Please Let me introduce myself & questions

Hi everyone;
My brother and I have been looking for a new on-line PW to play in; I searched -- half-heartedly, I was soured by a couple experiences in another PW -- and then finally the other day he searched around for a while and found Layonara. He was excited and got me and told me about this PW and site and to check it out. I have browsed, and I like what I see; Motivated Players and Moderators, all determined to better the gaming experience and a huge PW. I must like the place I spent a couple hours downloading all the files needed to play, including all the guides . . .  

Well, Let me introduce myself, I am Thom AKA Thunderstorm, AKA Bear . . . I am a 54 year old Disabled Veteran (Viet Nam Era), who has been enjoying playing and GMing PnP RP games way since D&D came in the little white booklets. I do some minor fanzine type writing, and read, work on my 'puter, enjoy playing EQ with my daughter in New York (and her Husband)(I'm in Kansas City , Missouri, USA. My favorite genre is Sci-Fi, and I play quite a lot of Cyberpunk, BattleTech (Classic) (and the RPing version called MechWarrior -- not to be confused with the "new" Mechwarrior), Morrow Project, Top Secret, Shadowrun, Twilight 2000 (been in a PBeM game now for about 6 years -- the same one) and of course, D&D . . . I enjoy character creation almost as much as actually playing the character, and enjoy watching the PC grow and develop as he/she goes along. I am a RPer more then a hack 'n slasher, but action of any sort I enjoy.

I have been playing NwN on-line now for about a year, and had just started learning about DMing a on-line RT game. I've also just started getting into building mods/erfs/haks/etc. (so much for "teaching old dogs new tricks" ), but as for scripting, well I learned about 25-30 years back how to program a Commodore 64/128 and haven't gotten caught up with all this new stuff yet . Do some html stuff, web pages and the like with my brother . . .

I am in the process of creating my first character for Layonara, and reading all the history and background that I need to flesh out my character and make it "real" within the game framework. I tend sometimes to get carried away in the character creation process. Once did a 14 page (12 point) character for a game that included pictures of the PC's family, estates, and so on (it was not a D&D world one that focused on court intrigue in a 15th century French setting).

Well that's enough about me for a while . . . so . . . on to my question/s . . .

1.)  As basically the PC that I am creating is a 1/2 Elf, Human/Wild Elf, I was wondering which language Layonara uses for the Elvish tongue. I noticed that there were 9 sites posted. Does the game use the DMFI language widgets for those characters that speak the various tongues? Or is some other system used?

2.)  Is the basic system for creating a PC in Layonara (the actual character) use the PRC Character Creator, or some other character creator or the basic NwN system?

3.) The screens and other pictures in the "Deeds Overview" rar, are they placed somewhere within the NwN directory? This question also pertains to the "LayoHeads" rar file also . . . (okay, so I am an "old dog" and some "tricks" do elude me  ).

hmmm, that's all I can think of for the moment . . . but I'm sure I will have more later on . . .

Thom Dean

"Can you run faster than 1,100 feet per second? In case you didn't know,
that is the average speed of the 9mm+P Hollow Point bullets fired from my Beretta 92 SF."
 
"Age & Treachery WILL DEFEAT Youth & Skill, EVERYTIME!"
 
"MADNESS, takes its toll . . . Please Have Exact Change."

[Dorganath]

First, welcome.  I hope you enjoy your stay here.
  To answer your questions:
  1) We use a "language ear" system which is essentially a widget in one's inventory that allows a character to speak in and understand another language.  At last count, we have 18 languages besides Common.  For a half-elf character, you do not automatically get the elvish ear, but if your bio indicates that you were raised in an elven environment, then the ear may be granted.  Otherwise, through RP and time, you can be allowed to "learn" another language and thereby gain the corresponding language ear.
  2) I'm not sure I follow this question. Before you can create a character here on Layonara, you must submit a biography to be approved.  Everything you would need to know about the biography can be found in this subforum:
  http://www.layonaraonline.com/forums/forums/forum-view.asp?fid=47
  Also, you might want to download and refer to the Layonara Player's Handbook, which you can find on this page:
  http://www.layonaraonline.com/downloads.asp
  As for the actual character, you create that using the standard NWN method.  Since this is a server vault system, you'll create your actual character the first time you log onto Layonara.
  3) The Deeds Overview is a supplimental program and is optional.  Essentially, it allows people to review what the furniture deeds in our housing system will produce when placed. It's not needed to play in any way.
  Hope that answers your questions.  Again, welcome.

