Aberrant: The Middle Children of History - Option for equality.

[Justin OOC]

Some people have mentioned they did not want to join due to the immense disparity in power from the original characters who are still active and those who join now.

I'd offer this solution. We allow a player to create 1 and only new PC, with half the total accrued EXP for the game. This would allow for some variation.

Please discuss this, and if everyone agrees, then so be it.

[Dr. Angus Sinclair]

-shrug-

Personally, I'm ok with not being an earthshattering nova yet. That's the reason I sprang for the 60 NP option for my character and not the 90.

[Justin OOC]

That's perfectly fine, this is simply an alternative. you could make this nova at any time, but only one.

[Elspeth]

I'm of mixed opinion about that.

If everyone else comes back saying sure give them half xp, then I won't be upset over it or anything. It doesn't make a lot of difference really, I'm just not a big fan of having put in the effort to have the xp that I have only to have others who didn't put in the effort get it for nothing. Also, what about those players who have been here and only posted now and then? They could end up behind new players? So do we bump them up to not be behind the starting player? If so do we then adjust everyone, in which case nothing has been accomplished.

[Justin OOC]

this is only for new characters, and only for one. you may not retire an old character in one category who didn't get the exp the first time around because you didn't post and make a new one to get the EXP. You'll still have more EXP, as the new PC would only be starting with half of what's been awarded.

[Mr Fox]

You only get the exp awards if you post in a month so those who didn't earn the xp don't have it. Giving new players half the xp of everyone in the game that has been here from the beginning would put them ahead of people who didn't post regularly. That doesn't seem right.

[Mr Fox]

Quoted below are the relevant parts of the creation rules. I highlighted in bold the appropriate spots. As far as I know no mod ever awarded any XP for people being in moderated plots so that only leaves the monthly 20pt xp award to figure up, but the rules state that you only get that for months in which you participate. Elspeth is 20 points down from the max possible because I didn't post one month. If you don't post you get nothing. Per the rules XP is a reward for keeping this game alive. Just feels wrong to me to give new characters a reward for something they didn't do when the people here from the beginning haven't gotten anything extra for all they've done to keep it alive. Add to that the fact that really, how many characters have posted consistently every month from the beginning? New players aren't that far behind most characters because most characters in the game haven't gotten the full xp. Even I missed one month and I'm one of the most frequent posters in MCoH. So new people starting would behind what, 3 people maybe 4?

From the Character Creation Rules:

Character Advancement and Record Keeping:

Advancement in MCH will use experience points instead of nova points, as the cost chart for nova point expenditures does not reflect the increasing difficulty of advancing skills or expanding powers. Moderators will award characters a standard experience point award for every month that they are active (determined by the Admin Mod, but generally consisting of at least several posts/fictions/or Moderated storyline participation) of 20 experience points. These points will be awarded on the first of the month for the previous month. Also, moderators may award experience points for characters in moderated plot threads as appropriate.

Each month, when XP awards are made, we'll go in and edit the new award into your log. When you spend XP, edit that into your log as well (unless you have moderator approval to keep the expenditure under wraps - a rare but possible occurance).

New characters brought after the initial start up of MCH have the same starting rules as the original MCH characters, with no adjustment in starting NP’s or experience. The reward to playing one character with regularity is the advancement of that character through experience points.

[Dawn OOC]

Good grief. I'm not a mod here anymore, but I'm considering coming back as a player. Honestly, I don't know if I like either side of this argument. On one hand, having a 'half xp' award is like catering to people who just like numbers. On the other hand, letting the old way stand is pandering to the people who think that posting isn't its own reward.

Story first, numbers second. It's a very simple formula that has stood me in good stead for years.

Were the half-xp rule started, all of my PCs would be behind that curve; would have less xp than the newcomers. And I honestly don't care. The only person who can ruin my PCs is me. So what if Infi did more 'work' and has less reward than a new player? It doesn't matter. Write, have fun, quit counting the beans.

[Mr Fox]

Btw, I know I probably shouldn't even be speaking. It really isn't that big of a deal and if it would get new players in the game that would be great. It's just that last sentence in the quote above that makes the silly 'fairness' bells go off in my head. Then the voices tell me to post, and you know how it is... we can't resist the voices.

[Zarthrax]

-shrug-

I've already made my opinion on the subject known. I personally joined the game because of the interesting cast of characters to possibly interact with, not because of some bonus XP or something.

(Now if I can just figure out how to justify Angus meeting Bastion for some reason...lol)

[Ptesan-Wi]

What Dawn said. Story first, numbers second. Now that said, I'd prefer that we keep things on an even keel with the rules as stated for the board; heck, it lets you come in with up to a 90NP character, and that's a lot.

