CF: Experience awards with skills, map design

[Brian Thomas <thomas@xplorer.gsfc.nasa.gov>]

> From: Raphael writes:
> 
> > It's
> > not working too well, because one can get to level 110 with physical
> > and agility skills there. Just enter the place, steal everything
> > from Angel, then kill it. You have to die, but that's nothing
> > compared to the amount of exp you just got.
> 
> Right.  You get far too much experience for killing that angel.  And
> if you use the "word of recall" to get back to the city, you don't
> even loose 20% of your exp.
> 
	Yes.  I would recogmend changing the experience award in 
	this area!
	

&&& About Playbalance Issues in SKills 

	Hmm. Much of the game is out of balance since the introduction
	of the skills system. As I stated at the time of the introducion
	of the skills system, it would take a while to playbalance the 
	game. There are a few very easy ways to abuse the game to 
	gain lots of experience (which shouldnt be). One change I believe
	will happen, Mark is planning to retool the stat awards for 
	all skills with less generous award schedule. In some few
	cases, it is the design of maps that make abuse of skills easy.

	As for specific examples:

> 
> > Stealing skill gives far too easy experience. Go to Jessy (9th level
> > of Hell at Brest for example) and steal from it, you'll be at level
> > 110 in no time.
> 

	Hmm. In this case the Jessy should be *attacking* the stealer!
	How do you get so close with out being hit? Jessy should be
	throwing lots of nasty spells too! Id imagine any potential
	theif will have to be at least 25 level to even attempt this.
	One possible (code) fix -- make it more difficult to steal. 
	Therefore you will have to stand next to the victim longer.

> It is also very easy to gain a lot of exp by using the oratory skill.
> Castle guards are a good targets for low level players because they
> will not attack you immediately.

	Hmm. One (code) fix is to make "standing_still" creatures
	immune to being recruited. But how do you use the guards to 
	get mondo experience? What do you kill with them???

>		  You can also experience in wisdom
> skills by killing demilichs from Lord Ramsdre's mansion in Santo
> Dominion.  There is a small corridor in that house which doesn't have
> "no spells", so you can kill all demilichs with "holy orb",
> "banishment" or other prayers.
> 
	Yeah I have used this strategy myself. I would recogmend
	changing this map.

> Then I gained a lot of exp in wisdom skill with the "holy wrath"
> prayer, which is very effective against Jessy and big wizards.  It
> takes a bit more time for getting exp in wizard skills because Jessy
> is immune to most of them.
> 
	Argh. What God do you worship?? Jessy shouldnt be of any
	race that will be *affected* by *any* holy word spell (this
	includes holy wrath). This shouldnt be possible.

> Now I can take almost any character from level 1 to 110 in a couple
> of hours.  That should not be possible.
> 
	Agreed! I would expect it should take an *experienced* player
	*at least* 100+ hrs to reach 30th level or so. That would be
	my goal for playbalance (and I consider that an easy scale).

	I have, and continue to consider playbalance in my coding efforts.
	Please keep posting examples of out-of-wack stuff to the 
	list so that they may be addressed!

						-b.t.