Reading through, the only thing that set off warning bells was standardising custom tech costs. I actually think that more powerful techniques shouldn't necessarily cost more, as generally speaking they've always had bigger downsides to use, and thus get used less often. But there are a lot of cases where a custom tech is so useful (IC, I know - but that doesn't make it any less important) and character-changing that I would actually EXPECT to pay a higher cost for it, and it feels like that much more of an accomplishment to finally get the XP to buy it.
Conversely, if I come up with a very minor thing that's probably not going to change the outcome any fights IC - let's use Directed Invulnerability/Immaterial as an example, which lets a character make a specific body part Invulnerable/Immaterial whilst the rest of their body stays normal - I like that it has an appropriately low cost, and I have that choice between getting a few fairly insignificant techs or one that's very significant. If every custom tech costed the same, I'd be trying to make my custom techs all 'worth the price' so to speak, or simply save my custom tech budget for the best ones. The fact that CL will increase prices over time makes this even more of an important factor.
But now that's out of the way, let me say that I love CL. I think it's a very clever way of doing things that recognises the importance of custom techs and items to a character's 'real-world' ability to win a fight (because IC-wise, pure power will help you win a fight, but so will having an arsenal of techniques that could turn the fight around). Not much more to say there, though it will require some care when you come up with the actual cost increments.
As for Power-ups, to avoid excessive math I think it'd be better to stick to either a multiplier or a static boost - personally, I'm more of a multiplier man. And as for using Prestige to activate power-ups, that's something I need to give a little more thought. I mean, I kinda like Power Points. But just using Prestige WOULD work. It keeps the idea that using a Power-up should have some tradeoff, and it's certainly more simple. As long as there's some potential payback if your gamble pays off (ie winning a fight and getting more Prestige back as a result) then it would work. Hmm ...
The profession system wasn't mentioned, and I'm not sure whether you'd plan to keep or scrap that, but let it be known for the record that I still don't really like the profession system and I would simply say "if you want your character to have a job, you're free to roleplay it and be rewarded through the same grading system as everything else". I'm guessing that's probably what you're planning.
On the topic of carrying over XP in some form, it looks like you're probably going to do it, so I won't say much besides to register my opinion of its importance.
Finally, I just want to say it's awesome the way you've handled this whole system change, getting the gist of everyone's opinions and distilling them in a way that address both having a clever, fun game and trying to make the members in general happy. We are very lucky to have someone like you as admin.
Edit: I don't know why it slipped my mind, probably because it wasn't really mentioned, but CL could have exactly the same problems as the current system if it starts at level 1 and works like PL in the traditional sense of how it affects judgement. If that is the case, I'd HIGHLY recommend you consider roughly how much CL you'd expect the average, 2-3-4 posts-a-week writer (I'm pulling these 'averages' off the top of my head, obviously, so maybe give it a bit more thought than I have) to make in a year and then make that the starting CL. If you want this to be a long-term system and not have the same problem that started this overhaul in the first place. Obviously, it's still up for massive debate and until I actually see the system and the kind of diminishing returns I'm pulling numbers out of my ass ... but as it seems to be a reoccuring problem, I think my concern is justified, even with diminishing returns >_>
Conversely, if I come up with a very minor thing that's probably not going to change the outcome any fights IC - let's use Directed Invulnerability/Immaterial as an example, which lets a character make a specific body part Invulnerable/Immaterial whilst the rest of their body stays normal - I like that it has an appropriately low cost, and I have that choice between getting a few fairly insignificant techs or one that's very significant. If every custom tech costed the same, I'd be trying to make my custom techs all 'worth the price' so to speak, or simply save my custom tech budget for the best ones. The fact that CL will increase prices over time makes this even more of an important factor.
But now that's out of the way, let me say that I love CL. I think it's a very clever way of doing things that recognises the importance of custom techs and items to a character's 'real-world' ability to win a fight (because IC-wise, pure power will help you win a fight, but so will having an arsenal of techniques that could turn the fight around). Not much more to say there, though it will require some care when you come up with the actual cost increments.
As for Power-ups, to avoid excessive math I think it'd be better to stick to either a multiplier or a static boost - personally, I'm more of a multiplier man. And as for using Prestige to activate power-ups, that's something I need to give a little more thought. I mean, I kinda like Power Points. But just using Prestige WOULD work. It keeps the idea that using a Power-up should have some tradeoff, and it's certainly more simple. As long as there's some potential payback if your gamble pays off (ie winning a fight and getting more Prestige back as a result) then it would work. Hmm ...
The profession system wasn't mentioned, and I'm not sure whether you'd plan to keep or scrap that, but let it be known for the record that I still don't really like the profession system and I would simply say "if you want your character to have a job, you're free to roleplay it and be rewarded through the same grading system as everything else". I'm guessing that's probably what you're planning.
On the topic of carrying over XP in some form, it looks like you're probably going to do it, so I won't say much besides to register my opinion of its importance.
Finally, I just want to say it's awesome the way you've handled this whole system change, getting the gist of everyone's opinions and distilling them in a way that address both having a clever, fun game and trying to make the members in general happy. We are very lucky to have someone like you as admin.
Edit: I don't know why it slipped my mind, probably because it wasn't really mentioned, but CL could have exactly the same problems as the current system if it starts at level 1 and works like PL in the traditional sense of how it affects judgement. If that is the case, I'd HIGHLY recommend you consider roughly how much CL you'd expect the average, 2-3-4 posts-a-week writer (I'm pulling these 'averages' off the top of my head, obviously, so maybe give it a bit more thought than I have) to make in a year and then make that the starting CL. If you want this to be a long-term system and not have the same problem that started this overhaul in the first place. Obviously, it's still up for massive debate and until I actually see the system and the kind of diminishing returns I'm pulling numbers out of my ass ... but as it seems to be a reoccuring problem, I think my concern is justified, even with diminishing returns >_>
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Bra Wrote:People are dumb, essentially.