Transitioning away from ability apps

[Chance]

Signature Progress (PP)
Progress Points: 1 point per EXP, 0.5 point per influence gained. Quests/dungeons do not contribute to this however.

Standout Character: Every 2 weeks, Staff will view the commendations from that period. After a quick discussion, each Staff member selects up to 5 characters based on what they know and the commendations (not the # of them, just using it as insight). Then once selected, in a forum thread those standout characters are highlighted with the commendations quoted (assuming no sensitive info) and granted a +50% Signature PP modifier that lasts for 2 weeks.

Should be 25-30 characters or so nominated bi-weekly for the standout reward. Maybe also include which Staff member chose which characters (though claims of bias perhaps, but I like the transparency). Staff can also include an optional comment, or choose to be anonymous.

So this would more or less replace the current app process/work.

Havoc Modifier: (maybe a different name) Players can declare this via the /havoc command, and it lasts for 3 years. It increases the amount of signature EXP they gain from dangerous+ battles, but also sets them with the Wrath modifier so there's more risk involved in their battles; highlights their name similar to outlaw.

Signature Skill Tree: Make this an in-game skill tree, and provide more purchase options. Signature EXP should be a currency to spend rather than a linear goal; small things that can customize your character (spell recolors, classes, etc) to minor passives and buffs, and then the 'big' buys (Signatures).

Each Skill/buy is assigned a value. So Glorious Inferno might cost 80k PP, but Elemental Fury might cost 30k. Probably a way to upgrade/refund Master tier Signatures (because upgrading/exchanging to Exalted is valid progression). 

The menu itself should be similar to the spell menu but much larger with multiple categories (Auras, Buffs, Passives, Utility, Classes, etc).

It would also probably make sense for the public master spells (purchased via the 2 tokens) to be incorporated into this, so there's not multiple similar systems.

[Velkor]

So a question with this. is there a limit to how many tokens we can get since it is a experience thing now? Or am I misreading it. Or can we still app for signatures that are at master and exalted level if we want to?

[Ohverride]

I think the Standout Character thing is a bit... Eh? Only due to the fact that Commendation is something I forget to use often, and even so, I believe that it would make characters that are less known but still very cool fly under the radar. I do like the idea that there is a 'currency' to this ordeal, sort of moving away from as many apps - and the havoc modifier is a VERY interesting, but also very cool choice.

The only issue with the havoc modifier is I think it's a snowball of sorts. We already have people who know how to 'work the game' per se and come out with some very strong builds, spam /havoc and they'll be battlechadding it up with a ton of stuff to spend to pad them out!

I think it may take some more workshopping, but there is something there for sure. Progress points can truly be a nice idea. (Please keep some form of apping though, in the event it can be done without the PP? Saved for intense or interesting story beats, of course.)

[Chance]

So a question with this. is there a limit to how many tokens we can get since it is a experience thing now? Or am I misreading it. Or can we still app for signatures that are at master and exalted level if we want to?

No apps.

Mythics can be obtained via mentorship / lorekeepers, however. Thinking they should have a PP cost (but it doesn't need ot be as huge as Master/Exalted Signatures).

Keep the form for unique requests anyway, just less pressure on the Staff and more autonomy for players.

[Velkor]

So a question with this. is there a limit to how many tokens we can get since it is a experience thing now? Or am I misreading it. Or can we still app for signatures that are at master and exalted level if we want to?

No apps.

Mythics can be obtained via mentorship / lorekeepers, however. Thinking they should have a PP cost (but it doesn't need ot be as huge as Master/Exalted Signatures).

Ok so outside of mythics is there a limit to how many signatures one can have then with this new system?

[Chance]

I think the Standout Character thing is a bit... Eh? Only due to the fact that Commendation is something I forget to use often, and even so, I believe that it would make characters that are less known but still very cool fly under the radar. 

Start using it then.
Right now we get a good flow of commends & I think it'll only increase with this system, so, I don't see that as a problem.

& all it takes is for someone to have 1 commend to potentially be chosen for standout, in the end it's hard to fly under the radar unless you're well...not standout. That's just how it is sometimes.

[Kartoffelstampfer]

Oh I am not in favor of the havok modifier at all. I get the idea but that just sounds like the strong getting stronger. There are already too many battle-chads about and it doesn't help that a few certain builds in rotation (*cough* cosmic metal *cough*) only make the progress on THOSE strong people faster. That is sadly something where I am very against things.

[aidanj5277]

Personally I thought the idea you posted yesterday with the sig list / xp requirement was pretty good as is. I think overhauling it to an entire system with a bunch of actual physical development changes we have to wait for could lead to this being an idea we never see fully realized.

Liked the original idea better than this one.

The commendation thing is eh, 90% of the time no one really cares enough to commend you, and most of the time I even have good enough RP I even think to remember to commend somebody the cooldown on it prevents me from doing so so I gotta hit them with the “hey I would’ve commended you but can’t” only for the cycle to repeat. Along the same lines the “Standout” thing is kind of meh, I feel like anything put to the discretion of staff will be at risk of bias, and this would also add something for staff to have to pay attention to / do, which I thought was kind of the purpose of removing the application process to begin with - 1 less thing for staff to do, and removing bias when coming to receiving signatures.

The Havoc modifier thing is cool though, add that.

[Velkor]

If I'm honest. I'm down for this new system. I just don't want to see the amount of signatures we can get limited. Cause of issues that arise from that. Such as min maxing and so on.

The the commends thing also feeds into something i hate. Popularity contest. And I'm saying that as someone that had like 5 commends...I dont mind bringing a light to people but i can also see it being the same few people over and over possibly.

[Chance]

The commendation thing is eh, 90% of the time no one really cares enough to commend you, and most of the time I even have good enough RP I even think to remember to commend somebody the cooldown on it prevents me from doing so so I gotta hit them with the “hey I would’ve commended you but can’t” only for the cycle to repeat. Along the same lines the “Standout” thing is kind of meh, I feel like anything put to the discretion of staff will be at risk of bias, and this would also add something for staff to have to pay attention to / do, which I thought was kind of the purpose of removing the application process to begin with - 1 less thing for staff to do, and removing bias when coming to receiving signatures. 

Staff (and player) bias is frankly a good thing because this is a writing game.

There are players who are great storytellers and uplifting them isn't bad, and that's a biased process of judging each other's writing. Whether that's via a commend or selecting them as standout; it is a competition in that sense. I am going to repeatedly spiritually-ass-pat characters or plots I thought were amazing both as a DM and as a admirer, because that's what I enjoy about this game, seeing writing and stories that inspire me, and to talk about it with others. I want more of that, not less. I want people to seek it and aspire towards it.

And you know what, I much prefer a competition where we're judging (and sometimes fawning!) over each other's writing rather than everything being decided purely by PvP. Boring. Part of why IMO tactical/turnbased combat is going to overshadow realtime as far as a storytelling device goes for conflict resoluton.

So yeah, there should be ways of progress by being a good roleplayer. Something like this is very healthy and also lets the community really make their voice known- when you see the same relatively new character receiving multiple commends, as a Staff member it makes you curious and wanting to learn more. This is good.


Let the players who are focused on writing cool shit eat, simply. Bias is only bad when it favors the undeserving. A process to find the deserving is the key; ofc we're all playing a game and should be having fun/are deserving of things, but there's still an art to it, and that's how it is.