Target Practice.

[Ampere]

That's what I thought.

[1]

Just so you know, there is at least one dummy IG that has an intended use for archery practice.

BUT it is in an archery hall, far away, in another room, from the user. Without people sparring all around it.

IF you are talking about a sparring dummy, in a sparring hall, I'd say no... Too dangerous. BUT in principle, you can throw or shoot anything for practice realisticly.

[BlackMagic0]

I'd not mind seeing more places get archery halls. For such practice.

Though only in a archery hall. Since in a sparring hall, most dummies are surrounded by virtual NPCs sparring.

WAY TOO DANGEROUS to fire arrows into the area.

[brytta.leofa]

As far as I know, the reason this is not allowed in the large outdoor practice yards is due to a problem with the dummies' script.

But, yeah, it's a huge shame that we don't have cheap, readily-available archery targets.  And that arrows are so expensive.  There's got to be some better way to balance the skill, if that's the issue.

[Spoon]

Yep, it's the way they work. So I go for Other, because the other two 'no' answers had weird reasons tagged to them.

No: as far as I know, it's against the rules unless in a specific archery area.

[jhunter]

Yes you should be able to. But if it's not in a place specifically set aside for it, expect IC consequences.

[Lizzie]

There is also an archery field in the game, with a target, that is also away from the user and not surrounded by people sparring.

I know the complaint has come up before but, in most clans where people -would- learn archery, I think it's reasonable to try and get an archery yard/field/indoor ring built, ICly. In the south, probably not so much - maybe the Arena and Tor could put something together for public use..or rental for clan use..

in coded tribal encampments I could definitely see archery practice yards.

[brytta.leofa]

I think that the Arm of the Dragon and House Tor should have access to archery practice facilities.  Having played a ranger in AoD and the Tor Academy, it was frustrating to have no reasonable way to practice archery (as opposed to using it, untrained, in combat).  I know it's expensive in the south, but at least those two clans have good reason to pour money on combat gadgetry.

[spawnloser]

There are archery dummies in game.  If you want one, get one IG and don't shoot at the melee dummies.  That is all.

[Synthesis]

There are plenty of ways to justify doing it IC.

The problem is that it is virtually (if not literally) impossible to hit standard sparring dummies with arrows, due to some artifact of how they are coded as NPCs. Thus, it is a trivial task to completely max out your archery skill (even as a ranger) by doing nothing but shooting at the dummy.

Clearly, the dummies are not intended to be -that- useful in terms of skill gain, because they are virtually (if not literally) useless for training standard melee combat skills.  Thus, I think using them for target practice could easily be construed as bug abuse.

[Thunkkin]

The problem is that it is virtually (if not literally) impossible to hit standard sparring dummies with arrows, due to some artifact of how they are coded as NPCs. Thus, it is a trivial task to completely max out your archery skill (even as a ranger) by doing nothing but shooting at the dummy.

The one "dummy" target that I have encountered in game and that was intended for archery/throwing practice operated in precisely this way.  I was given strict OOC rules about its use.

[Barzalene]

The only thing that bothers me is the not being able to practice backstab. I apologize in advance for the ensuing derail I may have just unleashed.

[brytta.leofa]

There are archery dummies in game.  If you want one, get one IG and don't shoot at the melee dummies.  That is all.

If I walk up to an agent of the appropriate merchant house with enough sid to buy a tent, you think I can get one?  Or are there structural barriers to this ever actually happening?

[solera]

Yes please! I nearly always roll a ranger, but have never used the archery skill because of this.  This thread has stirred a deep seated not-so tiny Want.The one time I was getting close to that archery range, my PC stuffed things up.
Even if you could aim at a stone with your stone.

[Durant]

The only thing that bothers me is the not being able to practice backstab. I apologize in advance for the ensuing derail I may have just unleashed.

How could an inanimate sparring dummy in anyway help learn proper stealth and technique to backstab.

It makes perfect sense not to allow it to be practiced on the dummys.

[jhunter]

The only thing that bothers me is the not being able to practice backstab. I apologize in advance for the ensuing derail I may have just unleashed.

How could an inanimate sparring dummy in anyway help learn proper stealth and technique to backstab.

It makes perfect sense not to allow it to be practiced on the dummys.

