The fallen Pillar ...

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gonz.0
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Re: The fallen Pillar ...

Post by gonz.0 »

mr duncan wrote: Player A has a new character and wants to get in to a game, she asks the players and the DM and is told she can not play because the game is already full. Hey this is normal... you can not get in every game. You do not fit in every game, so swallow the rejection and move on right?

Under normal circumstance I would agree. But the game full of six people consists of three people playing their second PC... Three of those players HAVE CHARACTERS AND ARE INVOLVED IN DM GAMES ALREADY! This new player can not squeeze in her niche because a few of them are well known ALFAns and they have no trouble getting in to games with any number of characters we might allow them to play. So the new girl gets to sit alone and talk OOC with me about wether or not she should quit ALFA and maybe go back to one of those other servers she came from. (I talked her out of it, BTW. You are welcome)
First - Thank you, retention of new players is in my mind a very important thing. I openly invite (as have before, again and again) any new player who is OOCly feeling left out to send me a tell, so I can help them to become more included if I can, or at least offer some good RP time to fill a gap. I also invite older players who haven't had a good RP fix in a while to do the same. It's largely selfish, because you never know when a real gem of an RPer is waiting there in the wings, and just needs a chance to shine, and it feeds my RP addiction.

Second - I will, have and do freely give up a spot in any DM adventure that has too many if I am not the best fit for any reason. Too high, too low, redundant or to give a new player a chance. I like DM adventures, but in the truth of things, I often find that small groups of what is called Tavern RP by many to be the real golden times of my experiences here in ALFA.


I use two PCs.
  • *One, is in a period of slow times, reconsidering and may just become a retired PC or will continue on like Persephone and become a player run NPC like character. But the personality of him has always been 'I'm not an adventurer, I'm ???" and is always the reluctant adventurer who rises when called, but tries to live quietly when he can.
    *The other is out to see the world, a scholar and loremaster, but driven to make a positive difference. Even still, loves life and has not a wish to die, and I play him as such. Though, yes, there are things he would give his life for...

However, I think this part of Galadorn's argument should perhaps be looked at in a new way
Galadorn wrote: You have no idea how many people have sent me this tell: (and this is not even the biggest reason i hate the 2 PC rule)

"Aw sh*t, can't meet up on BG, my 2nd PC is on BG, not allow to go there" :shock: :shock: :? :eew:

The immediate above shows the OPPOSITE result for me (and has to be for others) that a 2nd PC increases RP possibilities :). And you'd be very surprised how many times i've seen that message: "I cannot meet to RP with you on Server A, sorry, cause my 2nd PC is on Server A".

That 2nd PC has NOTHING to do with the RP that is fun and that "should IC happen" with the 1st PC... with my PC. :)

So... for me, RP with another player for specific IC purposes in this case (of many), cannot happen, for an entirely OOC reason...thus no RP! with an OOC source blocking it at that. :)

Riposte, parry, deflect....
It takes much of an IC tenday to get between BG & MS, half that with favorable winds I'm told. Not an short trip to be true. Traveling on to TSM, I'm told IC that is roughly a month of travel from the other servers. While I understand the easiest argument to make for not hopping servers to meet up is 'My second PC is there, I am not allowed', it should be considered that it is not the only reason. Travel should be taken into account, it was rather often spoken of in text across my screen before, and should still be thought of; "Is it IC for your character to make the trip?"

In the example of my first character, probably not, at least till fall, he is not traveling far at all, and even turned down traveling to Nashkel for a DM event because it took him away from IC responsibilities too long.

My suggestion would be, if you are asked to come to a different server, and it's not IC to do so, don't. But don't cop out and say it's because of the 2nd PC because it's 'out of your hands' to make that decision. I think it gives more bad feeling toward the rule than is actually caused by it.

Strictly speaking though Galadorn, I've always enjoyed talking with Bu, but he is known to be a traveler, moving from place to place. I can't imagine anyone traveling for a month to look for him, when he might be a month gone in another direction by the time they get there. But always welcome RP with you when we find ourselves in the same place, no matter what character I'm riding along with at the time.

8)
Mikayla wrote: OK, I get the 2 PC thing but retired PCs can be unretired?!? Really?
I am not a fan of this, and hope we are well and done with any bringing back of Retired characters for 2nd PC.
mr duncan wrote: EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER on any server with a respawn button. You can get brave foolish and reckless characters by the truckload on any server like Haven Sigil or The Dragon Coast. Any of them. The thing you are asking about is as common as sand on a beach.

You know what is really cool and rare though? Characters with fear. Characters that have to behave as if their world were full of danger.
I absolutely agree. I refer to my RP time as 'riding along' with a toon/puppet/character because I can get into the mind of the character and let that small section of personality run with things, getting ride along and enjoy the show as the stories write themselves, and never making OOC decisions in heat of the moment. Yes, some things are planned out, but only skeletally and only to avoid ooc conflicts or make the ic needs fit within an ooc ruleset. Each has their own wants, needs, desires and experiences that influence what they do and say. As a matter of fact, I found myself recently reading over some logs and actually said out loud "Did I write that?".

