Concerning Character Wipes After Beta

[Saulus]

As many of you know there have been several exploitations which a few players have decided to use to become rich, and some people have decided to farm places like Sharahan Hills even after they well exceed the level for the area.

In the coming weeks we are going to be designing and implementing features which will address these two issues directly. Players who roleplay and quest/fight will find that there is little effect it will have on them. Players who constantly grind and farm areas, take loot while the rest of the party tries to finish killing a mob, etc. will find that life has just gotten a lot harder.

I do understand that there are no quests aside from what the DMs offer right now, so these changes will coincide with the introduction of the quest system, along with some new quests.

I have not finalized my decision yet, but there will very likely be a character wipe after beta to ensure a clean slate for all. I realize some people are roleplaying and have chosen not to exploit the server but rather help fix these issues. As gratitude to them I think this will be the best option to ensure fairness.

[Earind]

As many of you know there have been several exploitations which a few players have decided to use to become rich, and some people have decided to farm places like Sharahan Hills even after they well exceed the level for the area.

The solution is to simply change the experience system so that experience is not awarded for creatures with CRs well under the level of your character.

I have not finalized my decision yet, but there will very likely be a character wipe after beta to ensure a clean slate for all. I realize some people are roleplaying and have chosen not to exploit the server but rather help fix these issues. As gratitude to them I think this will be the best option to ensure fairness.

Hardly as the roleplayers would certainly be the ones suffering from the wipe. It does not make sense to recreate a character concept lost in a wipe. All relations characters have developed roleplaying in past interactions will be gone.

If you wish to prevent exploitation by the munchkins in this stage please cap the experience to prevent characters from advancing beyond a certain level.

[Ethereal Edge]

I think there should be a character wipe personally, in fact I entirely support it and I'm going to be hoping for one until it's made official what's happening.

Earind, no offense (and I mean no offense in total honesty), but you were the one capable of buying 27,000 GP +5 Full Plate. As a roleplayer playing a non-violent paladin of Lathander I needed a 600 GP loan from Valen to get normal Full Plate because I barely have... well, any gold. Perhaps I'm just not playing a lot, but things don't seem very balanced to me.

Plus, saying the roleplayers will suffer because of a character wipe is incorrect. Character concepts, unlike character builds in server vaults, can be restored instantaneously by simply making the same character with the same personality. Heck, I've kept character concepts from Neverwinter Nights and used them in different games.

Just my two cents.

[Ash]

And for those of us who haven't somehow reached 2 digit levels, got ridiculously rich and equipped in a beta (that's been going for, what, a few days?) a character wipe isn't exactly going to cause problems.

I think the decision is spot on personally.

[Dragoncleric]

*sighs*
Maybe I'm odd, I don't care if you strip us all down or take away my coin.
But I earned my levels. (level 7) If you wipe us, I'm going to be pleading to have my levels back is all.

I don't 'grind', and I usually just stand around chatting, save the occaisonal DM quest or going out once on my own. (Which is why I don't go out, since I see people just out there randomly killing and looting)
The only difference is that since I have no 'job' in Real Life (disabled). I can log on almost all day. Doesn't mean I'm into grinding or farming though.

Aye this is beta, but I don't think I could 're-start' Valen in that sense. Once I do something I stick to it. I wouldn't have the heart to play again if he wasn't at his current level. It wouldn't feel 'right' to have suddenly been an experienced ranger who saw Sundren grow, to a fresh faced one.
I could see him losing his money and items due to some kind of tragic event, but not his experiences.
It's what's made him what he is now.

[Earind]

I think there should be a character wipe personally, in fact I entirely support it and I'm going to be hoping for one until it's made official what's happening.

Earind, no offense (and I mean no offense in total honesty), but you were the one capable of buying 27,000 GP +5 Full Plate. As a roleplayer playing a non-violent paladin of Lathander I needed a 600 GP loan from Valen to get normal Full Plate because I barely have... well, any gold. Perhaps I'm just not playing a lot, but things don't seem very balanced to me.

You know yourself that I RP a lot, too.

Plus, saying the roleplayers will suffer because of a character wipe is incorrect. Character concepts, unlike character builds in server vaults, can be restored instantaneously by simply making the same character with the same personality. Heck, I've kept character concepts from Neverwinter Nights and used them in different games.

