Out Of Character

[sully]

I don't think Torben is a NPC at this point. He said he was busy but he is still logging in.

I called him a NPC because he hasn't made an in-game post in a month. But it's up to Ways, not me.

[mgtremaine]

Well I hope not.. It's very important that Torben die in battle so Wen can take his armor.....err... I mean I'd hate to lose Torben as a party member.

[sully]

Well I hope not.. It's very important that Torben die in battle so Wen can take his armor.....err... I mean I'd hate to lose Torben as a party member.

Time to send out that search party to recover their remains... uh, I mean, rescue them!

[ehiker133]

Well, then that's not 11 people at all. :-\ That's 16 people.

<soapbox>
At this point, it's a little frustrating to not have input from all of the active members of the party, especially when it comes to something like XP distribution. How hard is it to take two minutes to provide your input? For that matter, how hard is it to take two minutes out of every week to make an in-game post? WOTE puts a lot of effort into this, FOR OUR ENTERTAINMENT. We should all be respectful of his time and dedication to the game. It isn't necessary to match that level of input, but each player should set even the lowest level of dedication to consistently add to the content of the game.
</soapbox>

I agree, Torben hasn't spoken up IC in over a month, but he has posted on the forum more recently, so I don't want to completely discount him yet. And I don't agree with completely cutting The Gustave out of the loop, either; we wouldn't be where we are without him.

So how about this breakdown...

Josiane the Saint: 1 Share @ 1500xp - Necklace (1500xp)
Wen the Pale: 1 Share @ 1200xp - Partial Necklace (1200xp)
Desmond Double Trouble: 1 Share @ 1200xp - Partial Necklace (1200xp)
Dorgan the Rock: 1 Share @ 1200xp - Partial Necklace (1200xp)
Armando: 1 Share @ 1200xp - Partial Necklace (1200xp)
Highbough the Grey Elf: 1 Share @ 941xp - Necklace (700xp), 148cp (25xp), 216sp (216xp)
Dieter Ogreslayer: 1 Share @ 941xp - 100gp (600xp), 1 gem (100xp), 241sp (241xp)
Olaf Sharp Eyes: 1 Share @ 941xp - 100gp (600xp), 1 gem (100xp), 241sp (241xp)
Torben: 1 Half Share @ 470xp - 50gp (300xp), 1 gem (100xp), 70sp (70xp)
The Gustave: 1 Half Share @ 470xp - 50gp (300xp), 1 silver bowl (100xp), 70sp (70xp)
Ulric Firestarter: 1 Half Share @ 470xp - 50gp (300xp), 1 silver cage (50xp), 120sp (70xp)
Beringar: 1 Half Share @ 470xp - 50gp (300xp), 170sp (170xp)
Helmut: 1 Quarter Share @ 235xp - 25gp (150xp), 85sp (85xp)
Ashtad: 1 Quarter Share @ 235xp - 25gp (150xp), 85sp (85xp)
Valorn: 1 Quarter Share @ 235xp - 25gp (150xp), 85sp (85xp)
Hiridhren: 1 Quarter Share @ 235xp - 25gp (150xp), 85sp (85xp)

This gives the younger party members a more appropriate level of XP. It gives the NPCs partial shares. It accommodates party members who haven't posted IC in over a month. And it gives The Gustave a bit, as well.

WOTE, we've spent ample time on this. If nobody speaks out against their portion of the distribution in the next 8 hours, then I say go with this and let's get back to the game.

If you are unhappy with the division regarding your share then you need to speak up in the next 8 hours.

[ehiker133]

Well I hope not.. It's very important that Torben die in battle so Wen can take his armor.....err... I mean I'd hate to lose Torben as a party member.

I'm more concerned with the magical bowl that heals when you drink holy water out of it. We should treat that object carefully and make sure it doesn't get lost.

[Merctime]

I'm all for a quarter share for Dhren. I don't believe he or myself have earned more than that.

