Central plot?

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AsuraKing
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Central plot?

Post by AsuraKing »

May i suggest that the staff comes up with a large central plot that effects not just individual groups but EVERYONE? from what I've seen each group (the banites, house invincible and more) each have their own main plot, but i think that it would make it a lot more interesting if all the groups were linked in a way by one large central plot.

(on an old server i played on a lich invaded one of the cities and took it over and the plot was against the scourge, that's just an example)
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AcadiusLost
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Post by AcadiusLost »

Big server plots can be great for sweeping up the interest of PCs, but I can say from experience on both sides of the wand that they're pretty hard to pull off in a satisfactory manner without solid DM coverage; even then the differing timezones can make things pretty tricky; players bristle when they miss things happening that their characters would be involved in IC.

Certainly not saying it's a bad idea, I'm just tempering expectations. It's not quite as simple as "starting a server plot". We'll see how things roll though as time goes on, it's really up the DM team to work out the best way to try to entertain the playerbase.
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Keryn
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Post by Keryn »

Im quite sure theres a central plot going on, i guess you just need to have some luck and bump into it.

Being central doesnt mean everyone would certainly fall into it.
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Mick
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Post by Mick »

I thought the drama between Dawn and Xujja was the central plot.
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Brother Humphrey
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Post by Brother Humphrey »

Mick wrote:I thought the drama between Dawn and Xujja was the central plot.
Tha's cuz yer a self centered twa... I mean twit.

As for AL's contention about folks who's toons would wind up getting left out of a major incident they would have attended if RL and TZs not interfered being ticked off, I can certainly vouch for that.

Big stuff IS going on, and we can't always be there to give it a push. Keep your eyes open, play such long hours you family disowns you, and perhaps you'll end up right in the middle of things and then you can be happy as a clam. 8)
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Thangorn
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Post by Thangorn »

May i suggest that the staff comes up with a large central plot that effects not just individual groups but EVERYONE?
And how do you know there isn't one?

I cant give any more DM time myself to get you involved in something.. two sessions a week is all I can commit to .. the rest is random..
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[22:52] <Veilan> obviously something sinister must be afoot if a DM does not have his social security number in his avatar name!
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Vendrin
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Post by Vendrin »

Perhaps then some ooc knowledge that such is going on, like log in at this time for this place to get in on dmage of plot for phat lewt and xp.
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oldgrayrogue
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Post by oldgrayrogue »

OOC scheduling as Vendrin suggests would be welcome.

As far as a server wide plot, my PC certainly thinks one is going on Asura and he just let your PC in on it last night =) I regularly send DMs PMs filling them in on my PC's ideas and activities. As I see it the more they know about who is doing what, the better capable they are to craft a story for everyone -- or at least everyone's part in some grand plot. Whether they use my ideas or not isn't really important, and sometimes discovering your PC was completely wrong is the most fun. For me, this just helps to provide backstory for my PCs RP, activities and motivations while no DMs are on. Otherwise it just feels like aimless wandering to me.

One thing I try to do during periods of thin DM coverage is to develop the interpersonal realtionships between my PC and others. Players like Mr. Duncan and BigDaddyBones deserve major kudos for RPing out wonderful player driven stories with little to no DM intervention as far as I can tell. To me this really is not a substitute for a DM driven experience, but does often provide really intense RP opportunities and helps to make the RP more meaningful between PCs when big events do happen.

I guess my point is its not so much having a global plot that is important, but having DMs (or players) run events that plant the seeds of plots for players to run with and RP off of. Wayne's almost daily events not so long ago are still providing the impetus for much of my RP on TSM, despite the fact that he has not logged on in a while.

In terms of coordination of grand plots, I think it is unrealistic IC to think that everyone involved in the defense of Rivermoot lets say, will be there when the big attack comes. However, for those who RP never leaving the locale, an OOC heads up from a DM is the way to go IMO.

Just my long winded two cents =)
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Amar
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Post by Amar »

AcadiusLost wrote:Big server plots can be great for sweeping up the interest of PCs, but I can say from experience on both sides of the wand that they're pretty hard to pull off in a satisfactory manner without solid DM coverage; even then the differing timezones can make things pretty tricky; players bristle when they miss things happening that their characters would be involved in IC.

Certainly not saying it's a bad idea, I'm just tempering expectations. It's not quite as simple as "starting a server plot". We'll see how things roll though as time goes on, it's really up the DM team to work out the best way to try to entertain the playerbase.
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Keryn
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Post by Keryn »

I think we are not considering some aspects in this.

We all want to be there, i want aswell, I have missed so many plots, others i was lucky to be included, maybe luck, being in the right place at the right time?

Maybe both, but we can't all be at once in the same session its impossible for the DMs to work anything with us all.

Special driven sessions for a group, are easy to be scheduled, but global plots have this "thing", either your lucky to get the train or you arent. At least thats IMO.
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Post by Wynna »

As far as I can tell, due to a combo of RL, schedule conflicts, hardware, burnout and the current global financial plot involving so many of the PCs playing on the RW server, we are down to two regular DMs and one of those is iffy. That latter would be me.

Global plots rock. Starting one without resources to DM it is foolish. Currently Thangs and I are playing nice together, feeding off each other's work while the other sleeps. I think it's a good compromise until RL lets up on the rest of the DM crew, or more DMs sign on.
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Post by Thangorn »

If you are getting bored with playing.. feel free to step up and DM, it opens up a whole new world of possibilities -:

* Every day is CvC for DMs
* You can play whatever character you want
* You can have as many characters as you want
* You can PG your arse off in the DM client
* You too can chuckle in shadows while your friends run around in confusion
* You can create your own phat lewt
* You can cast every spell and use every ability
* You dont need to worry about rolling a priest, you ARE every god!!

This and more exciting possibilities are available to you when you choose to open the DM client so come on down, bring a friend, create mayhem in The Silver Marches.. :)
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[22:52] <Veilan> obviously something sinister must be afoot if a DM does not have his social security number in his avatar name!
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oldgrayrogue
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Post by oldgrayrogue »

Thangorn wrote:If you are getting bored with playing.. feel free to step up and DM, it opens up a whole new world of possibilities -:

* Every day is CvC for DMs
* You can play whatever character you want
* You can have as many characters as you want
* You can PG your arse off in the DM client
* You too can chuckle in shadows while your friends run around in confusion
* You can create your own phat lewt
* You can cast every spell and use every ability
* You dont need to worry about rolling a priest, you ARE every god!!

This and more exciting possibilities are available to you when you choose to open the DM client so come on down, bring a friend, create mayhem in The Silver Marches.. :)
If I didn't have to retire my character I'd do it in a heartbeat. =)

*Ducks as very old and large can of worms flies over his head and strikes a venerable pillar of ALFA*
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AsuraKing
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Post by AsuraKing »

oldgrayrogue wrote:
Thangorn wrote:If you are getting bored with playing.. feel free to step up and DM, it opens up a whole new world of possibilities -:

* Every day is CvC for DMs
* You can play whatever character you want
* You can have as many characters as you want
* You can PG your arse off in the DM client
* You too can chuckle in shadows while your friends run around in confusion
* You can create your own phat lewt
* You can cast every spell and use every ability
* You dont need to worry about rolling a priest, you ARE every god!!

This and more exciting possibilities are available to you when you choose to open the DM client so come on down, bring a friend, create mayhem in The Silver Marches.. :)
If I didn't have to retire my character I'd do it in a heartbeat. =)

*Ducks as very old and large can of worms flies over his head and strikes a venerable pillar of ALFA*
Me too, but i play to RP my character not to RP many different characters and not get a PC :P
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