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Layonara Server / Version 3.30.6 is online!« on: July 08, 2011, 10:32:46 am »
[SIZE=32]Version 3.30.6 is online![/SIZE]
You will need to download and extract a new HAK file for this update. New stuff:
Changes/fixes:
Notes:
[/SIZE] [SIZE=13]Thanks again go to Alatriel and Script Wrecked for their contributions to this update.[/SIZE] The following users thanked this post: Shadowblade225
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General Discussion / Hi bye from an old player« on: June 18, 2011, 06:19:25 am »
Hello everyone.
Here is just a small hi bye from one of the old dwarven players. Some might remember me as the dwarf Varka Cleaveson. I thought I might drop a few lines to Layo as I did to Harlas. Naaaayy. Since I stopped I always kept around though. Reading about what is going on in general but also keeping an eye on layos dwarven players. It has been and it is still fun seeing how Layo develops. I guess some of the other old players do the same thing. (If so just give a thumps up guys). So, how is everyone doing in there? I can see that there is a few new WL around and that the Torans are starting a new group (every good initiative). Are there other new initiative like that? Did some make a nice exotic group like mix of orcs, deep dwarves and dark elves? And where are the treehuggers? What about the dwarves! How does it look there? I follow roughly the submissions and character developments. That is all for now. Take care in there and have fun! The following users thanked this post: Shadowblade225
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General Discussion / Resigning as GM« on: May 31, 2011, 04:40:17 am »
It is time for me to hand my GM batch to another.
The plot is nearing its end and the remaining parts are in very capable hands. So, after more years than I care to count I am resigning from my position as GM in Layonara's amazing Team of GMs. Before I move on to being 'just' a player I have one thing I would like to ask all you players out there: At times on quests where you feel wronged or feel that the outcome was not fair, please try to remember why the GMs are here. They are here to make this world around your characters a living and breathing entity that provides you with entertainment and fun. That is the basic idea. So, instead of taking the fight to the GM and/or the Team, try to consider whether the incident in question is one that your character might deal with in an IC fashion - perhaps that was the intent of the GM in the first place. Like you, GMs are people and people will walk away if you rattle them enough. After all, they are not acting GMs for their own sake, but for the sake of others. This was not based on a recent episode or a current situation in game. Please consider this a plea that you might consider in the future. I have seen it happen too many times over the years and it simply burns people out, which ends up making this place less colourful and alive. Finally, I wish you all the very best of luck and hope that many of you will continue to contribute to this magical place that is Layonara. For me the time has come to move on, although I will probably be around with Kobal now and then. Kind regards, Harlas The following users thanked this post: Shadowblade225
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General Discussion / Hello« on: September 07, 2010, 06:23:53 pm »
Hello everyone, sorry I have not been on to much. Not to long after I started playing Layo again I got a call to start work again. I have been working a lot of hours. That soon should come to end yet again. They say two more weeks and we will all be layed off again :-) So I should have more time on my hands. I am sorry for the delay in answering the PM's. Ok I am off to find some food, a hot shower, and some sleep.
The following users thanked this post: Shadowblade225
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Layonara Server / Updated Deity Entries« on: May 16, 2009, 02:59:55 pm »
Hello everyone,
The last few weeks, several volunteers have helped in creating summaries of the new deity texts. These summaries will be around 2 pages long, so approximately 56 pages of new deity information will be put on LORE in the near future. We do, however, have far more, this is less than a third of the information that will be in "Layonara: The Pantheon". We're not clear on when this will be released yet, but with our recent endeavors of a version online and the policy refactoring we thought it a good idea to also release part of the new lore. We'll update you as we go along and the information is put on LORE. A few words of caution: - some dogmas have had an overhaul so will look a bit different, some will be broader in scope, others will have a narrower scope. - some deity texts that are in the current Pantheon book (2006 version) have been completely re-written as their initial authors did not allow us to use the texts. This also means some sects or parts of some churches will no longer exist, and will in fact never have existed. All of these however, should find a new home inside the new church organization. I'll take questions on these once they've been released. Note that no new entries have been posted yet, we'll let you know when we start and how we progress so that you don't click through LORE needlessly! Once they're there, I will be taking questions on the new entries in the "Ask a Gamemaster" forums. Last but not least, some words of thanks: Thanks to all the writers for writing the new deity texts! Thanks to rowana, Dezza, ycleption, Minerva for the summarizing. Thanks go to OneST8 and orth for setting up the Trac system to manage this. Thanks in advance to our LORE volunteers to put it all on LORE in the desired format! Thank you for reading this, let me know if you have questions, Ed The following users thanked this post: Shadowblade225
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Layonara Server / Updated World Policies -- Effective 23-April-2009« on: April 23, 2009, 09:38:06 pm »
[SIZE=13]Layonara is a world built for entertainment and community. Years of diligent volunteer effort on the part of the Layonara team has generated extensive and engaging environments, compelling and unique game dynamics, a vibrant and supportive community, and a universe overfull with history.[/SIZE][SIZE=13]
[/SIZE][SIZE=13] To maintain Layonara's entertainment factor and sense of community we strive to: [/SIZE]
We urge everyone to read the updated policies in this thread. Should you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask them in our "Ask a Gamemaster" forum.[/SIZE] [SIZE=13] - The Layonara GM Team ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: The policies below represent that which has been updated. It is our goal to merge these into LORE so that there is consistent information both on the forums and in LORE. This process will take a few weeks likely, so please bear with us through a brief period of inconsistency. These policies will also be cross-posted in the applicable section of the forums for convenience. The policies given below are best segregated into three main categories: [/SIZE]
And now, without further ceremony... [SIZE=24]Behavioral policies:[/SIZE][/B][/COLOR] Area level restrictions – Effective immediately, we are lifting all area level requirements. This means that there will no longer be any level-based stipulations regarding where a character may travel. After much internal review, the GM Team feels that most, if not all, places in the game world effectively enforce their own sort of level restrictions, both in difficulty and degree of reward, and it is not beneficial to the Community or the GM Team to police or enforce such limits artificially. The following is a guideline for what each area is designed for danger wise, so that players may knowingly choose their destinations.[LIST=1]
