Suggestion: Profession

Ideas and suggestions for game mechanics and rules.
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Dyslexic_Author
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Suggestion: Profession

Post by Dyslexic_Author »

Before i begin this is not an argument or attempt to start an argument over the time compression on any of alfa servers. if you want to argue that, i implore you, DON'T POST. This is only a attempt to see Profession implemented better into the server.

Profession says you may make ½ your check in gold per day you spend doing it. I’m assuming for this that the average roll is a 10 + ranks. I suggest for the game done for every IG or RP day you spend offline (whichever is easier done) you gain profession gold for it.
Spoiler:
The current in game time compression is 1 hour in game = 7 min real life
24 hours IG = 168min RL = 2hr 48 Min RL
The current role-play time compression is 7 days in game = 1 day real life
24 hours RP = 205min RL = 3hr 25min RL
Spoiler:
8.57 days IG = 24hr RL = 1 1/7 Checks
7 days RP = 24hr RL = 1 Check
For the sake of argument let’s say a player can get anywhere between a 1-25 skill in profession and ten is the average roll, or even the automatic roll we decide to use for ease.
Spoiler:
1 + 10 / 2 = 5g per Check
25+ 10 / 2 = 17g per Check
The way I see it, this is gold that a player could easily make in game though quests at their level and matches well. Bear in mind, this suggestion only applies to “offline” time to represent characters activities when not in game, in line with their profession. I realize that this could be abused as well, players log out and don’t come back for months at a time are suddenly very wealthy which is why I propose that after seven days real life not playing a character doesn’t gather any further profession checks.
Spoiler:
IG Time vrs 7 RL day = 8 Checks = Min 40gp Max 134gp
RP time vrs 7 RL day = 7 Checks = Min 35gp Max 119gp
Profession (Wis; Trained Only)
Like Craft, Knowledge, and Perform, Profession is actually a number of separate skills. You could have several Profession skills, each with its own ranks, each purchased as a separate skill. While a Craft skill represents ability in creating or making an item, a Profession skill represents an aptitude in a vocation requiring a broader range of less specific knowledge.
Check
You can practice your trade and make a decent living, earning about half your Profession check result in gold pieces per week of dedicated work. You know how to use the tools of your trade, how to perform the profession’s daily tasks, how to supervise helpers, and how to handle common problems.
Action
Not applicable. A single check generally represents a week of work.
Try Again
Varies. An attempt to use a Profession skill to earn an income cannot be retried. You are stuck with whatever weekly wage your check result brought you. Another check may be made after a week to determine a new income for the next period of time. An attempt to accomplish some specific task can usually be retried.
Untrained
Untrained laborers and assistants (that is, characters without any ranks in Profession) earn an average of 1 silver piece per day.
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Zelknolf
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Re: Suggestion: Profession

Post by Zelknolf »

Previously proposed; previously shot down. You can carry it to Standards if you're especially keen on it (as the DMA office is the ruling body for this sort of thing), but prognosis is not good.
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Keryn
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Re: Suggestion: Profession

Post by Keryn »

In all honesty even if I understand the way you are thinking, I do not agree with it.

Awarding things for the times you are not playing is counter productive. The base of the game is you get what you play for. You kill something you get a reward, you find a chest and get a reward, etc..etc...

Even though the idea makes sense RP wise, RP cannot be a justification for everything, and it certainly should not go over the game itself. Also you would not be RPing your profession in those down times, since you would not be playing. Setting things in auto-mode, and then reap the rewards would most likely create a great imbalance.

In the end the gold a player could get would simply turn to be magic gold falling in their pockets.

Our economy as it is has been balanced. And in my humble opinion this would simply shift this balance, and would not bring anything new to the game itself.

As Zelk stated, the chances of this idea to get anywhere are slim. I'd even say, there is no chance this will ever get approved.
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Brokenbone
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Re: Suggestion: Profession

Post by Brokenbone »

http://www.alandfaraway.org/forums/view ... e+crafting

This is the thread Z referred to, for DA's benefit.

Profession is mostly about weekly wages, which I think might be where DA's kickoff goes right off the rails assuming it's daily.

ALFA doesn't do the weekly wages scene.

Fortunately we also don't do weekly expenses either. Staying in a "poor" inn, eating "poor" food, bedding "poor" harlots, it'd all add up... probably in a silverpieces type scale.

Still, one could do profession skills and use that for various NPC relationships, be viewed as an expert by PCs and NPCs on whatever topic (jeweller? leatherworker?) etc. Still, it's usually better just to take Craft ranks and be done with it, make the occasional article as opposed to "I work in a smithy, I don't precisely have swords as output, I just generally do off camera stuff and keep a roof over my head."
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t-ice
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Re: Suggestion: Profession

Post by t-ice »

Keryn wrote: Awarding things for the times you are not playing is counter productive.
This.

If you want to tie a gold income to the RPXP loop, so that a PC gains, say 1gp per 1xp on the RPXP, in my opinion just as well. Currently the RPXP is the only kind of xp gain that has no gold income associated, and our wealth standards for better or worse do assume that there is gp per xp. (Scripted quests generally give xp and gp, spawn farming gives loots, DMs generally reward both goods and xp.)
Still, one could do profession skills and use that for various NPC relationships, be viewed as an expert by PCs and NPCs on whatever topic (jeweller? leatherworker?) etc. Still, it's usually better just to take Craft ranks and be done with it, make the occasional article as opposed to "I work in a smithy, I don't precisely have swords as output, I just generally do off camera stuff and keep a roof over my head."
Yes. Putting skills into profession could be a good way to show the DMs that your PC sports a plot hook as a skilled X, and you would love for someone to grab it.
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Re: Suggestion: Profession

Post by Veilan »

I can only second t-ice and BB - rewards for not playing the game isn't such a great policy, but also the assumption that your standard of living is being paid for by that profession or craft you have.

Certainly, you might roleplay out some differences in standard of living there if your character is a successful trader, sought-after carpenter or officer with a lucrative commission - by and large, the roleplayed amenities and abstract handwaving seem to be the reward. Set yourself apart from those scraggly, unwashed, rabble of adventurers by having a respectable vocation!

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Swift
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Re: Suggestion: Profession

Post by Swift »

BB has it right. Profession in our world should essentially be to create a PC who is an expert in a non-craft skill, eg farming, jewel crafting, woodworking etc. It would provide for better NPC relationships in the chosen field which may or may not be useful.

The only thing I could see Profession being useful for in any sort of 'production' capacity might be the fletching of arrows, but that may already be covered by our consumable crafting system. If not, arrows aren't exactly a lucrative market unless you can also enchant them yourself AND sell them cheaper than existing stores.
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Re: Suggestion: Profession

Post by t-ice »

Any particular reason we are necromancying this thread, Veilan? :roll:
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Re: Suggestion: Profession

Post by paazin »

I've allowed profession rolls once per X time for some PCs. Of course it usually comes down to around 10-20 gp so it soon becomes not worth the trouble.
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