Searching for a persistent world...

[Chibi]

Alright, so here's the story so far...

My time on NWN over the last month has been spent looking around NWN servers for something that has these qualities:

1) Good role play.
2) The ability to gain levels at a rate of more than 1 level per month.
3) Freedom to create characters I'll find enjoyable.
4) A good world with -hopefully- a good background (FR worlds get a little boring, I like places like Layonara, where you've created it all yourselves)

So I've been searching for a server and I've been looking all round for a good one. I find Layonara right next to Lanthar's Lair on the gamespy list. I was looking at Lanthar's lair and I decided no. No this persistent world has a really bad background story, so I hopped along to Layonara instead. After reading some of the lore I decide I'll make a character and since I like playing Drow, have RPed Drow many times before, I create a drow as my first character (yes, I know, it's a bit typical of a new character to create a Drow but like I said, Drow are something I'm good at RPing).

So I get on the server and am reading the board then I get a /tell from a DM that I should read the rules on evil characters. So I say ok, log off and read them.

"No character can start out evil, but through a long term duration of RP can be shifted towards LE or NE (NE will be rare) but never CE, CE is reserved for NPC’s only."

Now tell me how, how on almighty God's blessed earth are you meant to create a Drow that starts without being evil? Anyone who knows anything about Drow will know that Drow are evil from the moment they're born. Evil to the point that they'll kill their siblings while still in the womb. Now sure if I wanted to make a follower of At'azza, I'd have a character that was chaotic good. But I hate good Drow. I think good Drow are the most pathetically boring things to RP that ever existed.

The fact is that I like playing evil characters and am good at playing evil characters and I even had an idea for how my Drow was going to be evil without getting murdered for being evil but apparently the server rules here state that you have to descend into evil. So with this my first impression of this server is that you're a group of people that hate imaginative, varied role play. It doesn't give me a good impression of the server -.-

You probably already guessed that I'm likely to carry on with my epic quest to find a server that suits me and I'm sorry if any of you took offence to this post. However, the main point of posting this was to let the DMs know that their rulings -have- scared me away from this server before I've even gotten out of the newbie information area. I'm sure you'll continue to do fine anyway because Layonara seems like a thoroughly good server except for that one little snag. I can see the reason for the rule, because many people try and fail to role play evil properly, but restricting evil to NPCs and long term characters means you have a very unvaried amount of evil characters.

Anyway, take it as a rant or me letting off steam for my lack of ability to find a persistent world that suits me, but I guess I needed to say something.


Call it a poem, but it was time it was said.

[regnus]

Um.  It is quite easy to play a drow that is good.  Actually, my drow has quite a bit of flair as well

[Reventage]

This is the reason we actually hope people would read the stickies in the character submission forum section and the FAQ, not to mention the handbook. Thus you would know the rules of the server and these sections also give you the reasons why the rules are in place.

[EdTheKet]

Do you think have had adequate time to get a good impression of the world? Your forum account is about two hours old, and you've hardly been online at all, as you were asked to log off as you were playing an unapproved evil dark elf character.
  To address some of your points:
 

Now tell me how, how on almighty God's blessed earth are you meant to create a Drow that starts without being evil.

 Plenty of options. Did you read the Layonara Dark Elves write-up? It's here:
  http://www.layonaraonline.com/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=2907&posts=1 as you'll see it''s slightly different from regular (read Forgotten Realms) drow.
  Have your drow escape before being put to the Test and there's your non-evil drow. Have him born in Westgate which got occupied by drow for a decade. Plenty of other options too (6 alignments you can still chose from).
 

The fact is that I like playing evil characters and am good at playing evil characters and I even had an idea for how my Drow was going to be evil without getting murdered for being evil but apparently the server rules here state that you have to descend into evil.

 Yes, we have that rule, and for good reason too.
 

So with this my first impression of this server is that you're a group of people that hate imaginative, varied role play. It doesn't give me a good impression of the server -.-

 With a sweeping generalization like that, what first impression are you making?  Because if you are looking for a world with those 4 qualities you mention, you have found it.

[ZeroVega]

  Layonara has more immagination, a better story line, more detail, and better RPers than ANY other persistant NWN world out there, that is a garauntee. Tons and tons of custom content, stuff that isn't even in the CEP. Plot quests that work with dragons and demon lords, wizards who are also generals of the most powerful 'bad-guy' you'll possibly ever see on Layo (Blood). And they're not just representing Blood and making you fear him, they've developed reputations of their own, you fear every single on of em. 
    If you want to play a drow, go for it. And playing one that's not evil is very simple. Start out as TN (absolute neutrality) play for a while and once you get a feel for the direction your character is developing towards (based on the impact other characters have on yours) THEN you start to move out. Towards CN, LE, and NE. (Also for the sake of controversy I'm going to disagree with you and say that all drow are born Chaotic, not Evil )
    If you're looking for a great place to play, then come in with an open mind about what you'll find. If it's not for you give your opinions (preferably direct to L and not on the forum) about what this world needs and if it's still not to your taste, find someplace else... it's very simple. Layo's been here for almost... what's it now, three years? We're very well established and you have to remember it's FREE and running of the hard work of voulenteers. So come in, be patient, and get a feel for Layo before you pass judgements like "you're a group of people that hate immaginative and varried role play." 

[Chibi]

Sorry about the good Drow comment. They can be fun to play but what I meant is that I wanted to play an evil Drow...

