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Ask A Gamemaster / Monstrous Submissions« on: May 07, 2011, 11:01:47 am »
Back in May 2010, a hold was placed on monstrous submissions "temporarily, until the team catches up on submissions". All of the submissions from May 2010 seem to have been completed. Any ETA on bringing them back? We're at the one year anniversary.
Monstrous submissions require little extra effort to approve than any other approval. If anything, they require even less effort, since they can say that they "came from some tribe in the woods" instead of "he came from this city at this time, check the Lore, and this event was happening there, check the lore, and so and so was the queen of this land, check the lore, and he learned elven from his fathers friend, and dwarven from his mothers uncle...". This is much more complex than say "Tog came from the woods, he learned the way of the warriors and talks with grunts, like most orcs do". What I also find strange is that highly complicated races like Dark elves, each of which must detail their test, how they passed, their reasoning for leaving the underdark, how they cope with being topside in an alien world, etc. are fine, but a goblin who was raised in a tribe in the woods is more complex. The suspension does not extend to wemics or fish elves, which are very monstrous and complex in their own right. This is not to knock the submission/approval staff. They have a tough and thankless job, very thankless. The stress levels of dealing with all these hurdles can be frustrating. But when regular submissions begin to take almost a month to approve, monstrous submissions have been denied for more than half a year, and we have massive blow-outs like what happened with Silvanne, and about 1/4 of the new players who submit a new character just wander off during the process and never return, then decidedly there is a problem. We need more staff! Maybe the time is right for a recruitment drive to bolster numbers on that front. We need to lower the bar! When I first got here, maybe 6-7 years ago, I admit the bar was too low. Right around 2005-2006 it was raised to an appropriate level, I think. But every year since then, we have demanded more and more from our players just to start playing. It has gotten to the point where three grown men in their 30s have to meet 3x a week for over 3 weeks to brainstorm, rough draft, edit, etc. trying to find the secret codewords just to get a battle-rager approved in less than a month. This is a family server, children are supposed to be able to play here. How is a kid going to make a submission without tons of outside help? Will children have the maturity to be told "no no no no" every time they want to try to play a new game? We've had a grown man in his 30s snap and rage-quit over this system. Take a look around at the server numbers. It's basically the same 10-20 people at peek hours, with 0-4 on any time less than weekend quest prime time. Now you might say that this is simply because the game is old, then how come other servers far less incredible than ours that shall remain nameless are hitting 40-50/64 consistently? I will tell you why, because in order to play a game, it has become work. In order to alleviate stress, we fret and agonize about nitpicking little things in the bios. I write awesome bios, so I don't have to deal with most of thise stress. Luckily I can get my non-monstrous, mundane characters approved in say, 2-3 weeks. I still think we can do better than that. I love this server. It has built many fond memories over the course of over 7 years. Please, we have to stop starving it of new players in the name of law and order and meticulous structure. I know I make this post every year, and every year now the problem has gotten worse and worse. I do not fault the current submission team, but rather I commend them for lasting as long as they have and working as hard as they do. But in the end, it's equally unfair to them as it is to the players to have the bar set so high. In short, we could use two things. 1) a staff recruitment drive among our tiny numbers to help speed things along. and 2) to lower this bar so that people less perfect and well-written than myself can pass the very 1st step. We also need to lift the ban on monstrous races, because it isn't the problem that they are so complex, but rather WE are being too nitpicky with the mundane races as it is. If every submission takes weeks and weeks, then a goblin or orc is not the problem, the system as it is working now is the source of the trouble. I commend the team currently working hard to keep this awesome world running. Just you're working too hard over a basic process that gets harder and harder. The higher you set the bar, the more work you make for yourselves, and the harder your job will be. I'd rather have lots of approvals green-lighted quicker and see you people in game, playing, than making an unpaid career doing paperwork 20 hours a week. I would rather meet lots of new players new to RP in the world than a tiny handful of seasoned veterans that survived the overly difficult obstacle course it takes to get here. We need more staff, we need more players. More players mean more veterans that become staff, so don't turn away the players. You incredible people work too hard as it is. The following users thanked this post: Eeroas