Party level spread – Effective immediately, we are rescinding all previous statements regarding the level split between the highest- and lowest- level character within a party or grouping. The GM Team feels this particular rule has been misunderstood, misinterpreted and misapplied at all levels of the Community including by members of our own GM Team. As a result, it has been damaging to roleplay, it has caused animosity between the Community and the GM Team and has made people feel like criminals just because they associate with a character more than 10 levels different. Special note on the lifting of area and party level restrictions – While we are effectively removing all restrictions regarding character levels, we are hoping to encourage better grouping, better roleplay, a greater sense of adventure and an environment where roleplay is not unduly bounded by out-of-character issues such as level and arbitrary lines on a map. Having said that, the GM Team maintains a single request that can be summed up briefly as:[INDENT]“Don't drag, and don't kite.” [/INDENT]It is possible for a low-level character in a group of higher-level characters to contribute in some form, whether by flinging spells, tossing potions, firing arrows or any number of other contributing things, even if they're not terribly effective. The important part is that they attempt to contribute. Similarly, a high-level character can escort a group of lower-level characters without doing all the work for them. So, in this spirit, we ask for the Community to respect this and to keep these things in mind when going out and about. We're not going to break up a party on Dregar that contains a 5th level character just for that fact alone, nor will we go on hunts when we see a wide party level spread. However, if we see little or no roleplay among the party, if we see non-contributing lower-level characters or we see a high-level character being the primary application of force among a group of otherwise lower-level characters, we may request a modification to the party's behavior. If the behavior persists, we reserve the right to disband the party. We want everyone to have fun, to adventure and explore, and we no longer feel it appropriate to keep these restrictions in place. We ask only that the Community enjoy this expanded freedom and request that it be used responsibly. Muling – Another often misunderstood rule is that of muling. Our official definition of muling, effective immediately, is: “Muling is when you have items (in the bank, in your inventory, in your house, etc. that you have earned or fairly traded for), and then you give those items to a newly created character of your own for free. This also applies to having a character you control gather CNR or other items for another character you control. It is fine to RP a 'sales person' or whatever you may want to call it but from this point forward please do not let that 'other person' be another character under your control." To put more plainly, it is muling to give items, gold or any other assets from one character under your direct control to another, whether you have multiple Bioware accounts or not. You, as a player, are the common factor between them, and giving one character an advantage that another has earned is not something we tolerate. If you must transfer goods between two characters under your control, then do so through a third-party and conduct the exchange like a business transaction, meaning exchange goods or coins in trade. This applies as much to unassociated characters as it does to characters who are directly related (i.e. parent/child relationships). We believe all characters deserve to accumulate equipment and wealth in line with their own accomplishments, and it is unfair to the rest of our Community if some take it upon themselves to give benefits to one of their characters by the work of another. We ask everyone to respect this philosophy for the good of everyone in the Community. Looping and Camping – Looping is defined as going through the same few areas in a short period of time in order to keep continually harvesting CNR, reaping XP and loot from killing the creatures there, etc., and then repeating this sort of thing over and over in a given span of time. Camping is defined as staying effectively in one place, typically one single area, usually for the purpose of waiting for CNR to respawn so your character can harvest another full load, and then waiting again for the next respawn cycle over and over again. Another form of camping is to enter an area, kill the creatures and/or harvest the CNR available, then log out for a time, log back on and repeat the process. We ask the community to limit any looping behavior through a small number of areas to 60 minutes. We ask the community to limit any camping behavior in a single area to 30 minutes. In the case of logging in, harvesting and logging out, we ask that you simply do not do this more than 3 times in a row. The GM Team understands that not everyone has a lot of play time. Sometimes there is only a small amount of time to log in, take care of a few things and then log back out, and we do not wish for people with limited time to feel like criminals. However, we also believe that players should exercise some degree of self-restraint when doing such things. While we will not be actively policing for camping and looping behavior, if we observe such in excess of the stated guidelines, we reserve the right to intervene and inform the party that they have pushed the boundaries of what we would like to see. Unless taken to the extreme, the GM Team will not be applying in-character or out-of-character punishments to any groups caught looping or camping in excess, however we may remove the group from the situation if our requests are not respected. In Summary At no point will there be in-character consequences to the breaking any of these rules; no effects, no spawning of creatures, no going to jail or being tersely corrected by NPCs. There will only be out-of-character actions, which can range from simple warnings to banning, the latter being the most severe of course and only at the extreme abuse of the rules. Please do not associate in-character consequences to out-of-character actions as they are completely separate. iIn-character choices will generate in-character consequences and likewise for out-of-character choices. [SIZE=24]Character Submission and Approvals Policies:[/SIZE][/B][/COLOR] First and most important to the community: by submitting a character, whether or not it is approved, you agree to adhere to all the rules of this server both in game and out. If you have not, by this point, read the rules of the server, it is recommended that you do so now (please follow this link). Name – All names of character submissions must be the original creation of the submitting applicant. They can not be copyrighted names from a game, book, television show, movie or any other medium not covered in this list, nor can they be names belonging to existing characters in Layonara. Race – There are numerous races on Layonara. Not all are available as player races, but there are many options in game at this time. Only the sub races Wemic, Brownie, Ghostwise