Adventure vs Intrigue
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As I’ve mentioned previously I’m a casual player due to my limited playtime. However, something I’ve noticed since I’ve returned is the emphasis on Adventure over Intrigue. Now I don’t have an issue with this per se, but from my perspective I’ve seen little intrigue with factions or groups against each other. As I’m only on for a limited time I might be missing the fantastic intrigue and conflict that is going on.
So my question to the community is, has the percentage of time spent on adventuring instead of intriguing increased? Is it a result of the small player base or is there another reason?
If this is the case what is the solution? Are people cutting back on intrigue as this would limit who they can adventure with? Are people adventuring to gain levels, and power and then going to invest time in Intrigue.
Is it possible to start a new character and focus on intrigue over adventuring, even if this means you’ll be mechanically weaker than those who focus on adventuring. Or will such a concept be killed off before it has time to flourish and engage the community.
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I think its just that there is a low playerbase, all the metafactions are set up to have some conflict stirring in them. Mostly what I see are just dissagreements more than anything. I do think some things are starting to stir perhaps, but its going slowly.
I think the major problem is that people are scared of annoying the major groups that seem to be spearheading the plots. If you annoy those PC's then its the impression that you will get cut out of those juicy DM plots. I say impression because if you start to cause conflict and stir things I would hope that you get antifaction plots going, but this is hard when people arnt willing to just take that step and conflict.
Perhaps I am wrong though! just the impression I get currently.
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It's just people aren't creating that kind of story right now, you can do it though, I played a PC a little while back and created quite a bit using some very simple tools.
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I think its just that there is a low playerbase,
I think the major problem is that people are scared of annoying the major groups that seem to be spearheading the plots. If you annoy those PC's then its the impression that you will get cut out of those juicy DM plots.
I would say it's not so much that you get cut out of DM plots, but cut out of ability to play. When there are 10 players in your time zone (meaning 2-6 on at any given time) and 8 of them have characters that are "unfriendly" and don't want to associate with you then its somewhat difficult to RP for more than momentarily.
To say something "on track" for this thread…
I do wonder if we have the playerbase to support much "intrigue" at this moment. Even if "intrigue" does not make you "unfriendly", such as two different noble houses each behind the scenes trying to influence a third... Do we have the player count to support such well at the moment?
Would lessening number of factions make it easier, so each would have more people? or would that hurt it?
I do think that the announced support of PC factions to be coming (whatever form that may take) will certainly be a interesting experiment to see how that might make PC faction-PC faction intrigue as a factor. For instance, historically we would see Factions getting assistance from PCs or PCfactions to support their needs, we might actually see the reverse - a PCFaction being approached by DMFaction to aid the PCFaction's goals. -
In my experience, intriguing is just harder than adventuring. It's fairly easy to come up with a reason to go exploring. Intriguing in a way that keeps people interested in what you are doing consistently takes a lot of work, planning, and skill in execution which is very non-trivial.
I think it's why characters and their players who are good at this tend to become well known.
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I always found it more fun to have 8 enemies and 1 friend rather than the other way around. I'm odd though I guess.
Too many of these posts…. brain... melting.
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I hate the "A&I" thing, people over-think it too much. Just go and tell a story and ignore silly labels and wondering which box you're ticking while doing something.
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I think I'm getting both in, but I could be wrong.
Harry had a hard time early on, coming out so strongly against sharlaan and
his Iron hand, but things have gotten a little less "in your face" and a bit more subtle.I am having a blast.
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I hate the "A&I" thing, people over-think it too much. Just go and tell a story and ignore silly labels and wondering which box you're ticking while doing something.
Agreed, scrapping A&I would be a good idea. Yes both are important no doubt but putting it on a pedestal seems to give players the wrong message. Back in the old glory days players who wanted to make a difference on the server just did these things naturally and it worked while at the same time left room for plenty of interesting characters who weren't necessarcily movers and shakers but were nevertheless interesting and were remembered in their own right.
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Its funny, cause I remember specifically Moloch would tell me that my characters lacked the 'adventure aspect'. Which pretty much meant wondering out to the middle of nowhere lookiong for something that doesn't exist IG, but to tell a DM you went looking for it, and follow up. Well, I may have told him how I think that was kinda dumb as hell. But regardless, I kept playing the way I liked and had fun and involved others…I guess some people have to be told what to do...even if it wouldn't fit their characters or playstyle...Not me though, fuck that.
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What's the deal with all the edgy remarks? You almost sound like you were discriminated for not adventuring.
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Its cuz I'm black.
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Which pretty much meant wondering out to the middle of nowhere lookiong for something that doesn't exist IG, but to tell a DM you went looking for it, and follow up. Well, I may have told him how I think that was kinda dumb as hell.
Pretty much sums it up right there, than again thats what people did in v3 it just wasn't put on the pedestal so bluntly but people who got involved in DM plots usually did just that.
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Which pretty much meant wondering out to the middle of nowhere lookiong for something that doesn't exist IG, but to tell a DM you went looking for it, and follow up. Well, I may have told him how I think that was kinda dumb as hell.
Pretty much sums it up right there, than again thats what people did in v3 it just wasn't put on the pedestal so bluntly but people who got involved in DM plots usually did just that.
That works when you have 40 people and 2-3 DMs logged on ay any given time. Doesn't work at all when you have a DM every 2 months.
No blame going on, just the statement of fact that former methods have to change. -
I agree. I think its worth taking a good look on the whole A/I "guideline". Roaming areas, hoping to get lucky as you farm for components while ignoring key aspects of roleplay like character building and development was never the intent.
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Honestly the best advice is just to rp your character and do what you find fun.
If you have fun and involve others DMs will likely notice and take an interest.
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That's the biggest thing, in my opinion. Play a character, not a build, not a concept, play a living character that you enjoy to roleplay. Usually the other stuff will follow once people start getting to know you and your playstyle.
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locke is right, my most fun in the last few years was a character made just as an alt for rp and next thing I know he goes from being in jail to a deputy's deputy then to being a stark wyvern auxilery to full wyvern and guild wrestling champion
his build was nothing but hitting the button, his concept was just to have a hin to talk to another hin
and it was funeveryone should try it
