Posts Thanked By User

321

Layonara Server / Change in Character Development Thread Postings is Coming

« on: May 02, 2007, 12:29:18 pm »

I very nearly closed the servers down this morning, and I mean it was close. The only reason I didnt is because the teams are working so hard on projects that I just couldnt bring myself to harm them or destroy all of their hard work. NwN is old, it is ancient, there is little to no reason to keep the server going except to allow a rare few people to enjoy their time in a world that they like (the few left in the community that still play and still truly like the world). It is only a matter of time before they are closed down, but today just wasnt that day. These servers do nothing but cause me (and a fair few of the individuals on the teams) grief, hardships, frustrations, time away from family and friends, or a whole lot of money. They used to bring a ton of fun and enjoyment but that is no longer the case (for me at least). I now dread waking up and checking the forums because I know the mentality of a few in the community; those that like to rant and rave about how they are so wronged but that they could never do anything wrong. Oh but then when something goes wrong it is our fault (or perhaps more specifically my fault) for some silly or stupid reason; never the fault of their own. Have you wondered why not a whole lot of quests have been run in the plot or why I am not around as much? That is the main reason, at least 70% of the reason. Many on the GM Team cant bring our self to log in for spot quests or impromptu quests very often (myself included) because of all the childish and immature behaviors and attitudes. A few bad apples in the community have nearly burnt every one of us out. Sad isnt it?
 
 Five years ago I started this server off being very wide open to the public with little to no rules other than basic ones. Today look at the line of rules and the restrictions we have had to place on creativity and fun. It shows the state of online gaming and a lack of responsibility and respect in online and offline communities in general. I think it is a very sad thing indeed. It also goes to show why companies out there are moving away from having forums at all for their games, because a few of the very players that claim to love the world that they play in also seem to love to destroy that place. The emotional drama is childish and immature and does not do any community any good, and most certainly not ours.
 
 For various reasons we are going to be changing the way development threads are displayed to the public. We only have two options and I prefer the first but if we are not able to do it we will go with the second option. One of these options will happen over the next few weeks, as we get some time to work on it.
1) We are looking to make it so that a private development thread can be read by a forum member who is a friend (marked as a friend on the forums) of the original poster (thread owner) of a thread.
2) If we are not able to do #1 we will make all development threads private and only the poster and GM Team will be able to read them.
 
 I think it is very sad that we have come to this point but there is no other option. I refuse to continue to waste time, effort, and money watching the community blowup in rants and raves over meta-gaming or outright and blatant (IC) blaming of others in these threads. I put IC in () because a few players try to pull it off as an IC sort of thing when it is clearly not, but they feel we in the community are too stupid to see through that underhanded style of (play). Some players feel that they can point fingers at other players by posting under the pretense of (in character) in their CDTs because they know that certain individuals that meta-game read their threads. And they do it in a low and underhanded way; they are looking to give little jabs here and there and I find that unacceptable, demeaning to themselves as a human being, and just downright low. But I am also done fighting this sort of nonsense. It just drains everybodys will to play in the world, run quests in the world, keep the world servers running at all, or even be anywhere near the community as a whole. To fix the core problem of this sort of (play) that individual must understand that they need to change and then make that effort; there is nothing we can do to help them along.
 
 What is so funny is that some of the worst meta-gamers refuse to even see that they meta-game. It is a mind game that they play with themselves, let alone with all of those around themselves. Some of them know they do it but refuse to try and better themselves. To top it all off some of those same individuals rant and rave when things are meta-gamed back on to them. Its a vicious little cycle of self-denial or not wanting to improve oneself and I am not going to play that childish game any longer.

322

Fixed Bugs / Fort Vehl to Leringard Docks

« on: May 01, 2007, 08:22:26 pm »

This was mentioned to me by some one a while ago now, but I can see why it was.

A lot of players are not supposed to enter Port Hempstead, and this is one of the main routes to get to places like, Mariners hold, or Leringard, even sails to Vehl for those that are lazy among us

Think changing this, so that there is also a route from Leringard to Vehl and vice versa, would be a simple difference that would mean players with a monsterous subrace don't have to go by Hempstead when needing to head south from Leringard.

