Timezone coverage of DMs

[Planehopper]

I've jumped on a time or two while working from home, and it seems little different than my regular play times. Sporadic, at best, and most of the time it seems like a specific event or need has brought them (for example, there will be 2-3 on and an event running in a DM area).

It is understandable, and I am not wishing to cast stones by any means. I know how it can be and what it takes to put into an event (and what it takes out of you as a DM).

That said, there appears to be a dearth of activity in many timezones (as evident by this poll which is probably showing which timezone each of us play more than anything, lol), including my own of about 9:00pm-12:00am Central time in the US ((GMT 02:00-05:00)). It is much easier said than done, but we could use more activity.

Flavor DMs, those on just to breathe life into an NPC, might make the most impact by interacting with more players?

[Laughingman]

Flavor DMs, those on just to breathe life into an NPC, might make the most impact by interacting with more players?

I would love this. No xp. No gold. No guilds. No announcements. A DM that just spawns a random farmer that complains about sore feet.

[electric mayhem]

Flavor DMs, those on just to breathe life into an NPC, might make the most impact by interacting with more players?

I would love this. No xp. No gold. No guilds. No announcements. A DM that just spawns a random farmer that complains about sore feet.

This.

Many of us try to immerse our RP around our surroundings. Responding to bird calls. Saying hello to passing guards. Tripping over rocks. Exploring the littered boxes and crates in goblin storage room. Literally walking off into a bush when the call of nature happens.

There's more to RP than campfire story telling, or inter/intra guild politics.

Quite a few of us actually despise the big DM events, because they bring out the worst RP in people, they make people act completely OOC and not how their character would normally act (Just so they can actually get involved in an event! which brings another issue), too many talking, confusion. Almost turns into an Ambulance Chaser scenario.
And... the laaaagggg...

Small random acts of kindness...err.. interaction. Focus on the small stuff. And the big stuff will happen by itself.
Some ideas that are quick easy, spontaneous and isolated to those that stumble into the area:
Bird watcher discovered by a small group in forest zone.
Dog seeks out persons hanging around FAI, lures them back to injured owner.
Trade caravan, broken wheel, south tradeway, escort to Wyrms/FAI.
Mining group captured by giants near Nash, ready to be cooked up.
Gnoll shaman performing a summoning ceremony deep in caves.
Amatuer necromancer digging up graves BG.


It would be great to have a few DMs that just focus on the small stuff. I remember there was occasions where we'd be doing a normal dungeon run, and some of the critters would suddenly develop "a little more life and character". i.e Goblin screaming and running from group cowers in fear in corner. Allows group a choice, murder or release. Alignment point shift opportunity for character building depending upon character type. Nothing more complex than that.

Thankyou

[K'yon Oblodra]

Really good points.

Although I gotta say the sign up event we had in the UD with DM Flasmix while large had nothing of the, I need to do something to be part of the event thing, or if at all little.

But yea I've seen it on other occasions where people just all try to react to each action a DM Villain takes making a niemals short encounter take ages cause for everything that happens the DM needs to write what the players each achieve XD.

So yea really good points

[Tsidkenu]

On the other side of the coin, though, what is more likely to happen if said DM spawns peasant with sore feet is this:

Code: Select all

*Peasant walks tenderly along the road.*

*Player metagames HP bar which reads INJURED* "Oh hello there sir, do you need some help?"

"Nah, I'm right mate. Just a few bindies in the ol' clod hoppers causin' a spot of bother."

"You seem to be injured; can I heal you?"

"Nah it's all good."

"But sir, I insist. My friends and I are all clerics of ___; we're happy to heal you right now."

"And what? Take all me money in 'donations' too? No thanks. I'll be right gettin ta the next village."

"No, we will do it for free!" *4 favoured souls then cast Heal/Regeneration/ Greater Restoration/Mass Heal/Epic Heal*

*Peasant stands there dumbfounded* "Right, well I didn't ask for you all to touch me there neither. Now bugger off, the lot of ya."

Players can be so over-excited by a DM event that they start showing off their epic __whatevers__ with the drop of a hat. Is that also the 'realism' that should be expected?

[Laughingman]

Players perhaps get excited by dm attention because they go months between seeing it. Or maybe the peasant actually complains of sore feet i.e.

"damn my feet hurt"

"Ha, keep hobbling old man, also welcome to the northern Tradeway. There is a toll for making it this far."

"I have no money!"

*Adventurer kills him and searches the body for epic loot*

*Adventurer finds old rags and contracts a cold*

You really cannot say how such an encounter will turn out. Not everyone metagames health bars after all and as any experienced Dm can attest there are always surprises. By your logic you could even say-

"Which way is the town?"

.....

"Hello?"

.....

///Guess this player is afk

*Walkmesh problem*

*Server crash*

[K'yon Oblodra]

*turns on AFK tag and runs past to cash in the quest*


XD I actually had people in BG talk to my character randomly and followed them cause I thought they were DM spawned until I asked and was told they talk at random sometimes XD.

[Serendipity]

I would love this. No xp. No gold. No guilds. No announcements. A DM that just spawns a random farmer that complains about sore feet.

Last night I was outside the FAI speaking in my usual flowery prose in my ridiculous armour and I was mistaken for a DM playing an NPC starting a mini-event...

I will guess it's because of the name... But I choose to believe it's because I looked too perfectly beautiful to be a real player

Regardless, Planehopper shows uncommon sense again, and I support his motion.