Actually I could see it helping in a minor way with specialized dummies. Dummies with vital locations marked out on them and the use of a paint tipped dagger to practice striking the vital locations in single strikes. Back on track, I think it would be awesome if there were archery targets that one could purchase to set out and practice shooting. You could have beginner (large) targets, set to a certain defense against missles. Intermediate (medium) targets, a bit more difficult to hit. Advanced (small) targets, a bit tougher. And up to expert (tiny), the most difficult stationary targets.

[Thunkkin]

For the love of god, let's not have the backstab discussion.

[Xeran Van Houten]

There's already plenty of purchasable archery/melee/backstab targets in Arm - they're called half-elves. And if you're lucky, you can get your money back.

[Cutthroat]

There are target dummies that are different from sparring dummies, but they don't appear widely IG, and there really should be an easier way to practice archery.

I would personally like to see code from the dartboard game transferred onto some sort of round, dartboard-like archery target object that can be shot with a bow and arrow. Shots that hit the center would count as an archery 'success'. Shots that hit off-center or miss the target completely should count as an archery 'failure'. Ideally, these archery targets would be easier to set up than the current target dummies, and hopefully make a little more sense to use.


pull quiver
shoot target
You shoot a round archery target with a pink-fletched, steel-headed arrow.
It hits the center! You get 5 points!

[Thorg]

I voted other because I believe the current slew of dummies in various training halls across the Known just aren't designed to be perforated. They're sacks of rock and sand and are apparently difficult to come by, it'd make sense they don't want people putting (unneeded) holes in them by shooting at them willy nilly.

I think that specially designed targets would be a completely different kettle of weezer larvae, one of balance, for example.

I also think especially adapted ammunition (blunt-ended) or lower-pull bows used on dummies would be another kettle, albeit a more finicky and over-complicated one.

[FantasyWriter]

I voted other because I believe the current slew of dummies in various training halls across the Known just aren't designed to be perforated. They're sacks of rock and sand and are apparently difficult to come by, it'd make sense they don't want people putting (unneeded) holes in them by shooting at them willy nilly.

I think that specially designed targets would be a completely different kettle of weezer larvae, one of balance, for example.

I also think especially adapted ammunition (blunt-ended) or lower-pull bows used on dummies would be another kettle, albeit a more finicky and over-complicated one.

What happened to a bail of plant matter and red paint?

[Qzzrbl]

I voted other because I believe the current slew of dummies in various training halls across the Known just aren't designed to be perforated. They're sacks of rock and sand and are apparently difficult to come by, it'd make sense they don't want people putting (unneeded) holes in them by shooting at them willy nilly.

I think that specially designed targets would be a completely different kettle of weezer larvae, one of balance, for example.

I also think especially adapted ammunition (blunt-ended) or lower-pull bows used on dummies would be another kettle, albeit a more finicky and over-complicated one.

get rock
get rock
get rock
get rock
get rock
get rock
get rock
get rock
get rock
get rock
put all bag
get rock
get rock
get rock
get rock
get rock
get rock
get rock
put all bag
close bag
drop bag
s
s
s
shoot bag n

I wish....

[Qzzrbl]

I voted other because I believe the current slew of dummies in various training halls across the Known just aren't designed to be perforated. They're sacks of rock and sand and are apparently difficult to come by, it'd make sense they don't want people putting (unneeded) holes in them by shooting at them willy nilly.

I think that specially designed targets would be a completely different kettle of weezer larvae, one of balance, for example.

I also think especially adapted ammunition (blunt-ended) or lower-pull bows used on dummies would be another kettle, albeit a more finicky and over-complicated one.

What happened to a bail of plant matter and red paint?

Defilers.

That's what.

[Bogre]

I think templar's don't use their punishments enough to give their men target practice.

[Salt Merchant]

It should be possible to throw or shoot all you want.

Just so long as it's nearly impossible to miss if you have any skill at all. Unless the dummy is somehow reasonably distant.

[FantasyWriter]

>drop ginka

Set ginka target

s

s

Shoot ginka n

[Myrdryn]

There's already plenty of purchasable archery/melee/backstab targets in Arm - they're called half-elves. And if you're lucky, you can get your money back.

Everyone knows that dwarves make the -best- targets.

[FantasyWriter]

There's already plenty of purchasable archery/melee/backstab targets in Arm - they're called half-elves prostitutes. And if you're lucky you succeed, you can get your money back.

[jhunter]

There's already plenty of purchasable archery/melee/backstab targets in Arm - they're called half-elves. And if you're lucky, you can get your money back.

Everyone knows that dwarves make the -best- targets.

