Experience problem?
 

I was looking in the hall of fame. The #1 and #2 in number of kills--with thousands of kills each--have about 50 experience!

Neither unit has ever been in combat, they have been casting nukes. Why does Flames from the Sky give me kills but not experience from those kills?

Re: Experience problem?
 

Experience increases attack, defense, precision, and eventually strength, encumberance and hp. Casting Flames from the Sky isn't THAT different from casting, say, Augury, and shouldn't increase these abilities. Research ability doesn't increase either, but that's unfortunate side-effect of all the experience bonuses being tied together.

Re: Experience problem?
 

God forbid a use-based skill leveling system like in Oblivion.

Re: Experience problem?
 

Endoperez:

Experience increases research ability.

Re: Experience problem?
 

I know that. I meant that while it would be nice that casting spells increased research ability, I would rather that things stay as they are; that is, no experience from spellcasting even if it means there are no research bonuses for mages with hundreds of kills.

Re: Experience problem?
 

I don't think that casting Murdering Winter many times makes a mage more intelligent and wise http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Experience problem?
 

Why not? Casting a spell is a skill, just as fighting is a skill.

Re: Experience problem?
 

Exactly. Mages cast, fighters swing swords.

The only problem I see is that the bonuses are unrelated to what you're doing.

The sword-swinger should get tougher, the mage should improve his magic. That should be easy enough to define by looking at the balance of magic vs might in the character getting the increase. Have two or three tables of effects instead of just one.

Re: Experience problem?
 

Flames from the Sky is a spell which brings no danger the mage unless a fire/ice dome exists. There's no reason for a mage to suddenly become as experienced as a veteran mage which has spent all his time fighting in battles.

___ Look at it from this angle: ___
Would a diplomatic official suddenly gain experience after pressing a nuke button which killed 200,000 individuals? Obviously a veteran soldier would remain more experienced.

Re: Experience problem?
 

However these high level overland spells are very difficult to cast and involves very complex procedure and difficult rituals as well as taking a full month to complete. I think a magician should learn a lot from casting these spells. These are not the spells you can cast in just 60 seconds, after all.