G. wrote:
> When Jason Cobb pulled the 18K scam there was some bit of discussion that we
> might be over coins or ready for something new there - what do people think.
> My opinion is that the zombie system is working reasonably, and we need some
> manner to allocate zombies (preferably weighted by players' contributions to
> the game) if we get rid of coins, but otw I don't mind.
Not familiar with that abbreviation? Wiktionary thinks it means "on the
way", but that doesn't seem to make sense in context.
I think there is value in having a long-term way of "keeping score" between
players, even if only in that it gives a pointer towards what we think the
objectives of the game ought to be (e.g. passing proposals good, publishing
reports good, breaking rules bad). Ribbons already sort of do that, but
they're not very granular - someone earning a ribbon is a notable event,
whereas coins/shinies have tended to gradually trickle in, so the Renaissance
and Economics systems kind of do the same thing on different timescales.
> manner to allocate zombies (preferably weighted by players' contributions to
If people are bored of coins, though, they don't necessarily have to be
flavoured like a currency. A little bit of brainstorming:
- Rename "coins" to "influence". Players with more influence have higher-
ranking Agoran noble titles, which confer privileges like zombie access,
higher voting strength, or perhaps even exclusive ability to vote on
low-power or reasonably uncontroversial proposals (like the Ordinary/
Democratic distinction from a while back).
- Rename "coins" to "mana". Players can spend mana to cast spells. The
parent title Necromancer becomes somewhat more literal. Potentially
expandable to an old-school D&D theme, with evocation spells reusing the
Space Battles mechanics, abjuration spells allowing an opt-out for them,
alteration spells used to flip unsecured switches, etc.
- Rename "coins" to "wisdom". Mechanically this would probably work
similarly to influence (the wisest players have a greater voice in
voting and so forth) but I feel like there would be more opportunity for
wit. Amassing sufficient wisdom would allow a Win by Nirvana.
-twg
