NWN2: XP caps discussion

[Magonushi]

Agreed that DM needs to take DM 101 to learn how to reward properly.

[Aerthrin]

Sounds much the same as my xp gains rotku. *shrugs* I thought that was the norm... but I'm starting to realize it isn't.

Course, I never had to fight a devil or anything else as juicy as you've been in. Matter of fact... getting a Visa built for my toon last night was the first time I seen a DM in a while... and another treated me to a great bit of RP with another toon... just watching it all happen was great.

I forgot how much fun DM's make the game. Hope there's more around here somewhere.

REWARD RP WITH TEH XP!!!!
(and look for low lvl toons now and then )

[Rotku]

Thats utterly ridiculous that is all the xp you got from that much time Rotku

Aye, but I'd happily repeat events like that any day, even if it is for no XP! It's the fun that matters. Yes, the XP is a nice bonus on top, but the amount of fun that one gets from a good DMed event is unpricable with XP.

[Magonushi]

And what if the DM had given you 2000 XP instead? All DMs should strive towards standardization as far as rewards go. That's what I take away from situations like that.

[Drankathar]

heheh try 75exp for a 5 hour quest... and thats total


seriously, why not just leave the system the way it is, if people lvl to quickly for everyone else then get a dm to check it. Sadly some people ((me at this point in time)) dont have jobs/school/odd commitments/ wives/hubbies to steal our time awway as such we tend to play alot more then others and gain abit more exp as well... *shrugs* just my 2c

[Keith Mac]

The idea of standardized exp makes me cringe.....I like to think that I am trying my best to have creative and realistic RP with the hope that I will be rewarded better then others who do not try as hard or maybe aren't even capable . (Im referring to DM granted exp of course)

Here are some points I have gained from this thread and I truly believe this is simple to solve.

1. Give the RP exp script to all servers so those who just sit around fishing, drinking at the inn or sitting in their rooms waiting for others to log on get something for their precious time(It adds a bonus for peeps to stick it out awhile when nobody else is online and helps to attract peeps to log on)

2. Set a WEEKLY limit of 2000 xp (I think thats fair from what i have read and anybody getting more then that really needs to get a life or has a buddy thats a DM )

3. Make a script that gives you exp for killing something only Once and then turns off(this would be a comprimise for the peeps who want no exp for killing and those who just want diminishing returns and would certainly get rid of farming ).

4. Let it be widely known that even though there is an exp script dm's should still give out exp for RP and adventures. Sometimes I think servers with the rp exp script dont get awarded from dm's because there getting some exp just for logging on ).

5. (off topic but had to throw it in ) Any Item over plus 1 in enhancement or plus 4 in skill points has to be awarded by a dm only....No shops or spawns.....and secondly has to be created with a unique name.....and third has to be recorded in a compendium of ALFA's unique items that everybody has access to....I think it would be cool to see whats out there!

Post script: I would like some feedback if possible...I seem to be ignored on most of my posts and am wondering if its the way I write down my thoughs in these posts or if its because people just dont know who I am and brush my thoughts off as inconsiquential......Or maybe because they have no pictures (I truly am so computer illiterate I don't know how to import pictures, avatars or even cut and paste from others posts)

[Overfilled Cup]

welcome Keith Mac..

Good points..I think there is a lot of controversy when you throw in RP sctipts, DM awarded exp and static spawn exp..that can add up pretty quickly in my experience.. But good points all and well thought out.

I like the idea of non repeatable exp for encounters. The only flaw with that is with risk should come some form of exp..I prefer the 1 exp point version of that idea..2000 exp a week cap is definently generous..I cant remember the last time i received that kind of exp in a week..

OC

[Vendrin]

Which is why it's a cap. Your not supposed to hit it often. So it's generous for a reason.

[Valiantman]

Hmm. Aerthin has said about all I was going to say. I don't comment the "xp scripts" conversation but I definently want to point out that what he's telling is IMO the biggest reason for the loss of players in ALFA.

A new player arrives (like me last May) and is exited to find out that there's actually a real RPing community in the middle of those GS server lists. He goes through OAS and learns to really like ALFA, because he gets DM attention. After all, there are times when DMs are online plus they are supposed to get every applicant they can to participate when they run their sessions.

Fine. The player soon gets in and enter live ALFA. What next? Two extreme possibilities:

1) He happens to find a server with quite a few players and enjoys RPing with them. Every once in a while a DM shows up to arrange something fancy and perhaps aid the PC further in his "life." The PC gets some xp but the amount is not very important as long as there are other PCs to travel and adventure with.

2) What Aerthin said. Some server hopping to find players. Great some guys to play with. Now the DM and xp... Nope, all the DMs whose times match your own are running quests for regular groups or players. Okay, how about those statics... With a single lvl 1: deadly. With a group: better but still not enough to advance a level = no furthering the PC's life. And when you die: back to the same statics. Solution: More creating of new chars on different servers.

More than frustrating. I myself have not had a single session with a DM since I started playing live. (Okay, most of that are because I started DMing on OAS to get even something to do but still.) This thread is going to have a great impact to my decision to buy or not to buy NWN2 when it comes out. (Has a lot to do with the becoming server structure too.)

[Zakharra]

Solution: More creating of new chars on different servers.

*hauls out the decayed horse corpse and hands out a stick*

Dead horse topic! Beat it at your peril!

