Question: Do You Play Without a DM?

[RangerDeWood]

I answered 1 only because I'll play on a server if there is no DM on as long as there are Players about to play with. It changes my playstlye slightly, as I'll never have any chance of getting RP XP, so I do more statics, but I will still log on. I try to choose a server that's decently populated during my playing times. I've found that, in most cases, if a server is regularly populated with 3-5 PCs a DM will tend to have some appearances and the higher the normal population, the better chance of seeing a DM. But should a DM never show in my whole time there I'm fine with it as long as there's still PCs to interact with. I will not, however, log onto a server where I'm the only one about, or one where I see 15 other PCs on but never see them because they're out running statics or whatnot.

[Lazlo]

So far I've heard players with successful and/or long-lived PCs, say they play for RPs sake or on a server that is critical to their PCs story....and I agree. I also suspect these players started PCs or played on a server that had good amounts of DM attention at those critical stages in char development (1-5) and didn't reazlie how lucky they actually were. When you reach a period in your char's life, he/she becomes self sufficient and essentially can craft their own adventurers regardless of DM attention.

I find myself in the perpetual low-lvl crowd. For one reason or another, we struggle to get involed with plots, RL schedules confict with DM times or our PCs meet untimely ends....often due to our own njubery or unfortunate circumstances. A portion of the low-lvl crowd just enjoy playing the low-lvls regardless of the situation. However, I think for anyone who's ever come close to having a PC survive long enough to develop above avg. skills/abilities that enable you to impact moderate-difficult DM campaigns and/or player driven quests....it creates a thirst for success.

Success that is most often only possible with consistent DM attention early in a char's developmental stages.

Then there are peeps who LOVE DM questing regardless of how far along they are in their char's story.

[RangerDeWood]

Success that is most often only possible with consistent DM attention early in a char's developmental stages.

Then consider success impossible. I can safely consider myself part of that "low-level crowd" as I've never had a PC who has reached over lvl4, though I know I have the skills and whatever to make it to lvl5. However, due to plots or just right-out bad luck and/or bad choices I've never had a PC get past lvl4. Doesn't mean I won't stop trying, or that I'm gonna change my playstyle at all. And DMs can be just as detrimental to your PC's health as lack of DMs. If anything no DMs means no DM plots which means you can pretty much live forever if you stay away from combat

[Icarus]

i play without a DM mostly cause I have erractic hours.

[Baalster]

A few players can have a grand time without a DM. Granted if a DM drops in, it's even sweller, but I've had great times playing without a DM.

Baalster
HDM 081 Whitehorn

[Twiggy]

I started my PC in that upheaval time in Alfa history (I refuse to say the word ). Because of the change in DM teams it was weeks before I ever saw a DM online. In fact, I remember it giving me quite a jolt when an NPC talked back to me the first time. Priceless...it really was.

Oh...and the point was...I have long lived PC that's been relatively low on DM attention. She survived by not being too stupid too often and making friends.

[Bitterman]

There are DMs who have posted times who say they have been unable to find Players who will consistently join them, fyi. I polled the DMs about what sort of style they have and that was not an uncommon reply.

I find that comment really interesting because I've never heard that from the Player side of things. The DM times are rather fluid as RL dictates but when a server's DM crew is absent for an extended time or rarely on, the server regulars will move on in time.

Last year, when I did a Player and DM survey of just how many of us are actually "regulars" IG (187) the pattern was clear as day, regardless of what has been stated in this thread. The servers with DMs on with good regularity are by far the most visited servers by players. The servers who had little or no DM coverage also had little or no players.

I came to ALFA because one of the big selling points for me was the DM coverage. The facts clearly show that players come out for the DMs and will server hop to find them.

39 DMs were seen Live IG during the month-long survey last year of 13 servers when the website claimed 87 DMs on staff. The website states there are less than that now so I assume we have less regular DMs as well while our server list has grown?

Solid DM coverage used to be the foundation of ALFA yet many distruptive things have been done in efforts to cover for the lack of them. Increased statics, increased spawns for example that blew the economy out of the water for example.

The problem is, with more and more servers and the dwindling DM numbers being spread ever more thinly... it's gotten to a point where people are now actually discussing wheather they are here to play with them or not.

[Grand Fromage]

I have an ADM who mostly left because he couldn't get players to show up at his posted weekly DM time.

Anyway, I always found a 50/50 between DMed/non-DMed time to be a good target. Too much DM time precludes PC/PC development, too little precludes PC/server development.

[Bitterman]

I have an ADM who mostly left because he couldn't get players to show up at his posted weekly DM time.

Anyway, I always found a 50/50 between DMed/non-DMed time to be a good target. Too much DM time precludes PC/PC development, too little precludes PC/server development.

I'm not sure if anyone has ever gotten a DM 50% of their time online. It's more like 10-20% for most players who get online regulary.

Still, most players come to ALFA for the DMs and will hop servers to interact with them. Any server with a near absent DM crew will remain dead space because of it. It doesn't get more basic than that really.

[wvincenti]

DMs find me fairly regularly, however I just had a good time on Daggerford for oh, about 8 hours RPing and wandering with some other folks. It all depends on the day I guess.

-Bill

[Lazlo]

Doesn't mean I won't stop trying, or that I'm gonna change my playstyle at all. And DMs can be just as detrimental to your PC's health as lack of DMs. If anything no DMs means no DM plots which means you can pretty much live forever if you stay away from combat

Hehe, It hasn't stopped me from tryin' either!

I've lost more PCs in the last year to DMs that my own njubery.

The definition of success varies too by individual. For peeps like myself, you and Rotku ....havin' a PC live to lvl 3 or 4 is an accomplishment.

I do however aspire to greater lvls of success and one of these days....I'll succeed.