Does KoL need to fixed, and how?

Recent forum discussions have brought up numerous issues that are beginning to plague KoL, including the recent economic collapses that have drastically affected many players. If it's assumed problems need to be fixed, how should it be done? I've got an idea, and though it's pretty radical, I'm positive that it would work.

According to one discussion thread (http://forums.kingdo mofloathing.com...ic.php?t=14992 here), the largest issue affecting Kol right now is that of the socio-economic strata that have developed from the various phases that have gone on since the game's inception, and the waves of new users that have steadily poured in. The thread establishes that since the beginning of the game, we've gotten to a point where each player can fit into one of three categories: the Uber-Wealthy, the Middle Class and the Newbies.

The Uber-Wealthy are primarily the players who have been around the longest, having had the most time to use both the legitimate and "hacked" methods of accruing wealth and ultra-rare items. They often have multiple billions in fluid Meat assets, and nearly as much Meat tied up in hoarded or mall-stocked inventory. With their assets and time played, they are virtually untouchable in their positions on leaderboards or PvP fights. They have multiple "Mr. A"s, either from donations or in-game meat purchases, as many ultra-rare items as wanted, and access to the "villa" chat channel.

The Middle Class is by far the largest group, and consists of average players who have been around for several months to a year. They often have a few million in Meat and other assets, and few or no ultra-rare items at all. They're the meat and potatoes of the game, and they represent the group that has typically graduated from simply completing the quests to jockeying for position on the leaderboards (usually in futility). If they own any "Mr. A"s, they probably purchased them for $10 real-world money. If they own ultra-rare items, they probably found them on their own.

The Newbies are easiest to define; they're simply the "new guys". Their characters are at low levels, they have little disposable or investable "income", and they spend most of their turns completing quests. They rarely have any "Mr. A"s and never have any rare items unless given them by other players. Few can even afford the "staple" food and drink items from the mall, such as Hell Ramen and mixed drinks. Arguably, they have the most left to enjoy in the game.

The primary issue concerning these class structures is a bottleneck in advancement, and the impact of the Uber-Wealthy on the greater economy.

While the Newbies can advance into the Middle Class with relative ease, it is virtually impossible for the Middle Class to achieve the status levels or wealth of the Uber Wealthy.

Arguments go back and forth as to whether players are impeded by the Uber-Wealthy, or if it's simply a matter of poor market speculation. Both sides have excellent arguments. Some see meatsinks as the answer, others see them as inneffective stop-gaps. Either way, the only acceptable solution has to allow the Newbies to get into the game, the Middle Class players an equal chance at "stardom" as the Uber-Wealthy, and the Uber-Wealthy to maintain some semblance of status earned for time served.


The Answer: Chronicles of Loathing: Season 1

My suggestion is that KoL have a second "game site". This second site would effectively start as a mirror of the original Kingdom of Loathing game, but would start from scratch. New character accounts, new bank accounts, new mall. Zero interaction with the original Kingdom of Loathing. The new one would operate independently, and would allow everyone who wanted to to start again on equal footing as all other players. Call it "Chronicles of Loathing, Season 1".

Season 1. As in multiple seasons. Like on TV.

And, like TV game shows that run in seasons, after a predetermined and announced set time, the season would end (Survivor, Amazing Race, The Apprentice, etc.). Players rankings would be posted daily in the season's Hall of Fame, PvP ranking leaders would be posted, etc. At the end of the season players would be announced as winners in various categories, and an overall Season Champion would be chosen. Then, as a bonus, winning season players could "dedicate" a trophy to a "sponsor" character back in the original Kingdom of Loathing (allowing Original KoL players to show off their achievements "elsewhere"). Original KoL characters could only accept trophies from one Chronicles player per season, thereby discouraging "multiple account" scams.

So there's a rough idea. Why would Skully and Jick want to take on a second bucket o' coding work? Several reasons, most of them good.

First, from a "political" perspective, it gives them an outlet to tell players complaining about the current KoL caste system to get off their backs. If you don't like what's going on in KoL, go play Chronicles: Season 1. If you don't like what's going on in Season 1, wait a few weeks and try Season 2.

Second, it would give them the opportunity to try different "flavors" out in KoL without worrying about disrupting the balance of the original game. Maybe Season 1 is set on a tropical island. Season 2 might be sponsored by the Penguin Mafia in their frozen homeland. Another season might let us visit Far Faraway, where the zoo seems to have a surplus of Knott Yetis. Another might plunge into the farthest depths of the Orc Chasm (or even reveal the secret of the Tan Trick to explore a whole network of multiple Orc Chasms).

Third, new seasons means new, non-transferrable and season specific items and accessories. If these items included things like "Mr. Tiki" or "Mr. Frozen A", players would likely make monetary donations to Asymmetric in order to give themselves whatever bonuses might be gained for the season. Does this basically translate to "he who gives Jick and Skully the most money probably wins"? Umm, well, probably. Not necessarily though. It all depends on what ther various goals for the season are.

Offsetting the time investment of building other Chronicles of Loathing worlds, portions of old seasons could be rolled into the Original KoL once the season is ended. Maybe the locations, minus season-specific items, could be reached via the Travel Agency at The Shore, or via the Icy Peak. This way, seasons of Chroncles can eventually be repurposed into new expansions for Original KoL. Besides this, seasons could be seen as a live "testing ground" for new ideas, concepts, items and character classes. Why throw an untested concept into Original KoL when you've got a three-month supply of fresh lab rats at your disposal?

And what if the Casino on the Wrong Side of the Tracks started making books on the results of seasons? Is BoozerBear an early favorite to win it all, or has Newbie386 found a way to the top of the heap?

What would this mean for the popularity and exposure of KoL overall?

Three month seasons should be long enough for quests to be completed and for clear winners to emerge, and short enough that anyone jumping in at any point shouldn't have too long to wait for the game to recycle. Additionally, it shoud serve to generate fresh interest and publicity for KoL (both Original and Chronicles) on a timely basis. Players who might have lost interest or found their goals unattainable this month would be more likely to come back to a fresh season of Chronicles in a month or two.


That's all I've got for the moment. If anyone feels I've missed something or repeated a previous topic of discussion, I apologize; this all pretty much just popped up in my head today and I wanted to throw it out to the forums. My thanks to everyone who posted in the forementioned thread and to Feldermer, who has helped me get a better understanding of the supply-side economics of KoL.

Okay, all the rest of you, discuss.

[Firestorm ZERO]

A reset, but that wont happen, GRRRR.

[whitsdaname]

Whoa, That's quite a philosophy you have there. I have been playing for quite some time and haven't made it to middle class. KoL is a fun place when you don't have much meat and way too much to discover... and conquer.

[Archondelnoche]

Funny thing is a reset could easily be setup, Have an Apacalyspse style send it off. But That may never happen.

Cool thing would be have a grand Penguin Mafia war...................::smiles evilly::

I could think up a dozen ways to do the reset, and have an explanations why the servers went down.

[Osiris]

You're a post-reviver, eh? :P A reset would be okay, I suppose.

[Archondelnoche]

Just now going through all categories and putting in my two meat

[Osiris]

Heh. Your two meat... Nice. :P

[Archondelnoche]

Whitty isn't it? I might just use that on my Sig Line.

[Osiris]

Whitty? :P "wity".


... Sorry. Spelling things wrong is pet-peeve of mine. :P

[Archondelnoche]

Then I am going to start just mispelinlg stuff just to annoy you for a bit. :0