Sorry Myrdryn, but no...too hard...too many broken arrows.

[shadeoux]

There's already plenty of purchasable archery/melee/backstab targets in Arm - they're called half-elves. And if you're lucky, you can get your money back.

Everyone knows that dwarves make the -best- targets.

Sorry Myrdryn, but no...too hard...too many broken arrows.

Ha I win again!

[Twilight]

Hopefully, in Arm2, archery could be practiced on objects, instead of mobiles only.  That would make it possible to craft or mastercraft some sort of archery target.

As it is, the way the archery targets that exist work, where I have have seen them, and the OOC rules surrounding their use, and the IC restrictions to their use...is about right.

[roughneck]

Voted who cares?

Archery is an easy skill to train without dummies.

[Potaje]

Alright, ya got to be kidding me.. no one thought of a wooden shield mounted to a wooden post.. Seem s silly simple.

Oh wait need so red paint and a paint brush ya got circles... Or better yet two pieces of rope draped from a beam attached to either side of the shield and some one gives it a shove to give the archer a moving target.

no need to waste bags, or use stone.

I mean damn give a thick weave of reeds over the wood shield, to damped the arrow strike, or for that matter weave a target out of grass and reeds.

[brytta.leofa]

Voted who cares?

Archery is an easy skill to train without dummies.

I'm intrigued--unless you just mean that your character is one who has a reason to go on hunting trips?  There are only like two city-based clans that have a real, ongoing, legitimate reason to actively kill animals.  (Salarr and Kadius, who need the raw materials.  You can argue 'bout Kurac.)

I know that I'm totally whining about this, but we'd see a huge outcry if the southern Byn couldn't spar.  The Arm of the Dragon has units of archers, so it's clearly a valued military skill, even in the south.

[Thunkkin]

My first character was a crossbowman (ranger) in the AoD.  I'll always love Nelly for taking me out to hunt scrabs - but yeah.  I have no idea why all those guys in the Nak militia carry crossbows since there's no where or no real way to train.

[brytta.leofa]

My first character was a crossbowman (ranger) in the AoD.  I'll always love Nelly for taking me out to hunt scrabs - but yeah.  I have no idea why all those guys in the Nak militia carry crossbows since there's no where or no real way to train.

I took booze bottles over to a small ruined area and shot at 'em.  ("shoot direction")  Never accumulated enough logs to bother sending in, as it was deadly dull to do.

[roughneck]

Voted who cares?

Archery is an easy skill to train without dummies.

I'm intrigued--unless you just mean that your character is one who has a reason to go on hunting trips?  There are only like two city-based clans that have a real, ongoing, legitimate reason to actively kill animals.  (Salarr and Kadius, who need the raw materials.  You can argue 'bout Kurac.)

I know that I'm totally whining about this, but we'd see a huge outcry if the southern Byn couldn't spar.  The Arm of the Dragon has units of archers, so it's clearly a valued military skill, even in the south.

Why isn't practice a legitimate reason to kill animals?  I've played rangers who are amused by watching a jozhal writhe around on the ground with an arrow through it's lung, hunting the less dangerous creatures of the game world would be great sport... and a way of pissing off some tribals.

Besides, any class that gets archery has legitimate reason to go outside the gates now and then just to stay sharp as a soldier/hunter/guard/whatever.

[Cutthroat]

I think brytta is trying to say that while practice is a legitimate reason to kill animals, it is not a legitimate reason for every PC. There needs to be more accessible ways for characters that don't have this as a legitimate reason to practice, or else they will either A) not practice or B) act out-of-character.

[roughneck]

I think brytta is trying to say that while practice is a legitimate reason to kill animals, it is not a legitimate reason for every PC. There needs to be more accessible ways for characters that don't have this as a legitimate reason to practice, or else they will either A) not practice or B) act out-of-character.

I'm saying if you want to be good at the skill suck it up and go kill some jozhals, it's not that big a deal.  You need to learn to compensate for howling desert winds anyways.

You can always get a pro to teach you for a few coins and then you can rp your target practice.  I don't think target practicing should be able to get you up to the higher levels of the skill anyways, but as I said, since the skill is fairly easy to train I wouldn't care either way if some clans had practice dummies or not.

A backstab dummy would get me a little pissy just because that's a skill which is both difficult to train and mondo powerful.  But for all I know they exist as well, I saw someone mention them in this thread.

