Gemstone Prime HARDCORE: Assessing Interest and Establishing Rules (UNOFFICIAL)

[Fallen]

It's about the fun aspect more than the experience aspect. If you give people the opportunity to grind out all different types of forging types and cobbling bullshit they might feel the need to take it. If people want to fletch for a bit of EXP that's fine. Cutting it out may negatively impact a lot of people who want to play archers without really addressing any serious problem.

Like I said, if someone had their hearts dead set on making a master metalsmith HARDCORE character i'd allow it, but otherwise it's just adding tedium to a competition which is supposed to be all about the thrill of hunting with real consequences.

[Viekn]

the thrill of hunting with real consequences.

Ah, hence the deletion stipulation. I get it now.

[Fallen]

Ah, hence the deletion stipulation. I get it now.

Yep. I play games like Diablo and Path of Exile exclusively in hardcore mode. I think it adds a ton of investment into your character and changes the dynamic of the game entirely.

[Taernath]

It's about the fun aspect more than the experience aspect. If you give people the opportunity to grind out all different types of forging types and cobbling bullshit they might feel the need to take it. If people want to fletch for a bit of EXP that's fine. Cutting it out may negatively impact a lot of people who want to play archers without really addressing any serious problem.

Like I said, if someone had their hearts dead set on making a master metalsmith HARDCORE character i'd allow it, but otherwise it's just adding tedium to a competition which is supposed to be all about the thrill of hunting with real consequences.

Fair enough. I don't have a dog in the race, I was just curious.

[Fallen]

With the November 1st start of the HARDCORE competition quickly approaching, I have attempted to further refine the rules and would appreciate feedback. Note that it will likely be impossible to spell out guidelines for every conceivable situation, so the goal is to shed light on commonly encountered issues. When in doubt, consider the spirit of the competition and act accordingly.

== Contest Rules ==

* All participants, upon creation, must post in the GemStone IV Prime HARDCORE thread to include their HARDCORE character's name, race and profession. Said characters must be created on or after November 1st, 2017.

* Upon death you should submit a post to the thread informing the community of the character’s death and immediately delete the character. Inventory may be transferred to a non-HARDCORE character prior to deletion.

* HARDCORE characters must be self-spelled. This means no outside spells may be used. Spells the character can activate themselves from Magic Items or Scrolls are permitted. Automatic group spells such as (but not limited to) Benediction (307), Warding Sphere (310), Kai's Triumph Song (1007), and Song of Tonis (1035) are permitted when hunting with other HARDCORE characters. Group spells that remain once the character leaves the hunting group such as (but not limited to) Mass Blurs (911), Mass Colors (611), and Mass Elemental Defense (419) are not permitted.

* Participation in Profession Guilds, to include giving and receiving training is permitted to include the involvement of both HARDCORE and Non-HARDCORE characters. MAing your training partner is not permitted.

* The Artisan Skill Fletching is permitted beginning at level 0. Crafting and no more than two weapon types of Forging is permitted once the HARDCORE character has reached level 20. Training in Cobbling is permitted once the character reaches level 40.

* HARDCORE characters are not to be hunted with non-HARDCORE characters. Further, while playing more than 1 HARDCORE character at a time is permitted, MAing HARDCORE characters for group hunting purposes or any other unforseen benefits is not permitted. (No HARDCORE MA armies, please!)

* The use of secondary characters for the purposes of locker storage, audience repetitions, experience gain, or any other benefit is not permitted.

* Items and silver may not be obtained from other characters. This means nothing may be received from another character or player shop. All silver and inventory must be earned by the HARDCORE character. NPC shop purchases are permitted. Items the HARDCORE character obtained from a merchant, including raffles and merchant services, are permitted. Use of the pawnshop is allowed. However, no attempts should be made to knowingly buy or sell items to purposefully supply HARDCORE characters.

* The taking or use of items left on the town bench, donation bin, or other communal containers is not permitted, though HARDCORE characters are free to donate items. HARDCORE characters may not take or make use of any items or silver found laying on the ground unless generated by the game itself (truffles, smooth stones, etc).

* Items from a grand auction, Duskruin, Delirium Manor or other "pay to play", or "1 win per account" sources are not permitted. Items from Reim are permitted but only from your daily free Reim run.


* No outside services from OTHER CHARACTERS are allowed. This includes:
** Armor skills
** Artisan Skills
** Blessing
** Enchanting/Ensorcelling/Elemental Resistance
** Healing
** Locksmithing
** Mass spells
** Society or Adventure Guild resources (Pelts, Gems, Herbs, etc)

* NOTE: The use of Bards for the purposes of Loresinging is permitted.

