Skills/Spells advancement for non-mundanes

[Pheonix]

If some type of code were implimented that gave clear and concise guidelines on what is good and what is excess we would have no real issues any further from people getting chastized for this or that, because if they do, they are blatently doing it, because they saw the coded message that stated such.

...

Nothing but good could come from this change really.

Why don't we have these kinds of code for mundane guilds, then? I find it's a backward argument right now, putting more guardrails for the karma classes first, before making sure players fix whatever misconceptions of what may be right and wrong behavior for their characters when they are first starting out.

If we need IG reminders that our mage is casting too often at once, then we should also have guidelines for warriors who are sparring too much, and merchants who are crafting too much. I know for one thing, crafters can up their skill just as quickly as a mage can if they had unlimited resources. Same with warriors with the right stats and environment. Just as with a mage.

Basic point I'm trying to make. If you have been trusted by the staff to play higher karma roles, you should know by then what's right and wrong in those situations, same as when you were playing a mundane character. Just because you have more karma doesn't mean the rules change.

I still think we could use more OOC guidelines for the players regarding specific spells, but that's more of a side-concern. We're adults, or at least expected to act like one. More reminders to me feels like a mother constantly nagging over your shoulder.

[Pheonix]

How about:  instead of playing balls-to-the-wall, as close to the powergaming line as possible,  you just chill and enjoy the game in some other way?

QFT.

[Cerelum]

If some type of code were implimented that gave clear and concise guidelines on what is good and what is excess we would have no real issues any further from people getting chastized for this or that, because if they do, they are blatently doing it, because they saw the coded message that stated such.

...

Nothing but good could come from this change really.

Lots of stuff

Because magick works different than every other guild.  It's branching is much more fast paced.  How am I supposed to know if I'm doing it too fast?

[Pheonix]

If some type of code were implimented that gave clear and concise guidelines on what is good and what is excess we would have no real issues any further from people getting chastized for this or that, because if they do, they are blatently doing it, because they saw the coded message that stated such.

...

Nothing but good could come from this change really.

Lots of stuff

Because magick works different than every other guild.  It's branching is much more fast paced.  How am I supposed to know if I'm doing it too fast?

I don't think how fast is really the issue. It's what you are doing to be branching so fast.

A warrior with exceptional wisdom will probably max a lot quicker than other warriors. If that same warrior is in the Byn or other military-oriented clan but still playing with the schedule and roleplay, he'll also max pretty quick. When the same warrior in question spars every day, morning and afternoon (and into the night) and maxes their skill really quick, I think it starts becoming an issue. It doesn't matter so much that the warrior is maxing so quick, but how.

Same goes with magickers, who most start out with really high wisdom to begin with.

[Cerelum]

If some type of code were implimented that gave clear and concise guidelines on what is good and what is excess we would have no real issues any further from people getting chastized for this or that, because if they do, they are blatently doing it, because they saw the coded message that stated such.

...

Nothing but good could come from this change really.

Lots of stuff

Because magick works different than every other guild.  It's branching is much more fast paced.  How am I supposed to know if I'm doing it too fast?

I don't think how fast is really the issue. It's what you are doing to be branching so fast.

A warrior with exceptional wisdom will probably max a lot quicker than other warriors. If that same warrior is in the Byn or other military-oriented clan but still playing with the schedule and roleplay, he'll also max pretty quick. When the same warrior in question spars every day, morning and afternoon (and into the night) and maxes their skill really quick, I think it starts becoming an issue. It doesn't matter so much that the warrior is maxing so quick, but how.

Same goes with magickers, who most start out with really high wisdom to begin with.

A blessing and a curse it appears.

[Kryos]

Not that I normally agree with Gimf, but I do this time.  >_>  If you're up to something, just proactively email your clan staff.  I always get a reply that says "Thanks Dude, here's my take on blah."  This makes for a pretty simple and excellent system of checks and balances and unless you're rocking some sort of misplaced 'us versus them' mentality, everything gained and nothing lost.

edited to add:  Thumbs down on coded messages for skill use.  That's what derived stats are for hp/stam/etc.  If its low, you should probably chillax for a while.