[Bryantiza]

*blinks blankly*........err...............WELCOME!...............*fades off into the darkness*

[Filatus]

Welcome aboard!

Question 2 regards the available PRC classes in Layo.

Layo has the standard prc's. Although champion of torm, the blackguard (is still possible as normal blackguard as well I believe) and harper scout have been adapted to Layo.

Next to this Layo also futures a couple custommade Prc's. The battlerager, spellsword, duelist, sacred fist, undead slayer, skald and the bear warrior.

[Marswipp]

I wish to say "Hello" too!

[Acacea]

What "Dorgie" said. (Hehe.) Just the standard "New Character" click upon login for character creation.

The Layo-heads bit is not needed to see the heads of the people using them, but if you want to be able to select them yourself when creating your character, you download that pack and put it into your "Override" folder. And the deeds bit is just a handy little tool to see what you can put in your house- the whole thing can just be extracted wherever upon executing the program. They're both optional.

All that said, it's nice that you're coming in reading everything to fit your character in and put thought into it. Uh...welcome. (Does anyone else feel lame saying that? Tell me I'm not the only one. I feel like I'm handing out a brochure. *Game show host voice.* Welcome tooo Layonara Online! I'll be your obnoxious halfling for the day! *Spiel.* *Wink and the gun.*)

Ahem. Sarah AKA Acacea AKA ... etc.  

[ThrainSil]

I have still have my little books in the battered white box.  *thinks back fondley*

welcome its a great world

[Leanthar]

Hello, and welcome.  I hope you have fun here!

[IceDragonDuvessa]

Welcome to Layo. Looking forward to reading your character submission. It's always nice to see someone so eager to immerse themselves in the world, I hope you enjoy it as much as I have here.

[freemen2]

Aloha

All addictive gaming signs and symptoms are in no way the responsibility of Layo, it's creator, his drows nor any of the other addicts :p

[KageKeeper]

Boy. What more can I possibly say that has not already been stated.

Welcome (and yes Acacea, others feel lame saying that... ). I am sure you will like your stay here. It truly is the best world around.

[aragwen]

Welcome and hope you enjoy as much as I have.
  One quick tip.....get losts of sleep before you create your character and stock up on coffee or anything that can keep you awake for hours.
  You will need it....trust me on this.

[cappyra]

*smiles as he looks at some of the old school RP games.  

I remember not likeing the MechWarrior RP so we used GURPS.  It was great.  We would play BattleTech while in the Mechs and then switch to GURPS for out of Mech Mayhem.  A lot of roleplaying.  Tons of fun.

Welcome to Layonara.  You are in for a treat.  This is the closest you will come to old school PnP in an Online World.

The GM team here is phenomenal.  You will find people in Character 99.9% of the time.

Be sure to drop by the Leilon Arms on Friday starting at 6:00pm.   The Leilon Arms is a player run Inn and Tavern.

Here is the Leilon Arms Forum:

http://www.layonaraonline.com/forums/forums/forum-view.asp?fid=132

See you IG!

[freemen2]

Well if that isn't a shameless plugg I donna be nowen wat is :p

[cappyra]

Har! Just wanted him to see what is possible IG and meet some people.


This statement was brought to you by the Leilon Arms Inn and Taven located in Scenic Leilon.  Try our signature drink "Firewood Lager"

http://www.layonaraonline.com/forums/forums/forum-view.asp?fid=132

[miltonyorkcastle]

A hardy welcome from all the bloody mercenaries here.  

*grins*  perhaps ye'd like te play a game of cards?

*sound of laughter* Thank you all for the great response and all the welcomes!

