OAS on a Live Server.

Nalo Jade · Post by **Nalo Jade** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 10:29 am

Thats true we would have to come up with a logical reason that some players can't leave an area while others can ... I am sure we would be able to imagine something up though, it is a game of make believe after all. But, that is a very valid concern and something that should be planned out ahead of time.

Kest · Post by **Kest** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 10:57 am

What do they do when they log in after downloading all that and no one is there? And if there are members present, how do you prevent abuse? Would events be considered canon? Do you propose to build this server from scratch? How soon? What about your other project? Is the waiting period for apps really long enough to make this effort worthwhile?

This seems very poorly thought out.

Demson · Post by **Demson** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 11:40 am

This seems very poorly thought out.

Nah mate, it's thought out well enough for discussion. That's what these boards are here for, after all.

dergon darkhelm · Post by **dergon darkhelm** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 11:58 am

We went all through a bunch of posible permutations of using the OAS2 for live play when Heegz was admissions head.

The fundamental problem that we kept coming back to was "how do you keep the yahoos out"?

The whole point of having an OAS is to not diminish or make anti-immersive play on live servers by allowing folks on (even on a trial basis) that aren't "ALFA material".

We talked about running two copies of the mod. One would be OAS2 and unpassworded/ unhaked where players could be evaluated, the other a live server with the same content connected to the vault, etc. Players who were accepted could then log in to the live server if they wished continuity of storyline and a familiar evironment (could use same PC name and concept but obviously have to remake from scratch and put the fresh one on the vault).

Logging in WH-beta the other day I noticed Soubar and Boersekyr Bridge etc (all parts of the current OAS2) incorporated into that server. It might make a logical transition for players who wished some continuity to first start in WH after OAS2.

But overall I think the principle of keeping OAS2 PCs (and applicants) separated from live PCs is a good idea.

Thangorn · Post by **Thangorn** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 12:38 pm

Thangorn, sorry your speculation of me having a place to play with my non-alfa friends isn't accurate.

My speculation was just that, speculation. Where it came from is me trying to figure out why you would want to do something like this in the first place.

You've clarified your reasoning now so I see where you are coming from. I'm still not sold but discuss away.

Based on what I think you are saying, I think all you'll do is steer veteran players/DMs away from your server and end up with just another OAS with haks. OAS DMs will DM on the OAS and live players will want immersion which is made more difficult when applicants are asking you application questions in tells..

Dont get me wrong here because I'm all for helping new folks out and I've certainly done my DMing stints on the OAS in the past to push things along. I only play now as a break from working to get my module live so I have no further spare time I'd like to put into the OAS at this stage.

I kinda like Demson's idea of allowing approved OAS chars to transition to the live version of the server. I wonder what peeps will come up with as the possible repercussions of that.

MorbidKate · Post by **MorbidKate** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 3:13 pm

Are applicants on an OAS so long that they can't just reroll the concept again on a Live server? The mission should be to streamline wherever possible to move applicants through to Live servers after a few sessions not to add more hoops, more clutter and a HDM approving character concepts as well now?

Nalo, just build your server like everyone else.

Kate

Lusipher · Post by **Lusipher** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 5:47 pm

OAS players should get an answer within a session or two. They usually get an answer 48 hours after the OAS Dms make a final decision. The issue right now is just having applicants show up when our DMs have their weekly DM sessions or an OAS DM is doing some ad hoc.

Hialmar · Post by **Hialmar** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 6:50 pm

I didn't read the whole thread but maybe the solution would be to use beta servers instead of a live one.

No problem with characters that cannot leave an area, no problem with passwords...

Edit: and it would help beta servers by testing the servers.

Demson · Post by **Demson** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 7:58 pm

From a PR point-of-view, I don't think letting applicants play on beta is such a good idea. Our main focus right now is to make applying to ALFA more attractive. Beta servers are not attractive.

Nalo Jade · Post by **Nalo Jade** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 9:14 pm

OAS process is pretty quick and I can't honestly say that an additional with haks mini OAS would be needed. That is certainly a valid point, would it even be used?

