Regarding the application process

[Demson]

Hello all,

recently the PR team decided to give the whole application process a thorough look and polish. The admissions process itself is not our concern. What we are looking at it the 'attraction' of applying as well as retention.

The past two weeks I've been looking things over and making notes. I've send out a questionaire to some of our recently accepted members.

I'd like to give the wider community the oppertunity to fill it in too, as well as sharing any thoughts you have on the issue.

In any discussion that might take place, please bear this is not about the purpose and state of admissions. This is about the PR aspect of joining ALFA, and keeping new members in it.


1. How did you find out about ALFA?

2. Had you heard others speak of ALFA? If so, what was your impression of ALFA based on what you heard?

3. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate the information on ALFA that was available to you as an applicant? Reason this if you feel like it.

4. Did you have trouble finding information on the application process and understanding it?

5. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate how favourable your view of the application process was before you signed up/played?

6. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate how favourable your view of the application process is now that you have been through it?

7. After you were admitted, did you have any problems with learning more about ALFA? What do you think of all the information and documentation available?

8. How did you experience your transition into the ALFA community?

[dergon darkhelm]

1. How did you find out about ALFA?

Let me go to the start. A friend gave me a CD of "Temple of Elemental Evil" because I was a big PnP D&D player and it was suppsoedly the closest video game to D&D made. After completeing that I went online to find a follow-up game and found NWN1.

Then I discovered that it could be done multiplayer. I went to the bioware website to look at the guilds there and searched for D&D style NWN.

This is when I *should* have discovered ALFA.....but I didn't. ALFA didn't have a real presence there. What I did find was Earthspurs, Geo's ALFA spin-off server, which had constant posting and bumping to keep it at the top of the list of RP servers.

It was only after a year there that the server slid into a PGing grinding nightmare that one of the other players said I could check out ALFA, saying (i'll paraphrase) "They're a bunch of assholes, but the quality of play is good."

I checked it out in the summmer of '05 and here I am.

2. Had you heard others speak of ALFA? If so, what was your impression of ALFA based on what you heard?

See above

3. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate the information on ALFA that was available to you as an applicant? Reason this if you feel like it.

3-4. It wasn't great. I didn't know how to use IRC.

What got me my was Brokenbone who, at the time, was logging into OAS regularly with a helper PC (Drimm Brower iirc) to act as a friendly liason o the system and a guide to proper play on ALFA.

4. Did you have trouble finding information on the application process and understanding it?

Yes ....I'm barely computer literate and still draw my dungeons on graph paper. I found the website a challeng to use. I found d/l the haks (just figureing what unpacking them menast etc) a big hurdle.

5. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate how favourable your view of the application process was before you signed up/played?

First.....we spell it "favorable"...there ain't no "U" in you damn euro!


8.

I wasn't in a rush. I played on OAS a while anyway just having fun and picking berries and killing trogs. So I never got the "OMG why hasn't my app been approved in 72 hours" sensation.

6. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate how favourable your view of the application process is now that you have been through it?

It was fine for me. But I'm a paitent 42 year old man with nothing better to do. I think that some of the applicants of a younger generation might have an expectaion of more immediacy. ......And if we don't provide fast turn around (or at least fast interaction and updates on the process) we will lose them.

7. After you were admitted, did you have any problems with learning more about ALFA? What do you think of all the information and documentation available?

APM should be linked about a hundred different place if you ask me. New players shold be referred to it repeatedly.
I d/l'd the APM and read it.

I got a tell from Borgia on day 2 in live on TLR "hey! why are you running?" and that cured that.

I watched players ingame that I thought were quality folk and modelled their behavoir (the best way to do it imo).

8. How did you experience your transition into the ALFA community?

I'm still here ain't I? It was fine




good work Demson on looking through it. Hope what I wrote helps a little.

[Swift]

1. How did you find out about ALFA?

Google, something about roleplaying worlds, cant quite remember the search now.

