ALFA's Faerun

[jmecha]

ALFA even with the changes still comes down to the same old thing in my opinion. If you surround yourself with Role-Players you enjoy playing with you will have fun, and if you and your group are lucky enough to get a talented DM willing to provide his or her time to your lot you will have even more fun. Everything else is just garnish really. Regardless if there are +1 items in every store or none at all, regardless if there is a -6 safety net, or if we roll for hit points, ALFA comes down to a good group and DM attention adding up to fun.

Some folks are without a groups to play with and without DMs due to time zone issues and other conflicts, and I can see why dim-rets, and static content, and the other Garnish maybe a passionate issue for them. For myself Mail Runs, Shopping, and what have you is simply a way to kill time in hopes someone I enjoy playing with will log in to play. Maybe I am a simply missing the importance of the discussion but it seems like everything we are talking about here is window dressing.

Regardless of the Garnish, so long as I can find players I enjoy playing with in this community I will return to play with them, and so long as there are DMs that I enjoy playing under I will do what I can to make their sessions.

[HEEGZ]

Interesting ideas, though the level up experience is pretty core to the game and addicting. It would be hard to live without, though I get the appeal of your idea. I have been finding myself dwelling on a related line of thought. Perhaps not level 7, but what if there were an option for starting at level 2, 3, or 4?

It's been discussed before, and given our low player population and disparity in PC levels it could help even things up a little. Someone on IRC mentioned the idea for a PC in a campaign group that died; the player could roll a new PC who starts at one level below the lowest level PC in the group.

PS- I really think NWN1 blows and opening up those servers again is like going backwards. We dont need two new NWN1 servers, getting BG back up and running should be the priority. After that, an underdark server

The NWN1 idea is unrelated to BG coming back online. Also, an Underdark server would require people building one. The NWN1 server idea is mainly to make use of stuff that is already built but not being used. We are still figuring out if it is even a possibility.

So far you and Adanu are the only two I've seen vocalizing about not being interested in NWN1. A part of me wants to focus on NWN2, and another part wants the variety.

That being said, the whole discussion is renewing my interest in toolsetting NWN1 or NWN2 again. I've never been more excited to be involved in ALFA than I am right now, nor has my in game time ever been more enjoyable.

[Rumple C]

Great you're feeling the thrill, Heegz. Long may it last.

[Swift]

PS- I really think NWN1 blows and opening up those servers again is like going backwards. We dont need two new NWN1 servers, getting BG back up and running should be the priority. After that, an underdark server

The fastest way to an underdark server in ALFA is probably going to be someone picking up the Northern Underdark ALFA 1 mod and making it compatible with the last set of haks

[mr duncan]

PS- I really think NWN1 blows and opening up those servers again is like going backwards. We dont need two new NWN1 servers, getting BG back up and running should be the priority. After that, an underdark server

The fastest way to an underdark server in ALFA is probably going to be someone picking up the Northern Underdark ALFA 1 mod and making it compatible with the last set of haks

Or we could just start making interiors for the Sshamath that I made for Ronan.


J

[Copper]

As one of the new players to the server I really can't comment on much, but what got me interested in ALFA was the RP quality, the lowish levels and the permadeath. Just knowing that you can die and it's an accomplishment to get higher in levels, gives a thrill like Iona described earlier. I don't know if other new players dislike it or not, I for one love the harshness and the idea of magic being less encountered.

About harshness: Given how today's series like Game of Thrones make a harsh world "cool" and "in", and how most of the player base is increasingly above 21, you can count on more players who might like a more cruel and less magicky environment. Players might even be on the lookout for servers like that, and not for the actiony, "look at me I'm über" settings. Game of Thrones doesn't try to please everyone (heck, the faint of heart can either be traumatised by the first ten episodes... or start to get over themselves and love it... or they hate it), why should ALFA? If it's your world, your story and your sandbox to play in - why shouldn't it be the way you (the Powers that Be, the veterans, etc) like it, and others just have to decide it if they like it or not? It all depends of course on who should actually be the deciding force in this.

In any case this discussion could go on and on, derail and re-rail a lot, as everyone has different opinions and different new ideas pop into their head regarding a huge range of topics... Six or seven pages of answers and I don't think we've gotten closer to an actual conclusion (if that can even happen at all in a broad discussion like this). But it might have merit to jot down a few specific questions that you want folks to contribute to.

