[MUD-Dev2] [DESIGN] Removing the almighty experience point...

[Tom Hudson]

> You can access level N+1 when, and only when, you have at least N
> achievements of level N or above.
> Achievements are used to measure your prowess, game knowledge,
> mastery of your class, interaction with other players, whatever.
> Each achievement is individual and unique. A repeat of the exact
> same circumstances means nothing.

As far as I can tell from the website, this is reminiscent of the mode
that A Tale in the Desert moved to in telling 3. (I've only played in
1 and 2.) See http://atitd.com/levels.html. You can advance to a new
level when you complete N achievements; only 3 are available
initially, but as you reach higher levels, new achievements become
available.

> If you plan a level 40 cap, you have to come with at least
> 780 different achievments, just to have at least enough to finish
> each level in turn, and the amount you need to design grows with the
> square of the level cap.

The practical minimum is higher than that, since that leaves you only
one way through the content, which must be available to all classes -
and this is a minor problem in ATitD, too, since there are only 3
principles you can complete at first level, even though there were at
least 7 different sets of principles in earlier versions of the game.
Pharoah could very well have done it this way since some of the sets
of principles are generally easier for a new player in the game to
approach.

> Some players will also find themselves locked out of higher levels.
> Unless they manage to master enough aspects of the game, it is
> physically impossible for them, no matter how long they can play per
> week, to access the higher end of the game (the elite syndrome: only
> "skilled" players can be of high level), which might discourage
> players.

What's to stop players from concentrating on one sphere, earning some
high-level achievements there, and then moving to another sphere?

Tom