* Deaths resulting from PvP, direct GameMaster action, or GAME WIDE outage are exempt. Also any death that is a required part of a task that may or may not exist for a specific society is exempt.

* GemStone IV Prime HARDCORE characters cannot use any item purchased with Simucoins. Similar items found normally are allowed.

* Gemstone IV Prime HARDCORE characters cannot use any mechanically beneficial item or service obtained via Premium Points, nor can HARDCORE characters use the free X a day Premium spell items.

* GemStone IV Prime HARDCORE characters should toggle on the ability to view their level in their profiles.

----
Additionally, I have decided to add the following stipulation to the Rewards category:

== Rewards ==

F2P HARDCORE characters will be awarded the same silver prize as the first character to reach each level milestone regardless of their time to reach said level (20, 40, 70, 100).

[Fallen]

I'm going to also ban the use of the OOG Premium Monthly submission contest prizes for HARDCORE characters. The monthly raffles are permitted, however. See if this makes sense.

* Items from a grand auction, Duskruin, Delirium Manor or other "pay to play", or "1 win per account" sources are not permitted. Items from Reim are permitted but only from your daily free Reim run. Prizes obtained from OOG competitions or rewards such as (but not limited to) the Premium Monthly Submission contest, Indiegogo campaigns, GM/Gamehost/Mentor rewards, and CHE/MHO Officer rewards are not permitted.

[Fallen]

I have decided to allow all Artisan Skills in the HARDCORE competition, but included a level gate in order to even out the process.

* The Artisan Skill Fletching is permitted beginning at level 0. Crafting and Forging of no more than two weapon types is permitted once the HARDCORE character has reached level 20. Training in Cobbling and the remaining weapon types is permitted once the character reaches level 40.

The other recent change involves F2P characters and Rewards:

* F2P HARDCORE characters will be awarded the same silver prize as the first character to reach each level milestone regardless of their time to reach said level range (20, 40, 70, 100). Use of F2P only Simucoin items such as spell or society passes is allowed, though doing so disqualifies the HARDCORE character from receiving the F2P reward bonus.

If there are any further questions/comments regarding the rules of the competition, please voice them now. Note that the competition starts tonight at 12:00 EST. I will open the official HARDCORE thread post at or shortly before that time.

[barbarous]

Greetings. I witnessed this interaction today, so you may wish to change your demeanors. Krello, without asking, healed Rambals (without consent, hehe). I let Krello know that he should ask prior to healing (in general) after witnessing the interaction. It seems both Rambals and I informed him of the competition after the non-consensual healing. Unfortunately, it seems Krello will need to be avoided folks.

Rambals says, "Please dont do that." <- asking Krello to not heal him

Speaking to Rambals, Krello says, "Don't eat herbs in town square." <- Krellos response
>
The long-winged falcon circles lazily above.
>
Krello murmurs a simple, mystical chant...
Krello concentrates.
Krello's right leg looks better.
>
Rambals says, "Please dont heal people that dont ask." <- Rambals again explaining hes a strong independent gemstone player and don't need no healer
>


Speaking to Rambals, Krello says, "I shouldn't not be allowed to heal you because you're eating herbs in front of me that's my character that's what I do." <- pushing his values
>
Krello points at himself.
>
Senkard says, "Thanks."
>
Yilake put a talneo potion in his purple woolen backpack.
>whisper ooc krello There is a competition going on for gemstone hardcore, the participants are not to accept outside healing
(OOC) You quietly whisper to Krello, "There is a competition going on for gemstone hardcore, the participants are not to accept outside healing." <- me letting Krello know about the situation and that he is still valued
>
Yilake put some cactacae spine in his purple woolen backpack.
>
(OOC) Krello's player whispers, "I know don't eat herbs in town square." <- Krello pushing his values without regard for others

[Gelston]

Rofl, what a doucher. I used to love to set my demeanor to reserved and eat tons of herbs infront of people like that.

I suppose you could use warn interact on them if that isn't your style.

[BigWorm]

Krello is 100% a douche

But it not the greatest etiquette imho for hardcores to eat herbs in TSC as most of the playerbase isn't doing hardcore and its usually a net gain for both parties to get healed by an empath instead of herbs. TSC is also popular for mass spells which hardcores can't use.

The Landing has a buttload of super nodes. Perhaps there is a better place for hardcores to congregate without having to worry about unwanted interactions from filthy casuals?