Re: CF: suggestion for Exp system (damage vs. kill)

["Mark Wedel" <mark@icp.siemens.com>]

On Feb 2,  5:15pm, Stefan Reich wrote:
> Subject: Re: CF: suggestion for Exp system (damage vs. kill)
> Raphaël Quinet (Raphael.Quinet@eed.ericsson.se) quoted here:
>
> Thank you for writing this, so I can jump in :-)
> This is one point that disturbs me in most RPGs.
> Always you have to KILL and HURT someone for getting exp.
> Why not getting exp just for USING your skills ?
>
> In real life you can train archery by shooting at trees or targets,
> and you don't have to shoot people for getting better :)

 I'll grant the above is true.  The problem is trying to do this in a computer
RPG in a balance fashion.

 In computer games, it gets much too easy to find abuses for systems where you
use the skill and get exp just becaues you used it.

 In crossfire, it would certainly make sense for healers to get experience when
they heal party members.  But trying to balance that such that they get enough
exp that it actually makes a difference without so much that it is abusive (hey
joe - get beat up some so I can heal you and gets a bunch of exp).  Some skills
sort of have a problem now - they get used infrequently enough so that when you
do use them, you get bunches of exp (literacy sort of comes to mind).

 If someone can come up with a balanced way of giving exp when the skill is
used, that might work out.  In practice, the amount of exp should probably be
proportional to how hard the task was (for example, a master locksmith isn't
going to learn much by picking a lock like you might find on a china cabinet,
but would learn quite a bit from a real tough lock).

>
> Hmm...maybe some differentiation between SKILL and EXP would be
> needed (like in Tibia...).

 Not quite sure what that really means.  Crossfire is perhaps a little
complicated in that you have individual skills, and those are grouped together
into experience categories - the level you are in that category determines how
good you are in those skills.  Those categories are then grouped together into
a grand total exp which is used for things like overall level and hp.


-- 

-- Mark Wedel
mark@pyramid.com