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What's going on with SCoD?
Topic Started: Jul 27 2012, 11:53 AM (2,982 Views)
merzikain
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Cutter
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I figure I'll throw my 2 cents in as a newbie.

I moved to this server from one that went down a few weeks ago. That server had NO ONE on it the vast majority of the time. I saw maybe one or two other people show up in a stretch of 8 months. So I solo'd exclusively on that server. In all my time playing NWN2 I have never gotten a single character above level 20.

When I arrived I was still in the "solo" mindset since I wasn't used to in game rp and I also knew that the majority of people on the server had been here far longer than me and likely had several max level characters.

Before I go further I should explain a little more about my past D&D experience.

I started playing table top AD&D. Did that for years and years so I'm no stranger to rp. My group of friends went from 2nd edition to 3rd then to 3.5. When they went to 4th I said screw it, I'm not buying a billion dollars worth of new books from Wi$ard$ anymore. I had kinda given up on having any good rp online since I didn't experience much in NWN1 and none at all in NWN2.

When I first arrived on SCoD I fell into the soloing mode as I mentioned before. I barely interacted with anyone, not because they were rude or uninterested, I just didn't make the attempt.

My first impression was that the undersigil area was a decent enough place to level but I would remain poor forever since nothing dropped much gold and I couldn't sell any decent equipment for more than 300gp.

I created several more characters, most of which are either carbon copies of characters I played on the other server or characters I used to play with my friends. Their personalities are varied and good for most rp so I began engaging others and spending more time talking with PCs and less grinding.

I enjoy rp more than grinding and anyone joining the server who feels the same will stick around (or at least should). Any player joining looking to just get some hack and slash in before going to bed or whatever isn't going to enjoy it as much because certain aspects of the server that are meant to promote (force?) rp.

Some people are looking for a 10/90 split between rp and grinding. Hell, sometimes I'm just in the mood for a bit of grind to pass some time before doing something else. So far, and again this is from the perspective of a newb here, I have found it almost prohibitive to solo.

If you're a powerhouse from level 1 with no ecl you may be able to manage. I have one character that is 14th level and built to be a dps machine. Since reaching around level 10 I have actually lost more xp than I have gained. It has taken forever to get to 14 because the creatures that give me decent worthwhile xp are HELLA dangerous for me and my equipment but the ones that i can defeat without being desperate each time don't give enough xp to make it worth the effort. I also do not get much useful treasure so I have nothing to sell that any other character out there wants and can't get more than 300 for what would otherwise be worth nearly 20k. And with the lack of funds and trouble finding a player selling the items I want, I can't afford to buy better equipment from the NPC merchants.

That character is meant mostly to be my "I have a few hours to spare before the wife drags me away from my computer but I don't want to get into any lengthy events/rp right now" character. Which is supposed to be fun, and was until around level 10, but now is more of a pain and frustration.

Btw, the build is this: http://nwn2db.com/build/?10002
No deviation.

Anyway, to remedy my lagging fun with that character I'm starting to figure out and develop a good rp persona for it. I didn't start it for rp purposes so I haven't put a ton of thought into him. I created a bio in the forum (Grahf) but I haven't really focused much on interacting with him. My first attempt was last night. I'm attempting to play up the merc for hire aspect. I had one person "hire" me to bring the head of the frost giant king to them.

I had been to the ice plane before and don't have any real trouble with the salamanders but the elementals are freaking brutal. I hadn't seen any frost giants before (never went to the area they are in) so I was hoping they'd be easier to manage than the elementals. I was so wrong it's not even funny. Being the persistent SOB that I am, I ended up losing something like 4000xp and only gained back 200xp from killing ONE giant. Needless to say my attempt was a catastrophic failure and I returned to tell the PC that I won't be able to do it.

