<!-- MHonArc v2.4.4 --> <!--X-Subject: [MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when. --> <!--X-From-R13: Oaql Qvax <enagubeNrneguyvax.arg> --> <!--X-Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1999 15:34:40 -0800 --> <!--X-Message-Id: 3.0.5.32.19990105153106.0089a720#earthlink,net --> <!--X-Content-Type: text/plain --> <!--X-Reference: 11A17AA2B9EAD111BCEA00A0C9B41793EDC886#forest,origin.ea.com --> <!--X-Head-End--> <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN"> <html> <head> <title>MUD-Dev message, [MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</title> <!-- meta name="robots" content="noindex,nofollow" --> <link rev="made" href="mailto:ranthor#earthlink,net"> </head> <body background="/backgrounds/paperback.gif" bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000" link="#0000FF" alink="#FF0000" vlink="#006000"> <font size="+4" color="#804040"> <strong><em>MUD-Dev<br>mailing list archive</em></strong> </font> <br> [ <a href="../">Other Periods</a> | <a href="../../">Other mailing lists</a> | <a href="/search.php3">Search</a> ] <br clear=all><hr> <!--X-Body-Begin--> <!--X-User-Header--> <!--X-User-Header-End--> <!--X-TopPNI--> Date: [ <a href="msg00052.html">Previous</a> | <a href="msg00054.html">Next</a> ] Thread: [ <a href="msg00066.html">Previous</a> | <a href="msg00055.html">Next</a> ] Index: [ <A HREF="author.html#00053">Author</A> | <A HREF="#00053">Date</A> | <A HREF="thread.html#00053">Thread</A> ] <!--X-TopPNI-End--> <!--X-MsgBody--> <!--X-Subject-Header-Begin--> <H1>[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</H1> <HR> <!--X-Subject-Header-End--> <!--X-Head-of-Message--> <UL> <LI><em>To</em>: <A HREF="mailto:mud-dev#kanga,nu">mud-dev#kanga,nu</A></LI> <LI><em>Subject</em>: [MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</LI> <LI><em>From</em>: Andy Cink <<A HREF="mailto:ranthor#earthlink,net">ranthor#earthlink,net</A>></LI> <LI><em>Date</em>: Tue, 05 Jan 1999 15:31:06 -0800</LI> <LI><em>Reply-To</em>: <A HREF="mailto:mud-dev#kanga,nu">mud-dev#kanga,nu</A></LI> </UL> <!--X-Head-of-Message-End--> <!--X-Head-Body-Sep-Begin--> <HR> <!--X-Head-Body-Sep-End--> <!--X-Body-of-Message--> <PRE> At 12:02 PM 1/5/99 -0600, Koster, Raph wrote: >Rather than argue the semantics of what a "level" is, it seems like it >would be more fruitful to discuss methods of giving visible levels >without curbing the myriad ways of advancement possible. Thoughts? > I've been giving this a lot of thought lately, because my mud is going to use a levelless system. The problem now becomes, A) How do we show a clear path of advancement? and B) How can players keep track of "where they stand" compared to the other players. I was presently thinking on borrowing a system used by a LP mud I used to play. They call it an "eval" system (maybe they all do, I only found one LP mud I really got addicted to) but the eval system works by making a composite number score based on the stats and skills a person has over what they started at. So it may be something like: (highest offensive skill) + (highest defensive skill) + (highest profession skill) + (each point an attribute has been raised over the racial norm x 2) = the char's eval. Eval is kept in a toplist format, so anyone can check the list (which is updated every 5 minutes or so) and see exactly where they stand in the mud's playerbase. Which is kind of cool, to know you're ranked 264 out of 2000 players, or whatever. The problems are numerous, however. Some players will have a lot of points in less useful skills, and still be granted eval for it. (Or some classes simply have more skills or less powerful skills than others) This leads to a lot of doctor-type class people complaining that a fighter-type of half their eval just kicked their ass in the arena. But a fighter type's eval skill may come from headbutt, and a medic's may come from surgery. This creates a fundamental power imbalance, since eval is really pretty arbitrary, and even fairly easy to manipulate by picking up skill levels in select areas. I'm presently wondering how to come up with a fair way of handling this on a levelless system. I was considering doing away with all kinds of levels, and going to some kind of nobility or status system. You start as a peasant or unknown, and as you attain fame (many ways, from killing to donating money and doing quests) your "level" rises. As you gain levels, you gain access to cooler places that less famous people can't go. (Select mud areas, clubs, pubs, and maybe even stores with nicer items that only cater to those of status). And of course, some trainers might be so snooty as to only teach their magic to a famed magician, or whatever. Anyways, I'd be very interested to hear the ideas other people out there have.. Andy ------------------------------------------------------ EARTH FIRST! We'll stripmine the other planets later. Head Coder for Renegade Knights MUD Ranthor#earthlink,net </PRE> <!