Future of the OAS?

[Rotku]

Okay guys, this is something I want everyone to have a chance to give some feedback on.

Where things are sitting right now, I am on the verge of calling the OAS off and freeing up the resources for something else. Currently, we have only accepted 1 player via the OAS since I returned to the PA departments - that's 1 player in 4 months. It simply isn't worth the effort in keeping a server up if we are only going to get 1 player in 4 months.

I'm putting the lack of players on the OAS down to two main problems. First, one we cannot fix, is the PWC. Who wants to download all those files for a server they'll only play on once? Second, lack of DMs. At the moment, I do not have any DMs who are willing to commit, in advance, to a regular schedule. I need DMs who can commit - who can say that they will DM at this date and advertise it on the NW Connections well in advance. Even if it is just DMing once a month, so long as they can commit in advance I am happy.

So my question to you, ALFA, is two fold:

(1) Do we wish to keep the OAS running?

(2) If yes, are you willing to DM?

Feel free to say yes to 1 and no to 2. Completely different question.

[AcadiusLost]

As additional information:

1. The OAS2 requires only 2 downloaded files to join (alfa_oas2.pwc and alfa_gui.hak, totalling about 300 megabytes), these are available by direct download or by their own Worldgate setup currently.

2. NWN2 will be including it's own integrated content downloader for PWCs (and likely haks as well) starting from patch 1.23 (which will be the next up after the one released tomorrow).

3. The lack of significant acceptances of new members through the OAS2 is a complicated issue, but in my opinion stems from the fact that the server has been essentially unstaffed, which in turn means the occasional visitor to the server has very little chance of even being observed "in action" by an OAS2 DM, making repeat visits and acceptances unlikely. I would also expect that, in light of these difficulties, Admissions has tended to either reject or accept many applications that might have before been referred to the OAS for orientation/mentoring/more careful examination. I certainly don't believe there is anything wrong with the basic approach of the OAS2 in terms of dealing with applicants, it just requires an investment of time which has lately been in short supply.

It is quite possible effective use of the OAS2 could be made on a scheduled basis, rather than in the 24/7 model it has used in the past; with publicity beforehand on the regular times via nwnconnections and other channels.

[bartleby]

Are there any stats as to unique player log ins? Ie x number of different individuals have logged on for y number of minutes? Is there a way to tell how many times the required files have been downloaded and or how many times they have started to be downloaded and then stoped?

Might give a good idea as to what the actual reason for the OASes lacking results might be and how to fix them...

[Rotku]

I think the core problem is, as AL stated, lack of DMs.

My plan, if people are willing to volunteer, is do (once again) exactly as AL suggested - making it a scheduled thing. According to some people I've spoken to, most NWN2 advertised campaigns on the NWC manage to get full attendence if advertised well in advance. However, that is the current problem with the OAS DM Team - none are able to commit in advance. Hence my questions here - if no one is able to step up to DM, I'm going to put the OAS into hibernation until some future PA wishes to wake it up.

[HEEGZ]

(1) Do we wish to keep the OAS running?

No. Not worth the effort and written apps working well. Also, anyone interested in DMing the current OAS should request to join the WHL build team and help get it to Live status.

(2) If yes, are you willing to DM?

I will be available to help DM on the OAS for as long as we have it online. The biggest thing I've seen it used for lately is DM training and that's about it.

I think the core problem is, as AL stated, lack of DMs. [snip] ...if no one is able to step up to DM, I'm going to put the OAS into hibernation until some future PA wishes to wake it up.

Good call.

[zicada]

(1) Do we wish to keep the OAS running?

No. Not worth the effort and written apps working well. Also, anyone interested in DMing the current OAS should request to join the WHL build team and help get it to Live status.

(2) If yes, are you willing to DM?

I will be available to help DM on the OAS for as long as we have it online. The biggest thing I've seen it used for lately is DM training and that's about it.

I think the core problem is, as AL stated, lack of DMs. [snip] ...if no one is able to step up to DM, I'm going to put the OAS into hibernation until some future PA wishes to wake it up.

Good call.

Well said, I agree.

[KalevD]

I have to agree with Heegz, the OAS2 is not worth the resources it takes to run. Written applications should be able to handle new member applications just fine.

[Faeryl]

(1) Do we wish to keep the OAS running?

No. Not worth the effort and written apps working well. Also, anyone interested in DMing the current OAS should request to join the WHL build team and help get it to Live status.

I agree.

[Hialmar]

As I have told in the past, I think we should use a beta server as OAS.

WHL looks the right one currently as it was based on the OAS anyway.

[HEEGZ]

As I have told in the past, I think we should use a beta server as OAS.

WHL looks the right one currently as it was based on the OAS anyway.

Good idea. I don't remember reading it before, but it is a logical extension.

[AcadiusLost]

Downside of using a beta server as the OAS is it means applicants would have to download nearly a gigabyte of haks just to try ALFA out (and perhaps several gigs of PWCs as well, using our current setup); they also are more likely to run into unfinished areas, bugs, etc. Doesn't put our best side forward, so to speak.

[zicada]

Doesn't put our best side forward, so to speak.

Neither does the OAS, as it is always empty.

I think we should just go with written apps. If we think somebody could use some help, we could just make a couple of areas on one of the live-servers and do a required RP-101 type thing. They used to be pretty good in the past, most people used to enjoy them I think. If we could muster some instructor type people to do say a bi-monthly or monthly mandatory RP 101 class for all noobs, that would probably be sweet as an addition to the written app-process,- and it is also more likely to happen with our limited resources than covering OAS with DMs.

[Hialmar]

The download of gigabytes of data is the only downside in my book.
However most people nowadays have broadband so that's not much of a problem.
In order to test a MMO you have to download gigabytes for the client and no-one complains.

We have had unfinished areas and bugs on BG (NWN1 version) for years and I think it's the same for every server.
What people search in ALFA is not finished servers but DMed sessions.
As long as we do have DMed sessions that's the most important thing.

[Faeryl]

If we could muster some instructor type people to do say a bi-monthly or monthly mandatory RP 101 class for all noobs, that would probably be sweet as an addition to the written app-process,- and it is also more likely to happen with our limited resources than covering OAS with DMs.

I don't like, nor have I ever liked a mandatory RP 101. I know for me, they were always run at a time that I could never make. If a DM wants to run one and players show up, fine. But don't make it mandatory unless all times zones, player's RL schedules, etc can be accommodated. Just my opinion of course.

[zicada]

If we could muster some instructor type people to do say a bi-monthly or monthly mandatory RP 101 class for all noobs, that would probably be sweet as an addition to the written app-process,- and it is also more likely to happen with our limited resources than covering OAS with DMs.

I don't like, nor have I ever liked a mandatory RP 101. I know for me, they were always run at a time that I could never make. If a DM wants to run one and players show up, fine. But don't make it mandatory unless all times zones, player's RL schedules, etc can be accommodated. Just my opinion of course.

Yeah, good point, I tend to type before i think

So, not mandatory I guess, but still, I think they were a fairly decent idea. The actual contents as well as the name could be changed of course, but the whole "class setting" thing was pretty neat imo.