To the GMs, yes perhaps you're right on me not looking too deeply into the lore but you've got to understand I've been playing servers for short amounts of time and reading rules and lore for long enough to make me want to join up quickly when I find a server that looks like a rare gem. Maybe no evil characters isn't as bad as it first seemed and I could just make a good character? As I said before though, when you first hear a rule like that you think "What in the nine pits of Asmodeus??!" or something along those lines. Any confinement is an offputting thing by its very nature, whether it works out for better or worse.

Well... I might have been a little hasty before in saying I didn't like the server and was going to leave right away, because as you said I shouldn't make generalisations in such a short time. So I'll make a newer, nicer character.


I'd like it if you could forgive me for insulting your server if ever you found my words insulting, because that was not my intent at all. I was merely trying to make a point about how I felt as a new member of this server. So if you'll still accept me after calling you all hateful and unimaginative, I would like to have another shot at creating a character suitable for Layonara... But only because I like everything else about the server so far ^^;

[Reventage]

Just remember to get the character approved before you start playing.

[Chibi]

Reventage - 5/14/2005  4:26 PM

Just remember to get the character approved before you start playing.

Yes mother :p

[Warheart]

Chibi - 5/15/2005  4:04 AM
But I hate good Drow. I think good Drow are the most pathetically boring things to RP that ever existed.

Just have to say that that is very ignorant.. I mean, not every good drow is Drizzt.. I have many lovely examples of "good" drows that have set their track in my mind:

-Syn'aldur, paladin
-Tathnolu, wizard
-Owen, bard
-Ta'ryth Xyn'andil, rogue\\fighter

There are many and remember that drows are "people" too... No one is born evil, it's the things that happen around them..

[ZeroVega]

  Not good, Chaotic Neutral. If it's fun, Tath's all over it.

[Warheart]

ZeroVega - 5/24/2005  5:07 AM

  Not good, Chaotic Neutral. If it's fun, Tath's all over it.

"good", meaning not evil.. hehe..

[ZeroVega]

  Well considering that I'm more evil less than I'm not good, I suppose being more good than more evil would be more neutral than either good or evil so I suppose blah blah blah blah... Good = Not Evil. Check.

you said it yourself... you get tired of "forgotten realms" where Drow are evil..
Now in a self created world... the "dark elves" could just be stereotypically treated evil.

no creature with a soul is born "evil" or "good"
Start out Nuetral, act evil, and become evil
The only problem is, how are you to get to being "Assassin" class with its restrictions of being evil.

[Leanthar]

RP in game.... RP

[Ioskeha]

I know how you feel, Chibi.  I was very disappointed to find out that I couldn't RP the alignments that I do best; LE and NE (and I feel that the type of evil I play would fit in this server well, but that's whole nother debate).  I still gave this server a shot tho, trying an alignment, and race, that I've never played before.  I'm glad I did.  This is one of the better servers that I've played on.  The RPing is about on par with the last server I was on before it got closed down.  The players RP their character roles rather well - some better then others, but that's to be expected.  I've yet to have any GM interaction, so I couldn't tell you how the GMs are.  So give the server a try.  The only thing you'll be out is a couple hours of your time to see if you like playing here or not.

[IDii]

Hehe, it's ok. You can have your opinions about things.

I happen to pretty much agree on the drow thing anyway. Just don't see much point in playing a non-evil drow myself... rather play jus an elf. But that's just my opinion anyway, never been impressed by good drow.

Everyone can't like everything really.

[lonnarin]

Wood elves are my favorite.  Ugly as a dwarf, rugged as an orc, and they hate math.  Drow are fun too, but you have to have a lot of gusto to put up with the constant and well founded racism.  I mostly cope with Rakish by having him lurk in the outskirt caves, talking to himself and arguing with his masks.  The social stygma alone is enough to make a character go mad.

The Tailoring Loom will be your best friend as a drow.  You can customize human looking disguises pretty inexpensivley, so make the most of it.

[steverimmer]

*grins*no play a goblin....goblins are the secret masters of the world.  You just think that they are weak paltry creatures that can be slain with an angry glance....but its just part of the master plan.  Great chances for RP, great new dynamic goblin skins, and the satisfaction of knowing that your ownership of all that exists can never be challanged.

Be a man...Be a goblin

[NEXUS7]

Im just an old Dnd/CoC/Travaler/HQ/JamesBond/TT/GW/CW tabel top player who
counts Sandy Peterson (CoC) and Grag stafford (HQ/HW) as freands
My mate Simon onwns and runs the publishing house for The Dyeing Earth games (very good game)
Im not a computer bod, I have never befor playe NwN oneline. But get this
some one recomended this sever to me as the best and he said THE BEST online game world he had ever seen.
And he was from a computer games company here in the UK. Why I asked? cuz nwn is the best RPG game
Nope he says it the players and the playing that makes it difarant.

I love this sever it has the right fell the right levels and very very good players who know how to RP on line well
I have larned a hell of a lot by being on this server not just about Online RP but RP.

Im not saying your wrong cuz i just have not played any other NwN severs
But you have got to love a server that lets you play HALF GAINT
)

[ModernMarvel]

Yeah, everyone can have opinions about stuff. Hey, nobody had a more idiotic opinion as I did. But, times move on, things change, and the sweet, loving drow who kept getting his lunch stolen in the 3rd grade by the local Hlint boys will eventually get his revenge in about a hundred or so years, when he/she fully understands the idea that humans are highly allergic to anything damaging while they sleep, and lock picks do wonders....that's to say nothing about fireballs, lightning bolts, two-handed swords, and generally everything  else under the sun..err....moon.

My point, give it a shot, your opinion will change. Mine did.

Marv-a-licious, the frozen sugar treat