
illusion they can belong to higher leagues. "After all, I'm 65 like
Soandso". All it takes is just enough time to get to level 65.


As for the grind, most of my friends hate it. They are willing to
endure it for the cheese (the ability to get into areas that are
tailored for higher levels), but they hate it. Out of all my
friends, I'm the only one that is remotely considering stopping EQ
and going into WoW. The others all have the same reason: "I haven't
gotten to 65 to start all over again in another game". They just
spent the last year doing all kind of stuff (quests, epics, keys &
flags), and they positively want to get level 70 over and done, and
stop grinding again.

The grind is not something they like. It's something they're willing
to do, because they don't see any alternative.

--
	Vincent Archer			Email:	archer at frmug.org

All men are mortal.  Socrates was mortal.  Therefore, all men are Socrates.
							(Woody Allen)
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