323

Character Submissions / Evil Character Bio Descriptions

« on: April 23, 2007, 11:22:39 am »

I am surprised I am having to type this but after five years of doing this I suppose I shouldn't be suprised.
 
 I want everybody to keep in mind the server and the community when they are submitting an evil aligned character. This is a family server and as such young adults and in some cases children may be reading these submissions. There is no reason to get graphic or gruesome on the submissions, none at all. There are multiple ways to get around the "need" of writing graphic details in a character submission, just use your head and a little common sense and you will figure out a way.
 
 I do not want to see the graphic descirptions in submissions any more, they are unacceptable. If we continue to see them evil aligned character will once again be removed from the world.
 
 Thank you.

324

Roleplaying / Abuse of Power versus Roleplay Logic

« on: April 11, 2007, 05:42:15 pm »

This is not meant to be inflammatory, I just ran into a bit of a hiccup last night at the party and was curious what the team's stance on this was.  It seems like an edgy call to me and I'm honestly not certain which way to go on it in regard to roleplay versus server rules.

And as a precursor, I have nothing against character A or how they did this. This is just an honest question and I'm curious.

Little Scenario:

- Drinking Contest with Will-o-whisky going on
- There's a nice prize in the background everyone can see
- Contest goes that whoever wobbles (fails check on drinking) is out
- Character A uses a spellcraft check to create an illusion of having drank her bottle, that my character, the judge, has no possible or mathematical way of beating
- Character A wins as an epic character with this high check.
- I call her on it, against my RP, and say she's been cheating
- GM sends tell saying I have no way of knowing this, so I shrug and give character A the prize.

*Note that GM said I should find a creative way of uncovering the truth, but I outright laughed seeing as how I was trying to manage a large crowd of players and all the events therein, and didn't have convenience of DM powers.  It was bloody cat herding mayhem.

Anyhow, here's where I'm kinda wobbling on the fence deciding which way to go on this.  Let me change the skill check a moment for discussion's sake.

- Character A is an epic barbarian now, and uses an Intimidation skill check, in the region of a base skill of 67, which nobody around them has a chance in hells of beating.
- They 'bully' their way into winning the prize using this oppressive intimidation check which is quite logical, but seeing as how they are focused in that skill and are 14 levels higher then their fellow competitors, it's impossible for present company to compete.

Now how do you feel about it?  Just curious.  This is not a flame.

325

General Discussion / Plot - Dragon Storm: Suffering

« on: April 08, 2007, 11:13:25 pm »

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you and welcome. This is a two ‘part’ post this being the first part and only vaguely related to the second. As an effort to spread information and be fair to everyone I will be making ‘visible’ record of the Dragon Storm campaign. This first occurrence will be noted as you see it in the general discussion. However all future occurrences will land in the CDT I opened on Ozymandias. In the case of the later, this, past and future posts are meant to be read and used as a role play tool. The information I do not wish to be used I simply will not post.
You can decide for yourself how you come across this information. Perhaps you overheard things on the subject in the local tavern your character frequents, or you heard it off some bard trying to make a true. Whatever the reason consider it a valid tool to talk with others about.
The reason I am doing this in this manner is because I consider my previous method, in the Soul of a Lost Ancient a dismal failure. It was boring, reward less, and required many more hours doing nothing than I would like. Furthermore many people were left out as I had to sleep at some point, or work, or do other activities. So I am going to try this method where I spin a few rumors that might be heard in a public place. Then you the player, armed with even rudimentary knowledge can seek out those that participated. While for those of you that could only make part of a quest, either by real life or by group selection, are not left with the ‘left out’ feeling.
After all it is one thing to be expected to ask questions, it is another to not have any idea what to ask. So in that interest of fairness, in the interest of my sanity, and the interest of community spirit in the since of working together. I shall try and provide something you can work with in game.
Now enough of my gibbering lets get down to part two which you are really interested in.