[Taven]

Why is everyone saying they typically don't agree with Gim, or make a point not to? I'm also agreeing with Gim's advice, and agree with the people who agreed with her advice.

I feel like a coded message isn't needed, because at the point you're playing a 'gicker, you (general you) have a fair amount of knowledge on how to RP appropriately already, and know how to make resonable decisions, or so it's assumed anyways with the karma system. There's also the option of setting self-restrictions, as mentioned (for example, only cast in the mornings of a day), or maybe writing a bio going into the details of why your character practices more (motivation, and what negitive effects the constant practice is having, why they do it anyways), or just talking with staff if they're saying casting is being done too often.

Nothing more to add, really.

[evil_erdlu]

Easy solution.

1. Use the command "change objective" to choose an aim for that character, which is 'mundane'.
2. List your addictions you satisfy during ARMing. Mine are coffee and smoking.
3. Refuse to satisfy your addictions before you do something mundane for your objective.
4. Even off-peak, all the staff will see is a finely played solo-RP session ending with a gone message, "gone to fetch a cig" very very regularly.

Then while you 'practice', make sure your character is 'think'ing about his own theory of magick. Why does Suk-Krathi spell X is using a sphere completely opposite of what it does? Why does Rukkian spell Y branched to Z - how are they similar? How does spell N work? Where does the energy go in your body? Would it affect <different race> the same?

Examine other folks' magick if you're a gemmer. How can you defend against it? How can he defend against you? How is it different from you? What's his element's mood?

Make up your own mythology. Make up the places of the elements in Zalanthas habitat in your own view and improve it slowly. Are Vivadu and Whira friendly elements? What's the connection between Suk-Krath and Elkros? Are Drovians really only after your skull?

See dreams and hallucinations if you want. The power's rippling in your mind and soul, so it must mess up your psyche, too. Let your Nilazi mess with lovecraftian dreams. Your Drovian may have an imaginary shadow friend. Did that gortok just 'smile' at your Vivaduan?

Fear other magick. You now know how your own magick works. But how much do you know about other elements? It's unknown to you and it should be even more fearsome for you because you know what a magicker can in greater depth and firsthand compared to a simple mundane.

And when your mage is really three dimensional, I doubt anyone would care even if you 'practice' ever passing moment. No need to messages, no need to coded warnings...

[FantasyWriter]

I would very much like to see the amount of mana you channel through your body affect you somehow, good or bad.
The way it is now seems rather static.

Whether it be your element affecting your gear wet/burned/dusty/statically charaged/etc.
Uncontrollable cantrip-like emote scripts.
Slower or faster mana regen when you've been channeling a lot, the reverse when you haven't casted in a while.
Element/spell affected tracks: Two hours ago, a short-strided humanoid moved in from the west.     
                                            - The tracks appear unusually <muddy/burned/scattered/heavy>.

You get the point

[janeshephard]

It is fine the way it is. If the game starts to tell me when I should be roleplaying exhaustion or boredom then it's essentially going to mold all of us into a group of soft bots.

I'm completely unphased by that one magicker who spam trains his spells in some corner of the world. He'll get his. Oh yeah, he will

[spawnloser]

The branching of magickal skills/spells quickly is an artificial thing.  They do not progress faster than other skills.  It's because of how they're practiced.

Take responsibility for how you play your character, as Gim said.

[IAmJacksOpinion]

I like the idea of "this character practices from dawn til noon everyday" as a guideline. For some reason I've never ever thought of that!

Seeing as clans do the same thing with sparring, I don't think there could be a possible valid argument against conducting yourself in such a way.

With some magickers, it makes more sense to only practice between the hours of x and y anyways. With others, it might be more dependent on other factors. For instance, a whiran tending to practice when the wind is strong, but deciding to find other stuff to do when wind is all but non-existent. Not only does having a time/weather scheduled approach help resolve the issue a little, it also makes sense RP wise, and it offers the best coded advantage.

win/win/win ?

(Of course, it goes without saying that that same whiran would have to rely on judgement if the wind remained strong for 3 IG days straight...)