The State of Leveling

[Rain]

Content doesn’t fix the server Endelyon. The ToT update was cool and alot of us came back to experiment with it. But after returning, BGTSCC is still more of the same. World still feels dead due to little to no DM involvement. Because there is no DM involvement people aren’t motivated to log in and add their own natural RP to the server. Because most people won’t admit it but everyone wants to get ‘noticed’ for their RP actions. I made this point behind smoke and mirror to some other people (you won’t like me for saying it) but BG currently has 6 very talented DM’s on staff. The server as of right now peaks at around 25-30 players (20ish when it gets late) how is it that with a team of 6 most players still complain about never seeing a DM online? In a -perfect world- if you divide that in thats:::
5 players per DM (again i’m talking in a perfect world). In that regard 6 DM’s can’t satisfy the needs of 25ish online players? I understand the job is unpaid. I get it. It’s volunteer work. But often times I look at these metrics and the small population of players online and wonder why everyday feels devoid of DM involvement.

Now for UD players - double that feeling.

Edit:: Actually… triple it.

[Endelyon]

Content doesn’t fix the server Endelyon. The ToT update was cool and alot of us came back to experiment with it. But after returning, BGTSCC is still more of the same. World still feels dead due to little to no DM involvement. Because there is no DM involvement people aren’t motivated to log in and add their own natural RP to the server.

My strategy has always been a one-two punch:

1. Attract people back with new content (crafting, for example)
2. Once they're back, keep them engaged with DM activity

Kinda feels a little bit like you didn't read my post or only focused on the very last word of it and ignored this bit entirely:

I think we can easily get back into the 70+ numbers on weekends if we focus on expanding DM activity and community and staff engagement--which is the current plan.

[Rain]

Content doesn’t fix the server Endelyon. The ToT update was cool and alot of us came back to experiment with it. But after returning, BGTSCC is still more of the same. World still feels dead due to little to no DM involvement. Because there is no DM involvement people aren’t motivated to log in and add their own natural RP to the server.

My strategy has always been a one-two punch:

1. Attract people back with new content (crafting, for example)
2. Once they're back, keep them engaged with DM activity

Kinda feels a little bit like you didn't read my post or only focused on the very last word of it and ignored this bit entirely:

I think we can easily get back into the 70+ numbers on weekends if we focus on expanding DM activity and community and staff engagement--which is the current plan.

I’ll believe it when I see it.

[Rain]

Also cool. But keep your CURRENT players engaged now. I read what you wrote but I don’t belive you understood my statement. Your CURRENT low population player base has very little DM involvement and I am to believe this will be fixed when your players base is (presumably) larger in the future? When your small player base now feels unfulfilled?

[Tekill]

My strategy has always been a one-two punch:

1. Attract people back with new content (crafting, for example)
2. Once they're back, keep them engaged with DM activity

Well you have my support. But you may want to think about a 3rd or 4th punch as well...we have already seen the mixed result of the one two.

[Blackman D]

crafting would be nice... but its been "coming soon" for well over 10 years

[Endelyon]

Also cool. But keep your CURRENT players engaged now. I read what you wrote but I don’t belive you understood my statement. Your CURRENT low population player base has very little DM involvement and I am to believe this will be fixed when your players base is (presumably) larger in the future? When your small player base now feels unfulfilled?

What you believe or don't believe isn't my expectation to manage, it's yours to manage. All I can tell you is what I stated earlier in the thread: Behind the scenes I've seen the DMs quite energized and discussing lots of ways to spread out the engagement more, including a possible reintroduction of metaplots and more public events. So I do feel personally confident that in due time we'll get to where we need to be. Whether or not anyone else is convinced is not really something I can control other than to continue to reiterate what I've already said several times in different words.

[Rain]

Also cool. But keep your CURRENT players engaged now. I read what you wrote but I don’t belive you understood my statement. Your CURRENT low population player base has very little DM involvement and I am to believe this will be fixed when your players base is (presumably) larger in the future? When your small player base now feels unfulfilled?

