Hi hi. I am finally back with the big suggestion I wanted to write before I step back into the inactivity shadows.

Disclaimer: My post is in no way an attack on anyone and I expect not to be attacked either. I am not interested in arguing about my feelings or observations, so far I have found them resonating with a lot of players. This is a suggestion post, feel free to add your own thoughts or ideas. I also ask not to be tagged, I am not sure if I want to follow whatever conversation might happen here and I will keep notifications for this thread off.

The main reason I am finally writing this now is that I am very saddened to hear from tenured members around me that they are feeling detached from the site and want to leave teams or the site entirely to look for something else, as hio is moving in a direction that does not at all feel player friendly anymore. And I’m not excluding myself, as things are now, I do not see myself going back to writing here.
In this post I want to address what I think is the biggest issue: the spell/potion system.

To catch up the new people-

Reducio

The old system:
Spells and potions were given automatically upon graduation. If players wanted them earlier, e.g. to have an advantage in sports and adventures, they could do the OOC homework earlier. Spells and potions were not items back then, but they were listed in the trunk post everyone has in their encyclopedia.
To get the potion items to use in threads, you had to write a post of your character brewing them.

The new system:
Spells and potions are items and you get none automatically. You have to either buy them for thousands of galleons or do the OOC homework for them. This goes for all the characters you have separately.

I also want to point at A New Writer's Perspective by @Percival Rocier, who shared his opinion on a couple of systems, including the one I am talking about here.
(... Do not give him a rat.)

What are my problems here?

• The paradox that is being set up here, that forces you to do the homework if you don’t want your character to be an idiot. You cannot claim not to be attending any classes, I doubt it would be fine for everyone to call the professors incompetent and yet your character would not know spells. Spells and potions are a too basic resource to place behind a bar that high.
• This is a system that makes you scramble to explain away a gaping logic hole if you don’t spend tons of galleons (which you never have enough of, “you could just buy the spells instead" as an argument feels rather disingenuous) or spend a lot of time on OOC quizzes, which Professors are not even required to simplify. I talked to a professor a while back who did not want to take the time consuming tasks out, effectively gatekeeping often used spells behind assignments that would probably have taken roughly an hour each. I don’t know if those assignments changed since, my motivation for anything on hio has taken a massive blow from this change specifically, so I haven’t checked.
• The switching of narrative. Not much of a system problem, but I remember how housepoints were stripped from assignments in past years and how there used to be discussions on closing past year assignments to reduce workload. Now the houspoints are gone, yet the new system is enforcing the opposite, people are required to do past assignments for spell access.
• The homework system is just not built for people having multiple characters- which is nearly everyone at this point, with PCs, iNPCs and now also second gen. What is the point of having people do the same OOC thing over and over and over again just for their characters to make sense?
  I loved hogwarts.io, but now I find myself sitting here with new characters ready to go, plots with other players planned and a pile of OOC chores between me and where I'd need to get to start telling their story.

As I don't like to only complain with no alternative suggestions...
... here's mine.

To put it simple: Revert, more or less.
I don't think this system is good. It isn't adding to the rp experience, it is taking away from it. I have not heard positive feedback from a single person about it and while you will never make everyone happy, not making anyone happy (or only a small minority) does say a lot. As completely going back would be a lot of work, here is my idea: give all the spell/potion items year requirements and set the price to 1 knut. This still takes weight off of index to keep up with trunk posts and puts the responsibility on players.

I get that the goal here is to achieve different builds, but going for the basics that are taught at school is not the right way, not if at the same time everyone is required to claim that the professors have been teaching them. Instead I think creating new spells that can be acquired elsewhere is a good idea. Or give people the option to create spells and teach them to others through RP, I think a system like that could be very fun! That way players are more included, can contribute to the site and there is a system that adds to the experience, rewards players and creates some unique builds.

For sports that could be a bit more challenging, but to switch things up, different popular spells could be blocked every season. I also think a system where people could pick spells and potions in a card deck kind of style with limited slots could change things a bit. Obviously this is very vague, but maybe it is worth thinking about.

Gonna provide a suggestion that is maybe a little more moderate: Just scale the prices down. Make it 1 × YEAR galleons or something, so 1 galleon for Y1 spells, 2 galleons for Y2, and so on. That way a single Y7 spell would cost 12 days of saving your stipend rather than unattainable 41-50 days for each spell. And give it a year prerequisite like Pei suggested.

I agree.

I understand the work involved with updating classes and homework, but it is frustrating that some homework is still using the older system with no sign of changing/updating soon.

It is doubly frustrating that we cannot reuse answers for homework we have already completed on other characters of ours. The homework system is essentially an OOC exercise in reading comprehension rather than an in-character measure of competence. Perhaps this is controversial but having experienced the current system a bit more, I think it would make sense for homework to be universal unlocks across our characters, or at least let us reuse answers without having to marginally change them. We already did the work -- I doubt our answers are going to change between characters.