In character this was a huge blow to his ego. Out of character i was once again very angry and frustrated at having lost 4000 hard won xp. That put me right back to the beginning of my progression from level 14 to 15. It's not like I'm trying to be the ultimate badass and feel that I should win every fight always no matter what. I wouldn't really care so much that it went down like that except that my anger and frustration has been building over the past few weeks with this character because this just keeps happening over and over. It really makes me not want to play that character and gives me a feeling of hopelessness.

I say that because it makes me think, if this character, who is built specifically just to kill things, can't kill things, what chance do any of my other much weaker characters have?

Now having said that, I am fully aware that we get xp for rp. I have received a decent amount so far with other characters (though sometimes the xp goes to the wrong character... different issue) but sometimes, like I mentioned before, I'm not in the mood for or don't have time for rp. And after my experience grinding with Grahf (heh, should be the name of a NWN talk show...) I know I won't be able to just log in and do any meaningful grinding with any of my other characters at higher levels on my own.

One of my other characters is a monk/fighter (Synthilian for those of you aware of my bios). When I first started grinding with him in undersigil things were... difficult. His strength score is 14. In character he will only ever use his fists, kukris, or short swords to fight with. Fighting the skeleton in the first layer was next to impossible. If I was lucky I'd get full damage if I actually hit it and deal one or two points of damage. I know there are weapons that will avoid the dr but at first i couldn't afford them and even if I fought other creatures I spent most of my time missing and having to run away so grinding was painful.

I found that very strange for this character since I didn't have any trouble like that with some of my other characters, including one wizard and an archer.

The point is that most new players may not join expecting to rp immediately or may not feel comfortable rp'ing until gaining at least a few levels and if my experiences are the average user experience that may have a lot to do with abandonment.

On a side note, I have gone to Mercuria to do the berry and desecration quests a total of like 20 times. Never have I once seen this fabled berry bush "near the portal" and the creatures there are INSANELY tough. The level suggestion is totally inappropriate in my experience and has left me in and out of character learning a deep and abiding loathing for that plane.

Now when it comes to my rp experience, so far it has all been positive.

I haven't had any player lord their character over me. No one has been rude to me ooc. I've had a lot of fun roleplaying on this server and it keeps me coming back.

I can only assume abandonment is more related to server mechanics versus player expectation. Any player looking for hack and slash/power leveling/gold mongering will likely not stick around. But do you really want them to?

I typically play after work on the week days and on weekends. Maybe I'm not running into the "problem crowd". And I don't know what the typical population is but every day it averages 14 people at a time for me. I'm in the US so I can only assume this is more specific to the European optimal operating hours.

All in all, my experience on the server has been very positive. My only complaints are of a mechanical nature and could be due to poor planing on my part.
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Hydra
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Ol' Hydra
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I can understand what does happen to newbies, because I did came a few month ago to play casually, with that I do not play now but had a few issues with people who acted in a jerky way, told you you could party up in the abyss with them ICly while begin low level, then kicked you out of the party, because you're "leeching the XP" OCCly leaving you alone in the mess. It was at that very moment something that kept me away for trying further. When I actually came back with a wish to get more involved this time, I found friendly people like Goatrider who was just as new as I was, and that helped to get into it, because of the mix of RP and levelling.

Some aren't that lucky alas.
- Kala Ta'Kan : Factor of the Beleivers of the Source
- Ash (Kazuko Yudeoshi)
- Safana Washedan
- and many other alts.
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ManyFaced
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Choosy testers choose Jif.
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Weirdly during my play hours I've seen more newer players than older ones. That's been less and less though recently, part real life and part server fatigue.

The issues I see are three fold,

Content stagnation. There is a lack of content in several areas and anything really to do with epic characters. Crafting opportunities have already been thoroughly mapped out and conquered.

Motivational stagnation. There's just not a lot going for most. There's also a limited feeling of being able to cause any effect on the world if it's tried. DMs and EMs aren't very active to provide additional content... though the lack of EMs is the most troubling. Motivation can also be stifled by a new player's introduction to the server, or a new character's early options.

And lastly...

