New players vs. old in a player-oriented skill model

[ide]

One of my main goals is a 'skill-less' mud, that is, where all skills are in-game options and resources to control, rather than on-character descriptors to improve, so I'm going with a player-oriented skill model. Just to define what I mean by player-oriented I'm talking about Cornelius' terms in:

http://www.mudlab.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=99&highlight=skill+ess

The issue I'm thinking about right now is how you design for two players in a permadeath mud, both with a new character, but the older player is more experienced than the new player. It seems like in a character-oriented skill model, while the older player clearly has an advantage, they are still limited by the grind of advancement, and so they won't blow past the new player as quickly. What I don't want to happen is to have new players so clearly outshined by old players, regardless of how old the character is, that they get too discouraged to play on.

Including an element of chance is something that's been discussed. Could you increase the chance % for newer characters?

I should mention that this issue is primarily for direct PvP conflict (i.e. duels). There are other factors in the design (such as player-controlled resources that you accumulate over time) that will help toward a solution as well, but I think PvP combat is so fun that I'd like to include it in this strategy-tactics hybrid.

[Vopisk]

You could increase the % chance of success for a newer player to give them a crutch to lean on while they learn to play the game, but how do you determine who is and is not a new player? You could trust that the older players will remain honorable and play the game as you have designed it, but what about the old player who "alts" to a "new character" so they can have both their experience and the % chance increase?

I think it's a bad idea to make a MUD solely about what the player on the other side of the computer knows how to do effectively. A blend of both is probably the best option. Tabletop RPG's have skills and the like, but much of the interaction is based solely upon the players and the moderator, not needing dice rolls for every mundane task.

Perhaps a system like White Wolf uses in their games, where a "difficulty level" is assigned to performing a task so that you know what you're up against, on a 1-10 scale. In such cases, something so easy as to be a ranked a 1 or 2 really doesn't need to be checked and rolled against, assuming you have even minimal skill at doing whatever it is, you're going to succeed.

I think KaVir's response to your linked post hits the nail on the head, perhaps it is more effective to make progress and outwards movement rather than an upwards one. Don't cripple players because they're new, but give them room to grow, otherwise there will truly be no fun in playing. Even in chess, where there is no chance, or skill level, there is merely me and my opponent, I could discover a new tactic that I think is the cat's pajamas and beat my opponent with it. This has nothing to do with gaining a new direction that my "knight" can move in, merely, learning a new way to use it.

I would suggest that you allow players access to all of your skills at a rudimentary level, whether it be swordplay or herb collecting, anyone can swing a sword or pick a plant, but where you grow is in your ability to swing your sword effectively or pick the right plants that you want.

Anyway, that's my two cents, something to chew on,

Vopisk