[RogueGunslinger]

I think brytta is trying to say that while practice is a legitimate reason to kill animals, it is not a legitimate reason for every PC. There needs to be more accessible ways for characters that don't have this as a legitimate reason to practice, or else they will either A) not practice or B) act out-of-character.

I'm saying if you want to be good at the skill suck it up and go kill some jozhals, it's not that big a deal. 

While I understand it's not what you explicitly saying; Some people like to play their characters with realism, and don't like to just "Suck it up and break character."

[Thunkkin]

Besides, any class that gets archery has legitimate reason to go outside the gates now and then just to stay sharp as a soldier/hunter/guard/whatever.

I would pay money to watch your recruit/private explain to the Lord Templar how you broke one of the basic rules of the entire clan, drilled into recruits' heads from day one, because you wanted to "stay sharp."

When you're in a clan like the AoD, you aren't traipsing out casually to solo-hunt and watch jozhals squirm on your day off.

[roughneck]

I think brytta is trying to say that while practice is a legitimate reason to kill animals, it is not a legitimate reason for every PC. There needs to be more accessible ways for characters that don't have this as a legitimate reason to practice, or else they will either A) not practice or B) act out-of-character.

I'm saying if you want to be good at the skill suck it up and go kill some jozhals, it's not that big a deal.

While I understand it's not what you explicitly saying; Some people like to play their characters with realism, and don't like to just "Suck it up and break character."

Don't break character then.  Have someone teach you and be decent at archery, just not the best.

Realistically characters wouldn't do a lot of things they do, but sometimes to keep a computer game fun and interesting you have to make up excuses to do things.  Like climbing abandoned buildings so you can get decent at climb and go on that big adventure up a cliff or mountain.

Besides, any class that gets archery has legitimate reason to go outside the gates now and then just to stay sharp as a soldier/hunter/guard/whatever.

I would pay money to watch your recruit/private explain to the Lord Templar how you broke one of the basic rules of the entire clan, drilled into recruits' heads from day one, because you wanted to "stay sharp."

When you're in a clan like the AoD, you aren't traipsing out casually to solo-hunt and watch jozhals squirm on your day off.

Then it's Lord Templar's job to decide whether or not his soldier is going to be good at archery.  If you're so in character you should enjoy the templar having that kind of power over your play anyhow.

[RogueGunslinger]

Right. We're trying to fix an issue(certain pc's unable to train a skill). We aren't looking for cheap workarounds to the issue(players making excuses for their pc's).

Looking for a mentor is not easy, or a viable option to most characters that want their skills to go up.

I agree you have to make up excuses for SOME things, but it has to be in character still.

As a sort of aside; A lot of people like play through the game like they would play through a real persons life, instead of say, how they would play through a tv characters life. Playing like that doesn't often allow for excuses to be made for coded game advancement.

[spawnloser]

A soldier firing a box/x-bow doesn't require skill.  They aren't precision firing at a lone target, they're simply shooting an arrow/bolt into a milling pile of opposing forces.  I am fine with soldiers not learning how to use a bow with any real skill without having to find/earn special consideration by their superiors so that allowances can be made to allow it.

[Ampere]

A soldier firing a box/x-bow doesn't require skill.  They aren't precision firing at a lone target, they're simply shooting an arrow/bolt into a milling pile of opposing forces.  I am fine with soldiers not learning how to use a bow with any real skill without having to find/earn special consideration by their superiors so that allowances can be made to allow it.

Yeomen were required by law to train for at least one day a week, a practice which led to both deformity, and exceptional skill.   You see, during war, people wear armour, which is pretty damn effective against arrows.  Every country had archers, but not every country had an army of master archers.  Not only were these yeomen able to fire absurd distances, but they were able to fire with an absurd accuracy.  This unmatched skill allowed them to zone in on weakpoints in their enemies' armour, which is why they were so feared.  Oh, and they would practice on targets.

Here's another analogy: when was the last time you score a 180 at darts?

[brytta.leofa]

A soldier firing a box/x-bow doesn't require skill.  They aren't precision firing at a lone target, they're simply shooting an arrow/bolt into a milling pile of opposing forces.  I am fine with soldiers not learning how to use a bow with any real skill without having to find/earn special consideration by their superiors so that allowances can be made to allow it.

The code doesn't support this.  If your archery skill is at <novice>, it doesn't matter how many people are in the next outdoor room: you're going to aim at only one of them, and you're probably going to miss.

