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Re: Why the lull? (Poll)
Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2019 11:48 am
by Wildsheep
Azroth wrote: ↑Sun Oct 13, 2019 11:24 am
Wildsheep wrote: ↑Sun Oct 13, 2019 11:08 am
The inability to find people to RP with was often my biggest issue.
You could walk into a non-guild related tavern and sit there or be in more public spaces and try to interact with some. My only issue with this method is my characters won't go out of their way to talk with some due to IC related reasons. So you may need to find fresh faces and so on, or at least try to find other characters to interact with that have closely related IC views to be able to hold a decent conversation.
Ofc, but most of the time that wouldn't really work. With 30 ppl online and no one in the farmlands, no one in the FAI, my other alternative was to do a sending to the couple of people I still know, but most of the time they were just busy doing who knows what. It felt like most people were just out grinding.
Ofc there is more to it and I'm over-simplifying, but having a hard time to find people to rp with is one of my reasons for not logging in as often.
Another frustrating thing I kept running into was that all meta plot related events happened at early EU timezones, for those who were still at work by then it felt like there wasn't much point trying to contribute to the plot if I was going to miss the events regardless. The last big event that happened was great because it actually allowed more people to attend.
Re: Why the lull? (Poll)
Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2019 5:14 pm
by Rask
I do not log in much due to a combination. A lot of the people I played with have begun to log in less and less. Others burned out entirely, and some of it is also due to the fact I am just busier in life.
I also find quite often I log in and find nothing compelling to do. The server has formed, once again, a very strong "clique" of people who have far more time to log in every day than I can possibly have between work/social life balance. Though I am not crying favouritism here, I understand that obviously people who log in a lot are naturally going to be involved in the most plots, it only makes sense.
But it does feel challenging sometimes to "Break in" to these cliques or groups. It isn't that they are unwelcoming or mean players, but they tend to do everything off in their special spots, or club house areas away from the general population of new or older returning players. It is often that I see something happening between players or some plot begin, only to have those players teleport off somewhere where no passerby can possibly get involved or socialize. It is a subtle form of "gate-keeping" that I do not think is intentional, but it doesn't drive inclusiveness. I tried to introduce my IRL girlfriend who used to RP on NWN1 back in the day, to this server. As a completely new player she felt like none of the more established players wanted anything to do with her, even when she approached a camp fire or tried to have conversation she said they often walked off to somewhere else or teleported out to avoid the rest of the population being involved in any RP they were doing. She got to about level 10 before giving up and going to play ESO instead. I know this is the reason a number of my fairly often companions in game have left as well. They feel like they are being intentionally left out of things, not by the DM's, but by the players themselves, though I must stress I don't think that this behavior is intentional to drive other players away.
This could be solved by potentially removing the teleport spell, or, barring that, giving more reasons for players to socialize with newer or returning former players. Whether this is by developing better social "hub" areas, or by perhaps putting incentives out there for mentorship of some sort. I am sure ideas could be brainstormed better than anything I can say here.
I think the other reason, and one I've mentioned before, is that all the DM's now seem centered around either Euro time zones or eastern time zones as opposed to the PST time zone they used to be in (which is back when I used to get a lot more plot direction.). I find when I can log in, there are no DM's and no events. I get to hear about all the cool events, but they all happen at like 6-7am my time, when I am obviously not going to be logging in as I work during those hours often.
DM coverage definitely seems to have been skewed to one specific time zone which leaves a lot of other people in the dust. Eventually the lack of ability to be involved in anything useful creates a slow burn out. But I don't directly blame anyone or anything. I have been here on and off for over 10 years now. I am older and have more going on, I don't really have the time to always be keeping up with this stuff anymore either. I am glad the place is still around though.
Also, on an more personal level I wish we had 100% RCR every 6 months or so. There are so many updates and new spells and things it is super hard to keep up, and as someone who has done my fair share of grinding it doesn't really heavily appeal to me so much anymore to reset my level 30's to level 20 just to re-select some spells or change some feats due to updates.
Re: Why the lull? (Poll)
Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2019 9:08 pm
by SoThereIWas
In my case it was a lot of drama issues from others. And I had to retaliate one way or another from how things where going. And flaws within the server system that basically left my own character in a death trap in the end.
So I went the other way. It's not fun when you deal with it for months on end at risk of your own health. Heart attack prone in December and ended up with short term PTSD after from the nonstop nonsense.
Re: Why the lull? (Poll)
Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2019 11:16 pm
by edmaster
On the rare occasions that i *Do* actually make the effort to log in, it is simply a matter of *not* seeing any one in the Hubs, folks are either Grinding or Rping in their Halls, or hidden in the scry. Baldur's gate, the name sake of the Server is Empty, FAI i usually see one or two folks there, but it's rather rare.