2. Had you heard others speak of ALFA? If so, what was your impression of ALFA based on what you heard?

Not a word.

3. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate the information on ALFA that was available to you as an applicant? Reason this if you feel like it.

6 or so i guess. All i had was the blurb on the site stating how many players and DMs there were, along with each server. Not sure how much else was really needed though.

4. Did you have trouble finding information on the application process and understanding it?

No, at the time it was a straight written app, linked off the main site, which told you what you had to do for the app.

5. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate how favourable your view of the application process was before you signed up/played?

5, but only because i felt fairly neutral to the process. It was an app, i hadn't checked any other worlds out to see if they had them, so didn't really think about it that much.

6. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate how favourable your view of the application process is now that you have been through it?

9, mainly cause i quite likely would have failed if i had to go through an OAS process. ALFA was my very first foray into Roleplay of any sort, and i had virtually no knowledge of the realms outside of the Volo writings they put in the Baldurs Gate 1 manual. I am not entirely certain someone that new would make it these days.

7. After you were admitted, did you have any problems with learning more about ALFA? What do you think of all the information and documentation available?

Yes, but i think i was sort of a 'special case' being that i was accepted 10 days before the community was torn apart by The Quake. Information became hard to find at that stage, especially due to the nature of the forum at that time.

8. How did you experience your transition into the ALFA community?

In game it seemed easy enough. I got a tell from an existing player 15 minutes after i started (Arrianna) after she noticed i had already lost my first character. Out of game was another story. From the get-go i decided the best way to get into the community was to be active on the forums, and that was rough to do when passions were running at an all time high.


Edit: As a small and quite likely Off Topic sidenote, back when i joined, loading up the alfa site you were greeted with one of 4 or 5 voices stating 'Welcome to alandfaraway.net'. For anyone interested, if you hit archive.org and find the old site, you can still hear the greetings (i used March 31, 2003)

[psycho_leo]

1. How did you find out about ALFA?

Gamespy

2. Had you heard others speak of ALFA? If so, what was your impression of ALFA based on what you heard?

Not before I joined. Only after I joined ALFA I found the old entry about the community in the vault and honestly if I had seen that before getting caught up in game I probably wouldn't have bothered.

3. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate the information on ALFA that was available to you as an applicant? Reason this if you feel like it.

7. I remember seeing a few pointers in the OAS starting area and back then, the OAS1 was full of players and DMs.

4. Did you have trouble finding information on the application process and understanding it?

Not really. The whole process, including the written app was pretty straight foward.

5. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate how favourable your view of the application process was before you signed up/played?

7 I guess. I didn't really have any basis for comparison as ALFA was my first venture into multiplayer other than LAN games with friends, so I mostly saw this as way to keep troublemakers out.

6. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate how favourable your view of the application process is now that you have been through it?

7.

7. After you were admitted, did you have any problems with learning more about ALFA? What do you think of all the information and documentation available?

No. I was told to read the APM and tbh hones, despite the numerous complaints about how many rules we have, if you're only a player, applying common sense takes care of most of them. Also, when I started playing Daggerford had something like 10-15 players every night (or most nights), so was pretty easy to get help IG instead of IRC or forums.

8. How did you experience your transition into the ALFA community?

Just fine. I was able to find people I like playing and chatting with and that's the reason I'm still here.

[Misty]

1. How did you find out about ALFA?

Firstly, we are talking summer 2004 here. Loads of things have changed since.

Friend of mine in a play-by-post sort of deal suggested I get NWN to play on something called a 'persistent world'. Got a new computer for the game when Dell was selling new desktops for $600. Played on the Dalelands PW with friend and group, hearing stuff about it being built and run by ex-ALFANs. One in our group actually wanted to get into ALFA. Pretty much blew it off because I was learning the phenomena of online RP and enjoying it (first PC was a cleric of Corellon). Met and enjoyed playing with McJoker (Lead Admin of ALFA at the time), who strongly encouraged me to apply. He told me to send in a written app, did so and was accepted in five minutes.

