Server Bias

Ideas and suggestions for game mechanics and rules.
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Castano
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Re: Server Bias

Post by Castano »

Ronan wrote:I don't think any of the BG team likes ALFA being as concentrated as it currently is.
Then whoever built all those nifty statics on BG, should grab TSM and MS and add them in also. I have been campaigning for years for a server beautification team that would descend onto servers do like 30-60 days of intense work and then turn them back to the HDM with all the stuff the regular keepers of the mod suck at and thus skimped on.

The MS build team (me & cloud currently) barely know how to write a delivery static. I just imported the BG mushrooms/herbs thing into MS (the buyer is not in yet, need to copy that also).
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Adanu
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Re: Server Bias

Post by Adanu »

Castano wrote:
Ronan wrote:I don't think any of the BG team likes ALFA being as concentrated as it currently is.
Then whoever built all those nifty statics on BG, should grab TSM and MS and add them in also. I have been campaigning for years for a server beautification team that would descend onto servers do like 30-60 days of intense work and then turn them back to the HDM with all the stuff the regular keepers of the mod suck at and thus skimped on.

The MS build team (me & cloud currently) barely know how to write a delivery static. I just imported the BG mushrooms/herbs thing into MS (the buyer is not in yet, need to copy that also).
This.

Like it or not, there are some things people just don't have any ability in. Some are good at DMing but can't script to save their lives. A somewhat centralized 'beautification team' to help out all servers would do wonders for ALFA as a whole. I know it's a volunteer project, but the reality is concentrating on one server will lead to problems in the long run, no matter how well intentioned people are.
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Re: Server Bias

Post by I-KP »

Ronan wrote:I don't think any of the BG team likes ALFA being as concentrated as it currently is.
Castano wrote:I have been campaigning for years for a server beautification team...
I’d second the call for setting up an ALFA Enrichment team, a group of non-server-partisan folks whose skills are put to use upon request from any HDM. The operation of such a team wouldn’t be that much of a shift from what happens now, and it may even be formed from a sub-set of the current ALFA Tech team, but the vital difference perhaps being that when a HDM makes a general plea for input the current ALFA Enrichment team leader responds and then approaches his/her tech ferrets to see who is available to assist hands-on.

At present when a HDM asks for help from the community at large there is probably an element of ‘I’d like to help but <such and such> is better at it than I am’ or ‘<such and such> will probably have more time to invest in this than I do’ or ‘I could do this but I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes’ and as a result no-one steps up, no time at all gets invested and nothing gets done. Asking someone directly for help tends to work better than hoping that certain someone answers a general broadcast call to arms, and if that certain someone has already stated that they don’t mind being contacted in such a manner, i.e., by joining the ALFA Enrichment team, there should be no sensibilities or egos knocked out of alignment.

For whatever the reason, BG is running away with nearly all of the loot and that isn’t a sustainable position for ALFA as a whole; perhaps something like the above can play a part in helping to share out the booty.

EDIT: The team leader of the ALFA Enrichment team will be colloquially known as 'CJ'.
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maxcell
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Re: Server Bias

Post by maxcell »

Thank god people are noticing. Castano and I-KP, and Adanu are on the money with this. It just makes sense.
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Re: Server Bias

Post by t-ice »

Castano wrote: The MS build team (me & cloud currently) barely know how to write a delivery static. I just imported the BG mushrooms/herbs thing into MS (the buyer is not in yet, need to copy that also).
Would it be possible to get the "mushroom quest" in some way so that it wouldn't give more rewards for loners than for groups? (Assuming I understand correctly the way it currently works - my PC has so far never managed to get anything out of any mushroom he has run into. I always assumed you need some skill for it, too...)
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Brokenbone
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Re: Server Bias

Post by Brokenbone »

The idea of "wow it'd be nice to have more skilled volunteers (but it won't be me, for RL or low tech fu reasons)" is a regular ALFA battle cry. Whether for building or DMing.