Re: Why the lull? (Poll)
Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2019 4:01 am
by V'rass
Finding rp is never a problem over where i am, its almost impossible not to find rp infact. With about 100-150 people on at any given time most days there is almost always something going on and you rarely have to look far to find it. Problem is you are liable to stumble into rp you are not ready for... like running into an underdark raiding party of lv 30s when you are still lv 5 lol.
Re: Why the lull? (Poll)
Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2019 4:25 am
by Balthomer
I for one, hate the way massive dm events work, can barely keep up with the chat, but then I always miss them anyways due to work schedule, working on plots for months then missing event climax due to scheduling issues, it is what it is.
Also how writing a story with someone can be hard if both want different endings for it. Its just nice when it works but when it doesnt it keeps people from logging in.
Re: Why the lull? (Poll)
Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2019 7:00 am
by Hoihe
Rask wrote: ↑Sun Oct 13, 2019 5:14 pm
I do not log in much due to a combination. A lot of the people I played with have begun to log in less and less. Others burned out entirely, and some of it is also due to the fact I am just busier in life.
I also find quite often I log in and find nothing compelling to do. The server has formed, once again, a very strong "clique" of people who have far more time to log in every day than I can possibly have between work/social life balance. Though I am not crying favouritism here, I understand that obviously people who log in a lot are naturally going to be involved in the most plots, it only makes sense.
But it does feel challenging sometimes to "Break in" to these cliques or groups. It isn't that they are unwelcoming or mean players, but they tend to do everything off in their special spots, or club house areas away from the general population of new or older returning players. It is often that I see something happening between players or some plot begin, only to have those players teleport off somewhere where no passerby can possibly get involved or socialize. It is a subtle form of "gate-keeping" that I do not think is intentional, but it doesn't drive inclusiveness. I tried to introduce my IRL girlfriend who used to RP on NWN1 back in the day, to this server. As a completely new player she felt like none of the more established players wanted anything to do with her, even when she approached a camp fire or tried to have conversation she said they often walked off to somewhere else or teleported out to avoid the rest of the population being involved in any RP they were doing. She got to about level 10 before giving up and going to play ESO instead. I know this is the reason a number of my fairly often companions in game have left as well. They feel like they are being intentionally left out of things, not by the DM's, but by the players themselves, though I must stress I don't think that this behavior is intentional to drive other players away.
This could be solved by potentially removing the teleport spell, or, barring that, giving more reasons for players to socialize with newer or returning former players. Whether this is by developing better social "hub" areas, or by perhaps putting incentives out there for mentorship of some sort. I am sure ideas could be brainstormed better than anything I can say here.
I think the other reason, and one I've mentioned before, is that all the DM's now seem centered around either Euro time zones or eastern time zones as opposed to the PST time zone they used to be in (which is back when I used to get a lot more plot direction.). I find when I can log in, there are no DM's and no events. I get to hear about all the cool events, but they all happen at like 6-7am my time, when I am obviously not going to be logging in as I work during those hours often.
DM coverage definitely seems to have been skewed to one specific time zone which leaves a lot of other people in the dust. Eventually the lack of ability to be involved in anything useful creates a slow burn out. But I don't directly blame anyone or anything. I have been here on and off for over 10 years now. I am older and have more going on, I don't really have the time to always be keeping up with this stuff anymore either. I am glad the place is still around though.
Also, on an more personal level I wish we had 100% RCR every 6 months or so. There are so many updates and new spells and things it is super hard to keep up, and as someone who has done my fair share of grinding it doesn't really heavily appeal to me so much anymore to reset my level 30's to level 20 just to re-select some spells or change some feats due to updates.
Something to mechanically encourage cross-level play would be awesome.
I sometimes find a new player, or even a group of new players and try interacting. Rather than getting RP however, they run off to murder Xvarts all day.
Another time I did manage to wind up getting some adventure, but it wound up either me overwhelming the NPCs or my party being unable to survive - and I specifically play a character that works well with squishier PCs (tank that can buff, low damage).
It'd be great if there was a way to reward sparring/lectures/debates for warrior/spellcaster type mentorships. I love RP that involves either teaching or being taught sword stuff. As a low level I once found a PC who had exactly the abilities my character was seeking to learn. She learnt more XP-wise delivering a bunch of furs than in three sessions including lectures and sparring and observation. I didn't mind. But there are some players who want to have good XP rates and they will refuse such RP.
Re: Why the lull? (Poll)
Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2019 9:11 am
by Steve
It'd be great if there was a way to reward sparring/lectures/debates for warrior/spellcaster type mentorships.
One way, at least, is to IC gift Items. Nothing says I love you like a +4 Vorpal Longsword of Orc Death.
