The way the skills are set up it takes more and more hours to complete each level. The way that levels the field is thus:
Assuming I decide I want to be long blade. I know there are players who have 300+ days of skills under their belts, and there are probably some who have studied nothing but long blade since day 1. If I started studying long blade today, I could get rank 1 in about 10 days, rank 2 in around 20 days, rank 3 in what, 40 or so? I think (though I'm just speculating) that it doubles with every rank you go up. Eventually it will work out that I am just finishing a rank while the guy who has been studying nothing but long blade since day 1 is still studying for the next rank. We'll be equal in ranks even though he's been studying forever.
If it really does double with every level, then the progression would be 10, 20, 40, 80, 160, 320, 640. Thinking about it, that's not really the case, it can't double with every level because there are people with higher ranks than that. But you get the point.
It's the same as with stats. Shadowguard is #1 in strength, at least today. If he continues to train strength and nothing else at the same rate as he is now (assuming he's got some huge house), and I were to do the same thing with a ranch, I'd still eventually catch him. As it takes him more and more dev points to level up the stat, I'd eventually be starting the same level stat as he was still in.
Yes, it may take years. I'm here for the long haul. I'm a donator. Maybe not "heavy" but I've donated my fair share. I get my butt handed to me by the older players. I have since early on. WilliamR once hit me in a gang battle. One-shot-one-kill. he did 800+ points to me in one hit when I had around 350-400 HP if I recall. This didn't discourage me. This didn't cause me to want to leave. It made me want to get stronger. Heck, you've obliterated me 5 times in a row during one battle, and 3 more times the next day. I just know that means I have to work harder to catch you.
I have a number of real life friends who play this game. They've been playing for hundreds of days more than me. I knew skills were important. I didn't feel cheated because I had fewer skills than them, I just knew I didn't want to miss a single skill train (which I have, in point of fact) so I could get them up as fast as possible.
Would I like to have more skills in a day? Sure, as long as everyone has access to the same amount. If everything in a game can be bought, then there will be those who buy it, burn out because they've gone too high too fast, and quit.
If someone were to propose something like "for every 5 points of INT you get, you can study one more hour per day" I'd support it. It would allow someone who wants to buy some extra skill trains the ability to do so, but it would limit it practically. The same benefit someone gets from buying 20 END in the first couple of days/weeks would help them reel in the higher level non-donators.
I know that was long-winded, so for those skimmers I'll summarize. I'm a fairly young donator. I have at best middle-value skills and am happy with them where they are. I'm not arguing to keep my lofty stats. A new person could reach my highest skill in 100 days or less, I'm sure.
Thanks to everyone who took the time to read to the bottom of this. |