Proposal: Change the chater to allow DM Credit awards when XP are awarded to Players.

H.M.Gimlord · Dec 8, 2011

This fell out from Dekana's request. It's actually just a proposal so that reality reflects rules. It has already become general practice among several of us (judges) to award DM Credits when DMs award XP to their players as opposed to waiting until the end of the adventure. Among reasons that others have had for this, here are mine.

Some of us are running extremely long adventures. Mine for instance hits its 2-year mark in about 4 weeks, while Tenchuu has been going for some time on the whole Lord Byron kick. Because of this, it would be a shame to wait 2-3 years before being awarded DM Credits
Though it might seem that this undermines the purpose of waiting, which was to provide an incentive for a DM to finish, I would argue that waiting till the end might also provide an incentive for a DM to say, "Aw heck with it. At this rate, I'll never get my credits. Why bother!" and quit DMing or at least not try it again any time soon.
It spreads the credits out. Just think. After a year or two of DMing someone finally gets their credits, and POOF! Heroic to Epic tier leap! (OK, there may be some hyoperbole there, but you get the point). This seems a bit too much all at once.
It's only fair. Players are awarded peacemeal. Do they need an incentive to stay in an adventure. Our player attrition rate is horrendously larger than our DM attrition rate.\
*EDIT* Left this out because it's obvious: Many of us (you) are already doing this anyway.

I'm sure there many counter arguments to this, but there you have it. I know that argument #4 is a bit weak (and whiny), but I said it anyway, because I know I'm not alone when I say it.

There you have it. What say you judges.

P.S. Notice I'm shooting myself in the foot here by proposing this myself (I can't vote on it now). Only fair since I benefit directly from this passing.

stonegod · Dec 8, 2011

Quothe the Charter

Charter said:
As there are some long-running adventures in L4W, the DMs of these can petition the judge to award credits during the course of the adventure, typically at the same time as XP is given to the players.

Yes, that does require a request to the judge; not a full proposal (as Dekana did). I have used this in my games here in the past.

Luinnar · Dec 8, 2011

YES, but DM credits have to be approved before recorded on the wiki page and spent (to double check/prevent abuse).

treex · Dec 8, 2011

H.M.Gimlord said:
It's only fair. Players are awarded peacemeal. Do they need an incentive to stay in an adventure. Our player attrition rate is horrendously larger than our DM attrition rate.

I'm not getting it. How does the DM getting credits directly relate to the player attrition rate? Or peacemeals...

And Gimlord keeps making me Google new words >.< Like attrition =="

Luinnar · Dec 8, 2011

treex said:
I'm not getting it. How does the DM getting credits directly relate to the player attrition rate? Or peacemeals...

And Gimlord keeps making me Google new words >.< Like attrition =="

Most DMs give out xp multiple times during the adventure (piecemeal), so it is only fair for DMs get their credits as well. This is not related to the player attrition rate, but H.M.Gimlord was pointing out that we lose player quicker than DMs (of course DMs tend to be players as well). So why should players get xp and DMs not get their credits if the former has a better chance of leaving?

Iron Sky · Dec 8, 2011

Until just recently I didn't know that you weren't supposed to be able to give DM Credits out mid-adventure.

So, Yes.

treex · Dec 8, 2011

So, in layman's terms, DMs deserve better. After all, they work harder and longer. So they should have a regular "paycheck"...
I support this. But no vote for me :<

covaithe · Dec 8, 2011

YES. Half the judges have been doing this for a long time, and we've known about it and chosen not to ask them to stop. Which is three quarters of the way to a yes vote already; no reason not to go the rest of the way.