A Land Far Away

I would like to formally request that our administration change the timer for playing a PC where you recently DM'd from 30 days down to something shorter. Perhaps 3 days, 7 days, or at most 10 days.

I think there is very little risk of our current crop of [potential] DMs abusing meta knowledge as a PC. Also, I think this change may motivate people to step up to DM more often. I know that would be the case for myself. If I knew that I could DM for a couple months, and then after a week break I could play again, I would be more willing to DM. As it stands now, the current rule is one of the main reasons I don't DM more often.

Thanks for considering this request.

I would like to ask, from the tech perspective, that a server reset be required for whatever span of time it is. There are ~some~ persistent effects that could be left across resets, but we either largely don't care (like from building) or have robust logging (persistent storage) to deter any shenanigans. Otherwise, various unusual states that a server can be left in (probably unintentionally) by a DM are a concern from my perspective, and it would be pretty obnoxious to write the logging necessary to meaningfully inform someone investigating a complaint, when three clicks on the website can spare us all from even having to entertain said complaint.

Indeed, even if it remains at 30 days, we should require that restart. Sometimes we actually don't restart our servers that often. Though we should. NWN2 Server was designed to run for an afternoon, and we've extended that out to "a couple weeks."

I don't see an issue with restarting a server when a DM reverts to player status there. Seems like a good idea really.

I don't understand the technical implications of some of the things you are referencing. I get that we obviously want to prevent cheating and twinking, etc.

I think mainly to prevent leaving yourself an encounter/loot somewhere.

If it means HEEGZ will DM more often, I vote yes

kid wrote:I think mainly to prevent leaving yourself an encounter/loot somewhere.

Maybe it should be a 10 day timer and the HDM/EADM of what ever server the Person was DMing on should reset the server .. . just cause . . .

10 days gives plenty of time for plots to shift and players to move on

Resetting the server makes it harder for any DM to leave themselves loot laying around for when they become a player . . .


*just my two cents*

I would go with a DM can play after a server reset, per Zelknolf's suggestion.

HEEGZ wrote:I don't understand the technical implications of some of the things you are referencing.

The unintentional things seem like the ones most likely to happen. The thing I just ran caused Durlag's tower to be completely cleared, and then I'm not thinking about that when my PC goes there, and then loot still shoots out of firehoses there.

There's also more-direct stuff, yeah; self twinking and such. Which I'd like to say that nobody would do-- but we have had problems with DMs running crafting for players specifically so the products of that crafting could be sold to the DM's character at a discount. That's probably under the category of "It happens once, so people will think it can happen, so admin will be stuck repeatedly figuring out if it did happen"-- and searches for stuff that didn't happen tend to take a lot longer.

Especially because there's drama and fallout regardless of what such investigations turn up. Doesn't matter what you do; a conclusion means ragequits from some and malaise from the people who stay, and those things suck.

A time limit of "come back whenever you want as long as there's been a reset" may make dipping a toe into DMing more attractive to everyone.

It could presumably apply equally to the 2 PC shuffle, so there's no "dead turf" for anyone looking for groups and game.

Some reminder of the existing rule of "hey, no metagaming" also applies equally re: DMs and 2nd PCs. If you discussed and/or built for some major plot arc with someone as a fellow DM, then quit to go participate in that arc, hey that might be not such a hot idea, bad optics. Much like if PC1 knows the big dark secret and PC2 wanders in and oddly bumbles into that same secret without any investigation,t hat's all metagaming anyhow. It is not as if a day or two vs. a month changes that.

I suppose our various HDM fiefdoms could set an across the board rule for "come on back, post reset / post 3 days / 5 days / 15 days / 30 days" whatever, or just do case by case "sure, we trust ex-DM (insert name), let me reset here and you can be back on in 15 minutes while this stabilizes..."

If i get a vote, or voice in things these days. I would vote on the "as soon as the HDM can reset the server" model. Also DMs should resolve any plots they initiate prior to stepping out of the DM role and into the player roll. At very least just put down a forum narrative either IC or DM forums that settles things.

I have in the past picked up former DM plots that have fizzled, or faded away and put different spins on them, and even placed the former DM's PCs in the thick of the plot. This was not by design of the former DM, its just that I read the DM forums and try to use some things from the server's past lore, rather then see things as individual separate occurrences that have no persistence. In these instances the former DM had no idea i was picking his plot back up, and it was several months after the DM was playing again.

I guess if we as a whole are worried about cheating, the oversight of the HDM with reset of the server before the DM sets up a PC on the server would be satisfactory to me. So, some sort of resolution to DM plots one way or another before they leave the DM seat would be enough to satisfy the hardened Rpers here?

I still think there should be a 7 to 10 day waiting period for a DMing coming back to play on the server they just were DMing on

restart + 7 (10?) days, should satisfy most concerns I think.

Some plots would last over 10 days, but they would last over 30 too. Sometimes in 30 days the plot doesn't even move at all. Happens.

So in the interest of gaining people DM time as well as play time... Might be worth it to alter this.

As stated before, if we shorten the DM wait time it should probably be just as safe to shorten the player 2nd PC wait time.

Might be worth it, personally I can't see much risk involved.

I think "whenever the HDM can reset the server" would usually mean 7-10 days.

Lokan wrote:I think "whenever the HDM can reset the server" would usually mean 7-10 days.

NOT always . . . I can reset MS within 24 hours , I am pretty sure BG and TSM could be reset within 24 -48 hours as well . . . WHL . .who knows

The Official Voice and Administrator of the People has concerns with neither the suggestion of a 7 day wait nor that of a server reset, or any combination thereof, prior to re-engaging in play by any former DM.

So it is written.