Yes I know the toolset is tough. I slowly dipped in a toe with item look and feel for personal taste. Got braver, looked at how shops missing some IC feeling stuff could have holes filled. Do an npc shopkeeper with a basic yes/no of wanna see my store. Haven't done any basic statics yet like "fetch me a shrubbery" since a little weak on waypoint and spawning, I guess some SQL thing needs to be known to make stuff spawn in an Alfa buil module. But hey, maybe someday.

Problem though is statics I think often suck. IC for everyone from paladin to murderer al long as it gives 20xp. It's not a priority for me to learn, though maybe I will anyhow. I guess just an illustration that people volunteer to taste.
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Adanu
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Re: Server Bias

Post by Adanu »

Brokenbone wrote:The idea of "wow it'd be nice to have more skilled volunteers (but it won't be me, for RL or low tech fu reasons)" is a regular ALFA battle cry. Whether for building or DMing.
Some people are better at it than others. Trying to get a Turtle to run as fast as a horse is just going to make the turtle clam up. And we're not asking for more skilled volunteers, we're saying that those who know how to do stuff should be given ways and resources to help ALFA as a whole, not just one server. More would be better, but that isn't the point.

The point is to help ALFA, not to point fingers and lay blame one way or another and get defensive because people are pointing out that the sky is blue. One example: A while back, people had to report bugs in clumsy threads and hope the tech team understood things. Now we have a bug/support ticket system on the website. Yes, I am aware it is not the same comparison, it's the concept I'm pointing out.
First Character: Zyrus Meynolt, the serene Water Genasi berserker. "I am the embodiment of the oceans; serene until you summon the storm." Zyrus: http://tinyurl.com/9emdbnd

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Brokenbone
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Re: Server Bias

Post by Brokenbone »

Again, I'm afraid it's always the "someone" or "those who are capable" or "the point is to help", all needs the people.

Forum posting doesn't create content. Sure, it can achieve attaboys / appreciation for those who do, or even provide ideas / inspiration in cases for folks to maybe run with, but we got plenty of ideas that will never see light of day for lack of volunteers.

I make some crappy little stuff, loot items / shops etc. and am tickled pink when I see it's gotten in game. Not stuff custom suited for my PC, more "generic" stuff, to diversify loot out there, or have some strange themes for peculiar shops (hey, this seems to be a masterwork weapon but the maker's mark has been effaced with acid, wonder if it's stolen?)

Dream up some pet project you think is cool, and go with it, for "donation" to as many as all of our servers. A bard dialogue where his dialogue tree has a long nifty poem that gets spewed out if you pay him a gp, a shop that sells underworld kit of your designing (RP items like dog pepper, hacksaws, lead lined containers), a series of weapons for some far off exotic land like a bunch of Calimsham swords or Kara-tur weapons, a basic static dialogue where you adapt a template "fetch me something" to put in a tag for something new that you tool...hey, people volunteer how they like, dip in a toe, try something within trial and error capabilities, go from there. No one requires a 10 level castle as a first effort.

It really is easier to "do something you think is cool" than to convince others to do it. Chances are if you have something in hand for donation, someone will take it, with or without any last minute adjustments they may wish to make. Example, "thanks for making this helm that looks like a crown worth 10,000gp... you may not see it in any stores though man, more like in a dragon's hoard... I may make a copper version worth 50gp that a goblin chief will wear proudly though, so thanks!"
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Adanu
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Re: Server Bias

Post by Adanu »

Way to miss the point, brokenbone.
First Character: Zyrus Meynolt, the serene Water Genasi berserker. "I am the embodiment of the oceans; serene until you summon the storm." Zyrus: http://tinyurl.com/9emdbnd

Second Character: Damien Collins, the atypical druid. "What? Being a stick in the mud is boring. No pun intended grins"

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loulabelle
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Re: Server Bias

Post by loulabelle »

I don't really think BB has missed a point. From how I read it, he's saying if you want to see a change, make it happen.