Halfling, Sea Elf, Dark Elf and Goblin will require additional justification for choosing this race in the biographies. When you chose one of these races, please take into account that the review may take an extended period of time. Due to lore reasons, Tiefling and Aasimar will no longer be an option for new character submissions. For the same reason, no half races (Half elf, Half orc, Half giant, Half ogre) can be born after the year 1421. You can find the current year here. The following races must start out with an alignment of CN, TN, NE, or LE: Dark Elf, Half Orc, Half Giant, Half Ogre, Orc, Goblin, and Deep Dwarf. There is one exception to this; a cleric character that follows Az'atta (regardless of race) may start out with a good alignment. (see further down for more information on alignments in general.) Please see the racial LORE pages for further information. Age – When selecting the age of your character please keep in mind that many age at different rates and some races naturally mature slower as a result. As well, each race has a minimum starting age since we do not allow child player characters. Classes – The mechanical classes of Layonara have several wide interpretations and some have very specific needs. Most standard character classes do not require anything in the way of justifying the choice of class over some other in the character submission. As such, a detailed justification for a particular class is an optional thing, and we will not overly scrutinize them, excepting for very obvious glaring issues (I.E. a submission where a sorcerer studies his magic rather then innately acquires it or a level one fighter is taking on whole mobs of orcs on his own, etc). Clerics and paladins however, must give their stated commitments in their biographies and we would still like them to make clear in their biographies their respect for their deity's dogma and/or organization. Druids also have their own submission requirements, and we would like to have any druid players read the druid information page. Additionally, applications asking for dual classes are not expected to include more then what a single class of the same would require. Resubmissions to add a second or third class after initial approval (excepting druid, paladin, cleric or monk) need only be a resubmitted biography with a few additional lines explaining the IC reasoning. Resubmission to add druid, paladin, cleric or monk (especially if the starting class was monk or druid to begin with and a character is returning to this class) hold the same requirements and stipulations as above with potential extra requirements (such as CDQ, CDT or other need). If you have a character with multiple classes, you must have 5 levels minimum in each class before level 20 (e.g. You cannot have a level 3 rogue, level 17 fighter, you need at least 5 rogue) Monk, Paladin and Druid classes have restricted multi-classing. Policy on Applications for Additional Class and/or PrC past level 20 –Characters approved for an additional class beyond what was established prior to level twenty-one (21) must take five (5) levels or more consecutively upon initiating levels in the new class. This rule reflects what should be inherent of all applications for a new class. By pursuing a new class, the player is pursuing a new avenue for character growth. This growth should be reflected by an investment in the new class beyond a simple label. Taking one level in a new class and then going back to the initial class(es) shows a limited drive to pursue the path for which you were approved. Once five (5) consecutive levels in the new class have been taken, you are free to level as you find appropriate, provided there are no multi-classing restrictions for the new class. Alignment – Most alignments are unrestricted and will not require special support with in the biography to be approved so long as there are no glaring conflicts.(For example, a Neutral Good rogue who mugs and robs travelers indiscriminately to make a living.) Chaotic Neutral remains a special alignment, and the submitting player must have had an active character in the world for four (4) months prior to the submission of the Chaotic Neutral character. There is no minimum level requirement for this active character. You do need to submit, in your own words, an acknowledgment stating your acceptance of the rules of the server and giving a statement acknowledging that Chaotic Neutral is not carte blanch act randomly, expecting to be free of penalty. In the game and in our community, actions have consequences, and if you are not willing to accept the consequences, do not make those actions. Evil too is special and with the heavier requirements. Lawful Evil and Neutral Evil require an active character for at least nine (9) months. There is no minimum level requirement for this active character. As with Chaotic Neutral, on the character submission the player is required to state in their own words that they accept the rules of the server. As well they must state that they accept that the alignment of Evil may put them at odds with the majority of the player community as well as the NPCs they interact with, and that they accept the consequences to their actions. Chaotic Evil is not available to player characters on Layonara, and if a character's alignment shifts to Chaotic Evil territory the character becomes property of the GM team and is no longer playable. The actual approval of these alignments lays ultimately with the GM team, based upon appropriate roleplay of previous alignments. The team holds this to protect the community as a whole and not to target any particular members of it. Realize that by choosing these alignments the review time is longer than for standard characters, as input from the GM team will be sought. Deity – Deities are an active, if indirectly so, power upon Layonara. When a character passes from the world the deity may choose to call their souls to their domain. Some classes require a deity choice but most do not. Do not choose a deity to enter in the deity field unless your character is truly devout as it will bring consequences (both good and bad) to your character. If you do select a deity for your character please use common sense where dogma and your character's worship is concerned and if there is an extreme case, such as a dwarf worshiping Lucinda, make certain the details are touched on in the biography. A final note on deities: The GM team will enforce the accurate portrayal of a character who is devout. If they are caught doing something their deity disapproves of, there may be consequences. These include, but are not limited to, helping the enemy of your deity, doing something strictly against the dogma of your deity, and furthering the goals of an unfriendly or enemy deity. General Biography details and lore – The primary focus of biographies is RP and lore. Despite the above leniencies, lore will still be strictly adhered to and possible conflicts with lore will receive the most scrutiny. In the case of reapplications for alignment shifts, secondary classes, etc, an RP justification will be requested as always, but a few lines should suffice (as long as they are explanatory). When applying using your own format, please link all pertinent information along with your request. Optional questionnaires will be posted for use for both original submissions and reapplications to simplify the process for the player. Character backgrounds can comprise pretty much of whatever you wish but should cover the following:
