The Guaranteed Gain System,
or �GGS,� provides additional opportunities for skill gain alongside
the basic skill gain system within Ultima Online. Although it may
benefit every player at one time or another, those who play infrequently
and those who suffer from consistent bad luck when attempting to increase
their skills may find it especially beneficial.
UO�s basic skill gain operates as a �use-based system,� and each
time a character successfully uses a skill he or she has the possibility
of gaining in that skill�sometimes the character will gain skill,
other times not.
GGS tracks each successful use of a skill, and whether or
not skill points were gained in the wake of that success. If no
skill points are gained over a given period of time, then GGS will
award the character a minimum skill point gain as compensation.
It should be noted that if you use a skill and fail, GGS will not
come into play. Characters will only be able to gain skill after
having successfully performed an action�GGS simply improves the
odds that you will gain skill points with each successful skill
use.
Characters will still be able to gain skill points in the normal
use-based fashion�GGS will simply be keeping track of how long it
has been since you had gained a point of skill and award you a mandatory
point (as in 0.0 to 0.1) if you had not gained your own after a
certain period of time.
GGS Timer: The length of the time period, or �timer,� between
0.1 skill point gains is based on the level of skill; the timer
will increase as characters achieve a higher total of skill points.
If the time period passes and you do not gain skill points through
the regular use-based method, you will gain a point thanks to GGS.
GGS time periods are based on the server system clock, meaning that
you don't have to be logged in for your timers to refresh.
However, the use-based system is not restricted by time. Therefore,
even if you had just gained a point through the GGS, the game would
still check for skill gain under the use-based system�although,
admittedly, it would still be incredibly difficult to gain skill
in this way at the high end range.
For example: You cast a spell of moderate difficulty, and
succeed, but you do not gain skill. If you continue to succeed
in the use of the skill but the relevant time period passes and
you have still not gained a point in that skill, then you will
gain a point in that skill the next time you successfully use
that skill.
The chart below may be used as an estimate of the amount
of time that may need to pass (after multiple consecutive skill-use
successes without skill point gains) before a character will see
a raise of 0.1 within the noted bracket due to GGS, and NOT
how long it will take to pass through the whole bracket. Please
note that these time periods are not to be used as an absolute rule,
but instead as a general guide�as the saying goes, �your mileage
may vary.�
For example, a player with a total of 700 total skill points
and 82.3 Blacksmithy has been practicing his craft for some time,
but has been failing steadily hasn�t noted any skill gains. We
can cross-reference the �80.0 � 84.9� row with the �700 total
skill points� column and see that if this pattern continues for
a total of 15.0 hours GGS will compel a 0.1 gain, making her Blacksmithy
raise from 82.3 to 82.4.
If this unlucky streak returns after that and lasts another
15 hours, she will go from 82.4 to 82.5, and so on.
GGS affected by the difficulty of the task: The most noticeable
difference between GGS and previous skill gain systems or incentives
is that gains for skills that score in the 90s, for example, are
not only possible during normal or casual play, they are guaranteed�provided
you are successfully performing your skill in or around your current
skill level.
An example of �performing at your skill level� could be someone
casting Magic Arrow with a Magery skill of 90.0, which would provide
no chance whatsoever to gain skill in Magery even considering
GGS, as that spell is of too low a spell circle to be challenging
for someone with that high a Magery score. You would need to cast
higher circle spells to see guaranteed skill gain. Similarly,
crafting daggers with a Blacksmithy of 80.0 would provide no chance
to gain skill in Blacksmithy.
Skills that are not difficulty based, however, would always have
a chance to gain (without concern for the challenge level of the
task being attempted).
Approximate GGS time period between
0.1 skill gains |
Skill |
350 total skill points |
500 total skill points |
700 total skill points |
0.0 � 4.9 |
1 minute
|
3 minutes
|
5 minutes
|
5.0 � 9.9 |
4 minutes
|
10 minutes
|
18 minutes
|
10.0 � 14.9 |
7 minutes
|
17 minutes
|
30 minutes
|
15.0 � 19.9 |
9 minutes
|
24 minutes
|
44 minutes
|
20.0 � 24.9 |
12 minutes
|
31 minutes
|
57 minutes
|
25.0 � 29.9 |
14 minutes
|
38 minutes
|
1.2 hours
|
30.0 � 34.9 |
17 minutes
|
45 minutes
|
1.4 hours
|
35.0 � 39.9 |
20 minutes
|
52 minutes
|
1.6 hours
|
40.0 � 44.9 |
23 minutes
|
60 minutes
|
1.8 hours
|
45.0 � 49.9 |
25 minutes
|
1.1 hours
|
2.0 hours
|
50.0 � 54.9 |
27 minutes
|
1.2 hours
|
2.3 hours
|
55.0 � 59.9 |
33 minutes
|
1.5 hours
|
2.7 hours
|
60.0 � 64.9 |
55 minutes
|
2.5 hours
|
4.4 hours
|
65.0 � 69.9 |
1.3 hours
|
3.6 hours
|
6.5 hours
|
70.0 � 74.9 |
1.9 hours
|
4.9 hours
|
9.0 hours
|
75.0 � 79.9 |
2.4 hours
|
6.4 hours
|
11.8 hours
|
80.0 � 84.9 |
3.0 hours
|
8.2 hours
|
15.0 hours
|
85.0 � 89.9 |
3.8 hours
|
10.1 hours
|
18.6 hours
|
90.0 � 94.9 |
4.6 hours
|
12.4 hours
|
22.6 hours
|
95.0 � 99.9 |
5.6 hours
|
14.9 hours
|
27.0 hours
|
100.0 � 104.9 |
6.6 hours
|
17.6 hours
|
32.0 hours
|
105.0 � 109.9 |
7.8 hours
|
20.7 hours
|
38.0 hours
|
110.0 � 114.9 |
9.0 hours
|
24.0 hours
|
43.0 hours
|
115.0 � 120.0 |
10.3 hours
|
27.7 hours
|
51.0 hours
|
|