In the last eleven years a certain sight can be found in most port towns. Entire villages with what belongings they could bring flocking there and boarding ships all to seek a life in ‘better lands’. Few find success in their endeavors but many will try to find a place to live a better life for their families. The stories are the same of crops failing and sickness running rampant, the gods having abandoned the people and horrific stories that Dragons have returned.
Roomers abound though of bandits and brigands growing more and more common. Some say they have turned from robbery to outright murder of their quarry robbing them of their scant goods and their lives. The roads no longer safe while the so called Heroes of Layonara live like royalty safe and sound from the horrors of the world.
Yet despite this it is still said, that perhaps the Heroes have not given up and that people here and there. Sometimes one, or sometimes just a single village are brought from the plight of the world. That certain parts of the world have become safer if only slightly because of their restoring of order. These instances seem few and far between in recent years. The world is suffering and so are the people that dwell within it.
In the Land of Kings the heroes made themselves known in the City of Twins; Lor. As people fled from the poverty and despair that had engulfed the north, the rich merchants demanded their due. A kings price to ship people away to a better land, yet the heroes stepped forward and paid it in true and one small group felt a time of reprieve.
There are reasons for everything, families are not torn asunder for no reason. A cult was rising and growing in this time of darkness. Armed, armored and wielding fearsome magic they displaced many and slaughtered others. They were called by many names, some cried that they were the black hand, others the iron hand, a few even said the hand of blood. Yet no mater what these individuals were called, they seemed to revel in the destruction and called themselves the hand.
Perhaps there are still heroes, maybe not as many as tales say. Some may be content to live in their homes as nobility while others suffer. Yet there may be some left willing to fight to protect those truly hurt by this time of darkness. In the Land of Kings those so called heroes gathered and moved to attack the brigands calling themselves the hand.
In the broken mountains the groups fought, heroes within desecrated valleys and caverns filled with decay and death. While this new cult of brigands channeled their twisted creations with joyous abandon. Willingly forfeiting their lives and accepting no chance to surrender. The battle raged and the earth moaned as twisted things fell returning to the earth with their passing.
Yet as the brigands were slain they called out that this was not the end. They were but a single digit of the full fury. Perhaps the heroes had brought the first blow to the bandits but it was certainly not the last. In the end the heroes were the ones to leave the twisted caverns and corrupted pass, yet questions yet many remained unanswered. Especially one that falls heavy on all minds, what does this group have to do with dragons that have returned?

All right an unexpected part three to this post. I think this tells you enough. I suppose we will just have to wait and see what unfolds and what each other have learned. Share information, spread it around, you never know when it will be important to remember. Anyway good luck I hope this post and this method prove more successful then the last method I used.

326

General Discussion / How to PvP - The Mechanics vs. RP

« on: March 30, 2007, 02:17:28 pm »

I have a new goblin PC and have been putting him in situations where other PCs can have the freedom of how to deal with him.  So far it's been great fun and I hope the other players are enjoying the encounters as well.

I have had some questions about how to handle the mechanics of the PvP widget and thought I'd share my learnings here.

If you are in a party and someone uses the PvP widget on you or anyone else in the party, you will all receive a message:[INDENT]The Party: So-and-so, is requesting to PvP with your party.
[/INDENT]Only the leader of a party can accept a PvP challenge.  This can be troublesome if everyone doesn't understand this, especially if the leader is in another area and completely unaware of the situation.  The best suggestion is that prior to using the PvP widget you send a tell to the person you are targetting to see if they are in a party or leader of it.  This is so that they can accept or decline themselves.

Now, once the first PC has used their PvP widget on you, you or your group need to accept the challenge.  When the appropriate person uses their widget to accept, the following message is displayed to the entire party:[INDENT]Your party leader has accepted a PvP challenge from So-and-so. Leave party within 60 seconds if you do not wish to participate.

Please set So-and-so, to Hostile in your Player List window.
[/INDENT]Leaving the party is not a requirement in terms of game mechanics.  However, you should declare your intention to join in by setting the opponents to hostile.  It would be very bad form to stand at the edge in friendly mode only to jump in later.  You are either in or out.