[Mayhem]

How about:

No XP for creatures that are just "there"

But:

Throw in a number of static quests whereby players must travel from a to b, carrying a token item to do with that quest.

Throw in some spawns on routes that *only* spawn when somebody is carrying the token. For these monsters, you get XP.

Thus you get XP when your encounter with a monster *means something*, but not for any monster you happen to stumble accross whilst randomly exploring.

[Aerthrin]

I'm with Keith and Valiantman and agree with Mayhem.

Here's my overall on what a great system would be, taken from the context and input of this and the other RP/PG type threads, fwiw:

• A 2K xp limit seems to make sense, though DM's in a regular 101 should on their own be able to decide on the numbers. The cap, I think is quite generous and fair... and at least we can all say that there is something in place to further deter the PG'ers and keep the uber-celerated toons to a minimum. Do away with logged in scripted RP, replace it with more static quests and DM's that award fairly... I'll get to those two in a minute.
• Make ALL static spawns non-xp. They are there for the sake of RP anyways, and should not be the GOAL of any static quest... so why make them rewards? By that I mean, static spawns are 'what you run into' on the way from A to B. They spice up the gameplay and excitement, but should not be the goal. DM's should handle all quests that have killings in the plotline. Static quests should be generics that help you deal with everyday life on the server... explore, report, deliver, patrol, scout, etc. These are statics that make sense, sure you run into spawns on the way, but that's not the mission. That is a sidenote, and a bard, rogue, cleric, etc., is more likely to go around then to charge through. Why should they get less XP? They RP'd their toon as they should have and completed the mission well. I'm not saying do away with any static spawns, just the XP tied to them. We don't need it in my eyes.
• For those creature kills that give XP, make XP a scalable thing. Tied in to the CR value makes sense, but that's a bit misleading... perhaps a grading on an avg. standard. Is this a critter that a lvl1 can handle? Or a lvl2? Or lvl3?... and make sure that there are plenty made for each. These can be DM dropable creatures that lend XP, relevant to their grade/scale. And if they 'have to be' tied to static quests, the NPC giving the quest can be scripted to check for lvl and give XP relevant to how much 'training' that quest provided. (ie.) a lvl10 would not find it as difficult to kill a Type 1 monster to win the bobble at quests end that a lvl1 would. As such, a lvl1 would easily 'learn' more from the doing... so now you have a plausible RP reason for the grading and XP scale.
• Make more statics that reward XP (in the above fashion, not really killing related). You could make a static quest out of 'going to a bar to talk, bard's singing, clerics praying' etc. The issue in all these PG threads in my eyes isn't 'is everyone PG'ing out there' because let's be honest... very little of this happens in ALFA. Too hard, too much work and too much worry of getting caught. Why would a 'real' PG'er come here when there are so many hack/slash worlds to choose from in GS? We all hate to see Joe Bloe (Not pointed at you Keith, sry for example) with no job and no kids and no wife lvl faster, but hey... he's on more! Slowing him down so we feel better about ourselves is anti-alfa imho. He's not a PG'er, he's just on more, and should be rewarded, not punished. I think the issue should be 'how many DM's award fairly' and that is likely answered 'the majority'. So let's just game, make things relevant to RP and leave the DM's to their devices and 101's. With the few changes to statics, CR's and rewards I think that the rest will sort itself out just fine.

That's my little outline and thought. All of it is just idea, but I really do think that random static spawn creatures that reward XP are 'anti' RP if anything. Less 'killxp' and more 'staticquest/nonkillxp' would make ALFA a lot better, and much more balanced imho.

Just a thought, hope all are well... and man I really typed a book that time... I need to go game... lol.

//bye - aer

[coach]

hehe, these peeps arguing about not wanting to cap must really know how to find the xp

my PC this week in three DM led quest sessions:

6 hours sunday = 0 xp
4 1/2 hours tuesday = 0xp
3 1/2 hours friday = 120 xp

15 hours (DMs on at all times) = 120xp

now, don't cry for me cause i had a blast

[Magonushi]

I'd also really like to see a new feature with the XP wand.

Imagine activating the wand selecting a PC and then they get 50-100 XP every hour that the DM either keeps the feature on or until that DM logs. That way a DM doesn't have to worry about standard XP during a quest with the PCs he is working with.

[Example]

DM A logs on and awards XP aquired by the XP scripts to PCs that are deserving and then begins a quest with four PCs. One player isn't really adding much but is helping the other three in some way.

DM uses the XP wand and sellects 100 XP per hour for the first three and let's say sets the last at 90 XP.

The five ALFAans bathe in merriment for a 3 hour quest. At the end of each hour each player is given their due XP without the DM having to stop the quest. One player needs some one on one time with the DM before the DM logs so the DM goes to the XP wand and selects (deactivate hourly XP) and selects the three other PCs with that function thereby turning off their hourly XP rewards while keeping the other PC's on.

The last PC finishes up their personal matter in another hour and gets the last bit of standard XP as the DM logs. The hourly XP of the remaining PC then turns off with the absense of the XP wand that initially granted it.

[/Example]

Now this timed awarding could be given out in 30 minute, 15 minute, etc. segments if the community so chose. What do people think? I doubt such a heartbeat code would be too hard to script in, but I could be wrong.