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Colt47 wrote:Just curious, but how much experience do you other GMs out there give out in a typical Rifts game? I know at the local game we generally go from level 1 to around level 4 or 5 pretty fast (generally make level 3 after the first six or so sessions), while online I'm seeing experience move along at a snails pace, like 100-150 experience per session.

Colt47 wrote:Just curious, but how much experience do you other GMs out there give out in a typical Rifts game? I know at the local game we generally go from level 1 to around level 4 or 5 pretty fast (generally make level 3 after the first six or so sessions), while online I'm seeing experience move along at a snails pace, like 100-150 experience per session.

Panomas wrote:

Akashic Soldier wrote:If my players step out of a city I just constantly throw horrible, horrible things at them in an endless wave of absurdity and madness. Those who do not die or avoid being turned into the rape slaves of disgruntled xenophobic redneck Forest Wardens generally level up rather quickly to about the mid-level range. (3-5). Anything higher than that is rather slow leveling. If you are actually interested checkout BETWEEN DISASTER & ATROCITY in my signature. If you scroll through you will find the experience point awards each players received per session in a single post.

Remind me to only play in one of your campaigns if

My character is 15th level-
The other players are 15th level-

I have also aquired something personal about you, so that I can blackmail you into humiliationless-survival.

Icefalcon wrote:My games typically award 500-1500 xp per session. Sometimes it is smaller if nothing happens in the session and sometimes it is larger if they overcome some major obstacle.

scottypotty wrote:In a game so flexible with seemingly few constants and exceptions to almost every rule in another book, I like to just be told when I go up a level. I've done this in the past myself with other games that use experience points and levels. I feel it takes the pressure off of players to get more powerful and helps them focus on just playing their characters and having fun. Unless crunching numbers and statistics is one of the reasons you like to roleplay, then ignore everything I just said.

flatline wrote:It all depends on the GM and pace of the game.

I haven't played in a while, but it was pretty typical to reach 3rd level in 4-6 sessions. And then 4th level in another 4-6 session after that.

500-1500 experience was pretty typical for an 8 hour session.

It really matters less in Palladium's games than in other systems since OCCs are usually front-loaded when it comes to abilities, but even so, it's important that the players feel like their characters are progressing. If you're all still 1st level after 4 or 5 sessions, then in my opinion, the GM is doing it wrong.

--flatline

Colt47 wrote:

flatline wrote:It all depends on the GM and pace of the game.

I haven't played in a while, but it was pretty typical to reach 3rd level in 4-6 sessions. And then 4th level in another 4-6 session after that.

500-1500 experience was pretty typical for an 8 hour session.

It really matters less in Palladium's games than in other systems since OCCs are usually front-loaded when it comes to abilities, but even so, it's important that the players feel like their characters are progressing. If you're all still 1st level after 4 or 5 sessions, then in my opinion, the GM is doing it wrong.

--flatline

Palladium likes to front load options, but that doesn't mean using those options is a good idea. The character sheet literally lists the success rate of all skills flat out, and unless the GM is being gracious and doing some difficulty adjustment in the background most skills are like gambling in a casino early on. It works when the game is being played such that the characters are the equivalent of interns being run through a sieve in a sadistic gambit to see who survives (Note: I'm looking at you Akashic, not that it isn't fun to do! ), but the game requires level 4-6 characters to play generally competent adventurers. This tends to be in contrast to Pathfinder, D&D, and some of the Tri-stat BESM games I've been through.

flatline wrote:

Colt47 wrote:

flatline wrote:It all depends on the GM and pace of the game.

I haven't played in a while, but it was pretty typical to reach 3rd level in 4-6 sessions. And then 4th level in another 4-6 session after that.

500-1500 experience was pretty typical for an 8 hour session.

It really matters less in Palladium's games than in other systems since OCCs are usually front-loaded when it comes to abilities, but even so, it's important that the players feel like their characters are progressing. If you're all still 1st level after 4 or 5 sessions, then in my opinion, the GM is doing it wrong.

--flatline

Palladium likes to front load options, but that doesn't mean using those options is a good idea. The character sheet literally lists the success rate of all skills flat out, and unless the GM is being gracious and doing some difficulty adjustment in the background most skills are like gambling in a casino early on. It works when the game is being played such that the characters are the equivalent of interns being run through a sieve in a sadistic gambit to see who survives (Note: I'm looking at you Akashic, not that it isn't fun to do! ), but the game requires level 4-6 characters to play generally competent adventurers. This tends to be in contrast to Pathfinder, D&D, and some of the Tri-stat BESM games I've been through.

