If I dock a player XP, I'm punishing them.
If I give them XP, I'm rewarding them.
If I do neither, I am neither punishing nor rewarding them.
A real life example - if the State puts me in prison, it is punishing me. If it gives me a knighthood, it is rewarding me. I am not being punished by not being given a knighthood and I am not being rewarded by not being jailed.
If I give them XP, I'm rewarding them.
If I do neither, I am neither punishing nor rewarding them.
A real life example - if the State puts me in prison, it is punishing me. If it gives me a knighthood, it is rewarding me. I am not being punished by not being given a knighthood and I am not being rewarded by not being jailed.