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Messages - Link092
21
« on: August 04, 2012, 12:51:35 am »
Maybe we need to start thinking back to how we found Layo, and what kept us hooked, and then try to resurface those more if they have dissipated and maybe make more of it if it is still around. There is a great community here, but why do we stay? For many of us, it is the love of our characters. But maybe it's time to think back to when we first joined, and what made us like it.
When I first joined I was only 9, and I mainly enjoyed playing with my dad, Merlin34. That may not be the greatest of examples, but its all I have. But each and every active player has one of those examples, and that's a fair enough sample size to make an assumption on what people are looking for, and focus something onto that in game or on the forums or elsewhere. Everyone go home, 'cuz this guy hit the nail head on. :U But in all seriousness, Teo makes an excellent point. We should poll together the ideas of what hooked us. as individuals. Then take that and think about how we can bring that back around. In my case, I joined several years back. I would try to calculate my age at the time I joined, but that's trivial (and I'm not old enough to be complaining about my age anyhow). Regardless, I was looking for something that I was interested in. D&D, like an actual PnP campaign, but online. Unlike recently, I haven't had the opportunity or the contacts to join any PnP games because of 1) where I live and 2) the community I live in has a general lack of people who enjoy this kind of activity (those weirdos don't know what they are missing. :U). So I hunted around online for all but, Iunno... 3 minutes? I had my first character written up rather quickly, and I was chomping at the bit waiting for approval. NEEDLESS to say, I won't go into the bit about Rowana scolding me (sorry Row :3 ). But as soon as I got in, what had me hooked was exportability. The place was huge. HUGE. GINORMOUS. I felt like I could fit half a dozen earth's into layo. Which is good for an online campaign, because the worst thing about ANY videogame is the limitation of movement and travel. The second part? well, I'll get to that in a second... :U teehee. What worked for me was a sense of discovery, this was comprised of a couple factors which may not be practical anymore, but anyway;
1) Going to Hlint and seeing a crowd gathered around Ozy, listening to his stories and/or prevarications. This also held true for Rhizome and others who almost always seemed to have time to devote to new players and their questions.
2) Bruenor Wildbeard and one or two others that would take groups of newbies and lowbies on quests or just out to kill something. Or a bunch of somethings. This enabled Gunther to get to a level where he could almost fend for himself. Once Gunther got to that point then I felt confident in signing up for quests, mining ore for crafting, and exploring more of layo. Whatever may have been said about old Bruenor, he was an extrovert and went out of his way to invite people on trips and make them feel welcome.
Anyway, that's what worked for me way back when. SO second point! The community is great. It really is. But with any 2-bit noob who arrives on his/her first day like I did, after the initial overload from the small bits of exploration, a sudden dread sets in...
"Ermahgerd... I have to TALK TO PEOPLE." *Proceeds to rip hair out*
Some of us don't really know where to start. Or even how to get something going. In my case, I read some rather stringent looking rules about OOC chat, so I didn't send a tell to anyone. :Y for like... a week. And I think Erin or Jil were the first to send me a poke. It was after overcoming that first bit that I actively looked for new players whenever I joined the server, because I wanted them to feel welcome and immersed IMMEDIATELY. I feel it goes a long way to have someone help show you the ropes from the get go. And I didn't want them to wait a week like I did. ;n; Now, this isn't to say "oh jebus, the first time here is bad." It's quiet the opposite. And I had a blast playing my first character after I finally figured out who was doing those "let's drag the newbies on a suicide mission and laugh at them", because it's those bits that I derive the most enjoyment from. Not quests, or Red Light runs, but those small gatherings where everyone may or may not shout at each other for 10 minutes because they are dwarves. *cough* :3 So off to the third point. I'm part of that 10% minority of players who's never really had an epic character.... well okay, there was Amgine, but he permed almost immediately after reaching level 21. He had a couple really bad strings of rolls versus the Soul Mother in his earlier levels. I enjoyed the slow leveling. Sure, it's frustrating to have a squirrel take your nuts and not being strong enough to do jack diddly squat about it (It should never happen D:< but it does anyways. besides, it makes for good horror stories). But it deters grinding (which bores me) and it pushes people to be more group oriented. Running off on your own and soloing some big bad is nice once and a while, but what makes roleplay fun is the story that YOU write. And a story with no interaction is kinda sad (relatively speaking). The fact that Layo forgoes the focus on increasing your character's level in favor of character driven story directed by the players themselves is great, and that is what makes Layo what it is. Now, that all being said, it can also get frustrating for some older players to make a new character and start at zero. No one comes to show you the ropes because you already know them silly. :U But it's still difficult to get a foot up because usually, a lot of folks are on their "more grown up" characters, and from a in character perspective, a level 21 and up, by nature of some perceived power and status, would likely find it hard to relate to a green ear who just rose out of the dirt. Sure, they're better then average, so to speak, but they are still level 1. And let's face it. there isn't a whole lot a lvl 1 and a lvl 21 character would do beside RP a conversation or another at some location where deer wouldn't rip the teeth out of the lvl 1 character. Not to imply that NOTHING can be done, but more often then not, as a player, you're looking for a little action as well, so that usually, as I perceive it, stops some of the interaction. This is why occasionally, provided I have enough planning room, I'm going to try and coordinate some events for just lower level characters to derp around with. By lower, I mean under lvl 20. And by derping around, I mean 20% running some moderate static quest, and 80% doing something else as a group. Developing story, relationship, and/or shenanigans. Why? Because some of the best experiences I have had on Layo didn't have any sort of reward attached to them, because the interaction and fun had was the reward itself. ... Okay, I'm done now. :U *cough* EDIT: Almost lost this because I got logged out... LOL
22
« on: August 02, 2012, 03:47:37 pm »
*Another younger gentleman is seen following the voice into the cellars, but only the tiny man with the booming voice emerges, hoisting a chitinous carapace above his head, proclaiming loudly*
"We have removed the vermin!"