Time of year. Every summer, player numbers fluctuate wildly (usually down) due to change in weather/work/school/etc.
"Can everyone try just, reading what the DM writes? I think that'd be a good first step."
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Captain Vanguard
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Honorary wielder of the Paladin Button.
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This servers most major needs in the most dumbed down basis are as follows:

- The DMs need to get much more brutal towardss those that are breaking the rules, a 3 strikes and your out kinda system.

- There needs to be more reward for contribution by the player, player reprisented efforts in game areas made for their hard work encourages people to want to do things more often.

- Soloability, this server needs it, there are times it is downright impossible to solo unless you have a twinked or buffed char from level 1 generally by someone elses help. The earlier levels aint so bad, but that middle ground between level 7-22 is a royal pain in the ass to get to on your own, and ive tried, hundreds of times.

- More end game areas, there needs to be more leveling areas and more veriety to let people have a flavour taste of things instead of just giving them one or two zones I mean honestly there is like what, 3 areas you can realistically grind xp at end game level? Abyss, Carceri and Niflhiem. They are also evil aligned areas, I want to kill some high angels instead of demons every once in a while, it gets dull killing bad guys ALL the time.

- Factions need work, and the faction point system too, I vote that anyone of a rank above namer should be allowed to award other people faction points for doing things for their faction. More power to the faction players.

- The blood war is literally a background thing right now and it should be aside from the faction war the second most important event of planescapes setting. Its not got enough political stuff going on at the moment to drive interest in it almost at all, need more blood war stuff and not just events. POssibly add two more factions, Baatezu and Tanar'ri into the equasion.

- Quests, the server needs more quests, early level questing is fun but after that there is no questing at all which is "dull".

- A Goal, people need a goal from level 1, the old system that was once a flawless jewel by concept of "make it up yourself" no longer works, people make up their own stories for rp, but when their not rping they need a motivation to care why X plane needs help.

- More Playable Races: Gith, Devils, Demons, these races should technically not be SRR's in a setting where they are practically seen as common as regular citizens. Some of their races should be specifically playable to all. It wouldnt be hard to say: Remodel tieflings so that they can ineract with the death guy and get wings and a tail, or be considered a Devil/Demon (perminent change with ECL added).
(As for Gith? Default models for male and female, or the option of customising Gith using Yuan Ti Pureblood? I dunno, even some visual reprisentation is better than none, even if it is just copy-pasting).
(Eladrin could be an upgrade for Elves, Changelings and Vampires for Humans, again, you could have a script set up at the death vendor so that its a perminent change, once it happens you cannot reverse it.)

- More Classes (Psion etc, Faction specific classes that are unlocked based on Faction Rank not Faction itself). Yes I know its a bitch to script, I did C++ and HTML I do know, but its not impossible to add some of these things.


Thats a few examples of what needs to happen.
Justice must be forfilled, at any cost.
People must believe to be believed in.
One cannot expect power freely.
Imagination is the key to insight.
Industry is born from progress.
Gods interfere with mans ambition.
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Silverfish
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Blood
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Guild Wars 2 might put a dent in the server population. Seems we've got quite a few people interested in GW2 and while I'll likely pop back to NWN2 every now and then, I can guarantee I for one will pretty much vanish come late august.
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merzikain
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Vilanth Thistlewind,Jul 27 2012
04:07 PM
...Infact I know Neelis has been given crap constantly for his character both ic and out. Because of what he is and how he has built his character. He has even gone and re rolled it several times to fix the character’s build to be viable since he had the issue of not being able to find groups or folks willing to group with him...

I've noticed several people playing drow based on the drow tales webcomic. My initial reaction is to whince but then I get over it and never actually say anything, in or out of character, about it.

I'm an old school D&D player but I'm not a dick. The way I see it, if you're having fun and not screwing up other peoples fun, I don't care what kind of character you're playing or whether or not it's based in D&D or not.

What you're describing sounds to me like people just being jerks for the sake of being a jerk.

In game it's easy to explain such characters: the multiverse is infinite in size and variety.

