Server Bias

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

Post by kid »

Adanu wrote: People are greedy, and rightly so. People have needs, and bores, and likes. Expecting people to be bored to appease your view of what roleplaying is not going to make people listen.
They dont have to listen or appease me... they can do what they want.
On the other hand... I dont have to DM em, aye?
I-KP wrote: Anyway, I saw a post saying you'd stopped DMing on MS. Does this mean that you've crept back in under the skirting board..?
Yes. Nothing cooking yet... but soon.
And the more peeps are on the faster it will happen.
I-KP wrote:but without DM support, and/or on a server where there isn’t much to do without a DM, this rarely yields fruit.
You have support. Find a date, get some people on, and i'll be there.
Nothing big but at least some fun to pass the time between ploty sessions.
<paazin>: internet relationships are really a great idea
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Adanu
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Re: Server Bias

Post by Adanu »

kid wrote:
Adanu wrote: People are greedy, and rightly so. People have needs, and bores, and likes. Expecting people to be bored to appease your view of what roleplaying is not going to make people listen.
They dont have to listen or appease me... they can do what they want.
On the other hand... I dont have to DM em, aye?
So if they don't adhere to your vision of what roleplay is, they aren't worth any time?
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"

Western Heartlands HDM: On break. PM for emergencies
I-KP
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Re: Server Bias

Post by I-KP »

kid wrote:
I-KP wrote:but without DM support, and/or on a server where there isn’t much to do without a DM, this rarely yields fruit.
You have support. Find a date, get some people on, and i'll be there.
Nothing big but at least some fun to pass the time between ploty sessions.
Batman* and Robin** can be on at the time time at least, probably much to Batman's consternation. :headache: The new guy playing Vim seems to overlap (not met yet - and he ignores my /tells to engineer 'chance' encounters but that may be him not being able to /tell me back due to the name problem). A couple of other names spring to mind...

...detail for another thread me thinks.

(*) Hully & (**) Tam
t-ice
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Re: Server Bias

Post by t-ice »

Adanu wrote: Expecting people to be bored to appease your view of what roleplaying is not going to make people listen.
To be fair, by this argument we would be a completely RP-optional world.
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Adanu
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Re: Server Bias

Post by Adanu »

t-ice wrote:
Adanu wrote: Expecting people to be bored to appease your view of what roleplaying is not going to make people listen.
To be fair, by this argument we would be a completely RP-optional world.
Only if you go with the extreme 'nothing' view. We all come here for various degrees of that 'hardcore', but what hardcore means to one is not the same as to others.

You don't go to a firing range expecting to use paintball guns.
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"

Western Heartlands HDM: On break. PM for emergencies
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Heero
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Re: Server Bias

Post by Heero »

I suggest people just play where and how they like rather than constantly complaining. If TSM or MS doesnt live up to your hopes and dreams, just move to BG. Like that.

So far all Ive learned from this are that not all people are capable of using the toolset, horses cant be turtles, and paintballs dont work at the shooting range.
Heero just pawn in game of life.

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Rumple C
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Re: Server Bias

Post by Rumple C »

I have learnt i need to put more skill points into knowledge (metaphor).
12.August.2015: Never forget.
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Heero
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Re: Server Bias

Post by Heero »

Me too. But seriously, this is going nowhere.

I mean, does a duck with one leg swim in a circle? Come on!
Heero just pawn in game of life.

12.August.2013: Never forget.
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Mick
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Re: Server Bias

Post by Mick »

Rumple C wrote:I have learnt i need to put more skill points into knowledge (metaphor).
If I catch you doing this, I will see you investigated for PGing (or whatever the forum posting equivalent of PGing would be.)
Talk less. Listen more.

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Riotnrrd
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Re: Server Bias

Post by Riotnrrd »

Heero wrote:So far all Ive learned from this are that not all people are capable of using the toolset, horses cant be turtles, and paintballs dont work at the shooting range.
Also, Heero is a swan.
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Heero
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Re: Server Bias

Post by Heero »

A swan? I am no swan!

I mean, when you toss as ocelot into a swimming pool does it not say 'grr grr grr'? Ha!
Heero just pawn in game of life.

12.August.2013: Never forget.
15.December.2014: Never forget.

The Glorious 12.August.2015: Always Remember the Glorious 12th.
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Adanu
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Re: Server Bias

Post by Adanu »

I'm glad that my affinity for metaphors is a source of amusement :)
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"

Western Heartlands HDM: On break. PM for emergencies
danielmn
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Re: Server Bias

Post by danielmn »

Adanu wrote:I'm glad that my affinity for metaphors is a source of amusement :)
It's affinite with the mouth slot....
Swift wrote: Permadeath is only permadeath when the PCs wallet is empty.
Zyrus Meynolt: [Party] For the record, if this somehow blows up in our faces and I die, I want a raise

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<danielmn>: Easily.

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Keryn
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Re: Server Bias

Post by Keryn »

I think El Cad was just trying to be pro-active, something we ask folks all the time, and for most of this discussion folks kept it somewhat seriously. Which is a good thing.

I have many times debated this topic with other ALFANs, because IMO, at first sight BG must be doing something right.

And if many folks were not here back then, or some prefer to ignore it, BG came live like a shadow of what out standards for a server to go live demand. BG was a poor server, that was pushed to live status before it was actually ready for it, but that didn't avoid some folks to join the server. Back then the answer to "Why?" was an easy one, many ALFANs did not want to play in TSM, for various reasons, some didn't like the setting, others simply didn't like the team and their DMs.
TSM was at that time THE server pushing the limits in ALFA (and the only server that actually reached live status), AL and Wynna devoted a lot of time to keep it moving tech wise, adding statics all the time (like Ith mentioned for example the University is a project by wynna, even if some might consider it not superbly done, but its done! And it works.), and we saw a continuous flow of areas, and updates. Curm took the HDM seat of TSM and this kept being true for a while, while BG had its niche of players still but was far from surpassing TSM.

