High-Rank Missions are Pointless/Gaming the System

Age : 29 Posts : 3145

The current bonus for doing high rank missions is too small. To break it down very quickly and as simply as possible:

Two D Rank missions = a C Rank Mission [In terms of post count]
- the Maximum for the D Rank Missions is 24
- the Maximum for the C Rank Mission is 14
- Even a mediocre score of 7 or 8, for each D-Rank, yields equal to, or more than a single C rank, that is, if you get 100% which no one does.

Now.

3 D Rank = 1 B Rank
- Max for D Rank = 36
- Max for B Rank = 16
- A mediocre score of 5 or 6 on each D rank = same or more as Perfect B Rank

Again.

4 D Rank = 1 A Rank
- Max for D Rank = 48
- Max for A Rank = 20
- A mediocre score of 5 (5/12!) on each D rank = same as Perfect A Rank. Most people get at least 8. 8 x 4 = 32. So 12 more than a Perfect A (which won't be perfect).

FINALLY

5 D Rank = 1 S Rank
- Max for D Rank = 60
- Max for S Rank = 25
- A score of 5 (5/12 again!) on each D Rank = same as Perfect S Rank. If people get 8 on each one, they gain 15 more than a Perfect S.

TO summarise. It's not worth doing higher ranked missions at the moment.

Age : 31 Posts : 1490

High-Rank Missions are Pointless/Gaming the System Npa5yMn

I applaud your ability to do basic math. Yes, D rank missions are by sheer math the fastest way to rank up. They have a two post minimum and can [by most people] be finished in that minimum and receive a decent grade. That being said, as a writer, they are boring as hell. Now, stop looking at it strictly like your standard game.

Looking at it from an IC perspective, if you spam low ranking missions to get to a high rank, you would likely be considered the 'Moon Moon' of the ninja world. You have virtually no experience outside the village, but hell you are really good at catching cats and pulling weeds.

The reason why you do higher ranking missions is to put your characters in different situations, it allows for progression of characters and it grants you some degree of IC experience. The points should be looked at as a reward for character progression, not plainly a pathway to S-rank.

Age : 29 Posts : 3145

Well I could break it down further. It's better to do two C Rank missions, rather than an A rank mission. C Ranks aren't as boring.

It's better to do two B Rank missions, than an S Rank mission. Again, B Ranks aren't as boring.

Fact of the matter is, Missions tend to be the source of the least interesting roleplays on the site, other than training SCs. Unless you're roleplaying with someone else, it's just a grind = the only reason we do them is because you need them to rank up. Simply as that.

To use an example, Vergil, who is S rank, has mostly only done D and C Ranks.

Also, IC wise. Characters do more than 1 or 2 missions every year. In fact, they should technically do a mission everyday. So just because you have taken the effort to rp out a D rank, doesn't mean that you only just do D Ranks. Obviously, your character does more than that. You just haven't documented it.

Age : 31 Posts : 1490

You really are only serving to prove examples for my last two paragraphs. If you get to S rank by doing low ranking missions, you essentially have so little experience IC you might as well be Genin. There's nothing to stop you from crunching the numbers and playing the system beyond a semi-realistic IC atmosphere.

Age : 29 Posts : 3145

Chris wrote:: Also, IC wise. Characters do more than 1 or 2 missions every year. In fact, they should technically do a mission everyday. So just because you have taken the effort to rp out a D rank, doesn't mean that you only just do D Ranks. Obviously, your character does more than that. You just haven't documented it.

I think I edited that before you posted it.

The point I'm trying to raise is that most people only do about 1 or 2 OOC missions in a 3 month period (1 IC year, as you know). That's highly unrealistic.

Similarly, most people only have a few 'meaningful' or memorable interactions within a year. That seems silly and again, unrealistic.

Fact of the matter is, we are limited in how much we can rp out what happens in our character's lives. Sure, I could go on an S rank mission, but if I want character development, I can just make an interesting solo.

Missions, at the end of the day, are supposed to remind us that our characters have jobs xD They're super tedious, and most people do them because they have to, not because they want to. It's not a statistic, but the vast majority of people who get approved as Jounin never do a single mission. Unless they want to hit the next level, but then they will probably do EXP topics first.

So at the end of the day, if I'm doing missions to grind and get points, I will probably spam Ds and Cs. Most people will. HOWEVER. If the difference between doing a D/C and a B was quite small (i.e B Rank worth multiple D ranks maybe?), I would probably be happy to sacrifice more time for it, even if it meant not gaining as many points.

The fact is, that some character development is not enough to offset the big point difference.

Age : 31 Posts : 1490

I have never once referenced a mission I haven't documented by doing myself. I've done this vaguely with social interactions (which I always intend to go back and role play out), but not a single time with missions. Which is justified if you consider that my character went from 15 to 17 before I had even started RPing, to save me from having to place all my topics in flash back I invented some degree of back story to explain why wasn't out participating in his duties as a ninja, which I reference to and always elude more details to that time every time I do.

I keep a vague timeline of every interaction and event of my character and I've had more than a few 'meaningful' or 'memorable' events in a year. Topics don't span the whole one/two/three weeks the might take to complete they exist as a fixed point. Your 'memorable' occasions are only limited by your own perspective.

Fact of the matter is, you are not limited in how much you can RP out of what happens with your character's lives. Not even a little. If you wanted to RP every time your character drops a massive turd, you could. The time system and age progression bare no impact on what you can RP, simply because that's the reason why 'flashback' topics exist. It is made retardedly simple to role play in the perspective of your younger self. I see no sense of limitation.

Missions at the end of the day, serve as income for Shinobi and the village, yes our jobs. However they do not have to be super tedious unless you make them super tedious. At the end of the day it's all on you. I've done my share of D rank missions and I don't think I walked away from a single one feeling like they didn't bring something to my character, even my intentionally shitty one.

I'm referring of course to IC ranking and mission, not in reference to people starting at higher ranks. It is already assumed that those who start at Jounin have completed their host of missions.

If you or whoever else, don't have any inclination towards character development, why bother RPing in the first place? As I said the points should be looked at as a reward for character progression, not plainly a pathway to S-rank.

Now, don't get me wrong, if Darius/Adam want to up the point rewards, I have no problem with that, the point being, if you look at your entire ranking experience as simply an annoying thing you have to do to rank up, then your perspective is jaded not the system itself.

Age : 37 Posts : 2201

I'm not sure if I really understand the point of this thread.

It's up to anyone if they want to do low rank missions or high rank missions. Some want to use missions for character development and then go for the highest they can so they can feel good about their writings skills and be able to have their characters achieve something awesome, whilst others just want to rank up and might spam the lower ranked ones. And even then with the lower ranked ones they can have really good experiences.

Is there any real problem with that?

Age : 25 Posts : 1767

Age : 29 Posts : 3145

.-. the Point of the topic was to try to get the rewards of the higher ranking missions to increase.

I'm saying that all Missions are tedious. Even if your character develops in them, I would much rather rp with another person. However rping with another person to pick up 8 points each from a Mission, does not beat rping with another person to get 17 points each. The same development can be had in both.

I'm all for development. But I think that missions are one of the things that are least developing. If I'm only doing them to get points to rank up, I would prefer to have some semblance of a motivation for doing the higher ranked ones other than 'your character MIGHT develop more' or 'it makes more sense IC sorta maybe'.

Age : 31 Posts : 8965

Trey handled this perfectly, any more objections Chris or can I solve this?

Age : 29 Posts : 3145

Uh. Perfectly? o-o

Well this thread has been dead for almost a month. Solve it.

Age : 29 Posts : 4301

Solved.