Languages – Available Ears: Elven, Halfling, Dwarven, Dark Elf, Gnomish, Thieves' Cant, Wemic, Animal, Brownie, Underwater, Sign Language, Orc, Goblin, Draconic and Florane (T'oleflor). Everything except Draconic and Florane are available on initial submission with some additional support in the biography. Races receive their specific ear on creation. Dark elves receive both the elf and Dark Elf ear. Sea Elves get the elf and underwater ear. Druids and rangers start with the animal ear, while rogues start with the ability to use thieves' cant. Certain clerics may also begin with the animal ear depending on domain. Half elves will be able to understand the elven language but the biography and intelligence must support the ability to speak it. These default ears do not count against your bonus languages. Languages may also be learned in game from other players. They cannot be learned from familiars or NPCs, and after creation, your character journal must reflect the learning of the language to have it approved. Approval after initial creation involves submitting a request and a link to your character journal as well as the support testimony of your tutors. In any situation, except for automatic languages and where specified to be outside of the norm, all applicants wanting additional languages need to make certain they have the appropriate intelligence to support the request. The maximum number of additional languages to be requested on submission is two (2). The maximum number of non-racial/non-class languages that a character can learn is equal to the character's base Intelligence (INT) modifier. For example, an elven Druid would automatically receive the elven and animal “ears” when the character first signs into the world. With an INT score of 12 (+1 modifier), the character may learn one additional language, if desired. This language may be granted on the initial approval or learned over time in-game. Restarts/Rebuilds/Relevels – The definition of a restart, for the purposes of this server, is: starting one's character completely over from scratch without any benefit of the previous incarnation's inventory, coin or experience. That is to say you start over from level one with nothing. In addition we will require you to post for a deletion of the old incarnation and create the new version with a slightly different name. Add an extra space, perhaps change one or two of the letters or some other minor change. If the change is not made the database will think it is the same character and will not allow for static quests to be completed, among other issues. It is further recommended that any variation of name be noted in your original character submission thread. Sometimes it happens that we find ourselves not liking how our character has turned out, mechanically speaking, for a wide variety of reasons. Level five (5) and below seems to be the most common areas where this occurs. To that end, all level five and below characters will be granted one (1) free restart when requested in the Character Submissions forums. Between the levels six (6) and ten (10) the Character Approvals team will still consider the merits and problems with a restart at that point and grant or deny based on the result on their findings. After level ten (10), or if a denial after level six (6), a character may use one of their Graceful Pleas for a restart. Once a Graceful Plea is used, it cannot be rescinded and anything needing changed (re-name, re-description, etc) after this restart will count in their normal capacities as if it was the original character. This means whatever Graceful Pleas and freebies previously used will count against the restarted character. The character restart does not refresh the count. Please go slow and pay attention to the details as when recreating the character. A restart does not clear the loss of Soul Strands (see: Soul Strands and the Layonara Death System) and they must be reapplied for once the new character is made. Please post for this action in the Grievance Forum. A rebuild is when a character is allowed to restart and then gain all of their experience, items and equipment. This is only granted for an extensive reason, such as a CDQ or quest that results in the deity change of a cleric or something of that magnitude, or when the development team makes mechanical changes to classes that require such action. They are extremely rare and require the support of at least one GM in the capacity of GM not player witness. A relevel is when one level is removed and given again. This is only granted for reasons such as accidental clicks, misunderstood feats or spells and the like. This falls under the jurisdiction of grievances requests and must be dealt in that forum with the guidelines stated in that policy. Prestige Class (PrC) resubmissions – PrC submissions are changing as follows:
Organizations and Ranks – With all of the above stated there are two very important points to keep in mind. Firstly, just because a player is a Toranite Undead Hunter, it does not automatically mean they are in the order of the Shining Hand. If a character desires to be part of an organization likely a Character Development Quest (or CDQ) or other GM acknowledgment is necessary. Either submit this with the matching class/PrC request or submit for a CDQ to attempt to join the desired organization. Some organizations have very specific procedures and requirements to join (such as the well established Knights of the Wyrm) and can be handled as a group function or as a personal CDQ. Secondly, most level one characters start out as the lowest level above 'student' in any organization they might be a part of. For instance, most starting clerics will begin in their acolyte phase (where applicable). This does not afford them any special treatment beyond being a priest of their faith. If a player wishes to advance in rank within their church, or any other organization it is squarely on the shoulders of the player to initiate CDQs to attain this goal. At present there are certainly some complications, lore availability wise, with knowing what to ask for, but any GM has access to the information and the player need only ask to find out what steps are needed or what general possibilities are available to them. It should be noted that character level is not related to rank in a church. Character Development Quest Rules –[LIST=1]
One last note: While you wait for your character to be reviewed, perhaps you might look around the forums at some of the in-character threads and more at our Layonara Online Reference Encyclopedia (also called LORE, but should not be confused with 'lore'. Tricky aren't we?) Looking forward to seeing you in game! [SIZE=24][SIZE=13]Please note that as of this date, all previous policies for this forum are no longer valid. The relevant threads will be removed shortly to avoid confusion.[/SIZE] Dispute, Grievance and Requests for Reimbursement Policies:[/SIZE] Graceful Pleas – For some months the team has pondered various options for dealing with the inequalities that the current grievance system suffers. Along with several other polices, this particular aspect was given much thought. The issues and potential for abuse are too numerous for an open return system, yet the current restrictive system created a sense of unfairness and inequity within the community. What follows is a compromise added to the system to grant leniency without making the system as a whole too cumbersome to support. Effective immediately, all players have the right to three (3) “Graceful Pleas” for each character. These Graceful Pleas can be used for a “no fault” return or reimbursement. Graceful Pleas can be used for things such as (but not limited to):