Now, don't fight yet!  There will be a message after 60 seconds signalling when to begin.[INDENT]Your PvP session has now begun. You are allowed to PvP for up to 15 minutes, or until you die.
[/INDENT]When you see that, that is when you are back in-character.  I say in-character because between the acceptance and the signal to start, there should be absolutely no in-character activities!  You should treat the game as paused for you and your opponents.[INDENT][LIST=1]

• Do not rest!
  
• Do not buff you and your comrades!
  
• Do not move to more strategic location!
  
• Do not swap in and out armor and gear!
  
• Do not summon anything!
  
• Do get yourself ready mentally for some fun and excitement!

[/INDENT]It is important to remember that PvP can be very nerve racking for many.  A lot of us likely don't have much experience with this and we find our hearts racing and palms sweaty on the mouse.  Don't worry!  You'll be fine no matter the outcome.

What happens if you get killed?  When you die, there is no roll against the Soul Mother if you used the PvP widget!  (Note that there is currently a bug such that if a summon kills you, you will still roll for a loss of a soul strand.  Don't panic if this happens, just make a posting on the forums in the Disputes & Grievances.)  When you respawn, a gravestone is left for you and you are sent back to your bindstone to reflect.

After time has expired, you will see a message:[INDENT]Your PvP session has ended. Please set everyone back to Neutral or Friend in your Player List window. You will not be able to participate in PvP for 60 minutes.
[/INDENT]Now comes the tricky part:  You must handle this event ICly.  How would your PC react to being beaten?  Did you know the PC's name ICly?  Would you even recognize them again?

Let's back up a bit and look at the RP that must necessarily surround all of this.  Of course prior to using the PvP widget you and the other PC are going to be talking back and forth, posturing and such.  

[INDENT]You, a paladin of always-right, see a drow minding his own business squarely in the middle of the path on a rainy day. (#1)  You, not wishing to muddy your old green boots by walking off the path, tell him to step aside.  The drow simply laughs at you and puts hands on hips. (#2)  You draw your sword and tell him that only does he need to leave the path, but head all the way back to whatever hole he crawled out of.  The drow casts a defensive spell upon himself and pulls out his own blade. (#3)  The paladin then laughs and the two embrace and exchange flowers since everyone knows there are no evil drow outside of the underdark. (At this point, the observers should all use their PvP widgets on the paladin and drow.)
[/INDENT]In the scenario above, there are three numbered places where the PvP widget would make sense to use.  Perhaps #1 is a bit early.  The second point is a good spot since while the widget is entirely OOC, it does serve the purpose of notifying everyone of how serious the situation can become.  Point #3 will probably be the most common since it is the point just before the actual clash of battle.  My points about no resting, etc. during the 60 second wait period above are most applicable to this point.  

Remember too, just because the PvP widget has been used, doesn't mean that it has to result in combat.  It's also not bad to mix in some RP during the combat itself.  Some PvP practice in the arena with your comrades will help you get a better feel for what is possible and the flow of PC vs. PC compared to PC vs. monster.

I hope this helps make your PvP scenarios run a bit smoother.

327

Roleplaying / An Ode to Rogues, or, a Rogue by Any Other Name

« on: March 28, 2007, 03:01:57 am »

Shall I compare thee to a common thief?
Thou art more complex and more versatile.
Rough hands oft do thy name much grief
And most make you a stealer with a smile.

Sometimes too great an influence, the screen
With roguish grins, lawbreakers are they all -
So we fall victim to the things we've seen
And in this stereotype you sadly fall.

But you've still chance to make thy choices known,
And 'fluence those with bios still unwrit;
And cast as scout, or aught of sim'lar tone
Into a new alignment snugly fit.

So when you make a rogue I pray to you:
Think not of theft - there's more a rogue can do!


The gist of the above is that I've seen a disturbing trend of people tarring all rogues with the same brush.. or, gods help them, referring to a rogue's (or their OWN) profession in-game by the line: "Oh, I/he/she am/is a rogue!"

Behaviour
To borrow from the handbook:

Rogues have little in common with each other.  While some - maybe even the majority - are stealthy thieves, many serve as scouts, spies, investigators, diplomats, or simple thugs.  Rogues are versatile, adaptable, and skilled at getting what others don't want them to get.  While not equal to a fighter in combat, a rogue knows how to hit where it hurts, and a sneak attack can dish out a lot of damage.

