If you have a skill based (as opposed to XP/level based) character development system, is there any reason NOT to use EVE’s real-time progression? How many of DarkFall’s “it’s a huge grind” problems would be resolved if you gained skills in real-time like in EVE, rather than through playing/macroing them up? Aventurine made some good changes by not allowing players to gain skill by firing magic or arrows into thin air, and by not allowing players to skill up using the unbreakable starter weapons, but if DF had launched with EVE’s skill system, those issues would not have been present to begin with.I've always loved Eve's offline skill advancedment system. I like how it allows a fellow like me with limited playing time to progress when real life takes me away so that when I do play I can actually, you know, play instead of working on artifical skill development.
Had Eve a skill advancement system that required you to be in game to advance, I would be at a disadvantage. I play about 20 hours a month, let's say. I've been playing 35 months incidently. So I've clocked roughly 700 hours give or take a century.
Now let's say there is a college student who is playing 40 hours a week of Eve. In one year he could amass over 2080 hours of time ingame and in a progression system that requires ingame presence to advance, he would be 3 times as skilled as I would be. Now you might take the position that he invested more time hence he should reap greater rewards, but under the current system that is already true: by ratting, missions, mining, exploration, market manipulation, etc he is earning ISK and combat experience I cannot due to my lack of time. Under the current system, the more advanced skills I have is a balance to his increased playtime. Under a system requiring ingame effort, I would be disadvantaged in wealth and skill.
In other words, it acts like an incentive for more casual players to continue to play the game. To me, that is a good thing.
Your mileage may vary.
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