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

[John Buehler]

Mike Rozak writes:

> 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.

What is the purpose of having experience points in the game?  Doesn't a
successful interaction with an NPC produce the same effect as experience
points?  That is, there is a sense of achievement and new (or simply
altered) content is available to the player.  It's a bit like a standard
FPS except that instead of shooting the NPCs, the player socializes
through most of the interactions.  Explorers are sated by the
constantly-changing topology of NPC interactions (by getting friendly
with *this* NPC, I've damaged my connection to *that* NPC, perhaps
making it harder to rent a boat to get to the island to meet a third
NPC).

I'm also not sure what it means to have "slow" players in
non-achievement entertainment.  I could imagine a player getting stuck
and being unable to figure out how to get the dockmaster to rent a boat.
 In that case, features in the game to let a player cheat their way
through an interaction would seem to be desirable.  This is similar to
"respeccing" a character in an achievement game.  I made some mistake
earlier, and I want to fix it. Given the NPC relationships, I may have
to spend hours repairing my faction with everyone concerned so that I
can dig my way out of the hole that I'm in.