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Ask A Gamemaster / theft« on: January 09, 2011, 07:13:06 pm »
Hi,
Puck has taken some scrolls from the Tower Academy. I burned some before being told that these were not there just for the taking. On IC advice I have PMed Elohanna's player IC and let her know what's happened offering to make amends and added an OOC apology to same effect. I have returned everything taken (although possibly to wrong shelves.....) other than what I used Sorry- didn't know that this was theft etc as open containers that didn't say don't take.... I've never played on a server where so much of the world is player owned etc and hadn't realised the established norms. Won't happen again. I'll not be such an idiot in future. Amadan The following users thanked this post: Eeroas
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General Discussion / A Fond Farewell« on: January 08, 2011, 11:39:05 am »
Hi everyone,
I have to say ... it's been a great run! That said, this post is to let the community know that I have just stepped down as a GM. The decision to retire was actually some months in the making, but I stayed on a little longer to make sure my work with Center rolled out smoothly, and to finish off my last commitments to CDQ requests. Time. If only we all could have enough! But with my university days over and my full time job becoming more full time by the day, I know in my heart that I don't have the time for the responsibilities of GMing anymore, and it is time to step aside. My deepest thanks to the community. You are what makes GMing here worth the time we give up. So thanks, for your commitment and passion to the world, for your creativity on quests and during every day roleplay, and for all the support you give the GMs as we try our best to weave stories for you, puppeteer a dozen NPCs at once, and keep the monsters on a short enough leash that you can at least try to solve the world's problems in a non-combative fashion. Mine were always a little unruly, and apologies to whoever they took a swipe at accidentally during a quest. I do seem to recall a few strand refunds during my tenure ... ;-) I can say with honesty, it has been my sincerest pleasure to eavesdrop on all your RP conversations, snoop through your character's backpacks and leave the occasional surprise, bash you on the head with the XP wand from time to time, and torture your characters through development quests! Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. ~Carillon The following users thanked this post: Eeroas
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Layonara Server / A note on future updates« on: November 06, 2010, 12:41:47 pm »
Hello Layonara Community,
I just wanted to let you all know that I'm trying something different with the way I've done updates. To put it briefly, I'm going to try doing smaller, more frequent updates. Some of them may also be "stealth" updates, meaning that I may not announce them at all. Others may be quick-fix updates, such as those I have done since 3.30 has gone online. So what does this mean? Well, I'm not making any guarantees, but simple changes and quick fixes will hopefully find their way into play more quickly. Also, I'm hoping to keep better pace with plot-relevant changes as well as possibly add some unexpected variability into the world. Such things may not be frequent, as it is still subject to my rather full schedule. However, this is my intent, and I wanted to let you, the community, to know what is going on, so that when you go on your "usual" and find bugbears instead of ogres, for example, you will know why. We'll see how it goes, I guess! The following users thanked this post: Eeroas
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Layonara Server / Version 3.30 is online!« on: October 27, 2010, 08:02:36 pm »
[SIZE=32]Version 3.30 is online![/SIZE]
This version is a pretty significant update in some ways, and it also requires new HAK files. Please note that I've restructured the “control” HAK file into two files: a “ctrl” HAK and a “res” HAK for size and management reasons. You will need to download both of these files as well as the latest TLK file in order to enter the game. [SIZE=-1]http://nwn.layonara.com/downloads/files/layo_resv3r1.rar (HAK) http://nwn.layonara.com/downloads/files/layo_ctrlv3r10.rar (HAK) http://nwn.layonara.com/downloads/files/layonara_v24.rar (TLK) [/SIZE] (NOTE: the All-in-One HAK has not yet been updated) This update contains some initiatives that we've been working on in one sense or the other for several months, and in some cases nearly a year,, and in particular one far reaching initiative that we hope will improve several long-running ills. I'll mention more on this later, but this one in particular is the result of a collaboration between the GM Team as a whole based on feedback and comments from the community. For expediency, I want to quickly thank the entire GM Team, the Plot Team, the Project Team and the community for their various contributions, and specifically, I want to thank (in no particular order) Script Wrecked, Alatriel, Rowana, Eorendil, Pankoki, Carillon