New writ "system"

[Arienette]

I just took a surface character to 30 without grinding Orclands (or really any place) once.

Super like

[Red_Wharf]

I just took a surface character to 30 without grinding Orclands (or really any place) once.

It be like that too.

[Exordius]

Instant exp rewards are insane. Hilariously high. I dont like it much, but for some reason people are just so in rush to 30 that here we are.

I think its nice, the instant xp amounts before were pitiful, especially for the hardest/almost impossible writs.

[MageTankTech]

Needless to say I was never keen on the RP surrounding the level requirement, and I do believe this hampered factions and smaller settlements. With each writ being done only once, I hope this will not be too much of an issue, but there is a real risk that some players will game the system, by doing near epic writs at level 10 with some 30th level friends, and after getting a big chunk of XP and levelling, go back and do the (now easier) lower level writs later. At some point we have to trust players to play in a way that is most enjoyable for everyone, but with this we shall have to wait and see, it may be the 20 level difference will need to be lowered to 15, or the writ reward cap increased beyond 10.

From my understanding this sort of high level carry could have been done before the system change. It would just be a bit less direct. The high level could stay out of the party, buff and heal the low level, and kill enemies when there were too many while leaving just enough to meet the writ quota.

Ultimately, people will play the game in whatever way is most enjoyable to them personally.

My personal experience of this change has been enjoyable. The exp is bursty so it feels less like a daily over time thing. The ability to do writs of any level means I don't have to worry about being outclassed by a writ, if it's too hard I can just come back at a later level. Overall this change makes the game feel alot more accessible and less like it requires alot of indepth meta knowledge to succeed.

[Duchess Says]

if it's too hard I can just come back at a later level.

Be careful with writs you intend to come back to later. Unless this has been changed very recently if you abandon a writ you don't get to take it again (frustratingly this even seems to apply to writs abandoned before the new system).

[Watchful Glare]

The change, together with the RP XP change, have been very enjoyable so far. The playing experience has been more relaxing as leveling is less on your mind.

[Archnon]

So, first and foremost, I love it. An excellent change. A few things that I have noted though:

1.) The Guldorand start just got really really good. Like, incredibly good. It would be crazy not to take it unless you desperately wanted to take a language for RP or something. Not saying this is a bad thing, but it is something to consider.
2.) Skal actually got pretty hard. I think there is a real challenge to not having those repeat writs at low levels. You get through the early level writs, and you are probably still level 5. This means you are heading into 8-9 writs at 6-7. You can always sit at the fire and RP, but it is dealing with a real lack of writ variation. The benefit I suppose is on Skal you can group up easily, though this can be challenging for openly evil or wild-mage types. On main island, you can run between towns and do the early level writs. Skal, not so much. Not sure if it needs changed. I feel like it almost makes skal harder, which in some ways it should be.

These aren't things that I think need changed or addressed. just casual observations of experiences and conversations with others.

[Chroma-Matic]

I really do not like this "new" writ system. It also seems buggy with exploring/scouting writs, I explore the areas needed, and it does not count at least one of the needed areas. To help with this bug, I abandon the contract so that I can do it again, then poof the writ never comes back to the list of available writs. I also do not like how players can no longer retake the same writ until they get to a certain level and then it wont be available any longer.

Ive been playing on Arelith since NWN EE came out and I must say, the system as it was, was just fine. This new writ system is frustrating.

[Babylon System is the Vampire]

So I made a new character last thursday morning, hit level 20 in a week playing about an hour and a half each day on average (long enough to finish three writs) and have 200k adventure xp stored up. Had I not done some rp stuff yesterday, I would easily be 22 at the rate the completion xp hands out. I also have well over half the surface writs to do if I want to keep this pace all the way to thirty, where I could easily get 5k for some of the lower level writs even though i am getting 1xp per kill because the end xp is so high. I am definitely on the higher end of skill level when it comes to writ stuff (did the two desert writs at 14, the ogre writs at 16, talossans at 18, ect, all solo).

