Change 2636

Originally Posted : Fri Nov 19 20:46:03 2004
Posted by : Razan
Title : death exp change version 2

I've been in discussion about this death EXP loss much of the day
with a number of different people. I think in reflection that my
change might have been hasty in several areas which I hope this
change addresses.

My goal in the previous change was to bring EXP loss back in line
with what it was before the inclusion of standing and resurrection
level. It's clear to me now that I overstepped my logic. Let me
explain. Previously EXP loss was capped at 1mil but if you got a
rez (regardless of quality of rez) then it would drop down to 500k.
Again, I'm talking about caps here.

With the inclusion of our "new system" it changed to be capped at
1mil EXP (again) *BUT* to get it down to 500k not only required
the best resurrection in the game (which we've seen empirically now
to not occur as likely as we had thought) but *ALSO* for the player
to have 50% of their total standing they can possibly have. I've
spent some time looking at player's standings and judging by all
the experience people were losing on this system it was clear that
the loss was more in the ballpark of 750k to 800k per rez. To me
this signifies that "jihad standing is a requirement or it will
penalize you." I want to make standing a benefit, not something
people dread. There are many good reasons to raise your standing
and this should be one as well.

OK, so yesterday I changed the cap to 500k - simple change to make
it easier. This inadvertently made resurrection about worthless.
For now, people could temple and lose 500k minus a portion based
on their standing. Waiting for a cleric resurrection just didn't
make enough sense.

Note that in these equations there is a 25% "unrecoverable" of
that base EXP loss (capped at 1mil or 500k, whichever system was
in place).

OK, so on to the change. Nero and I have discussed this at length
and come up with another simple change which I think better expresses
what I was aiming at. The change is this:
EXP loss is capped at 1mil EXP - we call this the 'base exp'
60% of that base exp can be recovered by your standing.
40% of that base exp can be recovered by a good rez.

Now, while almost no people have above, say, 75% of the best standing
that they can have, that means that they can hope to recover only
75% of 60% or 45%. I don't have a problem requiring people to wait
for a good rez if they want to get their EXP back. Notice in
this equation the absense of the "unrecoverable" exp loss. This means
that, in theory, you can lose 0 exp on a death. While in practice,
this will not happen, it's something to strive for. Aha! We've
achieved the goal of valuating jihad standing AND cleric resurrection
simultaneously.

In practice most players have very low standing, so let's assume they
can get only 10% of their EXP back due to standing. Then, with a good
rez they can hope to be back at the 500k XP loss that they are used
to. BUT they can strive for better! And that's what I wanted to
express - standing having a purpose and an intent as it pertains to
death while at the same time not making it a burden, instead a reward.

Sorry for the lengthy post but as many of you know I sometimes have to
make changes, examine the impact, and come back and revise those
changes. Take it or leave it, that's the way it seems to work to come
about to a better system. Hopefully people will agree on some level
that this is a good move - I honestly do this to make the place better
while at the same time not devaluing death - it should be something to
fear and something you strive to avoid.

- Razan.