FAI

[Mendoza]

I like the idea of merging as many areas together as possible. How easily/feasible that is I am not sure since I am not a area builder, but if its not extremely burdensome, I think it would be incredibly beneficial to finding more RP and making BG more appealing.

I also like the idea of removing the auctioneer from FAI. Perhaps it could be moved farther south (Beregost or Nashkel) to help promote more RP in those southern areas.

[BigJ]

Howabout having the caravan fella in the in the farmlands extend his service to the FAI? (fast travel).

Folks could RP around the Elfsong Tavern or the campfire/market, then hop on cart when they're ready to go questing.

It would seem to be appropriate and lore friendly and give a good impression to new players seeing this activity whilst they're going about their starter quests.

BigJ

[Ivan38Rus]

Flat out area merging is not impossible but the result is very taxing both for the server and for the client, especially as far as BG city goes, it would need to be significantly revamped first to be viable.
So, it's not as easy as it sounds

[AlwaysSummer Day]

Not everyone can RP in BG. . . orcs, criminals, Saturday morning cartoon villains, masked inigo Montoya impersonators, Maxwell, druids etc.

On top of that Hoihe and Karond both make good points. It's the lesser of two evils and there is a reason everyone goes there.

BTW Lisa, you should add a no mask/no weapon guard inside the gate. Like the one on the bridge that stalks you and tosses you in jail. That'd be entertaining.

[Hoihe]

Already is!

The City Watch dudes assail you if you do that.

Also, if you pickpocket someone and fail the spot roll vs the guards, they will come for you. BUT if you HiPS away, they will start searching and the game informs you of being searched. It's awesome.

Not everyone can RP in BG. . . orcs, criminals, Saturday morning cartoon villains, masked inigo Montoya impersonators, Maxwell, druids etc.

On top of that Hoihe and Karond both make good points. It's the lesser of two evils and there is a reason everyone goes there.

BTW Lisa, you should add a no mask/no weapon guard inside the gate. Like the one on the bridge that stalks you and tosses you in jail. That'd be entertaining.

[Stonebar]

The problem with inside areas is, you must be looking for RP to go their. Some of the best RP I've been in is the type I did not plan, but came across. The campfire is more organic in nature, and welcoming to a passer by. Leading to more RP, and More people RPing with each other that might never do so normally. Inside areas are often the domain of sect type RP, or of a nature that you must know the people before RPing with you. After all who randomly walks up to someone's table and just hangs out? A camp fire is something you can wonder up to to warm your hands.

In an Inn or city people can also bully others mothing off and saying anything they want without fear of any cost. The Campfire is a semi-neutral area that gives more normal options in how to deal with, or respond to RP. Something NPC's can never do. It's been over a year sense I've been in any PvP so I'm not advocating for it, but the lack of that option breeds bullies.

[AlwaysSummer Day]

Oh I meant inside the FAI's courtyard xD my bad.

[LISA100595]

Oh I meant inside the FAI's courtyard xD my bad.

Duster and I are talking about that... could be very interesting if the DM's approve.

[Jepop]

I'm a big fan of the outside bar area in BG. A few months back it actually got a lot of traffic.

[Boddynock]

I make a point of going to some of my favorita areas on the server when I am RPing, including some of the areas people here seem to consider dead. Corm Orp is a favorite, Ulgoth's, Nashkel, occasionally Beregost. I have spots all around the server that I rotate between. And when I have a mind to RP, I rarely do it at FAI.

FAI is popular for being popular. People go there because people are there. It seems like circular logic, but it is true. But I would be willing to bet a load of gold that if 2 or 3 people started hanging out in a different spot and didn't hide their scry, other people would show up... (As I have seen it happen multiple times...)

[Calen]

The positive sides of FAI RP outweight the negative ones by far.
A casual RP encounter can lead towards getting involved with characters/plots,It's a good spot for breaking the ice.
Most pc's have a reasons to be there IC as well ,thus it requires less meta gaming through scry to get something going.
I'm not looking for epic plots, but it allows me to get to know your character IC.

It's central there is an auctioneer and a tavern, along with merchants.


Scry may show me four unknown characters in roaring shore but I honestly wouldn't be able to come up with an IC excuse to go there.
Neither am I going to poke people I do not know in PM when they are hidden.
If I'm on hide it means >>I don't want to be found through scry convenience<<.

That aside I honestly don't even know the other rp spots IC and OOC.
Aside from Candlekeep.



My point is if you want people to leave FAI ,you'll need to put some effort into it RP wise.
If you get some pc's to come with you to the new spot they will remember IC and OOC.
Next time they see some players in the roaring shore or BG tavern they will head there since IC wise they know about the place and your PC.
But give them an IC reason to go there and rp with the characters that are there.

