This is news to at least two of your Plot people and to me... and it was over the "winter break..."
I have no idea where the concept of time to collect herbs came from. We got rid of that in a version of alchemy a long time ago. In fact, it was in January of 2003. If you look at the book that is posted on the webpage, it has the new version of alchemy. There is no mention of time to collect herbs except the "Ingredient Time" which is defined as "How long it takes to gather and/or prepare any special ingredients.". There are also no alchemy changes listed in any of the rules updates.
If there is confusion about the ingredient time than maybe it should be defined as "How long it takes to gather and/or prepare any fresh ingredients needed at the time of potion creation".
Wayne O
The Game Master Lite
Frag the weak, Hurdle the dead!
*Please read with all TODD filters in place and active!!!
Herbs shmerbs....what it all comes down to is an ethical character or an unethical one. If somone abuses ANYTHING, wether its the reward system, or an internet add, or women, or narcotics, or bubble gum, or the snacks that smile back...yes goldfish; it is a key sign of somone of unethical charecter.
In a game that relies on an honor system, you show that you have the "honor" needed by ETHICAL use of the rules. Exploiting a bug/loop hole is by definition NOT an ethical use of the rules. Now if plot has blessed a player or two with the freedom to abuse the rules so taht plot can close those loopholes, that is fine and within thier power. However , stating that you are against a system that has yet to be constructed, because you abused a system that was to server similar pourpose elsewhere is all at once a poor argument, bothersome to players that hope all other players are ethical and able to keep with the honor system, and not really that flattering an admision.
ALL THAT ASIDE...a reward system CAN be set up that is fair and void of loopholes or abusable fascets. I know that giving is perported to be its own reward, but I think that sound bite is meant to apply to charitable aid to those in need of life sustaining support, not to the donation of a toy sword made of foam and tape and plastic. However, if a system was emplaced, and you fealt it ws wrong to take anything for your donations...just dont use the stuff/capitol/nicholson points.
To give a PC a 2 point heal potion at game on because they trade in 50 points they earned over an event or two because they volunteered to haul the tarps and poles plot used for a mod, from a mod site to thier home and store them till next evet, doesnt seem that earth shattering. If that is what turns an onlooker into a pack mule for the plot team, who already busts thier collective asses for OUR entertainment, any negative comments against a FAIR AND BALANCED system seem TO ME to be counter to the volunteerism that fuels EVERY L.A.R.P. and a bit inconsiderate of the plot team.
Now I am not suggesting that skill points be on the list, or that even if they are that they be even remotely cheap, but I think ANYTHING can have a "Nicholson point" value attached to its donation or redemption. if it costs 10, 000 [points to get a skill point, and you get 25 for NPCing for an entire event, I cant see anyone griping with any valid reason.
What I do see on the redemption list are non-critical in game items (one shot resist shatter weapons, finished alchemy from level 1 or 2, extra rescources, etc...), favors from plot (allowing a PC to unlearn skills in the same event they announce such an action or learning a new arcane spell faster or getting a better bit of info with research), or even a total PC rewrite ( and loss of all PC items) for 5000 points.
What this has become is an bitchfest about how or why it isnt liked or functional. What it SHOULD be is a discussion on how WE CAN MAKE IT WORK SO PLOT GETS MORE FO THE HELP IT NEEDS TO MAKE OUR GEEK-FESTS MORE INTERESTING, SCENIC, AND IMMERSIVE WHILE MAKING IT EASIER ON THEM.
So...if anyone cares to discuss THAT aspect of this topic, I will tune in and work with those players to achive that end IF PLOT STATES THEY ARE INTERESTED. If plot does not state such, OR the topic keeps wandering into unpreductive, non-supportive mummerings...I have said all I will.
*Please read with all TODD filters in place and active!!!
BG
Grand High Chancellor of ROBUST UNPLEASANTNESS
...and the 11th commandment is:
Sounds good to me. If possible show a chart of what the reward/points are for doing a donation or help. To make the donation system balanced and fair, it must be written down and followed by everyone. You can not have Joe get 5 bonus points for creating a sword, and Sandy only gets 3 bonus points for creating a sword. This will happen if not written down, doceumented, and passed out as part of the rules. But is there enogh time to get the next event ready, answer all the open questions, and explain how the new guild system works, before the next event? the award system will take time to make.
I'd love to contibute, but a reward system is necessary.
Yeah, I'm a prick.
The thing is, I'm making oodles of tabards for CARPS and I really want to contribute some to FH, too. However, CARPS pays me a character point per tabard. So I look at my finished tabards and place them into two piles, one for CARPS and one for FH. Then I look at the dozen or so tabards in the FH pile and think to myself 'Gee, that could be a dozen more character points'. Greed wins out and the two piles become one.
I do hope to have SOME tabards committed to FH before next event.
Learn the past. Observe the present. Guide the future.