For players wishing to restore a permed character, please read the section below titled: Special note regarding the loss of a character's final Soul Strand. In the event that a player commits a bannable offense, all Graceful Pleas for all characters are subject to forfeit. A Graceful Plea may not be used to reverse a banning decision. Soul Strand and XP Loss– Effective immediately, there are only three scenarios for Soul Strand and XP reimbursement:[LIST=1]
[/INDENT]Special note regarding the loss of a character's final Soul Strand – When a character loses his or her final Soul Strand, the player will be given a one-time choice to request a reconsideration of this final death, given that the above criteria have not already been enacted for the event in question. There does not need to be any special reason, justification or evidence at all for this request. The only requirement is that it comes after the loss of a character's final Soul Strand and the player still has at least one (1) Graceful Plea left for this character. The player will be given a choice between one of the following:[LIST=1]
For the purposes of this contingency, if items are to be sacrificed as part of returning a permed character to life, an item will qualify to be counted if it is:
The exchanges made with either of these options are permanent, and cannot be re-gained through use of a Graceful Plea. The option of this choice will only be available once over the lifetime of any given character. If a character who takes one of these options loses his/her final Soul Strand again, this option will not be available. While it is possible that the XP loss could drop a World Leader (WL) character below the minimum level for WL eligibility, exercising this option will not result in the loss of WL status already gained. If the character's WLDQ is in-progress, the GM Team will evaluate whether or not to continue the WLDQ or wait until the character has regained sufficient XP to qualify. However, the approval to attempt a WLDQ will not be rescinded as a result of exercising this option. The concept behind this idea is to give players that “one last chance” while preserving the concepts of permanency and the gravity of death. If a Graceful Plea is used to restore a character that has permed before the advent of this policy, the character will only have two (2) Graceful Pleas remaining. In addition, we will impose some RP restrictions upon such a case:
Wills – Over the last couple of years, the prevalence of character wills, distributable upon the final death of a character, have become more popular and unfortunately more complex, intricate and difficult to adjudicate. There have been several in relatively recent history that have become very time-consuming for the Team to decide upon and handle. As a result, we have decided it is necessary to set some realistic limits on what can be included and distributed by a character's will. [LIST=1]
Item reimbursement – Unless caused by a GM error or a bug (as defined above under the Soul Strand policy), all item reimbursements will fall under the policy regarding Graceful Pleas. As previously stated, a Graceful Plea may not be used to get back an item sacrificed to return a permanently dead character to life. Experience Point (XP) reimbursement – Unless caused by a GM error, a bug, disconnection/crash or unexpected jump (as defined above under the Soul Strand policy), all XP reimbursements will fall under the policy regarding Graceful Pleas. As previously stated, a Graceful Plea may not be used to get back any XP sacrificed to return a permanently dead character to life. Gold (GP) reimbursement – Unless caused by a GM error or a bug (as defined above under the Soul Strand policy), all GP reimbursements will fall under the policy regarding Graceful Pleas. Bannings – [SIZE=13]GMs and World Leaders are able to temporarily ban a player in-game, pending a full review by the GM Team. Such bannings will not be dispensed lightly, and the burden of proof will fall heavily upon the individual doing the banning. As part of the process, a temporarily banned player may state his/her case here. However, we will require that all arguments, both supporting and refuting the banning, come supplied with ample evidence, in the form of chat logs, screen shots (if available) and witness testimony. Decisions on the reversals of bannings will be made based on presented evidence, testimony and information gathered by the GM Team from in-game observation and server logs. If a banning becomes permanent, the player will be banned from the forums as well, and the only recourse is by contacting Leanthar directly. Historically, very few permanent bannings have been reversed. To help assuage any fears that may come from this new capability, if a GM or World Leader temporarily bans a player for a reason that is reversed and if it happens in a blatant or abusive way, then that GM or World Leader will be reprimanded and perhaps lose their status as a GM or World Leader. Every temporary banning will be logged, and the GM or World Leader who bans someone bears an urgent responsibility to provide the evidence and justification behind the banning action to the GM team shortly after the banning takes place. Banning is something that we take very seriously here, and as such it requires a lot of responsibility and proof. As such, bannings, temporary or otherwise, will not be dispensed lightly.[/SIZE] [SIZE=13]Graceful Pleas may not be used to dispute or overturn a banning. [/SIZE] [SIZE=13]Character Rebuild/Relevel –[/SIZE] [SIZE=13]Rebuilds and Restarts fall under the jurisdiction of character approvals and must be submitted in that forum for consideration with accordance to the listed policy.[/SIZE] [SIZE=13]Relevel requests due to an honest misclick will only be granted within 48 hours of the level being taken AND if less than 10% of the XP needed for the next level has been earned. [/SIZE] [SIZE=13]If you find yourself outside of the normal limits for such a request, you may still make the same request with a Graceful Plea by providing the same justification and reasoning.[/SIZE] [SIZE=13]Character edits –[/SIZE] [SIZE=13]This is not so much a new policy but a codification of precedent so that it is clear to the community. Character edits cover a rather broad set of tasks, including:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=13]Name changes – Changes to a character's name requires the character file to be edited as well as about a dozen database updates, and only a small handful of staff are able to perform such changes. As such, we will permit only one (1) “free” name change for a character without a strong RP reason (i.e. marriage, quest outcome, etc.). This allows one to fix an oversight or error during character creation or to reflect the course of RP. Outside of these guidelines, a name change is still possible by using a Graceful Plea.[/SIZE] [SIZE=13]Description changes – Changes to a character's in-game description requires the character file to be edited, and only a small handful of staff are able to perform such changes. As such, we will permit only one (1) “free” description change for a character without a strong RP reason (i.e. marriage, quest outcome, etc.). This allows one to fix an oversight or error during character creation or to reflect the course of RP. Outside of these guidelines, a description change is still possible by using a Graceful Plea.