What you believe or don't believe isn't my expectation to manage, it's yours to manage. All I can tell you is what I stated earlier in the thread: Behind the scenes I've seen the DMs quite energized and discussing lots of ways to spread out the engagement more, including a possible reintroduction of metaplots and more public events. So I do feel personally confident that in due time we'll get to where we need to be. Whether or not anyone else is convinced is not really something I can control other than to continue to reiterate what I've already said several times in different words.

I look forward to witnessing your plans unfold then. And again apologies if I seem overtly critical. I understand some people take a lot of the harsh criticisms I post on these forums to heart when instead I am just another passionate player on this server of many. If you have a plan, and prove everything I said here wrong, then of course I will give credit where credit is due.

[Endelyon]

It's cool, I don't feel attacked. I'm glad to have your participation here.

[blazerules]

To be fair I have seen an uptick in DM activity the stuff happening out in the world. So it would be unfair to say there wont be even more DM involvement.

Granted we could use more player agency to alleviate this (faction system and crafting can help there). And yeah. UD is kind of sad.

[Aspect of Sorrow]

Content doesn’t fix the server Endelyon.

The ToT update was cool and alot of us came back to experiment with it. But after returning, BGTSCC is still more of the same. World still feels dead due to little to no DM involvement.

Content fixes the server as you pointed out in terms of activity. Content drives the numbers and involvement because content offers something, even though much of it was DM story driven the mechanics of the server during ToT made the experience quite a bit different both for the PvE enthusiasts and roleplayers alike. More content within the module allows the DMs to focus on parts that are individually and organizationally of interest rather than to try and stoke the flame of the module most of the time. The content being expanded upon will give it the more alive feel, we shouldn't need a 1:5 DM:Player ratio just to satiate that. This is the best route to also not burn out those DMs and allow them more time too for the things that give them reason to log into the DMC.

[Rain]

Content doesn’t fix the server Endelyon.

The ToT update was cool and alot of us came back to experiment with it. But after returning, BGTSCC is still more of the same. World still feels dead due to little to no DM involvement.

Content fixes the server as you pointed out in terms of activity. Content drives the numbers and involvement because content offers something, even though much of it was DM story driven the mechanics of the server during ToT made the experience quite a bit different both for the PvE enthusiasts and roleplayers alike. More content within the module allows the DMs to focus on parts that are individually and organizationally of interest rather than to try and stoke the flame of the module most of the time. The content being expanded upon will give it the more alive feel, we shouldn't need a 1:5 DM:Player ratio just to satiate that. This is the best route to also not burn out those DMs and allow them more time too for the things that give them reason to log into the DMC.

I feel confident in my point so I won’t initiate a back and forth. But I will mention that other servers had in some cases, more, content then BG did. Darkest Dreams had systems for days. A fully functional gathering and crafting system, a fully functioning faction system, a prestige system etc…

TrON started off strong with it’s empasis on player to world manipulation and allowing players to competely run and alter parts of cities through RP and court systems.

You know what killed both those servers? Lack of staff and rapid declines in DM’s pushing story archs.

[Rask]

I will never understand peoples "Must be level 30 to participate" ideal. This is not, and has never been the case. You can participate in events and RP without being level 30. You do not HAVE to grind. You can chill and take it as it goes. Ive always plated this way and never had a problem.

I disagree that leveling needs to be super easy or everyone needs to start at 30. People are just stuck on this idea that a character has to be level 30 for some reason. What ever happened to the journey?

[mrm3ntalist]

I will never understand peoples "Must be level 30 to participate" ideal. This is not, and has never been the case. You can participate in events and RP without being level 30. You do not HAVE to grind. You can chill and take it as it goes. Ive always plated this way and never had a problem.

I disagree that leveling needs to be super easy or everyone needs to start at 30. People are just stuck on this idea that a character has to be level 30 for some reason. What ever happened to the journey?

You do not have to understand it. It is what some players, like myself, like to do.

[Wyatt]

I have removed a few posts. This topic is for discussion, not personal sniping back and forth. Take that to PM's if you must, or better yet, not at all. Please keep the discussion productive and courteous.

Thank you,

Wyatt