Questions for Vendrin (also his platform)

[Inaubryn]

LA's current charter role:

A. Lead Administrator—Oversight of Administration, Veto & Referral Authority, and Public Relations. Also responsible for resolving disputes over domain classification of any particular issue.

Arguably, the LA hasn't got a lot to do with the NWN1 / NWN2 game, except for promotion (PR).

I thought this point that BB makes is a pinpoint statement on what is fundamentally flawed in ALFA. A leader of a community that is based around playing a game hasn't got a lot to do with the game, except PR. Wow. That kinda says it all, right there.

Since, this is a question thread and what goes on with ALFA still interest me because I do not want to see ALFA fail and I do not wish failure upon ALFA or any of its members, I'll ask a question, a few actually.

Vendrin, I will understand if you don't answer this because any answer of "yes" to these questions will most likely burn you with those who have a vote, as many of them sit firmly in the camp of thought that I'm against.

If elected lead, will you make a push for ALFA to rethink the way it's run? And, what do you say to the people who insist that this overcomplicated form of government that now runs ALFA is needed in order for ALFA to exist? Are you one these people?

If ALFA, in the way that it's currently run (charter, Administration, Standards, etc.), stays as is, do you believe it can be successful? No. Do you believe it will be successful.

Paazin if you read this, I'll post the same questions in your thread.

[Vendrin]

If elected lead, will you make a push for ALFA to rethink the way it's run?

Yes, but more of a mindset shift, then a structural one.

And, what do you say to the people who insist that this overcomplicated form of government that now runs ALFA is needed in order for ALFA to exist? Are you one these people?

Kind of a biased question mate. I believe the structure founded shortly after the quake which we still retain for the most part is viable and workable, the only problem is a lot of power has been pushed into certain domains, and once domains are put into more balance, and some slight addressing of bureaucracy issues, the structure is fine.

If ALFA, in the way that it's currently run (charter, Administration, Standards, etc.), stays as is, do you believe it can be successful? No. Do you believe it will be successful.

Depends on what you believe successful means. I think the system needs work. Tear it down and start from scratch? no.

[Vendrin]

Updated my platform on page 1 of this thread with new goal.

[Rick7475]

"I will also seek a partnership with Exodus that will allow cross server travel with each group retaining it's own control."

I just wanted to say that I am really happy to see this initiative. Many of us are members of Exodus, including many builders and tech people.

Also, I know of a couple DM's waiting in the winds who will sign up for NWN2 if Vendrin gets in.

[dergon darkhelm]

Edit: Platform UpdateExodus and old ALFA members
If elected to lead, I will work to find and bring back old ALFA builders, luring them back with the hope that they will still remember the good old days of ALFA, and work to give them as new HDMs and all HDMs the control over their servers they should all have.

I will also seek a partnership with Exodus that will allow cross server travel with each group retaining it's own control.

I would like to hear more details of this proposal.

Having played a good deal on both servers I can say I am intriqued by the concept of some integration, but I would like to hear some of the details.

Would Exodus DMs need to meet ALFA standards to be allowed to DM?

Would XP and loot awards need to comply to ALFA on Exodus?

Would PCs from Exodus who travelled to ALFA fall under ALFA guidelines for behavior, gear etc?

Depending upon your answers to those what ramifications would this integration have in comparison to new ALFA servers that might come online?

Essentially what I am asking is if you plan to give Exodus special status as an ALFA server or is your plan to have Exodus meet the same requirements as any other server proposal? .......or some other answer ....

[dergon darkhelm]

On “House Rules” and Home Rule:

I wanted to get a notion as to the candidates’ feelings on centralized vs. decentralized control of servers. From my perspective, the standards committee was formed primarily as a response to the problem of widely disparate pricing, item availability, and rewards across AFLA servers. Some have argued that the response to this problem was inappropriate, others that it was appropriate but too heavy handed, and still others that the “problem” was not an ALFA problem at all but instead a player/DM problem and one that should only have been dealt with on a case by case basis.

Beyond standards are also the rules of day-to-day play on server. I think it was Cipher that said “ALFA is the House” with regards to “house rules”. Other respected ALFAns felt that HDMs (or even individual DMs) should have broad discretion over how they want game play to run on their server.


So here are two hypothetical situations I would like to put to the candidates for their responses.

1) Server A institutes a static quest that with its completion gives a PC access to a special merchant store. PCs that complete the static are able to purchase magical items for a reduced price (a +2 weapon at 2000gp or +5 skill item at 2000gp for example).

Is this a problem? If it is problem how is it addressed?