The gist of this is that there are no "typical" rogue activities, nor a "typical" rogue alignment.  A thuggish rogue would likely not waste any skill points on Pick Pocket, Disarm Traps, and the like, and would likely have more of his ability points in CON and STR than in INT or CHA.

Conversely, the acrobatic lithe fighter who darts in and out of combat can also be a rogue, with a high DEX, and likely a high CHA, as this would be the gentleman who would Taunt opponents as he dashed around them, slipping a dagger in where it hurts.

There's the scout, learning to hide and hurt the enemy for their noble (or ignoble) cause.

The diplomat, with a high INT and CHA - capable in a fight, but much better suited to a duel of words.

Any of these are more likely to be suited to a Rogue character than virtually any other character type.  The upshot?  As before, Rogues are a very difficult character class over which to generalize.

By Any Other Name... Please?

Of all the classes, this is the One Which Is Not Named.  A rogue may be a thief (though he's unlikely to advertise as one, unless this is what the hirer is after), a scout, a trapspringer... or any of the occupations listed above... but the word "rogue" would mean nothing in-game, save its original designation: a scoundrel, unreliable, deceitful, and untrustworthy... and again, who would advertise themselves as this?

Monks are.. well, monks.  They could perhaps be "practitioners of the arts of unarmed combat", but that's stretching the point a bit.  A fighter can be a sellsword, a mercenary, a soldier, a guard.. or, let's face it, a fighter.  Someone who can wade into combat, blades flashing.  A Paladin is just that - it's in their title.  Perhaps the appellation Knight can be given.  Calling someone a cleric is fairly reasonable, likewise Rangers, and certainly Druids, Wizards, Sorcerers and Bards.  Barbarians could be called fighters as well, but their name is not misplaced.  Rogues are really the odd ones out, as a loyal scout of Mistone could easily be a Rogue.. but not be roguish in the least, and certainly not deserving of the name.


In Summary, and I'm Not Makeup, Darnit!

Rogues are incredibly versatile, so if you're planning a rogue submission, don't pigeonhole them into the "thief" persona unless that's what you wish them to be - with so much selection, a rogue can take almost any place if she's written right.

Rogues are not called rogues, as those who are wouldn't advertise it, and those who aren't would be offended.  (Though it is permissible to call the wittily quipping rogue "roguishly charming".  It may just get you smacked by anyone within arm's reach who's reading over your shoulder. )

And, please, Rogues are not Rouges.  The one is a versatile fighter/scout/thief/smoothtalker/whatever, the other is a powder.  (Granted, the former can become the latter if mixed with mages or dragons, but one would generally not wish to apply the result to one's face.)

And that's that!

Cheers,
Darkstorme.

(N.B.  Yes, I'm biased, with a primary rogue character, but sometimes I weep to see what is done with my.. erm.. noble profession.  *chuckles*)

328

Ask A Gamemaster / Frustrated

« on: March 25, 2007, 02:50:14 pm »

I have to admit I love the new design for the game.  Its interesting and exciting.   I do also have to say I am beyond frustrated.  I spend more time dead then anything else.  I cant even get to most low level crafting items.  Now you cant even craft while your dead.  I don't have the luxury of getting into a group, because I don't have control over how long I can play.  I loved this server because I could pop in and pop out and do my crafting and enjoy it.     Now.... I just don't have a clue what to do.  

I just think you forgot to plan for those of us who by the dictates of RL must spend most of our game time alone.

I don't want to find another server to play on.  I like the people here.  I like the world and I love the crafting.   Its the main appeal of this world.  I just wish it were fun to play again.

329

CNR Suggestions/Discussion / Resource/Enchantment Level/Level Required List

« on: May 28, 2005, 02:54:00 pm »

Original thanks to vgn and Harloff for putting these altogether.  Thanks now to Faldred for putting this in BBCODE.

Simple is good, it looks fine and works great.


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Copper

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Hickory

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Leather

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Lion

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Adamantium/Mahogony

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Malar

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Mithril

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Yew

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Dire Bear

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