[/SIZE] [SIZE=13]Appearance changes – Changes to a character's in-game appearance, such as a change in tattoo, skin or hair coloring or a change in head model can be affected in-game by any GM. As long as these requests remain reasonable and are not requested on a whim, we are content to allow players to request these changes from any available GM directly. Please note that wings and tails as permanent character appearance traits will not be approved or given unless as a result of a WLDQ.[/SIZE] [SIZE=13]Portrait changes – Changes to a character's in-game portrait can be handled easily in-game by any GM. Please request all such portrait changes directly from any available GM. When requesting a portrait change, please have the name of the portrait file handy. We cannot set portraits with a description (i.e. “The one with the blonde girl in plate armor”). Unless you have the portrait's file name, we cannot set your portrait.[/SIZE] [SIZE=13]Housing and furniture transfers –[/SIZE] [SIZE=13]This is not so much a new policy but a codification of precedent so that it is clear to the community. Characters may transfer houses and/or furniture to another character provided both parties are in agreement with the terms of transfer and can state as much as part of the request. However, a character cannot transfer a house or its contents to another character under the control of the same player. This would be muling. [/SIZE] [SIZE=13]In the case of absentee home owners the new policy stands as this: Absentee house and furniture transfer requests will only be granted if the owner has not logged into the game or forums for six (6) months and cannot be contacted/doesn't answer by most viable means. The requesting party must have some sort of legitimate claim to the property such as marriage or co-investment. Rental contracts are not considered legitimate proof.[/SIZE] [SIZE=13]Properties of banned players are considered immediately forfeit and only in cases of marriage will the properties be passed on to another player. [/SIZE] [SIZE=13]----------------------------------------------------------------------------[/SIZE] For convenience, I'm including the link to an "Ask a Gamemaster" thread here for asking questions and discussing these new policies. The following users thanked this post: Shadowblade225
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General Discussion / Layonara 3.2 Is Coming Soon!« on: April 01, 2009, 01:38:13 pm »[SIZE=18]No Fooling! [/SIZE] You folks won't believe the load of changes we've packed into this update. Many suggestions were implemented, many annoyances corrected and a boat load of new functionality was tossed in. Combine that with the sweet new areas built by Chongo and you're all in for a big treat! Our scheduled release is pending some playtesting but we're targeting the weekend. Maybe as early as the quiet hours of Saturday morning, but no guarantees. More then your game experience, your community experience is going through a bit of an overhaul as well. I eluded to this in an earlier post but we felt most of the policy, procedure and rule changes are now all intertwined, so to release partial changes would have been confusing without the full picture. [SIZE=18]Stay tuned for a few teasers and added details![/SIZE]
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General Discussion / A Happy farewell« on: September 15, 2008, 01:35:54 pm »
I am stepping down from the GM team. It has been so much fun being a GM for all of you. Thank you all for the energy that you have brought to my quests. I am doing this now because I feel I dont have the time to commit to quests that it takes and needs to be a good GM. I will still be playing though and maybe more so .
Being a GM is not an easy task on Layo. Not only is there so much you need to know but the player base is very sophisticated and that means you had best be on your toes at all times as a GM. By the end of some of my quests I would just log and pass out from the amount of multi tasking it took. Please keep in mind that most of the time there is only one GM there and he or she is trying to track all text (many times in multi locations), use a plethora of tools to call forth this beast or that NPC, play the NPCs, turn area spawns on and off, balance and re balance encounters, and set the mood and stage. All of this is after a couple of hours of set up. Be nice to them they work really hard. Thank you all, Jrizz - Happy The following users thanked this post: Shadowblade225
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General Discussion / :-)« on: May 24, 2008, 05:50:55 pm »
YouTube - AC DC Thunderstruck
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General Discussion / It's time« on: May 21, 2008, 04:26:57 pm »
t probably comes as no surprise to anyone in here, but it's time for me to face up to it and step down as a GM
I've been putting it off for a pretty long time now, largely kidding myself that things would work out so that I could pick up the reins again, but it isn't to be. Some of you will be aware, that great Demon, "Real Life" has been relentless in its attack. If you include travelling, I now seem to work an average 55 hour week. Add in childcare and all those family-type responsibilities, and I've not even had time to play in what seems like forever - nevermind put a quest together. To top it all, my Boss (no, not DMOE - the other Boss) has now decided that I need to be fully qualified to "Enterprise level" in Windows Server 2008 by the end of the year. Combined with the exam I still need to achieve 2003 Security Specialist, that adds a serious amount of study to my so-called "free time". Ho Hum. May I take a moment to thank L in particular, and indeed all of the team for the fun times and the support. And thanks to you - the players; without whom the quests would have been pretty dull! There's been some fun times! I don't plan on quitting Layo. Darn it, I swore that Ell would make WL one day! See you all on the flipside, as soon as I get chance, an as often as I can The following users thanked this post: Shadowblade225
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General Discussion / Update« on: February 27, 2008, 04:09:01 pm »Soon the canyons of isles once only seen on the horizon will close in around you, the steady breeze from a channeled and ancient wind pressing against your face. And soon, you'll find why no ships sailed there before... As the chittering of cunning foes echoes in the high cliffed forests around you... And only passing moments of peace are found to admire what you've naught seen before. Soon old enemies will take new forms. And perhaps a few new tricks they'll have learned just like you... You'll seek out their new domains with much wonder.. And perhaps... you will learn again to run... And then run faster... And yet faster.... Until you can no longer run. I'll see you all in there soon enough. Look for Dorg's big announcement! Look for the new spells bursting in the air around you, the new monsters thundering towards you, the flicker of an unseen relic on the ground, and ever the expanding horizon of new lands. :)Be careful out there folks. The following users thanked this post: Shadowblade225
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Hall of Heroes and Heroines / The End of an Era.« on: February 24, 2008, 09:11:15 am »
* Kobal arrives at Leringard by boat. From there he travels south, ever south, until he reaches Brenuth and lastly visits King Ulgrid in his great halls. He travels slowly, visiting each hamlet, village and town along the way - taking his time.