Out of game it's pathetic and inexcusable to crap on someone because they are using a world not traditionally D&D or their character stretches the imagination. Just go with it.

I've seen Neelis around but I haven't interacted for whatever reason (too busy, not online for rp, whatever). But I can guarantee that if he didn't try to screw with my having a good time I wouldn't care what type of character he was. Most of my own characters would likely just be curious and ask him a lot of questions.

Anyway, I guess my point is that there are always going to be jerks out there who need to put other people down to make themselves feel superior. Those people always, without exception, have some problem in their lives that makes them feel compelled to behave that way. Best thing to do is just ignore them until they can learn to mature and deal with their own personal damage without inflicting it on someone else.

Easier said than done in some cases, I'll admit, but it's still the best thing you can do. If they break server rules, log and report. People like that tend to hang themselves eventually anyway.
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Cadence
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"Act. Do. Be." -Factol Rhys of the Transcendent Order
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Content stagnation.  There is a lack of content in several areas and anything really to do with epic characters.  Crafting opportunities have already been thoroughly mapped out and conquered.


Disagree.. twice. 1) I think there is a moderate amount of content for all levels, and 2) Even if you disagree with 1), a lack of content doesn't really detract from an RP experience. A server can be very basic or very poorly made, but the quality of RP depends more on the players and DMs rather than the bells and whistles.

Quote:
 

Motivational stagnation.  There's just not a lot going for most. There's also a limited  feeling of being able to cause any effect on the world if it's tried. DMs and EMs aren't very active to provide additional content...  though the lack of EMs is the most troubling. Motivation can also be stifled by a new player's introduction to the server, or a new character's early options.


Yes, I feel you here- and it's been mentioned previously on the DM forums: DMs want players to take more initiative, and players wish DMs/EMs would do the same. I guess at the end of the day, the onus is on everyone to try and do something or get involved.

It's hard though- people like staying in their comfort zone and/or within their own cliques (be they old or even new players). I've been logging in on various alternate accounts, and have found the experience less than inspiring. Now I don't expect everyone in the area to come up to my new/secret character and say "OHAI!" but I've certainly detected a lack of motivation to even indirectly engage an apparent newbie.X
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A. Thereal
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Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.
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SCoDers!

So many people here are stating what is objectively wrong with the server and I’m compelled to ask, “Who do you think you are?” There’s nothing objectively wrong with SCoD. There’s only the elements that you subjectively have problems with, so let’s try to keep this in scope. SCoD is the product of people’s hard work, so let’s have some respect for it and what they’ve achieved. Objectively, SCoD is one of a scant handful of RP PWs even worth logging into.

Having said that, I’ll share the reasons for which I recently burned out.

I’ve always had a hard time with SCoD since I started almost 2 years ago now. I’ve only ever played for a few weeks at a time, and then I vanish for a long while. This most recent drive was my greatest, but it was mostly due to having far too much free time. That’s over now, and NWN2 is near the bottom of my list of Things to Do.

The single most important reason that it’s not higher on my list has absolutely nothing to do with SCoD. I just happen to think that NWN2 is a terrible game. Nothing and no one can change that, no server can fix that. I’ve only played for so long because I need my RP fix. Which leads me to the main SCoD-specific reason why I burned out – the lacking RP. Let me clarify, the RP on SCoD is as abundant as the players logged in. Basically everyone RPs all the time. But what about? It’s the subject matter that concerns me the most, and quite frankly, I have very little interest in listening to one character tell another how they are inferior or faulty, or listen to a series of characters do nothing but obsess about their own problems. From what I’ve observed, SCoD’s typical RP has a flair for the self indulgent, and even I’m guilty of it. In fact, some of the best RP I’ve seen is from the newer players who tend to reach out to other characters for help and advice, rather than draw other characters in to supplement and serve themselves. I think there needs to be less self-sufficiency and more reliance between the characters in general.

