Now that is an interesting idea. Should we give more experience for good ideas? Do we learn more from successes than failures?
Although learning from the wisdom (or lack thereof) is something the player ought to be doing, even if the character is not!
Of course then you need to adjudicate the value of the idea, which can be pretty subjective. Granting XP for the achievement of a goal is a more neutral measure; it also incorporates the wisdom of setting the goal (how likely is it to get you killed), the value of the goal (how much loot does the monster carry), and the strategy and tactical execution in furtherance of achieving the goal (what did it cost in resources or the lives of party members). On average over time, using goal achievement as a measure has a built-in determination of whether you are accurately assessing risks and rewards as well as the wisdom of the player's choices.
So, running away may be a wise choice, but what has it achieved? Other than to live so you can achieve measurable goals, which you can value by attaching a value to those goals. I mean, I could see a scenario where survival IS the goal (like the dungeon at the beginning of A4), but most of the time you are trying to achieve something else.
I think I talked myself into disagreeing with you.
If we disagree it's only because we're striving to engineer different experiences. From the question you ask about learning more from successes than failures, you apparently are viewing gaining XP as a simulationist/diegetic reward to the player characters for live-fire practice. Although I am broadly very sympathetic to simulationism as an agenda, in this case I already view character advancement as a reward for the
players, and in this case giving out advancement tokens for good decision-making serves to reward the GM and keep the game interesting. A bored GM leads to a lack of gaming, and a GM who is scrupulously striving to be fair and impartial risks boredom IME
especially when the players are making excellent decisions. Trying to tempt players into making bad decisions (like drinking an unidentified potion on the off chance of a permanent stat boost) can be one source of entertainment, but I really like the idea of being able to tell players, after an adventure, what they did well/effectively (and to a certain extent, how they could have been more effective) as an actual gameplay loop and not unwanted backseat-driving. Half the time when I rant on Internet forums about D&D tactics it's because I've seen a player do something enormously counterproductive at the table--ranting online lets me get the pedagogical urge off my chest. But having a good excuse to give that feedback to the person who needs it most, without raining on their parade, is a really tempting idea for me.
For similar reasons I have no desire to penalize bad decisions, because:
(1) That would transform the GM character point (or XP) bonus awards from a positive experience about constructive criticism and mentoring, into a negative experience about being judged.
(2) Missing out on other rewards like treasure or the opportunity to transform an NPC's life for the better is its own penalty.
So, I really like the idea of giving an openly and completely subjective CP bonus award (in the range of 0-5 points) for insight and good decisions made, in addition to whatever monetary or CP award (in the 1-3 CP range) they earn by achieving personal or scenario goals. Shooting an ogre in the eye to claim its treasure? Not a particularly insightful decision if you shoot things in the eye all the time. Zero bonus CP for that, but at least you get its treasure. Seeing signs that plausibly indicate that the ogre might be a lich under an illusion, and either calling off the assault, negotiating with it to advance mutual goals, or managing to kill it with effective tactics?
Very good decision, especially if it really is a lich. Worth some CP. Stupidly attacking a lich disguised as an ogre but winning anyway through sheer dumb luck like the GM being unable to roll above a 4 on the dice today? Still an unwise decision; you'll get its treasure or whatever but no bonus CP. And you'll have just made an Unkillable enemy to boot.
You may disagree with me but I don't disagree with you. However, I may want something different than you do.
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