Guardian-452 and mixafix for their more direct contributions and for saving me a load of time. And now, onto the meat: Announcing: Center, Brelin Kingdom, Mistone[INDENT][SIZE=16]Once a town of its own right prior to the Dark Ages, the region of land once known as Center has seen a resurgence in recent years. The resettling began with refugees fleeing the destruction and uncertainty brought by the tsunamis that struck the west coast of Mistone. While initially little more than a tent city, Center started to become a crossroads in its own right. Its location along the strategic road between Fort Wayfare and points south helped it to become more than just a transient safe shelter for the displaced. Enterprising merchants set up their tents and wagons, finding the trade and commerce worthwhile. [/SIZE] [SIZE=16] [/SIZE] [SIZE=16]As has often been the story of other towns, an inn was built to serve not only those who ended up staying for a long term but also those traveling along the road. The merchant presence likewise became a fixture, drawing not only a banking presence but also facilities for skilled tradesmen. Merchants migrated away from Fort Wayfare, though this wasn't long lamented by residents, who on the whole felt some relief at having less traffic (and fewer “undesirables” lingering around their town. In keeping with this sentiment, Fort Wayfare petitioned Spellgard to “do something about that portal” in the middle of town. Spellgard agreed, and a team led by Connor Garvill shifted the portal's exit to Center. With the added traffic through every means, Center began to truly thrive and become a hub of activity of all sorts. [/SIZE] [SIZE=16] [/SIZE] [SIZE=16]While still essentially a transient settlement, as it doesn't qualify as a town yet, Center has grown beyond the simpleness of its rebirth into a place worthy of note.[/SIZE] [/INDENT] To address one of the biggest problems with v3, Layonara once more has a single starting area: Center. Located south of Fort Wayfare and north of Port Hempstead fields, Center and its surrounding areas represent a complete low-level experience for all new characters. Its status as an unincorporated settlement (at best) makes it open to all races, even those banned from cities and towns throughout the civilized world. That is not to say that they're welcomed by all, but there is either tolerance or numbness in those who might be considered residents. Besides the land mass that is Center, the surrounding areas have been remapped somewhat. Existing areas have been changed and new areas have been added. And of course, there are benches. Along with this, there is a new entry area, which should help introduce new players to the Dragon Storm campaign. As with many things, it is better seen than described, so please, stop by and have a look. We're eager to hear your feedback. As well, why not submit a new character and experience it through new eyes. And since it is such a big thing, it's worthy of special note that Carillon and Pankoki worked quite hard and diligently to bring the Team's vision and plans for Center to life. It is no small feat they accomplished. ------------------------------------------------------------------- With all that said, let's get onto the list... [SIZE=16]Center:[/SIZE] The Center project involves 15 new areas created in or around Center, creating a new hub for the server and completely changing the experience of a first level character entering the game world. Some examples of changes relating to the hub that will help the new character:
[/SIZE] [SIZE=16]Other New stuff:[/SIZE]
Go forth and enjoy! The following users thanked this post: Eeroas
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Rumour Has It / Whle the server stays up....« on: October 11, 2010, 05:34:58 am »
The GM may be sunning himself on holiday but...
The Lor story continues, clues abound in players hands, on server, and in forum... Dungeons do not lie idle, treasures await abandoned in dnagerous places, caches hidden....(for clarity I have added treasure in various locations) All you need is a PC some attitude and get in game! (Let me know if you finds anything unusual for the record) The following users thanked this post: Eeroas
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Just for Fun / What can brownies ride« on: June 22, 2010, 04:37:18 pm »
I was chatting with Lily Hathren the other day about what brownies might ride suggesting dogs are too big and she thought maybe the cat?
Lily, try looking at Gigglerific | myLifetime.com there's a terrific little horse theer that would suit you down to the ground. Havent seen one for sale around layo yet though. The following users thanked this post: Eeroas
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General Discussion / Ideas to spark interest.« on: May 01, 2010, 09:08:14 pm »
I know Dorg said some changes are comming in a recent thread. But I thought I would toss out some other ideas to see if we can spark some interest in the ole place. Some of these have been talked about in other threads, but I wanted to put them into this one as well. Some of these ideas are probably not even possible for the NwN version of Layo... but I wish to bring them up all the same.
