Aberrant: 2011 - Just a suggestion (Possible Amendment)

[Anateus]

Keep in mind that the following depends on an active participation in the boards, just as per usual.

I was wondering how the board would feel if, every two months, along with the usual xp, or maybe in place of it, we award the characters 1 (one) nova point.

The reasons I suggest this are twofold:

1) It seems that if you don't buy up your skills or backgrounds early on, you might not get a chance to, because your priority is going to be boosting your Mega-Atts or powers. With the 6:1 conversion for skills and the 5:1 conversion for backgrounds, a lot of this pressure to lay the foundation for your character can go away, at your option.

2) Higher levels of powers will take a much larger chunk of time, due to the way the xp curve works for most Storyteller games. Having the next dot purchasable by straight nova points means that characters are more likely to actually see their characters evolve over time.

3) We're in this for fun, we don't get extra xp for intense combat scenes, and it's fun to watch your characters develop. Besides, novas are supposed to be super, and I don't think the traditional xp curve really allows for that kind of ramp-up.

This is all IMO, however, and I wanted to get your thoughts on it.

[Drew]

I think it's a good idea, for what that's worth.

[Robert J. Lambert]

Where were you when this was being discussed? ;_;

Anyway, Director 2009 (all four of them) were the ones that on the end pícked which side of the argument they stuck with (More XP or less XP per month) and they stood their ground with the less XP group. (I think the original was 5 XP per month, instead of 4) and even that was deemed too intense.

While I'm all in favor of a speed up on power, 2009 was supposed to be the low-power zone, and I'm going to guess that even if you get some people backing you up, most will say no and the Directors will be among them.

But Iwill keep watcing >_>

[Divine]

Will the NP's be retroactive? If not, those who's characters are a year old, will have missed out on 12 Nova points. Newer characters have the advantage in that they will attain power much faster than the veteran characters. It is not fair for those who have been around for a year or more.

If you want to give 13 np to the earliest of charaters, then the power advantge of the veterans will be maintained. I find the idea tantalizing and would love to se what I could do to my characters with those points. I doubt, however, that the majority of the players would be willing to dole out that many points.

[Ravenshire]

I am not sure if I'm for the power boost. I would not be in favor of a nova point in place of the normal award. It would mess up my math! If it did happen, it would have to be retroactive, for the reasons given above.

This will definitely change how I create PC's as they will have more ability to pick up needed skills and backgrounds later. I'm not sure if that's a good thing.

[Drew]

Yeah, it'd really make more sense to (retroactively) dole out more xp.

[Summer Solstice]

No.

Originally Posted By: Mellow

I was wondering how the board would feel if, every two months, along with the usual xp, or maybe in place of it, we award the characters 1 (one) nova point.

1 nova point? So that's +1 WP, +3 Attributes, +6 Abilities, +5 Backgrounds every two months... so much for a slow moving, low powered game.

Didn't put much thought into this... did ya?

Quote:

1) It seems that if you don't buy up your skills or backgrounds early on, you might not get a chance to, because your priority is going to be boosting your Mega-Atts or powers. With the 6:1 conversion for skills and the 5:1 conversion for backgrounds, a lot of this pressure to lay the foundation for your character can go away, at your option.

You're generalizing. Your statement assumes that every player feels the way you do. I'm sorry you feel pressured and would prefer to max a skill or a background every two months. Really though, I'm fine where I'm at.

Quote:

2) Higher levels of powers will take a much larger chunk of time, due to the way the xp curve works for most Storyteller games. Having the next dot purchasable by straight nova points means that characters are more likely to actually see their characters evolve over time.

Let me read that again... since the characters gain exp too slowly and it takes to long for them to purchase thier powers you feel they don't evolve over time.

Yeeeaaaah.... going back to the whole 'didn't think this through' thing...

Quote:

3) We're in this for fun, we don't get extra xp for intense combat scenes, and it's fun to watch your characters develop. Besides, novas are supposed to be super, and I don't think the traditional xp curve really allows for that kind of ramp-up.

This must be the moment of clarity amongst the gibberish. Now, if you like intense combat scenes, romantic driven story lines, or drama laden fictions then perhaps you'd have a better fight on your hands by proposing a Bonus XP award system along the lines rewarding those who have submitted excellent story arcs or made the game world as a whole more interesting/entertaining for all players.

I'd start there.