I, err, figured out some of my questions on where to place the heads and everything after I went back to the downloads and re-re-read everything. Sigh . . . kinda dense sometimes -- "old dog syndrome"

PRC Character Creator is a program that creates a PC like the NwN sub-program does, but outside of the NwN main program, it deals with all the PRC hak, etc . . .

Oh, and if anybody's wondering the pic I'm using is that of a H&K Mk 23 .45 cal. automatic pistol.

I'm interested in what form of the Elvish Language is used because I want to use some of it within the context of my PC's creation/profile, and I was hoping that the language widget you use here for Elvish is one based off any particular form of which is listed in the url's provided under the forum . . .

. . . and as for having plenty of sleep and coffee, well I grind up my own beans (well not my own own, I buy them) and make up a big 12 cup pot just for me (w/Hazelnut creamer and sugar -- of course); the sleep, well I sleep when I can, and when I'm playing or "working", that means whenever I'm not playing, working or my grandniece isn't visiting (she's 8 years old going on 20 and keeps my bro and me hopping on the weekends she's here -- but we both love her and love it when she's here -- and spoil her shamelessly).

Oh! and I was wondering, just how active are the gods of Layonara within the game environment. The one other on-line game I was in had it set up that DMs took on a god's personna abd used it as thier DM personality. They also had it set up that when you prayed to your god at an altar that god could grant you temp bonuses.

[Dorganath]

Thunderstorm - 11/1/2005 12:02 PM 
  I'm interested in what form of the Elvish Language is used because I want to use some of it within the context of my PC's creation/profile, and I was hoping that the language widget you use here for Elvish is one based off any particular form of which is listed in the url's provided under the forum . . . . . .

 It's not based off of any particular "form" of the language.  It's best described as a translation cipher that converts the words you type into the Layonara equivalent of elvish; it's not a translator type system in that it doesn't do a lookup on an English word and produce an elvish word.  There's just too many words, and allowing for misspelling and such, it's not practical.  It doesn't really correspond, in grammar, spelling or any other form to any of the commonly reference forms of elvish (i.e. Tolkien elvish et. al.).
  That said, if you wish to use one of those forms in your character development, you'd not be the first one to do so. Sometimes players refer to those as "high elvish" or "old elvish" for example.  One of my characters uses one of these sources as the basis for his name. So you may use such references in your bio, but if you attempt so speak it in-game, few people, if any, will be able to understand you, elves included.
 

Oh! and I was wondering, just how active are the gods of Layonara within the game environment. The one other on-line game I was in had it set up that DMs took on a god's personna abd used it as thier DM personality. They also had it set up that when you prayed to your god at an altar that god could grant you temp bonuses.

  The gods are pretty active in that there's a war going on in the heavens, though direct divine interventions are rare. GMs may occasionally represent a god or that god's avatar, but no GM runs around as a particular god full time.  There's a complex system of relationships between the various gods, so much so that a cleric's spells may work differently based on the diety of the character receiving said spell.  Clerics are expected to uphold their dogmas, as are Paladins.  Characters have been penalized due to actions that violate dogma, etc.

[NEXUS7]

Come, come play with us in a house of wonders, here you will find all you seek and much, much more.

Spugly Fugley and others

[EdTheKet]

PRC Character Creator is a program that creates a PC like the NwN sub-program does, but outside of the NwN main program, it deals with all the PRC hak, etc . . .

 You won't be needing that, you create the character using NWN, and it is stored on our server, so not on your own computer.
   

Oh! and I was wondering, just how active are the gods of Layonara within the game environment. The one other on-line game I was in had it set up that DMs took on a god's personna abd used it as thier DM personality. They also had it set up that when you prayed to your god at an altar that god could grant you temp bonuses.

While the gods are active, they don't walk the lands, so there are no DMs that suddenly appear as a certain deity. What does however happen on DM ran quests for example, that players want to pray for guidance and then they sometimes get that guidance (although it often being very cryptic )
  If you read about the death system and the raising/resurrecting you'll see that it matters whcih deity you have and which deity the cleric raising/resurrecting you has. Also, there will be spells that will not work, for example, the Mass Heal spell will only heal those party members whose deities are not in conflict with the deity of the cleric casting it.
  Hope this helps!