To put it simple: Revert, more or less.
I don't think this system is good. It isn't adding to the rp experience, it is taking away from it. I have not heard positive feedback from a single person about it and while you will never make everyone happy, not making anyone happy (or only a small minority) does say a lot. As completely going back would be a lot of work, here is my idea: give all the spell/potion items year requirements and set the price to 1 knut. This still takes weight off of index to keep up with trunk posts and puts the responsibility on players.

I agree. I find it hard to do much on Hio anymore since the changes on the site bc I need spells/potions but OOC-wise I do not have enough time anymore to spend doing OOC homework which feels like IRL work and it usually takes me 1hr or more to do one piece of homework which I stress over and fret over. I also developed a stupid health condition apparently with my nerves where before my hand and arm were numb but now the numbness has gone away and been replaced by burning fire. So if I DID get a chance to do some RP stuff, I want to spend it happily writing stories and doing duels. But I can't do that bc I need to do the OOC homework to get the spells/potions that I need in order to not have my character be stupid >.< so then I end up doing nothing, even though I do have plots I want to do and things planned but I can never get there. If you changed the system back to being how it was before, I think the majority of people would be happier and isn't it all about pleasing the majority?

I get that the goal here is to achieve different builds, but going for the basics that are taught at school is not the right way, not if at the same time everyone is required to claim that the professors have been teaching them. Instead I think creating new spells that can be acquired elsewhere is a good idea. Or give people the option to create spells and teach them to others through RP, I think a system like that could be very fun! That way players are more included, can contribute to the site and there is a system that adds to the experience, rewards players and creates some unique builds.

I agree with this idea!

For sports that could be a bit more challenging, but to switch things up, different popular spells could be blocked every season. I also think a system where people could pick spells and potions in a card deck kind of style with limited slots could change things a bit. Obviously this is very vague, but maybe it is worth thinking about.

This sounds interesting actually.

I agree with the sentiments here. Ever since the changes, I had questions and concerns. Concerns that were shut down by staff, and that behaviour by staff ultimately pushed me further from the site. I have taken a break from rping, and do not have much interest in returning to it at this stage. I am one of those looking at other rp sites.

My main concern after having the new system for nearly a year now, is that the older years still do not have updated homework, and that looks to be nowhere near completion. I understand that professors and staff do this on a volunteer basis, but when it's been nearly a year, and you say 'oh just buy the spells then', it does not help or motivate me. It makes me think you do not care about the older players who have put time and effort into these chracters for 4, 5, 6 or 7 years. Some profs have considered never changing their hws, and it's such a slap in the face. Why bother having a new system when not everything is intergrated?

It frustrates me that buying spells is so heavily pushed, when one spell is so expensive, let alone many spells in your year or higher. Staff, please consider lowering the spell costs. I like both Pei and Dee's ideas, but overall think Dee's fits more as a progression in price to your year.

Another thing with homework, is that it does not carry. With the new system, I now have to do everything twice or thrice, AND change my answers. That is just time consuming moreso because I have to change everything and think, will this not be okay? I agree with Cassius, let homework be a universal unlock and please, let us reuse our answers.

I get that the goal here is to achieve different builds, but going for the basics that are taught at school is not the right way, not if at the same time everyone is required to claim that the professors have been teaching them. Instead I think creating new spells that can be acquired elsewhere is a good idea. Or give people the option to create spells and teach them to others through RP, I think a system like that could be very fun! That way players are more included, can contribute to the site and there is a system that adds to the experience, rewards players and creates some unique builds.

I really like this idea. I remember when I first came to site and three different spells were offered in rp style by the HoM prof. I loved these and would like something to this effect.

I personally quite like the new system possibly because I wasn’t here before. I enjoy the idea of it being something a little bit different, where different people DO have different spells. I personally see the homework as a bit of fun, immersing me even more into the Hogwarts experience.

However, I do understand that some people don’t like doing extra things, which only one other person sees - one of the big things in this site, for me, is putting my writing where people can see it. Also, if it is stressing out the majority of people, then it possibly isn’t a good idea.

Either way, I really like the site, and I think it’s interesting to hear about changes, and see people’s responses.

Cinder Blaze wrote: 26 Apr 2026, 08:34 I personally quite like the new system possibly because I wasn’t here before. I enjoy the idea of it being something a little bit different, where different people DO have different spells. I personally see the homework as a bit of fun, immersing me even more into the Hogwarts experience.

However, I do understand that some people don’t like doing extra things, which only one other person sees - one of the big things in this site, for me, is putting my writing where people can see it. Also, if it is stressing out the majority of people, then it possibly isn’t a good idea.

Either way, I really like the site, and I think it’s interesting to hear about changes, and see people’s responses.

The thing for first and second, and even third years, is that all of your homework as been changed. This is much bigger issue for the higher years where the homework is old still. It is usually answer short-answer questions, and an essay/rp between 400-600 words. This is why it takes so long and the change came about. But it hasn't for older years and is one of our main issues.