2. Had you heard others speak of ALFA? If so, what was your impression of ALFA based on what you heard?

Yes, and heard both good and bad things. Figured it was just personality/philosophy differences and paid it no mind.

3. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate the information on ALFA that was available to you as an applicant? Reason this if you feel like it.

having an ALFAn guide me through it all, from haks to needful RP information, I didn't bother looking. So, I cannot rate it.

4. Did you have trouble finding information on the application process and understanding it?

Nope. throw in an app, drop the lead admin's name and done I'm sure there was more to it, but I do/did not know at the time.

5. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate how favourable your view of the application process was before you signed up/played?

6. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate how favourable your view of the application process is now that you have been through it?

I'm not sure I'm qualified to answer. Obviously someone on admissions was already familiar with my RP or I wouldn't have been accepted on the half-assed bio I put on the app.

7. After you were admitted, did you have any problems with learning more about ALFA? What do you think of all the information and documentation available?

No. Chat was informative, forums were helpful. Sure there were jerks, but I didn't care. When I wanted to try a new RP concept, I was told to post about it to get another player or DM interested so I could play said concept. Thus was Lak'shmi born.

8. How did you experience your transition into the ALFA community?

pretty much dove in headfirst and enjoyed it. Eventually abandoned the Dalelands and I've stuck by ALFA.

[Zelknolf]

1. How did you find out about ALFA?

NWVault

2. Had you heard others speak of ALFA? If so, what was your impression of ALFA based on what you heard?

Nope

3. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate the information on ALFA that was available to you as an applicant? Reason this if you feel like it.

1 -- sorry to say that "Hardcore Roleplaying" doesn't have ALFA's meaning in the rest of the roleplaying world. Most people hear "Hardcore Roleplaying" and think that thinly-veiled OOC excuses for IC actions ("Sorry, my soul was distracted.") are cool, and most "Hardcore Roleplaying" worlds don't have our attitudes about grinding (indeed, other worlds encourage it) or metagaming.

Yeah, the concepts were put out there, but Gruush's RPG guide isn't exactly a codex of RPing righteousness (and it's pretty easy to miss; I more stumbled across that thing than had it handed to me.)

4. Did you have trouble finding information on the application process and understanding it?

Nope

5. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate how favourable your view of the application process was before you signed up/played?

2 -- tbh? ALFA looks like a scam from the outside. "You wanna play a game? It's free, I promise!" sounds to me like "Do you want to see naked teens? It's free!. *ad spam* *ad spam* *ad spam* *gimme ur creditcard I promise I won't charge you honest*" or "Honest our game is free (if you don't mind that your character sucks and that people with more disposable income than you will be more powerful.)" I figured I'd see how free it really was by signing up with fake information (those who've corresponded with me from ALFA will note that the email on my forum account has a man's name on it.) and was surprised.

6. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate how favourable your view of the application process is now that you have been through it?

6 -- I don't think the OAS1 was/is at all like live ALFA. It seems a fair way for the community to assess the player, but not a fair way for the player to assess the community.

7. After you were admitted, did you have any problems with learning more about ALFA? What do you think of all the information and documentation available?

Holy crap did I have problems leaning about ALFA. No one told me about the chat rooms, firstly. Had to figure that one out on my own. No one told me about server portals (and I rolled up on Arabel. Ended up having no one to play with because I didn't know how to leave the city.). No one told me about the ALFAn ideas of powergaming/metagaming. The closest thing to a definition of an 'exploit' I got was the load screen message that informed me to be sure to tell a DM if I've found one! (is it an exploit to be able to buy 495 bolts for 5 gold in one area, walk with them for 15 minutes and sell them for 24 gold when you arrive? IC, it sounds like taking advantage of markets, and to the ALFA foreigner, it even sounds like it might be intentional. Hell, there're console games [Suikoden, anyone?] that have economic setups just like that.)