To onlookers it seems much like a pilgrimmage in honour of somebody or something, for the dwarf is often seen with slumped shoulders, making a sad face. ------------------------------- As he visits, Kobal relates a tale - a tale of epic proportions. At it's centre is another dwarf, the Warlord of Bloody Gate, Varka Cleaveson. The tale starts out when Varka set out to remove the upstart tyrant Gunderforn and reinstated the true King Rory Rockfist. Hereby he, alongside trusted friends, ensured peace and prosperity for the Bloody Gate for any years to come. Never truly satisfied with his work and ever striving to live up to the legends of his ancestors, Varka strived to strengthen the Gate, so that it would ever be a safe haven to the people he loved. Therefore he worked hard to organize the defences and train new warriors to replace those who had perished in battle against Gunderforn and the troops of Milara sent to bolster his ranks within the city. As this was accomplished, King Rockfist offered a last task to Varka - to seek and secure the 'Triqueta of Gates'. A relic of myths, the Triqueta was the symbol of the strength of the three gates into the city. Said to be made from the fusing together of the three keys originally made for deh three first gates into the Bloody Gate, the myth says that it was suspended over the King's throne as a warning that one of the King's sacred responsibilities was to tend to the gates of the city. This was because the three gates were the prime defence against any enemy that would seek to enter the Bloody Gate. A common saying in the Boody Gate goes: "The only way into the Gate is through the King". An aspiring priest blessed with a vision from Vorax had recognized the truth of the myth and knew it's worth to the Bloody Gate. So he spoke to King Rockfist of his vision, who then sent for his most trusted and loyal warrior, Varka Cleaveson. Together with friends he set out to the depths below the mountains, seeking passages not used by dwarfkin for generations. Following words of an ancient scroll that described how the King's nephew foolishly had stolen the Triqueta in a fit of rage and jealousy and fled into the lower dungeons, the party set out to reclaim what had been lost so many years ago. Far below ground, within a hive of ghastly enemies the treacherous young dwarf was discovered along with the Triqueta. Cursed by Vorax for his deed, the dwarf had been turned to stone and the Triqueta wrapped in a magical field that protected it from the hands of the unworthy. The cursed soul, however, had left something behind for those seeking to reclaim his prize. A scroll case held information that showed that he had regretted his deed and defended it until his end. It had been his final act to invoke a prayer to Vorax and ask him to protect what he had foolishly risked. So he was cursed and his soul tied to the Triqueta. It was discovered that to reclaim the Triqueta for the King and the Bloody Gate, another would have to take his burden. The price of past pride would need to be paid anew. It was then that the warlord stepped forward and made his intentions known. He made his goodbyes to his friends that had fought at his side for so many years and had aided him in his quests for the Bloody Gate. Then, without blinking, Varka Cleaveson stepped forward and clasped the crystal that encased the Triqueta. He uttered a prayer to Vorax: "The boundaries of time are come undone, I stand in the gateway between two worlds, Hear me through the veil that hides you from my sight, Help me through this day, Watch me. Shelter me. I am your child!" These words were his last, for as they were uttered, the curse was released and Varka turned to stone. The Triqueta was freed and returned to hower in suspension above the King's throne, while the statue of Varka Cleaveson was carried back up to the Bloody Gate where it now adorns the throne room as a constant reminder of Varka's sacrifice to the people he loved. This is his tale. * The following users thanked this post: Shadowblade225
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General Discussion / Reminder About Player Etiquette« on: February 17, 2008, 01:17:07 pm »
[SIZE=16]I have recently run across a couple of examples that warrants reminder about player etiquette. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=16]If you are involved in an impromptu quest, please do not send tells to all your friends having them to report to a location. If the GM wants other people or the rest of the server informed, you will probably see a shout like *anyone that is outside sees a bright light reflecting off the clouds in the direction of Hlint*.[/SIZE] [SIZE=16]Another example, please do not run past people in a CNR area to gather the CNR before the first party gets to it. The best way to handle it is through RP. Stop and ask the original party if they are on their way out or in. You may be able to join, or just come back later. RP is the key. If you are confronted IC'ly about running in front of people, using a Wizard's Tome of Teleportation usually will send the matter to OOC tells; especially if there is no RP to justify your actions.[/SIZE] [SIZE=16] [/SIZE] [SIZE=16]Examples listed below are not acceptable:[/SIZE] [SIZE=16]- I saw a really huge level gap and cause one can't party with more than seven levels of distance I figured you were just RP-ing.[/SIZE] [SIZE=16]- I can't play with a good friend cause they're more than seven above me.[/SIZE] [SIZE=16]- The room I went into needs a thief to open. I thought you were a cleric?[/SIZE] [SIZE=16]- I don't talk often.[/SIZE] [SIZE=16]- People start spamming listen checks as I'm usually disguised so it isn't much fun.[/SIZE] [SIZE=16]- Everyone mostly knows I'm (insert evil deity here) from the forum, so if I speak to them then I get frustrated.[/SIZE] [SIZE=16] [/SIZE] [SIZE=16]There are real life players playing these PCs, please have consideration for everyone.[/SIZE] The following users thanked this post: Shadowblade225
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Just for Fun / NASA - Total Lunar Eclipse« on: February 16, 2008, 10:59:24 pm »Quote "On Wednesday evening, February 20th, the full Moon over the Americas will turn a delightful shade of red and possibly turquoise, too. It's a total lunar eclipse—the last one until Dec. 2010." Read the full NASA - Total Lunar Eclipse article for more info. To everyone who has the time and a camera, let's try and take pictures to post in our gallery for the non-Americas people to see as they're sort-of left out of the full experience. Edit: minor corrections to last paragraph. The following users thanked this post: Shadowblade225
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Introduce Yourself / Following the example« on: February 14, 2008, 03:16:19 am »
Well...