These are just possible questions, the original poster could have wanted to ask something else entirely.
-Do we want ALFA to be perceived as high- or low magic?
-Do we want ALFA to be the place where death is a very scary thing or be looser and "game-like" (where fun is defined as "always having a safety net or a Load button")?
-Do we want ALFA's management to define a clear course that the players should trust would be in their best interest, or let the players' opinions be the defining factor in shaping ALFA?
-Do we want faster or slower lvl/gold progression, or is that fine as it is?
-Do we have a maximum level we would never really want to go past?
-Would it have any merit to do a server wipe and start fresh?
-What makes ALFA unique?

In the end you cannot please everyone, and you shouldn't try. That's one of the rules in marketing, aim for a niche, a customer-group, and stay loyal to it; then they'll stay loyal to you. I keep mentioning "harshness" because for me, that was what sold ALFA.

Incidentally I like the "no leveling, just being lvl 7" idea mr duncan. Level 7 means the fighters get their two basic attacks as well, it's nice. But human nature means players will want some form of progress always; something new to look forward to. If there isn't a DM to provide you that, then the only other sources are the numerical ones (xp and gp). It would be interesting to see this implemented on a server... just don't think it would last, or would have many takers.

Game on!

~ Copper

[Veilan]

Eloquently put, Veilan.

Why, thank you. Now could you credit what soaring heights of demagoguery might be within my grasp if only I were to avail myself of my native tongue?

[Rumple C]

Eloquently put, Veilan.

Why, thank you. Now could you credit what soaring heights of demagoguery might be within my grasp if only I were to avail myself of my native tongue?

Whut?

[mr duncan]

x

[danielmn]

Incidentally I like the "no leveling, just being lvl 7" idea mr duncan. Level 7 means the fighters get their two basic attacks as well, it's nice. But human nature means players will want some form of progress always; something new to look forward to. If there isn't a DM to provide you that, then the only other sources are the numerical ones (xp and gp). It would be interesting to see this implemented on a server... just don't think it would last, or would have many takers.

Glad to hear you say this. HEEGZ and I have made plans to build a server just like this using the ALFA rules but getting rid of leveling. It may take off, it may not, but after chatting with a few people like Rumple and Heero in chat yesterday we decided to go ahead and do it. HEGZ is a great DM and hates games over level ten anyway so this is seeming ideal to his style of DMing.

There will be plenty of wealth advancement if you want to play an adventurer who fights a lot, and plenty of room to advance yourself socially/politically with HEEGZ DMing or with one of his DM staff.

You are right about the second attack, also if you play a single class wizard you will get fourth level spells too. This way there will feel like a little reward if you single class it and make the wizardly old dude, and multi class characters will have to trade off some powers to have that multiple functions.

One of us will make a post about it with some screenshots soon. I hope your compliments mean you will give it a try if we get it up and going.

J

A place where story and rp take precedence over advancement and gear?!?!

MADNESS I SAY!!! MADNESS!!!!!

[Twin Axes]

A middle road might be ending DM XP rewards after level 6 or 7. Then you both get the exciting journey of working your way up from the first baby steps until you reach your potential, after which you level out and start to advance much more slowly (which would also reduce the level discrepancies to some extent).

I am loving this conversation, I don't want it to end!

[Swift]

I am laughing all the way at what ALFA has been reduced to

[HEEGZ]

I agree TA, I am trying to gain perspective on what our member's views are. There is a lot to learn from here. Also,

In any case this discussion could go on and on, derail and re-rail a lot, as everyone has different opinions and different new ideas pop into their head regarding a huge range of topics... Six or seven pages of answers and I don't think we've gotten closer to an actual conclusion (if that can even happen at all in a broad discussion like this). But it might have merit to jot down a few specific questions that you want folks to contribute to.

These are just possible questions, the original poster could have wanted to ask something else entirely.
-Do we want ALFA to be perceived as high- or low magic?
-Do we want ALFA to be the place where death is a very scary thing or be looser and "game-like" (where fun is defined as "always having a safety net or a Load button")?
-Do we want ALFA's management to define a clear course that the players should trust would be in their best interest, or let the players' opinions be the defining factor in shaping ALFA?
-Do we want faster or slower lvl/gold progression, or is that fine as it is?
-Do we have a maximum level we would never really want to go past?
-Would it have any merit to do a server wipe and start fresh?
-What makes ALFA unique?

I am not seeking a conclusion from this thread. I guess it is more like a status check. I was elected to represent ALFA players and oversee them. I feel it is very important that I understand approaches that people have to our community. I am increasingly finding that many of the things I loved about ALFA when I joined are no longer in the majority view, or in some cases barely even remembered.

What has stood the test of time, and still holds true, is the quality of the role play and interesting PCs.

[dergon darkhelm]

IWhat has stood the test of time, and still holds true, is the quality of the role play and interesting PCs.

And .... lock it.

[Rumple C]

Quickly!

finish on a high note!