I've been mulling awards and have some thoughts to share. There are currently two different award currencies, experience and reputation. Experience gives access to higher-level stuff, while reputation is the currency with which you buy it.
There are also two variables in zombie killing, the zombie type you kill and the weapon with which you do it. This should allow for some variation in awards. I suggest that reputation should be awarded on the basis of which weapon you use to kill the zombie. Axe should get the highest award, followed by pistol and shotgun. I'm not sure exactly how to order the rest. I personally have an easier time with the hunting rifle than I do with the Banally, but it has five shots vs. eight, so one could argue that it's harder because of more frequent reloads. The assault rifle, m-60 and Vulcan all seem similar, though if I remember correctly the machine guns have a longer range. And I'm not sure where the sniper rifle fits in, still mastering that weapon. The second variable is zombie type, and this should be accounted for with different experience awards. It is certainly more difficult to kill a tyrant or matriarch than it is to kill the garden variety zombie. I think I'd save the 1 rep point award for kills with the big guns. Axe might be worth as much as 10, pistol maybe 7 and shotgun 5 with others proceeding from there. This makes those times with only a pistol and axe and no ammo a bit easier to deal with. As for exp, have the common zombie worth 5. I'd argue the dogs should be worth less; I've one-shotted them with a pistol. Other types go up in award to maybe 20 for the tyrant? Lastly, there needs to be a limiting factor on experience. As it is, everyone's going to be level 5 sooner or later; you just have to keep playing, never mind how many times you die. Reputation is self-limiting since you spend it for stuff, but experience has no such limiting factor. So I propose that death should cost experience. I'd reset it to 0, but we all know I'm the rat bastard who wants to steal all your fun. perhaps a compromise of half would work. Anyway, that's what I have so far, now that the worst of the bugs have been squashed. (Great work and thank you Jeremy.) Chris Bartlett --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.