10-20-2021, 12:19 AM
This is something that I've been ruminating on for a long while and would like to eventually put it into action and experiment, but it will be a somewhat extreme shift and needs more consideration/feedback! I'm putting it out that far in advance of an eventual change to give it time to be processed.
But the gist is that I think we need to take a careful look at how journals are handled and how they can often demotivate rather than reward and encourage due to their nature. No matter how responsive and on their game the staff are, there are always going to be complaints of misjudgements, wait times, bias, etc, because it's just human. After over eight years of managing various forms of forum applications, I can say that I am happiest with the current iteration of the system, and believe that thanks to the organizational proactivity of Theori, Milly, Avajain, & every other journal admin, we're currently at our best barring the occasional lull that creeps up on us.
Yet I'm still not satisfied, and never will be with the current way the system works.
So here's my suggestion. It's a somewhat radical change that should be considered and implemented during the next large update, timeskip, expansion, whatever. Automate hidden acquirement, & also rename them to signature/master spells because 'hiddens' is a weird term. Have applications reserved only for game changing things & unique gear (massive projects/wonders, legendary magic, so on).
Instead: Make most signatures public. Add Primordial Flame and Glorious Inferno to the Fire tree. Put Chronos in Time. Cruel Thesis & Spring's Bloom in Nature. So on. Expand the combat style page with the variations of master/exalted styles. Every aura, toggle-buff, attack, aside from spells that have a very heavy IC.
Make all cost HT/Hidden Tokens, and remove automatically gaining 1 at 200RPL.
Instead, every 5 dangers you should be awarded a HT, capped @ 6 total.
Overly strong spells (SFW, Wintermute, Holy Titan, CA) should cost 3 or more, an exalted stance would be 2 total (1 for master, 1 for upgrade) but cost 0 RPP beyond the 5 base cost you currently pay. An aura might be 2.
Let me outline the immediate, justified concerns that might arise from such a system:
Subpar players who danger farm will be the strongest.
Scroll through this thread and consider that the most prominent combatants in the world's history all have a high number of encounters, these are your 'danger farmers'. The truth is that the vast majority of this community are excellent. There are very few players who low effort danger/fight, and even then... why shouldn't they be rewarded? Why can they not be strong? It's up to the political leaders in the game to effectively guide them; someone doesn't need to be the best roleplayer to a.) have a good time, and b.) contribute to a faction through effective leadership from someone above.
I believe that every player who has reached these numbers has been a positive influence on the game, no matter who it is. If it's an OOC issue where someone is known to insult or berate others in LOOC, then they should be reprimanded & have HT removed following a warning. But if someone is playing by the rules, being cooperative? Then they absolutely deserve what comes to them by applying time and passion to the game. I think the cases of toxicity will be managed better and more directly if such a system is added, too, because no one is going to put up with it, nor the admins, which grants an effective mode of punishment that hopefully inspires change within the person.
Not every player enjoys constant battle/PvP. They should be rewarded too.
Agreed completely.
Which is why I think:
1.) On special occasions, a DM should be able to reward HT during an event with pre-approval, ideally the kinds that encourage interaction between multiple factions or are the peak of an event chain. This should be reserved for players who are proactive and simply aren't the fight-y types.
2.) Similarly, those who are actively leading / organizing player events should be considered but are moreso support than in-the-trench combatants and should be considered/discussed by admins (some sort of journal/tracker) for direct HT awards. Maybe you can even have factions nominate characters directly.
It'll encourage 'low effort' battle roleplay.
Let's be honest, is it really a bad thing if there's an incentive for two people to fight/risk injury & develop a story from that? A feud that starts on a whim can bring color in the long-term. There will be checks in place to prevent common forms of abuse (gaining points from low RPLs & the same person on repeat).
We can investigate/flag forms of potential abuse easily enough. I don't think it'll be a problem.
Those are the primary concerns, I'd say, and maybe there are more, hence the thread.
Let me know your thoughts overall. Thank you!
But the gist is that I think we need to take a careful look at how journals are handled and how they can often demotivate rather than reward and encourage due to their nature. No matter how responsive and on their game the staff are, there are always going to be complaints of misjudgements, wait times, bias, etc, because it's just human. After over eight years of managing various forms of forum applications, I can say that I am happiest with the current iteration of the system, and believe that thanks to the organizational proactivity of Theori, Milly, Avajain, & every other journal admin, we're currently at our best barring the occasional lull that creeps up on us.
Yet I'm still not satisfied, and never will be with the current way the system works.
So here's my suggestion. It's a somewhat radical change that should be considered and implemented during the next large update, timeskip, expansion, whatever. Automate hidden acquirement, & also rename them to signature/master spells because 'hiddens' is a weird term. Have applications reserved only for game changing things & unique gear (massive projects/wonders, legendary magic, so on).
Instead: Make most signatures public. Add Primordial Flame and Glorious Inferno to the Fire tree. Put Chronos in Time. Cruel Thesis & Spring's Bloom in Nature. So on. Expand the combat style page with the variations of master/exalted styles. Every aura, toggle-buff, attack, aside from spells that have a very heavy IC.
Make all cost HT/Hidden Tokens, and remove automatically gaining 1 at 200RPL.
Instead, every 5 dangers you should be awarded a HT, capped @ 6 total.
Overly strong spells (SFW, Wintermute, Holy Titan, CA) should cost 3 or more, an exalted stance would be 2 total (1 for master, 1 for upgrade) but cost 0 RPP beyond the 5 base cost you currently pay. An aura might be 2.
Let me outline the immediate, justified concerns that might arise from such a system:
Subpar players who danger farm will be the strongest.
Scroll through this thread and consider that the most prominent combatants in the world's history all have a high number of encounters, these are your 'danger farmers'. The truth is that the vast majority of this community are excellent. There are very few players who low effort danger/fight, and even then... why shouldn't they be rewarded? Why can they not be strong? It's up to the political leaders in the game to effectively guide them; someone doesn't need to be the best roleplayer to a.) have a good time, and b.) contribute to a faction through effective leadership from someone above.
I believe that every player who has reached these numbers has been a positive influence on the game, no matter who it is. If it's an OOC issue where someone is known to insult or berate others in LOOC, then they should be reprimanded & have HT removed following a warning. But if someone is playing by the rules, being cooperative? Then they absolutely deserve what comes to them by applying time and passion to the game. I think the cases of toxicity will be managed better and more directly if such a system is added, too, because no one is going to put up with it, nor the admins, which grants an effective mode of punishment that hopefully inspires change within the person.
Not every player enjoys constant battle/PvP. They should be rewarded too.
Agreed completely.
Which is why I think:
1.) On special occasions, a DM should be able to reward HT during an event with pre-approval, ideally the kinds that encourage interaction between multiple factions or are the peak of an event chain. This should be reserved for players who are proactive and simply aren't the fight-y types.
2.) Similarly, those who are actively leading / organizing player events should be considered but are moreso support than in-the-trench combatants and should be considered/discussed by admins (some sort of journal/tracker) for direct HT awards. Maybe you can even have factions nominate characters directly.
It'll encourage 'low effort' battle roleplay.
Let's be honest, is it really a bad thing if there's an incentive for two people to fight/risk injury & develop a story from that? A feud that starts on a whim can bring color in the long-term. There will be checks in place to prevent common forms of abuse (gaining points from low RPLs & the same person on repeat).
We can investigate/flag forms of potential abuse easily enough. I don't think it'll be a problem.
Those are the primary concerns, I'd say, and maybe there are more, hence the thread.
Let me know your thoughts overall. Thank you!