[SkyLion]

I think the NP boost idea can work great for tabletop or even a forum game...intermittently. For example, in The Long Karch, our PCs traveled back in time to Hammersmiths. As a result we all got 6 NP to spend on powers and such. That was a cool in-story way to have us quickly "evolve."

Many of the problems Autumn mentioned are solvable if you only allow the NPs to be spent on powers, mega atts and enhancments. It would take you many months for example to save up enough for a single dot in an L3 power. I think this may be closer to Mellow's intent. So no sudden skill mastery or becomming a powerhouse of Will and a Kingpin of Contacts overnight.

And btw...Autumn. I understand that your PC is supposed to be a royal crazy Bitch but there is no need to speak with such sarcastic venom to a fellow player who is making "just a suggestion" and wanting to discuss it. Leave the attitude for in game. Mellow out girl.

[Summer Solstice]

Originally Posted By: *Overload*

And btw...Autumn. I understand that your PC is supposed to be a royal crazy Bitch but there is no need to speak with such sarcastic venom to a fellow player who is making "just a suggestion" and wanting to discuss it. Leave the attitude for in game. Mellow out girl.

I don't pull punches, and I don't sugar coat my words.

Everything in Mellow's post wreaks of 'I want more power because I lack patience.' I offered him an idea for how he may propose a 'bonus XP' idea to players and The Directors. He should start there.

It has worked fine for a year, and there is nothing wrong with it. If you are not content with how fast you gain 5s in everything, go play in 2017, Jager will keep a seat warm for you, I'm sure.

[Long Pig Johnny]

I vote no. 4exp is plenty.

[Emerald Panadero]

Jager comment aside, I think 4xp is fine too.

[Kittie]

I'm happy enough with the current level of experience being awarded- hell, even when my characters are active on the boards, I rarely remember to update their character sheets because, to me, statistics should always be secondary to the story.

It's also difficult for me to give much credence to an argument for faster progression from a character who's been active on the boards for such a short time. I don't mean any offense, of course, but 2009 was designed as a foil for 2017- a game and a setting in which, by and large, the players didn't have to worry about ridiculously unbalanced "god" characters and implausible powerhouses lording it over the poor little recent eruptees. Character progression is intended to be slow; Q6, for example, is prohibited until 2010 real-time.

If some hard-and-fast, easily quantified guidelines for bonus experience (awarded for storylines, RP, drama, etc.) can be delineated, I'm all for the idea. I just don't think handing out NPs or ratcheting up the experience awards in general is necessary, or even desirable given the ideals under which 2009 was created.

[Icon]

Originally Posted By: Kittie

I'm happy enough with the current level of experience being awarded- hell, even when my characters are active on the boards, I rarely remember to update their character sheets because, to me, statistics should always be secondary to the story.

It's also difficult for me to give much credence to an argument for faster progression from a character who's been active on the boards for such a short time. I don't mean any offense, of course, but 2009 was designed as a foil for 2017- a game and a setting in which, by and large, the players didn't have to worry about ridiculously unbalanced "god" characters and implausible powerhouses lording it over the poor little recent eruptees. Character progression is intended to be slow; Q6, for example, is prohibited until 2010 real-time.

If some hard-and-fast, easily quantified guidelines for bonus experience (awarded for storylines, RP, drama, etc.) can be delineated, I'm all for the idea. I just don't think handing out NPs or ratcheting up the experience awards in general is necessary, or even desirable given the ideals under which 2009 was created.

See, being new to the boards, I was not aware of that history, and had I known, I wouldn't have even mentioned it. As it is, I'll withdraw my suggestion. If anyone wants to discuss getting bonus xp for intense, drawn-out situations of whatever variety, I'm certainly for it.

And thank you for stating your reply in a friendly, non-confrontational manner, Kittie. I appreciate it.

[Emerald Panadero]

:sobs for the power denied:

[Icon]

Originally Posted By: Emerald Panadero

:sobs for the power denied:

True enough, but if this area of the boards is designed to be a low-powered alternative from the get-go, then I guess the xp award is what everyone wanted when this board was built. It's cool, it's freeform enough to tell the stories I want to tell, and considering that, the xp award is pretty generous.

But like I said, if anyone wants to come up with bonuses for dramatic stuff, I'm all for it. I'm just worried about how to do something like that impartially, without inviting people to rip up someone's story if they deem it "unworthy" of xp.

[Emerald Panadero]

I'm just kidding. I prefer the system we have. Hopefully people will do dramatic and interesting things for sole benefit of it being fun to do.

As it stands, you only get xp if you are active in the RPing side in a given month anyway.