...
"The other fellow? He went to clean out more the the nasties you got under your little establishment. Even the mold attacks things."
*he nods sagely, and leaves, looking for more work*
// Gonna try to start doing some static quests and the like for/with lower level characters, just trying to start some sturff. :3
//Thanks Lance, for making an appearance. :U
23
« on: August 02, 2012, 12:38:14 pm »
Jace the Brownie. :Y
Image is the work of artists for WotC, this one being the art for the Goldmeadow Stalwart card from MTG.
24
« on: August 01, 2012, 04:12:44 pm »
oh, geez... uhm... :U
Maybe some forum/NWN layo crossover with a small puzzle series? Something to tie some folks up and keep them occupied? *throws red herrings EVERYWHERE*
25
« on: August 01, 2012, 01:46:50 pm »
Gotta say Thanks to Lon and Anamnesis for a fun first few days back a couple days ago! :3
26
« on: July 29, 2012, 07:12:38 pm »
Happy Birthday. :U
27
« on: July 27, 2012, 07:26:58 pm »
Gosh, you have permission to use any of my public ones. Especially the dead ones. :Y Name/Handle: Link092 Character Name(s): Mearden Ferier, Richard Windwisp, Gealron Faedial Links to CDT(s): Mearden's Journal, Mearden's CDQ Journal for Palemaster, Richard's Journal, Gealron's Character SubmissionGallery Link(s): pictures already in posts, if any. Poetic License Link(s): n/a Social Media Permission: all I feel these are the better of my journals that I kept, because they were some of my favorite characters. As incomplete as they are, some characters die off as time pass simply because there was no more room for them in the changing world. Richard's Journal was especially interesting and fun to write. Gealron's submission post was the longest and most creative I ever wrote (imho), and perhaps it too is a good read.
28
« on: July 27, 2012, 06:57:14 pm »
his name is karma for a reason... :U
:3
29
« on: February 19, 2012, 04:15:31 pm »
Andrea, as kindly hijacked from the artist, k_atrina
30
« on: February 19, 2012, 01:52:06 pm »
hey man, happy B-day. we're getting old ;-; *cough*
31
« on: February 17, 2012, 08:21:52 pm »
Bioware Name: Link092
Character Name: Rhys
Purpose: CDQ for the escape the confines of The Deep and reach the surface. Goal from there; Find a bindstone.
Reason: Character exiled to The Deep and currently has no way to reach the surface in-game by "normal" means (via just sneaking and traveling). What to make escape somewhat feasible.
I'm not picky about other players participating to help/hinder me, I just prefer more PnP options for movement and options on CDQ's.
32
« on: February 16, 2012, 03:19:50 am »
(sorry, you were being lazy, so I was giving you a lazy answer back  ) <,< I was just asking for the version number. last time I used the DL page it wasn't up to date. :< But guess it is now. :3
33
« on: February 15, 2012, 01:59:13 am »
On a complete tangent, you know your parents are old when they have to try to remember how old they are. And more-so when they do the same for you. :l
Also, happy valentines day. :3 (yeah, I'm late, so what. :U )
34
« on: September 16, 2011, 06:24:23 pm »
happy birthday ystrday-san! :U
35
« on: September 10, 2011, 06:08:54 pm »
Hey Link: Horde/Hoard.
To Tales and Solara - welcome to Layonara! ugh, you grammar/english Rofirinite. <,<
36
« on: September 08, 2011, 11:40:14 pm »
We Do Not Sow! **Shakes fist*
Welcome to Layonara!  'Ware this one, he is evil and hath not a shred of elfanity in thine soul. He'll set upon ye, his hoard of spiders, he will! Tread carefully brave new adventurers! But that might have changed in the past 6 months. I gotta get back in game with my new character I'm buzzing up.
37
« on: September 04, 2011, 02:08:43 pm »
happy belated bday
38
« on: August 27, 2011, 08:43:15 pm »
but I haven't really played in a year, lol... and some change
xD
also, Geloooo is a DM? What has the world come to! D:
39
« on: August 23, 2011, 11:43:26 pm »
who said I was coming back to you crazies? :3 LOL no, I dunno if I'm coming back quiet yet... :U but I'm looking into how my schedule will work. ALSO, I'm getting free software via msndaa (yay 3 copys of win 7 and one of XP prof SP 3! ), so I'll need to figure out how to reload everything back onto a win 7 system... I heard games are derpy on win 7. D: anyhow, I think all my human characters died of old age at this point... I'm sure Idoran is probably 160 years old plus... D: we'll see! ~Link092
40
« on: August 13, 2011, 03:02:30 pm »
happy birthday you war-mongering dark elf.
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