AL took a step back, Wynna did the same and from my perspective TSM slowed down a LOT in terms of updates.

BG also changed hands, first to DanM, Sanderman and then to Paazin and these guys MUST have done something right, because they grabbed a dieing server, that was even dysfunctional, and made it a success. DanM was the first to based on our rules, give proper crafting procedures for players to use. His post is still a reference, the famous "Crafting and You", this was a step towards what many players cried about, and was a success. Sand put his money in giving BG good looking areas, and rearrange the configuration of the server, a lot of work was put into it without a doubt, once again going towards what many folks cried for. ->No travel map, statics, tech development.
Paazin as an HDM, like Darkmystic stated has been an easy to deal with HDM who has kept the server moving, in a constant vibrant dynamic. For this it obviously contributes, the fact Paazin himself can script, and that Ronan DMs there as as he finds problems he solves them himself, being him also able to script. But without a doubt a great contribution is also the git hub that allows them to keep updating the server regularly, and easily.

This is all true and it is basically the ability to implement content. So far it seems BG WINs! and that IMO has made a difference, but theres more to it, theres the vision that HDMs have for their server.

While Paazin has kept a more open attitude to it, giving access to the module to those who can use github like Ronan and trusting them not to screw up, allowing DM to mule items into IG through avatars etccc, from what I can tell, that seems to please some folks and the staff of the team. Curm for instance has a different vision for his server and prefers to have a more strict attitude towards things, keeping a short and close eye in everything, which apparently makes things move slowly. What I see has a reflection of this is that updates in the server have slowed down considerably, while BG kept a fast pace updating their areas and making the server more beautiful and walking towards what pleases players. TSM imo needs a facelift in many areas something done easily but then there must be someone behind the scenes to update the mod with the new areas. I know Curm makes a HUGE effort to keep things going and RL takes its toll. But essentially I think these are things that make a difference.

So in the end what I'm saying is that more then other things, I think that a server being more populated then other is more about the vision of the HDM for his server. We could point out a multitude of situations in which in BG case that I know better, things were managed more freely then in TSM, as was allowing Drow PCs for instance.

I hope my opinion doesn't hurt anyone, and I am not taking a dig at Curm or anyone else, its my honest opinion and I only state these things because as many others I want to see ALFA alive and kicking for many years.

If BG is a case of success there must be something behind it, now that doesn't mean we all need to agree with Paazin's vision for his server even if that means having a smaller population. And no one can go against that. Though on other hand if due to those choices an HDM has a smaller population but that was his choice, I think thats not something we need to debate. This topic only serves one purpose, which is to try and help servers move towards a more successful path IF the HDM is lacking ideas or needs a nudge on how to make their server more appealing.
Last edited by Keryn on Wed Jun 20, 2012 1:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Regalis
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Re: Server Bias

Post by Regalis »

As an observation, there are completely RP and setting consistent ways to enable quick travel between servers. It's not like many FR books haven't taken advantage of numerous keyed portal systems throughout Faerun. Learning to use the portals could itself be an adventure hook, static or DM'd. Most of the portals themselves, likely relics of some ancient empire, would be in potentially dangerous ruins or out of the way locations. More modern and "convenient" ones would probably take you places you don't want to go, like a heavily guarded room in the Citadel of the Raven.

Greater mobility will make it easier for players to spread out and explore and appreciate the labors of love of the many volunteers of this project.

This is neither Westros nor Middle Earth. You can do a great many things in the FRS which, far from compromising roleplaying fidelity, would actually enhance the Forgotten Realminess of the experience.

Issues:

1) It might occasionally place DM PCs in an awkward position, though for the most part I would expect their fellow players to be mindful of their limitations.

2) "But so-and-so is going to level up too quickly."

The greatest problem to some minds is the supposed lack of DMing. Some of the same people are also fearful of too much promiscuous DM lubbins. It's pretty impossible to always get the porridge just right.

It's not a locker room competition or a zero sum game. It's also mistaken to opine that it's bad roleplaying or breaks immersion for one character to become powerful far faster than their contemporaries. That's abundant in the Forgotten Realms Setting (FRS), real life, and pretty much every fantasy setting. Some "people" are just better and some are just luckier--even amongst heroes and protagonists. Have a lower level character, while being a bigger person or don't begrudge others catching up just because they were able to play a lot, have good access to DMs, and most likely have a blast enjoying ALFA. Isn't that what everyone should want for everyone here?

The biggest obstacle is that groups made up of people with different availabilities would become unbalanced as some members rapidly left others in the dust in terms of ability. That's really the problem--not some competition among players. I hope. It's also hard for players to mitigate on their own with the one character rule.

The easiest solution there is for DMs to keep track of attendance in a common place and to simply compensate people who are hitting up a lot of events with diminishing rewards. Everyone should be happy with this arrangement. Everyone should also benefit from it by having a richer RPing experience.

You can gate advancement without having to gate participation. This will also disincentivize people from participating purely for the sake of rewards. So nominally you would then expect participants to be doing so for the sake of the roleplaying experience not XP.

As an aside, if a PC develops no substantial bonds over time with an active community, it's probably time to put that concept out to pasture. It's possible to ice a character now, right? That should help.

Cheers.
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