Unfortunately I doubt this will change anytime soon since SCoD’s power scale attracts a certain kind of player base. There’s nothing wrong with it, it’s just not presently for me, or any of the other players taking a break.
NERO URBANE Detective & Cheese Monger
SERRADHE Personal Counselor & Exhibitionist
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Tomekk
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Dark Soul
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A. Thereal,Jul 27 2012
05:54 PM
SCoDers!

So many people here are stating what is objectively wrong with the server and I’m compelled to ask, “Who do you think you are?” There’s nothing objectively wrong with SCoD. There’s only the elements that you subjectively have problems with, so let’s try to keep this in scope. SCoD is the product of people’s hard work, so let’s have some respect for it and what they’ve achieved. Objectively, SCoD is one of a scant handful of RP PWs even worth logging into.

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"From the realms below we ride,
And in terror they run and hide,
From the shadows of old we rise,
Awakened, from the dark!

Over the ancient ruins we fly,
Where the old kings go to die,
And the new kingdoms rising high,
Awakened, from the dark, dark slumber!"
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Reptiller
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Mimir
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Quote:
 
SCoDers!

So many people here are stating what is objectively wrong with the server and I’m compelled to ask, “Who do you think you are?” There’s nothing objectively wrong with SCoD. There’s only the elements that you subjectively have problems with, so let’s try to keep this in scope. SCoD is the product of people’s hard work, so let’s have some respect for it and what they’ve achieved. Objectively, SCoD is one of a scant handful of RP PWs even worth logging into.


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lorgin_2003
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i think that the player groups need to be touched upon, since that's where the bulk of the characters actually are. it seems that the general consensus is "factions or bust", which leaves a lot of players in the lurch. instead, the focus should be where the majority of the players are. DM's working with guild leaders, or representatives, to create plotlines for the groups. the plotlines can then be passed down and assigned to the members of said groups. which earn wages, and keep people's attention and motivation levels high. eventually, those groups can grow large enough that smaller groups can be broken off from it and the whole process can begin again.

another issue is the driving motivation force for both high and low level characters. at low levels, the character still has things they need, goals to accomplish that can easily be done. they need to get xp. they need to get gold. they need to get gear. they need to learn the area and people who inhabit it. at higher levels, and glaringly at max level, there are none of these needs, nor should there be. that's where plotlines become ALL there is. i've seen it said many times on here "if a high level character can't find something to do, that's their own fault" sorry, but that's just not true. higher level characters NEED plotlines, or they end up just standing around the bazaar all day. there's really no motivation for them to do anything else. telling them that they're bad for that reality of the matter, quite frankly, is exhibiting flawed logic which will only drive them away. instead, work WITH them to create something. higher level, established, characters can then pass smaller tasks on to lower level, developing, characters.

speaking of plotlines, a large, overall, server wide plotline is a MUST, and it MUST be kept active and prevalent by the DMs. it draws everyone into it, and sparks a countless amount of RP. every character has their own motivations for getting involved with it, which in turn causes them to seek out and work together with other like minded characters, and also creates tensions between them and opposing characters. without one, everything dries up after all facets of the previous one have been played out.

there's something else i'd like to add. players can come up with player based plotlines all they want, but the majority inevitably lead to a point where a DM is required to advance it. without that happening, they tend to stall and fade away. i've seen it happen many times here. which only serves to discourage any future attempts. sometimes, an EM will work for it. other times, the limits the EM have make it impossible. there's also the times where a DM may not be absolutely required for everything, but a DM will make it all exponentially better. turning it from just something to do, into something people will remember.

