Thoughts on RP xp

[Agrrav]

Hello all, so I've noticed something about the server that seems to be lacking what other rp servers have. That being a script for RP xp. It seems a little strange to me that a place that encourages players to do more than gungho grind or power level, doesn't reward players for their rp. Now I get why it hasn't been added, people could abuse it via erp (you know it's gonna happen let's be real here for a moment). However, I still think that shouldn't stop other players from benefitting from what the script could provide. As it stands right now, the server is limited to:

- Dungeon crawls
- NPC Quests
- DM/ EDM events & Interactions

I think adding a script to reward players for the RP they generate with one another could be a really neat thing for this server and promote more player interactions without having to wait a DM or EDM to pop in and drop just 100 xp.

Just my thoughts on this after spending time with other servers that has this script in.

[DingoishOne]

The same thing was discussed a few years back on this thread frc.proboards.com/thread/33942/roleplay-xp-ticks

[Kat]

I am not a fan of automated rp xp or things like exploration xp. This is very personal opinion and others will disagree. For me the rp is the reward in itself and I like slow levelling, gives me time to create character interactions along the journey my character is taking, if I need cash or xp I will adventure for it.

From what I hear, rp xp just makes people talk about super banal things to earn it.

[valleriani]

It's something I was wondering about as well. I think it's okay to bring up if it's been a three years since the last post about it, IMO. Opinions can change etc.

Most server I've been on that have it (NWN2 BGTSCC for example) it's been a bigger beneficial having the RP XP there. Also, in most server I've been in most if not all people don't just spam chat for XP too. On top of this there are obviously rules for how RP XP is earned too. Overall though adventure XP is still the better form of 'gaining XP' but having something for RP XP too can help promote interaction between players, specially if they cannot really adventure with each other very well due to level differences etc. If something were to be introduced:

-You cannot solo chat to gain XP. (A player needs to be within your vicinity.)
-There is a cooldown each time you gain RP XP. (1 minute for example.)
-The amount you gain is generally tied to your level. It can be dice rolled to a maximum, static, etc. FRC (at least to I) has lower XP gain overall, which is fine, but then you can factor this in too, for example you could do something like 5 + (a max dice roll of your current level / 2). Just stating it doesn't need to reward a huge amount of XP, it's only a small bonus on top.
-You could have a cap of RP XP daily. Probably not required if the XP is low, but still something to consider.

Regardless of how it's done I do think it's not a bad idea overall to implement. You can go as hard or as loose on how it's designed and tailor it to the server. That's just my take though

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

I feel it is badly needed, but I also agree somewhat with Kat. The roleplay is the reward, it’s true. Slow leveling for roleplay based characters is acceptable to me, but that being said if you don’t do dungeons weekly the advancement is painfully painfully slow.

Overall I am happy to have taken the time to develop a character to this point, at some point though he has outgrown his reputation and needs to be able to measure up to it.

With this in mind, I think implementing a well thought out automated system would be nice.

I know it’s never intentional but even the best DMs and EDMs are sometimes so focused on the plot that the experience lacks, as where with events it’s common to receive. The end result is those involved in large plots get to some extraweekly and monthly rewards that say, two people roleplaying together away from these things receive significantly, regardless of the importance or merit of that roleplay, less in some cases.

[Animayhem]

As I see this it would have to be a straight amount across the board for any level. I played on a world  where players could award other players for decent conversation as they saw . You could give 100xp to five diff people a day. A timer was built in.

I understand the thoughts behind it but in my opinion too much work for little gain on the scripting side as I see it.  We have a healthier DM staff and some times they will pop up and award xp.

This world is generous with the 10 level + or minus so more people can travel together.  Trips like these are great for adventuring and rp. Granted loot gathering and xp gain is hampered but a good time can be had.

[darthweasel]

I do not think this is necessary. The idea a itself has merit, but feel it is a solution in search of a problem.

I have been on a out 6 servers since 2005. Frc has one of the better interaction levels compared to the rest.

2 of the servers I played on had the exp drip timer. This imo led to many folks adopting a sit and chat about the weather for hours on end style.

The now defunct Savage Frontier mod, did have the player given exp award system. That more or less led to cliques that were just boosting each other constantly.

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

I don't feel letting players reward each other this is the way to go, as it could easily lead to even more cliquish behavior than we have. Cliques are real, and in a sense that the same players hang together, I don't see a problem, and they would get no benefit above any other from an automated role play drip so to speak.

People obviously have different ideas about this and that is fine, I always ask that each side at least see the other. I have for many years mainly done just roleplay, but in 2021-2023 I did a bunch of dungeons with a group: I advanced more in that time period than I did in the previous 15 years, even including the many many deaths that came with that.

It can and should be said that there is nothing -stopping- one type of character or the other from switching styles and just doing the other thing. One group will always dominate in advancement, the other will probably be a more socially developed character, sure there will be exceptions, but they are exceptions. In reality people (at least me I am speaking for) who mostly socially roleplay, do not have the same skill at dealing with the engine, lag, fighting, PVP, etc, that a hack and slasher would. I think both styles are fine, but the clincher for me is that for the combat oriented hack and slashers who get most of, if not all of, their experience from monsters and quests, truly lose nothing. They have only gained more of an edge in the sense of advancement, while those of us who get almost none of our experience that way, have gained a boon that will slightly speed up our really comparatively slow advancement.