No-one opens the toolset and is an instant expert at it. I started toolsetting for BG/Paazin recently. Didn't know it at all, had a go and many many hours later I feel I've built a (imo pretty nice) area. When I was stuck, I asked for help and everyone I asked was willing to help me out. I've learned a lot of things. Next up, I want to learn to script. I'll ask for help, I'll suck at it, I'll learn and hopefully pick it up.

Really, what's the worst that can happen if you just try? You make a crappy area or a broken static. No-one will see it. You can either give up and pretend it never happened or you ask for help and learn how to make it work. It takes your time up (toolsetting is a serious time sink...!) but is that a bad thing? You (general you) is doing it because you want to help contribute.

Same really goes for anything here. Just try. What's the worst that will happen? In the grand scheme of things. Nothing. But you might find you like it and learn to be good at it. IMO this applies to all things.
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Curmudgeon
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Re: Server Bias

Post by Curmudgeon »

loulabelle wrote:No-one opens the toolset and is an instant expert at it. I started toolsetting for BG/Paazin recently. Didn't know it at all, had a go and many many hours later I feel I've built a (imo pretty nice) area. When I was stuck, I asked for help and everyone I asked was willing to help me out. I've learned a lot of things. Next up, I want to learn to script. I'll ask for help, I'll suck at it, I'll learn and hopefully pick it up.

Really, what's the worst that can happen if you just try? You make a crappy area or a broken static. No-one will see it. You can either give up and pretend it never happened or you ask for help and learn how to make it work. It takes your time up (toolsetting is a serious time sink...!) but is that a bad thing? You (general you) is doing it because you want to help contribute.

Same really goes for anything here. Just try. What's the worst that will happen? In the grand scheme of things. Nothing. But you might find you like it and learn to be good at it. IMO this applies to all things.
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t-ice
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Re: Server Bias

Post by t-ice »

loulabelle wrote: No-one opens the toolset and is an instant expert at it. ... I'll suck at it, I'll learn and hopefully pick it up.
This. Toolsetting, or scripting for that matter, isn't an innate ability that some people just have and others don't. There is no such thing as "I'd have time and will to contribute, and I'd love to do X, but I am not capable of it." Learning takes nothing more than time and will.
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maxcell
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Re: Server Bias

Post by maxcell »

Adanu wrote:Way to miss the point, brokenbone.
Adanu, this is the brick wall I have hit time and time and time again. :wall:

A simple request, suggested in a way that would fit into the set up of teams and leaders and all that here in Alfa.

So, here it is in an even simpler form:

If you build or script right now for the BG server, you know the other two live servers are lacking so can you please use your talents to put some of the nice things that BG has into the other servers. Get the mods, put in the changes, and give them back to the HDMs of those two servers?

Some how this request is met with "If you want it better then do it yourself, how dare you suggest those skills could be used on every server?"
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Adanu
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Re: Server Bias

Post by Adanu »

loulabelle wrote:I don't really think BB has missed a point. From how I read it, he's saying if you want to see a change, make it happen.
You. are. missing. the. point.

Some people simply do not have the capacity or ability to 'make things happen' in the toolset or whatever. You can teach a horse to run, but the turtle will only clam up and hide.

This is not a hard concept to understand. An electrician is not a plumber. They both work on houses, but both have different specialties. Trid has/(had?) a talent for awesome building. Ronan is a good DM.
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Second Character: Damien Collins, the atypical druid. "What? Being a stick in the mud is boring. No pun intended grins"

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Re: Server Bias

Post by ElCadaver »

I think the main thing which will help here is encouragement, and some luck. I know when my stuff is well received, i get a boost of motivation. I'm sure for those people who do equally important but less in-your-face work, naming and praising for individual things happening might at the least make people feel appreciated.

Like, I love using the wagon system... who did it? I have no idea.. but thanks!

There is also the RL issue.. sometimes, we simply have to drop what we are doing in fantasy land, and concentrate on RL. Never get on peoples back about that. It makes them STAY away.

So, just encouragement for all the good stuff, a wish list which gets a lot of attention, and support for those with the skill when RL bites (as much as you can over a forum anyway.)
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