2) ADM X, an ADM on Server B decides that any PC wishing to cast an Arcane spell greater than level 4 should have the appropriate material focus on hand to do so. ADM X goes through a great deal of work to create the various items for every spell and they are incorporated into the module.

Is this appropriate? Is it a problem? Is a visiting PC from Server A obliged to play by under this system when on Server B? Only when DMd by ADM X? Neither?


Thank you in advance for your thoughtful replies,

Dergon

[Inaubryn]

Edit: Platform UpdateExodus and old ALFA members
If elected to lead, I will work to find and bring back old ALFA builders, luring them back with the hope that they will still remember the good old days of ALFA, and work to give them as new HDMs and all HDMs the control over their servers they should all have.

I will also seek a partnership with Exodus that will allow cross server travel with each group retaining it's own control.

I would like to hear more details of this proposal.

Having played a good deal on both servers I can say I am intriqued by the concept of some integration, but I would like to hear some of the details.

Would Exodus DMs need to meet ALFA standards to be allowed to DM?

Would XP and loot awards need to comply to ALFA on Exodus?

Would PCs from Exodus who travelled to ALFA fall under ALFA guidelines for behavior, gear etc?

Depending upon your answers to those what ramifications would this integration have in comparison to new ALFA servers that might come online?

Essentially what I am asking is if you plan to give Exodus special status as an ALFA server or is your plan to have Exodus meet the same requirements as any other server proposal? .......or some other answer ....

I'm gonna let Vendrin take this, but I wanted to address a couple of things. There already is a level of cooperation between the two communities. SO, what we're talking about here is integration. To that end, there is a fundamental difference between ALFA and Exodus. It's in the philosophical approach to how a PW is run. I won't get into that but I can tell you this.

If there are mutual standards between the communities, that's exactly what they will be... mutual. Exodus won't be complying with ALFA or vice versa.

Exodus allows planetouched, warlock, and favored soul. ALFA does not. So, these PCs would not be able to cross from Exodus into ALFA and if ALFAns made these types of PCs, they couldn't cross back.

Exodus is not going to be an ALFA server nor will it seek to meet the requirements of ALFA's server proposals. The world doesn't run that way and Exodus isn't going to change the philosophy on which it was built to do so. It's presumptuous to ask whether Exodus is going to have to change to comply with ALFA.

That being said... if Vendrin becomes lead, I'm sure Exodus Council will at least entertain the idea of some form of integration. But, the question for both communities will be what are the benefits of such integration.

Back to you, Ven.

[Nalo Jade]

PADMs
If you were a dm before in ALFA and now are suddenly a PADM, I will make a motion to stop such idiocy.

Vendrin, some of those DMs sucked, how will you deal with sucky DMs?

Favored Souls/Warlocks/Planetouched
Immediate allowance of them.

K sure. I don't agree. Will those players understand that changes may occur in the future and can't raise a "shit storm" when it does. You get to be the "good guy" here by allowing them but if there is a balancing issue someone else is gonna have to be the "bad guy", at least the tweaks right now are not affecting someone's toon. Just food for thought Ven.

Standards
Viewable to the community, standards team will be kept simple. 1 chosen by players, and 1 chosen from the dms, along with DM, player, and lead admin or their representatives.

I like that. Better than my more complicated solution.

Trust the Players
Trust the players, if a problem arises, deal with it, and punish those who broke the trust harshly, don't punish everyone else. As such I will be moving for harsher punishments, but less broad stroke fixes.

I agree, rules should be broad, trust the DMs and the Players. No more henny penny crap, no need to do log checks, DMs can make the calls in the field.

Edit: Platform UpdateExodus and old ALFA members
If elected to lead, I will work to find and bring back old ALFA builders, luring them back with the hope that they will still remember the good old days of ALFA, and work to give them as new HDMs and all HDMs the control over their servers they should all have.

I will also seek a partnership with Exodus that will allow cross server travel with each group retaining it's own control.

I have no idea how that would work? could you explain? If Exodus is not obligated to follow ALFA guidelines?

[dergon darkhelm]

I'm gonna let Vendrin take this, but I wanted to address a couple of things. There already is a level of cooperation between the two communities. SO, what we're talking about here is integration. To that end, there is a fundamental difference between ALFA and Exodus. It's in the philosophical approach to how a PW is run. I won't get into that but I can tell you this.

If there are mutual standards between the communities, that's exactly what they will be... mutual. Exodus won't be complying with ALFA or vice versa.