As an in-character matter, the PC unit of the Arm of the Dragon is an infantry unit: not cavalry, not archery, not half-giant drummers.  But it still seems odd that archery isn't any part of the training regimen.

[Spoon]

A soldier firing a box/x-bow doesn't require skill.  They aren't precision firing at a lone target, they're simply shooting an arrow/bolt into a milling pile of opposing forces.  I am fine with soldiers not learning how to use a bow with any real skill without having to find/earn special consideration by their superiors so that allowances can be made to allow it.

Yeomen were required by law to train for at least one day a week, a practice which led to both deformity, and exceptional skill.   You see, during war, people wear armour, which is pretty damn effective against arrows.  Every country had archers, but not every country had an army of master archers.  Not only were these yeomen able to fire absurd distances, but they were able to fire with an absurd accuracy.  This unmatched skill allowed them to zone in on weakpoints in their enemies' armour, which is why they were so feared.  Oh, and they would practice on targets.

Here's another analogy: when was the last time you score a 180 at darts?

Yeoman archery derail ensues! Just to point out a few inaccuracies for reference (judging by your spelling of armour you probably already know all of this ):

Practicing archery with a bow (what was called a war bow, now referred to as a long bow) was only made law in England and Wales because enthusiasm for archery was waning in the late middle ages. The fact English and Welsh archers were so good was a phenomenon. It was simply the chosen pastime of common men in Wales and England. And these longbows could pierce steel plate and chain mail pretty easily. There is a medieval record of two arrows having pierced a four-inch thick solid oak door in Wales. These bows had a pull of around 200 pounds (resulting in the 'spurs' found on the joints archer's skeletons). I'm looking for the Benjamin Franklin quote about proposing the use of longbows in the American Revolution, but can't find it. Basically THEY'RE SUPER AWESOME, but their use in large scale war was limited to medieval England and Wales simple because of the culture that cultivated their use: Something that was never planned and was never adopted by any other nation for various reasons. Phew.

As for archers firing in battles, yes and no. They would be highly skilled, but would simply fire in the general area of a large group of enemies. It's a matter of tactics, as you can fire more arrows if you take less time aiming.

This is all true, or at least has sources backing it up. Somewhere....

As for Arm, if you're crap at archery there is no chance of getting a lucky shot. If a unit of untrained bowmen fire at a unit of tregils, they probably won't kill anything.

My thoughts on the matter are tied. I see the logic for archery targets, but there are seriously strict rules on the use of the ones currently available for abuse reasons. Archery can be one hell of a deadly skill, and rightly so. I'd be happy if there was a way of having archery targets cap the possible amount learned at a reasonably low level (like apprentice, enough to make the skill useful enough in the field). It's a mater of realism and code balance. Imagine how miserable this game would be if being good at archery was commonplace.

[brytta.leofa]

My thoughts on the matter are tied. I see the logic for archery targets, but there are seriously strict rules on the use of the ones currently available for abuse reasons. Archery can be one hell of a deadly skill, and rightly so. I'd be happy if there was a way of having archery targets cap the possible amount learned at a reasonably low level (like apprentice, enough to make the skill useful enough in the field). It's a mater of realism and code balance. Imagine how miserable this game would be if being good at archery was commonplace.

I agree in principle, but--rhetorical question--where's the difference between archery and warriors' skills?  We don't worry about Bynners becoming overpowered from daily practice.

(1) Archery is harder to defend against.  And so it should be, yet warriors get epic shield_use (and "run; n; bash ranger"), rangers and sneakies have stealth skills, and everybody else is a filthy abomination or should be staying inside the wagon.

(2) Archery is probably much quicker to raise to dangerous levels if you can actually practice.

If archery is actually overpowered, why not dramatically reduce the rate of skill gain, drop the price of arrows to a reasonable level, and encourage its practice where it makes sense?  And take a look at the balance of archery versus large shields.

Archery, in my opinion, should be a commonly-employed military skill, but mostly a harrassing tactic unless you have a lot of archers or one who's reallllly good.

It should be roughly as hard to reach "reallllly good" with a bow as it is to reach "reallllly good" with a sword.

[Synthesis]

There is a huge difference between archery and melee, in terms of how dangerous it is in the game right now.  (Archery is much scarier, until you start comparing it to say...a half-giant warrior.)

That being said, it's actually much easier to max archery than it is to max a weapon skill, if you know what you're doing.

