[suggestion] Bringing the Underdark back to life

[Nayriak]

I agree that the UD lacks the variety of the surface both in areas and in players. Yes, drow RP can be fun but its definately not for everyone. To satisfy two birds with one stone, why not create a second UD starting point of a more diverse nature, like a smaller trade outpost something along the lines of Mantol Derith.
I know its not canon and would have to be homebrewed but it would give those not interested in drow RP a place to start while giving the drow a place to raid.

I can see a few headaches but it may just breath a little life into the UD

[metaquad4]

Or one could steal a city from cannon! Like Gracklstugh, one of the Duergar cities. Or Blingdenstone, one of the svirfneblin cities (not sure if that one is destroyed right now).

[Planehopper]

I am not sure that splintering an already paltry player base would lead to an increase of RP activity.

There are a lot of 'perfect world' solutions offered here but not a lot of really practical ones, given the reality of a small player base, split by timezones, suffering from a long-term dearth of activity.

We are only now ramping up to a second starting option on the surface, from what I understand (Soubar). That being the case, it seems premature to suggest the same for areas that are used much, much less.

[Nayriak]

I am not sure that splintering an already paltry player base would lead to an increase of RP activity.

There are a lot of 'perfect world' solutions offered here but not a lot of really practical ones, given the reality of a small player base, split by timezones, suffering from a long-term dearth of activity.

We are only now ramping up to a second starting option on the surface, from what I understand (Soubar). That being the case, it seems premature to suggest the same for areas that are used much, much less.

Isn't Roaringshore and Orc Holme alternative starting places as well?

[Planehopper]

For lvl 1 characters?

I am returning after having been gone since 2014 and they weren't then. I haven't started a new Orc.

I could be wrong. It doesn't change the fact that splitting up 8 players into 2 starting spots is illogical.

[NegInfinity]

Isn't Roaringshore and Orc Holme alternative starting places as well?

Soubar, not Roaringshore. It is now suitable as level 1 starting spot (and no longer has this annoying bridge bandit that required DC55 intimidate check to pass him without paying or fighting).

Don't know about Orc Holme.

[ZabelSword]

My $0.02

This topic has been brought up many times before, new areas help but keep in mind the UD thrived when it was far less than what it is today. Reinvigorating the underdark requires a snowball effect that starts with a few dedicated, active players who are willing to take up leadership of abandoned guilds/houses or start new ones. It takes a special type of person, with a good amount of time on their hands to be a leader. Leaders need to setup a chain of command and the guild/house needs to actively recruit and help newer players. Next in the underdark there is almost always some conflict that emerges between guilds/houses, this is good, although it can at times turn ugly. Finally, after all of this they need some love from the DM's or at the very least not feel like they are being ignored or treated unfairly.

I also don't see unplanned PvP raids happening anytime soon, that can turn into a time consuming nightmare for DM's.

[NeOmega]

Here is another thing, if possible. Make nightvision white light, so everything is in color. The blue light effect is cool and realistic for about 5 minutes, then it makes everything washed out and dull.

I've noticed before with chars with a white light, that it looks way better than the washed out night vision effect.

[Tsidkenu]

Darkvision

Darkvision is the extraordinary ability to see with no light source at all, out to a range specified for the creature. Darkvision is black and white only (colors cannot be discerned). It does not allow characters to see anything that they could not see otherwise—invisible objects are still invisible, and illusions are still visible as what they seem to be. Likewise, darkvision subjects a creature to gaze attacks normally. The presence of light does not spoil darkvision.

[NegInfinity]

Here is another thing, if possible. Make nightvision white light, so everything is in color. The blue light effect is cool and realistic for about 5 minutes, then it makes everything washed out and dull.

I've noticed before with chars with a white light, that it looks way better than the washed out night vision effect.

I wouldn't want that, honestly. White light generated by some of characters can be blinding in some circumstances. That does not happen with darkvision.

Also (if I understood you correctly), if you want to spawn a light source just for you instead of darkvision, then something like that might require engine rewrite or a very complex hacking.

[NeOmega]

Darkvision

Darkvision is the extraordinary ability to see with no light source at all, out to a range specified for the creature. Darkvision is black and white only (colors cannot be discerned). It does not allow characters to see anything that they could not see otherwise—invisible objects are still invisible, and illusions are still visible as what they seem to be. Likewise, darkvision subjects a creature to gaze attacks normally. The presence of light does not spoil darkvision.

that's interesting and all, but it doesn't help the fact it takes the details and color out of the underdark, and makes it a dreary place for us human players.

Also (if I understood you correctly), if you want to spawn a light source just for you instead of darkvision, then something like that might require engine rewrite or a very complex hacking.

You don't understand me. I am saying make nightvision make everything in color. You will not be lit up white, but your vision will be full spectrum white, as opposed to the washed out bluescale it is now.

It might require complex hack, it might not.

[NegInfinity]

You don't understand me. I am saying make nightvision make everything in color. You will not be lit up white, but your vision will be full spectrum white, as opposed to the washed out bluescale it is now.

You need to pinpoint shader used for nightvision and modify it. Even better if it comes with DX9 asm source.

That one should be doable and might work as override.

I wouldn't want that enabled on my client, but if someone wants that as override, why not. As long as DMs approve it, and it is not installed by default.