Its not a "big fix" at all, it would only be beneficial for a prospective applicant under some potentially rare circumstances...

The applicant gets wind of ALFA or see's our servers on the list and decides to see what its all about. They see 2 servers that are not password protected one needs haks, so they would likely login to the OAS first, IF there was no activity on the OAS at that moment they read a sign that tells them

"If you find the OAS has no activity at this time, you may download the ALFA haks from <here> and log into server 2, this is a live server with a restricted area for applicants to play"

Now the applicant would have to be willing to download the haks and the Live server would have to be active...

The downside would be that "yahoo's" may log into a live server and distrupt players (in tells) if a DM wasn't present to smite the yahoo.

-Hialmar, I really liked your idea until I read Demson's post, I agree that a Beta Server is not a good place to showcase ALFA, unless, maybe it was at the final stages of Beta...then I think we may be okay.

So I am becoming more unconvinced with the benefits of my idea...Thanks for the discussion folks!

I still like the idea of having two servers showing up if someone is using the filter (hide password)

I also like the potential for greater activity, people are more likely to log in when they see a constant healthy presence...

Maybe there is another way, is there a way we could keep the stand alone OAS more active?

psycho_leo · Post by **psycho_leo** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 9:48 pm

Nalo Jade wrote: Maybe there is another way, is there a way we could keep the stand alone OAS more active?

More DMs. The OAS doesn't function without one. DM presence is essencial to the purpose it serves.

White Warlock · Post by **White Warlock** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 10:32 pm

how is the oas doing right now? is it up 24/7? how many active DMs? How many visitors does it get a day? A week? I'm asking because i want to know if i should participate, taking some of my time away from playing on Exodus and DMing in ALFA TSM.

Thanks for anyone 'informed' to provide that info.

Lusipher · Post by **Lusipher** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 11:01 pm

White Warlock wrote:how is the oas doing right now? is it up 24/7? how many active DMs? How many visitors does it get a day? A week? I'm asking because i want to know if i should participate, taking some of my time away from playing on Exodus and DMing in ALFA TSM.

Thanks for anyone 'informed' to provide that info.

I cant speak for the other OAS2 Dms, but I only DM once a week. I have other things to do like run my business and I play once in awhile. I think recently we have seen a good number of folks join ALFA through the OAS2 that have come from the Frontier PW. I know we have Blurbs on every major NWN site trying to lure folks to play here. I wish I could get folks to vote over at the NWvault because thats going to help us even further.

As for exact stats...well, thats something AL could probably tell you since hes hosting the machine. All I know is we have gotten a good number of new apps recently through. FI or Jayde would be a good person to speak on how many more DMs we need. We are trying to spread awareness of our OAS DM times through NWC so that folks looking to join will match up when a DM is online.

I know you have a pretty full plate, WW. Especially if your gonna be DMing some of those new groups on TSM

White Warlock · Post by **White Warlock** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 11:28 pm

Lusipher wrote: I know you have a pretty full plate, WW. Especially if your gonna be DMing some of those new groups on TSM

Aye, especially since i intend on making my DMing a ritual. Still, if the OAS2 is working, and there is a need for DMs there due to a reasonably large influx of candidates, i'll put my green foot in the door (hehe, cast is green) to help.

Demson · Post by **Demson** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 4:33 am

Hialmar is working on an OAS2 notification system. The idea is that whenever a player logs on, an alarm goes off somewhere. The website can access the server player info. Now infrastructure has to set up the... Infrastructure to get the message to the DM's.

I'm in contact with two applicants to host a session, so far they've had other commitments but they'll try to log on soon.
There have been two new applications this weekend, they haven't introduced themselves yet or shown up on my session yesterday. Today I'm filling if for AL's session, we'll see how that goes.

The OAS2 is functional atm. The OAS1 is not. We might need more OAS2 DM's once we our marketing campaigns get from the ground. Or when one of the current three DM's fall away.