Anyway, nobody actually suggested a hard-cap at level twelve. The idea was that players could progress to level twelve through strictly mechanical means (scripted quests) before requiring DM assistance to level up. To compliment this, I'd also suggest increasing the amount of XP distributed for DM events, that level 20 isn't an impossibility. It seems a fairly elementary thing to me that a roleplaying environment geared around people pretending to be adventurers in a magic fantasy world should reward people for pretending to be adventurers in a magic fantasy world.
"B-b-but DMs will only run things for people they like!"
Hush now child, for all is well. Totems and I have both explicitly stated we'll run events for anybody proactively pursuing a goal. If you read Numos' post from forever back in the DM Facilitation area, he states he's intent on doing the same. If you're not receiving attention, it's not because we don't like you: it's because you're waiting on a DM to show up before pursuing something.
If you don't trust us on that, well. There's honestly not much I can do aside of suggesting you post a DM Facilitation request and see what happens.
Re: High Level Advancement I will also say, I think people who have strong opinions should post on this. This thread wouldn't be here if feedback wasn't desired.
ASFJoffery explains the root of the problem pretty well, currently it's more rewarding to grind. We have some characters on the server less than 8 months old who are nearing level 24 on virtue of hitting up every source of EXP every login. This is sort of counter to design, because we want to make that 6-20 range involve some growth and change and part of a way to do that is to raise DM exp, retune exp from grinding, and re-focus the server back to a less unbalanced state. I want to see epic characters truly be that- epic. The amount of hours you put into the server should mean less than the amount of quality story.
Yeah, a vault wipe can accomplish that, though again I personally worry that's too extreme. In the end though, I get that it'll be the same characters with lower numbers. It's still a very difficult pill to swallow.
I'd much rather undertake the task of re-balancing PCs (epic progression changes, slowing down post 15 XP, etc.) than remove them.
--- Characters: Isania Jalitana- The Huntress (and Mistress Egofantastic.) Calisto - Gryphonrider Nyx Talonbite- Amazon Crystal Champion of Death By Snu Snu
Re: High Level Advancement Players will naturally go with the path of least resistance. Or, in the case of XP, the path of quickest XP.
There does exist a method between doing away with the need for XP and the almost impossible goal of balancing RP and grind XP. I may have suggested it to Numos before, I don't recall.
But that is simply to say something like: All right, you can earn 1000 xp per day. Want to kill mobs for it? Have fun. Want to get a faster rate of RP XP to reach it? You can do that instead. Want to explore for it? Explore for it. DM events can be exempt -- or not.
It's a simple, scriptable way to control the rate of advancement that doesn't shake any foundations too much.
Re: High Level Advancement A daily cap on non-DM exp I can completely get behind. One of the biggest problems we face is balancing too much around people who are willing to put in long hours grinding, that would solve that conundrum. I agree players will go with what nets them the most- I do the same thing.
--- Characters: Isania Jalitana- The Huntress (and Mistress Egofantastic.) Calisto - Gryphonrider Nyx Talonbite- Amazon Crystal Champion of Death By Snu Snu
Re: High Level Advancement I think a server-wipe would be detrimental to the server. Every time a wipe happens on any server, you lose players who change for another server (since they might as well) or they might quit altogether. With our present number of players, this would be a bad decision.
The best way to prevent the build-up of high level characters is to have a system for retirement that makes people want to retire. This could, for example, be an epic plot line arranged with the DMs that brings you into the epic levels before finishing off. It could also be increased XP gain for your new character, increased stats, or simply a higher starting level. Or it could be a combination. It must be attractive to retire epic-level PCs, everything else just delays the inevitable.
Re: High Level Advancement I can try working everything into a single capped system. Might be more around 500. Probably won't have it apply until higher levels.
Re: High Level Advancement The main problem I see with XP being completely dependent on joining events is that everyone will go to these events regardless of wheter or not it is something their character would be remotely interested in (More so than it is already)
On the rare occasions I have not gotten involved in a DM event because I feel it is not only something my char wouldn't do, but something which goes against her nature, I get poked and prodded by multiple people about "not being difficult" and "come get some XP and lewt!"
In any case;
I'd suggest you rather go back to the original system, than do a complete wipe
That is;
Make people need an application to reach lv 21 (And maybe another one for each level after as well, so it's not just about reaching that one barrier, then go back to grinding?)
Personally, I've grinded a lot (Reached lv 19 recently), but it isn't so much about "not caring for RP" as it is the fact few people (Or no people) are on most of the time (EU time zone here).
I personally think this server is changing a bit too often, though (No, not in terms of RPly change and such, but in terms of rules and mechanical changes)
For the past six to eight months, the following changes has hit;
* Max gold for items sold lowered to 10 000
* Max gold for items sold lowered to 5 000
* Max gold for items sold lowered to 2 500
* Lowered XP for mobs
* Upped XP for mobs
* Removed ability scores from certain items, and put in a rule about where they were supposed to be
(Not sure if this still holds)
* Removed XP for mobs past a certain lv (Think it was 15th?)
* Max level was dropped to 21st
* Started giving "RP XP" at a rate of 20 XP now and then
* Max level was upped to 25th
* Re-implanted XP for mobs
* Lowered "RP XP" to 10 XP now and then
* Made /day items into charged items
In any case, back to the issue at hand;
Wheter the "ceiling level" is 5, 12, 15, 20, or even 30...
...People will eventually reach it
(Yes, I am aware part of the issue here is "how they reach it", which is why I previously suggested going back to applications/only lv'ing from events past epic)