For my own part, I'm looking forward to participating more fully in this game, and being able to contribute based off of what I've experienced. It's a bit tough to contribute based off of previous posts... There are so many. I don't mean to be lazy, but I am a bit hard-pressed to think of something I can do to help in an out-of-character standpoint at this time.

But I'm open to orders! If there is some task, some number-crunching or otherwise that I can help with, arranging names for watches or etc, please hand it off to me and I'll do my best with it. It's a bit tough for me to come up with these things on my own, currently, as much of those things at least seem to require having previous knowledge of the game to do them fairly and completely. But that doesn't mean I can't be given some quick instruction in how I can help out with little bits!

I am not asking you all to 'do for me', I am just asking for a little direction as to what I can do 'at the table', as it were, to help with some of the chores of the game.

When we get back into it, I'll be doing my darndest to map for us, and offering ideas to our current situation. Until then, please, please let me know if there is something I can do to help out!

[sully]

Everything I said in my last post still stands but, if no one else has interest in my proposals, I am ok with this division of treasure.

Merc, you may or may not have earned a larger share of XP but it's in the party's best interests to level you up quickly, so you become more of a resource for the rest of us. Take the half share and fight on!

[Merctime]

Sully, I appreciate you, Sir. And I appreciate that you are interested in the party as a whole, and agree with that mentality.

I suppose another issue I have, outside of my own pride and desire to earn my keep, is that Ehiker is struggling to do all of the accounting here. And I do think it's a struggle. Honestly, for only this reason, I'm fine with grabbing a quarter share of XP and moving on quickly so as not to strain the real people behind the screen here.

Please remember: Dhren's class uses the Clerical xp table... AND he has a large bonus to XP due to lucky stat rolls. It won't be long until he's 2nd level unless I die horribly

A quarter share may mathematically be intelligent for him; Doling out larger shares to characters who require more to level might well be advisable. Just my thought there.

There are alot of people in this game. Many, it seems, unfortunately, are too busy to play their characters. I agree that real life must trump. But I do agree with some of Sully's concerns about XP going to character's that are close to becoming NPC's. The problem is, how to really know that?

What about just having them gain lower xp, to ensure a useful amount is provided the currently active group? I think you all are basically saying this anyways. Treat them as 'henchman' status; They aren't active currently, and other players/the DM are running their characters, so they get henchmen quality XP. I think that is fair, in my opinion.

When those players return, they still have characters, but they will just need to go adventuring and get caught up! Heck, I'm in that position right now. I would hope that people understand that the game still needs to go on for the other players and that they would be reasonable enough to understand why their characters only got a little, or no, XP.

I'm stating that I'm in favor of having the character's that have been played by our DM and other players recieve small amounts of XP or none for the current time. I also like the IOU analogy Sully presented... When they become active, they will again gain fair shares.

Perhaps, for those players, we can offer some 'severance' type stuff, too. IF those characters were key players in some of the loot gained/monsters killed in THIS xp that is being totaled, they still get quarter or half shares only... But when they return, and become active again, they are allowed first choice of the NEXT treasure and XP divisions to make up for 'losing out' of their rightful spots in THIS treasure division due to inactivity.

It's almost like the IOU situation. They can't be here now, to recieve their rewards, so we just plan for them to get recompensed later on when they CAN be here. Thoughts?

[ehiker133]

Everything I said in my last post still stands but, if no one else has interest in my proposals, I am ok with this division of treasure.

Merc, you may or may not have earned a larger share of XP but it's in the party's best interests to level you up quickly, so you become more of a resource for the rest of us. Take the half share and fight on!

The balance of objective and subjective is very difficult when it comes to XP division. I did the best I could.

We could always chance Beringar and Valorn not coming back and distribute their shares to others accordingly...

[ehiker133]

... is that Ehiker is struggling to do all of the accounting here. And I do think it's a struggle.

Struggle? Hmmm...

Maybe an appropriate word, if only for the decisions of balance and who should get what and how to weigh participation vs. longevity in the game, etc.

The math isn't a struggle.