I changed my XP style a few years back, and honestly I haven't ever looked back.

For D&Desque games, I do the following

* Base reward per session is 200 xp * the highest party member's level

* Bonus rewards (in the form of chips) are worth 40 xp * the highest party member's level.

Bonus chips are granted for "positively contributing to the game environment" (e.g. bringing snacks, beer, etc.), for particularly cool or memorable actions, for good roleplaying, and for overcoming tougher-than-normal challenges.

Now, I do tweak with this somewhat, but I will never go back to fiddly XP calculations.

In my Wilderlands game, I decided to play around with the system.  This one's a little more complicated, but so far the players have loved it.

* White chips can be used either for XP or as a 'hero point' ala Eberron (generally +1d6 to a d20 roll).  90% of rewards are given as white chips.

* Red chips are like white chips, but can't be cashed in for XP.

* Blue chips are rare & wonderful and let you do really sweet stuff (ala Arcana Evolved's hero points)

A player can have no more than 5 white chips and 5 red chips at any one time.  White chips can get converted to red, but not vice-versa.  A player must either cash in or convert all their white chips before their character goes up in level.

-O

Quote from: obrynBonus chips are granted for "positively contributing to the game environment" (e.g. bringing snacks, beer, etc.), for particularly cool or memorable actions, for good roleplaying, and for overcoming tougher-than-normal challenges.

Do you use chips to bribe people to do things you can see possible in the game, but which they're inclined not to step up to?

When I did a system like this, I found myself referring to the tokens as "Scooby Snacks," and I worked up that finger-fanning move that Fred always use to use when he was trying to sucker Scooby-Doo into doing something awesome.
   "Will you do it for a scooby-snack?"
"RuH-UH!"
"How about two scooby-snacks?"
"Urrrrrhh ...."
"How about three scooby-snacks?"
"Rooo RETCHA!"I guess I'm wondering whether that's a common thing (in the abstract) or whether it's just my personal craziness.

Abyssal Maw,

That's good stuff. The whole story is pretty complicated, but you've got something important there.

Quote from: TonyLBDo you use chips to bribe people to do things you can see possible in the game, but which they're inclined not to step up to?

When I did a system like this, I found myself referring to the tokens as "Scooby Snacks," and I worked up that finger-fanning move that Fred always use to use when he was trying to sucker Scooby-Doo into doing something awesome.
   "Will you do it for a scooby-snack?"
"RuH-UH!"
"How about two scooby-snacks?"
"Urrrrrhh ...."
"How about three scooby-snacks?"
"Rooo RETCHA!"I guess I'm wondering whether that's a common thing (in the abstract) or whether it's just my personal craziness.

Not really....

When I ran FATE, I did, since it's built in.  I try not to unnecessarily prompt my players like that.

I could, though  It's not an awful idea.

-O