I guess It's time also for my intorduction.. The name is Juan Carlos , I live in Monterrey Mexico, but I have lived in a lot of places along the country... I work as Telcomunication Engineer, fixing comunication problems for a bank (HSBC) ... just graduated from School some months ago... I am 28 years old. As you should suppose Spanish is my natural speaking languaje, but I try my best in English I found Neverwinter nights like a year ago... When I found Layonara I was amazed for the great work you have done with this world... I wanted to play in it as soon as I can... And now that I am playing I am not dissapointed... I love a lot to RP, as some of you would know by now. I had played PnP D&D for some years now.. also White wolf Aberrant, Cyberpunk, and I run a Forgotten realms campaign when I have time. I would not lie to you, I am a devoteed player and GM of AD&D 2nd Edition, I have no much Experience with 3rd or 3.5, but I inderstand it. It was a nice surprise to me that you have implemented the 2nd Ed XP table to the server system .... ( have faith 2nd edition will come back -... ) Well I am glad to be here enjoying the world and the Company... ¡Gracias ! The following users thanked this post: Shadowblade225
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General Discussion / Vendar's leave of abscence« on: December 18, 2007, 12:02:44 am »
Hey GM team and players,
Just wanted to let everyone know I love the RP world here and would spend much more time in Layo if I possibly could. Trouble is, I received orders to deploy to Iraq for one year and will be leaving the beginning of January '08. I'll be taking my laptop (which has NWN and Layo haks of course!) overseas with me, but I have no idea if I'll be able to login and play during my time there. So if you don't see Vendar following you around with his trusty quill and parchment, he is on an extended quest for Knowledge in unexplored lands and hopes to return next year. It's been great playing with you all. The following users thanked this post: Shadowblade225
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Layonara Server / Deity Relationships and RP'ing them« on: September 14, 2007, 09:37:27 am »
Hi folks,
It has come to my attention that a particular individual or two are totally and absolutely ignoring deity relationships in RP. It has been stated "because I don't know" or "because the character does not know". When you are a follower of a deity (especially as a champion, paladin, or cleric) you do know and you know it very well. The church would ensure you know this until it was ground in to your head and that is a mere fact. To say my character does not know when you are a follower of those types is wrong and wrong in all sorts of levels, it is also not acceptable in any sort of way. Deities will strike back and they will ensure those that are close to them and that represent them do as they request and desire or they will not give them the powers that are prayed for, that is also a mere fact. When you are a close follower of a deity (of those types; champion, paladin, cleric) you can not claim you do not "know" because you do and you would via the church. It is hard to represent/show that in an online game environment and that is why we have so much on the site about this topic, but as a close follower of a diety you are to go by the relationships as they are defined and RP in that manner. Please start playing deity relationships properly folks. The following users thanked this post: Shadowblade225
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Just for Fun / Gals roleplaying guy characters« on: September 05, 2007, 10:51:46 pm »
Remember that thread about how you can pick a guy RPing a female character? Why has there never been one done for the reverse? If you don't want to get caught out as a girl playing a guy (for whatever reason), follow these simple rules.
Rules for girls playing male PCs: #1: Under no circumstances should you RP two men sharing an umbrella (unless at an arena gladiatorial match and your pies or hotdogs are getting wet and then strictly for the eating period only). #2: Never ever RP your male character crying unless under the following circumstances: a. When a heroic dog dies to save its master. b. There is no b. #3: Unless he murdered someone in your character's family, you must bail a friend out of Fort Vehl jail within 12 hours. #4: Moaning about the type of ale another character has just given you for free is forbidden. However, complain at will if the temperature is unsuitable. #5: No male PC should ever be required to buy a birthday or wedding present for another male character. In fact, even remembering your character's male friends birthday or wedding should probably be avoided. #6: On a hack and slash trip across Dregar, the strongest bladder determines pit stops, not the weakest. #7: Only in situations of complete moral and/or physical peril are you allowed to RP kicking another male downstairs. #8: Even if you roll a natural 20 on the spot check, if another male PC's fly is down, that's his problem, you didn't see anything. #9: A male in the company of an attractive, suggestively dressed female PC must remain sober enough to fight. #10: If you compliment another male PC on his six-pack, you'd better be talking about his choice of ale. #11: Never join a female PC in discussing another male PC (only exception is if she's withholding amore pending your response). #12: Never talk to another male character in a inn's bathroom, an almost imperceptible nod is all the conversation you need. #13: It is acceptable for you to ride a female character's horse. It is not acceptable however for her to ride yours. // End of Pseudonym's RP lesson for today. The following users thanked this post: Shadowblade225
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General Discussion / Artwork of Plenarius« on: September 04, 2007, 02:18:19 pm »
I had a commission done for Plen, I just thought I'd share the result with the community.
I'm glad I'll always have this piece to remember where it all started, a big thank you to everyone who has shaped him along the way... The artist is Carol Phillips, I discovered her work while I was doing research for the t-shirt web site and we have been working slowly over the last year to come up with something for Plen. I'm very happy with it -orth P.S. No he is not done yet The following users thanked this post: Shadowblade225
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General Discussion / Wide Eyes and Grabby Hands« on: August 26, 2007, 11:22:36 pm »
Folks, I know that new stuff is pretty exciting. I also know that the fact that there's been a slight shift in magic level is a rather enticing proposition for adventure.
There's nothing wrong with this. The excitement is a good thing and the increase in adventure is a good thing. But, let's keep the spirit of things going. And hey, I get wide eyes too, so don't think I'm declaring myself the official angel of Layonara. Yet there seems to be some pretty mindless interactions going on, and I know that everyone that's a part of them can do better. An example of this would be when a GM initiates a fairly significant plot level impromptu... don't kill the creature and continue in debating the loot drops, what was found, and getting out your dice. On a scale of 1 to 10 on improper playstyle, I call this an 8. "Whoa, a rift has opened and a shadow of reality has emerged... and we killed it... 1d100 for the boots then guys?" I understand situational levels of roleplay: someone has to go, you're tired, it's bedtime, whatever... But let's not make this the trend. You are 100% wasting your life if you let the wide eyes dictate your time on Layonara. When it's all said and done, at some point you've seen it all, you're level 40, you've seen and had every item, you've seen and killed every creature... what do you have left? The community, and good conversation. "Less is more." (HB) I struggle to fully embrace this concept at times myself, but it's certainly something that we should all be trying at with some vigor. Fun fun, see you in there. The following users thanked this post: Shadowblade225
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