8. How did you experience your transition into the ALFA community?

How? I blame Acadius. It's all his fault for asking about my wee lil' necromancer's history IC (even though curiosity and a lack of respect for personal space eventually made his end)! I gotta say, though, before-mentioned stuffs made it all really damn awkward.

[Arkan Bladesinger]

1. How did you find out about ALFA?

Summer of ´05 had just played through the HoU and was strolling on Bioware forums just out of curiosity. Someone was having a poll on the topic: "Why don´t you play mp?" I hadn´t actually played much anything online, though having been part of several online forums, but for some reason had very negative impression on MMO´s, which I thought NWN online to be at that time and replied something like not wanting to play with empathy handicapped kids and someone directed me to ALFA telling it´s at least trying to be a mature community and explaining the difference between PW and MMO to me.

2. Had you heard others speak of ALFA? If so, what was your impression of ALFA based on what you heard?

The above was the first time and I was very impressed on the idea especially because it was FR.

3. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate the information on ALFA that was available to you as an applicant? Reason this if you feel like it.

The abovementioned person (I really don´t remember what nick he used) gave me the link to front page and from there on the information was plenty and no reason to seek about it elsewhere.

4. Did you have trouble finding information on the application process and understanding it?

Not at all. There was a link to the application process in the first page and filling it was very easy. Filled the form, then checked the forums and... Hmm, yes, only then realized there was an OAS. So, maybe I had some trouble understanding, heh.

5. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate how favourable your view of the application process was before you signed up/played?

8 or 9. I was especially looking for a mature place, so I figured it was right on spot to have one.

6. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate how favourable your view of the application process is now that you have been through it?

Pretty much the same. It was easy to fill and I was accepted within two days. OAS might have been better presented as I learned about it only when I started reading forums, but then again might´ve been I was too enthusiastic and missed some info. Checked it out once or twice within those two days and met BB´s Drimm Bowyer, too, who was very helpful.

7. After you were admitted, did you have any problems with learning more about ALFA? What do you think of all the information and documentation available?

No problems. I´m a natural reader and found many things with relative ease myself by just looking around the forums. When I was ready to roll up a char, posted hello on GD (there was no New Player forum back then) and indicated what I was going to play inquiring about a possible mentor and got helpful replies pretty immediately guiding my elf ranger towards the group that was forming in The Long Road. PM´d Dorn whom I was recommended to about the group and mentoring and very soon I was inside the game. The natural noob questions I had were nicely answered by TLR folks, older players and DM´s alike, and by Wynna and Mick in IRC. I think I had a pretty perfect beginning in ALFA and TLR experience is still the one that I regard with most fondness.

8. How did you experience your transition into the ALFA community?

Hmm, the answer to nr. 7 pretty much sums it up. It went smoothly.

[Dragoness]

1. How did you find out about ALFA?

Someone told me about ALFA1 when I was playing on some NWN 1 servers at the time. I think it was around 2005 or so. I was never able to find the server on the serverlist for some reason, thuogh.

2. Had you heard others speak of ALFA? If so, what was your impression of ALFA based on what you heard?

The above was the first encounter, but I never played ALFA 1.

3. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate the information on ALFA that was available to you as an applicant? Reason this if you feel like it.

When I first decided to play on ALFA 2, I felt as if I was almost bombarded with information since there were apparently soooo many servers. Luckily it was FR settings, so I was somewhat familiar with things, but if I never had any experience with the D&D universe, I think I would be scared off by the sheer amounts of information for this server.
Usually, when I apply for a server, one of the main things I check for is to see what races you are allowed to play since I'm the type that likes to play unique and exotic races. It took me a little while to find this information on the forums. I guess I would rate it a 5.

4. Did you have trouble finding information on the application process and understanding it?

No problems finding the application and no problems with understanding it.

5. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate how favourable your view of the application process was before you signed up/played?