If someone is using their PC, 2nd or 1st, as a crash test dummy, it can be very disruptive to my fun, and as such I disprove. Yes, back to selfish reason here for seeking good RP.
oldgrayrogue wrote:
It really is simple, play your PC the way you created them. If your PC is cautious or a coward, play them cautious and cowardly.

If your PC is brave or recklessly fearless then play them that way.

I completely agree and give you many +1s on this statement.

Lastly
witchdoctor wrote: also just to keep this on topic: I love the 2 pc rule and I am treating my 2nd with just as much care as my main. In fact if this policy were reversed I would spill a few tears myself trying to decide which one would survive to actually be my main.
I'm in the same boat. Both characters are living and breathing in my head, and it would be incredibly difficult to choose, the only way I could do it would be the gamer way. With dice.
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Ithildur
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Re: The fallen Pillar ...

Post by Ithildur »

I like things the way they are now. Don't mind the suggestions but just throwing mine out there too.

Some of the best sessions I have had here were in the 1-4th lvl range.
+1 to this, but... Why is this thread still going? :eew:

We JUST implemented a radical change of a fundamental part of ALFA with the 2 PC rule. Let it marinate a bit for Pete's sake.
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Re: The fallen Pillar ...

Post by orangetree »

I have had another thought that is reasonably simple... if we are keen on 2 PC's but having one player ideals at a time, why not simply suggest that the other character is in 'quarantine' while you play the other char freely? You are not allowed to take the other char out of quarantine within a certain time frame of switching between them.

I think this would grant a far more persistent PC encounter rate for everyone, and less 'RP bubbles', so to speak.
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Re: The fallen Pillar ...

Post by Regas »

Orange tree this is a good idea at the surface, the issue is that we basically tried a version of it with Temp retirement. What we got was endless complaining about not being able to play in this game or that, and then constant badgering for exceptions, which once a few are granted, followed by constant cries of favoritism and unfairness.
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Re: The fallen Pillar ...

Post by Brokenbone »

Those were Heero's cries mostly, you get used to them.
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Re: The fallen Pillar ...

Post by Heero »

Help, Im being oppressed!
Heero just pawn in game of life.

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Re: The fallen Pillar ...

Post by danielmn »

Damn watery tarts giving out swords.....
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kid
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Re: The fallen Pillar ...

Post by kid »

Someone dropped a pillar on my toe.
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Re: The fallen Pillar ...

Post by Galadorn »

Regas wrote:....endless complaining about not being able to play in this game or that, and then constant badgering for exceptions, which once a few are granted, followed by constant cries of favoritism and unfairness.
And catering to complaining, badgering and crying is the best alternative? damn. Heh.

*tries to lift pillar off kid's foot...but drops it on his other foot instead*
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Regas
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Re: The fallen Pillar ...

Post by Regas »

Galadorn wrote:
Regas wrote:....endless complaining about not being able to play in this game or that, and then constant badgering for exceptions, which once a few are granted, followed by constant cries of favoritism and unfairness.
And catering to complaining, badgering and crying is the best alternative? damn. Heh.

*tries to lift pillar off kid's foot...but drops it on his other foot instead*
Actually Galadorn, we catered to an overwhelming majority when we allowed alts. Removing them would be catering to a complainer, :P .
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Re: The fallen Pillar ...

Post by Galadorn »

Edit.


*sigh* not complaining man, just diggin' in the dirt. :?



Yay for progress!
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Re: The fallen Pillar ...

Post by Castano »

Anyone want some horse steaks?
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Re: The fallen Pillar ...

Post by Galadorn »

If you meet me in Newfoundland between June 26th and August 9th - I will eat Horse for you captain. After we make Quarterstaves and spar shirtless in the woods. And jig for codfish in a dory off the shores of Ferryland's beaches. And smoke cigars at a bonfire roasting multicolored marshmellows in the salty air.

August 7th would be best time, in St. John's, as the "St. John's Regatta" is being held that Wednesday this year. The St. John's Regatta is the longest continuous running annual Sports Event in North American history roughly 195 years running i think....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_St._John's_Regatta
:)



Funny enough, last month, a crowd of us having dinner at a nice joint in Nanjing, China, at least 10 of us, few hin at the table too... there was horse on the menu, and no one would let me order it! Bah. :)

Dead horse w00t!
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Re: The fallen Pillar ...

Post by Castano »

I had various horse meats in Italy, I also have a jar of horse baby food.
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coach
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Re: The fallen Pillar ...

Post by coach »

interesting

woulda guessed this one would've never crumbled but times they are a changin'

this rule (while I would have probably voted against it being one of the primordials here) probably would've saved my ALFA playing career as I retired a PC too soon

<---- This guy :)

(thought I was finished telling his story) and couldn't get "into it" with my next few tries

I guess the RP equivalent of writer's block I had new-PC block :doh:

in pen-n-paper you just ask the DM to unretire, but here it was too late

so maybe it can be a good thing

p.s. nice to see some familiar names, has me waxing nostalgic 8)
Garrigan DeLorre - Paladin 6 - died honorably in battle
X'Anne - Witch (Druid/Ranger mix) 4 - captured and imprisoned awaiting trial (retired)
Talon Xavaliir - Cleric 11 - living

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