Baldur's Gate : The Sword Coast Chronicles : NWN2 Persistent World

DM VileThings wrote:Grouping DMs in 3-4s would be a fantastic idea if we were all on at all times. We're really only on in maybe 2s or sometimes 3s for those of you on prime american or euro time zones. Most of the time it's just me in my time zone, though dhampir is about more often with me now. If we were in groups for those locations, people would still miss out on the DMs for their areas and either one area in each time zone would be really active or we would struggle to keep coordinating our events across the time zones.

The idea was not to group DMs so that all 4 could be online at the same time, but rather to have more extended coverage for all 24 hours of each day, letting each DM in the team continue/advance a storyline even if the others are not present or pick up a new one.

Of course such a system requires communication within the team to ensure that all DMs know what have happened and are in agreement with what is going to happen next. It would make it possible for Asgorath to start an event on a monday, you (VileThings) to pick it up on wednessday when Asgorath might not be there, and finally Dhampir could finish it off friday or Asgorath could be back to continue by then.

Right now, as it seems, Asgorath is the most UD-active DM there is, but that's just one guy holding all the reins. Better to have more stand beside him, not only to offer suggestions/ideas off-screen, but also to help advance plots when he's on holiday/sick/other stuff.

I understood perfectly the idea and pointed to the flaw in it as you quoted from me here.

DM VileThings wrote:If we were in groups for those locations ... we would struggle to keep coordinating our events across the time zones.

Some sample issues to overcome:

• Players involved in an event are all on the same time zone as the DM who runs it. Any other DM has to be on the same time zone as well to pick up the event with the same players again.
  
  All DMs involved would require very tightly organised event chains, likely planned in advance. Even if documenting the events and logging everything precisely is easy for those involved, this will still result in less player input into a story as much of it would need to be scripted. If not scripted, the DMs on different time zones would need to find time to get together to discuss it regularly.
  
  The story being told is more likely to be the project or vision of one DM. Telling someone else's story is difficult at best and a chore at worst. DMs need to be invested in the story they are telling to enjoy telling it and to commit to completing it. It is exactly like enjoying your PCs story and RP.

Your example of each DM rotating through the week to complete a series of quest chains simply wouldn't work. We are all on different times and all the players on when we are DMing are different. We could run related events, or even events in the same location or with a similar theme, but those events would not crossover in any way. For Asgorath to have additional help with the UD requires a DM on during the same times as him to want to help out the UD. Or someone on during that time to be approved to become a DM for the UD.


All DMs are paired up with others or in small groups to help cover areas of our server at all times already though. We do so based on what we enjoy running and which other DMs we actually can organise with.

We have enough DMs to cover almost all times and multiples on in prime times. If there is not enough DM presence in the UD, it is because the DMs on during those times do not want to run an event in the UD. As Novus already stated, we're here to enjoy ourselves as much as players. We don't do things that aren't enjoyable or promote the rp we are interested in.

The UD is simply very demanding. In both what they expect of their DMs and the nature of the stories that can be told there. The very nature of the UD renders my favourite story elements invalid, so I have no motivation to run them there. I have even less interest in running someone else's story that involves elements I find grating, tedious or disturbing.

Sorry for the long post, but I thought clarifying the current status from a DMs perspective was required, as this thread is approaching the issue from the wrong direction.

Excellent explanation of the issues that come with having teams of interdependent DMs to further one or more storylines. As you pointed out, related concurrent events could be run as tangents or spin-offs while the main event carries on, even at times where those involved in the main event are not available. Unfortunately, I do not believe that there are enough players in the UD at the moment to support this, though it would be great to see one day. That DMs have their own areas of expertise and interests are, of course, also a factor that needs to be considered.

That being said, I think one of the issues with a low population in the UD is that there is simply not enough content to go around. Everything is a warzone with no camps or forward guardposts to provide a base for defense of "civilized territory in the Underdark. Outside of Sshamath there are no places for players to gather, no places for them to find and engage in RP outside of something related to killing monsters. While this is concurrent with how the UD is supposed to be, there are also numerous camps and outposts scattered throughout the UD in lore.

Where are the svirfneblin camps or the duergar mining settlements? There's even supposed to be a few mercenary groups consisting of all races that hold defensible positions with a minor community and a make-shift tavern.

I think the only real solution is to have 10 UD players submit applications to be DMs secretly, and let the staff figure out who they wanted. Even if only 1-2 got accepted, that would mean a 100-200% increase in coverage of the UD.

Lambert wrote:I think the only real solution is to have 10 UD players submit applications to be DMs secretly, and let the staff figure out who they wanted. Even if only 1-2 got accepted, that would mean a 100-200% increase in coverage of the UD.

This is probably the best solution, yes. We can't force DMs to DM in a particular area. We can't even force DMs to DM on a regular basis (though we will remove them from staff if they do not).

If you want to see change, the best thing you can do is make change happen.

Come on folks. Put yer gold where your mouth is!

mireigi wrote: Where are the svirfneblin camps or the duergar mining settlements?.

Can't put words in DM's mouth but I assume they don't want to promote the strongest races around? Although a druegar settlement would be nice yeah. We need more druegars.

Maximvs wrote:

mireigi wrote: Where are the svirfneblin camps or the duergar mining settlements?.

Can't put words in DM's mouth but I assume they don't want to promote the strongest races around? Although a duergar settlement would be nice yeah. We need more duergars.

Hard to make a settlement for them when everyone in the underdark slaughters them all the time

DM Nilbog wrote:

Maximvs wrote:

mireigi wrote: Where are the svirfneblin camps or the duergar mining settlements?.

Can't put words in DM's mouth but I assume they don't want to promote the strongest races around? Although a duergar settlement would be nice yeah. We need more duergars.

Hard to make a settlement for them when everyone in the underdark slaughters them all the time

Aren't free svirfneblins considered valuable trading partners by most drow cities? There might not be any large communities near Sshamath, but there should be the occasional camp or tavern where mercenaries gather for deeper trecks through the Underdark and do shady trades away from the prying eyes of officials and magistrates.

The Underdark is big need for some love from the developers. Only one city which also serves as the only meeting hub for PCs of all levels. Adding a trading outpost or mercenary camp, either with a tavern, would give players a new place to meet and do business in a relatively safety without having to worry about the laws of Sshamath.

Also, where can we find the lore for the different areas in the Underdark? Who lays claim to the caverns outside the reach of Sshamath? Who are the political powers in those areas?

Whenever I play in the Underdark, it feels like Sshamath was put in with all its lore and then a lot of areas where plotted down around it to give PCs places to go, but with little-to-none thought to lore or even why a particular race of monsters call a few caverns their home.

mireigi wrote: Aren't free svirfneblins considered valuable trading partners

You hit the target. Free svirfs. As soon as someone (ANYONE, really) knows where they are, they're not free svirfs anymore.

The reason why Sshamath still exists, is that it's so powerful it can withstand aggression. Inferior settlements in the Underdark survive only if secret, or if they are nomadic camps that relocate when crap approaches. Everything in the UD is a domination/submission dichotomy. Not only for the Drow.

The Underdark is big need for some love from the developers. players

Fixed it for you.