One option for replacing decay

One option for decay could be making a death penalty optional. Just like flagging for PVP.
You would get more Experience if you opted in for a death penalty similar to decay.
This could be a separate solution from whatever replaces decay.

Regardless, the new death penalty should be less confusing and complicated.

Patchup aka Turin Erolingas

 

How would you stop people from just toggling it off whenever they went to do something dangerous, and then toggling it back on when they went to safety grind in UT?

 

I think this idea could actually work, because it would allow people to have the ability to choose whether to go along and play it safe, or they want to impose a handicap like the decay. I think that this could be a nice middle ground as it would feel nicer to people to have a choice. Of course it would need to be something practical and simple to implement for something like this for sure. However as I say, I think the concept of a choice and a "choose your flavor" mechanic like this could be quite nice.,

It could also be improved on later maybe, like "higher potential exp loss with better loot" or "lesser loot and higher exp gain/lower decay". These are just spitball ideas but it feels like something that could evolve pretty nicely.

 

A better question might be... how would you stop people from toggling it off during a fight when they are in danger of getting killed?

 

You could have it so that you can only change it at the oracle, or a "is play in combat check" is made.

 

Lets kill this tough boss, everyone toggle off your death penalty, ok, back to the no risk trash exp mobs, toggle decay back on. In this type of setup it may as well not exist.

Let's go farm UT with our 100+ 8man, no risk, go to the oracle and turn on decay. Let's go try to 2 man the lich in the rise, pretty risky, go to the oracle and turn off decay. Honestly it may as well not exist in this scenario either.

If you could change it at the oracle once a month, and it took a full earth day to take effect, then it would be more of a choice of playstyle rather than a tool to avoid any possibility of a death penalty while reaping all the rewards.

However, even under this scenario, at some point when your character is "finished" you could just toggle off death penalty permanently unless it was also tied to something besides exp gain.

 

Make it cost 10 cotos to switch.

 

This could work out well too for sure! I think this is definitely something that has legs and that people can bring ideas to the table to try to cover against many of its flaws.

 

Haha, I like your style, but maybe like 2 cotos and a time restriction? =)

 

Something like this should be a real decision. You shouldn't be switching back and forth at all really. If you get to the point where you really want to switch, I think 10 cotos is pretty reasonable.

I don't like the idea of a time restriction because no matter how long you set it, people will still game the system here and there when they have the chance.

I doubt anyone at all will pay 10 cotos to constantly switch back and forth. But I know some that would do it quite often at 2.

 

If they remove death decay because I suck at fighting, then shouldn't they remove attenuation when I am good at getting xp? There is no penalty for doing bad, but there is a penalty for doing good? Hmmm

 

Yeah I think some cost would be a good idea for it for sure. Would be good for both port and players.

 

It has nothing to do with being good or bad at anything. I'm not sure where you got that idea.

 

If you don't mind me asking, @Adam Crow - do you typically play Solo or Grouped ?

 

What would be the point of earning more exp, if you just get attenuated anyways?

 

I don't mind answering if you can tell me why it matters if I usually play solo or group. Seems like a strange question considering the context.

 

True, at the point decay even really starts to matter you're attenuating in 20 mintes or less anyway, right? Good point.

 

What would be the point of death if it doesn't affect you? If there is no decay or any penalty for death why have it? So in turn, why do we have a penalty of gaining xp too fast (attenuation) ?

 

I am not saying there should be no death penalty, just saying with an option to make more exp if you accept death decay would probably not get used if we just attenuate anyways.

 

The idea that I've liked the most has been "death turns on attenuation" and another death turns on "superattenuation" stopping all gains for that hour.
It fits the need for "penalty" - ie, you do something stupid, now you can't gain for a while so go do something else without ruining group play and potential boss/raid content where deaths are going to be a reality.
While not getting XP from that boss because it killed you sucks a bit, its not the main reason you're there, and I think most people could accept that.
The problem with decay-as-implemented is it encourages low risk repetitive grind and discourages everything else because you must do even more low risk repetitive grind as a cost of entry or tax.
If it was just a big STOP SIGN, group content would still be viable but dying while you're trying to grind up xp would really suck. Which is how I think it should be.