Now that the facts are out of the way, here comes the assessment. I like the speedy leveling. it will lower the gold floating around the server (at least on newer characters) because the longer you spend in the teens the more gold you will have at 30, that's just a fact. It will hopefully make people move on from their dinosaur characters more often then they do now, which will make the server more interesting in general, though their gold stacks will probably become a reason to hang on still. I still really dislike the idea of high levels in low level dungeons, and like it even less now that I can save stuff like the cordor crypts til I am 29 and just get 5k xp in a quick run through instead of having to go kill demons for a few hours, and I think adventure xp is trivial at this point and could be eliminated all together from writs.

[Exordius]

Ok i admit it i was wrong lol. New writ system makes leveling so much easier and almost entirely eliminates the need to grind, at least thus far. Its still a bit weird getting used to how the new system works but its not bad.

[Duchess Says]

To help with this bug, I abandon the contract so that I can do it again, then poof the writ never comes back to the list of available writs.

I think there probably ought to be a warning given when abandoning a writ that you won't be able to re-take it.

[ElvenEdibles]

I would really like an option to halve the amount of xp I get from writs, please.

[Sombricimos]

I do think too that now that all writs are accessible, xp gains should be toned down (except for Skal and underdark). It's clear that we needed one or the other to make leveling less of a burden, but now that we have both it feels way too easy in my opinion

[Curve]

I would really like an option to halve the amount of xp I get from writs, please.

Take half as many writs.

[Good Character]

After spending some time with the new writ system, I can wholly and comfortably say the change has definitely been for the better if the purpose was to get people out of the dungeons grinding and into hubs and/or meeting other characters to roleplay with.

It's been so long since I've found myself roleplaying more than grinding. It's been a charming experience.

[VibeKings]

I'm in love with the changes. Playing a new character is infinitely less tedious than it was even a few months ago.

The only quibbles I have with it is that the Underdark lacks for writs compared to the Surface, so you actually run out of writs to do. On Surface, you'll never reasonably have that problem.

[ElvenEdibles]

Take half as many writs.

No

[ZeroPointEnergy]

Take half as many writs.

No

then suffer faster leveling. oh no.

[ElvenEdibles]

Why are the two of you so adamant against the option of having the xp halved? If there were an option, you wouldn't have to opt in? Why try and shit on my desires because yours are being satisfied? I haven't gone on a tirade about how the trivialization of getting to level 30 is bad for the server. I just want to be able to halve the xp and still do writs, because I like doing writs.

[Inordinate]

Coding in an option to halve the gains is more cumbersome than just not taking the writ at all (or turning on -adventure for general outings). I'm reminded of this interaction when seeing this conversation play out:

[Exordius]

As long as the system is optional i have no problem with it. I like super fast leveling but not everyone does so let them have their option.

[ElvenEdibles]

Coding in an option to halve the gains is more cumbersome than just not taking the writ at all (or turning on -adventure for general outings). I'm reminded of this interaction when seeing this conversation play out:

These are hardly comparable in the scale of work that would be involved. Did you code this yourself? Have you seen the code? Have you ever coded in NWScript before? I doubt it's as cumbersome as you're making it out to be. You really just need to add a check for a variable (halfxp) and then give half the xp if it's set to 1, or continue on as normal.

[Inordinate]

These are hardly comparable in the scale of work that would be involved. Did you code this yourself? Have you seen the code? Have you ever coded in NWScript before? I doubt it's as cumbersome as you're making it out to be. You really just need to add a check for a variable (halfxp) and then give half the xp if it's set to 1, or continue on as normal.

No. Bits and pieces. Yes. You must not be familiar with Arelith's code in some systems. Making a code change is objectively more effort on a dev's time than you just not taking the writ, turning on -adventure, and pretending like you took it when you go out.

[Curve]

There are multiple ways to interact with leveling, as Inordinate mentioned, including taking fewer writs, turning on -adventure mode, just not clicking the level up button. With these options available it seems like you want a system that allows for your specific leveling speed. Well, what if I like 25% of writ rewards, 75% or 250%? At some point we have to use the tools at our disposal rather than ask for our ultra specific desires to be catered to.

In the end it’s not a big deal. Sometimes I just like being argumentative. Eek.

[ElvenEdibles]

Making a code change is objectively more effort on a dev's time than you just not taking the writ, turning on -adventure, and pretending like you took it when you go out.

"Making a change to code is more effort than not making a change to code"

Man why didn't I think of that