I for one definitely like the idea of some sort of reward system. While I appreciate the unrewarded help that has been volunteered, the fact of the matter is: we are really low on costuming, weapons, make-up, props, etc. My overall vision would be to run this show like we were running a theater troup and have committees of people working on all of these things, thereby utilizing the strengths of everyone involved. That level of organization will probably not be done, let's face it. Having an informal system then where people give their time and effort in return for something makes sense to me. (Does anyone else feel a but coming on)
BUT, I can just about promise that with everything else we have to do, a list of rewards--which I agree is necessary to remain consistent--will probably not get done unless it was already started. Therefore, if someone wants to make a formal proposal, in writing, complete with their vision of a chart that makes sense including an acceptable amount of points for creating the proposal, we would be happy to look at it and edit it. Otherwise, I just don't see it getting done. Multiple proposals from people would be fine as well.
If there are NPC's that feel otherwise, speak up. Otherwise, I hope someone runs with it.
honor, trust, and fair... wouldn't need rules then, now would we?
Yes you do still need rules, or no one would know what a Pc could do, or when they could do it, or for how long or how often. The rules dictate how the physics of the game wolrd operate, the honor system is used to ensure everyone plays by those rules since we do not have access to the Enterprise and its computer and halo deck tp keep track of hits, damage, and such for us. The rules must be fair so that everyone has the same oppurtunity to be the "hero" and/or the have theier 15 minutes of fame in game. Without trust between players, that everyone uses the honor system, no one would use it...or there would be no players. Either way it makes for a crappy game.
Sorry but I haven't asked for any reward, nor do I expect any.
When I donate to a LARP I do not ecpect reward either, I do it because its the right thing to do. But as Dallid points out, some have 2 or 3 LARPS they attend. If one or all the others have a reward system and FH doesnt, player effoert may be drawn elsewhere. A reward system will give us a chance at hooking a greed bug to do a little work for plot.
BG
Grand High Chancellor of ROBUST UNPLEASANTNESS
...and the 11th commandment is:
Since Mike is the first plot dude to state his desire to see a proposal, I will sit down with the wife and anyone else that wants to meet to talke items and points and make a list. We will need a hand from a plotling or a player thta has been around longer than we have to help with the items possible and/or inform us of things that are no longer at FH (such as "yeah, plot tried that and it failed". If anyone is interested in attending a brainstorming session, possibly hosted here, email me at wyrmwrath@yahoo.com.
Date and time are still TBA
I would like to hear at least one more plotling say they want to see a write up...
BG
Grand High Chancellor of ROBUST UNPLEASANTNESS
...and the 11th commandment is:
Thirded. Although with enough contributions I'm not entirely against the last three mentioned. As a side note, *todd filters* now thats comedy! I would like to add that I was originally against having a writen in stone list of gift vs reward, but I will conceed as long as I get a footnote.
*We reserve the right to alter the list at anytime (using the usual 3 GM aproval method of course)
The reason is if we say tabards are worth 2 NP's (nicholson points), and swords/claws are worth 5 NP's, and we are suddenly deluged by swords (cause there worth more points) and we still need tabards, then I reserve the right to say "Hey, swords are now worth 1 NP's, and tabbards are worth 3 NPs, cause we need tabbards."
*Todd filters ON*
'cause if someone argues with me based on a 2 year old list, and I have to hear someone say
"but its on the list!"
Heads will role. (pun intended)
*Todd filters OFF*
The common solution to the example Todd uses is a list that is updated 4 to 6 times (posted somewhere on the home page titled: Donations list) year with what it currentlt needed, and only items on that list are even accepted.
The list will also be specific:
Tabbard cut from solid color = 5 NPs
Tabbard cut from solid color, sewn aroun edges and neck hole = 15 NPs
Tabbard cut from solid color, sewn aroun edges and neck hole, with tie strings at waist = 96458934659834765974 NPS
...so that arguing is limited to easily killable players..err...easily handled discussion. But as always, 3 plotlings can always out vote any written rule, even if the peasents have torches and pitchforks and are chanting as they storm the castle.
BG
Grand High Chancellor of ROBUST UNPLEASANTNESS
...and the 11th commandment is:
This is just a suggestion so take it only as such. I have always been in favor of systems like what your discussing because in the long run it helps support the game. If someone wants to give thats great, maybe they can afford too. Maybe someone else would have to make a sacrifice in order to give something. If the game returns something then it makes the sacrifice a more likely possibility.
With that in mind you will also always have players who have the resources to make, buy, donate all kinds of stuff. This is where I would make my suggestion. Insert a cap of how many points anyone person can get in a set period of time for doing these things. Anything above and beyond that would be done for good will.
I currently regret not putting a cap on our system at CARPS especially after hearing Doug say that final haven will not be getting tabards because CARPS is offering points for them. It makes me realize that maybe if we had capped it at 10 tabards max Doug would then still have made the tabards and FH would also benefit...I didnt think of this problem, however you can bet that it will be fixed.
I will also be talking with my other Gamemaster and Doug this weekend and discuss the possibility of giving some of those tabards to FH. It was by no means our intent to take from another game system with our awards system. It was designed to help us get the props we feel that we need to better our game. I really like to think of FH as our sister game and feel somewhat responsable for FH not getting its share of the tabards Doug made. After all I could have capped the points to begin with, I just didnt think about it.
No apologies; it's not your fault FH does not have a reward system in place and I'm sure no one at this game is upset that CARPS does. We're all glad CARPS is doing well and hope more people can partake in both game systems or choose the one that best fits them.
hint, hint.