[Dawn OOC]

Originally Posted By: Zarthrax

(Now if I can just figure out how to justify Angus meeting Bastion for some reason...lol)

I'd PM Bastion and see if he's still wanting to write for the character. While the player is around, I haven't seen much from Bastion in a while, which is too bad. He is a pretty awesome PC.

[Zarthrax]

Oh, agreed. Just off the basis of the writing for that character, I went back and read Revenant's stuff. Very nice storytelling.

[Bastion]

I'm around. Just nothing really going on MCoH that 'B' would be interested in.

If peeps are interested, I'll write for him.

[Zarthrax]

Oh, that's definitely at least one Yes, speaking solely for myself.

[Bombshell]

About the people with characters who might possibly want to come back - the half-xp thing could apply to one of your old characters without much problem. In theory, there should be an XP Log, so calculating half the XP for the missed months wouldn't be hard. Again, just have it apply to one character, only.

And yes, I suppose 90NP might be a lot, but it's not compared to characters with 90NP and 400+ xp (or whatever it is). The only long lasting characters here from what I can see have been the 90NP ones. Yes, some people are fine with playing new novas who just erupted, moderately experienced ones, or even baselines.

But the ones who want to play a Nova who has been one for a long time or otherwise is supposed to be a mover and shaker (as it were), or just plain powerful, can't even remotely compare with the long-term characters with 'only' 90NP. And it's not like the long-term players (the ones that posted consistently) are getting shafted, they'll still have 200+ xp more than any new players.

Just my two-cents.

[Mr Fox]

But the ones who want to play a Nova who has been one for a long time or otherwise is supposed to be a mover and shaker (as it were), or just plain powerful, can't even remotely compare with the long-term characters with 'only' 90NP.

This isn't true. You could create a combat nova with 90nps that could kick Elspeth's ass 6 ways from Sunday. You could even create a social nova that was more social than she is, you just wouldn't be as well rounded as she is. When you are starting from a base of 90nps the xp makes a difference but not such a big difference as it would if you were starting from the standard 30nps.

If it would make the difference between people joining the game or not joining I'd definitely say to give the 1/2xp. It would be nice if the players who have been here from the beginning and posted consistently got some kind of consolation prize though.

[Justin OOC]

This is why I wanted to discuss this. I really don't care, as I'm pretty happy with both the PC's I play in this forum, it had just been mentioned to me by interested players, and I thought to put it out there and see what everyone else thinks.

[Justin OOC]

Bastion whatever happened to the block part that was supposed to happen?

[CassNPC]

Originally Posted By: Bombshell

Yes, some people are fine with playing new novas who just erupted, moderately experienced ones, or even baselines.

Just a note, it's not actually possible to play a baseline in MCoH. This character is an NPC, with special permission- to gain XP, and accomplish anything of note, she would have to erupt and become a Nova.

I can't benefit either way, but my personal opinion is that creation should stay as-is. It's not about "winning" and being the biggest/strongest/smartest/sexiest, or whatever, it's about the stories you write and how your character develops. As far as I've ever been able to tell in a fiction-driven setting, NP/XP is only useful to figure out what your character can actually do, and help provide info when IC conflicts do arise.

[Bastion]

Originally Posted By: Bombshell

About the people with characters who might possibly want to come back - the half-xp thing could apply to one of your old characters without much problem. In theory, there should be an XP Log, so calculating half the XP for the missed months wouldn't be hard. Again, just have it apply to one character, only.

Half-XP isn't an option. This is an ignorant idea developed by people who want to be rewarded for not having to apply themselves.

Sorry guys but the posted rules are quite clear in that you have to be active in a given month (post at least once IC) in order to gain an XP award. While we may no longer have people modding this, the rules are there and we don't need to change them.

If you left, you left. Nothing says you can't come back but seriously you don't get rewarded for sitting on your ass and not doing anything. If I bring Bastion back tomorrow, I should not get a damn thing for not doing a damn thing.

If you do nothing, you get... nothing.

You guys are a riot sometimes.

[Dauntless]

Actually, I'm sort of in agreement with the others here, I mean, 90 Nova points it a lot, if a newcomer wants to play. For example, it may be hard physically to match Bastion's shear physical power, considering his extra xp.. but you chould easily outclass him physically or socially, and perhaps even match him physically in one area (though not in his broad combat capabilities).

That said, I'm more in this due to agreeing with Dawn.. story is more important then numbers. Come up with a good story, with an engaging character, and the amount of points doesn't matter. In fact, it was the stories of Bastion and Elspeth that first interested me in this game.

[Justin OOC]

fair enough, I withdraw the option