Idle exp
Call it what you want, whether it's heartbeat exp, roleplay bonuses, or whatever, a lot of MUDs like to give players exp just for logging in and sitting around doing nothing. So what effect does this have on gameplay?
Now, obviously, it does wonders for making the MUD look good, seeming to prosper even when it isn't. If you give exp just for idling, a natural side-effect is that players will be logged in at all times, just gathering up that idle-exp. This makes for a fantastic boost to MUD player count numbers, as the average number of players logged in may be almost equal to the total number who play at all (whereas one MUD might have 60 players who log in now and then, they'll only show maybe 20 online at a time, but if all log in all the time and stay idle, they've tripled their number). This looks fantastic to new players, who if given two MUDs of similar concept, but one has 20 players at a time and the other has 60, will often choose the higher populated one, because hey, everyone else likes it, don't they? And of course, for those MUDs with no obvious multi-play rules, one player may have several characters on idling at all times, multiplying the player totals artificially even further (Yes, I've seen MUDs like this too).
Any thoughts? And beyond that, how much does this free exp (or even free money, in many cases) help or hurt ordinary play value? Should more MUDs adopt such a system? Or should they consider laying off the idea entirely?
-Kereth Midknight
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