I'd rate it an 9. Everything was more or less self-explanatory to me.

6. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate how favourable your view of the application process is now that you have been through it?

Still a 9.

7. After you were admitted, did you have any problems with learning more about ALFA? What do you think of all the information and documentation available?

I had no problems since I'm already familiar with the Forgotten Realms setting and some of the places this mod takes place.

8. How did you experience your transition into the ALFA community?

There was not much of a transition for me since I'm familiar with the setting.

[Magile]

1. How did you find out about ALFA?

March 2000. My friend in high school and I started talking about IWD and BG and he introduced me to ALFA. He went by Divenen here.

2. Had you heard others speak of ALFA? If so, what was your impression of ALFA based on what you heard?

Nope. I've been around too long to have heard it via t3h interwebz.

3. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate the information on ALFA that was available to you as an applicant? Reason this if you feel like it.

When I joined, about a 7.

4. Did you have trouble finding information on the application process and understanding it?

Nope.

5. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate how favourable your view of the application process was before you signed up/played?

I don't know. Before I applied I didn't really know what to expect. Plus it was a while ago. Unknown variable.

6. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate how favourable your view of the application process is now that you have been through it?

I applied and was accepted within 2 hours. I'd say that's a pretty good application process. 8 I guess?

7. After you were admitted, did you have any problems with learning more about ALFA? What do you think of all the information and documentation available?

No. Then again, when I joined, it was all forums and no gameplay. In other words, everyone was just speculating what would be what, how things would be, etc.

8. How did you experience your transition into the ALFA community?

Eh, there wasn't much to take in when I first joined. Chatroom and message boards, which was about what I was used to for a community. I'd say it was pretty smooth.

[Nalo Jade]

(This took place in 2003-2004 time frame?)

1. How did you find out about ALFA?

Don't remember was dumb luck I'm sure.

2. Had you heard others speak of ALFA? If so, what was your impression of ALFA based on what you heard?

Nope I didn't hear anything good or bad before joining.

3. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate the information on ALFA that was available to you as an applicant? Reason this if you feel like it.

3 The boards were disorganized jumble of all sorts of topics (its settled into easier understanding now.) I had to post in the General Forum to ask for the password, to which I got like 6 replys that I had to be "approved" to get the password, which I had already been approved...finally someone posted a link. I am pretty sure the acceptance letter said something like, come to our forums to get the password...

4. Did you have trouble finding information on the application process and understanding it?

No it was easy then Click here to apply ... answer questions, give e-mail address click submit wait 3 days to find out if you and your friends are all cool enough ... one friend couldn't get excepted ... he was dyslexic / disgraphic ... so we wrote his app for him on his 3rd attempt. He opted to play an oriental PC that could not speak well... that fit him.

5. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate how favourable your view of the application process was before you signed up/played?

I liked the questions they made me feel like I was really joining a D&D convention not an EQ community.

6 then 8 now with the OAS. good idea, still have room for improvement ... announcing "games" would be a good way to recruit, just one shot adventures with like 4 DMs invite the community to come play a game at "our table" like a convention style gaming. to showcase the FUN ... if people get hooked by the fun then we show them the rule book ... not a before they are hooked though.

6. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate how favourable your view of the application process is now that you have been through it?

N/A doesn't apply to now.

7. After you were admitted, did you have any problems with learning more about ALFA? What do you think of all the information and documentation available?

My fault, my friends and I wanted to play so bad we just logged into WD. It was dead no other players ... around ... well they were we just didn't know it. We went straight to the stores in the AQ spent our starting gold and were ready for high adventure.... we ran, we didn't know about "emotes", we went into the sewers and died...so we made up new PCs with the same names, and went down to the sewers for a second try ... on the third try with the same named PCs while looting our second versions bodies we got some interaction from a DM who made us do a listen check ... we were quickly slaughtered by Orcs... on our 4th set of PCs a player accused my buddy of looting his own corpse in a tell in a very authoritative way. "You will be banned if you loot your own corpse it is cheating" or something like that... we read the APM shortly after the one night debacle.

