The First Sith: Experience Points and Character Levels

[Clayton]

So I take it sub-accounts with be prohibited from being used anywhere but IC rolepalying so that the word count isn't abused. otherwise people will use their sub-accounts in OOC discussions and then it would add to their level. Correct?

To expand on Brandon's answer, sub-accounts will only have the ability to post in the IC RP forum. Inversely, OOC accounts will not be able to post in RP forums. So there's no worry about forgetting which account you're in.

 

[Darasuum]

Correct.



To be determined.

To expand on Brandon's answer, sub-accounts will only have the ability to post in the IC RP forum. Inversely, OOC accounts will not be able to post in RP forums. So there's no worry about forgetting which account you're in.

Yeah I wasn't sure that mechanic would be implemented but I didn't want to lean on any of the staff by being like "wouldn't it be easier to just make it so..."

Thanks

 

[Tsunami]

Yeah I wasn't sure that mechanic would be implemented but I didn't want to lean on any of the staff by being like "wouldn't it be easier to just make it so..."

Thanks

You can lean on me...

 

[Danee]

Okay, so, after having re-read the first part of the announcement about how to gain experience, I have one question.

Since you earn 1 Credit every 100 words you write in a post and you require 750 Credits to level up from Rank 1 to Rank 2, wouldn't it theoretically be possible for someone to write a solo-story where they only deal with NPCs and no other PC at all? As in they are the only one posting in the thread, to reach the magical number of 75 000 words?

 

[Sreeya]

Okay, so, after having re-read the first part of the announcement about how to gain experience, I have one question.

Since you earn 1 Credit every 100 words you write in a post and you require 750 Credits to level up from Rank 1 to Rank 2, wouldn't it theoretically be possible for someone to write a solo-story where they only deal with NPCs and no other PC at all? As in they are the only one posting in the thread, to reach the magical number of 75 000 words?

Hell no, we’re not reviewing each and every post for fluff. If you get caught, there will be penalties. I trust in members to catch others that are trying to game the system just like they do when people post ridiculous tech or overpowered profiles. I trust in members to not be idiots about this and know better. If that’s abused, we’ll review things then.

 

[Pippa]

Okay, so, after having re-read the first part of the announcement about how to gain experience, I have one question.

Since you earn 1 Credit every 100 words you write in a post and you require 750 Credits to level up from Rank 1 to Rank 2, wouldn't it theoretically be possible for someone to write a solo-story where they only deal with NPCs and no other PC at all? As in they are the only one posting in the thread, to reach the magical number of 75 000 words?

Bear in mind that the SFFWA nebula awards classify a novel as 40,000 + words, and many literary agents and publishers quote a length of 50,000-60,000 for short to medium novels respectively. If some one is able to write novel length posts just to try to level up, they really should think about taking up professional writing of some kind.

Steven king's carrie and the first dark tower are 61,000 and 64,000 words (rounded up) for example.

 

[Tsunami]

If we update our character sheets, I.e the story of our character after every thread, could that count towards the word count? Or are Character Sheets not going to be part of levelling up.

I have historically wrote very short character sheets, while many others write a small book

 

[Logan]

If we update our character sheets, I.e the story of our character after every thread, could that count towards the word count? Or are Character Sheets not going to be part of levelling up.

I have historically wrote very short character sheets, while many others write a small book

(Can't speak with any actual authority, just conjecture)

I highly doubt character sheets will factor into experience points. Transcribing events that occur in RP into your bio would essentially be double dipping the same ideas for extra experience.

The influence your character gains (exp) seems to be (and should be) only tied to the stories you create in the RP world, not filling out an arbitrary CS. Most people barely even update their CS with recent events (I know I don't), so I sincerely hope character sheets have no bearing on experience.

 

[Tsunami]

He ignited his Lightsaber and as he did, the crimson blade shone brighter than any sun, infact brighter than two suns! It was hot too... hot like lava, then burning plasma melting through objects like one could imagine the sun would if it touched an object! Oh and the blade was red, so red! It could be described at a blood red, but maybe not as dark!

Nailed it.

 

[Logan]

He ignited his Lightsaber and as he did, the crimson blade shone brighter than any sun, infact brighter than two suns! It was hot too... hot like lava, then burning plasma melting through objects like one could imagine the sun would if it touched an object! Oh and the blade was red, so red! It could be described at a blood red, but maybe not as dark!

Nailed it.

If Trump RP'd.

 

[Loco]

If Trump RP'd.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who read it like that.

It was a great lightsaber. The best lightsaber.

 

[Nor'baal]

”Wrong.’’ I said, cutting through the air bigly with my best words. Beautiful words, they love me - people always say I have the best words. If I wanted to, which I don’t, I could be a motivational speaker - pays bad, such losers. This morning one of them, a friend of mine from Coruscant, phones me. Great Guy, worked for Dad a while back - great brain, Dad always picked people with the best brains, probably why he picked me. He says ”Character Sheets Norbs, probably will not count towards credits.’’

I agree. Often I find myself agreeing with great people, shaving is a nightmare - sometimes people sing to the mirror, I just agree with it. Great advice, I am my best critic - not that there is much to critique. ”I get you Loco,’’ I say bigly ’’It would be a ‘uge gamechanger if Character sheets counted into Credit Score.’’ Such a loser I think, probably a Communist - maybe, if I was in charge (which I am) he would be in jail.

I just think, I am really good, you know, really good at writing. The best, everyone says so. Part of the beauty of me is how great I am, so smart, so good. Loco, stupid - everyone says so. Seems to me that sub-accounts will be reset after a character is written, or that post removed from the credit count - great idea, make ideas great again - all my ideas are great.

