Rest Points to replace Fortnightly Gains

[Omni]

When I launched this RPG, I had a vision of an automated system that would handle what I saw as your character's "Leisure activities". Periodic rewards are a great way in any game of encouraging regular logins and activity. It also helps out those who don't have time to grind with the hardcore.

Unfortunately, it was beyond my programming ability, so it was sidelined, and Jeff volunteered to do it manually, hence Weekly Bonuses were born. These later became Fortnightly Bonuses, to reduce staff work, since as the number of members went up, so did the amount of labour required. It's never been an ideal system, and very contrary to my vision of founding a site with minimal 'upkeep costs' in terms of staff labour (hence members being able to edit and purchase without updates).

So a few weeks ago, I commissioned the author of our points system mod to make a mod for me. It's called Rested Experience, and any MMO players will be familiar with how it works. Over real time you acquire Rest Points. When are 'rested' from your idle times, all your experience gain is doubled. This is exactly what we will soon have, and it will entirely replace Fortnightly Gains.

Here's the nitty gritty, which you don't really need to understand, as all Rest gains will be automatic, and bonuses will be applied automatically upon posting. There will be no need to post in a monthly topic, and there will be no deadlines.

Users will gain 20 points of rest per day, up to the maximum of 300 stored Rest Points. Users with Recognition will gain 25 Points per day up to a cap of 350. Users with Ascendancy will gain 30 points per day up to a cap of 400.

When you have Rest Points, all OM earned from posting will be doubled. For example, a post normally worth 100 OM will remove 100 Rest Points and turn it into a bonus 100 OM, assuming you have enough rest points. Otherwise, you will get your entire pool of rest points converted: Say you post worth 100 OM, but only have 20 rest points, they'll simply get turned into 20 OM for you.

This does make it so that you can't simply get a massive bonus of 300 OM for posting 600 words once a fortnight. To get your full rest bonus, you need to post about 2300 words per fortnight, or ~166 words a day on average. I never wanted fortnightlies to outrun normal posting in terms of OM reward, but making a 'graded' system - for example, 100 OM for posting 800 words or more, 200 OM for posting 1400 words or more, 300 OM for posting 2300 words or more - would mean tripling the work on the staffers, and that would be inconceivable. The minimum was low before because it was completely either/or: if you don't meet 600 words you get nothing. Now you could post 300 words and still get SOME bonus, but you will need to post more to get your FULL bonus.

Advantages? Aside from rewarding those who post more, you will get your bonuses instantly. No more waiting for fortnightlies to end and get updated. Just post and get double OM, assuming you have Rest Points to spare. There's also no deadline. Whenever you come back from a period of inactivity you'll have rest points waiting for you to encourage you to cash in. Go nuts, post about 2300 words with a full rest bonus, and you'll earn 600 OM. Immediately!

Right now, the system is being worked on. But since I've already made some layout edits, I thought I'd announce what's going on.

[Crocodile]

This sounds excellent.

[Kyle Crane]

Absolute genius. Just...Genius.

[Trixie]

Looks fine.

[ElFailzalot]

[Alex]

Loved it back when it was only a glimmer of hope, and I love it more now that it's going to be a legit time.

I support all ventures that give our staff more time to focus on the fun staff things like reading.

[Blink]

I don't get it, so I'll just trust that you guys know what you're doing! =)

[Dr. McNinja]

[Belle]

Sounds great!

[James Knight]

Love the idea!

[Mark]

[Trixie]