Exodus allows planetouched, warlock, and favored soul. ALFA does not. So, these PCs would not be able to cross from Exodus into ALFA and if ALFAns made these types of PCs, they couldn't cross back.

Exodus is not going to be an ALFA server nor will it seek to meet the requirements of ALFA's server proposals. The world doesn't run that way and Exodus isn't going to change the philosophy on which it was built to do so. It's presumptuous to ask whether Exodus is going to have to change to comply with ALFA.

That being said... if Vendrin becomes lead, I'm sure Exodus Council will at least entertain the idea of some form of integration. But, the question for both communities will be what are the benefits of such integration.

Back to you, Ven.

Well, I'll wait for Vendrin's answer to my original queery, but Inny's proxy reply, if essentially correct, leads me to these follow-up questions:

If Exodus is to be given "special affiliate status" as a server partially ingegrated with but not directly a part of ALFA, what would keep other server teams with their own proposals from seeking a similar degree of autonomy and independence from ALFA central command?

Would this situation not then in the long run have the potential to lead many servers with different standards, rules, and play style?

Wouldn't such a partial affiliation with Exodus have the potential of breeding discontentment among the full member ALFA server teams and HDMs who would be bound to rules that Exodus is not?

[Rick7475]

Exodus allows planetouched, warlock, and favored soul. ALFA does not. So, these PCs would not be able to cross from Exodus into ALFA and if ALFAns made these types of PCs, they couldn't cross back.

Vendrin has stated in his platform he would allow warlock and favored soul. As for planetouched, I hope he reopens the issue because he would have a lot of support.

2/3's already done if Vendrin gets in.

[AcadiusLost]

I will also seek a partnership with Exodus that will allow cross server travel with each group retaining it's own control.

Although this, if done carefully, could serve to benefit both PWs, it would be a huge task both politically and technically. I checked in with my contact on the Exodus Council, and there has been no discussion of such an idea on that side. While Inaubryn (an Exodus Council member) may think it's a nifty idea, his much-touted "one member, one vote" Council means that he in no way speaks for the Exodus Persistent world, and would have to sway a majority of their council members in order to push through such an idea. Thus far, XP advancement in Exodus has been slower than that of ALFA in NWN2, and magical items far less available- I don't expect the Exodus Council would welcome the idea of free travel back and forth between the worlds, as it would certainly unbalance the advancement rate and magic-limited goals they have worked to achieve.

So, you may vote for Vendrin in the interest of better integration between the two PWs if you like, but such matters are a two way street. As of now, the issue hasn't even been seriously raised over there, so it would be incorrect to assume cross-PW travel will become possible if Vendrin is elected.

[Vendrin]

Would Exodus DMs need to meet ALFA standards to be allowed to DM?

To DM on exodus' servers? No. To dm on an ALFA server? Yes.

Would XP and loot awards need to comply to ALFA on Exodus?

No, but it already does.

Would PCs from Exodus who travelled to ALFA fall under ALFA guidelines for behavior, gear etc?

Yes. Gear I doubt will be an issue, but a solution can be reached if it is.

Depending upon your answers to those what ramifications would this integration have in comparison to new ALFA servers that might come online?

Some I suppose might try for that special status, I doubt I'd give it. The reason I'd be willing to offer it to exodus is because:
1. It's built by former ALFAns and holds much of the same/standards/values we do.
2. We need more servers, whatever complications arise from such a partnership from Exodus, we would gain much more in benefit.
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1) Server A institutes a static quest that with its completion gives a PC access to a special merchant store. PCs that complete the static are able to purchase magical items for a reduced price (a +2 weapon at 2000gp or +5 skill item at 2000gp for example).

Is this a problem? If it is problem how is it addressed?

Yes, I wouldn't mind a one time purchase of an item at the price if the quest was of supreme difficulty, and the weapon couldn't be resold. As how it would be addresed, have the DMA inform the HDM that it needs to be changed, and give them a few ways it would be suitable.

2) ADM X, an ADM on Server B decides that any PC wishing to cast an Arcane spell greater than level 4 should have the appropriate material focus on hand to do so. ADM X goes through a great deal of work to create the various items for every spell and they are incorporated into the module.

This would have to be accepted as an ALFA wide system before used on any one server.

I am a proponent of greater HDM control of their home server, but that control does have to fit within ALFA rules.

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Vendrin, some of those DMs sucked, how will you deal with sucky DMs?

That's a highly subjective question. I for the most part trust HDMs to manage their teams. If enough issues are raised for the admin to be aware, the DMA's responsibility is to look into it and remove or support the DM, after the HDM has been given a chance to do so.