--X-Body-of-Message-End--> <!--X-MsgBody-End--> <!--X-Follow-Ups--> <HR> <ul compact><li><strong>Follow-Ups</strong>: <ul> <li><strong><A NAME="00108" HREF="msg00108.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</A></strong> <ul compact><li><em>From:</em> J C Lawrence <claw#under,engr.sgi.com></li></ul> <li><strong><A NAME="00093" HREF="msg00093.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</A></strong> <ul compact><li><em>From:</em> Mik Clarke <mikclrk#ibm,net></li></ul> <li><strong><A NAME="00055" HREF="msg00055.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</A></strong> <ul compact><li><em>From:</em> Ling <K.L.Lo-94#student,lboro.ac.uk></li></ul> </UL></LI></UL> <!--X-Follow-Ups-End--> <!--X-References--> <UL><LI><STRONG>References</STRONG>: <UL> <LI><STRONG><A NAME="00045" HREF="msg00045.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</A></STRONG> <UL><LI><EM>From:</EM> "Koster, Raph" <rkoster#origin,ea.com></LI></UL></LI> </UL></LI></UL> <!--X-References-End--> <!--X-BotPNI--> <UL> <LI>Prev by Date: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00052.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: MUD Design doc - Combat</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Next by Date: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00054.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: [OT Humor] Mudder's Rhapsody</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Prev by thread: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00066.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Next by thread: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00055.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Index(es): <UL> <LI><A HREF="index.html#00053"><STRONG>Date</STRONG></A></LI> <LI><A HREF="thread.html#00053"><STRONG>Thread</STRONG></A></LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> <!--X-BotPNI-End--> <!--X-User-Footer--> <!--X-User-Footer-End--> <ul><li>Thread context: <BLOCKQUOTE><UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00041" HREF="msg00041.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</A></strong>, Caliban Tiresias Darklock <a href="mailto:caliban#darklock,com">caliban#darklock,com</a>, Mon 04 Jan 1999, 21:24 GMT <UL> <li><Possible follow-up(s)><br> <LI><strong><A NAME="00045" HREF="msg00045.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</A></strong>, Koster, Raph <a href="mailto:rkoster#origin,ea.com">rkoster#origin,ea.com</a>, Tue 05 Jan 1999, 18:06 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00046" HREF="msg00046.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</A></strong>, Adam Wiggins <a href="mailto:adam#angel,com">adam#angel,com</a>, Tue 05 Jan 1999, 18:59 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00066" HREF="msg00066.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</A></strong>, Marian Griffith <a href="mailto:gryphon#iaehv,nl">gryphon#iaehv,nl</a>, Wed 06 Jan 1999, 20:54 GMT </LI> </UL> </LI> <LI><strong><A NAME="00053" HREF="msg00053.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</A></strong>, Andy Cink <a href="mailto:ranthor#earthlink,net">ranthor#earthlink,net</a>, Tue 05 Jan 1999, 23:34 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00055" HREF="msg00055.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</A></strong>, Ling <a href="mailto:K.L.Lo-94#student,lboro.ac.uk">K.L.Lo-94#student,lboro.ac.uk</a>, Tue 05 Jan 1999, 23:53 GMT </LI> <LI><strong><A NAME="00093" HREF="msg00093.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</A></strong>, Mik Clarke <a href="mailto:mikclrk#ibm,net">mikclrk#ibm,net</a>, Fri 08 Jan 1999, 20:17 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00127" HREF="msg00127.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</A></strong>, J C Lawrence <a href="mailto:claw#under,engr.sgi.com">claw#under,engr.sgi.com</a>, Wed 13 Jan 1999, 03:24 GMT </LI> </UL> </LI> <LI><strong><A NAME="00108" HREF="msg00108.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</A></strong>, J C Lawrence <a href="mailto:claw#under,engr.sgi.com">claw#under,engr.sgi.com</a>, Tue 12 Jan 1999, 06:49 GMT </LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> </LI> </UL></BLOCKQUOTE> </ul> <hr> <center> [ <a href="../">Other Periods</a> | <a href="../../">Other mailing lists</a> | <a href="/search.php3">Search</a> ] </center> <hr> </body> </html>