I think another topic that needs to be talked about is other things experience is given for in a PnP scenario, aside from just straight roleplay and combat. Doing things that are applicable to your class like writing songs, or writing a paper about strategy, teaching a class, etc. It can be argued that performing the song is your chance to gain experience if a DM is watching, but in the case of a ticker, they don't need to be watching. I am a fan of automating systems to let our DMs focus on the true reward: roleplay, and not enforcing rules that can be scripted as unbreakable, or flitting around handing out experience to the portion of the playerbase they decide to visit that day.

[valleriani]

Feb 12, 2024 12:46:16 GMT -5 Animayhem said:

As I see this it would have to be a straight amount across the board for any level. I played on a world  where players could award other players for decent conversation as they saw . You could give 100xp to five diff people a day. A timer was built in.

I understand the thoughts behind it but in my opinion too much work for little gain on the scripting side as I see it.  We have a healthier DM staff and some times they will pop up and award xp.

This world is generous with the 10 level + or minus so more people can travel together.  Trips like these are great for adventuring and rp. Granted loot gathering and xp gain is hampered but a good time can be had.

I don't think a system where you pass on XP to other players via a command etc is worth it. It'll generally be 'abused' for your friends and that's it really. Hence why even if this was a thing you'd need proper rules, and for it to be automated with said rules. 

As a new player, I'm not exactly a fan of larger groupings on this server larger then two at the moment, at least for now on the lower levels. I'm not sure how it would fare as it gets to higher levels, but since the loot is shared instead of individual it makes it very difficult to earn a keep even with two players, because most of it is going into potions/heal kits etc. I haven't been able to save enough for any sort of equipment/etc. (I would assume this probably resolve over time when the gold/drops get higher). It feels a bit anti-group at least for lower levels when it comes to looting to earn enough but that may just be me and being inexperienced. 

Stating that you can travel with characters of a 10+ higher levels, but then loot/XP gain is hampered, which sort of makes it not great I would assume to even do that. Then again, I don't exactly know the actual XP % drop for each level higher/lower. It seems like a strange scenario if they're lets say 7-8 levels higher because either you'd be going to a somewhat higher level area and the lower folk would be struggling, or the high level would be killing lower level monsters, which also might gimp your XP heavily on top of the level gap. I might not be understanding everything though so apologies.  It probably matters less though fighting higher level monsters when you're level 32 and your party member is level 39, vs level 5 to a level 12 though.

But I do think there should be another way of XP other then just dungeons. Players have different ways of playing, and it's not simply just raiding dungeons that should be the case. It mostly means that the social type of character or not 'min-maxed' character gets left behind over RP mechanics/characters. Perhaps they're other ways of doing it. I know you can get it from DM'ing as well, but it's nothing really sustainable compared to dungeons/etc.

I love to RP, but I also love progression on my character too, mechanic wise. I've been able to RP in cities with folk just fine. I've had interaction with two EDMs, and both have been very enjoyable, just to state! 

[emeraldsnowx]

I'm personally opposed to automated XP drips. Having played on a few servers that use a variety of such systems, I've found that it can't replace an attentive DM team, which we're lucky to have. Automated systems are frequently exploited (standing idle, whispering with no one around for the XP ticker for example), and reward activity, not RP. If we didn't have such a persistently active DM team, I'd be more inclined to agree with an automated system, but we're fortunate enough to have a staff that rewards reasonable XP pretty regularly just from eavesdropping on player RP. If it hasn't happened yet, it will; I promise... just keep living your character's life and they'll grow

*edit: If one wants to increase their character's earnings via RP without having to attend events and such, they might consider reaching out to any member of the active DM team and talking with them about their character's story, aspriations, etc.  DMs tend to love cooking up custom interactions with players, both ad-hoc and guided.  There's a ton of options wide open to explore as far as earning RP xp goes, and they all involve DMs which will ultimately provide a richer experience.  If you want any help with anything FRC-related, please feel free to PM myself or a DM, and we'll see what kind of cool solutions we can come up with together

~ Emzy

[Agrrav]

Right, well will take everything into consideration and just play as I have been. Twas a mere thought after all and nothing more. A DM can lock this thread up so it can't get any more comments added to it.
Seems pretty clear where everything stands.
Catch y'all around in game.

[Jollyjumper]

I dont know how much DM folks usually pop those rp exp rewards. I remember it was quite rare back in the day when I used to be active. Always hope for more of them, from small stuff. Just to show that "well done, keep up the good work". Ofcoarse it strains dm:s in a way that they have to check out folks more, but It sure gives you a feeling that folks appriciate that you try to make this gaming world alive

[DM Sauron]

While it remains unlikely that an automated XP tick will be implemented here, different sources to gain a little XP that are not combat or DMs could still be possible.