Experience Points, Post Counts, and Levels

[Sarra]

If someone wanted a way to track levels that is similar to who how it was done at the old Tower of the Sun site...

Use the Class and Experience table in the LWRPG.

1 post = 100 experience points...

So Sarra has 160 posts (16,000xp)

I just achieved 6th level not too long ago...

[zipp]

I guess I'd probably be somewhere around 8th level, then. I'm too lazy to actually check ^_^

[Al]

Do we want to have a system that links post count to levels? I was never comfortable with that.

[eviltb]

Hmmmm. I dont think such a system would be relevant while we're based here. We all know ourselves what level our own characters are, or rather, where we would rank in our own class structure, so as long as we RP to that, it would reflect better then having a lvl system based on post count.

[Beowuuf]

I seem to recall 460 or 490 posts being some form of landmark, I'm guessing Master status

FEAR MY VAKERO KNIGHT-ITUDE!


And I agree, I think everyone knows their RP level. As long as your WW character doens't rocket in levels for no good reason over a short period of time, and as long as starting characters don't play as if they are also the new GRand Master of their particular class, it's much better to go by that.

After all, a WW posts happens every so often and coveres not much time, when the forum post count faily clocks up. Umm, for some of us. *whistles innocently and sidesteps out of the thread*

[Sarra]

Apr 24, 2008 1:57:35 GMT -5 Al said:

Do we want to have a system that links post count to levels? I was never comfortable with that.

I agree that there should be a different way of gaining levels. But what?

[Al]

Apr 24, 2008 2:53:00 GMT -5 Sarra said:

Apr 24, 2008 1:57:35 GMT -5 Al said:

Do we want to have a system that links post count to levels? I was never comfortable with that.

I agree that there should be a different way of gaining levels. But what?

I am not sure, but while that system sounded good in theory, when put to the test it was shown to be flawed as it did not take into account that a lot of posting can be either meaningless from an RP perspective, the "Happy Birthday Kai Lord Hairy Beaver!" kind of posts, which while appropriate, do not really fit the scope of it.

As for an alternate system, I am not sure. You could limit the link to certain threads, such as class forums, the west watch and tournaments - but that still has the same problem, more even, as hosting a tournament may be good for the site, but in RP terms does it really mean much for your character? I am not sure.

I just thought we should talk about this as levels are/were intrinsically linked to an awful lot on the site.

[Ghost Bear]

As another alternate system, you could look up your postcounts on this:

homepage.ntlworld.com/danevans/tots/ranks/main.htm

It's a set of pages I was working on for the main site before it went AWOL.

It might be out of date too, so if anything needs updating, give me a shout.

Incidentally, I think we should probably look at increasing those post counts - maybe going so far as to double each requirement since they look to be designed with the new site in mind.

-GB

[eviltb]

GB, absolute legend for having the rank stuff like that!!

[Al]

Apr 24, 2008 4:37:42 GMT -5 eviltb said:

GB, absolute legend for having the rank stuff like that!!

Agreed! That is great GB, I was worried that those would be lost!

[Beowuuf]

I knew there was an external link to that site, I just had no idea what it was! Woohoo

I can fish out the links to the new Vakeros college bars later on!


The trouble is tryign ot make a system foolproof, when clearly it never will be. It just needs to be logical for use, and admins can step in if the system is being abused (though the system should not need admins as an integral part, it's too easy to lose them if their tots time is log on, deal with stuff, log off)

Firstly, if the functions are relatively the same, what do we actually want the level to mean? Should it be responsibility and authority?

Perhaps the commoner level is based on postcount, but means nothing. Reaching level 20 is still considered the pinacle, and it is up to admins etc whether by this time the poster reaches this height they are giving recognised roles or moderation/admin duties or not.

For each class, the foundign of a class will depend on the higher admins and creator to start with, but after that the class accolades determine your 'level'.

For example, the Kai Lords, as prominent characters, perhaps use an award system where every time you do something noteworthy (liek a mini medal) you gain a related discipline. So you have to be active and helpful in many areas to progress, a better one to weed this class out than the post count and 30 days posting rule that I think blocked a few good members with busy lives

Perhaps the knights jump you straight to level 3 when you are accepted (squire/college) but give you stricter rules of RP and member conduct. Each time you visible follow one in a situation (or over a time period) you gain another level.

That way, post count does not determine level and each class can come up with a distinctive structure. For example, the darklands forces didn't differentiate the various races, whereas this way you could.

For the west watch, there might be certain post count and participation stipulations, with your character only able to start as high as you were when you entered (or lower) and never being allowed to be written any higher than your current level. That way, you can keep two separate character levels if you wish, and it's up to your writing to amalgamate them eventually.

You might have more thigns linked to levels perhaps - certain items can only be bought at a high enough level and for certain classes, etc

Obviously, the trouble with the above system is that it needs member administration to recognise and raise the level of people somehow.

At least with fixed guidelines and automated gainign of levels, there can be no arguments nor stalling of the leveling process if top members are not available

[Agrarvyn]

Awesome, GB! I knew you had your site, but I'd forgotten how developed it was!

Double the numbers required to level is probably an excellent idea, but it's still a shame that we weren't able to save all the new Nadziranim ranks.

[zipp]

Apr 24, 2008 3:57:44 GMT -5 Al said:

Apr 24, 2008 2:53:00 GMT -5 Sarra said:

As for an alternate system, I am not sure. You could limit the link to certain threads, such as class forums, the west watch and tournaments - but that still has the same problem, more even, as hosting a tournament may be good for the site, but in RP terms does it really mean much for your character? I am not sure.

I just thought we should talk about this as levels are/were intrinsically linked to an awful lot on the site.

This is what I always thought should happen. In my opinion you should gain levels for the following things:

Anything posted in your class forum. I'm not really worried about spamming here, since class discusions are limited by class leaders to things only relevant to that class

Tournaments- this one was the one that always made the most sense to me. Being in a tournament would give you a lot of actual combat experience. It's as close as training as we can simulate.

WW- obviously posts in the WW should count, as that (along with tournaments) is the main place where levels come into play.

[Agrarvyn]

People just wouldn't advance very quickly, if at all then, unless they posted a great deal in the WW, entered a lot of tournaments or practically ran their class forum singlehandedly

[Ghost Bear]

zipp said:

Anything posted in your class forum. I'm not really worried about spamming here, since class discusions are limited by class leaders to things only relevant to that class

I'm in favour of this only if the class forums are made public viewable (viewable only, not postable). If you're going to earn xp for advancing your class, it's only proper that it should be done publicly.

Tournaments- this one was the one that always made the most sense to me. Being in a tournament would give you a lot of actual combat experience. It's as close as training as we can simulate.

Would this be 'any post in the Tourney forums' or 'any post in a tournament thread?' I suspect the latter would be difficult to administrate.

WW- obviously posts in the WW should count, as that (along with tournaments) is the main place where levels come into play.

So, what you (collectively you) are proposing is that XP (and thus advancement in your class) becomes specifically a representation of your roleplay contribution to the site, rather than a mark of your general contribution to the site? I have few objections in principle, but how do we propose to reward people for their non roleplay representation?

Would 'gold per post' be adequate for this?

Would you like to see XP represented as an extra stat? Which would essentially be 'post count in class forums, tourney forums and the West Watch?

It's an interesting idea, worth exploring.

-GB