1. Double XP week(end) (some % of a boost in XP) I missed the last one of these... how was the reception? 2. Increased loot or coin drops (say for a weekend) 3. Put +4 (and maybe +5) items into the loot table. Perhaps they are already. 4. New items to the loot tables. Id like to even see a sort of cycling loot table if that were possible.. say every so many months what was dropping would change. Kinda like how Disney "locks up" movies for so many years then releases them for sale again. 5. Adding a "Call Home" type ability to all. More than likley a consumable item with some cost to it. 6. Attuneable equipment....this would get those crafters back playing and crafting since that Iron Longsword they made 4 years ago isnt being handed down from player to player anymore. 7. Increase the numbers of characters we can play from 6 to.... ? 8. Adding an "LFG" (Looking For Group) feature to the game, to the forums, etc. A place we can check and see who is wanting to play and not just see that empty server or server of people out of our level range etc. I would like to see others add what they think in the way of other ideas. But take discussion of an individual ideas to its own thread. Lets keep this just for ideas, not so much the discussion of them. My idea is to stay on topic and give the powers that be a clear view of what the player base beleives may help make this world even better!!! Thanks G-452 . The following users thanked this post: Eeroas
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Ask A Gamemaster / A concern« on: April 30, 2010, 02:50:32 am »
First of, this is not meant to be a critique, but more to raise a concern that I have. Over the last two years I have seen the submission require more and more in terms of justifications and trainings, even for the more simple classes. While I can understand and even agree that a richer submission, gives more ground and understanding of your own characters, I can't see to shake the feeling that sometimes, some things are not necessary.
Some submissions have been approved even recently without a shred of training out in them, while others have been asked to write up how they were trained. So I was wondering for the newer players that may come here, if a list of "most standard" class should be made to make it easier for them to prepare their submissions and speed up the process for them? As if we refer to the character submissions and approvals policies, it may be beneficial for them to know which class are intended to go with the paragraph below. 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). With regards. HB p.s. I wasn't sure which part of the forum would be best suited for this, as it is more of a concern question than suggestion. The following users thanked this post: Eeroas
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Ask A Gamemaster / Dark Elves and the Law« on: April 22, 2010, 10:39:32 am »
I have a question regarding Dark Elves and Divine Law. Last night a pc dark elf openly acknowledged his race and even agreed to travel with another party member to Vehl to be registered as a dark elf at the Temple. It was presented to me that by because of the history of dark elves, the simple open presence of one on Mistone is a violation of the law. I'm aware that some cities like Hempstead ban Dark Elves openly, but what of the surrounding countryside? Is it legal to arrest and incarcerate a dark elf that is following the law simply because he or she is a dark elf? I spent some time in Lore and haven't found a single thing to back this statement up. Quite the contrary in fact. As stated in the Law of Layonara -
Principles of the Divine Court
The following users thanked this post: Eeroas
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CNR Suggestions/Discussion / Throwing Axes« on: December 14, 2009, 02:55:06 am »
I understand that in a fairly recent update, crafted arrows were increased from stacks of 20 to stacks of 99.
As throwing axe affectionados are already at a disadvantage, as our chosen ranged weapon requires a pound of carrying capacity per throw, it would be nice to see something similar for our projectiles. Rather than increasing the stack size, however, perhaps reducing the recipe from
to
... for a stack of twenty-five axes? (And similar reductions for more powerful axes, naturally.) I mean, the alternative is for axe-throwing types to carry around darts, or a sling, or a bow... and really, carrying a bow is for sissy elves. Dwarves throw axes! (Also, it would be nice if the price for copper throwing axes at the merchants was cut by three-quarters or so. As it stands, they average about four True per axe, while the bow-wielding types can have three hundred and ninety-six shots for every one of ours.) I beseech the powers that be, in the name of dwarves everywhere - don't make us pick up a bow. Let us stay true to our Voraxian heritage, and hit people with a full pound of metal at sixty yards! The following users thanked this post: Eeroas
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