Discouraged

[Delta7]

First and foremost I would like to comment that this is by far the best RP server I have ever played on. This is really nice.

I'm going to open up and just let my feelings out here. I have been here on Layo for about a month mabe longer. I understand many of you have been here for years so my month seems insignificant. I understand that DM's  volunteer their own personal time as well. And that many many people have worked hard to give me the pleasure of playing here.

Ok that's outa the way. Now...what should my expectations as a player be of the DM staff? Should I expect DM quests on a regular basis? Should I expect DM quests once in a while? Should I only expect DM quests for Character development? Should I expect anything at all? Is it wrong of me to want some kind of DM interaction? Should I just be fat dumb and honored to be here at all? Should I just count my blessings and be thankful to be allowed to play here on Layo and thus have zero expectations what so ever? I get the feeling that there are some really big quests going on. How long do I have to play on Layo before I could expect to be involved in anthing at all? I have so many questions as you can see. Basically I feel insignificant. Like my 7 levels are so far below everyone else so as to be unworthy of any quests what so ever. I have never ever seen any type of DM interaction other than something negative. Are we short manned with DMs? Do you need to hire more? What I do see on a daily occurance are DM's logging in as players. Of course DMs should be allowed to play too. I would never even for a second say otherwise. But what has happened to the small, simple quests like that Bugbear overlord has threatened a local farm, let's go eliminate him. Or a traveling merchant requests protection or just simple fun things. I feel like the quests that do exist are so monumentous that I will never be worthy of them. Let us not forget the little people that come to Layo everyday. I feel like a cranky spoiled kid but thats just my feelings on the matter.


Sincerely

[Leanthar]

Not sure what to tell you here. There were 50+ scheduled quests run last month. There are 33 or something like that scheduled for this month already. We just closed applications on this round of GM's and are doing interviews. We have 19 Quest GM’s even before this round of applications... It is not the GM's duty to get you involved in a quest or to get you scheduled for a quest. It is our duty to run quest and to ensure players have fun...but we can't get you involved on a quest--sort of out of our hands don’t you think?

Take a look at the calendar--83 quests in two months (scheduled so far) is a LOT of quests and we can only do so much. We ran over a 100 quests the previous two months and I am willing to bet that by the time this month is over we will be over 90 and probably close to 100.

What else do you want us to do?

The GM's have real lives as well. We do FAR more than just run quests--far more. All of the content updates and additions come from the project and GM teams. All of the website and LORE updates come from the Project and GM teams. And we even have other things going on that nobody knows about—they are not minor either.

On an average any given GM spends at least five hours a week in some sort of GM capacity here. And many of them spend 20 or more a week. I know a few that spend 30 or more here!

Only so much we can do here man. We put the schedule up, we do the updates, we monitor the world to ensure the world remains fun for players (no griefing, pk'ing, etc.), we do run impromptu quests but probably not quite as frequently as any of us would want--but that is because we are already do so much time. We handle issues in game, players stuck, items missing, grievances/disputes, questions…all kinds of stuff.

This is a hobby and everybody does it because they want to do it, they want to support the players and the community, and they want to play (even GM'ing it is playing but a different sort of playing) in the world. But there is only so much that can be done.

Take a look at the Organization Chart if you haven’t already:
http://layonaraonline.com/organization%5Fchart/Layonara%20Online%20Organization%20Chart_files/Layonara%20Online%20Organization%20Chart_frames.htm

Sorry you are not happy but I do not know how to help you here. Yes, we could probably have more impromptu and small quests—but I suppose it is because we are already so busy that we can’t get to it. Yes, I suppose we could hire more GM’s but at the same time part ( a very major part ) of the reason the world is so good is that we have solid and quality GM’s and we are picky.

[OneST8]

Much like a when you come in late to a pen and paper campaign, you really can't expect too much involvement in the main-plot series, if any at all. Now, in the next iteration of Layonara that's a different story... you'll know the end of this saga and be able to take part in the next starting from the beginning and your character will grow at the pace of the world so by the time the epic level battles (like the ones being fought now) they will be ones you're character(s) will be able to handle.  When it comes to the regular and impromtu DM quests, that's a different story to a degree. Currently the application process is underway for new DMs to enter the fold and help alleviate the stress the existing DM Team is experiencing. Most of the people on the teams are highly active and productive but there are more and more players these days and it's very difficult to keep up with the pace of fresh meat err players... yeah fresh players *coughs*  Anyways, the real point is that the best thing to do is to watch the calendars for when quests are scheduled, sign yourself up and participate. There will probably be a few new DMs on the team within a month or so (normally how long the entire application process takes) and as such there'd be more quests being run once they've gotten settled in.  Just in the month of April alone we've had over 200 new players enter the world (putting us well over 500 active players). That's a rather thick influx, so please keep that in mind. If you factor in the 20 DMs we currently have (of which not all are active at the same time with scheduled time off and such) and the max party size of 20 players (plot quests are forced to be huge ~30+ player sessions)... also the average quest session length of 4 hours...  ( 500 players / 20 party size ) = 25 quests required to have everyone involved in just one event each  ( 25 sessions * 4 hr-sessions ) = 100 combined hours of questing required for all to be in just one event each ( 20 DMs      * 4 hr-sessions ) =  80 combined hours of possible questing, once per month.  So that's what's needed to cover a community of 500 active players... once. We have over 2,500 player characters in the server vault. The logistics of catering to the entire community is extremely difficult.  Layonara is growing as a community at an impressive rate and we're doing all we can to keep up with the pace while still maintaining the integrity and attention to detail that has made this world thrive as well as it is.

[xXDenizeNXx]

watch for quests on the calender ran by Nova, usually they are low level quests and of extremely high quality and fun for all.

[goldz8]

I agree! Nova's last quest was great. Please have many more! (-:

[LordCove]

Plus, you never know when a DM is present or going to jump in and throw a quest your way, as Ive found. Just keep in character all times and roleplay, and things come your way.

[Delta7]

Thank you, I feel a lot better. I will start signing up for quests in the future.

[Delta7]

ok I give up, where is this quest calendar? I can't find it

[ZeroVega]

http://www.layonaraonline.com/forums/calendar/calendar-list.asp Try that, should work.

[Leanthar]

Use the link that ZV gave or loop up in the top right of the webpage while reading this post:

Forums | LORE | Calendar | Albums | Tradeskill Stats | Server Status

'Calendar' is the list of calendars.

[Force_of_Will_]

Also if your bored make up a quest.Player run quests happen.It gives people a reason for being out hunting.
Make up a story on the spot.Others if intrested will get involved.I have seen many players just make up stuff(rp) on the cuff and have loads of fun.Like the Possesed I think Half giant.