Re-setting RP points

[Arkten]

Everyone worked hard to obtain their share of RPP, so it is blatantly insulting to any player to demote all of the playtime, the builds, the extraordinarily goofy or fun moments to just a memory.

Deleting RPP not only means deleting FL history as Generation pointed out, but it also means devaluing work and effort put into the community and into making the server a fun place for others. Exceptional roleplay is advantageous to FL and so FL should consequently reward such behaviour. The idea of RPP as a prestigous medal letting you unlock and progress through (admittedly bragging) items purely by effort and (perceived) RP value and not by simply spending massive amounts of hours minging worked quite well, I would say.

Yet, one cannot deny the fact that none of this is special anymore at all, mainly due to shifting requirements to obtain RPP over the years and the systemic inflation RPP have by their very nature. Management should find a way to strike a balance between player satisfaction and roleplay quality.

Honestly, I wouldn't want to lose my RPP. I was never an exceptional roleplayer and so I have only obtained 5 so far in 1000h of playtime (which I assume to be on the low end). As any other I fought for my share of RPP, but I also have to admit that it is my comfort getting to me. I like not having to put in effort now because I already achieved my goals and subsequently my RP quality diminishes.

I might complain at a wipe the first minute or two, but granting everyone a clean slate might incentivise me to work harder with the experience gained from the past. It would feel like I could actually keep up with others



My suggestion:

1. Current RPP (logged and unlogged) will remain as legacy points in statistics.
   This serves to appreciate and honour all effort members have put in to make the server a better place. While there might be some unfairness to how the points used to be given out (I doubt SoulRipper actually deserved 69 RPP) even the unlogged points should remain as they are. It is just part of FL history. We know the current system was/is flawed, but we shouldn't pretend it doesn't exist for the reasons stated in the beginning. Additionally, legacy points should not gatekeep items from new players. Making stuff unobtainable just because you haven't been there is not very motivating for potential new members.
   
   
2. Set clear and transparent standards on when and how to give out RPP.
   This serves to combat bias and favouritism in obtaining RPP. Getting a point just because you're the admin's friend is highly demotivating. As an example: Back in ca. 2014 it used to be near impossible to obtain RPP on v33x. You would go on v2d, do a /me serves soup to the guest and be awarded one. Granted, it might very well be an exaggeration or a misinterpretation of how I perceived things, but having clear and transparent standards would have helped resolve my own bias and reservation. It would hold all parties accountable (players for not making easy excuses to not roleplay well and admins for not giving out points because they like someone) and make sure RPPs are as fair as they can be.
   
   
3. Deflate RPPs and create active competition.
   A huge problem with the current RPP is its inflationary nature. RPP are created out of thin air and are (practically) never removed. Not only does this create stagnation for players after a certain threshold (Is there really a point after 10 RPP?), it makes new items either readily available for most players due to hoarding RPP or unaffordable for new players, which have to catch up to new status quo first. Neither is ideal. Management's idea of treating RPP as a currency (and thus being spendable) could work, however, I believe that this is the same system in disguise: Instead of keeping points on board you hide them in an inventory item. This (and also them being tradable) never decreases the total amount of RPP and therefore cannot deflate them.
   
   Just like in actual economics you want a cycle of inflation (a situation in which RPP are given out, rewarding great roleplay) and deflation (a situation in which RPP are taken out of the system, allowing newer players to catch up to older players in terms of progress). The exact details of such a system are obviously subject to debate. My proposition is the following:
   
   Set a maximum number of total RPP and have them expire by time.
   As unpopular as it sounds, it could be a sustainable solution to RPP. Having RPP expire by time (either real time to punish inactivity or playtime to punish sub-par roleplay) incentivises players to keep up their game if they want to keep the RPP rewards (they should be worth it). Older players could not rest on their previous work but would have to continuously prove themselves (which is of course easier with experience). It also serves to remove RPP out of the pool that can then be given out to other players, allowing anyone (even new players) to surpass older players for some time as this system is based on current effort and not just a test of time. The expired RPP could be counted seperately to honour past effort (or they could be counted as legacy points).
   
   Having a set maximum of total RPP serves to prevent (possibly infinite) inflation. Even if every roleplay is great and deservant of RPP, giving out points from an unlimited supply is a bad idea, as that leads to infinite inflation and thus the same situation we had before. While this forced deflation may seem demoralising to some, it will also spark more competition by raising the baseline for what exceptional roleplay is. If no RPP can be given out anymore, players will have to up their game further to stand out as a lot of great roleplay is (apparently) going on. This increases RP quality yet again.
   
   
   Obviously suitable parameters for total RPP amount and expiry time have to be found. Changing these dynamically is for more advanced economists. I'll leave this as an exercise to the reader
   

1700th post, yay