I also discovered that it's not mandatory for professors to change their homework and make it easier aka multiple choice, t/f and fill in the blank. So a lot of them are not doing it for their lessons, one of the main reasons why I haven't done homework, gotten new spells/potions or anything for ages. I don't have the time to put into it and it feels more like something I HAVE to do and feel like I'm being forced in order to be at the same level as other people my age. It's not like it's rp or writing, it's real work and not what I came here for, I came here to get away from doing ooc work and to rp not having to think about anything but having fun. For lower years it won't make sense since Y1 and Y2 and maybe Y3 have been redone and made easier. But once you get to Y4+ questions become harder and more time consuming (since the profs didn't make it easier as they are not forced to) and it drains my muse/motivation and gives me stress if I attempt it. So I feel demotivated. Imo I think they should get rid of this system entirely and just have it be you have to do rp in order to gain the spells/potions. Would make more sense as it immerses you into the realm of writing and rping, gives you less stress, and you get the spells/potions. Like what one person said above, the HoM ones where you had to rp the lesson out to get the spell. I wish they would remove the current system and just do that instead.

HERE IS MY ALTERNATIVE IDEA
If you want to keep homework the way it is, you can just redo the lessons for spells/potions and teachers can write an rp for each lesson as a lecture but then instead of questions/homework at the end, have it be the student does an rp of the spell the lesson taught as themselves (remove anonymous since it doesn't matter). Then when they submit it, the teacher 'grades' it by rolling your wisdom against the spell you are trying to get. If you cast it you win the spell if you don't, you have to wait until next month to try again. Easy. Simple. Makes sense. Lightens workload on professors. Everyone is happy, except those who failed lol but they have a chance to redo the homework next month to get it. Also if they want to get the spell ahead of time if they fail they can buy it but incorporate the idea of Y1 spells are 1 galleon each, Year 2 spells are 2 galleons each etc... or have them all cost 1 silver.

Just thought I’d share my two cents here, since I had already somewhat organized my thoughts elsewhere.

I tend to agree with the sentiments shared above. I don’t like the new system.
I’ve never done any homework on this site because it feels like, well, homework. What I enjoy is the rp, period — not OOC assignments. While I understand that many people do enjoy those extras, I don’t have the time or motivation to do things outside of rp itself. With the old system, I could accept that I wasn’t able to have those extra, “special” spells and perks because I wasn’t willing to do that work, and that was fine with me. But at least I still had the basics so that IC I could get by. Now I just find myself realizing that I will never be able to keep up, and most spells I want are locked to me, because I remain just as unwilling to spend the time doing something OOC that I don’t enjoy whatsoever. In fact, once my current character graduates, I’m beginning to find the idea of starting a new character less and less attractive, because with my style of play he will never go anywhere in this system.

In this situation I realize that I am partly the problem, because of my unwillingness to do hw.. But isn’t the main point of this site the rp? I agree that there should be incentives for people who want to do hw, but should people like myself who only want to rp be punished, and essentially stunted IC?

I believe that the homework system is unique and wonderful, despite my personal disregard for the process. Many people love it. I think there absolutely should be bonuses for people who want to do what it takes to achieve them, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to have fundamental pieces of the game locked behind its gates, when said game is ultimately built around a core of role play.

Do I have suggestions on how to fix this? Not really. I’m just a guy who likes writing stories. That’s what brought me here in the first place, and that’s what has kept me here, not OOC homework and currency systems.

I saw this thread and all I can say is that I completely agree.

I joined this site as of two years ago this October, and at first I absolutely loved it. This place was unique with its homework system, the way to gain spells, potions, and house points just by doing fun homework or graduating to the next year.

Now I can barely RP as Av anymore. At first I was okay, but now I have so many ideas to do with her yet the spells required for it either mean I have to do multiple hours of writing homework or just throw away those ideas.

I myself have also been one turning to other alternative RP sites because of this. I feel now that the homework system is just like a IRL job that I have to do in order to do the things I enjoy like developing Av's story. I would be fine with the buying spells system, but I'm not because of the price. Money is already short for many people as many have adult characters, iNPCs, and PCs to use money for.

That leaves little room for purchasing spells if you don't have the time to complete the homework. I myself can say that I have a crazy life outside of this place being a high school student preparing for college alongside my other RL responsibilities which gives me little time for other things. Especially homework on here.

Like people have said, this site is losing its RP touch.

My solution is like many others have said before. Make the spells cheaper. I like the idea of making the spells cost your year. That means less time to wait to purchase and motivation to purchase may be better. As much as I'd like the system to be 1 knut per spell, this system would be better in the long run for RP flavor.

Another thing I'd like to recommend is to put back in place the system where you can gain spells at the end of your year. It doesn't make sense that a character who attended classes all year doesn't know all the spells that they should have learned in class. I would also love if the giving points to all homework regardless of year would come back as I remember being much more motivated to do homework knowing that I could always go back and get points for my house if needed.

Thank you for your time,

Avery Gray