It is a very shallow approach to base your RP only on the background story and personality of your character. They are of secondary importance compared to how conversations with other people and experiences your character has build his personality.

I have made a memorable impression on certain half-elves, for instance ( ) and it would be sad to let go of my relations to these characters.

[Clutch]

Making 27.000 gp with the merchants bugs that's been around seems like reason enough for a character wipe for me. No offence.

[Earind]

Making 27.000 gp with the merchants bugs that's been around seems like reason enough for a character wipe for me. No offence.

What? I obtained that gold honestly. It is not my fault that every second goblin carries a gold necklace.

[Ethereal Edge]

That's why the server vault needs a wipe. I don't just base my character off of a backstory, either, Earind, so don't assume because I actually do find it a little insulting. Eh, just because a server vault clears its database, that character's past in actual play isn't just suddenly gone. So long as I opt to have the character's memories intact, they are.

I'm really sorry, but I think for sake of balance the server vault needs to be cleared. I'm sorry, Valen, because I know you worked for those levels, and I'm sorry as well, Earind, because maybe you did honestly make that gold. That doesn't mean this is anything more than a beta right now and it's become obvious, at least to me, that the drops are a little... over the top.

Eh... I don't know. It's up to the developers, that's just my opinion. I guess you could view it as that Dan's a level 3 paladin still and I don't have much to loose, but I wouldn't care if Dan's level 15 right now. I just think it's for the best.

[Faltru]

I honestly haven't been online enough to comment properly on this. While I would like to see a character wipe, I also understand Dragoncleric's sentiments. The problem with allowing these characters who have used exploits to continue playing after the beta is that they not only have an advantage, but they are also willing to break rules to get ahead. Unfortunately a character wipe would punish everyone, and I've seen it happen before; not a pretty sight.

[Saulus]

Seeing as this is a bit of a heated issue I discussed it further with Merlin, instead of a complete wipe, all cash and items will be removed. Players will be given a starting amount of gold in order to acquire some basic gear.

I think this is a fair compromise, and it will prove to be extra work for us, but we will do it in more fairness to you. The new experience system modifications will stump grinders significantly and even things out.

[Dragoncleric]

Honeslty in the end whether you wipe our levels and/or items, I know the grinders will still do the same damn thing though.

Anyways go with the stripping like you Dm's agreed.
I just wonder what's going to keep the players from doing exactly the same thing over and over again?

[Earind]

That's why the server vault needs a wipe. I don't just base my character off of a backstory, either, Earind, so don't assume because I actually do find it a little insulting. Eh, just because a server vault clears its database, that character's past in actual play isn't just suddenly gone. So long as I opt to have the character's memories intact, they are.

Why do you assume that people are going to create the same characters again? When all those characters are gone 50% of the roleplaying content on this server is gone from my perspective.

Besides, my class levels are crucial to my RP experience. A character with Earind's personality would have been PK'ed many times if he was at low level.

I'm really sorry, but I think for sake of balance the server vault needs to be cleared.

This is a RP server and unlike in PvP servers PvE balance should be the most important concern here.

If the devs are going to punish all those players who have spent a lot of time fighting with a wipe will they receive feedback of a proper loot/experience balance?

I'm sorry, Valen, because I know you worked for those levels, and I'm sorry as well, Earind, because maybe you did honestly make that gold. That doesn't mean this is anything more than a beta right now and it's become obvious, at least to me, that the drops are a little... over the top.

It isn't appropriate if the efforts of those people who join the server early and help with beta testing will be punished. If anything, they should be rewarded.

[Ethereal Edge]

Scripts, and if grinders just want to grind, why stop them? The fact is, right now they can get ridiculous amounts of gold, experience, etc. by grinding over and over and over. Uhm, also, I have a big suggestion, I'll post it in a while.

[Ethereal Edge]

I'm technically helping with the beta testing, too, Earind, but that doesn't mean I expect to get out of it with anything. Perhaps the reputation you earn in the beta is the most valuable, or the knowledge your characters gain of the land, etc? In a year, if you were testing in the beta and the server is still, hopefully, up and running, people will be saying, "Hey, wow, that guy tested the beta." Eh... I mean, if you don't value that, that's your choice. I just like knowing I got to see it all and I was there from the start. Beta's have glitches, if anything, you've found them... now they need to be fixed, eh?