[MUD-Dev2] [DESIGN] NPC-oriented gameplay and XP model: GURPS/EveOnline vs. D&D/Diku

[Mike Rozak]

In GURPS and EveOnline, players receive a fixed amount of experience points per real-time day, which they can then use to increase skills. XP-to-skill conversion acts as a real-time-based resource allocation sub-game. XP comes in at a fixed rate per day, and players must predict what skills they'll need in the future (over the course of days/weeks), then allocate the XP into the proper skills.

In D&D/Diku, XP is more of a reward, like a pinball machine. There is still an allocation sub-game, but it's no longer based on a real-time trickle of XP, so it doesn't force the player to plan as far ahead.

My current design for CircumReality (www.CircumReality.com) uses the GURPS model. One of the reasons I chose this was because it makes it easier for less-skilled players to complete the game. Given that I expect a total game to be short, 5-15 hours of play, a hard-core (skilled) player will get through the content in a few days. However, a less-skilled player will (a) probably not have as much time to commit per day, and (b) will give up for the day (in furstration) when stuck. When a less-skilled player returns the next day, they have 1 XP which they can improve an appropriate skill with, making their gameplay a little bit easier the next day. The longer the game takes to play, the easier it gets.

However, while fine tuning the game, I've noticed that the in-game rewards tend to be implicit, and that explicit rewards are far and few between. The difference is an adventure game (where rewards come once an hour-ish) vs. a CRPG (with rewards for actions coming every few minutes). Thus, I'm considering handing out XP for actions, rather than per-day.

But there's a twist: CircumReality isn't about killing orcs to get loot/XP to kill more orcs. It's about observing NPC behaviours and using that knowledge to befriend the NPC, which leads to other NPCs higher up the social hierarchy. (There is still some combat.) If there were XP rewards for deeds, they would be handed out when (a) a player learned a rumor/factoid about a NPC, and (b) a quest is completed. Rumors/factoids can be learned by observation (spying) or asking the right questions to the right NPCs. Once learned, rumors/factoids can be told to other NPCs to cause a reaction. (A wife might like to know about her cheating husband, for example.) So, there's potentially a case (c) where telling another NPC knowledge that produces a positive NPC reaction also provides an XP reward... although rewards may not be needed in that case.

I'm worried though, that by switching to the more frequent rewards, I will:
- Break the way the GURPS model helps less-successful players get through the game. (although I could use WoW's "rested" scheme)
- Step onto the slippery slope of the grind.
- Make the experience feel to game-like.
- Attract too many achievers and not enough explorers/socializers.

Any ideas?