So we don't choke the cell thread...

[Dissinger]

As for the automatic trigger, I'll use the most recent example of a level trigger ability that would need to be controlled by RoG the meerplex.

Meerplex will divide in two every time he reaches a new level. So at level 1 there will be two Meerplexes traveling around together, at level 2 there will be four, and so on. Meerplexes don't like being around each other that much though, so a lot of them will probably strike out on their own after dividing. The most Meerplexes that have ever been seen in one place is ten.

2
4
8
16
32
64
128
356
712

Thats your standard progression. Now, looking at that, even with the ten meerplex's in one location. That means each ability could be triggered ten times. This also means that if ten meerplex's jump on the same host, there would be nothign they couldn't do, cause even if they were weak, the mass numbers on him would make it near impossible to stop them from doing as they want realistically. This is a case of Fut's combo progression from hell.

I also would like to point out, I have talked with people about gaining abilities in quests and if you were to get doomstuction I would allow said skill maybe slightly modified, but I would not allow you to progress your character through free upgrades and progression of skills as a balance. This is the sort of things that RoG's job is to handle. Its the fine balance here.

I understand alot of you feel RoG is the gestapo, however you also have to realize we aren't singling out anyone, we're trying to make it the same for everyone. Why should anyone be allowed to gain six skills AND upgrade their profile with increases in skills and such, when a character of the same level may only upgrade because they didn't decide to milk quests and rather wanted to tell a story. How is that fair to him? These are the questions an RoG mod has to ask themselves daily and deal with.

Do we say:

"Well little Billy, because you didn't take advantage of quests to earn neat and nifty abilities, you will be schooled when Johny fights you in a tournament or battle. You can upgrade your skills though but not nearly to the degree that Johnny earned through questing."

Or do we say:

"Well Johnny you've done a good job gathering abilities between levels. Lets just put those abilities in, but don't progress your skills since your time was obviously spent earning said abilities."

You can call us nazi's you can call us gestapo, you can say we don't have trust of the players, but what keeps Althanas from being another IV is the RoG. I have heard many people give memories of the IV but to this day I don't think any one of them wants to see Althanas become that.

[Daggertail]

I think Diss gives a good idea what the RoG should be, keeping everything fair but there's a problem with Althanas rules that sorta make it unfair. Under that kind of system where a person askes for enough spoils then he won't be able to add stuff at level up, which is fine. But then why have deducted EXP for requesting spoils then, wouldn't it be counterproductive for both Billy and Johnny and Althanas as a whole to have Johny level up slower for asking for spoils when the level profile is just reguarded as double checking to make sure Johny's character is still fair with the spoils. I think the solution is pretty easy, give out gold more regularly to quests and battles where a person doesn't request it. That way Johny can get his spoils and not take longer for his character to get a check up and Billy will get a little bonus for not asking for anything, and it still is more profitable to earn spoils during a quest since you can get more that way.

[Storm Veritas]

There’s a serious lack of trust between the mods and the players and it needs to stop, if someone uses the gun or spell unfairly that it guarantees the opponents loss he’ll really get screwed in the score under strategy, rising action and wildcard.

There are two major elements at play here on Althanas.
1. Roleplaying
2. Writing

The we use the latter to open up our ability to more effectively and creatively do the first. That said, although common sense should prevail, RoG mods are critically needed to detect and prevent abuse IN ROLEPLAYING.

Remember that in battles, if I write with you, and I use all kinds of cheap, stupid loopholes to promote my chances of winning IC (which makes no difference, aside from perhaps a strategy score), it really hurts your ability to write. You are forced into writing against an overpowered opponent, and it puts you in an unfair spot.

In order to prevent this, and allow for equal footing for both the writing AND roleplaying facets of Althanas, RoG mods effectively work to limit the powers owned by the players in the game.

Sadly, they are needed. People HAVE tried to exploit loopholes, both on Althanas and at every writing site I've seen. For whatever reason, some people get a big ego boost out of having a very powerful character. These overpowered characters make for bad writing, boring threads, and a worse place to come to write.

[Dissinger]

But then why have deducted EXP for requesting spoils then, wouldn't it be counterproductive for both Billy and Johnny and Althanas as a whole to have Johny level up slower for asking for spoils when the level profile is just reguarded as double checking to make sure Johny's character is still fair with the spoils. I think the solution is pretty easy, give out gold more regularly to quests and battles where a person doesn't request it. That way Johny can get his spoils and not take longer for his character to get a check up and Billy will get a little bonus for not asking for anything, and it still is more profitable to earn spoils during a quest since you can get more that way.

I don't think we've slashed exp spoils in awhile for abilities, at least not since the exp equation. And as you've said we have given gold out more fluently. We basically stopped from having any sort of thing occur when you post, hence why points and the five gold per post is gone. To make up for that judges have been giving out gold, sure in 2-3 hundred batches, but its still alot more than these people could get through the five gold per post.

Hell, I'm sure you remember your quest with Meow. I STILL gave you gold despite the spoil request of an ability.