Great Server Numbers – Faces, Old & New
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Hey guys,
CoA numbers have been pretty outstanding recently for a game that ought to have had its funeral many, many years ago. There’s been a very noticeable pick-up in activity the past few weeks which the DM Team is really ecstatic about and are busy scheming away little events and plots to keep everyone occupied and entertained.
My question to everyone, with a revitalised playerbase how would everyone like to see the DM Team handle events and plots? Do they enjoy server-wide plots which try and involve everyone who logs in, or perhaps do they enjoy those smaller events that touch upon the many different corners of our server individually and have a more personal touch? Maybe a mixture of the two is best? Maybe some of you have some ideas on what you think is best to cater to a pretty impressive playerbase that encompasses different types of players with different commitments and involvement in the game.
Tagging onto the back of that, welcome to all the new players, I know I’ve spoken to a handful in the past week alone which is always great to see. Is there anything we as a community can do to increase our numbers even more? Is there anything else we can do that you feel will sustain this level going forward?
Looking forward to seeing what people come up with, it’s really good to see so many of you about, and further striving to make such an impact on the gameworld.
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I want to see more server-wide plots that every DM can run events for on every time zone.
No more plots that only a certain DM knows anything about.
No more plots that are hidden in a faction headquarters that no one shares.
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@Khamal:
I want to see more server-wide plots that every DM can run events for on every time zone.
No more plots that only a certain DM knows anything about.
No more plots that are hidden in a faction headquarters that no one shares.
I'm working on that -right now-, actually! :)
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I would like to see the DM team help resolve old plots and currently loose ends.
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I'd like some events catered specifically to me and me alone, so that I can recapture the old feeling of CoA and stick around longer.
<.<
Just kidding. I think Khamal's got it. That and a mixture of server-wide plots, and smaller events.
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smaller
less lag -
I would like to see the DM team help resolve old plots and currently loose ends.
Ending the Legion War was a step in this direction, and one we would love to continue. By all means, let us know if there's something hanging out there that needs resolving.
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I think a mix of Large open server wide plots and faction/group plots that may or may not have anything to do with each other. I understand the call for "No faction plots, they HOARD!" but that is not true, some stuff just only covers certain groups… what does a 6 int barbarian care about that new book on magical theory that may or may not be important.. he can't even read the thing. Yeah I know that is an extreme example, but not all plots should fit all people. [/2cents]
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Prefer the smaller, non-invasive variety of DM events. If I log into the game late into my shitty timezone and see that some random dragon has teared up east arabel, again, I probably wouldn't bother logging back in for a week or two.
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There will be no more dragons.
I want to hear the things people like currently about the server?
Everything is doomy and gloomy, I hardly ever hear people say what they're enjoying doing!
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I want to hear the things people like currently about the server?
Everything is doomy and gloomy, I hardly ever hear people say what they're enjoying doing!
I'm loving this Off peak time plot that TheDevilsOrchard has cooked up, great times and for running for such a short time it has the potential to involve a fair number of people. I'm not sure how much of it is spoilerish so I'll leave it at that, though it rocks for the time it is normally run at.
I also like that the DMs are obviously being active on the server, it adds a level of depth that many are looking for when the NPCs and the Environment react to them.
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Plots where i can role play not just rush about killing stuff.
I have fun on the server everyday otherwise id play somewhere else but my fun is from interactions rather than from combat,don't get me wrong i don't mind it but has been a long time that i had to think on a DM quest rather than just charge and kill the "npcs".
Also less monster races involved in the plots because even my evil characters think monsters should be killed on sight not sat down to tea with i find it hard for my human to relate to a drow or lizardman because they are more likely to eat him than help him…the end result is i walk away from the plots as there is no immersion to them.
Give me fun and immerse my character in the plot..
This is what i would like but im happy playing as i am so you don't have to change things to please me. -
Truthfully, I'm more in favour of smaller plots and one shot quests that are more tailored for the players in the group, but thats really just personal preference. The big server wide plots can be cool, but sometimes it feels like you're just along for the ride instead of driving the care yourself. As for what I'm having fun doing right now? Probably just the sheer amount of fun characters I've had a chance to meet and adventure with in the last two days. I don't even need DM quests when I'm getting this kind of awesome RP out of people (although I won't turn down that DM lovin').
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There will be no more dragons.
I want to hear the things people like currently about the server?Everything is doomy and gloomy, I hardly ever hear people say what they're enjoying doing!
OH GEE I WONDER WHY?
In seriousness, I don't know how well the DM team coordinates their events but I've been through some mini-events that just didn't get seen through for whatever reason, and when I went to try to solve it myself a DM that clearly had little idea what the original plot was about stepped in to give us something to do. It was fun, but didn't really lead anywhere else so the subplot just kinda got dropped. It leaves me wanting to finish them, but no way to properly. A way to more properly get together with DMs to handle plots they want to finish up, but doesn't really belong in the Player Plot forum.