8. How did you experience your transition into the ALFA community?

We never needed to go to the forums, we just played together and had fun, then we kinda drifted apart for different reasons... so I went looking for a PnP group to play with assuming the forums were filled with like minded once a week kinda D&D people...My proposition was tagged as dumb, controlling and was thus targeted for spam. I tried to create another thread asking for people that don't want to be a part of it to not post ... man did I ever ask for the trolls, I was a perfect canidate freaking out behind my PC. They got me good, I was so angry at times I would be visibly shaking with fury, wondering how much it would cost to fly to California, wondering which of my Marine buddy's might still be stationed in San Diego ... I drank and tried to fight a forum battle I was not equipped to understand. Finally I quit. and life got sooooo much better. But now I'm back and I am happily living in California...maybe close by. we should have a Calfacon.

[kmj2587]

1. How did you find out about ALFA?

CovetingAcquiesce dragged me here kicking and screaming.

2. Had you heard others speak of ALFA? If so, what was your impression of ALFA based on what you heard?

Not really. I played on a lot of servers under the "Role Play" section, but was unfamiliar with the PW format. I had no real impression coming in.

3. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate the information on ALFA that was available to you as an applicant? Reason this if you feel like it.

3. I found the site difficult to navigate at the time, and a lot of the information felt more like a sales pitch than honest information. I was suspicious.

4. Did you have trouble finding information on the application process and understanding it?

No. I came in through the OAS, so I had a OAS DM linking me to everything I needed and explaining what I needed to do.

5. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate how favourable your view of the application process was before you signed up/played?

1. I though applications were pretentious and unnecessary for a video game where people can be banned at will.

6. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate how favourable your view of the application process is now that you have been through it?

5-ish? I thought it was quite fun after having been through it. Of course, the OAS was regularly at max capacity and RDW was kicking members off to make room for applicants. I'm sure if I were coming through now, my opinion would be much lower.

7. After you were admitted, did you have any problems with learning more about ALFA? What do you think of all the information and documentation available?

TL;DR. I didn't read any of it or really bother with the website any more than was necessary. I sorted everything out in game.

8. How did you experience your transition into the ALFA community?

I jumped in and rolled up my character on BG. At the time, it was a mostly dead server as I would soon find out. The few players who were left were all level 10+. Ronan basically stepped in and single-handedly showed me everything I needed to know, helped me sort out canon issues (my canon knowledge was sorely lacking when I first joined), and gave my PC plenty of things to do. It actually took me about six months to find a regular DM'd group to play with, and I travelled across six servers to find it. I did enjoy exploring the servers though.

[oldgrayrogue]

1. How did you find out about ALFA?

Word of mouth

2. Had you heard others speak of ALFA? If so, what was your impression of ALFA based on what you heard?

Someone I RPd with on another PW for over a year used to play on ALFA and spoke highly of it. The idea of a multi server world reproducing the Forgotten Realms campaign setting was very appealing to me.

3. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate the information on ALFA that was available to you as an applicant? Reason this if you feel like it.

I give it a 5. The reason being all the information you need is there if you spend alot of time looking for it. All info needed for a new player or applicant should be contained in a single thread with working links. I have heard this same complaint from many new players I have recruited to ALFA, a few decided not to submit an app because it was such a hassle.

4. Did you have trouble finding information on the application process and understanding it?

Finding, yes, see above. Understanding no.

5. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate how favourable your view of the application process was before you signed up/played?

As a requirement I give it a 10. I generally only like playing on password protected servers where apps are required.

6. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate how favourable your view of the application process is now that you have been through it?

