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

I've been here on and off, and off and on since this server was called a Beta. I was here when Dragon Disciple was disabled. The history as best as I can recall: The Underdark on this server was at its best about the time another server imploded on itself. That time was roughly 2007-2011 and that burned out star was The Forgotten Realm of Elban Aator (aka TFR). TFR was very active and full before BG was completed and some of the stuff that happened on TFR caused ripple effects on BG. TFR had to make two servers to handle the traffic. TFR had a very, very healthy Underdark and it's main city was Lloth controlled. The creators of BG decided against a Lloth-controlled city for their Underdark and went with a mage-controlled city, probably to attract users to a different environment. BG 's Underdark pretty much died (around 2011-2012) after the Drow raids to the Surface were cut off. The Drow were leveling in a tower on the Surface and conflicts turned personal. I'm not pointing fingers, or calling anyone out. I thought a little reminder would help. There have been a few resurgences since then, but they always die off.

NeOmega wrote:The entire auction system needs to be changed. Underdark and surface should be separate.

What?

Yes.

Then..

..the underdark needs to be "accessible" to level 15+. As mentioned before, an in-between city, that then has the big maze beyond it to get to, so Sshamath requires level 24+ or whatever it is.

Then the quests simply need to be given flags where people who started surface can't do UD quests, and visa versa.

I really don't see what the big deal would be if surfacers went grinding in the underdark Crypts or underdarks in the xvart village. I really don't. More easy auto PvP.... cool.

The surface raids caused a lot of issues, I don't think it would be an issue now though. Most active epic level UD characters are pretty mature (at least the ones I've met). Regular raids or just trips to the surface (DM sponsored of course) sounds fun. And adventuring parties heading down to the Underdark could be fun.
They shouldn't be just about PvP though, I'd like to see RP beyond just fighting between the two.

As for that other post about fun RP bringing people down there. We already do have fun roleplay; but there's little to no conflict. I've been playing a priest of ghaunadaur (a group that has been attacking Sshamath) and there hasn't been a lot of conflict over that. The priest of ghaunadaur I made in 2011ish had to hide of cover his face because the Llolth worshiping drow house would hunt me down and try to kill me. It actually was enjoyable. I can't believe I'm saying this but please come back Llolthites

Kind of related, a question we need to ask is, why do people like the surface so much? Is it simply due to the larger player base? Is it the setting? Or do people find role playing in the UD intimidating because they don't know much about UD lore.

Something else we could do is advertise to people who stopped playing awhile ago and if reminded of how much fun NWN 1/2 RP servers are would come back.

I pretty much forgot about them until was bored one day digging through a box of games. I remember this one server is was really popular, by far my favorite. I can't remember what it was called but they had this snake race with 3 options (I remember the pureblood model was called a niss) one used a Yuan-ti half blood model and they were the slave caste, one used a Lizardfolk model and they were the solder/guard caste and the niss who were the ruling caste. Does anyone remember that server? It died over a petty dispute and one of the Devs made a brand new server and setting. It wasn't great, I think it may be one of the servers that are still alive, I could be wrong. Myths Of Atlan is it's name. I can't believe its still alive, ugh
..

Nocturnus wrote:I can't believe I'm saying this but please come back Llolthites

Nocturnus wrote:Kind of related, a question we need to ask is, why do people like the surface so much? Is it simply due to the larger player base? Is it the setting? Or do people find role playing in the UD intimidating because they don't know much about UD lore.

To me the main attraction of the Underdark and it's inhabitants is its mystery, the very fact that everything is different and largely unknown. To have a character that gets up every morning, eats a myconid omelette and goes to work at the slave markets would defeat the very thing that makes it interesting.
Because of this I am not likely to ever create a UD character[1].
I love that the underdark is available to explore, especially since it is populated (to some extent) by actual players and not generic NPCs, but I have no desire to be a part of it.

[1] Okay... it doesn't help that when I was playing PnP on a regular basis the only people that really wanted underdark characters were inveterate rules lawyers and power gamers which has left me with something of a knee-jerk reaction against them. But that's my problem not yours.

NeonAvenger wrote:

You make a good point, the same reason you don't want to play an UD character is the same reason why I like playing UD characters. I love the alien setting, the bizarre and downright creepy aberrations, The Oozes who once had intelligence that would be incomprehensible to humans, the uniqueness of drow culture. Where as the surface for me it's not alien enough for me (also I don't like campfire of 30 people). In regards to roleplay, I didn't find it too entertaining (that's just me though, not trying to insult you dirty surfacers )

I still invite everyone who hasn't tried an underdark character to give it a shot, it is one of the most unique and interesting experiences I've had in this game.

