Re: 1/4 eeps per skill limit

["Kris Ames" <kris@cioe.com>]

----------
> From: Lyle H Janney <lhjanney@adpc.purdue.edu>
> To: gmlist@ns1.cioe.com
> Subject: RE: Skill Costs.
> Date: Wednesday, July 01, 1998 10:46 AM
> 

> 
> Proposal:
> 
> The system already accommodates the idea of keeping eep 'pools'
> where the character stores up eeps for something really big (e.g.,
> that 16th rank spell, that rank 6 Spirit Snare incant, that STR
increase
> from 15 to 17 so you can finally use that magic sword, etc.).  My
idea
> uses that as it's foundation and builds upon it.
> 
> The basic idea is this: an adventurer may spend no more than 1/4
of
> the eeps from a given adventure on a particular skill between each
> adventure.  Before you react to this idea, think a bit on it.
> 
>

Hmmm.  In many respects I like the concept of the idea. It would
make a nice balance.  Just to confirm that I understand this, let my
try an example.  Let's say I get 2800 eeps one adventure and I want
to buy from fire magic rank 5 and get up to rank 6 (1800 eeps
assuming I am a fire mage).  I can only spend up to 700 eeps from
this adventure on my fire magic skill.  Must I then save those 700
eeps and for the next two adventures where will get a hypothetical
700 each time for a grand total of 2100 that I can spend on fire
magics and get my rank 6? 

If this is correct, the biggest problem I see with your proposal is
the tacking and accounting (which you mentioned).  Before this could
be in acted there would have to be some sort of system in place for
this.  As the system is now, we have all seen people who incorrectly
buy skills either through ignorance or an actual desire to cheat.
This proposal would make the buying even more complicated still. 
One possible  solution would be a tracking system such as an online
adventurer database which could be accessed through a Web browser
(so any computer could be used).  It would need to be password
protected so that other characters could not look at each others
adventurers, but it might work.  This database would keep track of
stats, skills, and magic items.  When GMs award experience (or
anything else), it could be submitted through the Web and the
program would calculate eep allocation allowances and keep track of
eep banking.  This would come close to eliminating people whose
characters mysteriously become effective rank 70 when they have only
been played 20 times and no GM can legitimately explain the
discrepancy.  Characters could even keep up to date diaries for eeps
or something just to give GMs up to date info on their characters or
the players could even assign some items/things about their
characters as "public knowledge" so that anyone could see that
information (you know appearance, residence, famous exploits, etc.).

Cons of this suggestion.
1.  Some people distrust databases and just don't like them.
2.  People would have to have access to a computer to update their
character (GM submissions could conceivable be done by Dan or the
campaign coordinator if the GM did not have computer access).
3.  Someone would have to write this monstrosity!

Oh, well just thoughts.

-Kris