something else to consider, as well. a PC can work against an equivalent NPC relatively stress and complication free. a PC working against another PC can be good on occasion if handled properly by both sides, but more often than not actually ends up as a giant headache for all involved. the logical IC outcomes tend to be avoided for OOC reasons. it's not really cool to just go around killing off other people's characters, so an agreement needs to be made, but that rarely ever actually resolves the situation. it just keeps it going until the annoyance factor overwhelms it. however, a PC can shank an NPC, the logical course of actions follow, and everyone can move on to the next thing. no one is left grinding their tires in the mud until they get fed up and ditch the car.
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cryptc
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Hydra,Jul 27 2012
04:24 PM
I can understand what does happen to newbies, because I did came a few month ago to play casually, with that I do not play now but had a few issues with people who acted in a jerky way, told you you could party up in the abyss with them ICly while begin low level, then kicked you out of the party, because you're "leeching the XP" OCCly leaving you alone in the mess. It was at that very moment something that kept me away for trying further. When I actually came back with a wish to get more involved this time, I found friendly people like Goatrider who was just as new as I was, and that helped to get into it, because of the mix of RP and levelling.

Some aren't that lucky alas.

Ironicly, a very low level character in a group won't "leech" xp at all, would just leave the low level getting little (or no) xp, while xp was same for higher level chars and spawn sizes grew a bit (which is likely a good thing for the higher levels)

Unfortunately I've seen misconceptions hinder groupings much more than anything else on server... when I've played on alt accounts I've had to insist on players joining party even when they objected, only to discover they actually benefitted from it...

People don't understand the xp system as well as they think they do.
"One of the most curious statements I've seen on this list is that PlaneScape is a logical world. I must have erred. I was trying to create a world that defied logic." - David 'Zeb' Cook
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Azulfae
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Iron Tusk Warchief
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I honestly think there is only one thing wrong on this server and it's that the natural order of D&D is that players will group into active groups or parties and form a common goal, they will RP and move on trying to achieve an ends and then it hits a brick wall dead end when it needs some kind of result.

PC's trying to achieve something need results for their actions and to make a mark on the server. maybe the DM's can lock onto a group and just support and provide for the group with regards to this or maybe the DM can entirely come up with a plot or goal for them and lead them through this but it does require a DM to give that magic podium moment to the players.

It is also very important that player groups who persist in their efforts be able to keep motivated and driven by the fact that they can achieve a result in their actions and perhaps even that that result is some sort of server content or areas that are their own regardless of factions.
Vorgazar listens to Slayer

Warchief - The Iron Tusk
Kail Onifhet - Disciple of the Void
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Juunro
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Prime
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To clarify: The Scarn Squad isn't leaving. Arman hasn't been online recently because of Steam Summer Sales and derping around in Fallout 3. Plus I've been working a-lot; the nice thing about being a writer is that you can set your own hours, the bad thing about it is that those hours tend to eat your free time in the most scatter-shot way. One day I'll spend thirteen hours on something, the next two barely three hours. Urgh.

Anyway... Arman isn't going anywhere, there's no need to worry about that. :P
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Sareth675
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I'll just chip in from what I've read... there's a lot after all. I am relatively recently back to the server, so what I've seen since coming back (and since coming back I have made a new char, with not much help from other people :P)

We all love to start off, ICly, getting around the place etc. However I think, and I know, it's gone a long way in some cases to just ask OOCly "What are you up to, I'm on my own here" or for new guys, or if you have a new lower level character to simply say OOCly "Can I have a bit of help here?". People come to Sigil for numerous reasons, one being it doesn't have a giant population like other servers.
By not having a giant population, the entire community we have all needs to chip in and, not so "lighten the mood", but as said, be more helpful. Assholism I haven't noticed personally, some characters do act like douches. But hey, you need <<honeybunny>> characters, it helps give.... character, to the place. If people are taking this... OOCly, like I first said, a quick tell can help alleviate a lot of "tension" or mis interpretation.
Or from the person playing a character who's a bit of a prick, it can help just sending a tell saying it's just the character, don't take it seriously. Unfortunate as it is, people can take RP seriously enough as to see this sort of interaction as a personal attack, and it's hard to tell when that is the case. Communication from everybody, new, middle or old players, can go a long way.

I've delevelled my main character Ea'ral on numerous occassions... I think so far, three times from level 28 + 2, either to help somebody out or simply because as people say, it can become "stagnant". You always end up finding a good bit of gear or meeting up with new people, just for delevelling, and I think more people should make use of this system. On the plus side, it makes levelling up a whole lot easier to.