K sure. I don't agree. Will those players understand that changes may occur in the future and can't raise a "sh*t storm" when it does. You get to be the "good guy" here by allowing them but if there is a balancing issue someone else is gonna have to be the "bad guy", at least the tweaks right now are not affecting someone's toon. Just food for thought Ven.

I for one think that in ALFA people want to play these races and classes for the rp opportunities, not their stats, so they might be pissed that these changes occur in the future(and rightly so, because they are in inlign with PnP for the most part and I would fight against any changes), that they will get over it.

I have no idea how that would work? could you explain? If Exodus is not obligated to follow ALFA guidelines?

I have no doubt that it would be complicated, and even I have no real idea how it work, because unless I'm elected Lead, I can't really sit down and talk with these guys seriously about the issue. Yes, Exodus and ALFA would have slightly different guidelines, but overall, we have the same standards. Slow XP, low magic, permadeath, High RP, and one pc. I think we can make it worth, and the additions of more servers for our playerbase to expand to will be worth it.

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If Exodus is to be given "special affiliate status" as a server partially ingegrated with but not directly a part of ALFA, what would keep other server teams with their own proposals from seeking a similar degree of autonomy and independence from ALFA central command?

Nothing, however Exodus is already built, already has a player base, and a built in leadership/community. No other server team can provide what Exodus does at the moment, so any other server team I'd probably say no to.

Would this situation not then in the long run have the potential to lead many servers with different standards, rules, and play style?

Not really, as I've said before about exodus, we share the same values, so while standards might be slightly different, the rest will be the same.

Wouldn't such a partial affiliation with Exodus have the potential of breeding discontentment among the full member ALFA server teams and HDMs who would be bound to rules that Exodus is not?

If they are discontented, if I am Lead they are welcome to approach me, and see about having what they don't like changed. It will then follow through the proper channels to see if enough people want it changed to get it changed.

ALFA(except for the pillars) isn't set in stone, like any democracy if you want change, you just have to convince other people to want it too.

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Vendrin has stated in his platform he would allow warlock and favored soul. As for planetouched, I hope he reopens the issue because he would have a lot of support.

Rick, I've already said I would allow them to be played immediately, just with HDM approval on the server, and perhaps a hardcap on total amount on each server, decided by the HDM

[Inaubryn]

I will also seek a partnership with Exodus that will allow cross server travel with each group retaining it's own control.

Although this, if done carefully, could serve to benefit both PWs, it would be a huge task both politically and technically. I checked in with my contact on the Exodus Council, and there has been no discussion of such an idea on that side. While Inaubryn (an Exodus Council member) may think it's a nifty idea, his much-touted "one member, one vote" Council means that he in no way speaks for the Exodus Persistent world, and would have to sway a majority of their council members in order to push through such an idea. Thus far, XP advancement in Exodus has been slower than that of ALFA in NWN2, and magical items far less available- I don't expect the Exodus Council would welcome the idea of free travel back and forth between the worlds, as it would certainly unbalance the advancement rate and magic-limited goals they have worked to achieve.

So, you may vote for Vendrin in the interest of better integration between the two PWs if you like, but such matters are a two way street. As of now, the issue hasn't even been seriously raised over there, so it would be incorrect to assume cross-PW travel will become possible if Vendrin is elected.

Let me correct Acadius Lost on this real quick. Nowhere in my post did I say I think this was "nifty" or that I wanted this to happen. I have spoken with two council members and we all feel pretty much the same way right now. I won't get into it though. What I said was that right now there are some fundamental differences between Exodus and ALFA, philosophically. I also said that we would entertain the idea. That may be as brief as all of us posting "no" on the decision or we may look at it longer. No, I don't speak for all of us and wasn't trying to. As I told AL in chat, I'm not offended by his post or anything, I just wanted to clarify what I said and didn't say.

[MorbidKate]

As someone who was involved in the early decisions on how Exodus would be set up and run I can tell you that the rational and mindset behind most of them was to avoid the mistakes of other PWs, ALFA especially. Beyond some tech sharing of resources I cannot imagine Exodus wanting any partnership with ALFA at all. Simply put, they don't need one and many left to get away from the grief in the first place.

Kate

[Vendrin]

Apologies if I was seen as speaking for Exodus, it is simply something I would want to try during my admin if I were elected(doesn't look like I will be).

And maybe I'm just ignorant MK, but what I would have offered was full autonomy for the Exodus crew, just the allowance of cross server travel between our groups, benefiting everyone, at least imo.