[brytta.leofa]

That being said, it's actually much easier to max archery than it is to max a weapon skill, if you know what you're doing.

On elves.

[Synthesis]

That being said, it's actually much easier to max archery than it is to max a weapon skill, if you know what you're doing.

On elves.

Good luck ever finding a city-elf to shoot at.

Shooting at desert-elves? Not exactly the brightest idea, if you plan on a long and successful career as an outdoorsman.

[Spoon]

I reckon it was meant the other way around. While this is all stuff that is logical and easy enough to work out with the information available, we're basically spelling out certain effective ways of training skills. I'd rather people worked this out for themselves because it makes me feel better than them. Not really, it's guilt that made me post. People don't need to be told things like this, it leads to twinkery. You're both mighty fine roleplayers but this is EVIL!!!

[spawnloser]

The code doesn't support this.  If your archery skill is at <novice>, it doesn't matter how many people are in the next outdoor room: you're going to aim at only one of them, and you're probably going to miss.

As an in-character matter, the PC unit of the Arm of the Dragon is an infantry unit: not cavalry, not archery, not half-giant drummers.  But it still seems odd that archery isn't any part of the training regimen.

Yes, I know that the code doesn't support it.  I'm not saying that the code should, but that OOC consideration ("my skills aren't getting better" when you want to be able t shoot someone) won't sway me to another side in this argument.

I think it would be strange for it to be part of the training regimen, actually.  That's the point.  They're infantry, not cavalry or archery, and they don't need skill.

[brytta.leofa]

Yes, I know that the code doesn't support it.  I'm not saying that the code should, but that OOC consideration ("my skills aren't getting better" when you want to be able t shoot someone) won't sway me to another side in this argument.

"I suck at archery" is an in-character issue.  So is "my skills aren't getting better," actually.

I think it would be strange for it to be part of the training regimen, actually.  That's the point.  They're infantry, not cavalry or archery, and they don't need skill.

Then they don't need bows.  Which is okay...wasteful of your ranger PCs' abilities, but okay.  (Quick, somebody make the reductio ad backstab argument.)

[spawnloser]

That was, actually, exactly the point I was making, brytta.  It's too bad you're playing a character that could be a god among bow-using individuals... that never uses that particular skill.  Too bad, but how many other characters have you played that practically never used at least one of each characters' skills, probably more?  It's okay.  Too bad, though.

[Akaramu]

Archery practice on inanimate objects should be possible - but be limited to a fairly low skill cap. Reaching journeyman skill level is where this kind of practice should end, in my opinion.

[brytta.leofa]

That was, actually, exactly the point I was making, brytta.  It's too bad you're playing a character that could be a god among bow-using individuals... that never uses that particular skill.  Too bad, but how many other characters have you played that practically never used at least one of each characters' skills, probably more?  It's okay.  Too bad, though.

Okay, I guess we're in violent agreement.

I think my only real points are: (1) practice (and not on dangerous animals in the dangerous wilderness) should be easy and encouraged for folks who have a reason to, and (2) archery shouldn't be so ungodly unbalancing that we have to discourage practice.

[brytta.leofa]

Archery practice on inanimate objects should be possible - but be limited to a fairly low skill cap. Reaching journeyman skill level is where this kind of practice should end, in my opinion.

Sounds right to me.  Past that, you're learning to shoot at a moving target.

[LoD]

I wouldn't mind seeing IG tools that allowed people to improve one skill per RL day through some kind of IG tool/prop such as a sparring dummy, archery target, etc...up to some medium-level ability in the skill.

So, one day I could practice my kick skill against a sparring dummy, and I could potentially work that skill up to 40% success rate over 25 RL days of interacting with the prop/tool and role-playing my study and learning of that skill.  The remainder of the skill may require actually using it in a live fashion on actual targets.

If you were only able to use one skill per RL day in that way, it would take you a long while to work up multiple skills even to the medium level of ability, but it would still give someone who was more interested in RP than sparring a way to improve their character over time.  It'd be especially helpful to off-peak players that maybe don't have a very active clan or are restricted by clan policies from being able to practice the skills they want to improve.

-LoD

[jstorrie]

I don't think archery or skills in general need to be relaxed in order to accomodate the introduction of archery targets. Just design archery targets such that they aren't useful past novice-ness, like melée dummies. If a clan has mega bux to spend, maybe they can buy moving targets, with a slightly higher 'cap.'

[RogueGunslinger]

NPC sparring partners.