I'm the sort of person that does spend a load of time sitting around Khaz's bar. However that's mostly because Ea has sort of become a "merchant / quest giver"... which hopefully gives new guys a bit more option in needing that extra stuff to take the next area. If you know somebody who's just come to the server, give them a tour! Give them a few hints and tips. Or if you really want to go out there, make a new char or delevel one of your own. Who says if you make an alt for the day you have to keep playing them? Just getting a new guy up to level 9 in a couple of hours or so can be a God send.

If plots need to be expanded away from, the central area, then so be it. I've never been a big one for pushing events, it isn't a high priority for me. It's good to have a "centralized" place, it means there is nearly always some people there if you're alone or what have you. However, I do agree, it can seem awfully "clique-y" at times. Seeming clique-y doesn't mean it is though. In some cases people will just stick to the groups they're familiar with for whatever reason, and other times it's because people simply don't want to intrude. With a new player this can seem like "sticking to yourselves". All in all, people need to just, invite others over to their group, or if you're on your own... try and invite yourself! Not sounding pushy, but in some cases the groups sitting around those tables really have jack to say, and are just sort of sitting because, that's what they do. Hopping over and saying hi never hurts. ^_^

Consequential RP for events, or overhanging plots, or whatever you think should be done with events. I personally do not mind if I see 1 event in the next 10 years. Events do not make my characters RP on most occassions. Some players do play a character that wants to make a difference. It's nice to see your character is changing the place how they want it to go, or making that little bit extra in that event. Players need to pioneer events just as much as DMs or EMs need to randomly drop things in their laps.

Perhaps (this is a long shot), creating an entirely new topic on the forums? Labelled as "Event Requests". Now I know people can request events in the IC forums or the faction forums, but honestly, I see those topics get drowned by new content, so it's not always clear to see how one thing is progressing, or if it's had anything new stuff added to it. If players want an event they can, then request one in a far more organized way. Give a set of guidelines for requesting one. Then when an EM or DM hops on board, it can be guided rather than having a bit of oddity as different EMs / DMs jump from plot to plot, or throw in completely random events. This may also help show which players are "pioneering" for progress. It can also help with the "initiative" issue. If an overhanging plot for the server is introduced, it can always be stickied in there and updated from that point, rather than having it as a sort of haphazarded post in the IC section.

As for evil chars not, getting enough wins. Well, as with some goodly plots only involving goodly chars, doing goodly things... there's plenty of evil stuff to do in, perhaps specifically evil plots. Where no goodly chars get involved... just a bunch of evil guys doing evil things. But thats more an event side thing.
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Okay, that's a lot of stuff to read... if anybody can be bothered. I will just say, not as a foot note, but as quite an important note as regards to the top paragraph (go read it if you've skipped up till now :P)

OOCly! At any time, send me a tell. If you're a new guy to the server, and need some help, advice, tips, or just somebody to have a chat with whilst you kill bugbears in Undersigil, do so! If you need some physical help, I have plenty of alts I am perfectly happy going on, delevelling or some such.
As for you crusty loyalists who still play... if you have nothing to do, or have nothing to RP.... send a tell as well! I'd rather get bombarded by people who "just want a chat" than for people to get frustrated or feel, stagnant, and end up leaving or getting sour over it. And that goes as well...
ICly! Feel free to come harass any one of my characters at any time I'm online. Likely be planeswalking or in the bazaar... because that's where they are normally. I don't generally mind what people want to RP, so, go ahead and knock your socks off.
Karn Scale-Rage = Let's feed the crows!
Van Darkholme = Feel the lash of the spanking! *whip noises*
Noramos Churston = Oh! That wasn't supposed to happen...
Shrub Conifer = Nature... Will rise against you!

Me alts got wiped so I'm making a new string of nut jobs. Enjoy!

If ever somebody needs help levelling, I always have a character in range... or delevellable.
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