Also, IIRC UD had couple of places where you couldn't see a thing even with Darkvision on.

[joleda]

You don't understand me. I am saying make nightvision make everything in color. You will not be lit up white, but your vision will be full spectrum white, as opposed to the washed out bluescale it is now.

I would like to experiment with that. This game gives me eye fatigue and Nightvision gets old sometimes. I'm not sure if the two are connected.

[NegInfinity]

I would like to experiment with that. This game gives me eye fatigue and Nightvision gets old sometimes. I'm not sure if the two are connected.

One way to get eye fatique is to have high contrast with low brightness (I fondly remember sitting in front of a display where eyes could almost start bleeding after just 5 minutes - until I changed brightness settings).

To fix the blindsight, you need to locate shader file for the effect, for a start. Or vfx definition.

[ctothep]

I didnt really intend to post in this thread because personally i never really had the impression that the UD here on bgtscc is dead or something. Sure it is not as populated as the surface is and can feel rather empty at times but that doesnt mean that there is no rp to be had, quite the opposite in fact! Until recently all of my playtime since i started in late 2014 has been in the UD and i never found it hard to get meaningful rp. It just not as easy as it is on the surface where you enter FAI and 95% of the time a bunch of people are already rping there and you just have to walk over and get to know them. It does happen in S'shamath sometimes but its very very rare.

Anyway, id like to mention a few things that always worked for me and kept me pretty busy in the Underdark for the last 1,5 years. For example my drow has several plotlines going on right now which are all player based, no DMs involved. The drow i played before him also had several plotlines, although she had quite a bit of DM support. Which is also something i'd like to quickly mention! From my experience the DMs are very supportive when it comes to the UD as long as whatever you want to do generates rp for others! Anyways ...

1. Think about a longterm goal for your character. It doesnt matter what it is, as long as it makes sense for the character. Even if you do already know he will never ever succeed in his plans (like ruling S'shamath for example) it is still a valid goal. The journey is the reward!

2. Think about which PCs in the UD can help you progress your characters plotline and get them involved! This generates rp for you aswell as the other players!

3. "Hey there, i would like to get together with your Drow, are you up for some rp?", approach them! If you run around in the caverns or just simply sit around in S'shamath hoping to run into rp ... it simply doesnt work. Sure it happens from to time but its very rare. It is even more rare that you run into someone who would fit to progress your plotline. I admit this is rather difficult for new players though as they do not know the UD playerbase and the characters down there. However i can tell from my own experience that the UD playerbase is very very welcoming and most of them do help to get people started down there! ... and i dont mean giving gear or gold.

4. Join a guild! It is true there are not many active guilds in the UD at the moment but there are still a few that you can get involved in. Bregan D'aerthe probably being the one with most active members although that isnt really saying a lot. Most of the factions have like 2-3 active players but still, you can do alot with just three players!

5. Do not simply join a guild and expect them to provide rp for you! Ive seen this so many times. Invest yourself! What you put into is usually what you get out of, not just in the game but also in RL! It might work on the surface because guilds up there just have much more members so you will most likely have a few among them that are heavily invested and fuel the guild with rp but you simply do not have that luxury in the UD. Again, it really helps if your character has a goal that you work towards and that can help you to create rp for yourself and others. You play in the UD! Abuse your mates for your own benefits! They will love it!

//

A few thoughts that i would also like to share when it comes to DM support ...

The Metaplot. I mean it's great that you guys try to get this going for the past 1,5 years or something, ever since i started playing anyway. However so far it never really took off for various reasons im pretty sure i as a player do not even know half of them. I dont want to sound like a jerk saying this but it simply doesnt work. I honestly doubt that there is anyone on this server who had more UD playtime than me ever since i started and from what i can tell there is simply not a large enough ACTIVE playerbase to support such a plotline. I mean if you compare it to the surface with like 100+ active players and the UD with like ~10, its obvious that its not going to work out like that.

In my humble opinion DM ressources should be put into trying to build a proper community first and then think about running a sizeable campaign. So how could this be done? To be honest i dont have an answer... however some thoughts of mine:

1. A while ago there was this beautiful new tavern added in the Darkwoods with a fighting pit area. I am really sad that to this day this fighting pit has not been used for public events.

Lets say once per month there are slave fights in these pits where everyone is welcome to attend and watch or even bet gold on the winners or even better, put in their own slaves! If that would be done i think it would help the UD a lot. Why? Well because it brings the playerbase together and helps new PCs to get connected. I'd imagine there are not many UD characters that would lack reason going there and watch a few slaves kill each other! It is also very UDish type of thing in general.

2. Run more low lvl events. Im not talking about stuff like -> "Rumors spread that a merchant within the bazaar of dark weavings is looking to hire a bunch of people to do whatever and so on and so on ((lvl 3-6 only meet at sshamath bazaar))!"

I mean it would definetly help if there was more of that sure, but i am talking about the type of events Bloodlust did a while ago. Event based around completely new UD characters that get introduced to the UD within these events. Even if just one of those stay and play in the UD actively it was worth it.

//

Ugh... wall of text i guess? If you read all of it kudos to you lol

Anyway, just my thoughts ...

P.S. Come play in the UD! Its great!