I'd like to see roleplay rewarded more. DM quests (at least in most cases I've experienced) just send you off to a different section, or spawn some additional enemies to fight. Which is fine, I like that kind of stuff. But having important NPCs (Kresswell and the like for instance, but simply the soldiers or commoners would be fine too) show up, walk around and talk to people. This also serves a purpose in allowing people who weren't directly involved in PLOT to learn about what is happening in the city and help them get involved.
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This has less to do with the workings of the actual server itself and more about publicizing it. Send out an e-mail to anyone who has ever registered a forum account on CoA (excluding those who have been banned) letting them know about v5, Haks, and the chance to enjoy the final months of v4 and influence its outcome. We have had an extraordinary number of people pass through here over the years; 4200 is the total amount of members who have registered on this forum to be exact. A lot of them haven't checked on CoA in years and may be interested in returning if they knew about the developments which have occurred since the time they left but at this point there is no way for them to know unless they check the forums or someone they know tells them. NWN isn't getting any newer and while we still get people from other servers who come here to find a new home we already have an existing base that we can tap into. Even if %1 were to actually respond thats 840 people which is more than enough to get the server back to 55/55 again. I would also recommend that if a player doesn't post for a little while they get an email asking them to check back (of course with the option to unsubscribe if they truely don't want to be bothered anymore) but its just another way to stay in touch with the community. I STRONGLY urge the DM Team to consider something along these lines as it can only help bring attention back to our server.
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If there is a mixture of both, I'd like to see it be 95% faction-based; with the occasional server-based that actually makes sense, e.g., the arena one would if PC's could fight each other. My current character wouldn't even be around half-the-server as it is, unless he had a chance to spar one of them!
I also think the love should be spread around; though I'm sure it is. I know today I saw a DM once upon request; and then I didn't see one grief me while I was doing a generic quest. And then I'm wandering the street alone at night and I see a DM chatting as a vendor with a PC I've seen in lots of DM-event screenies here.
I'd like to see some role-playing events, personally. Next time possess the NPC and try to work out an arrangement with the thugs that are only there for the money. Would be something quick and easy to add an element of fun to an already created quest; though maybe not as quick as popping in to kill a new player. Which ain't spreading no love. ;-)
As far as sustaining/increasing numbers? I feel something must be done differently at the low-low levels. I may have the patience to be 3rd-4th level for three weeks, but doubt many do. I don't know what would help… maybe: more reward for tasks? (I am adventuring just to support my adventuring.. I only do them because that's where everybody is most of the time: I haven't found an item worth using in 40 hours or that can even be sold!) Maybe a scaled XP-loss system that doesn't negate days and countless quests of work at low-low levels, but is still as deadly when you hit 6th level (I've heard from numerous vets how 7th level can be achieved in day, but I can't get 10 XP to hit 6th before doors magically stop working and NPCs take a round three rounds after they dropped me, provoking even, to finish me off)? Maybe quests that are less-dangerous, require more role-playing, puzzle-solving, investigation, etc. for low-levels? Take-on a DM to cater to new players and low-levels specifically?… I could keep throwing ideas out, heh.
I really don't know, though. I just think people would stick around more (or return) if they didn't spend 40 hours hitting 5th level, just to die (often by lag, some hostile on the next transition killing them before the screen isn't even black anymore, etc.) twice and be back to the start.
And I've got and had plenty to say about what I think is awesome about this server; reasons why it is so full apparently; etc. While dying earlier today damaged my psyche for several hours, I don't care. I don't think that's what it's about. There seems to be DMs on often... that you can request help from one and have a plot you are trying to create advance is awesome. Perhaps new players just need to more quickly be informed what Arabel is all about?
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I really want to see more big DM plots that can involved all alignments and kind of PCs on a different level, depending no what they'd want to see happen, yet do not draw on for months and months.
What is making me happy right now is the change caek has made on the slums, finally opening the area up to player manouvering and making it feel you can make a difference there, where before it was filled with uber level NPCs that could crush you in the blink of an eye. That makes me happy in my pants.
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I like seeing the dm team reward player initiatives. Back in the day it felt like only the elite initiatives and the best ideas, thought up by the best players would get rewarded.
Nowadays it feels like anyone who bothers to think up something and make it happen, anyone who manages to involve players in a spot of fun gets rewarded for it.
I don't think players should attempt to make things fun with the sole objective of being rewarded by the dm's in mind but its very nice o know that it could happen to anyone who tries now.
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I like an even split. 50% of the time focused on server wide plots and 50% of the time on player initiative / focused plots. This tends to provide a sense of personalization for everyone while at the same time giving a sense of wonder to the entire server. Also, if one DM has to take a break for a bit due to RL (sadly it happens, I know) it does not affect a specific group of players as much (they can work on the server wide plots).
For the server wide plots, what of this idea. Draw up a sort of loose overarching story line for ideas for the server. Preferable an epic arc. Then put into that arc various stories that would be told along the way (the individual server wide story arcs the DMs are running). The outcome of all the individual story arcs helps determine the outcome of the entire story line.
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I like the small group/single player plots. Ones that aren't huge and massive and require months to complete.
One offs or two or three sessions that have a definate ending.
There is a place for massive epic server wide plots, but there are also people like me who want some sense of closure and fun for a few hours doing a small plot that may not even change anything in the world.