Hi, I had an idea that I flung around dioxides probably a year
back which received half saying the idea was horrible, and half
saying the idea wasn't too bad.

Due to the lower player count at the time, I wondered if the
Immortals might see a benefit to consolidating levels by something
like this... (and no, didn't rip this off another mud, just easier
to imagine how it might work with a bogus help file)

---
ADVANCE

Syntax: advance (your player name)

During times of low player counts, the Carrionfields staff, in
order to consolidate characters between a set number of levels,
allows you to receive an automatic raise of your character's level.
This command can only be used to raise your level up to a specified
level that is manually changed by the staff from time to time,
dependent upon the average number of players in the game. Using
the advance command without your character's name will inform you
what the current specified level is.

Please note that you may want to consider stat improvements through
equipment or other means before using this command.
---

Like at this time, I would say fifteen or maybe even twenty might
be good. Making it advance you one level at a time, and at your
own option, would allow someone to play out the lower levels if
they wanted (one gripe I recall from when I threw this out on Dio's,
although I acknowledge they might be a lonely lower level player if
they stick around the lonely and no one else does).

So uhh... what'cha all think, players/immortals?

- Runaktla

amazingly between the time I read the post and logged myself in to post.

My opinion is that I can see the benefit of doing this for creating larger rangers of players for groups and pk, since there would be a smaller number of levels to distribute people between. But I don't think I would ever use it personally (except for a shifter or conjie).

My reasoning being that I generally like the levels 1-20ish for character development, figurig out who my character is, meeting people, etc. Going straight to level 15 or 20 would mean I have to do all this right away while also dealing with pk threats.
Also, it would discount the value of a lot of developement that is aimed at lower levels such as quests and what not. And finally I think it would exacerbate problems with things like empowerment, and skill progress (why jump to level 20 just to level sit and spamm skills for an extra 5 hours when I could do it while ranking)?

Just my thoughts.

I for one look forward to the 3,456,234,905 decked fire giant sword specs to level sit at 20 and bash everyone who advances.

Honestly I would probably see how many kills I could get before my pk range became unbearable. After all, it's not like it cost me anything to get the character there.

Your comment regarding the fire giant, well you can imagine someone
might play a Paladin, spend some time to get empowered, advance to
20 then wrath your ass to death. Or, some higher level Necros will
waste you, or, some Invoker will iceshards you to death, or so on
and so forth. You aren't invulnerable. Besides, if you got too
many kills, distention'll nab you and you'll be in a world of hurt.
On top of that, so what if you have no cost to get there? An a$$hole
fire giant warrior sword spec levelsitting at 20 who didn't have to
do #### to get there could be just as annoying as one who did.

A fire giant warrior sword spec levelsitting at 20 who didn't have to do #### to get there could be just as annoying as one who did.

Untrue. It often takes us a little bit to notice the pattern and deal with the trash character in question. The major disincentive towards doing this is that if you do get yourself denied, you're looking at investing hours just to get back to the level. Under your system, an annoying player is right back on their feet. There's zero disincentive to being That Guy.

Character development and evaluation is important. The game doesn't begin at hero, or at 20.

valguarnera@carrionfields.com

I did not know that mass murdering fire giant warriors
who levelsit were denied. I know you give funny titles,
but not denials. So yeah, I suppose that makes a big
difference in what I said.

I'm not looking to be a pest or nothing, this was just a
suggestion that I had mild interest in. I'm not trying to
run an "OMG Imms u btr make my change or else u suck"
rant or anything either. If you're reading into me being
a pest about this, then I apologize, that isn't my
intention. I suppose that the fact that many of the folks
that post on here and Dio's ARE like that may cause a guilt
by association deal, but really, I made a suggestion and
got shot down, and recognize that, but just for $hits and
giggles I argued it anyways since some were making some
"GEE UR IDEA IS DUMB" posts.

As to the comment "Character development and evaluation is
important", yeah it is, but what does that prove? I have
seen characters develop nicely from 1-20, and I've seen
some just burn through mindless ranking through that point.

As far as the comment "The game doesn't begin at hero, or
at 20", well yeah thats true too, the game begins when the
immortals say it begins, and if they say it begins at 20,
it begins at 20, and if they say it begins at 1, it begins
at 1. I'm just saying that you could be saying it could
begin at 1, or could begin at 20. You choose to say that
it begins at 1. I mean, unless you can pull out a Holy
Grail of Mudding which says "Thou Shalt Never Allow
Characters To Start At Level 20" I'd say all this is
opinion, and I don't think mine is any more "stupid" than
yours, which seems to be the implication by comments I've
seen to my little, failing idea.

- Runaktla

valguarnera@carrionfields.com

.