On Wed, 2009-07-15 at 02:55 -0700, Duckbreath wrote:
> I think the question of a reset actually has underlying causes, such
> as "endgame" (a more recent term used by MMO developers these days).
> Mote in the old days was a winning condition, but now-a-days probably
> looks more like a rite of passage to be able to "start" endgame life.

One thought I had was that there are maybe 4 different measures here...

1. The top 5 slots in scoreboard.
It confuses when people all get the maximum XP and the code sorts
by name. This generally triggers the "can we reset?" discussion.
A better display might be all people with max XP shown in
an "honor roll".

2. so-called Master of the Elements
This is when someone unites the elemental talismans.
This event typically marks the start of the level 30 wars...
and eventually people wonder when all the level 30s can be
cleared out and the race to 30 started over.

3. The true master of the elements
Someone who has level 30 in all 8 element/class combinations...
*without multi-playing!*
If you have beaten the game as fighter and mage each, in each of
the 4 elements, then you've truly solved the game. Using multiple
characters to level or as pack mules and whatnot undermines and
cheapens this, so I wouldn't really count that.

4. Never end the wars, just retire the heros.
Instead... when a character reaches "the end" - retire it, and
leave the game running, but clear them off the active, usable
list and mark them as a hero of the element or whatever.

Lots of end-game possibilities here... for specific characters
or for that game run.
>
> There is also the matter of the fastest and most active players
> hitting level 30 first and griefing everyone else with summoned
> creatures and not receiving proper karma adjustment, since the
> "creature" gets the kill. I believe when karma goes sour is when the
> net level difference adjustment reaches a point where Queyan appears
> and kills you :)

Yes, the karma loophole is one that works to only penalize
fighters, so I have always left karma disabled.
The solution here is factions/teams/clans who defend smaller
player <of their element>.

> I'd almost rather see a beta XR2 run on another server port, with
> classic XR on the original, and we'll call that our reset :) Of
> course, the beta would be subject to lots of resetting at one's own
> risk for obvious reasons pertaining to the nature of the development
> cycle.
>
The intention was to have a choice between "regular" and
"extra crispy" (no Peter, I don't mean extra you!)
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--
Robert "Exile In Paradise" Murphey
What is mind? No matter. What is matter? Never mind.
-- Thomas Hewitt Key, 1799-1875