Re: Why the lull? (Poll)
Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2019 10:14 am
by DaloLorn
Steve wrote: ↑Mon Oct 14, 2019 9:11 am
It'd be great if there was a way to reward sparring/lectures/debates for warrior/spellcaster type mentorships.
One way, at least, is to IC gift Items. Nothing says I love you like a +4 Vorpal Longsword of Orc Death.
Heh, Shali still remembers (and uses) the Cloak of the Shapechanger Pearl gave her...
Still, it rarely measures up to a good hunk of XP.
Re: Why the lull? (Poll)
Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2019 10:34 am
by Snarfy
edmaster wrote: ↑Sun Oct 13, 2019 11:16 pmBaldur's gate, the name sake of the Server is Empty...
This has often been the case over the years, and it is irksome. Players have tried, and tried, and tried again to make it an RP hub, and sometimes it perks up a little, but eventually it resorts to being a ghost-town full of wandering NPC's. Lately there's one or two locations within that consistently have RP going on within, but one is a guild hangout, and the other is a ship-tavern(and probably full of TIEFLINGS!!
... just kidding!), so... for those that don't have an RP reason to go to those, it tends to be SOL time for them. The market in East Gate will usually have players visiting, but it's usually just them perusing the vendors.
Sometimes I like to just take my main for a stroll around the various districts, revisiting all the little hidden away dead end streets and clothes-line filled alcoves, then squeezing through the small spaces between houses while I stroll down memory lanes... but yes, those streets are always empty.
So... very empty
(
)
Re: Why the lull? (Poll)
Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2019 11:08 am
by K'yon Oblodra
Snarfy wrote: ↑Mon Oct 14, 2019 10:34 am
edmaster wrote: ↑Sun Oct 13, 2019 11:16 pmBaldur's gate, the name sake of the Server is Empty...
This has often been the case over the years, and it is irksome. Players have tried, and tried, and tried again to make it an RP hub, and sometimes it perks up a little, but eventually it resorts to being a ghost-town full of wandering NPC's. Lately there's one or two locations within that consistently have RP going on within, but one is a guild hangout, and the other is a ship-tavern(and probably full of TIEFLINGS!!
... just kidding!), so... for those that don't have an RP reason to go to those, it tends to be SOL time for them. The market in East Gate will usually have players visiting, but it's usually just them perusing the vendors.
Sometimes I like to just take my main for a stroll around the various districts, revisiting all the little hidden away dead end streets and clothes-line filled alcoves, then squeezing through the small spaces between houses while I stroll down memory lanes... but yes, those streets are always empty.
So... very empty
(
)
Would a ton of transitions via different transports help with that? With the idea of making a vast array of areas available from that hub exclusively. Kinda like a capital having a large airport with all kinds of destinations?
Re: Why the lull? (Poll)
Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2019 11:25 am
by Maecius
A hub and spoke design for the city would definitely increase RP opportunities. All those little side streets and alleys that Snarfy references are exactly why the city is poorly designed for RP -- it's very easy to "miss" other players, as there are no highways. There are too many exits and entrances.
There aren't very many chokepoints where you're forced to bump into other players, outside of the front gate and the Eastern farmlands (which has been a hub for RP for this reason).
The map we have now was Tfunke's effort to recreate the city as imagined by Black Isle in the BG video game.
If we remapped it for a PW it would not be an accurate representation of that game, but it probably would be provide more RP for people wanting urban RP (which isn't everybody).
That, of course, would be a huge project for any builder who picked it up, though.
We're talking hundreds of hours, probably.
Re: Why the lull? (Poll)
Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2019 11:47 am
by K'yon Oblodra
Just thought of transports from the main exit XD
Re: Why the lull? (Poll)
Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2019 12:31 pm
by Steve
This comment may not go down well, but I can say one reason Baldur's Gate isn't an RP hub or just a focus for Players is because it comes across as a locked down Duketator State with a militia that can rofflestomp you at any moment.
EVEN THOUGH THAT IS NOT TRUE!
But it is a perception, for sure. Honestly, BG isn't even very fun. It carries massive potential, but is not utilized because, seriously, what ever happens in the Gate, that would solicited Players to be there more than anywhere else?!?
We've proven this point time and time again: if nothing NPC-side is going on in BG, players congregate in the most convenient places, or, in private zones so that their RP can remain a very private affair.
I've suggested this to the admins already, but I think the Server could use some serious consolidation.
Re: Why the lull? (Poll)
Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2019 1:16 pm
by Never Twice
Steve wrote: ↑Mon Oct 14, 2019 9:11 am
It'd be great if there was a way to reward sparring/lectures/debates for warrior/spellcaster type mentorships.
One way, at least, is to IC gift Items. Nothing says I love you like a +4 Vorpal Longsword of Orc Death.
Enielli gifts items to people all the time. She usually asks that the person "pays it forward" when they are able to.