I remeber one of my old toons was captured smuggled into town and sacrificed by Llolth cultists

Darradarljod wrote:

Nocturnus wrote:I can't believe I'm saying this but please come back Llolthites

You should have seen it, there were like 3 or 4 constantly active Llolthites. While I'm not a fan of Llolth the conflict was fun, the UD needs more player conflict (not necessarily pvp). We are starting to act like surfacers

the UD definitely thrives on conflict, and as pointed out when the main source of conflict that everyone loved was cut off you saw a sharp drop in population that just really never got back up to the high (for the UD) numbers that it had

not all the conflict was surface raiding but when all the raiders left then all the people who were doing UD to UD conflict lost people to rp with and yea downward spiral

some of the more carebearish campfire troopers came down to the UD after that (i guess because they thought it was safe? ) and we kinda ran em out some of em couldnt quite understand that everyone isnt buddy buddy in the UD and as soon as you get on the bad side of the wrong person you are done, was fun for me tho

DM events help but honestly when i tried to get people for two open invitation UD events our guild was doing like no one wanted to come

the campaigns will hopefully help more but either way you look at it the UD simply requires a certain mentality that not everyone has, not everyone is evil till proven otherwise

joleda wrote:I've been here on and off, and off and on since this server was called a Beta. I was here when Dragon Disciple was disabled. The history as best as I can recall: The Underdark on this server was at its best about the time another server imploded on itself. That time was roughly 2007-2011 and that burned out star was The Forgotten Realm of Elban Aator (aka TFR). TFR was very active and full before BG was completed and some of the stuff that happened on TFR caused ripple effects on BG. TFR had to make two servers to handle the traffic. TFR had a very, very healthy Underdark and it's main city was Lloth controlled. The creators of BG decided against a Lloth-controlled city for their Underdark and went with a mage-controlled city, probably to attract users to a different environment. BG 's Underdark pretty much died (around 2011-2012) after the Drow raids to the Surface were cut off. The Drow were leveling in a tower on the Surface and conflicts turned personal. I'm not pointing fingers, or calling anyone out. I thought a little reminder would help. There have been a few resurgences since then, but they always die off.

I'd say that's pretty accurate.

I don't think it was entirely personal issues, but they played a part most definitely. Izz'agoral (or however he spelled it.. always Izzy to me) was a really good dude though. He was one of the more prolific raiders and was always awesome to work with OOC. Joleda, Blackman, Molag Bal and a handful of others were good dudes too.

So it wasn't impossible. Just very rare for it to go off without a hitch. For all the guys that understood playing a villain, there have always been a dozen that aren't so community minded.

Since that time there have been DMs that dedicated themselves wholly to the task, it just hasnt ever really worked out the way they'd hoped.

I played in the UD for a while too, during one of the renaissance times, and had fun. It is one of the reasons I think it should be cut loose. SO much work has gone into the areas and they are done so well, and just arent used like they could be.

I realize it probably won't happen, and I wish you all the best, I just see it as the most practical.

izzy was awesome i miss that little drow

...nm...

Come and play UD bro I dare you

Surface raids instead of "DM: You dont belong here" and more epic areas might help.

I currently feel that the staff only cares for surface (example: fishing for ud ~2 years later).

Nachti wrote:Surface raids instead of "DM: You dont belong here" and more epic areas might help.

I currently feel that the staff only cares for surface (example: fishing for ud ~2 years later).

To be fair, both survace and UD didn't recieve any updates past 2 years....

I was around when the Underdark was first unveiled. It was a lot of fun because there was an end-game, make S'shamath powerful and make the surfacers cower in fear.

That... really doesn't seem to be a realistic goal any more.

I ended up RCR'ing my level 20 Drow and made a Half-Drow instead just so they have the possibility of existing on the surface at some point, without automatically breaking lore or getting PK'ed.

Also, looking at the same grey/brown tunnels all day gets boring. After a while I feel claustrophobic and I need simulated daylight and greenery again. Maybe if there were a few areas that had access to fresh air this would be different (canyons with both surface and underdark access). Maybe they've already been added since I last played high level, but my low-level hasn't found them yet.

any drow on the surface should expect auto-PK, and visa versa. drow on surface, or human in UD, should be an exercise in staying hidden.

NeOmega wrote:should be an exercise in staying hidden.

On this server????

Had to laugh the other day in Durlags when my Ranger with hide/move silently of 76/80 got spotted by 3 out of 6 in an adventuring party that was there... "you there, reveal yourself!!!"

Too easy to see someone in stealth for 'staying hidden' to be any kind of goal... The only 'spotter' that doesn't spot is one that literally makes an effort to put no points in spot/listen.