Ok, Funcom says it's not possible. Well it IS quite possible, it's just non-trivial. Here's a solution that would work.
- Create a machine that sits next to surgery clinics in stores. It's a "brain washing" machine.
* Requirements to use machine:
Players must have no implants, armor, weapons, belts, or belt upgrades equipped. In other words, they must be completely naked. A player receives a message to remove their equipment if they are not naked.
A player may use this machine once every X hours of gameplay time, using the same scheme used in side-switching. For argument sake, set X=100 hours. The idea is to only allow this machine to be used infrequently.
* Effect of the machine:
Upon clicking the machine, the player is then prompted to type /reset "skill name". "skill name" is any valid AO skill; attributes (str,int) may not be reset. AO calculates how much IP the player has put into that skill, and adds that to the total that player has. The player's skill is then reset to its base level of 0 (excluding attribute modifers).
If skill name is "navigation", the player's maps are wiped out.
If any other skill has secondary effects (such as the map example), those secondary effects can be disabled at this point too. The server force-saves the character as soon as it gets a valid /reset command, reducing the possibility of exploits.
The /reset command may be used once, and once only until the 100 hrs is up. It becomes enabled upon clicking the machine, and becomes disabled upon use or upon x hours elapsing (100 above), whichever comes first.
This type of scheme:
- removes secondary effects of skill resets
- places restrictions on frequency of use
- if implemented right, is exploit free
- allows players to regain lost IP *over time*
- allows funcom to nerf whatever they want without losing players
Snarf