Loco. Loser, wasn't even born here. Fake news.

All my RP from now on.

 

[Mad Dog]

To expand on Brandon's answer, sub-accounts will only have the ability to post in the IC RP forum. Inversely, OOC accounts will not be able to post in RP forums. So there's no worry about forgetting which account you're in.

Any chance we could set up a way to switch to other sub-accounts without logging out and back in?

 

[Raif]

If you all will allow the opinion of a recently-returned old fart, I'd like to share my thoughts:

I absolutely love these "rules." At least from my perspective, as someone most heavily involved 3ish (and more) years ago, this seems like what a lot of us had either consciously or subconsciously considered the "ideal" system, in that the emphasis is on plot enhancement and cooperative storytelling, rather than us v them pew pew pvp. Additionally, my experience from The Before Times leads me to believe that this will all work rather well; in many ways, this is just a more official, articulated version of the way things have more or less always worked.

To use the Sith Imperium as an example, three characters who rose through the ranks and became essential to the faction were Andraste, Weiss, and Vereor (played by @Sreeya @Dmitri and @Rom respectively). Especially when the characters were first starting out, they made sure their guys and gal were everywhere: they were involved in training threads, they developed organic plot lines with other PCs, they challenged other PCs for leadership roles, etc. All of those posts, of course, meant lots and lots of words used to flesh out and expand and strengthen the individual characters. If we'd had this credit system back then, I can almost guarantee that those three characters would have easily "earned" the high ranks - and that, of course, was all done with no consideration for word count at the time, and rather just a driven focus on being involved with and wanting to shape the storylines of both their characters and the Timeline as a whole.

As for worries about word-fluffing/grinding, I think that's mostly already been addressed via both the punishment system and the admission that some people are always going to grind as long there is any sort of goal involved. For the vast majority, though, I don't think that will be the case. For those of us who tend to write with a bit more verbosity, that writing style was never focused on simply spitting out a bunch of words, so there will be no change with these new rules. If anything, if you view this style of written roleplay as sort of like a piece by piece screenplay given the need for physical descriptors and emotional cues, these new rules may help improve the writing styles of some folks and make the overall cooperative story easier to tell and, most importantly, understand from the perspective of the reader.

One question, though, which was already asked but not yet answered: how will "hiding" one's identity work? If a Level 3 character has historically been written in such a way as to be very private, under the radar, behind the scenes, would they realistically be able to shed the automatic fame/influence attained by their Level if they so chose?

Like a Sith Lord going undercover as a grunt to infiltrate the Mandalorians, just as an example.

 

[Brandon Rhea]

We don't consider the fame/recognition to be an automatic thing. Having Level 3, for example, just means you have the ability to be recognized the world over. Your actions in the RP just have to match that. So if your character is someone who has flown under the radar and never done anything publicly or overtly noteworthy but someone is like "Hey! I know you! You're not who you say you are!" then that would still be considered meta-gaming.

 

[Raif]

We don't consider the fame/recognition to be an automatic thing. Having Level 3, for example, just means you have the ability to be recognized the world over. Your actions in the RP just have to match that. So if your character is someone who has flown under the radar and never done anything publicly or overtly noteworthy but someone is like "Hey! I know you! You're not who you say you are!" then that would still be considered meta-gaming.

Who are you?

Fo real tho, thanks for the clarification - I'm pickin up what you're puttin down

 

[Nor'baal]

My possibly flawed understanding of it is that levels basically equal skills and proficiency, and naturally can flex based on the direction and focus of your character @Raif. Now I stand to be corrected/executed for incompetence here, but my assumption would lead me to the following -

• Boba Fett, with his focus on combat prowess, tracking and the usage of tech would level that up as he went. At level one, Boba is on par with a newly minted clone, he has little in the way of advanced tech and his reputation is basically unheard of. At level four, people pale at the sound of his name, just before a smart targeted rocket hits them in the face.
• Mace Windu, with his focus on the force and lightsaber forms, would only have a mid level ability in one form at level one, rising to total mastery of multiple forms at level four, accompanied by powerful force presence.
• Jabba the Hutt, a business and scumbag character would see level one being a hidden hutt, barely emerging on the criminal scene (such as we see in the Han Solo Trilogy, Book One) whilst at level four, we see the Hutt of ROTJ - powerful, a Kingpin in the Criminal Underworld.
• Zam Wessel, an assassin's]had she ever got the chance[/s] famed for her skills at range and undercover would be upcoming and keen, with the lack of skills to match at level one. However as she hits level four avoiding saber darts one hopes she is a shadow, nobody knows her true face (bar perhaps a select few, possibly close friends) and she is a crack shot at range, with an informant's network that matches her prowess with a rifle.

In conclusion, I doubt the levels system is set in stone, meaning it won't just be ‘Much more strong’ as you level up, but instead it would equate to ‘Much more accomplished in your character's core abilities and skills’. This would, however, be matched by RP, as @Brandon Rhea has said.

They be more like guidelines, like parlay.

 

[Mr.BossMan]

I think this is probably the coolest timeline idea I've seen so far. Honestly, good job to all who made this possible. I'm now thinking about getting back into the site.

 

[Vosrik]

Just for clarification, credits are earned per post, correct? Or do threads have to be completed and then evaluated first before credits are awarded?

 

[Raif]

Just for clarification, credits are earned per post, correct? Or do threads have to be completed and then evaluated first before credits are awarded?

This is a really good question