It all comes down to whether you roll against a skill whenever the skill is used or just when something non-mundane is being attempted. I knew a GM that made you roll against your pilot:automobile skill to start the car and back out of the driveway. We replaced him mid-session.

--flatline

Ubistvo wrote:

Colt47 wrote:Does the rulebook explain anywhere when someone is supposed to use a skill check in concrete terms and not with some kind of floaty relativistic explanation?

I don't think a rulebook is necessary for common sense.

It is not necessary to roll computer operation to turn a computer on or read sensory equipment to turn off your alarm clock.

If you're driving down the street and 65 mph and trying to cut someone off to get around someone or avoid a crash, it's much more relevant.

Ubistvo wrote:

Colt47 wrote: It's necessary to have a common starting point for players coming from different backgrounds. Common sense isn't as concrete between individuals as an x, y statement.

Also, considering the reply that probably means there isn't anything in the books or the books have conflicting statements.

I would think the statement "It is not necessary to roll computer operation to turn a computer on or read sensory equipment to turn off your alarm clock." would be agreeeable to most people as a common sense statement.

But if you disagree, and you're GM or you can convince your GM, it's your group's decision! Palladium is malleable with the rules, if anything.

One rule my GM brought over into our game is the rule that upon leveling, only the skills you used (whether successfull or not) can be raised. Can't say I like the rule, but he's GM, and the rule is universally applied, so I'm cool with it.

As for the RUE, I checked and did not not find anything applicable other than the statement that most skills are related to the character's ocupation.

Ubistvo wrote:

Colt47 wrote:The original question wasn't about peoples thoughts as much as if something is stated in the book or not.

Considering you were the original poster, I 'd think that you would actually know what the original question was. Or at least go back and confirm it is what you claim it is before accusing someone of not answering the original question.


But here it is, so you don't have to go back and read it again.

Colt47 wrote:Just curious, but how much experience do you other GMs out there give out in a typical Rifts game? I know at the local game we generally go from level 1 to around level 4 or 5 pretty fast (generally make level 3 after the first six or so sessions), while online I'm seeing experience move along at a snails pace, like 100-150 experience per session.

No reference to a book. So no, it wasn't.

Does the rulebook explain anywhere when someone is supposed to use a skill check in concrete terms and not with some kind of floaty relativistic explanation?

MADMANMIKE wrote:I find it amazing that people can come up with an estimate for this. Game sessions are all unique.

Colt47 wrote:

Ubistvo wrote:

Colt47 wrote:Does the rulebook explain anywhere when someone is supposed to use a skill check in concrete terms and not with some kind of floaty relativistic explanation?

I don't think a rulebook is necessary for common sense.

It is not necessary to roll computer operation to turn a computer on or read sensory equipment to turn off your alarm clock.

If you're driving down the street and 65 mph and trying to cut someone off to get around someone or avoid a crash, it's much more relevant.

It's necessary to have a common starting point for players coming from different backgrounds. Common sense isn't as concrete between individuals as an x, y statement.

drewkitty ~..~ wrote:Thinks I know the background for the question so declines to make my comments public.

and i say this as a person who prefers to play the strong characters who can take on those big monsters. IMO, even if they didn't inflict one point of damage, that character was still part of the battle, and still a part of its outcome. even if all they did was be the guy/girl who needed protection from the monster because of their less powerful nature.
the XP is for getting through the battle, not the damage dealt.

Chronicle wrote:I usually end up with 1000-2500 per person ( i lump the exp together for shared experience IE: Great threats, rescue lots of people, life endanger sort of group thing then add up individual extras depending on specific actions)

drewkitty ~..~ wrote:

drewkitty ~..~ wrote:Thinks I know the background for the question so declines to make my comments public.

Since I am no longer in that game I feel no need to restrain my comments.

Nursaburn is using the individual exp. scoring system that uses the strict following of the EXP table.
This is what make him seam to be giving out piddling amounts of exp. to the chars that can't fight the big monstrosity the high powered chars get to fight.

This was a minor reason of why I ended up leaving his game.