Again a 5. I did not mind having to submit an app at all or the questions that were asked. However the mechanics of it were very annoying. Although I submitted an app initially that was within the word count (at least according to my word processing program) when I tried to submit it ALFA said it was way over. After playing around with the app I think the ALFA form counts spaces or line breaks as characters or something so I ended up submitting one run on sentence for an app. The point being the form was technically annoying. I have heard this from others as well.

I also did not receive an app response within the stated time (and yes I checked my email spam filter) Then when I posted on the forums about it someone checked admissions and told me my app had been approved within 24 hours. I know of several other new applicants who have had similar experiences.

7. After you were admitted, did you have any problems with learning more about ALFA? What do you think of all the information and documentation available?

Yes. I initially had trouble finding the password, which had to be pointed out to me by someone in a forum thread. I have seen others experience the same. Again -- everything you need as a new player should be in one spot, password, link to worldgate, link to downloads, link to specific server forums, link to manual and rules etc etc. Its not and as a new player i found stuff very difficult and time consuming to find.

8. How did you experience your transition into the ALFA community?

Initially I was very impressed with the maturity and positive attitude of most in ALFA. The drama and shenanigans that go on on the forums I have come to find annoying, especially in light of ALFA billing itself as a serious, mature role playing environment. As a player I initially experienced some stand offishness from others, but I suppose this is to be expected. I have heard from other new players though that some ALFAns act like RP snobs who will only RP with those they deem worthy from experience. I did not experience that depth of ostracism myself, more a feeling of being the new guy and not a big welcome wagon being extended by other players. I have played on other PWs where there is much more of a concerted effort by existing members to welcome new members IC and make them feel part of the RP right away. I think this is essential to attracting and retaining new players.

[Mulu]

1. How did you find out about ALFA?

From other players at NWC originally.

2. Had you heard others speak of ALFA? If so, what was your impression of ALFA based on what you heard?

Yes. They actually said it was "roleplaying being a marathon runner" apparently in reference to the distances necessary to travel in order to play.

3. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate the information on ALFA that was available to you as an applicant? Reason this if you feel like it.

This question is vague. Do you mean how accurate it turned out to be, how favorable it was, or what? Also, do you mean the information from others outside of ALFA or the information available at ALFA? I found that the information from others was somewhat accurate, but incomplete, and largely unfavorable. I found I actually liked the place despite the great distances necessary to traverse. As for the information available at ALFA, I thought it was thorough overall. Give it a 7 I guess.

4. Did you have trouble finding information on the application process and understanding it?

No.

5. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate how favourable your view of the application process was before you signed up/played?

Again a vague question. The application process included playing on OAS for me, so I'm not sure if you are only asking about the written component or the whole thing. I'd give the written component a 6, it seemed somewhat pretentious to me. I'd give OAS a 5.5 overall, as one session was a 10 and the other was a 1. I believe the 10 session was by Electryc, but I can't remember for sure now.

6. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), could you rate how favourable your view of the application process is now that you have been through it?

The same.

7. After you were admitted, did you have any problems with learning more about ALFA? What do you think of all the information and documentation available?

No. I thought it was outdated and contradictory.

8. How did you experience your transition into the ALFA community?

Also a bit vague. Do you mean how easy or difficult was it? I actually came on board pretty loudly, commenting at length on then hot topics concerning powergaming and how to prevent it, since I had just gone through these same issues as an administrator on another project. Several members at the time posted that I should run for Lead Admin.

As for in game, I rolled up a PC on the "preferred starting server" of Sembia, where I was immediately attacked by a bandit throwing darts. I had no starting equipment, only starting money, and fell into bleeding/unconsciousness. A random guard finally killed the bandit, and after several minutes my toon self-stabilized and got up, but was in jello mode. Of course, the server was empty. I traveled around the server in jello mode for about two hours unable to rest looking for a starting equipment merchant when a DM happened by, healed me, and told me where to go.

After that I eventually made my way to Shadowdale which was a hopping server at the time and had a lot of fun.

I assume my experiences are atypical.

[Demson]

Thank you for the response, everyone. It's a real help.