I think FAI will remain the RP spot though, simply because it is convenient and not 5 loading screens away.

[Nomster]

I'm a big fan of the outside bar area in BG. A few months back it actually got a lot of traffic.

This place certainly did add something to Baldur's Gate. I tend to hang out there when looking for RP, or simply to set up a meeting with someone there for more casual RP where others are invited along.


Though we all know that the real RP hub in Baldur's Gate is the Temple of Ilmater.

[grymhild]

One of the problems that I have with RP at "realistic" locations, like taverns and really anywhere with NPCs, is that it's all fine as long as people are singing kumbaya... but it's hard for someone not to metagame that they are perfectly safe (myself included)

It's also very frustrating to realize that other people are also perfectly safe.

It's safe because it doesn't matter how skilled someone is with sword or spell... nothing that anyone does can turn into pvp without a DM present and in my experience -and please let me know if other people have different experiences- that is so rare to be granted, that it might as well not happen.

So what does happen... people run their mouths off.

When I first started playing two years ago, I used to be nervous about being around other the the mix of scary PCs.

But after two years of what for me were immersion breaking encounters of both good and evil PCs take advantage of being protected by NPC god*-guards and taunt other PCs who are probably stronger, or in greater numbers - I admit, that I'm really jaded.

I don't usually enjoy RPing in places where people are completely safe.

and in the past, and lately more often I've become part of this same problem, by having Ril stand outside of FAI, or inside of FAI, and passive aggressively taunt her enemies, knowing full well that unless they catch her out on the road - there is nothing that they can do.

and you know what... I am sorry for doing that.

maybe it started out in an attempt to highlight how much it bothered me for certain people to just camp outside of FAI all of the time with no fear of reprisal, but what I'm doing ... it's not helping, so... for a while I think I'm going to try avoiding FAI again... and probably Baldur's Gate and the farmlands too, because while they should be 'safer' than the wilderness... they shouldn't be absolutely safe

anyway... at least the current FAI firepit is far enough away from the FAI wall for it to be dangerous, so anything could happen there.





* ( in my experience it doesn't matter who a PC is, unless a DM is feeling benevolent - a guard will kill a PC, and if it can't, many DMs will spawn stronger and stronger guards until they do beat the PC -lore be damned.

I've seen this happen to other people several times, and this happen to multiple characters of mine.

Hidden: show

When N'essa was escaping with sneak from a guard in baldur's gate that couldn't see through her hips, and snuck into the tunnels - the DM teleported an even harder guard that -could- see through her sneak, to kill her.

also I've had FAI guards accidentally kill Ril with 'friendly fire' in one round because the DM set the guards hostile to deal with some devils that were conjured by a particularly notorious group of team-evil.

[Lockonnow]

remove the fire camp Down to the wagon not where there 3 wagons

[burbles]

grymhild, what you refer to is bad RP. This is PvP consent server and there are rules in place to make up for added safety like you also need consent for talking sh-t to someone. Meaning you can pick your company for RP, and well you should.

Anyway,
since the server was being expanded North, BG could begin to become a hub it deserves to be, and I could go with the town being further merged for convenience - like they say, to have more people in one place, but since it's bad for server, then we need not merging, but gameplanning.

Also, consider that BG is the only metropolis in these parts (btw, the town of Beregost could use a look closer to it's original in BG, it looks unappealing right now).
A city setting is no less important for RP than dungeons or wilds! However it has to have this feel and for that it must have the look and substance - people, places, opportunities. If there was an area so convenient to gather people like FAI ("merged BG"), yet with more city areas attached - that'll do it.
Outside bar area in BG is way better than any campfire. Something like that was missing from BG, the central plaza is bad for "camping".

Leave FAI only rest and very basic merchant, temple - it will still be useful for gathering adventurers and meeting people, but if folk would need to go elsewhere for auction and expensive merchandise (or even selling expensive stuff), it will help to bring life into towns. As for wilderness RP, I miss those druid infrastructure and scenic wilderness from BG.
And FAI as a hub with spa, casinos and hookers? You got to be kidding me, it can't be even more disgusting than making it into Sword Coast Las Vegas.

Expanding BG region with maps linked to it and questing possibilities can't be wrong. And even if some areas are less appealing to looters and grinders, it's not a problem, unless the balance is way off. Original BG areas were atmosperic! Not all of them contained many xp or treasure, but their design contributed to the feel and that goes to RP facilitation. I am one for having those "unnecessary" areas like Sharpteeth, alternative routes etc. and if they are not loot\spawn heavy, they should not be a hindrance to server even.